I was pleasantly surprised after reading the Episode I novelization by Terry Brooks. He’s done a fine job with making this book easy enough to read for kids yet interesting and well-paced enough for adults. I was never bored. The chapters did not drag on. The dialogue was reworded just enough so as to not interfere with the characters’ personalities. I found it hard to put down.
It is pretty clear (as stated by Brooks in interviews) that he was given enough creative freedom to make this adaptation interesting. The entire opening of the book involving Anakin and Pod Racing was masterfully written and tied in very will with other parts of the novel. In Episode I, Anakin will say, “I had a dream I was a Jedi.” In the book we find out what that dream was and how it adds depth to young Anakin’s character.
The most intense part of the book for me—the part that I was totally immersed in—was Brooks’ explanation of the Sith. It’s only a few pages long but what a great feeling to finally know where the Sith came from and how they evolved through the years. Most things about the Sith before this were shrouded in mystery. I’m sure George Lucas had some influence here, and I am glad he did, for the explanation is really stunning and the whole origin of the Sith is quite interesting. Make sure you check it out.
On the lighter side, it’s not a hard or long read and definitely worth the time. It might not be something you read over and over, but you will enjoy the added sequences and will barely notice the parts of the film that were left out of the book. On the darker side, I would have liked to have known more about the Jedi Council and the Galactic Senate, and Coruscant in general, I suppose. The Senate is always something that is referred to in the Star Wars universe and I think it should have been explored in more detail in the book as well as the film, but there are future books and films for that.
I give this book a 4.5 out of 5.