Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Mass Market Paperback)

by Terry Brooks (Author) "Tatooine. The suns burned down out of a cloudless blue sky, washing the vast desert wastes of the planet in brilliant white light..." (more)
Key Phrases: thruster bars, aqua monster, destroyer droids, Trade Federation, Sith Lord, Anakin Skywalker (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
If you've seen The Phantom Menace in a theater--and, judging from the 1999 box-office figures, who hasn't?--you've probably been a bit frustrated by the speed with which the fantastic images and creatures fly past. There's no such problem with this audiobook. All the excitement of the Star Wars prequel is there, but this time there's breathing room, a chance to meet the characters, let them walk around in your imagination, hear their thoughts. Actor Alexander Adams's reading of fantasy master Terry Brooks's novelization is brisk but never rushed, punctuated at chapter breaks by snippets of John Williams's movie score. Unfortunately, those who hate amphibian pest Jar Jar Binks's voice probably won't find Adams's approximation any less obnoxious than the movie's. (Running time: 9.5 hours, 6 cassettes) --Lou Schuler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"Fans expecting a typical movie novelization--one that simply parrots the screenplay for Episode I--will be pleasantly surprised. Brooks, with Lucas' cooperation, has created something else altogether; a larger story that includes all of what you've seen onscreen, but also delves deeply into the history of the galaxy and the life and mind of Anakin Skywalker."
--The Star Wars Insider

"BREATHLESS . . . FILLED WITH ACTION FROM PAGE ONE."
--The New York Post

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (February 29, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345434110
• ISBN-13: 978-0345434111
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (176 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #185,121 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 1 in The Star Wars Movie Novel Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The second best novelization I've ever read, March 28, 2000

By	E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Only "Trials and Tribbleations" has put me into the story in a better style. Second best in a bunch of books that tend to be overblown and often lose me in yards of useless exposition.

Terry Brooks does a wonderful job describing the characters and their situations. He creeps into the heads of the characters and helps bring them to life further in the way only an author can. Qui-Gon Jinn is especially vibrant.

There are some inconsistancies. The end battles and swordfighting in the book is somewhat different, I think, from the movie's version; it includes many lines of dialogue cut from the movie (not that I'm complaining); Jar Jar seems more competent; and Brooks seems to be very vague on Queen Amidala's clothing. None of these significantly detract from enjoyment of this novel. Read it if you've seen the movie! You will not be disappointed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Filling in the gaps, November 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (Hardcover)

Star Wars fans the world over have been waiting sixteen years for the newest installation of the greatest saga of all time. In May, Americans got their first look at the newest movie and, for the most part, have been extremely happy. Some, however, were disappointed with the appearance of the novelization before the movie, in many cases letting loose secrects they did not want to know. Many were surprised, however, when, upon seeing the film, many of the story elements present in the novel were not in the movie. This is where the strength of "The Phantom Menace" novelization lies. Here, we are presented with an extended vision of the plot, one which captures the vison and excitement of the film, yet manages to add more than would be possible on the screen. We get an extended history of the Sith, given to us by Darth Sidious himself, as well as some more background about Anakin. In addition to the background, Brooks forshadows the next episode with Anakin's dreams about the future. He does it in his usual artful and elegant prose, reminding one of his "Shannara" books. All in all, this book is a very entertaining and exciting addition to an already great movie.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A perfectly adequate novelization of the film, December 5, 2004

By	Daniel Jolley "darkgenius" (Shelby, North Carolina USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (Hardcover)

With the theatrical release of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith only months away, it seems like a good time to begin preparing myself for the new film. While I did not judge Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace as harshly as many Star Wars fans did, there can be no doubt that the film paled in comparison to the force of the original trilogy. Even as a six-year old child, everything about the first Star Wars film in 1977 seemed seared into my memory, and it somewhat saddens me to know that the children of this generation, after seeing The Phantom Menace for the first time, will never know the power and obsessive joy that the original Star Wars trilogy invoked in the children of my generation. Frankly, after two viewings of Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace a few years ago, only bits and pieces resonate in my memory, and I really do need to review the people and events of this film (as well as Episode Two: Attack of the Clones) before I feel ready to see Episode Three.

The powers that be certainly found an illustrious author to transform George Lucas' screenplay and story into novelized form. I've been a fan of Terry Brooks ever since reading The Sword of Shannara as a child, and Brooks has done a thoroughly professional job with this novel. Everything that happened in the film is described with great discernment, the furious action of intense scenes such as the battle between Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul is vividly rendered, the moments of light humor are translated expertly to the page, and the emotional aspects of the plot, especially those concerning Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, are drawn in tender yet meaningful strokes. This is truly a commendable and faithful novelization of the film.

Unfortunately, the problems of Lucas' story are also faithfully captured in this novelized retelling. These characters just do not fire the imagination in the way Luke, Han, Leia, and Darth Vader did. I consider only two of these characters to be truly strong ones: Anakin and Padme, and unfortunately, events of the future serve to diminish them in different ways. I love Padme, though, and she is every bit the future mother of Luke and Leia, a queen and a fighter who will risk anything for her people. That being said, I must say that Anakin (and I swear I will never get used to the future Darth Vader being referred to as "Annie") isn't everything I thought he should be. He's an extraordinary child, of course, thanks to all those midi-chlorians coursing through his blood, but I do not think his background as we learn it here provides for an acceptable future embrace of the dark side. So much is made here by the Jedi Council - and Yoda in particular - of the dangers represented by the child's anger, but I don't see such anger in a slave boy who loves his mother dearly and seems to get by pretty well indeed on his own. It may be wrong of me to criticize a story based on incongruities I see arising in a later installment, but I just don't think George Lucas (and thus, by implication, Terry Brooks) satisfactorily showed me how this dear, brave boy will soon become the exasperating young man we see in Episode Two.

The only other thing I would say about this perfectly satisfactory novelization is the fact that it really adds nothing to the film itself. Oftentimes, a novelization will add depth or better understanding to the film it is based upon, but that really isn't the case here. Questions I had about the movie (the true essence of Senator Palpatine, for example) were not threshed out in the book. In terms of refreshing my own memory of the story in preparation for the upcoming theatrical release of Revenge of the Sith, I could have saved myself some time and merely watched the film again.