Great find! I love those novelizations. If you ever get a chance to get your hands on the BTTF ones, do it. The first BTTF has lots of extra stuff and Marty is described in both appearance and clothing the way Eric Stoltz looked.
Star Wars the novel (before it was a movie)
- Thread starter Sigma-LS
- Start date
Anyone actually know anyone who read it before the movie came out?
So did you like the book better? :lol
It pretty much came out of the blue for us.
A few ads on TV and BLAM!
Zombie_61
Master Member
I did. I was so eager to see the film that I read everything Star Wars related that I could get my hands on--the novel, articles in Famous Monsters of Filmland and Starlog magazines, etc.; I wasn't so concerned with spoilers in those days. Even after all of that I was completely awestruck by the film.
Vaderman
Sr Member
Wow, nice find!
I seem to recall having that one and also one with a gold cover (that possibly had pics inside?)
I read it, maybe a week before the film and I remember being very confused by it.
I enjoyed the film so much, I never went back to re-read it, since it seemed like they were not the same material.
Then, I bought "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" and thought that was going to be the second movie. I couldn't tell you one single thing about that book now, except that I loved it as a kid and I was (again) surprised that 'The Empire Strikes Back" was so different! I mean, hadn't the filmmakers even read it?
I would love to re-read that book now, I'll give you a dollar for it...
I seem to recall having that one and also one with a gold cover (that possibly had pics inside?)
I read it, maybe a week before the film and I remember being very confused by it.
I enjoyed the film so much, I never went back to re-read it, since it seemed like they were not the same material.
Then, I bought "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" and thought that was going to be the second movie. I couldn't tell you one single thing about that book now, except that I loved it as a kid and I was (again) surprised that 'The Empire Strikes Back" was so different! I mean, hadn't the filmmakers even read it?
I would love to re-read that book now, I'll give you a dollar for it...
JMChladek
Sr Member
I've still got my copy of the gold covered paperback that came out after the movie (blue STAR WARS lettering and pictures in the middle). A few years ago, a buddy of mine took it to a convention that Alan Dean Foster was appearing at to have it signed for me. Considering its age, it is still in pretty good shape.
Mercury
Sr Member
I read the "soon to be a major motion picture" gold covered paperbook before seeing the movie but it was released before the movie premiered. It came out in 76. I no longer have it but picked up a re-issue of the gold version in 1980. It's only credited to GL though, no mention of ADF and no longer carries the tag about being a movie soon instead it's now "over 5 million in print". Still have that one and it's still in nice shape. ADF's Splinter of the Mind's Eye was a good book as well and I believe I still have that one as well. I also have a paperback copy of Marvel's illustrated version in B/W from 77 but it's seen better days. I have Stan Lee's Marvel color paperback version of ESB 1980 and his 1981 Star Wars color paperback with four new adventures both in great shape for their age.
I enjoyed the book and the inset movie stills made me be in the front of the line when the movie premiered. I believe I saw it 10 times total while it ran in my hometown which was for me unheard of.
I enjoyed the book and the inset movie stills made me be in the front of the line when the movie premiered. I believe I saw it 10 times total while it ran in my hometown which was for me unheard of.
Probe Droid
Master Member
I picked up the gold cover paperback at a junk shop a few years ago very cheap. The original owner had clipped out the old newspaper ad for the film and stuck it inside.
About a decade or so ago, Random House did a nice hardcover compilation of all the OT novelizations. I got one of those collecting dust somewhere. Never read it.
About a decade or so ago, Random House did a nice hardcover compilation of all the OT novelizations. I got one of those collecting dust somewhere. Never read it.
Mercury
Sr Member
I was 12 yrs old when I read it and I was listening to Kansas's Leftoverture album for most of the book. Due to that, pretty much the whole album became the soundtrack theme to that epic story in my mind's eye. To this day, if I listen to any of those songs, I'm drawn to Luke's epic tale the same way if I heard the movie soundtrack. :cool
Then, I bought "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" and thought that was going to be the second movie. I couldn't tell you one single thing about that book now, except that I loved it as a kid and I was (again) surprised that 'The Empire Strikes Back" was so different! I mean, hadn't the filmmakers even read it?
I would love to re-read that book now, I'll give you a dollar for it...
Yeah, Splinter was great but not sequel material. I read it in the late 70's. It was intended to be the sequel if Star Wars was a flop. I am glad they went with ESB instead.
DL 44 Blaster
Sr Member
Neat find! I actually just picked up "Splinter" a week ago. I read it as a kid back in the 70's, and was feeling nostalgic so I thought I'd find it again for a quick read.
nightwind1
Well-Known Member
[/QUOTE]
I feel old... I got it in January, 1977 from a book store (I was in high school).
I feel old... I got it in January, 1977 from a book store (I was in high school).
Mercury
Sr Member
I had a book printed in 78 called Star Quest by Robert E Mills. It was a total rip-off of Star Wars.
The Death Legion meets the Fellowship of Light in a final battle for control of the Universe! Under the guidance of the warrior-mystic Garthane (Obi-wan), they are led into a perilous adventure to save the universe.
Space Pirate Red Rian (Han Solo), Lady Nila (Princess Leia) and Dann Oryzon (Luke) against the Dark Emperor (Palpatine) and his evil captain, Lord Blorg (Lord Vader). They even use, at least Red Rian does, a sword that has an electrical field that flows around the wire frame of the blade. There were 2 more for a nice trilogy.
To be honest, it wasn't too bad but reading the blatant similarities took a lot away from what would have probably been a decent read.
The Death Legion meets the Fellowship of Light in a final battle for control of the Universe! Under the guidance of the warrior-mystic Garthane (Obi-wan), they are led into a perilous adventure to save the universe.
Space Pirate Red Rian (Han Solo), Lady Nila (Princess Leia) and Dann Oryzon (Luke) against the Dark Emperor (Palpatine) and his evil captain, Lord Blorg (Lord Vader). They even use, at least Red Rian does, a sword that has an electrical field that flows around the wire frame of the blade. There were 2 more for a nice trilogy.
To be honest, it wasn't too bad but reading the blatant similarities took a lot away from what would have probably been a decent read.
MFP 2020
Sr Member
I still remember the first time I saw the gold-cover paperback, on the rack at a 7-Eleven, before I'd ever heard of the movie. Needless to say, after my life was changed—I mean, after I saw the movie—I bought the book and read it over and over. I still have a copy but I'm pretty sure it's a replacement, not my original. (Speaking of originals, I still have a huge tube of rolled-up posters in the garage.)
Whenever I think of the book, I think of ADF's fondness for things (gears, gyros) "whining in protest."
In the early 90s I picked up a copy of the trilogy compilation in Germany: "Die Star Wars." I figured it would be a good way to improve my language skills. (It wasn't.)
Whenever I think of the book, I think of ADF's fondness for things (gears, gyros) "whining in protest."
In the early 90s I picked up a copy of the trilogy compilation in Germany: "Die Star Wars." I figured it would be a good way to improve my language skills. (It wasn't.)
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