Star Wars: The Force Awakens by
Alan Dean Foster
My rating:
5 of 5 stars
First and foremost, this book NEEDS to be read by any fan that has seen the movie. The tiny details that it brings to light are really essential to a better understanding of the movie.
One thing I question is the validity to canon that this book has. Some things are different enough that it can change the make up of the world around it compared to the movie. Nothing that takes away from the story itself, but something that could have impacts later on.
The book also squishes up many of the complaints that people had. (at least I think so) You get better explanations... maybe not a full one, but you do get a better understanding.
I listened to audio and almost feel that it was even better that way because of the John Williams soundtrack you get along with the book itself. It really tied the movie to the book well.
Now... time for Spoilers.. For the movie.. and the book... don't go below this if you don't want spoilers.
So there were some things that were different and some things that you just get a tiny bit more information. Keep in mind... this is just what I can remember:
We get more of Leia and C3Po:
We gain a deeper feel for Leia's plight to find Luke. No real story elements, just more of her knowing and lamenting that she cannot find him.
Poe was angry with the First Order and took out their guns to spite them, not to clear out a get-away. Them being shot down made a bit more sense as well... or rather was clearer.
We get heaps more detail as we enter the minds of the Characters:
Rey's confusions and plights make more sense, even her ability being greater than it should. She does not even know how it happened (and yes.. this makes sense because.. The Force.. lol.. it is how it works)
I like when Rey sees Kylo's face for the first time and you understand that she sees him as almost an equal because he looks nothing like one would think after him being so imposing. Really.... this is what we all thought so the casting was perfect.
Kylo Ren's battle to hold himself together, as well as his understanding of who Rey is. Wow... those extra three words near the end of the book hit me the hardest.
Only look if you REALLY want to know
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......................................................................................."It Is You!"
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good now... Han Solo... we know he died, but in the book it is VERY clear who killed Han. Kylo activated the saber. It is clear.. in ... well whatever color your reader is.. or whatever font your audio is in. :P
Rey's understanding of ships should have been picked up in the movie, but if not.. the book reminds us several times that she has scavenged and torn apart ships like this since she was a child.
Poe being alive is cataloged and a pretty hilarious scene that we really missed out on in the movie.
In the fight between Kylo and Finn... "playtime" was over right after Finn got in a lucky jab... yes .. he was toying with Finn.. it was obvious.
In the fight between Rey and Kylo there was a TON more going on in the Force between the two. First of all... she had no idea how she fought the way that she did. He was holding back because he wanted to recruit her (that was clear in the movie too). Kylo blocked the lightsaber for a bit with just the force a few times after being disarmed. (This may have happened, but it could have looked like he used his arms.. can't remember) Rey was tempted by a voice, very clearly, to kill him and made an active choice not to do so. The movie had the splitting of the world decide this for her.
The biggest change... Starkiller base: How the weapon worked and how it was used. While it used the sun to power it... it did not drain the sun (fyi ... that would destroy the system it was in faster than it would destroy the targeted system.) It also only shot one beam and the impact, and way it reacted with the intended target, actually resulted in an explosion that takes out the rest of the system. I don't know.. that just makes more sense to me.
I did like the nod to the sun darkening being a physical thing where we could see the light going away from Kylo... but it just makes more sense that the sun is not just.... eaten by the base?
Oh.. and Captain Phasma?.. she fully expected them to fail. This is the reason she was fine with dropping the shields. Too much trust and ego in her troops and such. She says maybe one line to this in the movie, but the book made it clear.
I teared up at the end of the book when Rey enters the Falcon... the way that Chewie gives up the pilot seat... and gives it to her... man... emotional.
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