JANUARY 2016 - AudioFile
Authentic sound effects, the John Williams score, and Marc Thompson’s range of voices and accents make this a true “movie in your mind” audio experience (and even more so if you’ve seen THE FORCE AWAKENS on the big screen). This novelization picks up 30 years or so after the events of the original movie trilogy that concluded with RETURN OF THE JEDI. Thompson goes at it with gusto—he gives individual voices to characters old and new that echo those of the movie actors and ramps up the excitement during pitched battles between TIE fighters and X-wings. And you’ll love BB-8, the little astromech droid whose unique beeps and trills are included. Good listening fun for Star Wars fans. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
Like all the best novelizations, Alan Dean Foster’s adaptation of Star Wars: The Force Awakens enriches the movie experience. The novel goes beyond simply giving us insight into the characters’ thoughts, with plenty of additional scenes painting a broader picture of the galaxy.”—New York Daily News
“Fast-moving, atmospheric and raises goose-bumps at just the right moments. [Foster] not only evokes entire onscreen worlds . . . he also gives us glimpses of an even more vast, unseen universe.”—The Washington Post
“Was my experience of the film enriched by the book? Yes. No question. Is the novelization worth reading? Yes. . . . Foster has written a book that captures the spirit of the film, while presenting additional information that helps answer some of the questions that linger.”—Coffee with Kenobi
Library Journal - Audio
★ 03/15/2016
"Luke Skywalker has vanished!" Thus begins the latest tale in the incredibly popular "Star Wars" series. Taking place about 30 years after Return of the Jedi, this work follows the adventures of Finn, a former Stormtrooper for the evil First Order; Rey, a scavenger on a desert planet; and BB-8, the rotund droid with information on Luke Skywalker's hidden location. The dastardly Kylo Ren, in his black mask and wielding a terrifying red lightsaber, leads the search for the droid. Familiar characters such as Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Princess (now, General) Leia play roles, too. Subtle additions to the film story lines are supplied by Foster (Star Wars: The Approaching Storm), such as the details of how Poe Dameron was able to leave Jakku. Sound effects from the film thoroughly enhance this audiobook, which is admirably narrated by Marc Thompson. At times, the character Rey sounds a bit too much like C-3PO, but Thompson's Harrison Ford imitation is nearly perfect. Kylo Ren's electronically altered voice and BB-8's bleeps are touches of brilliance. VERDICT Whether the listener has seen the film version or not, this is an excellent audio production; highly recommended for all collections.—Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI
JANUARY 2016 - AudioFile
Authentic sound effects, the John Williams score, and Marc Thompson’s range of voices and accents make this a true “movie in your mind” audio experience (and even more so if you’ve seen THE FORCE AWAKENS on the big screen). This novelization picks up 30 years or so after the events of the original movie trilogy that concluded with RETURN OF THE JEDI. Thompson goes at it with gusto—he gives individual voices to characters old and new that echo those of the movie actors and ramps up the excitement during pitched battles between TIE fighters and X-wings. And you’ll love BB-8, the little astromech droid whose unique beeps and trills are included. Good listening fun for Star Wars fans. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2016-01-21
Sci-fi veteran Foster (Star Trek into Darkness, 2013, etc.) returns for the novelization of the latest Star Wars blockbuster. For those readers who've been living in a galaxy far, far away, the Star Wars franchise has returned with a new film, the first since 2005's Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. As novelized here, Rey is a scavenger eking out a solitary existence. Finn, a stormtrooper who's fled his post, crosses paths with her when he crash-lands on her desert homeworld, Jakku. When he realizes that she's in possession of a droid containing a sought-after map, they team up to return the droid to a rebel base, gaining some unwanted attention from what remains of the Empire, now known as the First Order. As with any novelization, what's sure to attract readers is what isn't in the movie. For example, the book opens with a look at the ruminations of Gen. Leia Organa, and, even though it's a brief scene, it handily delineates where the Empire and the rebellion currently stand—perhaps better than the actual film manages to do. However, some fans may be disappointed to find their favorite scenes offer little additional insight about characters' thoughts, and it's never clear why some moments receive additional detail or flourishes that didn't appear in the film, and others don't. Rey, in particular, comes across as somewhat more emotional than portrayed on screen. Foster keeps the prose steady if a bit workmanlike throughout, but there are a few nose dives into questionably florid prose; in the middle of one sentence, for instance, First Order baddie Kylo Ren is described as "saturnine of aspect, lithe of build, tortured of mien, and troubled of eye." Ultimately, it's the original story and characters from the film that make the book worth reading rather than Foster's contributions. The Force is adequate with this one.
