I've been reading through a large amount of the Star Wars books, and having finished with the Darth Bane series, I moved on to the movie novels. So far I am through Episode I / II / III, and I am finding that the books tend to follow the trend that they are better than the movies.

I know the biggest complaints through the prequels is that Anakin is very whiny and quite stalkerish in his affection towards Amidala. I like the fact that they are able to get into greater details about the characters, and there are enough changes that Anakin isn't as whiny. Of the three I have read so far, Revenge is definitely my favourite of them. The corruption of Anakin was suprisingly well done, and it was so much more than Palpatine hinting at being a Sith. He really challenges Anakin's perceptions as to what the Sith are, and when he fell... oh man, did he fall hard.

So how many other people have read these novels, and what are your feelings towards them?

Stover's RotS novelisation singlehandedly saved the prequels.

The others are average if I recall.

The novelisation of phantom menace made the film much more tolerable to me because the book was sooooo much worse.

Haven't read the other two prequel novelisations.

As I recall from waaay back when, the novelisation of a new hope had a lot of extra material, and also implied several things that ended up being changed later.

Why would I want to read the book of a film I hated?

Why would I want to read the book of a film I hated?

You're seriously underestimating the Episode 3 novelisation.

I maybe but I'm asking why I'd spend money to read a book based upon a film I disliked, if you buy a game you didn't enjoy would you then buy dlc?

I don't reward a bad experience by throwing more money at it.

Why would I want to read the book of a film I hated?

Starship Troopers.

Why would I want to read the book of a film I hated?

Starship Troopers.

Not a novelization of the film though is it, also I liked starship troopers it was the robocop of the 90's.

Then they made those fraking awful sequel movies, the guns didn't even fire blanks in number two that's how cheap it was.

Why would I want to read the book of a film I hated?

Starship Troopers.

Not a novelization of the film though is it, also I liked starship troopers it was the robocop of the 90's.

Then they made those fraking awful sequel movies, the guns didn't even fire blanks in number two that's how cheap it was.

Point being that the two are not necessarily anything alike. You could borrow a copy and read a little bit so you won't be spending money on it.

No because one was a book turned into a movie, one was a movie made into a book.

And if I didn't like the movie it's entirely reasonable to assume the book based on the movie will be as bad.

Where as with books turned into films it's safe to say the books generally gonna be better.

Good examples being enders game (even though the writers political views are pretty foul) and edge of tomorrow's short book all you need is kill.

I maybe but I'm asking why I'd spend money to read a book based upon a film I disliked, if you buy a game you didn't enjoy would you then buy dlc?

I don't reward a bad experience by throwing more money at it.

I think you are looking at it that the books will follow the story word for word with some extra context thrown in. The books are based on the screen-play by George Lucas, but there are definitely some changes. The biggest issue I had with the books is that they were done by three difference authors.

Ep.1 was written by Terry Brooks, and it follows the script very closely. Most of the extra content could have been deleted scenes from the movie.

Ep.2 was written by R.A. Salvatore, and it follows the script for the most part. Most of the extra content could be deleted scenes, while there are some deviations for the story to make sense in a novel.

Ep.3 was written by Matt Stover, and it follows the general story of the script. There are some pretty big changes, and they give a much more in-depth look into the corruption of Skywalker. It also shows that when Anakin falls to the Dark Side, he isn't just "a little more angry" or "perma-pouty-face." He has gone completely evil and actually takes joy in the murders he commits in the Emperor's name.

Of the three, I would recommend the Dark Lord Trilogy over the other two episodes. That covers the events leading up to the Battle of Coruscant, the events of Ep.3, and the first few months of Darth Vader in the usit we all know and love. The events in the first novel of the series really sets up Revenge, and the third novel is really just added filler... not all that important, but still interesting to read.

I've only read the novelization of RotS. And I still think it's one of the best Star Wars books period.

I maybe but I'm asking why I'd spend money to read a book based upon a film I disliked, if you buy a game you didn't enjoy would you then buy dlc?

I don't reward a bad experience by throwing more money at it.

You don't need to spend money on it. Go check it out through your public library.

Stover's RotS novelisation singlehandedly saved the prequels.

The others are average if I recall.

I fully agree. Amazing Book. Each chapter through a different character POV. Games of throne style.

The novelizations of the OT tend to be much more different from what we got then those of the PT IMO. I wish they would do a special edition of ESB and ROTJ adding some of the extra scenes from the Battle of Hoth and the space portion of Endor because I feel that some of the missing parts do a great job of showing how desperate the rebels were in those battles and getting to see Lando and Wedge finish off a Star Destroyer would be awesome IMO.

Stover's RotS novelisation singlehandedly saved the prequels.

The others are average if I recall.

I fully agree. Amazing Book. Each chapter through a different character POV. Games of throne style.

Comparing it to GoT is a disservice to Stover, honestly.

Stover's RotS novelisation singlehandedly saved the prequels.

The others are average if I recall.

I fully agree. Amazing Book. Each chapter through a different character POV. Games of throne style.

Comparing it to GoT is a disservice to Stover, honestly.

not comparing. Talking about the POV technique stover used, like Martin in GoT. That's a fact. IE : start the book EpIII through Dooku's eyes.

I'm echoing the fact that Matthew Stover's novelization of Episode 3 was excellent. It makes everything I didn't like about the prequels make sense, including how Palpatine killed 3 Jedi Masters in as many seconds and how he loses the fight to Mace Windu.

I own and have read all 6, though not in over a decade.

The PT ones are closer to the movies plot-wise, though the OT ones seem to be more violent. More talk of blood and burning flesh and so forth.

Probably the best part of all six is getting "inside" the characters heads of course, which is why books that come before movies are almost always better because of that aspect if nothing else.

One of the coolest parts is the prologue to ANH. At the time it was vague, but now it it's a pretty accurate description of the prequels, so clearly lucas had some idea in his head from the beginning.

One of the coolest parts is the prologue to ANH. At the time it was vague, but now it it's a pretty accurate description of the prequels, so clearly lucas had some idea in his head from the beginning.

What I recall of the New Hope novelisation was it saying the emperor was an isolated puppet figurehead and that evil flunkies like vader and Tarkin were commiting atrocities in his name without his knowledge.

I think the most telling section is this:

"So it was with the Republic at its height. Like the greatest of trees, able to withstand any external attack, the Republic rotted from within though the danger was not visible from outside.

Aided and abetted by restless, power-hungry individuals within the government, and the massive organs of commerce, the ambitious Senator Palpatine caused himself to be elected President of the Republic. He promised to reunite the disaffected among the people and to restore the remembered glory of the Republic."

The commerce part is especially interesting as it's totally what the CIS was made up of.