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Rating: 
Summary: A great novelization
Review: First, let's dispense with the myth that Lucas wrote this himself. It was fully written by noted sci-fi/fantasy author Alan Dean Foster (who also wrote the novelizations for Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Krull, Black Hole, Alien Nation and although credited to Gene Roddenberry, he also wrote Star Trek The Motion Picture) Lucas was busy actually making the movie while ADF was writing this novel based on Lucas's working script. This accounts for some of the differences in the story. ADF is a great writer, with a good voice and a great use of brevity to convey details. This is a quick read and a real treat for star wars fans. When this was first released it was called "Star Wars: From the adventures of Luke Skywalker" and was released before the movie even came out. ADF was already contracted to write a sequel since no one had any idea how the film would do, thus "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" makes a wonderful companion piece (the similar style between the two should be a dead giveaway that Foster wrote both). This where it all began. If you want to read the SW books, make sure you start here.
Rating:
Summary: An excellently written novelization of the movie
Review: I had planned to read this book for a while, and I was looking forward to it a lot, since the kids' one was way to short and boring even when I was ten years old. So, as you can probably guess my expectations were rather high, too high perhaps, but even so I was not disapointed. George Lucas has proved himself not only an excellent filmmaker, but also a great author as well. This book, while a bit dry at times, illustrates the movie in a spectacular fashion, and breathes new life into it, so that it seems interesting all over again. I read it one day when I was stuck in a hotel room, but this book was so interesting I litterally could not put it down. Every true Star Wars fan should read this, since it completly tells the story with a bunch of added stuff, that truly flesh out the story and that were completly missing from the movie. One thing that surprised me was the occasional small details that were changed. Such as Threepio being described as bronze instead of gold, and Luke being Blue 5 instead of Red 5. Another thing that struck me as odd was the slight differences in characters, Luke and Ben most noticably. Ben is less wise, more mischevious, and at times even funny, a previously unheard of thing! Luke also is slightly different. He seems, well, less innocent, more stupid, and even acts like somewhat of a jerk at times, and is all around more heroic and self centered, and generaly less cute. This was both interesting and annoying, since Luke was always my favorite character and to be honest I liked him better the other way. Leia is also noticably different, she being somewhat less strong, which annoyed me somewhat. Anyway, this was an excellent book, that deserved an honest four stars.
Rating: 
Summary: Lucas Rots
Review: What a surprise - George Lucas is as bad at writing prose as he is at writing screenplays! The 'prose' for this piece of junk is excruciating. Why do people keep encouraging him?? PLEASE, Mr. Lucas, do us ALL a favor and please please please RETIRE!!! You can't write, direct or edit a proper film or book, even though you're using other people's ideas. GIVE IT UP and go home already. *sigh* Well, we can *wish* can't we? For a real sci-fi saga: The Matrix For a real sci-fi novel: Neuromancer For true modern mythmaking: Lord of the Rings Do your brain a favor and check out the above. You'll THANK me...once the swelling goes down, heh he heh ;)
Rating:
Summary: The book's better than the movie
Review: Yeah, Star Wars is great- but this is Star Wars as it was originally intended. For those wandering about the changes, as well as the reviewers who have such gems of wisdom to offer as, "interesting things happen like Luke is blue 5 instead of red 5" should be aware that the novel was written before the film. So the changes made were to the film and there are not additions in the book- merely things that did not make it into the film. But, my being harsh aside- this is a great book, whilst it goes against the movie canon now. (Darth Vader is much more like a shogun for example and has little true loyalty to the Emperor) George Lucas obviously has a passion for the story (and backstory) of Star Wars in this novel that he's lost as he made the prequels. Not a bad author either, if a bit over the top with the description.
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