After the resounding success of bestseller William Shakespeare’s Star Wars, comes the second (or fifth, depending on how you count) volume, a book filled with shakespearean romance, Vader monologues, singing ugnaughts and a haiku-speaking Yoda.
“Alas, with this promotion comes some dread, For Vader hath no rev’rence for the head.”
Once again rendered in beautiful iambic pentameter, The Empire Striketh Back beautifully turns a space opera into a play. And the play’s the thing!
Why is this on our bookshelf?
Ian Doescher obviously has as much love for the source material as we do. Star Wars has always been a staple of geek culture and Shakespeare’s Star Wars is a perfect addition to our geekylibrary.
Also, Yoda says “Nay, size matters not. Look thou at me, I prithee. Judge me by my size?”
Admit it, you were waiting for that line.
Full disclosure– We received this review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rating (5 stars)
When I was very young, I was afraid of any movie in which someone might die or was simply a live-action movie other than Mary Poppins (death, gore and violence in books was less bothersome, for some reason). This included our Star Wars special edition boxed VHS set (you know, the one with the George Lucas interviews you have to fast-forward through?). Despite this overwhelming timidity, I always loved The Empire Strikes Back, or at least the very beginning scene.. I thought AT-ATs were cute.
Actually, I still think AT-ATs are cute. Point is, long after I came to love the Star Wars trilogy, I’ve always retained a special fondness for The Empire Strikes Back. As a fan of Shakespeare too, seeing it rendered in 165 pages of glorious iambic pentameter and prose was gratifying.
Mashing Shakespeare with Star Wars never seems like a cheap trick. Instead, this is a product of love’s labour and glorious fandom. The Empire Striketh Back definitely lives up to the first volume, if it doesn’t surpass it. I wondered how he would write Yoda, but I was not disappointed.
Read this book:
So you finally vary how you quote Star Wars in conversation: “No, I am thy father.”
Don't Read this book:
If you are angry about the potential “spoiler” in the “Read this book” section. Seriously? Watch the movies.
Once you're done, do this:
Mark your calendars in anticipation of “The Jedi Doth Return,” out on July 1st.
I just finiished “Verily, a New Hope”, and now HAVE to read the others! Hubby picked it up for me at the county library.
Definitely… It’s going to be hard to wait for summer and “The Jedi Doth Return.”