Rating: 
Summary: kind of boring
Review: Author Terry Brooks was given the task to write the book adaptation of the first Star Wars prequel movie: "The Phantom Menace". The novel is based on the screenplay by George Lucas. As with any other book there are good things and bad things about this novel. In this case, the good and the bad are the same thing: Terry Brooks must stay close to George Lucas's screenplay. This is good because Brooks must stay close to what the movie would end up being. This is bad because the screenplay wasn't very good. The story is obviously the same as the movie (though fleshed out a little bit more). Two Jedi are sent to negotiate with the Trade Federation over the Federation's blockade of Naboo. The Neimoidians, under the power of Darth Sidious, try to kill the Jedi (Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi). The Jedi escape and travel down to Naboo where they end up rescuing Queen Amidala and a few select Nubians. To hide from the Trade Federation they land on the planet Tatooine where they meet a boy named Anakin Skywalker. Their ship is damaged and to get the parts they need Anakin helps them win something called a podrace, which Anakin is a driver in (the only human who is able to do so). Qui-Gon believes this boy is strong in the Force and is the one mentioned in a prophecy about a boy who will bring balance to the Force. The novel has two primary focuses: the time spend on Tatooine with Anakin and freeing the Naboo from the Trade Federation. There are some things that this novel does very well. The opening of the novel is different from the movie in that we see Anakin in the podrace where he is wrecked by Sebulba (alluded to in the film). We see how Anakin is able to race the pod so well and this is the hint of how he is able to use the Force even without knowing what it is. Because we have more of Anakin's thoughts, we see his actions in a different light. We also get to see more of the Sith and their origins (though I prefer "Shadow Hunter" for that). Darth Maul does not come off very well in this novel. He is still an excellent fighter, but he doesn't get to speak or think here. The two Jedi come off the strongest as we get to see more interaction between the two and with more explanation of their relationship. There are also some things that do not work very well. While Anakin is better explained as the potential child of prophecy, he is still not very interesting as a character. Also, both Darth Maul and Padme Amidala are given short shrift in characterization. Worse, I was bored throughout the novel. Sure, I knew the story so there were no surprises, but I can re-read a book or watch a movie a second or fifth time and still be entertained. With this novel I felt that I was just dragging myself along and the only benefit was that I did already know the story so I could skim at times. I have long been a fan of Terry Brooks and his Shannara novels, but this one was rather weak.
Rating:
Summary: "Clouded This Boy's Future Remains..."
Review: Terry Brook's most famous contribution to bookstores is his "Shannara" series, which I personally found a bit too close to the Tolkien formula to find particularly interesting, much preferring his more original "Running With the Demon" saga. But in novelizing George Lucas's screenplay "The Phantom Menace", Brooks has found the perfect arena to instigate his clear, graceful style of writing. It seems pointless in relating the plot, since I can't imagine anyone reading this book who isn't a Star Wars fan and hasn't already seen the movie (perhaps several times), but just in case, "The Phantom Menace" begins the Star Wars saga against a backdrop of political manouvering. The planet of Naboo has been invaded by the greedy Trade Federation, but Queen Amidala is able to reach the Republic and its Senate under the protection of two Jedi: Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi in order to seek aid for her home planet. On route to the Republic's base in Coruscant however, the company must make a stop on the desert-planet Tatooine, where they meet with Anakin Skywalker, a young slave with enigmatic origins, the makings of a great Jedi, and an uncertain future. This fateful meeting sows the seeds of all that is to pass... As mentioned, Terry Brook's style is perfect in order to present the sometimes-complicated subject matter clearly and concisely. Whilst watching the movie for the first time I was often confused at the fast-paced unfolding of events that occured, but on reading Brook's narrative the screenplay became clearer. Likewise, his depictions of the characters are very true to what unfolded on the screen and we can finally get a look inside their heads and see what truly makes them tick. This is especially true of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and Brook's commentary on their opposition concerning their interpretations of the Force: Qui-Gon is more attuned to the "living-Force" that stresses the importance of each individual, whilst Obi-Wan holds to the "unifying-Force", that tends to look at the bigger picture. It is the two Jedi that benefit the most from Brook's narrative and thus come across as the main protagonists. Unfortunately, Anakin does not fare quite as well, with many similar sections of character insight devoted to boyhood dreaming, and Brooks seemed so determined to keep Amidala's true identity a secret that we never get inside her head at all. Throughout, Brooks takes the opportunity to add little scenes that weren't on the big screen: either intended and deleted scenes, or from the author's own imagination, it doesn't matter, as they serve to flesh out the story a bit more and slow the pace. Thus the story opens with Anakin in the desert and continues adding little scenes of his life before he meets Qui-Gon (otherwise the reader would not have come across him until chapter nine). One particularly evocative scene that bears more weight after watching Episode II involves Anakin helping an injured Tuskan raider. Recalling Anakin's later involvement with this species in the following movie leads me to believe that Brooks may have had knowledge Lucas's entire story, and so it pays to watch out for other bits of foreshadowing that Brooks sprinkles throughout, such as: Anakin's dream of Padme leading an army, Yoda's doubt at Obi-Wan's ability to properly train Anakin, and a secret smile on a politician that hints he may have a secret adjenda going on *cough*Palpatine*cough*. Brook's descriptions of scenery, machinery and characters are beautifully done, and since only example can convince you, take a read of: Qui-Gon - "a tall, powerfully built man with prominent, leonine features. His beard and mustache were close cropped and his hair was worn long and tied back." Or of the Jedi Council room: "The room was circular and domed, supported by graceful pillars spaced between broad windows open to the city and the light." See what I mean? It is all very brief, but clearly and simply told. The only weak areas are the action sequences, but whether it's Lucas Jedi matches or Rowling Quidditch games, such things will always be more exciting to watch than to read, and I must confess I skipped over the pages concerning the Pod-Race. Though it's hardly essential reading, Terry Brook's adaptation is an excellent literary version of the movie, that keeps in the spirit of the Star Wars saga, whilst adding little touches of its own. If you were confused by some of the drama on the screen, this will sort you out, and for veterans there's enough originality to keep you interested: the history of the Sith, the background of the main characters and a look into the workings of the Force that suggest it is more complex than simply a Light and Dark Side.
Rating: 
Summary: Go beyond the film with Episode I's novelization......
Review: Every saga, proclaims the tag line for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, has a beginning, and every Star Wars movie has a novelization. Following in the footsteps of Alan Dean Foster, Donald F. Glut and James Kahn is acclaimed fantasy writer Terry Brooks (The Sword of Shannara, among 14 novels), who adapted George Lucas' original screenplay into novel format. Although the Star Wars novels all stick to the basics of their source material, their authors are often able to tack on extra material to set up the situation shortly before the true beginning of the movie. In Brooks' The Phantom Menace, for instance, the first two chapters give the reader more details of young Anakin Skywalker's life in the weeks prior to his fateful meeting with Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Brooks describes, for instance, the incident when Anakin's archrival, Sebulba the Dug, intentionally flashes young Skywalker's Podracer with his vents and nearly kills the boy in the resulting crash. Afterward, Anakin, his best friend Kittster Banai, and the young Rodian Wald encounter an old spacer in the town of Mos Espa. The grizzled veteran amazes the youngsters with his tales of flying fighters and starships, and of missions involving Jedi Knights. Anakin, even at the age of nine, decides that he will not settle for the life of a slave on Tatooine. "[He] thought about what it would be like to be out there, flying battle cruisers and fighters, traveling to far worlds and strange places. He didn't care what Wald said, he wouldn't be a slave all his life. Just as he wouldn't always be a boy. He would find a way to leave Tatooine. He would find a way to take his mother with him. His dreams whirled through his head as he watched the stars, a kaleidoscope of bright images. He imagined how it would be. He saw it clearly in his mind, and it made him smile. "One day, he thought, seeing the old spacer's face in the darkness before him, the wry smile and strange gray eyes, I'll do everything you've done. Everything. "He took a deep breath and held it. "I'll even fly with Jedi Knights. "Slowly he exhaled, the promise sealed." From the third chapter on, Brooks follows the plot of Lucas' screenplay, starting from the failed attempt by Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi to negotiate an end to the greedy Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo. Despite their reputation for cowardice in the face of a strong challenge, something -- or someone -- is enabling the Neimoidian leaders of the Federation to stand up against the Galactic Republic's attempts to tax the trade routes. Using a fleet of battleships, the Trade Federation's viceroy, Nute Gunray, threatens to interdict all shipping to the small backwater planet of Naboo, home planet of both Queen Amidala and its representative in the Senate, the unassuming man named Palpatine. Confident that turmoil in the Senate will hinder any response by Supreme Chancellor Valorum and knowing they have the support of a Sith Lord named Darth Sidious, the Neimoidians attempt to dispose of the two Jedi ambassadors and boldly invade Naboo. Their goal: to capture the teenaged Amidala and force her to sign a treaty that legalizes Federation control of her planet. Even when the Jedi escape to the planet surface, Gunray and his henchmen don't fret much...until Amidala's cruiser -- with Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Jar Jar Binks, the Queen, and a small group of handmaidens and security personnel aboard -- runs past the Trade Federation blockade. But the cruiser's hyperdrive is damaged during the daring breakout, and the escapees must head to the nearest system not under Trade Federation control. The only one within range is the desert world of Tatooine, a rough-and-tumble planet controlled by the vile Hutts. There, the Republic has no presence and scum and villains live side by side with moisture farmers, jawas, and the nomadic and violent Tusken Raiders. The Phantom Menace fills in some of the blanks in the Star Wars backstory, answering such questions as: What were the roots of Anakin Skywalker's anger? How did Artoo Detoo and See Threepio meet? How did Jedi Knights serve as guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic? How did Palpatine rise from sectoral Senator to Supreme Chancellor? Star Wars fans know, of course, the future fate of the major characters of The Phantom Menace and the changes to come in the galaxy. Palpatine will someday be the Emperor, Obi-Wan Kenobi will end up on Tatooine as one of the last surviving members of the Jedi Order, keeping an eye on Anakin's future son Luke. Anakin Skywalker, of course, is destined to become the Sith Lord named Darth Vader, and young Queen Amidala will grow up to be Anakin's wife and mother of his two children. Yet Brooks focuses on this transitional time in Anakin's life, when he's still a child with good instincts and big dreams, dropping subtle hints here and there that foreshadow the events that will turn a heroic Jedi into one of the most iconic villains in movie history.
Rating:
Summary: A lifeless rendering of the movie by a talented author
Review: The new Star Wars movie had the potential to rival the original trilogy, but just about everything felt forced. The drama felt forced, and so did the comedy. It was more an exercise in world-building than storytelling, and if Lucas can get his act together by Episode II, this will be easier to forgive. None of this is Terry Brooks's fault, of course, but I would have expected him to recapture the movie's visual magic in the book's prose, which he does not. I think Lucas could have chosen an author more skilled at visual description, like Ray Bradbury or Alan Dean Foster. To add on to that, the movie's funniest moments come off pretty flat on the printed page. That may not be Brooks's fault either, but humor has never been one of his strong points as an author. What makes this novelization worth reading is the detail it adds to the movie's narrative. Well, most of the detail. The first couple of chapters, detailing Anakin's history as a pod racer, are boring as can be. I'd almost suggest just skipping that first section. But most of the additions only lend clarity and depth to the story. Just a couple of examples: We get to see Anakin's evil foreshadowed when he beats up a kid who accuses him of cheating. We also get to see his ability to predict the future when he tells Padme he's going to marry her. Both of these scenes should have been in the movie, in my opinion. From what I understand, however, Lucas was the one who conceived of these scenes, so I'm not so sure that Brooks deserves credit for the way they improve the story. The much briefer "Queen Amidala's Journal" does a much better job of bringing the characters to life. Brooks does give us more details about the characters than we were given in the movie, but he has a similar weakness to Lucas in that he often states motivations, emotions, and temperaments without showing them through a character's actions. If Obi Wan is a "headstrong young apprentice," we just have to take Lucas' and Brooks's word for it. This is unfortunate, because people who have never read Brooks before might incorrectly assume that he's a mediocre writer. Under Lucas' constraints, Brooks has no chance to show his talents as a storyteller. I encourage anyone who was less than impressed by this novelization to go back and read "The Sword of Shannara," the novel which made Brooks famous. You should be pleasantly surprised, like I was.
Rating: 
Summary: Some food for thought to all negative reviewers
Review: Let the man work!! I can't believe how many Star Wars fans were dissapointed because Ep1 didn't turn out the way THEY envisioned it!! Star Wars is George Lucas' baby, who are we to tell him what comes next or who dies and who lives!?! As for Terry Brooks, I think he did an excellent job doing the adaption, especially if you have read the adaptions for the 2nd trilogy (Ep4-6). You might as well have bought the screenplay for those novels. Sure there are a few things different, like editing out the character's names next to their lines and Threepio smiling a lot(if you don't know what I mean, read Ep4 by GL), but overall, the books are just scripts. Phantom Menace devles into the plot a lot better and gives us background detail which better illuminates statements made by the characters (Like, 'Always two there is: a master and an apprentice'). The pod race scene, which is highlighted in both the book and the film IS central to the story and needed the attention tht it got. It shows Anakin's unusual power in the Force. Its one thing to hear that he is stronger than Yoda (who is how strong?????) Its yet another to see that strength in action. The book shows this a little bit better than the film since we cn see the effort involved...Anakin makes it look easy, we don't get to see the Force at work since its invisible. So, to ANY and ALL people who think they were let down by the movie, the soundtrack or the book, I quote William Shatner, 'Get a Life'!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: "Clouded This Boy's Future Remains..."
Review: Terry Brook's most famous contribution to bookstores is his "Shannara" series, which I personally found a bit too close to the Tolkien formula to find particularly interesting, much preferring his more original "Running With the Demon" saga. But in novelizing George Lucas's screenplay "The Phantom Menace", Brooks has found the perfect arena to instigate his clear, graceful style of writing. It seems pointless in relating the plot, since I can't imagine anyone reading this book who isn't a Star Wars fan and hasn't already seen the movie (perhaps several times), but just in case, "The Phantom Menace" begins the Star Wars saga against a backdrop of political manouvering. The planet of Naboo has been invaded by the greedy Trade Federation, but Queen Amidala is able to reach the Republic and its Senate under the protection of two Jedi: Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi in order to seek aid for her home planet. On route to the Republic's base in Coruscant however, the company must make a stop on the desert-planet Tatooine, where they meet with Anakin Skywalker, a young slave with enigmatic origins, the makings of a great Jedi, and an uncertain future. This fateful meeting sows the seeds of all that is to pass... As mentioned, Terry Brook's style is perfect in order to present the sometimes-complicated subject matter clearly and concisely. Whilst watching the movie for the first time I was often confused at the fast-paced unfolding of events that occured, but on reading Brook's narrative the screenplay became clearer. Likewise, his depictions of the characters are very true to what unfolded on the screen and we can finally get a look inside their heads and see what truly makes them tick. This is especially true of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and Brook's commentary on their opposition concerning their interpretations of the Force: Qui-Gon is more attuned to the "living-Force" that stresses the importance of each individual, whilst Obi-Wan holds to the "unifying-Force", that tends to look at the bigger picture. It is the two Jedi that benefit the most from Brook's narrative and thus come across as the main protagonists. Unfortunately, Anakin does not fare quite as well, with many similar sections of character insight devoted to boyhood dreaming, and Brooks seemed so determined to keep Amidala's true identity a secret that we never get inside her head at all. Throughout, Brooks takes the opportunity to add little scenes that weren't on the big screen: either intended and deleted scenes, or from the author's own imagination, it doesn't matter, as they serve to flesh out the story a bit more and slow the pace. Thus the story opens with Anakin in the desert and continues adding little scenes of his life before he meets Qui-Gon (otherwise the reader would not have come across him until chapter nine). One particularly evocative scene that bears more weight after watching Episode II involves Anakin helping an injured Tuskan raider. Recalling Anakin's later involvement with this species in the following movie leads me to believe that Brooks may have had knowledge Lucas's entire story, and so it pays to watch out for other bits of foreshadowing that Brooks sprinkles throughout, such as: Anakin's dream of Padme leading an army, Yoda's doubt at Obi-Wan's ability to properly train Anakin, and a secret smile on a politician that hints he may have a secret adjenda going on *cough*Palpatine*cough*. Brook's descriptions of scenery, machinery and characters are beautifully done, and since only example can convince you, take a read of: Qui-Gon - "a tall, powerfully built man with prominent, leonine features. His beard and mustache were close cropped and his hair was worn long and tied back." Or of the Jedi Council room: "The room was circular and domed, supported by graceful pillars spaced between broad windows open to the city and the light." See what I mean? It is all very brief, but clearly and simply told. The only weak areas are the action sequences, but whether it's Lucas Jedi matches or Rowling Quidditch games, such things will always be more exciting to watch than to read, and I must confess I skipped over the pages concerning the Pod-Race. Though it's hardly essential reading, Terry Brook's adaptation is an excellent literary version of the movie, that keeps in the spirit of the Star Wars saga, whilst adding little touches of its own. If you were confused by some of the drama on the screen, this will sort you out, and for veterans there's enough originality to keep you interested: the history of the Sith, the background of the main characters and a look into the workings of the Force that suggest it is more complex than simply a Light and Dark Side.
Rating:
Summary: BETTER THAN THE MOVIE
Review: I got a much better insight into the characters than I did from the film. The book, WAS better than the movie
Rating:
Summary: A Better Story than the movie. Well-Written movie book!
Review: Episode I had many problems, poor script, poor actors and indifferent direction, but the novel by Terry Brooks was definately a highlight for the movie. A strong adaption of the Lucas screenplay, Brooks gives stunning insight into the world of the Star Wars prequal. His writing about the Sith and about a young Anakin give the reader a much better grasp of the story while providing a dynamic setting. Overall, it's a top notch effort and well worth the readers time. I would like to see Brooks write in the regular expanded universe some time soon.
Rating:
Summary: "Kamylla" formerly of World Trade Center NYC
Review: There is no doubt that Terry Brooks is a talented, intelligent writer to give him less stars than 4 would demean his standing in the best of the STAR WARS writers. Any STAR WARS fan would do himself/herself a disfavor by not adding this book to his/her collection. The "plot" and its characters engage and complement each other's purpose. Although I still favor the "Trilogy, Episode 4/5/6", it is without doubt good to be "educated" about the background leading up to Anakin's growth and fathering two Jedi - Leia and Luke. However, one negative about Terry Brooks - his rude website staff leaves nothing to be desired - not even one "star"; a blooper gong would be more like it. Even the scifi and forcenet site staff (though very nice) have been instructed that if any books get sent to Terry Brooks for autograph, he will immediately dispose of them in the "trash", never mind that a person offers to pay the return postage for the package mailed to him, and never mind that the fan collecting the books for pleasure and no other gain cannot physically "get" to Terry Brooks STAR WARS signing. Who is he to set himself above all other STAR WAR authors, who are cooperative, kind, helpful, friendly, and REALLY appreciate their fans. Terry Brooks does an injustice to the Lucas Film family image in his negativity, passed on to his website staff.
Rating:
Summary: I Spake! therefore I am. 3.5 stars.
Review: This is a review of the unabridged audio book. Alexander Adams is doing much of the reading for the prequel books and does a great job. If you love SW and drive a lot like me, then you'll want to purchase this audio book. Like most people, I grimace at the mention of terms like "chosen one" and "medichlorians". By itself, this was an incomplete and partially unsatisfying movie. But when one reads the books that surround the events in TPM then revisits TPM one developes a greater appreciation of this book and movie. The book has a few things that fill in details left out of the movie, so I strongly recommend reading the book to fans of the movie.
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