Rating: 
Summary: As a sci-fi story, The Phatom Menace is way below par
Review: I was expecting so much more from George Lucas, but a SW movie about a trade dispute?! Sheesh. The visuals may be able to save the movie, but they weren't able to save this lame book. The writing is pretty good, but what's being written is just pure garbage. Avoid this book, or if you can, check it out from the library...just don't waste your money on it.
Rating:
Summary: Great story, but lacking in Star Wars detail.
Review: I thought the story was great, but the it didn't go into much detail like the first trilogy books. I think the problem is that George Lucas didn't write the book. Terry Brooks is a great writer, but couldn't go into much detail because of the movie. There are somethings he couldn't expand on because he didn't know what Lucas was thinking. If Lucas actually sat down and wrote the book himself or Terry the book would have surely got a 5 star rating. I think this is going to be one of the rare times where the movie is better then the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Good story
Review: I enjoyed the story very much. However, I doubt if I would have enjoyed it as much if I didn't know that I movie full of great special effects was coming out soon. It was easy to place the spots in the trailers with the parts of the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful story; unacceptable novelization
Review: I really do like the story, quite a bit, but the novelization suffers for several reasons.There are a few touches of the Terry Brooks I like and admire that made me forget how poorly written this book is, but then it lapses back into mediocrity. I can't tell if it's the case that TB doesn't do SciFi well, if he got too caught up in the Star Wars hype, if it's a clash between his own artistic talent and Lucas's directorial needs, or if he was intentionally lowering the reading level to make it acceptable to kids. It's too bad if it was the last because by making it more literary, challenging, and polished a lot of kids could be enlightened and educated while being entertained. I really do like the story but I wish it weren't written at a grade school level. Kids don't deserve to be discredited like that, they can always look up words, ask their teachers/parents for help, and they should be tackling harder stuff than this. Buy the book for fun, because you like Star Wars, but not if you're looking for a challenge, not if you're looking to be enthralled and absorbed by excellent material.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic addition to the "Episode One" tale....
Review: I have found that the novelization for "Episode One," while told in a simplistic manner, contains enough background information to satisfy those who want to know all when it comes to this saga. I've seen some messages on this board that state otherwise, and it seems fairly clear that those people have not really read the book. Having compared the novel to the original screenplay, there is just the right amount of added background information on Anakin Skywalker and the Queen. One has to remember these are both young characters in the story; how much crucial prior information can there be about them? In addition, I have seen complaints that Obi-Wan is not used to his full potential. It is my opinion this is deliberate. Obi-Wan is not a crucial element to this story yet. He becomes so in Episodes Two and Three. The central figure is appropriately Qui-Gon Jinn. I thought that reading the novel may actually ruin my enjoyment of the movie before seeing it.....however, I am even MORE excited now that I have read it. The story is gripping....and all the background info I now have on these characters will only enhance my reaction to them in the movie. A quick read and a great "more than the movie" source.
Rating:
Summary: Great writing and awesome story line with great description
Review: Maybe one of the greatest books I've read.The four different covers are all great.My personal favorite is the Darth Maul.I think everyone who likes to read should get this book.Hopefully the movie is as good as the book.
Rating:
Summary: An overall great book with writing you expect from Brooks.
Review: When I read this book, I expected that my friends would not like the book because of the 90's idea: Which is shoot em' blood and guts. But I relized that without swearing or sex it was still very good, and still had the same feeling to it when you read it, annd never got boring.
Rating:
Summary: Well worth reading
Review: I enjoyed this book very much,it has all the feel and depth i remember from the very first movie,even if you are not a true fan,i guarntee you will love this book.
Rating:
Summary: To read or not to read?
Review: Though lately it seems anything carrying the 'Star Wars' banner can do no wrong, it is important to remember that it is, after all, just a story and despite many brilliant battles, the story seemed to drag. I found myself almost tempted to skip over the fights since I already knew how they would turn out (which isn't to say it wasn't well written, but that perhaps there a such thing as 'too much of a good thing'). I found myself yearning for more interaction between the characters. Two fights between our favorite pair of Jedi Knights and one of the mythical Sith Lords who are sworn enemies of the Jedi is all we're offered? That the apprentice Sith, Lord Maul, is a creature born of a nightmare is obvious, but the constant Christian references are distracting. Anakin mentions angels. Lord Maul is repeatedly considered 'demonic' and compared to another personification of pure evil. Was the text slightly childish in places? Yes. But it is a nearly impossible thing to span an entire movie in a novel and make it readable and interesting for the vast array of age groups that purchased the book with the hopes to gain more insight to the happenings of the movie. While most 'Star Wars' novels are geared toward a specific age group, this one is intended for all ages, which it does manage to do if the more worldly readers are willing to suffer through elaborate descriptions of fights that span five or more pages and the bonding sections of the story that were only lightly skimmed over rather than delved into with careless abandon. Terry Brooks is a wonderful writer with an amazing gift that allows him to bring an obviously overactive imagination to life on every page. Perhaps because the book is based on a novel and he must remain within those boundaries, or perhaps because of all the hype, or even perhaps because of both of these things: the book was average when it was expected to be exceptional. Unlike the books not based on the actual movies, the characters did seem to remain true to themselves in an arena where we have seen unforgivable inconsistencies. That fact alone makes the book a worthy read even though it lacks the breathtaking visuals of the movies. My rating: A solid three stars with an honorable mention for the characters seeming to actually act like themselves.
Rating:
Summary: AWESOME!!---to put it mildly.
Review: This book blew me away and I'm positive the movie will leave me comatose. I read Sci-fi and fantasy with a passion annd this book doesn't have to be a 'vivid' detailed extravaganza to be great. The storyline and expectancy caries it through easily. I loved it, in particular, because I made the book 'interactive' by using all of the photos and stuff I've been collecting to fully visualize everything. Not too many other books have such a foundation of items out there to go with the book.
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