William Shakespeare's Jedi the Last: Star Wars Part the Eighth

William Shakespeare's Star Wars #8

by Ian Doescher

William Shakespeare's Jedi the Last

Genres: Star Wars, Science Fiction, Shakespeare, Fiction, Plays, Fantasy, Humor

176 pages, Hardcover

First published July 10, 2018

About the author

Ian is the author of the William Shakespeare Star Wars series and the Pop Shakespeare series, and other books. He's a Portland native, and lives in Portland with his family.

Reviews

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I admit I do not know all the pros and official structure of Shakespeare, but I did recognized some of the lines and more famous passages that had been re-purposed, and they fit perfectly into this story.

Like the Empire Strikes Back I think this book and Rogue One, are the best candidates for the Shakespeare treatment. The dark themes really do come out here. I really like the "asides" in this story, these were spot on in getting the characters across for me.

Ian Doescher did a great job on this conversion, however you have to be in the Star Wars fans side that already liked The Last Jedi, This will not do much to convert people that did not like the movie. For me I agree with Ian's assessment in the acknowledgement page. One of the things we both loved about the Last Jedi, was it would get to a point I was sure was going to be the cliffhanger ending but it just kept going, and getting better. Even knowing what was going the happen I still got goosebumps on these parts of the book. I loved the illustrations in the book as well. Like any book book it enhanced my experience. Also I think fans of Shakespeare will love this finding easter eggs of his hidden lines, there are also these for Star Wars fans.

[Christy Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shakespeare and Star Wars - I’m a lover of both, so combining them is going to always be a good time for me.

First off, I think Ian Doescher is amazing! I love how he builds a Shakespearean drama for each Star Wars movie. I utterly loved his version of A New Hope. While I only give this one three stars, it has more to do with the issues I have with the movie than his version of it. Too many weird moments and side stories that turned out to be nothing. Such an odd Star Wars movie. However, Doescher does an admirable job at making it interesting.

I love what he does to make each character stand out. Poe Dameron has Edgar Allan Poe references in many of his lines. The choices of rhymed iambic pentameter for certain characters is wonderfully done. Creating monologues or asides that allow for humor or character development shows that Doescher truly does understand these characters so well. Luke and Leia have some lovely monologues that stand out. There’s a great James Bond allusion that had me smiling. BB8’s skip code is fun to decipher. So much to geek out over.

I wish I loved the basic story more but nothing compares to the original three for me.

Upon reflection, I have to give this an added star because the author is so amazing at what he does.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is SO MUCH FUN!
As a lifelong Star Wars fan, and as someone who liked The Last Jedi this was an immensely enjoyable read, even with me not being familiar with Shakespeare's writing, I understand how close this is to his style.

The small details hidden in each of the characters' speeches are amazing and the afterword is worth a read too. It's also very easy to follow if you've seen the movie, given that the dialogue is exactly the same, only written in a different way.

I have to say I don't agree with the author's view of some of the characters' internal thoughts but it's a purely personal opinion that doesn't take away from the quality of the writing.

I feel like recommending this read to all my Star Wars and book-loving friends. Can't wait for Episode IX!!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still love these, the pinnacle of geekdom I know, Star Wars retold as a Shakespearean play, you’d think it’d be old now that we’re on the 8th installment, but no Doescher still throws surprises into these and you can tell he’s having fun. Chewy talks, R2 snarks, Yoda uses Haiku, Poe sneaks in some of his literary namesake, and then you’ll be reading along and realize there’s some Donne, a homage to Ian Fleming, the murderers dialogue straight from a Shakespearean tragedy. No matter how many I catch, I know I’m missing even more and thankfully he tells us some of his Easter eggs (for lack of a better word) at the end. And yes, when the audiobook comes out, I’ll listen to it again.🤪

[Scottsdale Public Library]

I picked this up, with a chuckle, and then I thought that the venn diagram of people that would be big enough fans of the Bard and Star Wars to really appreciate it had to be fairly small. The fact that I was in error makes me feel better about the world in general - it's a NYT Bestseller!
I ended up reading sections of this book aloud to several people (it couldn't be helped) it really is contagiously funny. There is a whole series of books, that parallel the Star Wars series, so they probably have a Shakespeare for your favorite episode. --Alexis S.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 1000th book marked as read on Goodreads!

Loved it - as I loved all the others! The wit - spot on. The references to everything from Frozen to Edgar Allan Poe to James Bond - spot on. The humor - spot on.

I love this series so much. I can’t wait to read Much Ado About Mean Girls. It’s going to be SO FETCH.

[Jason Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warning: Spoilers abound in this, but I believe that anyone who wants to see The Last Jedi has already done so at this point, and thus I don't feel the need to hide the review. Proceed at your own risk

Another fun triumph from Mr. Doescher. 4.5 stars. This did to The Last Jedi what The Phantom of Menace did to The Phantom Menace, and that's improve it. The Last Jedi had some elements that annoyed me, specifically too much silliness in the first half and a couple of annoying characters. But for some reason what makes me frown in the movie works wonderfully in a Shakespearean play.

Take Poe and Hux's (or "Gen'ral Hugs" as Poe calls him a couple of times) exchange at the beginning.


Poe:
"Hux spell'd with H, a slender, pasty fellow.
Well educated, with rare pow'r of mind,
And yet infected with misanthropy."

The scene was kind of fun in the film... I guess... at least I make excuses for it. I certainly don't hate it, but it shows what a boastful buffoon Hux can be. Can you see Darth Vader in that conversation? No, because Darth Vader wouldn't even take the call; he'd just blow Poe to hell and then start working on the rest of the fleet. The bombers would never have had a chance to get within range of a Star Destroyer. But that's neither here nor there because this isn't Poe and Vader, it's Poe and Hux, and it's quite humorous in bard-speak, especially since all of Poe's lines in this book refer to Edgar Allan Poe instead of just any number of poets like in the last book. I'm hardly an Edgar Allan Poe expert, but I caught a few references.

Here are a few lines I enjoyed.

Snoke upon discovering Hux has botched it all again:

"My disappointment in thy performance
Can ne'er be overstated. Speak, thou imp!"

Leia expressing her irritation with Poe's inability to follow orders:

"The man would move a saint to shout and curse--
And I, we may be sure, am not a saint."

Yoda, who still speaks in haiku, commenting on the sacred Jedi texts:

"Read them hast thou, then?
Neither page turners they were,
Nor hit folios."

DJ's stutter is portrayed in a more interesting manner in this:

"Don't, does he, do not judge me by my raiment.
Long have I been familiar with the codes
The shrewd First Order useth. Yea, long time,
Is, is it, if the price is right, I'll break
Ye into sneak snake snuck Snoke's private chamber."

Rose (one of the aforementioned annoying characters) puts a new spin on an old saw:

"They who would beg cannot the choosers be!"

(That's still not as fun as the twist a very young cousin gave it years ago which has since fallen into family lore. According to her "the bakers are the choosers.)"

Phasma refers to a metal in all of her lines:

"Stop, traitor! Into death thou shalt be lead!"

That particular one's pushing it since I think it technically should be "led," but if it's good enough for Stan Laurel, then it's good enough for Phasma.


"You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead."

I really like Phasma in this because she shows how she got to be a captain. She's pretty badass in her fight and probably would've won had the ship not been blowing up around her. Yet I wonder how she ever managed to keep her life, let alone her job, after the last movie. She wasn't 100% responsible for the destruction of Starkiller Base, but the resistance never could've pulled it off without her. It seems like someone at her level would be willing to die before lowering the shields for the enemy to come in and blow everything up, but I digress again.

More Poe from Poe:

"Well, let us hope the thickness of the thing
Will be enow to keep the enemies
Who shall be tapping at our chamber door,
At least until we can some help secure."

And even though the whole Finn/Rose thing is all sentimental, dramatic, stupid, and whatnot, we get another famous line just begging to be used, and Doescher doesn't disappoint:

"Fine lass, a Rose by any other name
Would never smell as sweet as thou, dear friend."

Snoke gets another famous one when he expires:

"Et tu, brute Kylo! Then fall, Leader Snoke."

I would love to include something for Kylo Ren and Luke, but nothing they said stood out. Ren gives another villanelle, and Luke gets Prospero's entire final speech from The Tempest since the characters are so similar. This is nothing I know offhand; I read the afterword. I've never read The Tempest. By the by, I suggest reading the afterword before reading the play as usual so you know what to be on the lookout for.

Rey has acrostics in her longer soliloquies. She also has an extremely impressive soliloquy when she's doing this scene:



I'm not going to post it here, though I will give the acrostic below. It's 36 lines long, and each line has a single "R" in it. It's the first letter in the first line, the second in the second line, and so on until it's the 36th in the 36th line. You can watch the R's move to the right as they fall, and it's really neat. The first letters of each line form this sentence: "Rey's tale belike would make the masses yawn."

And speaking of acrostics, we now come to my favorite part, hands down. The master codebreaker:



He has no lines in the movie, but he makes a speech for his lady friends as well as the audience in this book, and said speech might as well be James Bondified since the plot goes to such pains to make sure he looks like James Bond as portrayed in Goldfinger (not to mention Indiana Jones in The Temple of Doom who is played by Harrison Ford who also plays Han Solo).



How many cross references are we going to get here? Anyway, I'll leave you with the speech with the important parts emboldened for those who aren't major Bond fans.

I am no doctor, no, but codebreaker,
Now comes my tale from Canto Bright with love.
These skill'd gold fingers mine are us'd to crack
Encryptions strong as thunder, balls of lightning.
Right is it said: one only liveth twice:
Not once upon her mag'sty's secret service
Am I e'er found, for diamonds are forever--
'Tis money's my joy. Live and let th'die roll!
I'm th'man who hath the golden gunnysack--
Once loyal to the spy who lov'd me but
Now loyal to the gold moon. Rake her in!
Again I'll win for thine eyes only, pet.
Let me get thee unlock'd--O puss, e'en so!
(Methinks though ought to ne'er say ne'er again.)
A double! Ha, view two! A killing I
Now make. Yea, I shall roll the living daylights
Out of these dice, no lie. Sense to kill I've,
For with a golden eye comes golden sight.
My money proves tomorrow never dies--
Yea, e'en the world is not enough for me.
So let me die another day--tonight,
To this casino, royal shall I be!
E'en so, a quantum of solace I'll give,
Respecting those who lose. O sky, fall low--
Yea, ev'ry specter of a code I'll break.

If you liked the others in this series, then this one is sure to please you as well. Check it out.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. you (luke skywalker) were bigger than the whole sky.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fallout from the First Order’s destruction of the New Republic’s capital and the Resistance’s destruction of her enemy’s superweapon even as they look to bring Luke Skywalker back in William Shakespeare’s Jedi the Last by Ian Doescher. Beginning almost immediately after the previous film, the middle installment of the sequel trilogy finds the First Order looking to takeout the remnant of their opponents only this adaptation is not on screen or a book but on the stage in Elizabethan prose as Shakespeare would have written.

Adapting The Last Jedi was definitely the hardest Star Wars film that Doescher had to deal with because of the how awful the Rian Johnson written-direction film is. There is only so much Doescher could do to make this adaptation to make it readable, unlike The Phantom of Menace in which he only had to develop Jar Jar Binks. He had to salvage so many poorly written characters, including those long established like Leia and Luke as those newly introduced, that to even have this published in a timely manner meant he could only polish them so much. Since this is a review of the adaptation and not the film, I will applaud the excellent work Doescher did in making the at times bad dialogue into some more passable, the continuation of footnoting translations of Chewbecca’s few lines, and great narratives for the fight scenes. However I must also commend Doescher for the wonderful easter eggs in reference to James Bond, Rogue One, and yes the sly acknowledgements that Johnson underdeveloped or ruined so many characters in particular Rey.

Jedi the Last is the most controversial film of the franchise and Ian Doescher did the best job he could in making it into a passable stage play in the style of William Shakespeare. As a result my rating is celebration of Doescher’s hardwork and like the rest of the Star Wars fandom we look for to what he must deal with in Episode IX.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent as always.

A hilarious version of a not so good movie that manages to make it enjoyable and fun. Shakespeare and Star Wars work so well together. Doescher is a genius.

Would highly recommend.

[Grace Mal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm obsessed with these!!!! Ian Doescher is brilliant!!!!!! Relating Luke to Prospero! So cool. I never would have made the connection, but it makes so much sense. These are the only books where I thoroughly enjoy the afterward because he explains everything in such a fascinating way.
This movie was not my favorite; however, Drescher makes everything so much more interesting than it was originally. I love searching for the fun Shakespeare references and other cultural references. I mean, the mind of this man. I wish I could spend an afternoon just talking about Shakespeare with him. He makes me love English even more because he reminds me of how amazing it can be when used well.
Thank you, Mr. Doescher for reinvigorating my love for Star Wars and books in general.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ian Doescher once again brilliantly twists the beloved Star Wars universe into a Shakespearan epic. Tragedy and romance weave expertly in this tale. Doescher shows off his knowledge not only of a galaxy far far away but one from many years ago in his sentence structure and poetic verse. Lots of callbacks to classic plays that were brilliant choices for the characters that utter them. Can't wait to see his interpretation of the conclusion of the saga.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good adaption to one of my favorite Star Wars movies. As always, it's just funny seeing all the familiar scenes and dialogue turned-Shakespeare.
And am I wrong that this is a Frozen reference??
" KYLO Nay, nay, still thou hold'st on! Let go! The fears
That once controll'd thee cannot get to thee
At all!"
;) Brilliant.
I thought Ian Doescher made good point in a scene he added between two Stormtroopers. Basically, he was saying that if a Jedi could make an appearance of himself in another place like Luke does in this movie, what if it was Qui-Gon Jinn's appearance that Darth Maul killed? What if Darth Vader didn't really kill Obi-Wan? What about Yoda? Are all these Jedi on

"A beach somewhere, in quiet meditation,
E'er sending the appearance of themselves
On some small task across the galaxy.
'Holla, façade of Obi-Wan, get ye
Unto the market, for to by me milk!'
'I'll not take out the garbage, nay! Send mine
Appearance thither to the trash compactor!'"

Food for thought. ;)

[Daniel Shellenbarger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not one of those people that hated the Last Jedi. I thought it did the best it could with a bad hand after JJ Abrams made a real mess with his overly-nostalgic/under-thought Force Awakens, so I didn't come into this book with that sort of baggage; I'd go so far as to say I thought (apart from a couple plot holes (and everything to do with Holdo)) it was a decent movie. Even so, I didn't really enjoy this book as much as others in the series, partly I think it was because, as with The Force Doth Awaken, Doescher is working with incomplete information. His earlier books worked best because Doescher was able to use the expanded canon and later movies to give outside perspectives to explain much of what was under-explained or plot-hole-ish. However, these later stories, working off JJ Abrams slapdash world-building and recycled plots, are full of massive holes and random fan-servicing subplots that could use development but the answers for which just aren't yet available. The biggest is quite obvious, WHY DIDN'T HOLDO TALK TO POE AND THE CREW? I'm not saying she should've gotten his blessing, but a leader has a responsibility to demonstrate competence and saying "believe in me" as things continuously deteriorate with no evidence to the contrary is the mark of an egomaniac, a fool, or someone who has given up already rather than a wise leader. Trust goes both ways. The problem is that I don't think even Doescher can conceive a reason why this supposedly veteran commander acts in such a nonsensical way after assuming command of people WHO DON'T KNOW HER. Captain Bligh showed better command sense! On the other hand, Doescher does address the elephant of Luke's apparition on Crait with a bit of amusing banter between stormtroopers, and on the whole this is a worthy addition to the series, it's just that I feel like these might've been better served if Mr. Doescher had waited until the new trilogy was complete so he could fill out the story with characters asides, as he did with the first two trilogies. Just saying. Even so, Doescher's grasp of Shakespearean English and literary tricks are awe inspiring and delightful in equal measures, and make this a worthy read regardless of its short-comings.

[Renn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shakespearen Star Wars sounds like a concept that’s great in theory but not-so-great in practice. At least, that’s what I thought before I read William Shakespeare’s Jedi the Last.
Well, consider me convinced that Star Wars and Shakespeare actually do go well together. I did not expect to love this book as much as I really, really did. There were cleverly written homages to Shakespeare’s works, drawings of Star Wars characters dressed in garb from Shakespeare’s time, and monologues that expanded on what my favorite characters from the movie (among them Paige Tico, Luke, and Rey) were thinking and feeling. Doescher met challenges posed by the film with amazing creativity.
My one complaint is that Rey has the three bun hairstyle in all the drawings of her even though her hairstyle changed in this movie. I find it hard to believe that it was an accident, but how could it have been intentional? But that’s really only a minor complaint. Overall, I am content that this book is on my bookshelf, allowing me to return to it whenever I need a break from reality.

[Tung · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll repeat some of what I wrote in my reviews of Doescher’s other books: I’m a massive Star Wars fan; additionally, I love Shakespeare, so a book that combines these two things hits me square in my wheelhouse. This book imagines Star Wars, Episode VIII: The Last Jedi as a Shakespearean play told in iambic pentameter, complete with acts, scenes, asides, and so forth. Many of the lines of dialogue are simply reinvented lines from the movie told in old English (“Each word thou speakest was entirely false. The good rebellion is reborn today, the war hath just begun, and nay, I shall not be Jedi the last.”). Doescher does more than simply translate every line of the movie into Shakespearean prose, however. He creates scenes and monologues to complement and supplement the movie lines. For example, towards the end of the Last Jedi movie, there is a scene where all hopes seems lost, and Leia resignedly concedes defeat. In the book, she expresses that resignation with a tremendous soliloquy that reflects on her impact throughout the entire rebellion from New Hope on; she even ponders what her legacy will be post death – which is such a sweet tribute to Carrie Fisher’s actual death and impact on the franchise. It’s tremendous. In addition, Doescher adds some fanservice. There is a very clever monologue given to the codebreaker at Canto Bight that plays off of his James Bond-esque look from the movie. I also want to call out Doescher’s brilliant use of Prospero’s closing soliloquy from The Tempest for Luke Skywalker – given both Prospero and Luke were island exiles. Overall, this is my favorite of Doescher’s eight Shakespearean Star Wars books. Fans of Star Wars will appreciate this; fans of Shakespeare will appreciate this; fans of both will LOVE this. One of my top books of the year.

[Stephen West · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Shakespeare's Jedi the Last is a brilliant and entertaining retelling of the eighth installment in the Star Wars saga. Ian Doescher's clever use of iambic pentameter and other poetic devices, along with his mastery of Shakespearean language, makes this book an absolute joy to read.

As a fan of both Star Wars and Shakespeare, I was initially skeptical of how well these two worlds would mesh. However, Doescher's skillful adaptation manages to capture the essence of both while still adding something fresh and new to the story. The result is a truly unique and enjoyable reading experience.

The characters are all wonderfully fleshed out, with each one given a distinct voice and personality that remains faithful to their original portrayal in the movie. The dialogue is witty and sharp, with plenty of clever references and nods to both the Star Wars and Shakespeare canons.

The action sequences are also expertly written, with Doescher's use of vivid imagery and descriptive language creating a sense of grandeur and excitement that is reminiscent of Shakespeare's epic battles. The moments of humor are also well-placed and never feel forced or out of place.

Overall, William Shakespeare's Jedi the Last is a must-read for any fan of Star Wars or Shakespeare. Ian Doescher has once again proven himself to be a master of his craft, delivering a book that is both faithful to its source material and a joy to read in its own right. Highly recommended!

[meghann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed every one of the books in this series, so it's sad to hear that this may be the last of the Star Wars series this author will do. I really hope that is not the case, but if true, at least we got eight great books out of it.

The way these books are written is just so much fun. I continue to love the editor translations of Chewbacca's various sounds. And the fact that every porg just yells out "Porg!" made me beyond happy. I loves me some porg.

All the stars.

[Erikka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm enamored of these books. They are just so well done! The codebreakers 007 speech (read it down as well) was a particular gem, as well as Luke's "prosperous" death. But my favorite part had to be the two troopers pointing out a plot hole in a very Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern way. This was a great one!

[Will Plunkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must be getting better at "reading" these books: I will admit to the cheat of reading the Afterword first this time, but only one of the "Easter eggs" was one I didn't figure out on my own. As always, the two (usually) Imperials/guards/Troopers who give their peons'-level insights of larger worldviews, and the non-human characters' dialogue were the best parts; trying to figure out the acrostics is fun.

Would the title William Shakespeare's Last (or Eighth) Knight have worked instead?

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are a delight! Sometimes better than the movies.

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Say, wherefore didst thou hate thy father kind? Hast thou no cloak or towel thou canst use?"

[David Nix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally got around to finishing. Definitely better than the film, actually gave the story depth and reasoning.

[Grace T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant as always. My favorite easter egg: Doescher has been including Broadway references here and there, and when Kylo tells Rey she is nothing, he says, "Nothing comes from nothing--nothing ever could." =D

Also, it seems like Doescher is not a fan of ship Reylo--the interior monologues he gave the pair, especially Kylo, were rather telling.

[Michelle Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"'Tis how our cause shall win, dear Finn: not fighting/What we do hate, but saving what we love."
- Rose Tico, Jedi the Last, Act V, Scene 1

Ian Doescher hits it out of the park again! I can't wait for Episode IX if for no other reason than it means we will soon(-ish) be getting another installment of this wonderful series. I read the Author's Note before reading the main body of the text this time around, which I will likely do again whenever Episode IX happens. It's always so fascinating to see what creative decisions Doescher used when writing, and then being able to cast an appreciative eye over the end result when I'm reading.

I can't say for certain whether enjoying The Last Jedi as a film is a prerequisite for enjoying it as a Shakespearean play, because I enjoyed the film (though I understand the reasons why people don't like it, and goodness, no matter what side of that debate you fall on, please remember that it's just a movie and you can still treat people with respect even if they don't agree with you - JUST A REMINDER since Episode IX is due to hit theaters a matter of days). But if you enjoy Star Wars, and you enjoy Shakespeare, give this series a try. If you're like me, you will spend your reading time filled with appreciation and delight.

As a parting shot, can we please take a minute to appreciate this beautiful Shakespearean insult delivered by my man General Hugs? Er, Hux?
"Thou traitor. My hand is too good for thee,/But it shall serve its purpose on thy face." [Hux slaps Finn]

[Max Tachis · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is an obvious bias here - as "The Last Jedi" is among my favorite Star Wars films - however, it is Doescher's ability to continue refining and improving his Star Wars universe that keeps this terrific entry afloat.

The author is never short of clever tricks to differentiate the characters and add a sense of flair, especially to those who may have little screen time. The unbelievable monologue given to the Master Codebreaker is among the best things written in the Shakespeare's Star Wars canon. I giggle just thinking about it, and was in stitches as I was reading and discovering more and more how well it was assembled.

The use of these monologues continue to offer a rich depth to characters we know and love, as well, allowing Rey to guide us through the introspective visuals of the mirror cave without the visuals, creating a lyrical connection between Rey and Kylo as (again) we have not the visual ability to convey their cross-planetary link, and offering us two absolutely beautiful eulogies; one real and one in-universe. There are so many treats in here for Star Wars and for Shakespeare fans that this entry may be the most re-readable, as the complexities of the source material force the reader, as the film did the viewer, to dig a lot deeper into the story and situations and choices our characters are faced with.

By all accounts, good or bad, "The Last Jedi" is among the most ambitious Star Wars adventures to date and Ian Doescher easily rises to the challenge of adapting and enriching it.

[Colleen Villasenor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say how much I love these books. Doescher impresses me more all the time. The various techniques he uses draw from pop culture and Shakespearian works. His skill is impressive and his familiarity with both Shakespeare and Star Wars shines in this series. He has specific dialogue conventions for characters that I often missed until it was pointed out. I think I would need to read these books several times to fully appreciate them. These are some of the dialogue conventions in Doescher's own words.

"Finn using Fs and Ns in each of his lines, Poe's Edgar Allen Poe references, acrostics in Rey's longer speeches, Yoda speaking in haiku, villains reciting villanelles, R2's asides to the audience, BB-8's skip-code, Admiral Ackbar's words ending in -ap, Captain Phasma's words of steel, and even the AT-M6 and AT-AT walkers' murderer dialogues. (This time, I borrowed from the murderers' dialogue in Richard III. In The Empire Striketh Back, the AT-ATs' dialogue was borrowed from the murderers' dialogue in Macbeth."

This book is enjoyable from a technical viewpoint, but it is also fun as a retelling of Star Wars movies. I think it would be amazing to introduce Shakespeare to students using this series. In fact, there are educator guides for at least some of the books. But it is also just fun to see and appreciate the Star Wars stories in a different light. These books are not parodies. They are faithful retellings in a unique style. Doescher is himself a huge fan, and he is writing for fans. I find myself appreciating this movie more because of Doescher's enthusiasm.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Codebreakers dialogue at Canto Bight is excellent! He manages to list all the titles of the James Bond movies with a little creative tweaking.

I am no doctor, no, but codebreaker,
Now comes my tale from Canto Bight with love.
These skill’d gold fingers mine are us’d to crack
Encryptions strong as thunder, balls of lightning.
Right is it said: one only liveth twice:
Not once upon her maj’sty’s secret service
Am I e’er found, for diamonds are forever –
‘Tis money’s my joy. Live and let th’die roll!
I’m th’man who hath the golden gunnysack –
Once loyal to the spy who lov’d me but
Now loyal to the gold moon. Rake her in!
Again I’ll win for thine eyes only, pet.
Let me get thee unlock’d – O puss, e’en so!
(Methinks thou ought to ne’er say ne’er again.)
A double! Ha, view two! A killing I
Now make. Yea, I shall roll the living daylights
Out of these dice, no lie. Sense to kill I’ve,
For with a golden eye comes golden sight.
My money proves tomorrow never dies –
Yea, e’en the world is not enough for me.
So let me die another day – tonight,
To this casino, royal I shall be!
E’en so, a quantum of solace I’ll give,
Respecting those who lose. O sky, fall low –
Yea, ev’ry spectre of a code I’ll break.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, it was great, just like the rest of them, but the ending left a bad taste in my mouth (for purely subjective reasons. I am a Reylo, which might cost me all possible credibility--but whatever). Doescher seems to ovbiously tend toward FinnRey as a ship, and it's really awkward sometimes. He made a point for Finn to call Rose a "friend" after they had kissed, interpreted Rey's final glance at Finn and Rose as one of clear jealousy, and made Rey violently abandon all hope and desire for Kylo's redemption. Instead of going safe to describe the final look Rey gives Kylo, and leaving it open like the novelization did ("no hatred, but no compassion either"), Doescher went FULL WRATH OF REY on us XD. I think he should have waited for Ep. IX to come out before writing "Jedi the Last", and thus making so many assumptions that might very well end up completely missing the mark. All of the interviews, and the Vanity Fair article, that I have read so far about The Rise of Skywalker imply that even if he's not redeemed, their relationship will be significantly focused on. Doescher jarringly slammed all doors on that front, and it was really weird to read. I definately perfer The Force Doth Awaken.

[Brooke Andria Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very solid 4.5. I think Doescher has done a spectacular feat in bringing just a little bit more to the sequels that I wished we had seen on screen. Rey’s, Rose’s, Paige’s, Luke’s, and Leia’s characterizations are fully fleshed out in a way that you don’t fully see in the movies; and I believe Kylo’s character was always the most apparent, so that was carried over in this adaption. I would have loved a little bit more from Poe and Finn, but I think that’s just a me problem.


Best parts: Paige’s monologue just before her death and Rose’s references to her afterwards, the showing of Leia’s constant grief, “PORG!”, “tis but a scratch”, Poe’s references to Edgar Allen Poe, literally all of Rey/Kylo on Ahch-To, 3PO’s joke “brevity is the soul of wit”, Rey being distracted by Kylo’s shirtlessness, Yoda and Luke’s interaction, Poe’s love for BB-8, Luke’s final soliloquy referencing Prospero

What I would have loved fleshed out: my favorite parts of the movie (Holdo’s sacrifice and Ben’s betrayal/Kylo and Rey’s fight scene) felt just a little rushed for my taste, and I would have loved more about Kylo’s inner turmoil during this scene specifically. Let’s be real, I’m a Reylo fan through and through, and so I’m definitely biased there.