Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Rise of Skywalker (Star Wars: Novelizations, #9)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Rise of Skywalker

(Star Wars Disney Canon Novel #9)

Rae Carson

3.91 · Rating details · 3,531 ratings · 587 reviews

Witness the epic final chapter of the Skywalker saga with the official novelization of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, including expanded scenes and additional content not seen in theaters!

The Resistance has been reborn. But although Rey and her fellow heroes are back in the fight, the war against the First Order, now led by Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, is far from over. Jus ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, Expanded Edition, 247 pages

Published March 17th 2020 by Del Rey

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Rise of Skywalker, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best New Star Wars Canon Books

113 books — 504 voters

Villain as Romantic Love Interests

569 books — 1,355 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.91 ·

Rating details

· 3,531 ratings · 587 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of The Rise of Skywalker (Star Wars: Novelizations, #9)

Mar 31, 2020 Khurram rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Thank you Rae Carson. Thank you for making the book feel like Star Wars. I have no doubt if Rae was given free reign she would have written a 5 star book the would have corrected all the mistakes in the movie. I was expecting a salvage job from this book but it is a lot better than I expected.

Unlike a certain director who said he did not care about Star Wars lore when he made the movie, Rae has done her research, adding in bit of information for the other Star Wars book in the Disney era. Includ ...more

flag 139 likes · Like · see review

Dec 23, 2019 Marianneboss marked it as to-read

I DEMAND THIS BOOK TO HAVE AN ALTERNATE ENDING WHERE (view spoiler) SURVIVES AT THE END.

description

["br"]>["br"]> ...more

flag 112 likes · Like · see review

Mar 22, 2020 Gerhard rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-fantasy, 2020

I can honestly say that not only is this one of the most enjoyable Star Wars novelisations I have ever read, but also the one that adds the most to its source material. Most importantly, I think, reading this has made me appreciate and understand some of the creative choices that J.J. Abrams made with The Rise of Skywalker.

I understand the movie better as a result of reading Rae Carson’s impeccable novelisation – whether or not that means the movie itself is a failure is open to interpretation. I can honestly say that not only is this one of the most enjoyable Star Wars novelisations I have ever read, but also the one that adds the most to its source material. Most importantly, I think, reading this has made me appreciate and understand some of the creative choices that J.J. Abrams made with The Rise of Skywalker.

I understand the movie better as a result of reading Rae Carson’s impeccable novelisation – whether or not that means the movie itself is a failure is open to interpretation. Surely the former should stand on its own as a work of (popular) art, without needing a novel to help explain it? But what Carson has achieved so effectively here is to allow the reader into the thought processes of the characters during key events, something that a movie can only hint at.

Of course, the novel sacrifices the Big Screen spectacle, especially with the battle-to-end-all-battles (again) towards the end, where Carson’s writing is kind of perfunctory. She truly shines with her character work, and gives every one of the large cast a meaningful moment (some have extended scenes or explanatory bits added, while there is even an entirely new character.)

I can still clearly recall seeing the original Star Wars, and the sense of wonder it invoked in me (and terror. Which is perhaps something the later movies lacked, but one’s perceptions also change as you get older, of course.) That sense of thrilling wonder never left me, and inspired a lifelong love for science fiction as a result.

It is also a flame I keep going in the more trying moments of life, when I wonder what fusspot C3PO would say, or dashing hero Han Solo would do, in the face of adversity, stress, loss, and all the other messy bits of being human.

My faith in Star Wars was shaken severely with the toxic reaction to The Last Jedi, and the contempt shown by certain ‘manboys’ to the inclusion of diversity in this galaxy far, far away. What this taught me is that no single person has a right to entitlement, and that respect and compassion must be the presiding values of civilised discourse.

J.J. Abrams faced a herculean (some would say impossible) task with trying to please a very disparate fan base with what was touted as the last Star Wars movie ever (of course it won’t be.) Did he concede too much to fan-pleasing?

I honestly don’t know. There are bits I liked, some I loved, and others I really didn’t care for. What Carson does so well in the book is add much-needed connective tissue to the wider story binding the characters together. The Force was really on her side with this one. ...more

flag 55 likes · Like · see review

Mar 09, 2020 Bria rated it really liked it

It is impossible for a novelization to fix the biggest problems I had with the movie but it can bring some new depth and appreciation for the story. That’s exactly what Rae Carson has achieved here.

flag 28 likes · Like · see review

Jan 01, 2020 Paola rated it liked it

Shelves: novelization-retelling, 2020-reading-challenge, saw-the-movie-serie

"Flower, gleam and glow
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse

[...]Change the Fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine."

(view spoiler)

AFTER READING 2.5 stars ⭐
(view spoiler) ...more

flag 26 likes · Like · see review

Dec 25, 2019 Eva B. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: badass-ladies, friendships-are-magic, star-wars, best-romances, i-own-this, that-cover-though, metaphorical-tears-were-shed, favorites, 5-star, best-in-series

"That's how they win. By making us think we're alone." ...more

flag 24 likes · Like · see review

Oct 11, 2019 Gemma F rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Dec 30, 2019 Bar marked it as nope

~~Obi-Wan Kenobi~~ Rae Carson, you're my only hope.

Either make this a novelization of TROS, the one before Jar Jar started messing it up, or give us ending with Rey preparing to enter World Between Worlds to bring back her canon soulmate.

#BenSolodeservesbetter ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Mar 24, 2020 Robert rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Those Ready to RISE

Shelves: guerre-stellari, saw-the-movie

I enjoyed the greater insights into the thoughts and motivations of characters like Allegiant General Pryde (view spoiler), Zorii Bliss and co. as well as Lando or Leia. Obviously it was an advantage to the author to not be limited to the available footage of the late, lamented Carrie Fisher and it helps in a major way to make her connection to Rey and the legacy of Luke come through much more clearly.

Art Credit: saintworksart of Devianta ...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

May 27, 2020 Drewthereader20 rated it really liked it

Shelves: new-releases, own-books, audiobook, ebooks, 2020-reads, fantasy, hardcover, tbr-shelf, 2020-favorites

This was my first book by rae carson and I really enjoyed it! I love how we got some answers and different scene in here than we did in the movie. So thank u Rae for writing this book!(:

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

Jun 27, 2020 Neil R. Coulter rated it did not like it

Shelves: fiction, star-wars

I used to love movie novelizations when I was a kid. At that time, it was one of the only ways to revisit a movie I loved, because home video wasn't yet a part of everyday life. I also liked how the authors would add to the story of the movie—scenes that were either cut from the final version of the film or that were totally made up just for the book adaptation.

It seems like perhaps that's all a thing of the past, however. The novelizations for the recent Star Wars films have been disappointing— I used to love movie novelizations when I was a kid. At that time, it was one of the only ways to revisit a movie I loved, because home video wasn't yet a part of everyday life. I also liked how the authors would add to the story of the movie—scenes that were either cut from the final version of the film or that were totally made up just for the book adaptation.

It seems like perhaps that's all a thing of the past, however. The novelizations for the recent Star Wars films have been disappointing—little more than the screenplays, with "he said" or "she said" added into the dialogue. There's no scope for imaginative additions to the movie stories, and since it's not hard to rewatch the movies, there seems little purpose to have them in book form.

Even with all of that, though, and with such low expectations, the novelization of The Rise of Skywalker is bad. Rae Carson's writing style is so simplistic that the book feels more like the junior novelization for kids, not the real movie adaptation. It is really a bland book. True, the movie itself makes no sense. But it's at least exciting and fast-paced. The book is not. The typos throughout the book are distracting, but sometimes amusing. My favorite was Kylo Ren standing on the "wreakage" of the Death Star (177).

The few additional scenes in the book that didn't make it into the movie are not particularly interesting. We have the scene of Kylo Ren visiting the oracle on Mustafar, but it doesn't make any sense. And we see how Zorii escaped Kijimi before its destruction, but it's pretty much how I assumed it had happened; nothing surprising or enlightening.

I find it odd to read letters spelled out, which is often done in SW novels. Yes, we're all used to seeing "Threepio" and "Artoo." But it's somehow stranger to see "Beebee Ate" instead of just "BB-8." And when Finn and Jannah refer to their former stormtrooper designations in spelled-out form—"I was Tee-Zed One-seven-one-nine"; "Eff-En Two-one-eight-seven"—it's just downright bizarre. Is that really how they themselves conceptualized their designations?

I'm not a fan of the sequel trilogy, but even so, this novelization was disappointing. ...more

flag 14 likes · Like · see review

Jan 18, 2020 Karen rated it it was amazing

Hoping they include the Kylo/Ben redemption arch they cut out in the film.

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Sep 26, 2020 Thomas rated it it was ok

Shelves: science-fiction, star-wars

*sigh* Rae Carson did her best with a bad script. She gave added depth and context to many scenes in Rise of Skywalker. Her action captured the frenetic pace of the film. She got the voices of the characters right. She was able to spend more time with General Leia, as the film had to adapt her part around Carrie Fisher's death.

But at its core, the story just isn't that good. It crams too much into too little time. The threads do not weave together into a beautiful tapestry. It does not transcend ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

May 03, 2020 Catherine Stormblessed added it

The way that this SCRAMBLES to make up for the disaster that is The Rise of Skywalker.
I read this for one of the most epic videos I’ve ever crafted: https://youtu.be/Qog8bFinBMg ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Apr 05, 2020 Lizzie rated it it was amazing

I’m at war with myself at what rating to give this. ****Spoilers ahead if you have not read the book or seen the movie****

My angry side wants to give it a ZERO star rating for being all over the place and for killing Ben Solo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My it’s was ok for the last chapter in the Skywalker saga wants to give it a 3 stars
But my ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH KYLO REN/BEN SOLO SIDE gives it a 5 stars. Personally in my humble opinion, he was the best part of this new trilogy. I loved the idea of him an ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Mar 24, 2020 Sarina rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2020-releases, star-wars, happy-reads, feels

The thing about the sequels is that they carry deep personal meaning for me. While I love the other Star Wars movies, the themes and characters of the sequel trilogy particularly resonate with me. I have an especially strong bond with Rey, who has been an inspiration for me during a very dark period of my life. But this attachment to my own interpretation of the characters and themes makes it difficult to embrace someone else’s interpretation of it, be that Rae Carson’s or anyone else’s. My rati ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Apr 10, 2020 Kate rated it it was ok

It was hard to rate this book. Was it well-written? Not really. But did it even stand a chance, considering it's based on a lukewarm messy attempt to undo everything that was new, original and interesting in Star Wars from TLJ?

Not really.

I only have three overwhelming thoughts upon parting with this book.

1) Rose Tico remains intergalactic treasure and deserved not only better, but also just MORE
2) Redemption by death simply must be the laziest, most boring and overplayed trope EVER
3) "The connec ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Dec 26, 2019 ♠ TABI⁷ ♠ marked it as to-read

here's to hopelessly thinking this may deliver a better story than the movie?? ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Mar 18, 2020 Zahira⚡️ Azriel’s mate rated it liked it

Shelves: books-i-own, starwars

i’m still not over Ben’s fate. it’s so cruel. i hate it here.

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2020 Stephen rated it really liked it

The Rise of Skywalker novelization is a quick, but good read. It adds a bit more to the movie and the characters without straying too far from the fast, action paced plot of the film. Readers will get to find out just how Palpatine survived, how his son came about, and more. There’s extended scenes that were hinted at with the behind-the-scenes artwork, plus sections that help transition characters from one place to another that the movie didn’t have time to delve into. But beyond the book just The Rise of Skywalker novelization is a quick, but good read. It adds a bit more to the movie and the characters without straying too far from the fast, action paced plot of the film. Readers will get to find out just how Palpatine survived, how his son came about, and more. There’s extended scenes that were hinted at with the behind-the-scenes artwork, plus sections that help transition characters from one place to another that the movie didn’t have time to delve into. But beyond the book just having extra content, it maintains a enjoyable vibe that stays entertaining from beginning to end.

First, lets get into the extra content. While it can be nice to have the dialog at your hands to go over again and catch what you might have missed, the real draw of any novelization is getting more out of the story. This novelization delivers on that in several ways. For anyone who was a fan of Zorii Bliss in the movie, you get a lot more of her in the novelization. The book explores a bit of her spice runner gang and helps connect the dots with what she did once everyone else left, how she wound up with Babu Frik, and how they wound up in the big battle at the end. It dives into her thoughts to explore more of her character. And the book doesn’t stop there. There are precious insights throughout the book where the story goes into the characters’ heads to reveal what they’re thinking and what they’ve been through. There’s reveals of Leia and her Force abilities and connection to the Force, what Hux thought he was up to, Poe’s reservations after Crait, Finn’s subtle realization of his Force connection, Rey’s lingering fear of the darkness within her and much more.

Furthermore, there’s some big reveals with Palpatine. The book lays out how he survived his fall in the shaft of the second Death Star, why he looks like a rotting corpse, and he wound up with a son which lead to Rey. Not everything is completely revealed or explored, though. There’s still much about Ben Solo that we don’t know. There’s some cryptic stuff about that dyad that still leaves a lot to be fleshed out. But the book isn’t meant to be an encyclopedia to answer everyone’s questions or fill in all the voids. The book is simply capturing the story of the movie while also giving the reader a bit more to enjoy.

Another factor that adds to that enjoyment is little bonuses like the cameos at the big space battle. At the end of the battle, there are thousands and thousands of ships. Far too many to identify while watching the film. We know there’s all kinds of visual cameos hidden in that scene. However, the book takes the time to point out some of those cameos, and even gives them a bit of dialog. Even the Wicket scene gets expanded with some dialog and background. It’s not a ton, but it’s a nice inclusion.

In the end, The Rise of Skywalker novelization does a good job of retelling the story of the movie, keeping it fun, and giving readers something extra to enjoy. For hardcore Star Wars fans, this is a must read as you’ll get more out of the movie by reading the book. On top of that, it’s a good read. As such, I give it a four out of five. ...more

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Mar 05, 2020 Debbie marked it as to-read

Ok I usually don’t read novelizations of the Star Wars movies but the spoilers about the random facts being revealed in this book are getting out of hand. SO MANY new facts popping up out of nowhere with no references in the movie. I feel like I need to read it for myself because good Lord.

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Mar 25, 2020 ava rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, 2020-releases, made-me-cry

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Apr 10, 2020 Anthony rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, star-wars, digital

I really enjoyed this novelisation!

There's some added scenes and some much needed explanation to some stuff which all in all makes it for a good read ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Mar 25, 2020 Chris Greensmith rated it liked it

Shelves: star-wars

"Episode IX
THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
The dead speak! The galaxy has heard a mysterious broadcast, a threat of REVENGE in the sinister voice of the late EMPEROR PALPATINE.
GENERAL LEIA ORGANA dispatches secret agents to gather intelligence, while REY, the last hope of the Jedi, trains for battle against the diabolical FIRST ORDER.
Meanwhile, Supreme Leader KYLO REN rages in search of the phantom Emperor, determined to destroy any threat to his power....
Very much the same. A few plot holes from the f ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Mar 01, 2020 Wilhelmina rated it did not like it

Got a copy at C2E2. And it was just...really boring? Not even the additional scenes and character POVs made it a compelling read. The prose was as dry as paint chips, and some of the moments I was on the fence about from the movie felt even more unconvincing in the novel, or like they opened up more plot holes. I don’t think I can pin any qualms I have with the story on this book since the book is just adapting a story from someone else’s script, but the writing style is what made this a truly d ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 30, 2020 Vonze rated it really liked it

Shelves: star-wars

Maybe I'm in my own boat here, but I liked *most* of the movie. I think a lot of people would agree it needed more time and/or to be longer to nail what it attempted to do. Alas, Star Wars, for whatever reason, is not privileged in Disney's eyes like Marvel: Endgame.

The consolation prize, for fans needing more, is the novelization has extras that would have made the movie a little clearer in some scenes. Descriptions, yes, but also added dialogue, and entire POVs for characters like Zorri, Hux, ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 18, 2020 Amber rated it really liked it

Shelves: star-wars, reylo-vibes

4 Stars because Rae Carson wrote a story I hate as beautifully as she could. She didn't plot this and doesn't deserve a bad review for it. ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Mar 21, 2020 Dreximgirl rated it liked it · review of another edition

It was a decent novelisation but just didn't capture the characters for me personally. ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2019 Catalina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: star-wars, sci-fi, sci-fi-fantasy, sci-fi-favourites

After the Last Jedi, everyone raged and speculated. But in that film, Lucasfilm gave us the clue, the message, the hope, in one line. (And it had nothing to do with sparks)

Take it easy, Big F [big fans]. They blow you up today, you blow them up tomorrow. It's... just business!

This is my favourite novelisation of the Sequels. Rae Carson has worked some magic on this material: our heroes on an epic quest through the Galaxy in search of objects and answers, while being chased by Kylo and his dark K ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 29, 2020 Marianne Moresco rated it did not like it

Shelves: dnf

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Star Wars Legends...: Spoiler filled TRoS chat	6	6	Sep 14, 2020 11:23AM
Star Wars Book Club: The Rise of Skywalker	6	38	May 01, 2020 11:03PM

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Media Tie In > Star Wars

428 users

Science Fiction

84 users

Fiction

55 users

Fantasy

38 users

Audiobook

15 users

Adult

12 users

Adventure

10 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

9 users

Space > Space Opera

7 users

Young Adult

7 users

See top shelves…

About Rae Carson

Rae Carson

5,773 followers

Rae Carson was born in 1973 in California and now lives in Arizona. She developed an enthusiasm for storytelling in her earliest childhood. She studied social sciences and worked in various industries after graduating from university before she realized her dream and became a writer. The Girl of Fire and Thorns is her debut novel.

In her own words, she "write[s] books about teens who must do brave ...more

Other books in the series

Star Wars Disney Canon Novel (1 - 10 of 56 books)

Books by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns, #1)

The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns, #2)

The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns, #3)

Walk on Earth a Stranger (The Gold Seer Trilogy, #1)

Like a River Glorious (The Gold Seer Trilogy, #2)

More…

News & Interviews

6 Great Books Hitting Shelves This Week

Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day. To create our...

Trivia About The Rise of Skywa...

1 quiz

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Rise of Skywa...

“Han Solo was his past. But Rey was his light.” — 4 likes

“He said that a lot back then. When I did this on Dagobah…It was obnoxious and completely unhelpful. So Leia reminded him, “You’re being obnoxious and completely unhelpful.” — 2 likes

More quotes…