Wednesday 8 April 2015

William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, a New Hope by Ian Doescher


Hardcover, 174 pages
Published July 2nd 2013 by Quirk Books

"Inspired by one of the greatest creative minds in the English language—and William Shakespeare—here is an officially licensed retelling of George Lucas's epic Star Wars in the style of the immortal Bard of Avon. The saga of a wise (Jedi) knight and an evil (Sith) lord, of a beautiful princess held captive and a young hero coming of age, Star Wars abounds with all the valor and villainy of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. ’Tis a tale told by fretful droids, full of faithful Wookiees and fearsome Stormtroopers, signifying...pretty much everything.

Reimagined in glorious iambic pentameter—and complete with twenty gorgeous Elizabethan illustrations—William Shakespeare’s Star Wars will astound and edify Rebels and Imperials alike. Zounds! This is the book you’re looking for."

This was an amazing present! I love the original Star Wars trilogy and I think this was an brilliant idea. It could have gone so badly wrong but I thought it was inspired.

Firstly, I loved the illustrations in this book of so many of my favourite characters. Not only are they fantastic as artwork but it's also hilarious seeing them in Shakespearean style clothing!

The book itself sticks to the actual story of Star Wars: A New Hope very closely. The author is also very clever in the way he uses language to represent different characters. Most characters speak in iambic pentameter but R2-D2 for example speaks in his beeps and squeaks when communicating with other characters, but is also used to commentate on the actions of other characters by giving soliloquys and making asides to the audience. The Jawas are still incomprehensible and Han Solo is as witty as ever.

This book is clever, inventive and very funny and I wish I had thought of the idea of writing it - although I doubt I could have carried it off with such aplomb.

10 out of 10 from me.

"There let our heroes rest free from attack,
Till darkness rise and Empire striketh back."

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