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William Shakespeare's Star Wars #5
William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Humor (2014)Hot on the heels of the New York Times best seller William Shakespeare’s Star Wars comes the next two installments of the original trilogy: William Shakespeare’s The Empire Striketh Back and William Shakespeare’s The Jedi Doth Return. Return to the star-crossed galaxy far, far away as the brooding young hero, a power-mad emperor, and their jesting droids match wits, struggle for power, and soliloquize in elegant and impeccable iambic pentameter. Illustrated with beautiful black-and-white Elizabethan-style artwork, these two plays offer essential reading for all ages. Something Wookiee this way comes!
172 pages, Hardcover
First published March 18, 2014
138 people are currently reading
7195 people want to read
About the author
Ian Doescher
48 books722 followersIan 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 794 reviews
April 14, 2024
Best one yet.
November 25, 2018
Such a clever idea! Mash-up Shakespeare and sci-if
There truly are some enlightened passages in this retelling of episode V. Admiral Piett has a soul searching speech about men wearing masks; Leia and Han have the hilarious "scruffy nerf herder" scene. And of course there is the ubiquitous, " I have a feeling bad about this." Everything expected from a Star Wars book is included; everything expected in Shakespearean speech is used. The only downfall is with Yoda. Since everyone is already speaking with his speech pattern, it isn't as unique. But we are blest with, " but do thou or do thou not, for there is no try." Luke also has a hamlet inspired monologue.
Prose was introduced with "the basest of characters, Boba Fett," a move appropriate to Shakespeare as well. I've been wholly caught up in this take of a classic for all ages. As the author confesses, Empire "has the most Shakespearean devices-betrayal, live, battles, destiny, teachers and pupils." It's the perfect tragedy. The author is a devout fan of the movie from the age of six. He parlayed his interest into a career writing these exemplary novels. Kudos to him and I'm hoping for more!
Audiobook #210 11/24/18
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I give the audiobook 🤩🤩🤩🤩
There truly are some enlightened passages in this retelling of episode V. Admiral Piett has a soul searching speech about men wearing masks; Leia and Han have the hilarious "scruffy nerf herder" scene. And of course there is the ubiquitous, " I have a feeling bad about this." Everything expected from a Star Wars book is included; everything expected in Shakespearean speech is used. The only downfall is with Yoda. Since everyone is already speaking with his speech pattern, it isn't as unique. But we are blest with, " but do thou or do thou not, for there is no try." Luke also has a hamlet inspired monologue.
Prose was introduced with "the basest of characters, Boba Fett," a move appropriate to Shakespeare as well. I've been wholly caught up in this take of a classic for all ages. As the author confesses, Empire "has the most Shakespearean devices-betrayal, live, battles, destiny, teachers and pupils." It's the perfect tragedy. The author is a devout fan of the movie from the age of six. He parlayed his interest into a career writing these exemplary novels. Kudos to him and I'm hoping for more!
Audiobook #210 11/24/18
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I give the audiobook 🤩🤩🤩🤩
December 18, 2019
These are some of my new favorite books. They're like a mixture of classic literature and modern science fiction combined; not to mention there are some parts that are hilarious to hear in Shakespearean language.
April 29, 2015
This book was so great.
Yoda speaks in haiku! What a great way to make his speech different from the other characters. It took me a while to catch on, but once I did, I was tickled pink.
Han Solo and Princess Leia's love scenes are banter were SO CUTE! I was just dying from extreme cuteness of seeing them argue and then say lovey-dovey things in Shakespearean English.
Doescher does a GREAT job of bringing the minds of traditionally silent characters to the forefront. I adored listening in to the AT-AT's private conversations. And when the exogorth was lamenting his sad life I was truly feeling sorry for him. I WAS FEELING SORRY FOR A SPACE SLUG. That should tell you how fun and good these books are.
There are still bits here and there I don't like: the characters singing stuff, which seems lame. And when Doescher makes a character launch into a famous Shakespearean speech, tweaked to fit the Star Wars universe, it feels forced.
But overall, I was so charmed by this book. You can really see the time and effort that Doescher put into this! What a hard worker. I admire his dedication and skill. This is not some half-assed little joke book with no thought put into it except to cash in. I really feel like it was carefully crafted.
Yoda speaks in haiku! What a great way to make his speech different from the other characters. It took me a while to catch on, but once I did, I was tickled pink.
Han Solo and Princess Leia's love scenes are banter were SO CUTE! I was just dying from extreme cuteness of seeing them argue and then say lovey-dovey things in Shakespearean English.
Doescher does a GREAT job of bringing the minds of traditionally silent characters to the forefront. I adored listening in to the AT-AT's private conversations. And when the exogorth was lamenting his sad life I was truly feeling sorry for him. I WAS FEELING SORRY FOR A SPACE SLUG. That should tell you how fun and good these books are.
There are still bits here and there I don't like: the characters singing stuff, which seems lame. And when Doescher makes a character launch into a famous Shakespearean speech, tweaked to fit the Star Wars universe, it feels forced.
But overall, I was so charmed by this book. You can really see the time and effort that Doescher put into this! What a hard worker. I admire his dedication and skill. This is not some half-assed little joke book with no thought put into it except to cash in. I really feel like it was carefully crafted.
June 30, 2015
The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher
Published 2014, Quirk Books
Stars: ★★★☆☆
Review also posted at: Slapdash & Sundry
This Star Wars retelling in the form of a classic play was entertaining and highly clever, but much of it felt forced. I enjoyed it, but I didn't LOVE it. I'd consider reading more at some point in the future, but it won't be a series that I *have* to read RIGHT NOW.
Published 2014, Quirk Books
Stars: ★★★☆☆
Review also posted at: Slapdash & Sundry
This Star Wars retelling in the form of a classic play was entertaining and highly clever, but much of it felt forced. I enjoyed it, but I didn't LOVE it. I'd consider reading more at some point in the future, but it won't be a series that I *have* to read RIGHT NOW.
May 23, 2022
I am really impressed by this author’s ability to integrate Shakespeare and Star Wars so successfully. “The Empire Strikes Back” is my favorite Star Wars movie, and it works well as a Shakespeare tragedy. A lot of lines are taken from Shakespeare’s works and tweaked. It’s a hilarious effect, especially if you are familar with Shakespeare. I am not a Shakespeare scholar, and it isn’t necessary to enjoy the book, but I think you will find it funnier the more familiar you are with Shakespeare.
The book gives most of the characters soliloquies that give insight to what they are thinking. Such things may be implied by the movie, but Mr. Doescher takes some license here to flesh out the characters, and I think his insights are accurate.
When it comes to Yoda, Mr. Doescher realized that 1) Yoda speaks rather Shakespearean in the movies, and 2) if all the other characters are speaking Elizabethan English, how will Yoda sound distinct? His solution was to have Yoda speak in haikus.
The book gives most of the characters soliloquies that give insight to what they are thinking. Such things may be implied by the movie, but Mr. Doescher takes some license here to flesh out the characters, and I think his insights are accurate.
When it comes to Yoda, Mr. Doescher realized that 1) Yoda speaks rather Shakespearean in the movies, and 2) if all the other characters are speaking Elizabethan English, how will Yoda sound distinct? His solution was to have Yoda speak in haikus.
March 24, 2016
Nastavlja se dalje u istom maniru. Odlicno je i dalje. Plus Joda govori u Haiku formi :)
August 16, 2014
Yoda speaks in Haiku! Miss Piggy approves, oh master.
It’s true that I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first. Perhaps it is because I wasn’t epeecting to enjoy the first, perhaps it is because, as Doescher notes, Empire is too much of a tragedy to turn into too much of a laugh riot.
The idea still works, and Doescher seems more sure of himself here. R2-D2 still has a voice, but the use isn’t as heavy. Doescher also isn’t afraid to take pot shots. My favorite scene is the one about chasms. The best bits are the ones that Doescher can imagine. This is most obvious in the use of the wampa and space slug.
The best speech is the one an Imperial Admiral gives while watching Vader with his mask off. This scene of the mask off was very brief in the movie, but what Doescher does with it is truly worthy of Shakespeare. I feel like running to my two friends who give me strange looks as I read this, shoving it under their pointy noses and shouting “SEE!”
Honesty, Mr. Doescher if you never write anything else, that one speech ensures you a place in the writer’s hall of fame.
And thank you, for giving Lando more of a voice. He always was the coolest.
And please, please do 1-3 so I can actually like them.
Crossposted at Booklikes.
It’s true that I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first. Perhaps it is because I wasn’t epeecting to enjoy the first, perhaps it is because, as Doescher notes, Empire is too much of a tragedy to turn into too much of a laugh riot.
The idea still works, and Doescher seems more sure of himself here. R2-D2 still has a voice, but the use isn’t as heavy. Doescher also isn’t afraid to take pot shots. My favorite scene is the one about chasms. The best bits are the ones that Doescher can imagine. This is most obvious in the use of the wampa and space slug.
The best speech is the one an Imperial Admiral gives while watching Vader with his mask off. This scene of the mask off was very brief in the movie, but what Doescher does with it is truly worthy of Shakespeare. I feel like running to my two friends who give me strange looks as I read this, shoving it under their pointy noses and shouting “SEE!”
Honesty, Mr. Doescher if you never write anything else, that one speech ensures you a place in the writer’s hall of fame.
And thank you, for giving Lando more of a voice. He always was the coolest.
And please, please do 1-3 so I can actually like them.
Crossposted at Booklikes.
October 29, 2019
These are so fun!(:
July 22, 2014
The Bard is back and he’s about to get all Lando Calrissian on your ass!
Ian Doescher has put forth The Empire Striketh Back, the second volume in his critically acclaimed William Shakespeare’s Star Wars series. Adapting episode five into a true Shakespearean tragedy shouldn’t be all that difficult seeing as the source material is about as Shakespearean as it gets. You’ve got all the common elements: contrast, fate, supernatural, catharsis – you’ve even got asides and soliloquies for added measure!
I liked this one more than Verily, A New Hope as it seemed to fit the Shakespearean mold a little better given the subject matter and ending. Again, the artwork is excellent as it helps to inject a little humor and lightness to an otherwise dark and dreary story.
Doescher’s experiment has merit and seems to be getting more mileage than I expected. If you’re a fan of the movies, the first two in the series are definite must-reads that help to expand on an already expansive mythology.
Also posted @ Every Read Thing.
Ian Doescher has put forth The Empire Striketh Back, the second volume in his critically acclaimed William Shakespeare’s Star Wars series. Adapting episode five into a true Shakespearean tragedy shouldn’t be all that difficult seeing as the source material is about as Shakespearean as it gets. You’ve got all the common elements: contrast, fate, supernatural, catharsis – you’ve even got asides and soliloquies for added measure!
I liked this one more than Verily, A New Hope as it seemed to fit the Shakespearean mold a little better given the subject matter and ending. Again, the artwork is excellent as it helps to inject a little humor and lightness to an otherwise dark and dreary story.
Doescher’s experiment has merit and seems to be getting more mileage than I expected. If you’re a fan of the movies, the first two in the series are definite must-reads that help to expand on an already expansive mythology.
Also posted @ Every Read Thing.
Read
January 7, 2021The last portion of this book I read in audiobook form and HOLY CRAP. It was so fun!! They had a full cast and sound effects and music!! What an AWESOME experience.
Now for my fav quotes:
>LEIA: My feelings? O! Thou
arrogant half-wit,
Thou oversizéd child, thou
friend of slime,
Thou man of scruffy looks,
thou who herd’st nerfs,
Thou fool-born wimpled
roughhewn waste of
flesh!
>LEIA: O, do I love thee wholly, Han.
HAN: —I know.
>VADER: Obi-Wan hath never told
Thee of what happened to thy father Luke.
LUKE: O, he hath spoken much.
And he hath told
Me of the truth—that thou didst slay him, aye,
And without cause and mercy, murderer
Most vile and wretched!
VADER: —No, I am thy father.
LUKE: Nay, ‘tis not true!
It is impossible!
Now for my fav quotes:
>LEIA: My feelings? O! Thou
arrogant half-wit,
Thou oversizéd child, thou
friend of slime,
Thou man of scruffy looks,
thou who herd’st nerfs,
Thou fool-born wimpled
roughhewn waste of
flesh!
>LEIA: O, do I love thee wholly, Han.
HAN: —I know.
>VADER: Obi-Wan hath never told
Thee of what happened to thy father Luke.
LUKE: O, he hath spoken much.
And he hath told
Me of the truth—that thou didst slay him, aye,
And without cause and mercy, murderer
Most vile and wretched!
VADER: —No, I am thy father.
LUKE: Nay, ‘tis not true!
It is impossible!
October 30, 2021
I can’t imagine experiencing these in any format other than audiobook. Not because the text wouldn’t be just as fun and enjoyable, but because the voice cast and music make this into something amazing.
There’s also a “song of lament” for when Han is frozen in carbonite, which consists of Leia singing a sweetly sad ballad and Chewbacca literally just yelling and wailing for a verse, making this the easiest 5 star rating I’ll ever give.
There’s also a “song of lament” for when Han is frozen in carbonite, which consists of Leia singing a sweetly sad ballad and Chewbacca literally just yelling and wailing for a verse, making this the easiest 5 star rating I’ll ever give.
May 19, 2021
My daughter and I have been reading these out loud to each other. They are so much fun! Doescher does a great job translating the movie script into iambic pentameter, and putting Shakesperean styling, word usage and dramatic devices into the play. There are monologues, explaining of feelings, exposition, and asides. The best asides are by R2D2 - he talks in beeps and squeaks to everyone but the audience. Luke has a Hamlet-like monologue on the meaning of lifethe Force.
While everyone else speaks iambic, Yoda talks in haikus:
The stage directions are fun, too: “Exit Luke Skywalker, pursued by a Wampa.”
The Shakespearean insult version of scruffy nerf-herder is sheer genius: “Thou man of scruffy looks, thou who heard’st nerfs, Thou fool-born wimpled roughhewn waste of flesh!”
Some scenes are inserted to explain things that cannot be shown on stage. My favorite is when two guards discuss building codes in the cloud city:
And the famous line:
Which, of course, is best read aloud in the deepest, slowest James Earl Jones voice imitation. (Not possible, but lots of fun to try.)
We are enjoying this a great deal. If you have a Star Wars loving child/partner/friend/relative who is willing to read with you, I highly recommend reading it out loud. We especially like to chuckle every time “prithee” and “forsooth” comes up.
While everyone else speaks iambic, Yoda talks in haikus:
“Nay, nay! Try though not.
But do though or do though not,
For there is no try.”
The stage directions are fun, too: “Exit Luke Skywalker, pursued by a Wampa.”
The Shakespearean insult version of scruffy nerf-herder is sheer genius: “Thou man of scruffy looks, thou who heard’st nerfs, Thou fool-born wimpled roughhewn waste of flesh!”
Some scenes are inserted to explain things that cannot be shown on stage. My favorite is when two guards discuss building codes in the cloud city:
”For didst though know the Empire doth require
That any major structure shall include
At least one chasm that’s deep and long and dark?”
And the famous line:
“I am thy father.”
Which, of course, is best read aloud in the deepest, slowest James Earl Jones voice imitation. (Not possible, but lots of fun to try.)
We are enjoying this a great deal. If you have a Star Wars loving child/partner/friend/relative who is willing to read with you, I highly recommend reading it out loud. We especially like to chuckle every time “prithee” and “forsooth” comes up.
July 18, 2020
I enjoyed listening to this again. Sure, I didn't laugh as much the second time, but I appreciated other things more, such as they was Doescher deftly borrows bits and parts from Shakespeare at times that work beautifully. One of the great things about listening to this is the singing, and there is nothing like it when Leia and Chewbacca each sing part of a tender song (think of how Chewie speaks...). After all, it was customary to include at least one song in all plays of this time, with the exception of some tragedies where there might just be instrumental music.
4.5 stars for audiobook
ORIGINAL REVIEW
Another fun installment in this series, so very good on audiobook, and for one of the six I've never seen the movie for. No point in recapping the story here since this is familiar to many and there are plenty of blurbs.
So, some fun things. If you weren't keen on the amount of chorus in Verily, a New Hope (a very Shakespearean technique), Doescher used a different Shakespearean technique for some of that description in this one.
So, how does one voice Yoda when virtually everyone else is speaking in iambic pentameter and frequently inverting word order due to that? Why, in Haiku (after great deliberation on the author's part, which he explains at the end). And he also introduces another Shakespearean technique (rather redundant with that phrase, aren't I?) where he has one character speak in prose.
There is comedy in this, much of it added, but it's also a tragedy, and, naturally, we end with a cliff hanger and at least one person in a very bad situation. This avoidance of a spoiler is for those who have forgotten the end of it, who missed this one and only saw 4 & 6 as I did, or who have never actually seen a Star Wars movie.
And whoever is voicing Hans Solo does a marvelous job of sarcasm and also has captured Harrison Ford's characterization beautifully.
4.5 stars for audiobook
ORIGINAL REVIEW
Another fun installment in this series, so very good on audiobook, and for one of the six I've never seen the movie for. No point in recapping the story here since this is familiar to many and there are plenty of blurbs.
So, some fun things. If you weren't keen on the amount of chorus in Verily, a New Hope (a very Shakespearean technique), Doescher used a different Shakespearean technique for some of that description in this one.
So, how does one voice Yoda when virtually everyone else is speaking in iambic pentameter and frequently inverting word order due to that? Why, in Haiku (after great deliberation on the author's part, which he explains at the end). And he also introduces another Shakespearean technique (rather redundant with that phrase, aren't I?) where he has one character speak in prose.
There is comedy in this, much of it added, but it's also a tragedy, and, naturally, we end with a cliff hanger and at least one person in a very bad situation. This avoidance of a spoiler is for those who have forgotten the end of it, who missed this one and only saw 4 & 6 as I did, or who have never actually seen a Star Wars movie.
And whoever is voicing Hans Solo does a marvelous job of sarcasm and also has captured Harrison Ford's characterization beautifully.
July 26, 2025
“Our story endeth, though your hearts do burn,
And shall until the Jedi doth return.”
As a former English major my lack of interest in Shakespeare has always been disturbing. I do love the Star Wars universe though, so if there was anything that could make me appreciate Shakespeare more (as heretic as it sounds) it would be Ian Doescher’s Shakespearian Star Wars series.
Funnily enough my favourite part was the afterword because it gives a lot of insight in Doescher’s thought process and choices. Like filling in certain characters’ stories with soliloquies and asides in order to flesh them out more. Or having Yoda speak in haikus to work around his speech already sounding a lot like Elizabethan English.
Can imagine a lot of the references went over my head now, not being very well versed in Shakespeare, but as it stands this was a great read!
(Honourable mention for the talking wampa and space slug that made me see them in a different light 😢😂)
And shall until the Jedi doth return.”
As a former English major my lack of interest in Shakespeare has always been disturbing. I do love the Star Wars universe though, so if there was anything that could make me appreciate Shakespeare more (as heretic as it sounds) it would be Ian Doescher’s Shakespearian Star Wars series.
Funnily enough my favourite part was the afterword because it gives a lot of insight in Doescher’s thought process and choices. Like filling in certain characters’ stories with soliloquies and asides in order to flesh them out more. Or having Yoda speak in haikus to work around his speech already sounding a lot like Elizabethan English.
Can imagine a lot of the references went over my head now, not being very well versed in Shakespeare, but as it stands this was a great read!
(Honourable mention for the talking wampa and space slug that made me see them in a different light 😢😂)
January 12, 2024
These are surprisingly good. I didn't think I'd like them, but they add some little tidbits and internal thoughts to the characters that are really nice.
August 18, 2020
3.5 Stars
I read Verily, A New Hope and I wanted more. Luckily there was more (and quite some as I think all movies have been turned into Shakespearian plays by now. The Empire Striketh Back is heralded as one of the best sci-fi movies of all times, and as also the author agrees in his commentary, the movie which contains so many aspects of a Shakespeare tragedy - betrayal, growth, love, despair - that it was basically begging to be turned into a play.
This was still a lot of fun - however the original freshness that I had reading the first one was a little bit less. Still, I think it must not have been easy to transform all text into verse. I even learned something new on Shakespeare (most of the plays I have seen performed rather than read - so I mainly just try to keep up with what they are saying more than how they are saying it) that he would sometimes break the verse the show how low some of his characters were. It is used here as well.
Fans of Star Wars will like to be able to dive back into the story from a slightly new perspective, and I also enjoyed it a lot.
Find this and other reviews on http://www.urlphantomhive.com
I read Verily, A New Hope and I wanted more. Luckily there was more (and quite some as I think all movies have been turned into Shakespearian plays by now. The Empire Striketh Back is heralded as one of the best sci-fi movies of all times, and as also the author agrees in his commentary, the movie which contains so many aspects of a Shakespeare tragedy - betrayal, growth, love, despair - that it was basically begging to be turned into a play.
This was still a lot of fun - however the original freshness that I had reading the first one was a little bit less. Still, I think it must not have been easy to transform all text into verse. I even learned something new on Shakespeare (most of the plays I have seen performed rather than read - so I mainly just try to keep up with what they are saying more than how they are saying it) that he would sometimes break the verse the show how low some of his characters were. It is used here as well.
Fans of Star Wars will like to be able to dive back into the story from a slightly new perspective, and I also enjoyed it a lot.
Find this and other reviews on http://www.urlphantomhive.com
March 22, 2014
This trilogy continues in its awesomeness! No spoilers needed. Everyone knows this story.
I would like to say this, however: I absolutely LOVED what Ian Doescher did with Yoda's character!
I would like to say this, however: I absolutely LOVED what Ian Doescher did with Yoda's character!
November 14, 2021
I am so glad that Ian Doescher provided an afterword for The Empire Striketh Back; it turns out to be a crucial element in my decision to keep listening (and, yes, I will listen to William Shakespeare's The Jedi Doth Return) and rethink some of my initial reactions to Doescher's second effort.
Having grown comfortable with using iambic pentameter and having absorbed criticism from his first Shakespeare-Lucas hybrid, Doescher pushed himself and The Empire Striketh Back in some new directions. When we were listening to it, Miloš and I were often impressed, but then Doescher "jumped the Wookie!" (my son's words, not mine, and Miloš does, indeed, know the root of that saying and wouldn't use it lightly), and it nearly made us turn off the play and walk away for good. But we felt bad about that, and agreed that Ian had done more than enough to make us enjoy his work, so we owed it to him to press on and finish. And he did fine for about a scene or two ... until he gave Lando Calrissian a soliloquy that we both felt betrayed the truth of what we know and love about Lando. We finished, we allowed ourselves a smile or two, but we looked at each other as the play closed and shook our heads sadly.
Then Ian Doescher popped into our audiobook with his afterword and won us back. It was great to hear the reasons behind his choices. We don't have to agree with them, but to know that they had excellent motives allowed our frustrations to recede into subjective frustration without malice. And when we learned what was behind other elements of The Empire Striketh Back that we loved -- like the rhythms of Yoda and Boba Fett -- Doescher had won us over as fans. We will go on. We must. Not just because we owe it to Mr. Doescher, but because we owe it to ourselves to finish this wonderfully imaginative adaptation of our second favourite trilogy in film history.
Having grown comfortable with using iambic pentameter and having absorbed criticism from his first Shakespeare-Lucas hybrid, Doescher pushed himself and The Empire Striketh Back in some new directions. When we were listening to it, Miloš and I were often impressed, but then Doescher "jumped the Wookie!" (my son's words, not mine, and Miloš does, indeed, know the root of that saying and wouldn't use it lightly), and it nearly made us turn off the play and walk away for good. But we felt bad about that, and agreed that Ian had done more than enough to make us enjoy his work, so we owed it to him to press on and finish. And he did fine for about a scene or two ... until he gave Lando Calrissian a soliloquy that we both felt betrayed the truth of what we know and love about Lando. We finished, we allowed ourselves a smile or two, but we looked at each other as the play closed and shook our heads sadly.
Then Ian Doescher popped into our audiobook with his afterword and won us back. It was great to hear the reasons behind his choices. We don't have to agree with them, but to know that they had excellent motives allowed our frustrations to recede into subjective frustration without malice. And when we learned what was behind other elements of The Empire Striketh Back that we loved -- like the rhythms of Yoda and Boba Fett -- Doescher had won us over as fans. We will go on. We must. Not just because we owe it to Mr. Doescher, but because we owe it to ourselves to finish this wonderfully imaginative adaptation of our second favourite trilogy in film history.
March 18, 2014
Audiobook read by a cast.
Ian Doescher is back with more Shakespearian Star Wars as he progresses through the original trilogy. The Empire Striketh Back is very similar to Shakespeare's Star Wars with some minor differences. As before, if you like Star Wars and Shakespeare you will probably enjoy this book...especially if you liked the first one. I think this book comes across a bit more silly than the first which is unfortunate because The Empire Strikes Back is the darkest part of the trilogy and some of that emotion is lost due to the silliness. That said, Doescher once again does a fantastic job putting everything into iambic pentameter and even mixes things up with some prose and even haiku with different characters.
The Shakespeare/literary side of this book is really well done, almost to the point that I would say this book would be a great device for teaching disinterested kids about Shakespeare without them reading Shakespeare. Doescher is more varied in his use of literary tools and explains a few of the differences in this book from the first in an afterward. I really wish that was at the beginning so I could be on the lookout for Boba Fett's use of prose (I noticed that), Yoda speaking in haiku (I didn't notice that), and his relying less on the chorus to explain scenes (I noticed this a bit since the characters explained more of what's happening). The fact that he was able to do the whole book in iambic pentameter (complete with rhyming couplets) and also integrated some haiku is an impressive feat of work. Doescher also makes really good use of soliloquy and aside to explain character motivation for things like the budding relationship between Han and Leia, Lando's motives, and what R2D2 is thinking at times. This allows him to flesh out things left to physical acting in the movies or description/narration in the novels.
While the book is technically impressive, the writing is approached like rennaisance faire Shakespeare and has a bit of a silliness aspect to it. This works great normally but definitely takes away from the emotion of things happening, especially later in the story (in Cloud City). The main silly aspect that got me was the singing. Shakespeare did have songs in many of his plays but singing ugnaughts and a song from Leia and Chewbacca come across as silly (at least they definitely did in the audiobook). The ugnaughts (picture the pig faced short guys working the incinerator room and carbon freezing chamber of Cloud City) came across like Oompa Loompa's from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie. The Leia and Chewbacca song also comes at a time of great loss and just feels out of place. There is other silliness that works well (a discussion of why places like the Death Star and Cloud City need to have large open spaces adjacent to walkways is one) so just consider me overly sensitive with my Empire Strikes Back. ;-)
I really enjoyed this as an audiobook and think it's the preferred way to experience this telling of the story. The cast does a great job with all impressions and the music and sound effects are some of the best you'll find in a Star Wars book. I mainly say that because all the sound effects and especially the music have a place that goes along with what's happening in the story (I'm big into soundtracks and this was a huge factor for me). I have to admit that I was a little sad that it was over so soon because the performance was very enjoyable. I'm definitely looking forward to the conclusion of this Shakespearian trilogy.
Ian Doescher is back with more Shakespearian Star Wars as he progresses through the original trilogy. The Empire Striketh Back is very similar to Shakespeare's Star Wars with some minor differences. As before, if you like Star Wars and Shakespeare you will probably enjoy this book...especially if you liked the first one. I think this book comes across a bit more silly than the first which is unfortunate because The Empire Strikes Back is the darkest part of the trilogy and some of that emotion is lost due to the silliness. That said, Doescher once again does a fantastic job putting everything into iambic pentameter and even mixes things up with some prose and even haiku with different characters.
The Shakespeare/literary side of this book is really well done, almost to the point that I would say this book would be a great device for teaching disinterested kids about Shakespeare without them reading Shakespeare. Doescher is more varied in his use of literary tools and explains a few of the differences in this book from the first in an afterward. I really wish that was at the beginning so I could be on the lookout for Boba Fett's use of prose (I noticed that), Yoda speaking in haiku (I didn't notice that), and his relying less on the chorus to explain scenes (I noticed this a bit since the characters explained more of what's happening). The fact that he was able to do the whole book in iambic pentameter (complete with rhyming couplets) and also integrated some haiku is an impressive feat of work. Doescher also makes really good use of soliloquy and aside to explain character motivation for things like the budding relationship between Han and Leia, Lando's motives, and what R2D2 is thinking at times. This allows him to flesh out things left to physical acting in the movies or description/narration in the novels.
While the book is technically impressive, the writing is approached like rennaisance faire Shakespeare and has a bit of a silliness aspect to it. This works great normally but definitely takes away from the emotion of things happening, especially later in the story (in Cloud City). The main silly aspect that got me was the singing. Shakespeare did have songs in many of his plays but singing ugnaughts and a song from Leia and Chewbacca come across as silly (at least they definitely did in the audiobook). The ugnaughts (picture the pig faced short guys working the incinerator room and carbon freezing chamber of Cloud City) came across like Oompa Loompa's from the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie. The Leia and Chewbacca song also comes at a time of great loss and just feels out of place. There is other silliness that works well (a discussion of why places like the Death Star and Cloud City need to have large open spaces adjacent to walkways is one) so just consider me overly sensitive with my Empire Strikes Back. ;-)
I really enjoyed this as an audiobook and think it's the preferred way to experience this telling of the story. The cast does a great job with all impressions and the music and sound effects are some of the best you'll find in a Star Wars book. I mainly say that because all the sound effects and especially the music have a place that goes along with what's happening in the story (I'm big into soundtracks and this was a huge factor for me). I have to admit that I was a little sad that it was over so soon because the performance was very enjoyable. I'm definitely looking forward to the conclusion of this Shakespearian trilogy.
May 27, 2014
Ian Doescher delivers the goods again with this follow-up to William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope. As in the first book, Doescher puts a Shakespearean spin on familiar lines from the movies. Here are a couple of my favorites.
R2D2 is still doing asides to the audience in perfectly good English, and even the monsters have soliloquies. Both the wampa, who hangs Luke up in his cave at the beginning of the movie, and the exogorth, whose unfortunate belly was a temporary parking spot for the Millennium Falcon, get a chance to explain that they're just trying to get some dinner and to bemoan the fact that their dinner fought back and got away.
Doescher adds singing to the story, with the ugnaughts singing merrily as they dismantle C3PO and anticipate carbon freezing a human. Chewie and Leia get in on the action too, when they "sing a song of lament" after Han is frozen.
The above, plus Luke's famous denial of "Nay!!!" when Vader says he's Luke's father and Vader's reaction of "Fie fie" as our heroes make their escape, made me giggle a lot.
Star Wars and Shakespeare fans-take an hour or two and read this-it's big fun. The Afterward is worth taking an extra few minutes to read too.
LEIA: I know not whence thy great delusions come, thou laser brain.
CHEWBACCA (laughing): Gihut, gihut, gihut!
HAN: Aye, laugh indeed, thou furball large.
C3PO: Now Captain Solo, pray, a word with thee.
HAN (aside): A word from thee belike means hundreds more.
R2D2 is still doing asides to the audience in perfectly good English, and even the monsters have soliloquies. Both the wampa, who hangs Luke up in his cave at the beginning of the movie, and the exogorth, whose unfortunate belly was a temporary parking spot for the Millennium Falcon, get a chance to explain that they're just trying to get some dinner and to bemoan the fact that their dinner fought back and got away.
Doescher adds singing to the story, with the ugnaughts singing merrily as they dismantle C3PO and anticipate carbon freezing a human. Chewie and Leia get in on the action too, when they "sing a song of lament" after Han is frozen.
The above, plus Luke's famous denial of "Nay!!!" when Vader says he's Luke's father and Vader's reaction of "Fie fie" as our heroes make their escape, made me giggle a lot.
Star Wars and Shakespeare fans-take an hour or two and read this-it's big fun. The Afterward is worth taking an extra few minutes to read too.
November 2, 2014
I really liked the first book (or should I say "the 4th"? Heh...), but this one I liked even more. Perhaps because the movie itself was my favourite one in the original trilogy. Certainly also because the asides, this time, were used more often to reflect the action, and this seemed to fit better. Some of the characters (and even the monsters!) are given more thoughts, which felt both amusing and justified.
As usual, I confess to being quite the Shakespeare nerd in my own ways, and trying to match the retelling with lines from the Bard's plays was a really fun game. "Exit: pursued by wampa." I should have sensed it coming, shouldn't I? (For the record, I didn't, and it was a nice surprise.)
As usual, I confess to being quite the Shakespeare nerd in my own ways, and trying to match the retelling with lines from the Bard's plays was a really fun game. "Exit: pursued by wampa." I should have sensed it coming, shouldn't I? (For the record, I didn't, and it was a nice surprise.)
February 13, 2018
R2-D2 is the real hero!
April 6, 2019
Last year I read the first book in this series "William Shakespeare's Verily, A New Hope". It was a wonderful and fun read and I already knew I just had to get the rest of the series. I already own the original trilogy now and can't wait to dig into the rest soon! But first, let's take a look at The Empire Striketh Back! My favourite entry in the series when it comes to the movies, so does it hold up in this version?
Han: "I tell thee, droid: assail me not with odds!"
Since the Shakespearean language is often very "Yoda-like" I was curious how exactly Ian Doescher would portray the little green bastard in this book. I was kind of hoping that among all the other characters Yoda would speak like a normal person, but instead Doescher chose to let Yoda speak in haikus. I was kind of hoping something else, but still the parts with Yoda were wonderfully done!
One of the main reasons I love The Empire Strikes Back so much is that it doesn't have a happy ending. Luke finds out Darth Vader is his vader (and becomes quite unhanded to boot!), Han ends up as a Popsicle, and the rebel's cause seems in big trouble. What's not to love?
Leia: "O, I do love thee wholly, Han."
Han: "I know."
The epic start with the battle of Hoth and the walkers is done greatly too, with the walkers even having dialogue, I couldn't help but laugh when I read through the battle. It was done remarkably!
AT-AT 1:
"My friends, we have had quite enough of talk;
The battle is upon us, let us go.
And ye who doubt, I pray remember this:
Although we are but AT-ATs gray and plain,
We have a noble task to undertake—
Our might Emperor's reign to protect,
The great Darth Vader to obey and aid,
And Admiral Piett to serve with pride.
So shall an AT-AT swoon before the fight,
Or should our legs be shaken ere th'assault?
Have we been made to cower? I say nay!
An AT-AT should be made of sterner stuff."
The illustrations in the book are lovely too. They really tie the script together and offer wonderful alternate art versions of the movie stills in Shakespeare style, like the images on the covers of the books.
I really had a good time reading this adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back and I can't wait to continue my Shakespearean journey with each of the other episodes!
Vader: "No, I am thy father!"
Luke: "Nay, 'tis not true! It is impossible!"
Vader: "Pray, search thy feeling, Luke. Thou knowest it is true."
Luke: "Nay!"
Final score:
Cover art: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Paper smell: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Print/lettering: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Originality: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Happy reading!
-Jeffrey
Han: "I tell thee, droid: assail me not with odds!"
Since the Shakespearean language is often very "Yoda-like" I was curious how exactly Ian Doescher would portray the little green bastard in this book. I was kind of hoping that among all the other characters Yoda would speak like a normal person, but instead Doescher chose to let Yoda speak in haikus. I was kind of hoping something else, but still the parts with Yoda were wonderfully done!
One of the main reasons I love The Empire Strikes Back so much is that it doesn't have a happy ending. Luke finds out Darth Vader is his vader (and becomes quite unhanded to boot!), Han ends up as a Popsicle, and the rebel's cause seems in big trouble. What's not to love?
Leia: "O, I do love thee wholly, Han."
Han: "I know."
The epic start with the battle of Hoth and the walkers is done greatly too, with the walkers even having dialogue, I couldn't help but laugh when I read through the battle. It was done remarkably!
AT-AT 1:
"My friends, we have had quite enough of talk;
The battle is upon us, let us go.
And ye who doubt, I pray remember this:
Although we are but AT-ATs gray and plain,
We have a noble task to undertake—
Our might Emperor's reign to protect,
The great Darth Vader to obey and aid,
And Admiral Piett to serve with pride.
So shall an AT-AT swoon before the fight,
Or should our legs be shaken ere th'assault?
Have we been made to cower? I say nay!
An AT-AT should be made of sterner stuff."
The illustrations in the book are lovely too. They really tie the script together and offer wonderful alternate art versions of the movie stills in Shakespeare style, like the images on the covers of the books.
I really had a good time reading this adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back and I can't wait to continue my Shakespearean journey with each of the other episodes!
Vader: "No, I am thy father!"
Luke: "Nay, 'tis not true! It is impossible!"
Vader: "Pray, search thy feeling, Luke. Thou knowest it is true."
Luke: "Nay!"
Final score:
Cover art: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Paper smell: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Print/lettering: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Originality: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Story: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Happy reading!
-Jeffrey
March 21, 2020
Very fun. I highly recommend these on audiobook.
July 5, 2025
I first discovered The Empire Striketh Back in 2015, on one of those muggy, monsoon afternoons in Kolkata when the city smells of drenched history and secondhand books. I wasn’t looking for it.
In fact, I was just wandering through an old shop off College Street, nursing a heartbreak and escaping lesson plans about Othello. Then it caught my eye—Darth Vader in an Elizabethan ruff on the cover, lightsaber aloft like a royal sceptre.
The absurdity thrilled me. I opened it, read Vader’s soliloquy in blank verse, and grinned like a student discovering that their favourite pop star could quote Milton. That day, I left with the book clutched tight, as if it held not just parody, but promise.
Ian Doescher’s The Empire Striketh Back is no gimmick. It is an audacious, reverent collision of two canons—George Lucas’s space opera and William Shakespeare’s dramaturgy—bound together in iambic pentameter and Elizabethan dramaturgical wit.
It is not just Star Wars in verse. It is Star Wars as if Hamlet, Falstaff, and Lear had all crowded into Cloud City and debated fate, loyalty, and the dark side. Doescher takes the second film of the original trilogy and reframes it with all the tools of the Bard—soliloquies, choruses, asides, nobles in turmoil, jesters with insight, and villains with poetry in their grief.
Reading it, I was stunned at how naturally the form fit the function. Yoda’s cryptic syntax suddenly sounded like a woodland mystic from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Leia’s pain at Han’s capture rang with the fierce dignity of Lady Macbeth. Even the AT-AT Walkers on Hoth have a kind of tragicomic pomp, like armored elephants from Titus Andronicus. Here is Vader, cold and commanding:
“My purpose plain is to ensnare the son
Of Skywalker, and turn him to the dark.”
And here is Yoda, his riddles now full-on Shakespearean koan:
“For things of worth must needs with effort won,
And Jedi path is not the easy one.”
This isn't mere mimicry. It’s a full theatrical transposition. Every character is deepened through verse. Luke’s torment about his father becomes an existential reckoning. Han Solo, ever the sarcastic rogue, now struts like Mercutio in space boots. Even Chewbacca gets his moment—roaring in stage direction, his growl subtitled with tragic resonance. And R2-D2, that mechanical jester, suddenly turns meta, addressing the audience with rhymed commentary, as if he were both fool and chorus.
I remember reading it aloud in my room at night, doing all the voices. Somewhere between Boba Fett’s cold logic and Lando Calrissian’s velvet betrayals, I stopped laughing and simply listened. The language—rhythmic, rich, often ridiculous—had begun to sing.
And I thought, perhaps Shakespeare would have loved this. Not just for the poetic play, but for the sheer theatricality of it. The masks, the betrayals, the longing—this was classic tragedy. Just with lightsabers.
What made it more poignant was the timing. I was teaching Hamlet that term, and grappling with my own father’s illness. Vader’s anguish, Luke’s reckoning, their fatal symmetry—suddenly hit closer than I had expected. Doescher gave them Shakespeare’s voice, yes, but the emotions were my own. I remember reading:
“What light through yonder Death Star breaks?”
and both chuckling and choking up.
Even now, a decade later, the book lives in me like a good performance. It reminds me that Shakespeare is not a museum piece. He’s a time-traveler. That blank verse can hold both the grief of a Danish prince and the groan of a dying Jedi. That narrative forms are malleable. That literature, at its best, isn’t about reverence—it’s about remix. Imagination. Fusion.
Doescher’s The Empire Striketh Back is a love letter to fandoms—both Shakespearean and galactic. It's proof that a writer can be both a nerd and a poet, a dramatist and a dreamer. In its pages, the Force meets fate, sabers meet soliloquy, and somewhere in the night sky of the mind, an X-Wing flies across the Globe Theatre.
When I finished reading it in 2015, I closed the book softly and whispered, like an exhale across centuries: “May the pentameter be with thee—always.”
In fact, I was just wandering through an old shop off College Street, nursing a heartbreak and escaping lesson plans about Othello. Then it caught my eye—Darth Vader in an Elizabethan ruff on the cover, lightsaber aloft like a royal sceptre.
The absurdity thrilled me. I opened it, read Vader’s soliloquy in blank verse, and grinned like a student discovering that their favourite pop star could quote Milton. That day, I left with the book clutched tight, as if it held not just parody, but promise.
Ian Doescher’s The Empire Striketh Back is no gimmick. It is an audacious, reverent collision of two canons—George Lucas’s space opera and William Shakespeare’s dramaturgy—bound together in iambic pentameter and Elizabethan dramaturgical wit.
It is not just Star Wars in verse. It is Star Wars as if Hamlet, Falstaff, and Lear had all crowded into Cloud City and debated fate, loyalty, and the dark side. Doescher takes the second film of the original trilogy and reframes it with all the tools of the Bard—soliloquies, choruses, asides, nobles in turmoil, jesters with insight, and villains with poetry in their grief.
Reading it, I was stunned at how naturally the form fit the function. Yoda’s cryptic syntax suddenly sounded like a woodland mystic from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Leia’s pain at Han’s capture rang with the fierce dignity of Lady Macbeth. Even the AT-AT Walkers on Hoth have a kind of tragicomic pomp, like armored elephants from Titus Andronicus. Here is Vader, cold and commanding:
“My purpose plain is to ensnare the son
Of Skywalker, and turn him to the dark.”
And here is Yoda, his riddles now full-on Shakespearean koan:
“For things of worth must needs with effort won,
And Jedi path is not the easy one.”
This isn't mere mimicry. It’s a full theatrical transposition. Every character is deepened through verse. Luke’s torment about his father becomes an existential reckoning. Han Solo, ever the sarcastic rogue, now struts like Mercutio in space boots. Even Chewbacca gets his moment—roaring in stage direction, his growl subtitled with tragic resonance. And R2-D2, that mechanical jester, suddenly turns meta, addressing the audience with rhymed commentary, as if he were both fool and chorus.
I remember reading it aloud in my room at night, doing all the voices. Somewhere between Boba Fett’s cold logic and Lando Calrissian’s velvet betrayals, I stopped laughing and simply listened. The language—rhythmic, rich, often ridiculous—had begun to sing.
And I thought, perhaps Shakespeare would have loved this. Not just for the poetic play, but for the sheer theatricality of it. The masks, the betrayals, the longing—this was classic tragedy. Just with lightsabers.
What made it more poignant was the timing. I was teaching Hamlet that term, and grappling with my own father’s illness. Vader’s anguish, Luke’s reckoning, their fatal symmetry—suddenly hit closer than I had expected. Doescher gave them Shakespeare’s voice, yes, but the emotions were my own. I remember reading:
“What light through yonder Death Star breaks?”
and both chuckling and choking up.
Even now, a decade later, the book lives in me like a good performance. It reminds me that Shakespeare is not a museum piece. He’s a time-traveler. That blank verse can hold both the grief of a Danish prince and the groan of a dying Jedi. That narrative forms are malleable. That literature, at its best, isn’t about reverence—it’s about remix. Imagination. Fusion.
Doescher’s The Empire Striketh Back is a love letter to fandoms—both Shakespearean and galactic. It's proof that a writer can be both a nerd and a poet, a dramatist and a dreamer. In its pages, the Force meets fate, sabers meet soliloquy, and somewhere in the night sky of the mind, an X-Wing flies across the Globe Theatre.
When I finished reading it in 2015, I closed the book softly and whispered, like an exhale across centuries: “May the pentameter be with thee—always.”
March 7, 2014
I've received this book for free through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. Thank you to Quirk Books for sending me this copy of the book in advance.
Well, Ian Doescher does it again. The first installment of William Shakespeare's Star Wars promised a funny and heartwarming way to begin the beloved trilogy. William Shakespeare's the Empire Striketh Back was still as funny, heartwarming, and true to the original series as the first installment.
However, there were a few things I was rather disappointed with. I'm a pretty hard core Star Wars fan, so many of these things I'm pointing out will likely not interfere with another person's reading experience.
The first, is mostly a cosmetic and structural thing. You see in the copy I have, which I do not believe is an ARC copy because it's hardback and does not say it is an ARC copy worries me. On page twenty-five of my edition under the Scene 5 heading of the first act the characters are wrong. It says "Enter C-3PO, R2-D2, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca." That's wrong. It should only be Luke because he's the only character, till Obi-Wan's ghost comes, that's mentioned at all. My hope is that this is mistake is caught before this goes on sale to the general public.
The second, is I'm not entirely sure if C-3PO's memory would be able to remember gungans from Naboo. You see his memory was taken away at the end of Episode Three Revenge of the Sith. I'm not sure if his programming would remember, especially since he was built on Tattooine.
Third, the scene where Luke is out in the snow on the ice planet of Hoth and battles the Imperial AT-AT walkers with his lightsaber is completely different than it should be. In the movie, Luke uses some sort of grappling hook cable to latch onto the AT-AT walker and pull himself up. Once he does that, he ignites his lightsaber to strike at the walker's underbelly. In the book, Luke is on the ground. How in the world can that possibly happen since Luke isn't anywhere near the internal components that would stop an AT-AT walker. This alone had the star drop. It makes no sense. One of the reasons I liked the previous installment was its faithfulness to the original installment. This change made no sense, and is highly unbelievable.
Fourth, when Leia, Han, Chewie, and C-3PO are on the gas mining colony on Bespin there is this interchange of dialogue between two guards that takes up almost two pages. There are no dialogue exchanges between guards in the series, for any reason on Bespin. This took up space, and did not contribute to the plot. This was purely a strange thing to have.
Those were the few things that did bother me in this installment. Some choices the author made did not make sense to me at all.
Though, there are things I did like. The one reason I really like this series is that it isn't a verbatim execution. (I know I sound like a hypocrite, but major plot points in the last installment were not changed. The Luke grappling hook was, and I'm frustrated by it).
What I mean is the author makes deliberate choices to give characters more of a voice, like R2-D2's asides (always funny). Lando Calrissian's asides and monologues were excellent, and give more character development to him. Luke's asides and soliloquies were excellent as well. The banter between Leia and Han was top-notch. Ian Doescher is able to maintain what makes Star Wars so fun, but add to it in meaningful ways. There are not as many chorus moments in this installment, which is closer to how Shakespeare's plays are laid out. This installment wasn't quite as good as the first, but I have no doubt that he will conclude it well.
As always, I love the illustrations in these books. Though, I think there are more illustrations in this installment than there were in the last.
Well, Ian Doescher does it again. The first installment of William Shakespeare's Star Wars promised a funny and heartwarming way to begin the beloved trilogy. William Shakespeare's the Empire Striketh Back was still as funny, heartwarming, and true to the original series as the first installment.
However, there were a few things I was rather disappointed with. I'm a pretty hard core Star Wars fan, so many of these things I'm pointing out will likely not interfere with another person's reading experience.
The first, is mostly a cosmetic and structural thing. You see in the copy I have, which I do not believe is an ARC copy because it's hardback and does not say it is an ARC copy worries me. On page twenty-five of my edition under the Scene 5 heading of the first act the characters are wrong. It says "Enter C-3PO, R2-D2, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca." That's wrong. It should only be Luke because he's the only character, till Obi-Wan's ghost comes, that's mentioned at all. My hope is that this is mistake is caught before this goes on sale to the general public.
The second, is I'm not entirely sure if C-3PO's memory would be able to remember gungans from Naboo. You see his memory was taken away at the end of Episode Three Revenge of the Sith. I'm not sure if his programming would remember, especially since he was built on Tattooine.
Third, the scene where Luke is out in the snow on the ice planet of Hoth and battles the Imperial AT-AT walkers with his lightsaber is completely different than it should be. In the movie, Luke uses some sort of grappling hook cable to latch onto the AT-AT walker and pull himself up. Once he does that, he ignites his lightsaber to strike at the walker's underbelly. In the book, Luke is on the ground. How in the world can that possibly happen since Luke isn't anywhere near the internal components that would stop an AT-AT walker. This alone had the star drop. It makes no sense. One of the reasons I liked the previous installment was its faithfulness to the original installment. This change made no sense, and is highly unbelievable.
Fourth, when Leia, Han, Chewie, and C-3PO are on the gas mining colony on Bespin there is this interchange of dialogue between two guards that takes up almost two pages. There are no dialogue exchanges between guards in the series, for any reason on Bespin. This took up space, and did not contribute to the plot. This was purely a strange thing to have.
Those were the few things that did bother me in this installment. Some choices the author made did not make sense to me at all.
Though, there are things I did like. The one reason I really like this series is that it isn't a verbatim execution. (I know I sound like a hypocrite, but major plot points in the last installment were not changed. The Luke grappling hook was, and I'm frustrated by it).
What I mean is the author makes deliberate choices to give characters more of a voice, like R2-D2's asides (always funny). Lando Calrissian's asides and monologues were excellent, and give more character development to him. Luke's asides and soliloquies were excellent as well. The banter between Leia and Han was top-notch. Ian Doescher is able to maintain what makes Star Wars so fun, but add to it in meaningful ways. There are not as many chorus moments in this installment, which is closer to how Shakespeare's plays are laid out. This installment wasn't quite as good as the first, but I have no doubt that he will conclude it well.
As always, I love the illustrations in these books. Though, I think there are more illustrations in this installment than there were in the last.
March 19, 2014
I got a copy of this book from Quirk Books in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed the first book in this series; Verily, A New Hope. This book was even better than that book and it was a ton of fun to read. The final book in the trilogy, The Jedi Doth Return, is scheduled to release in July 2014.
Any Star Wars fan knows the story. Luke, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and crew are on the rebel base on the planet of Hoth. When things go South, Luke flees to get training from Yoda and the rest of the crew flee to seek help from Lando with the Empire hot in pursuit. There is definitely a lot of drama here and it lends itself to Shakespearean style well.
I love Shakespeare and I love Star Wars, so of course I enjoy these books immensely. This book was even better than the first book and even more hilarious. I thought Doescher did a much better job with having the characters use asides to tell their point of view, this adds a lot more depth to the story.
One of the most hilarious parts of this book is that we get to hear from some of the monsters and bad guys. There is a part where the Wampa laments the escape of his meal and how badly he has been treated. The Exogor (space slug that the Millenium Falcon hides in) has a soliloquy where he expounds on the loneliness of being a space slug. We even hear from some overly dramatic AT-ATs (this had me laughing so hard I was nearly in tears).
In addition to the above you get a lot more insight into how people view Darth Vader in a long soliloquy from Admiral Piett. There is also more background on Lando and his past friendship with Han. The numerous soliloquies and asides add a lot more depth to these Star Wars characters we all know and love.
Just as with the last book, the asides from R2-D2 are hilarious and his opinion of C3PO echoes my own. This is also the book where Han and Leia discover their feelings for each other, this storyline lends itself to a lot of wonderfully witty banter between the two and many asides where they discuss their feelings for each other. Again these are very witty and funny.
As with the last book there are a number of well done Elizabethan style illustrations throughout, these are done in an etched sort of style and again add a lot of humor to this parody. Yoda in an Elizabethan collar is definitely a must see.
Overall very, very well done. I really enjoyed this second installment in the Star Wars series retold in a Shakespearean way. There is a lot of witty humor and even parts so funny that I almost laughed until I cried. The illustrations are wonderful. In addition to all of the humor and fun, the asides and soliloquies really do add a lot of depth to the characters and expand on the story some. If you enjoy Star Wars and Shakespeare definitely check this out, if you enjoyed the first book in this Shakespearean Star Wars series definitely check this out. This book is even better than the first one.
Any Star Wars fan knows the story. Luke, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and crew are on the rebel base on the planet of Hoth. When things go South, Luke flees to get training from Yoda and the rest of the crew flee to seek help from Lando with the Empire hot in pursuit. There is definitely a lot of drama here and it lends itself to Shakespearean style well.
I love Shakespeare and I love Star Wars, so of course I enjoy these books immensely. This book was even better than the first book and even more hilarious. I thought Doescher did a much better job with having the characters use asides to tell their point of view, this adds a lot more depth to the story.
One of the most hilarious parts of this book is that we get to hear from some of the monsters and bad guys. There is a part where the Wampa laments the escape of his meal and how badly he has been treated. The Exogor (space slug that the Millenium Falcon hides in) has a soliloquy where he expounds on the loneliness of being a space slug. We even hear from some overly dramatic AT-ATs (this had me laughing so hard I was nearly in tears).
In addition to the above you get a lot more insight into how people view Darth Vader in a long soliloquy from Admiral Piett. There is also more background on Lando and his past friendship with Han. The numerous soliloquies and asides add a lot more depth to these Star Wars characters we all know and love.
Just as with the last book, the asides from R2-D2 are hilarious and his opinion of C3PO echoes my own. This is also the book where Han and Leia discover their feelings for each other, this storyline lends itself to a lot of wonderfully witty banter between the two and many asides where they discuss their feelings for each other. Again these are very witty and funny.
As with the last book there are a number of well done Elizabethan style illustrations throughout, these are done in an etched sort of style and again add a lot of humor to this parody. Yoda in an Elizabethan collar is definitely a must see.
Overall very, very well done. I really enjoyed this second installment in the Star Wars series retold in a Shakespearean way. There is a lot of witty humor and even parts so funny that I almost laughed until I cried. The illustrations are wonderful. In addition to all of the humor and fun, the asides and soliloquies really do add a lot of depth to the characters and expand on the story some. If you enjoy Star Wars and Shakespeare definitely check this out, if you enjoyed the first book in this Shakespearean Star Wars series definitely check this out. This book is even better than the first one.
April 26, 2016
Goodreads had a dedicated Shakespeare week and as part of that they had a few famous authors write a 'missing' scene to one of his plays, and Ian Doescher was one of those authors and I thought his scene was fantastic, so I looked him up to see what he wrote and low and behold, what he writes is Star Wars, in Shakespeare's style.
Now, I'm a big Star Wars fan, not quite a get dressed up for the movies type but I've got lines memorized and I've read a lot of the books (except for the ones after they kill Chewie, because what the hell was that all about!).
Shakespeare though, he's never been high on my list of stuff to read and I've never liked the plays or movies on his works. I have decided that it's important to read them from a cultural point of view and I've got through a few but that's as far as it's gone.
This though, this is awesome. I understand the words and the context, I can hear the actors speaking while I read. Though I have a hard time infusing Han Solo with the right amount of sarcasm. The Wampa speaks and the Space slug and even R2D2, and somehow CP3O and Lando sound perfect in Shakespeare inspired language.
Unfortunately for my pocket book but probably good for the authors, my library only has this part and not the other 5, so I'll have to be buying the rest at some point, because this part was awesome.
Now, I'm a big Star Wars fan, not quite a get dressed up for the movies type but I've got lines memorized and I've read a lot of the books (except for the ones after they kill Chewie, because what the hell was that all about!).
Shakespeare though, he's never been high on my list of stuff to read and I've never liked the plays or movies on his works. I have decided that it's important to read them from a cultural point of view and I've got through a few but that's as far as it's gone.
This though, this is awesome. I understand the words and the context, I can hear the actors speaking while I read. Though I have a hard time infusing Han Solo with the right amount of sarcasm. The Wampa speaks and the Space slug and even R2D2, and somehow CP3O and Lando sound perfect in Shakespeare inspired language.
Unfortunately for my pocket book but probably good for the authors, my library only has this part and not the other 5, so I'll have to be buying the rest at some point, because this part was awesome.
December 21, 2015
An improvement over William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope, which I already had an unreasonable like for. Doescher does a bit more playing around with form here, and I felt like the stray anons and heavy-handed references to actual Shakespeare plays were reigned in a bit. Also, the AT-ATs have lines, which I found strangely delightful.
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