The Empire Striketh Back

The Empire Striketh Back is the second installment in William Shakespeare's Star Wars. Everything I enjoyed about the first book was here in the second. I still love R2-D2's asides. I enjoyed the Shakespearean insults. While the novelty of writing Star Wars in Shakespearean language was starting to wear off, there was enough new stuff to keep me interested. Author Ian Doescher goes deeper into the character of Lando of Calrissian, more than what we learn about him in the movie. There were singing Ugnaughts. Best of all, Yoda spoke in Haiku. I loved the Haikus.

Doescher writes a bit of an Afterward explaining some of his choices in Empire and how this book differs from the first. I thought it was interesting (and I appreciated it as an Afterward, not an Introduction). I also thought it was interesting that one of his readers who was an expert in Shakespeare, has never seen the Star Wars movies (has he been living under a rock?). I really enjoyed The Empire Striketh Back and I look forward to the third book, The Jedi Doth Return. 

William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope

When I saw a book titled, William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope, I knew I had to have it. William Shakespeare's Star Wars was everything I expected it to be. I already knew the story, as most people who pick up this book would. As each scene came up I eagerly anticipated the Shakespeare-ization. Re-writing Star Wars in iambic pentameter doesn't make it "literature", but it does make it thoroughly entertaining. It could not have been an easy task for Ian Doescher.

One thing I didn't expect was R2D2. He is hilarious. I loved his insights. It was the most original thing Doescher could do with the task he had given himself. I also quite enjoyed the stage directions. They really seemed as though the author (or translator?) was imagining what a director would be doing with this story and a stage. I feel like this little book is ready to go if anyone wanted to put on a Star Wars stage production. 

There really isn't anything I can say about the story. It's Episode 4 as you would expect it to be.  It starts off with Leia. Then Luke. Then Han and Chewbacca. Obi-Wan does his thing. Luke uses The Force.  The Death Star blows up. Also, the Droids are being quite funny the whole time.  Though not necessarily for fans of Shakespeare, fans of Star Wars will enjoy this play. Those who are also fans of Shakespeare might like it even more.

I didn't even mention the illustrations!