Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker is the novelization of the 1977 film Star Wars, ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster, but credited to George Lucas. It was first published on November 12, 1976, by Ballantine Books, several months before the release of the film. In later years, it was republished under the title Star Wars: A New Hope to reflect the retroactive addition of a subtitle to the film in 1981.
Although the book contains some differences from the film, it also includes references to Palpatine and his rise to power in the prologue, setting up the backstory for future films.
Development
The book was written by Foster and based upon Lucas's screenplay for the first Star Wars film. On how he got the job, Foster said: My agent got a call from Lucas's lawyer of the time, Tom Pollock (now one of the most powerful men in Hollywood). Someone had read a book of mine, Icerigger, knew that I had already done novelizations, and thought I might be the writer to do the novelization of Lucas' new film. I already knew his work through THX 1138 and American Graffiti. I accepted the offer to meet with George, and did so at Industrial Light and Magic, then in a small warehouse in Van Nuys, California (part of greater Los Angeles, and conveniently near my family home). We hit it off well, I got the assignment (for two books), and that's how it happened.
Foster not only adapted the film's events, but also fleshed out the backstory of time, place, physics, planets, races, languages, history, and technology. When asked whether it was difficult for him to see Lucas get all the credit for the novelization, Foster said: Not at all. It was George's story idea. I was merely expanding upon it. Not having my name on the cover didn't bother me in the least. It would be akin to a contractor demanding to have his name on a Frank Lloyd Wright house. Lucas, for his part, has been open about the fact that Foster ghostwrote the novel, noting this fact in his introduction to later editions of the book.
Publishing history
The paperback book was first published in the US as Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker in November 1976 by Ballantine Books, six months before the theatrical release of the film. The cover art was by Star Wars conceptual artist Ralph McQuarrie, who was commissioned by Ballantine Books executive Judy Lynn Del Rey while he was working on visualization work for Lucas's forthcoming film. The cover depicts Luke Skywalker carrying a lightsaber, Chewbacca, , and R2-D2 standing in front of an enlarged head of Darth Vader. On the back of the book was written, "Soon to be a spectacular motion picture from Twentieth Century Fox".
In the United Kingdom, the novelization was published by Sphere Books, and featured cover art by John Berkey. Sphere reportedly paid $225,000 for the British publishing rights.
By February 1977, still three months before the film was released, the novelization sold out its initial print run of 500,000 copies. In the next three months, Ballantine had sold 3.5 million copies. The novel's massive success contributed somewhat to the popularity of the film. Some later editions contain sixteen pages of full-color photos from the motion picture.
Later editions of the novelization were published under altered titles to reflect the retitling of the film, such as Star Wars: A New Hope, and Star Wars IV: A New Hope.
Differences from the film
The words that open each Star Wars film, "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...." are absent from the novelization, substituted by the similar "Another galaxy, another time."