As was the case with the Episode I novelization, this ends up being much better than the movie. While there are still elements of Lucas' screenplay in the novel, and we all have opinions as to the quality of that, the book is able to flesh out and expand upon things that the movie either just glossed over or skipped altogether. The first few chapters fill in the decade-long gap (somewhat) between Episodes I and II. Then it starts getting into the events that start off the movie. There is much more about how the relationship between Padme and Anakin develops and her conflicted feelings for him. We also get much more of the Shimi Skywalker/Laars family storyline that only gets a few minutes of screen time in the movie. And Anakin's destruction of the Tusken Raider camp is detailed a lot more.
Certainly, some of the issues with the movie are still present in the book. Anakin still comes off at times as just a whiny, bratty teenager. The author even gives him a line in the book that he is not whining when he clearly was. Given that much of what people disliked about the movie is that Lucas wrote Anakin as a whiny brat, it was a pretty funny line. There is also a lot more detail about the separatist movement, and how the Sith are manipulating everything behind the scenes, as well as more detail about Jango and Boba Fett. The only thing it does not really do is flesh out how Sidious ended up taking on Dooku as an apprentice.
Ultimately it does what a good novelization should. It tells the story from the movie but is also made it's own by adding detail that the movie could not because of time restraints. If you hated the movie outright, then chances are you are not going to like the book. If you liked or even were lukewarm to the movie, chances are you will like the book as well, maybe even a bit more than the movie. It is certainly not perfect, given that the source material it was created from was not (in my opinion anyway), but it is enjoyable nonetheless. And, It is a fairly easy read, especially if you are a fast reader.
Certainly, some of the issues with the movie are still present in the book. Anakin still comes off at times as just a whiny, bratty teenager. The author even gives him a line in the book that he is not whining when he clearly was. Given that much of what people disliked about the movie is that Lucas wrote Anakin as a whiny brat, it was a pretty funny line. There is also a lot more detail about the separatist movement, and how the Sith are manipulating everything behind the scenes, as well as more detail about Jango and Boba Fett. The only thing it does not really do is flesh out how Sidious ended up taking on Dooku as an apprentice.
Ultimately it does what a good novelization should. It tells the story from the movie but is also made it's own by adding detail that the movie could not because of time restraints. If you hated the movie outright, then chances are you are not going to like the book. If you liked or even were lukewarm to the movie, chances are you will like the book as well, maybe even a bit more than the movie. It is certainly not perfect, given that the source material it was created from was not (in my opinion anyway), but it is enjoyable nonetheless. And, It is a fairly easy read, especially if you are a fast reader.
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