Foster Alan Dean Ghostwriter (3 results)

Hardcover. First Edition. Octavo, 183 pages. In Very Good condition with a Very Good minus dust jacket. Spine blue with white lettering, navy blue pictorial front cover with white lettering. Dust jacket protected with a mylar covering, light shelfwear to DJ, primarily to head and tail of spine. "BOOK CLUB EDITION" stated to bottom of front flap. The first edition was issued as a book club edition. Shelved Case 8. A Novelization of the 1977 film released six months prior to the movie's release.; 1394311. Shelved Dupont Bookstore.

First edition, signed by the ghostwriter Alan Dean Foster on the title page, though solely credited to George Lucas. Published five months before the film's release, this popular novelization was the world's first encounter with a long-form story from the galaxy far, far away. The cover bears one of Ralph McQuarrie's famous concept illustrations, a critical element in 20th Century Fox's decision to greenlight the Star Wars project. Before audiences had seen the special effects, heard the sound design, or absorbed John Williams's orchestral score, Lucas's fast and intense story sold millions of copies. This book version is "perhaps most notable for allowing its readers to experience the interiority of characters from the film. Although the film establishes Leia's willingness to shoot the stormtroopers, the novelization allows its readers to imagine the consequences of her act more vividly by narrating the stormtrooper's thoughts and aspirations" (Webster, p. 51). The novelization includes several key details omitted from the finished 1977 film, but later retconned into the series, including Palpatine (p. 1), the Sith (p. 8), and a medal for Chewbacca (p. 219). By contrast, the most famous opening line in film is here given as "Another galaxy, another time". Jeremy W. Webster, "Leia Shot First: Transmedia Storytelling and the National Public Radio Dramatization of Star Wars", Star Wars and the History of Transmedia Storytelling, 2018. Octavo. Original pictorial wrappers designed by Ralph McQuarrie, edges yellow. Bookseller ink stamp to first leaf. Extremities of wrappers creased and rubbed, rear wrapper and bottom edge warped, occasional spotting. A very good copy.

First hardback edition, signed by the ghostwriter Alan Dean Foster on the title page (which solely credits George Lucas). This novelization of Star Wars: A New Hope was originally published as a paperback five months prior to the release of the film in May 1977 and represented the world's first encounter with a long-form story from the galaxy far, far away. This copy is from the book club edition, published in July 1977 and preceding the first trade hardback edition of November. This copy has the printer's date code "S27" in the gutter of the final page, as required for the first printing. Foster's version is "perhaps most notable for allowing its readers to experience the interiority of characters from the film. Although the film establishes Leia's willingness to shoot the stormtroopers, the novelization allows its readers to imagine the consequences of her act more vividly by narrating the stormtrooper's thoughts and aspirations" (Webster, p. 51). It also includes colour photographs from the film with captioned explanations of the Star Wars universe, presciently described as images that "may become a milestone in the space fantasy genre" (facing p. 42). The front panel of the dust jacket was designed by the lead poster designer for the original trilogy, John Berkey, and the rear panel gives credit for the film. The novelization includes several key details omitted from the finished film, but later retconned into the series, including Palpatine (p. 1), the Sith (p. 7), and, perhaps most infamously, a medal for Chewbacca (p. 183). By contrast, the most famous opening line in film is here given as "Another galaxy, another time". Jeremy W. Webster, "Leia Shot First: Transmedia Storytelling and the National Public Radio Dramatization of Star Wars", Star Wars and the History of Transmedia Storytelling, 2018. Octavo. With 16 pp. of colour photographic illustrations printed on black paper stock with accompanying text. Original grey boards, spine lettered in blue, fore edge untrimmed. With dust jacket. Spine ends and corners bumped, cockling to pastedowns; jacket spine, flaps, and verso browned, unclipped: a very good copy in like jacket.