Splinter of the Mind's Eye (Star Wars)

This is one of my favorite Star Wars books its filled with action, excitement, and adventure. Its the one of the few Star Wars book to feature Luke, Leia and Darth Vader with none of them knowing their relation to each other (Vader may know about Luke but he doesn't know about Leia) they actually have scenes together. That for me makes it the most exciting part. You can see hints towards Leia being Force Sensitive when she duels her father. Sure Vader's just toying with her but she don't know that. Leia does pretty good for someone who doesn't know she has Force abilities anyone else would be dead after Vader toyed with them. I liked how Vader realizes at the end how strong Luke really is and that he really could bring down the Empire. There's also a hint towards Vader knowing C3PO having shut the droid down according to Threepio knowing all of the correct codes to do so. I also liked Luke still interested in Leia because he doesn't know the relation. It would be more weird if after being attracted to her in A New Hope to suddenly become not interested. Luke does realize he would do anything to protect her which I liked and could possibly a hint. Its a great book.

The first novel to take the adventures of Luke Skywalker beyond what we now call Episode IV: A New Hope, "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" drops Luke and Leia onto a primitive jungle planet where the stranded duo must contend with bizarre alien tribesmen, ravenous monsters, labrynthine caves, and roving bands of Imperial stormtroopers--all the while coming ever closer to the romance early Star Wars fans thought was written in the stars. While fleeing the Empire's soldiers, Luke and Leia learn from a Force-sensitive old woman that the backwater planet they've chanced on is home to a mythical crystal that can give its wielder heretofore unimagined power over the Force itself. But Luke and Leia aren't the only ones in on the revelation: the promise of even greater power lures Darth Vader himself, setting up a spell-binding climax including a lightsaber duel that compares favorably with any the films have offered thus far. Naturally, no novel written in '78 can jive with the Star Wars continuity as the movies have developed it since then, but that's not the author's fault. Alan Dean Foster has been of the world's best sci-fi writers for years, and "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" is first class storytelling. Contitnuity nothwithstanding, this is an outstanding and thoroughly entertaining stand-alone novel. What else matters?

This book was the first one authorized by Lucasfilm after the release of Star Wars: A New Hope and it is very good. Alan Dean Foster introduced us to a great sidestory with this and he must have helped many people out back in 1978 by tiding them over till the release of The Empire Strikes Back.The story is interesting enough. Luke and Leia go on a search for the Kaiburr crystal, which is said to make someone indestructible with the Force. Obviously, they have to find it first, to keep it out of the Empire's hands, especially those of Darth Vader. The best part of this book happens to be the best reason to buy this book: Luke's confrontation with Vader. All I'll say is that there is some great foreshadowing in this meeting. Read it and see what I mean.Another interesting thing about this book is that it was written in 1978, so Foster only had the first movie to go on. That makes for some interesting interaction between Luke and Leia. Remember, nobody knew they were related yet.I thoroughly enjoy this book. I'm positive that any Star Wars fan out there would too, so do yourself a favor and buy this excellent book!

I have to say this was a great book. It is even greater when you relfect on that it was written in 1978! The author had Luke deflect laser blasts, even though that wasn't shown in Star Wars: A New Hope(he only blocked, not deflected).I have read other reviews by other readers saying that they were mad because Leia had no force powers and Luke put himself before everyone else. Well, think about it. You don't discover Leia is Luke's sister until 1983, 5 years later. Luke was not a Jedi, so he could put himself before others and not pull himself to the dark side.Another said they were mad because Vader killed with his lightsaber, not his Force chocking. Well, I have news for you -- Vader never killed anyone with force choke in SW:ANH, he just killed one with a physical choke and another WITH HIS LIGHTSABER! That pretty much sums up my thoughts on this book.

The book is well written. I Read it when it first came out in 1978. It has to be remembered that the book was pre "Empire Strikes back" and was at one point supposed to be the basis for the second and final Star Wars movie. The plot is good but the lack of numerous characters interplaying with one another does lead to a simple story line. For those people expecting a smooth interconnection between this book and and what became the Star Wars trilogy and now phantom menace you will be disappointed. Afterall, in 1978, after the first Star Wars movie was made, we didn't know the major plot twists that would follow; Vader being Luke's father was conceived on-the-fly on the set during filming Empire Strikes Back and Leia being Luke's sister didn't come out until Return of the Jedi. Over all this was an excellent book, and still is, especially if you are into "what ifs" and "what could have beens."