‘The Jedi Doth Return’ via Quirk Books

In July of 2013, Quirk Books began an experiment. They announced a brand new retelling of the original ‘Star Wars’ trilogy unlike anything seen before. The journey ends with the release of ‘The Jedi Doth Return’ on July 1st, 2014. The trilogy of books, penned by Ian Doescher, would attempt to re-imagine the ‘Star Wars’ story through the pen of William Shakespeare, arguably the greatest author in English literature.   It was a risky and bold move, so this Yoda’s News Staff Writer set off to see if it would pay off.

A bit of background, I have never been an avid reader of Shakespeare. It’s not for a lack on interest in the material itself, but rather the style of writing that I find abrasive. Most of us read fiction, primarily ‘Star Wars’ books, as an escape and form of enjoyment. Shakespeare’s works have always felt more like homework, as the reader is forced to decipher the true events taking place. I am a bit late to the party with this series, not reading the first two installments, ‘William Shakespeare’s Star Wars’ and ‘William Shakespeare’s The Empire Striketh Back.’ In this regard, I can hopefully present an unique perspective to readers of Yoda’s News: That of someone who isn’t normally inclined to read this novel.

Expectations for this novel were somewhat high. ‘Return of the Jedi’ would arguably be the most difficult for Doescher to tackle with scenarios like Jabba’s Palace, the final confrontation on the Death Star, and complex space battles all posing a real threat. Any one of these events could seriously jar the reader from the material and unravel the foil of a Shakespearean story, if not handled correctly. While Doescher faced a lot of challenges, he handled them with true skill and craftsmanship.

One thing that really jumped out at me while reading ‘The Jedi Doth Return’ was the allusions to other works by Shakespeare. Readers will be able to pick up references from such works as ‘Hamlet,’ ‘Henry V,’ and ‘ The Tempest.’ One such case that many will pick up is the exclamation by Luke upon discovering the Ewoks on the forest moon of Endor, “Oh brave new world, that has such creatures in’t!” This is a paraphrased line from ‘The Tempest’ and a nice nod that anyone familiar with Shakespeare will pick up. The book is littered with these gems, and the really help to ensnare fans into the belief that this truly is the work of Shakespeare. Another great scene comes from C-3PO’s narration of events to the indigenous Ewoks:

All the world’s at war,

And all the rebels in it are the heroes;

They have their battles and their skirmishes,

And rebeles in these scenes have play’d their parts,

Their story begin seven ages. First,

Our princess that was captur’d was then sav’d,

But Alderaan did pay the costly price.

And then the Death Star battle, with its guns

And awful loss of life, like speeder bikes

We flew unto the final vict’ry.

It is a rewarding scene, and in fact, the entire third act was exhilarating to read. It is a completely different ‘Star Wars’ novel than the customary fiction we see. It is very “artistically done,’ as our friend Thrawn would say, and does a captivating job at retelling a cherished chapter in that galaxy far, far away.

A slightly disappointing aspect of the book is the artwork, advertised as “beautiful black-and-white Elizabethan-style .” While the artwork is entertaining, and helps build upon the premise, it lacks any real artistic quality. While the cover art for this book is brilliant and captivating, the artwork within seems rudimentary and dated. Though perhaps that’s the point, and its true inspiration is simply lost on this reader.

Overall the book is very well written and true to its form. It is the culmination of two wildly creative minds: Shakespeare and George Lucas. Even though it is filled to the brim with clever wordplay and soliloquy, it might not be the best choice for the average ‘Star Wars’ fan. There is no doubt Ian Doescher is a talented storyteller, but it’s not a story everyone will want to hear, just because it has ‘Star Wars’ plastered on the cover. Overall the entire trilogy was an experiment and gave ‘Star Wars’ fans something new.  If you love ‘Star Wars’ and Shakespeare, this book is the pinnacle of perfection. However, if you don’t partake in Shakespearean works, or even have the capacity to tolerate them, this book isn’t for you.

If your on the fence, I recommend you check out this trailer for the ‘The Jedi Doth Returns’ released by Quirk Books. It’s very well done and compliments this review in giving you a good grasp on the book.

‘The Jedi Doth Return’ is currently available for $9.44, here. Yoda’s News would like to thank Nicole De Jackmo and Quirk Books for providing this review copy. Share your thoughts with us on the book here, or on Twitter. You can find us  at @arybak89 (Alex Rybak) and at @yodasnews (official Yoda’s News handle).

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.