A New Hope: The Life of Luke Skywalker

A New Hope: The Life of Luke Skywalker is a young adult novel written by Ryder Windham. It was released in September 2009 and follows the same style as previous biographies such as The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader and The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi. A preview of Rebel Force: Target is included at the back of the book.

Publisher's summary

Hidden away at birth, he would believe himself an orphan. Watched over by a mysterious hermit, he would discover incredible abilities. And by finding hope where others found only evil, he would restore balance to the galaxy.

This is the legendary story of Luke Skywalker, from his childhood on Tatooine to his fierce battle with his toughest enemy—himself.

Plot summary

As the Rebel Alliance brings aid to the ailing world of Aridus, Luke Skywalker tries to engage his sister, Princess Leia, in a discussion about their father, Darth Vader. Leia refuses to dwell upon her distressing lineage, but Luke thinks back to the events of his life that have shaped him and wonders what events shaped Anakin.

Luke's research uncovers Anakin's victorious Boonta Eve Podrace. Luke returns to Tatooine and visits the old Mos Espa Grand Arena, interviewing two of the surviving Podracer pilots, Teemto Pagalies and Ody Mandrell. Luke then visits Wald's junk shop (formerly Watto's) and learns that Anakin and Shmi Skywalker were once slaves.

Luke's personal mission is cut short when an emergency distress call from Tarnoonga reports of a woman wielding a lightsaber rescuing Rebel scouts. Luke rushes to a desolate island on the waterworld and encounters the mysterious woman – it is an old nemesis, the mind witch S'ybll, who has lured Luke into a trap. Luke kills S'ybll and reunites with his friends.

Continuity

This biography dramatized as flashbacks scenes previously presented in other media and bridged the narrative with new scenes as well. Young Luke being stranded in the Tatooine desert with his friend Windy comes from a story told by Luke in the Star Wars National Public Radio dramatization (1981) by Brian Daley, which was later adapted as the comic Luke Skywalker's Walkabout by Phil Norwood, published by Dark Horse Comics (1999). It would also appear in The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi (2008) by Ryder Windham.^[1]

A skyhopper race that nearly ends in tragedy is adapted from the Marvel Comics story "Crucible," published in Star Wars #17 (1978). Luke's daring skyhopper speed run, wherein he threads the stone needle – a natural monument in Beggar's Canyon – is from the first episode of the aforementioned radio drama. The flashbacks set between Episode IV and Episode V are largely drawn from "Iceworld" and "The Paradise Detour," two installments of the daily Star Wars newspaper strip series (1981-84), written by Archie Goodwin and illustrated by Al Williamson. The latter is where S'ybll first appears.^[1]