Heralded as the next chapter in the saga of Star Wars, The Force Unleashed has taken over two years to materialise. As the videogame’s release draws near, both the game’s novelisation (by Sean Williams) and graphic novel adaptation (by the game’s writer Haden Blackman) were simultaneously released at the end of last month. We present our review of both adaptations:
As a projected next-gen videogame, The Force Unleashed’s storyline is large, as conveyed by Williams’ novelisation at 319 pages. Unfortunately the 126 pages used by the graphic novel severely limit its ability to fully explore the story. The graphic novel’s storyline feels highly compressed at points, the continual use of montages only exasperates the feeling that there are missing parts of the story - and when compared to the novel, there are. However the choice of using the droid, PROXY, to narrate the graphic novel’s story from its point of view makes this storyline an interesting comparison to the novel’s more traditional point of view. Switching between first and third person perspectives allows the graphic novel time to give meaningful exposition so that the story is still comprehensible.
Another striking difference between novel and graphic novel is the variation in storyline linearity. Since the graphic novel is restricted in length, the storyline jumps between past and present so frequently that at points it can be hard to remember, or easily establish, if it is the past or present. Williams has taken a more traditional temporal linear approach to the storyline, with appropriate flashback sequences being easier to identify and follow.
The graphic novel’s greatest asset is without doubt, the artwork. The choice to use three artists, Brian Ching, Bong Dazo and Wayne Nichols can be seen as either a way to rush the book to publication or an expression of artists’ talent. For me it is certainly the latter reason as each artist has undoubtly brought their own particular skills to bear upon the story. Characters, locations and situations are all vividly brought to life. The fight sequences in particular stand out, but at the same time, some of the artwork is highly reminiscent of both the conceptual artwork and videogame stills.
The story’s background characters are simply there in the graphic novel (and this is especially so for the “enemies” the apprentice has to kill), there is little or no development of them unless you read the novelisation. Williams has room for character development and plot exposition, so the reader has a better understanding of the apprentice’s motives, his pilot’s history and how the Jedi he has to kill have survived for so long after Order 66. Williams is able to develop the two newest characters to the Star Wars galaxy, the apprentice and his female pilot Juno Eclipse, throughout the book, giving each of them vulnerabilities and even some resiliencies that the reader can emphasise with: Juno’s feelings of culpability of her previous participation in Imperial atrocities; the apprentice’s inner conflict of his own actions on every mission is seen to develop slowly to the point where, at the end of the story, he really has no choice in his final actions.
Being based on a videogame is the story’s greatest weakness. When reading the first part of the novel, you are constantly following the apprentice from one Jedi assassination mission to another. It is this invariable repetition that makes it feel that you are reading a literal adaptation of the videogame script. This is particularly true of the graphic novel as the artwork for the fight sequences are clearly attempts to capture essences of the videogame. For fans of Star Wars books, the fight sequences will seem awkward to believe in: they are truly one-sided, the apprentice can not lose. His abilities are outstanding, whether a seemingly effortless defeat of a Jedi Master such as Shaak Ti or using the Force to control the descent of a crashing Star Destroyer. Whereas in other books use of the Force required opening one’s self to the flow of the Force, in The Force Unleashed the apprentice has Force powers and abilities that can be simply switched on of off - just like the pressing of a button on a console controller.
However thankfully, Williams concentrates more in the second half of this story in developing both the characters and the larger plot (a Star Wars plot point that has to be read to be believed). Here we leave behind the videogame mission-based sequences and get to understand the characters - what makes them tick. This is the novel’s triumph over the graphic novel, we learn more of the apprentice’s origins than the graphic novel depicts, how and why he became Vader’s apprentice; and the novel develops beyond merely a videogame adaptation to become a landmark event in the Star Wars saga. It’s at this point that The Force Unleashed earns its subtitle “the next chapter in the saga of Star Wars“.
As a Star Wars story, The Force Unleashed contains almost all the elements that fans have come to expect: lightsaber fights, use of the Force (in sometimes new and extremely powerful ways), a journey of self-discovery, and ultimately, one of redemption. One of this story’s key plotlines means that this story is essential reading for all Star Wars fans, however it is let down by the shortcomings that it is, after all, an adaptation of a videogame and at times, feels like one. For fans unable to wait until the game is available (and are looking for a quick lesson on it’s story) then the graphic novel should be your choice. However if you are interested in the fuller story of the apprentice and the plot he is involved with, read the novel.
(This is a fascimile of the review posted on my own website Star Wars Books [www.swbooks.co.uk])
Tags: review, star wars, the force unleashed
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Very well done review for the differences between the two mediums. I’ve only read the graphic novel, and although it doesn’t go into as much detail as the book obviously would, you can still capture who Juno Eclipse and Starkiller are as you point out what the book covers. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t mind seeing what more details the book has and will have to check it out soon. Again, nice review
Cheers Aush. Certainly I would recommend reading the novel BUT play the game first!! The GN has given you the background to the game’s story - so enjoy the game and then read the novel!