In his novelization of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace best-selling fantasy author Terry Brooks expands upon the action and character motivations found in the movie. Join Terry Brooks for a chat about the Episode I novel.
StarWars: Hello and welcome to the second of our "Star Wars" chats
StarWars: brought to you by Lucasfilm and Talk City.
StarWars: .
StarWars: "Star Wars" has become the most popular film series in history.
StarWars: This series of chats is designed to gain insight into the production
StarWars: of the newest of the Star Wars movies -
StarWars: Star Wars:Episode I The Phantom Menace.
StarWars: Our special guest today is Terry Brooks, best selling fantasy author
StarWars: and author of the "Star Wars: Episode I" novel.
StarWars: And now, please welcome Terry Brooks!
TerryBrooks: Hello everyone!
AskLucasfilm: TalkCity says: Mr. Brooks, thank you for being with us today! Could you tell us how you were selected to author the novelization of "Star Wars: Episode I"?
TerryBrooks: I'm glad they started off with a "short" question that takes 10 minutes to answer! As best as I know, Lucasfilm and Ballantine Books got together, compared notes on who they wanted, and my name came up. Or another theory is that George and I go back to 1977, when "Star Wars" came out as a book, and so did "The Sword of Shannara." We both had the same editor at Del Rey publishing, and she used to talk about us to each other. When I met George for "The Phantom Menace," I asked him if he was familiar with my work, and he said he was very familiar with it, so maybe he remembered from back then!
AskLucasfilm: Darth-DarkKnight1138 says: What was your favorite character to develop in your novelization of "Episode One"?
TerryBrooks: I spent more time with Anakin, because that was the character that George was unable to develop in the movie as fully as he wanted. So I picked that character up to develop. I found Qui-Gon Jinn the most interesting character, though. He's kind of an outsider, who has defied the Jedi Council, and has jeopardized his career by going with his instincts and what he feels is right, even if the Council has ordered otherwise, and even if to his detriment. Those kinds of characters interest me most.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-porkins says: How was writing the book for "Episode One" different from writing any of the other "Star Wars" novels?
TerryBrooks: I haven't written any of the others, to begin with, but I suppose the biggest difference is that there are bigger expectations for this one, and the parameters of development are somewhat different. If you're writing an original novel in the "Star Wars" universe, you must write it in agreement with how George Lucas has developed the world. An adaptation of the movie has a skeleton outline in place already. What was most interesting was that George allowed me to develop the character of Anakin and others more fully than the movie did, so instead of a strict novelization, this was more a free adaptation.
AskLucasfilm: Darth-GOMER23 says: I must say that all your other works are excellent, but how do you feel about "Star Wars"? Did you have fun doing this? Did Lucas pick you, or were you interested in "Star Wars"?
TerryBrooks: The agreement was a mutual one between George and myself, and in our first meeting, we both came to an understanding that this would be a good collaboration. That said, I was given a tremendous amount of freedom to develop the story in the way I thought it would work best. I was given much material and insight, and not a lot of restrictions on how to use it. So, yes, it was a tremendous amount of fun.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Chris says: How difficult is it to write the novelization of a movie, especially "Episode One"? (Excuse my English, I'm from Mexico)
TerryBrooks: It was not difficult. I had a lot of help with characters and terminology. It was a very good story, and every time I had a crucial decision to make, I was able to talk to George and get each problem resolved.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Kensai says: Mr. Brooks, do you have any advice for aspiring writers in this field or any other?
TerryBrooks: Jedi-Kensai, ten words of advice - a sure path to success: Read, read, read; outline, outline, outline; write. write. write, then repeat. Mostly, you need to persevere, be patient, and love what you do.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-terror1 says: When you were an aspiring author did you ever think that you'd be as popular as you are now?
TerryBrooks: No, I was just trying to get published. And now that I am here, I'm STILL just trying to get published! *grin*
AskLucasfilm: R2-VW says: Are there additional characters in the novelization which are not in the movie?
TerryBrooks: Yes, there are some others characterizations that are not in the movie, but only one or two.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-foilist101 says: How much interaction did you have with George Lucas or Lucasfilm, and what kind, when you prepared to write the novel "The Phantom Menace"?
TerryBrooks: We did a lot of arm wrestling! LOL We spent about 6-8 hours in conversations altogether, some face-to-face, some by telephone. We both pretty much are type-A personalities, so in the beginning, there was a little head-butting, but it is good that George has such a strong vision, and knows the storyline as well as he does, as it makes it easy for an author like me to get the answers he needs to make the book work. Some creators don't think everything through as early as they should, and try to patch it later, but George has thought it through, and knows any answer to any issue you may want to bring up.
AskLucasfilm: Darth-Jonathan says: What did you do for the personalities of your characters? Did you use the traits Lucas made for them, or did you add a little here and there? Or both? Or did you just start from scratch?
TerryBrooks: I didn't get to see the movie before writing the book, and when you're working from a script, you're essentially working from dialogue, with sketchy descriptions of everything else. You use stills and costumes and scenes to get a sense of how everything looks. But you have to extrapolate from these things what the characters are going to be like, then flesh that out, and make them interesting enough to come alive in the book. On the other hand, you can't throw in a bunch of stuff to describe characters that may develop in a different way. So you have to be careful what you assign to them, as it may not work in later story lines.
AskLucasfilm: Darth-nam says: "Star Wars" is fantasy. But it is also science fiction. Did you have any problems reconciling your writing styles with the technology of "Star Wars," given that most of your work is pure fantasy with very little science fiction influence?
TerryBrooks: I would argue that "Star Wars" is neither fantasy or science fiction at heart. My work and "Star Wars" are both adventure stories, and from that perspective, I think George and I were right on target, in sync with each other right from the beginning. Obviously, not being a sci-fi writer, and not even really familiar with "Star Wars" books, I had to rely on Lucasfilm for the technical terms.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Raphael says: Mr. Brooks, have you ever considered writing scripts yourself, or are you strictly a novelist?
TerryBrooks: I am strictly a novelist, although I had better be careful about what I say, because the last time I said I would never ever do another novelization I had to eat those words. *grin*
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Raphael says: How do you feel that Lucas's own storytelling abilities have evolved between the original trilogy and "Episode One"?
TerryBrooks: I'm not entirely sure that there is a measurably difference in George's ability in ANY of the movies. In some ways, this new movie is a darker look at life, and the subject matter is darker, as we witness a transformation of a good 9-year-old boy into Darth Vader, so the lesson of these next three episodes may be to be careful about what life may do to you. The ability is either there or isn't, and I think George's ability has always been there. The technology for the story telling, however, has gotten much better.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Jason24812 says: When you examine the themes of your "Shannara" novels and the themes in "Star Wars," do you see any correlations? If so, do you think that is why you were chosen to do the novelization?
TerryBrooks: I think there's a good possibility that is true. The storytelling in both is similar. George works in another world where science is the driving force behind what happens. Whereas, the Shannara books use magic to accomplish the same ends. But both use multiple characters and their families, the confrontation of good versus evil, how power corrupts and infects, and the ways we have to find to overcome those problems. So, I think there are a tremendous number of similarities, which is remarkable considering we were not connected in any way, including mediums. When I see George again, I would like to ask about his background when he grew up, and find out if we had common youth experiences that may have shaped this.
AskLucasfilm: Darth-Bane1 says: Terry, great book! I was just wondering if you'd read Brian Daley's Han Solo novels and what influence they had over you. I ask because of the reference to Z-95s in "The Phantom Menace."
TerryBrooks: Thanks! Brian Daley was a good friend, and we started out together at Del Rey books. We were the first two young authors in that company, and he had a great career. But I know him primarily from his other work outside "Star Wars" and have only ever read one or two "Star Wars" books. The Lucasfilm people felt that my reading a couple would not hurt my writing; I asked them, since it worried me.
AskLucasfilm: R2-Terris says: Do you see "Episode I" as a 'quest' story?
TerryBrooks: No. I see it more as a character study. With a quest, you usually have a group of people going off in search of something specific. Only Anakin is searching here, in search of his future. But we are more interested in his character development, as we know already what his future holds. I think these three movies will buttress on the relationships between the key characters, and how they shift and alter, and what that does to the well-being of those characters.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-vanmorrison says: What kind and how much background information did George Lucas give you to work with?
TerryBrooks: He gave me a lot of background information. Reams of paper came my way with details of rocket ships, and weapons, and creatures, and planets -- you name it. I had a CD-ROM they gave me from the movie with 6000 images, costumes, scenes, etc. Descriptions of all the principal and secondary characters, and I saw about 20-30 minutes of rushes from the movie at various times, particularly ones George thought I would appreciate in unfolding the story. Then there was the time we spent talking about the background of the Jedi, and the Empire, and I could ask where the stories were going. Some I was allowed to explore, and some is being held back until we get along further in the movie-making process.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Tim says: Terry, why did you decide to accept the challenge of writing "The Phantom Menace"?
TerryBrooks: I think anyone would want a chance to work with George Lucas, on a project of this magnitude. I was intrigued also to doing an adaptation that would allow an expansion of the material in the movie, so it would compliment, not duplicate, the movie. And lastly, this would interest people to look at some of my other works.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-jindo says: What is your favorite part of the movie?
TerryBrooks: It's a difficult question, as I have several favorite parts of the movie. I like the pod race a lot. It's very inventive, and exciting, with terrific special effects. It felt like you were right in the middle of the Grand Prix, at about 200 times the speed.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-foilist says: What was different about writing a novel that already had defined characters and plot, versus writing novels that have no boundaries?
TerryBrooks: Besides the obvious, the biggest difference is that you know where the story is going down the road, six episodes' worth. So you have to be careful to not write something that would oppose what we already know from Episodes 4, 5 and 6. More importantly, you can't get complacent. With already-established material, you might let down your guard, and just "regurgitate" the experience on the page, but that's not a good thing, but developing that material, and making it interesting, and exhilarating, is important. Finally, this is a book that will be read by all ages, unlike most books, so you need to find a happy medium with the writing style, so that someone who is 8 is going to enjoy it as much as one who is 80. Just like the movie.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-ILuvPadme says: Mr. Brooks, first I'd like to say that "Episode One" was by far the best book I have ever read! I bought it planning on finishing it in a week and I finished it that day!! Secondly, who is Hunter? (the book's "dedicatee")
TerryBrooks: The book is dedicated to my four children, and my one grandson, Hunter.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-jindo says: What is your favorite part of doing the novel of "The Phantom Menace"?
TerryBrooks: Finishing it! *grin* Getting paid is always nice!
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Kensai says: Mr. Brooks, what has been your favorite writing project to date, and how would you compare it to working on "The Phantom Menace"?
TerryBrooks: That's difficult to answer, because my favorite project is whatever one I am working on. I like the process more than the finished project. So once I am done with a book, it no longer belongs to me, it belongs to the reader.
AskLucasfilm: Senator-JTownMan says: Having read both "The Phantom Menace" screenplay and the novel, I've noticed a few cut scenes/sequences. Did you adapt an earlier draft?
TerryBrooks: Yes, there were changes going on with editing while I was writing the book. George said if there was something I liked and wanted to leave it in the book, even if edited from the film, that was okay. We were not trying to get the film down on paper verbatim, but trying to tell the story and expand on it. So we didn't worry about them matching perfectly. We were worried about contradictions, though, and we did have some, and there we did make changes to preserve the integrity of both the novel and the film.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-foil says: What is the difference between "The Phantom Menace" and other books you have written, in terms of plot development and boundaries? I love your work.
TerryBrooks: I think the biggest difference is it's not MY story, it's George's. I am not there to create the story, but to take his story, and transform it into a book form that would translate to readers. It's up to me to develop the nuances and specifics of my stories when I write them, and George has pretty much done the same, I think, for the film process.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Paki says: What did you think of the celebration in Denver?
TerryBrooks: I'm not sure those people should be admired or committed! LOL I would never stand in the rain for three hours, to get in to be dry to stand for two more hours, and then after the event, to be shown the door after it is over. That is a strange and somewhat bothersome experience to me. But I had a good time, enjoyed the enthusiasm everyone had, and I'd love to do it again.
AskLucasfilm: Darth-Sparkdog says: How many times would you say you watched the movie while writing the book?
TerryBrooks: Zip while writing the book. I only saw the film AFTER the book was completed.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-TK421 says: The book is an excellent read. Were you able to work with ship models for descriptive purposes?
TerryBrooks: I had drawings of all of the ships used in the movie, as well as some still pictures on CD-ROM. Sometimes, I would get confused about which ship was which, due to so much material (some of which didn't make it into the movie even) and then I would have to call up the people at Lucasfilm and find out which one I was supposed to be looking at.
AskLucasfilm: Darth-luam says: Where did you actually write the book?
TerryBrooks: I wrote the book in Hawaii and in Seattle. It was warmer in Hawaii. The book started there, and ended in Seattle, so we should maybe check how warm you all are as you read the book. *grin*
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-psychotech says: Are you going to be doing any signing tours, and if so, where?
TerryBrooks: I'll be in Salt Lake City right after the movie comes out for a couple of days (May 24th and 25th), in San Francisco for the 26th, and after that in Portland, Oregon and Seattle for about five days. Then in October, I will be on tour extensively with a new book called "Angel Fire East," the third book of the 'Running with the Demons' series. I expect I will be signing a lot of "Star Wars" books on that tour, too, though.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Laner says: Is that why you added the pod race at the beginning of the book, to develop Anakin more?
TerryBrooks: Yes, all the material in the first few chapters is new. That material came from discussions with George on how he viewed Anakin's background, combined with my own thoughts. Additional development is added in other places as the book goes on.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Obi says: Did you spend any time on the set of "Star Wars"? Maybe for inspiration?
TerryBrooks: No, I didn't. They filmed in England, Italy and Tunisia, and most was done before I came on board the project.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-obi_wan88 says: During the time that you where writing the book "Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace" did you ever come across a writers' block?
TerryBrooks: No, I don't have writers' block. I refuse to have that. *grin* I think writers' block comes from overwork, and inadequate preparation.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Rouge10 says: How long does it usually take to write and finish a full-length novel?
TerryBrooks: From the time I start outlining the story, then reducing it to paper form, to the time I finish editing, it will run 8-10 months, on average. Some are longer, and require more time, and some are shorter. It depends on page length and the complexity of storytelling.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-jarjar says: Did you use Darth Vader as a model to research young Anakin?
TerryBrooks: I used Darth Vader from the perspective that everyone knows Anakin will become him. The development of these three episodes is: how can this happen? So I wanted to explore his weaknesses and his strengths, so that you could see how he might be turned to the Dark Side. The next movie episode will spend much more time on that particular issue. I am sure.
AskLucasfilm: Darth-Stern says: What aspect of the story did you what to emphasize in the book (characters, scenery, plot, action), and what do you feel you developed the best?
TerryBrooks: Beats me! *grin* I'll have to leave that up to the readers.
AskLucasfilm: R2-Thrakin says: Terry, what was your inspiration for the aliens in this film?
TerryBrooks: Aliens? There were ALIENS in this film? LOL! How about my inspiration of ALL the aliens I write in my books, which is my imagination? We had some description, and some dialogue, and from there, the author has to imagine how they would act, behave, respond to things.
AskLucasfilm: Jedi-Rodney says: How much are you constricted by what has already been in print about the "Star Wars" universe?
TerryBrooks: I don't know any of it, so I didn't feel constricted. And I was told not to worry about it, so I didn't. Ignorance was indeed bliss. I don't think that most of what is out there, set in the future, has any impact on these earlier episodes. If I had thought so, then I would have spent a lot of time reading those books to extrapolate what might be useful.
AskLucasfilm: TalkCity says: Terry, our time is growing short. Again, thank you so much for being with us today and is there something you would like to say before we sign off for the evening?
TerryBrooks: I hope that everybody who reads the book, and sees the movie, has a wonderful time with both, and that this is just the start of a three-episode series, and there's a lot to come that we don't know about yet!
StarWars: Thank you all for joining us.
StarWars: A special Thank You to Terry for chatting with us!
StarWars: The novel "Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace" is available at
StarWars: http://shop.starwars.com.
StarWars: All of us wish you a fantastic evening and we look forward to seeing you soon!
StarWars: (c) Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM.
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