May 04, 2018 as today is star wars day, i thought it the perfect time to take a look back at one of my favourite star wars tales splinter of the minds eye for those unfamiliar with this story, splinter of the minds eye is an original novel later adapted into a comic set shortly after the events of the original star wars movie. Ive returned to splinter of the minds eye a few times since return of the jedi, and its still an enjoyable adventure, and brings back nostalgic memories of 1978 when i was desperate for more star wars stories. Jan 11, 2014 splinter of the minds eye is a pretty wellknown star wars novel. In effect, the first original fulllength expanded universe works and was published shortly after the release of the original movie. Jul 28, 2016 splinter of the mind s eye holds a unique and weird place in star wars history. Travel back a long time ago, to the 70s, to learn how the classic star wars novel splinter of the minds eye, was almost the sagas first movie. Its author, alan dean foster, had ghostwritten star wars. Travel back a long time ago, to the 70s, to learn how the classic star wars novel splinter of the minds eye, was almost the sagas first movie sequel. A look back at splinter of the minds eye the first star. Published in 1978, splinter of the mind s eye is notable for being the first novel set in the original star wars expanded universe now branded as legends, and was to be the basis of a lowbudget, madefortv sequel in the event that a new hope was not as successful as it ended up being.
Thats the plot of splinter of the minds eye, a 1978 spinoff novel by alan dean foster that was commissioned as a possible springboard for a new star wars film, should the first one survive. Splinter of the minds eye is a story that takes place about a year after the events of star wars or a new hope if you prefer. That honor goes to splinter of the mind s eye, which was published as a novel in 1978 but never filmed. Todays post looks at the very first entry in what is now referred to as the expanded universe. As a star wars fan who isnt all that rabid meaning i have consumed little outside of the standard canon, ive long held an interest in splinter of the mind s eye, due to its place within the star wars history.
Splinter of the minds eye opens with luke, leia, and the droids on their way to a meeting with a dissident group on the planet circarpous iv to help expand the rebellion. Alan dean foster did a great job with the material with which he had to work. This is the first of nearly 200 novels written over the span of 36 years from 1978 to 2014 that would eventually make up the entirety of the late eu, now known as legends. It follows the story of the marooned luke skywalker and princess leia on an alien world as they become ensnared in the search for a priceless artifact that resonates with the power. Here s a look back at the star wars movie sequel we never got to see. Written by alan dean foster who also ghostwrote the novelization of a new hope, it is set chronologically between the events of a new hope and the empire strikes back. A look back at splinter of the minds eye the first. As today is star wars day, i thought it the perfect time to take a look back at one of my favourite star wars tales splinter of the minds eye.
Was splinter of the minds eye nearly a star wars movie sequel. The book was intended as a lowbudget sequel in the event lucas film didnt perform well at the box office, and foster chose to set the story on. A star wars story connects to splinter of the minds eye. In 1977, production companies generally focused on individual movies, not sequels, trilogies, etc and the.
It begins with luke and r2d2 aboard lukes xwing fighter, and leia and c3po aboard a ywing travelling to the planet circarpous iv to a meeting with an underground movement that had arisen against the galactic empire on that planet. The empire strikes back is considered by many star wars fans to be the best film in the franchise. Splinter of the mind s eye is the first legends star wars novel i have read since the creation of the legends books. Splinter of the minds eye star wars mass market paperback march 12, 1986. Here i upload star wars soundtracks arranged as they might be heard in star wars novels. The reason why is rather simple, its the first star wars expanded universe story. If star wars worked and empire got made, then splinter of the minds eye could easily be turned into a star wars novelhed even gotten. As a matter of fact, looking at it currently, its just hardly reconcilable as canon in the expanded cosmos. Splinter of the minds eye, formerly subtitled from the adventures of luke. Imprisoned by the imperial forces, confronted by two very violent, very massive creatures known as yuzzem, luke and leia have only one hope of escape. For those unfamiliar with this story, splinter of the minds eye is an original novel later adapted into a comic set shortly after the events of. This was the idea behind the firstever star wars spinoff, splinter of the minds eye, by alan dean foster. But of course star wars stormed the box office and lucas was able to go ahead with his more ambitious and expensive sequel the empire strikes back, relegating splinter of the mind s eye to an odd existence as star wars 1. Since this story predates just about everything except the first movie, it isnt really consistent with all the stuff that came after it.
Thankfully, star wars broke the box office bank and alan dean fosters splinter of the minds eye was never a film. Heres a look back at the star wars movie sequel we never got to see. Splinter of the mind s eye was a comic book adaptation of the alan dean foster novel splinter of the mind s eye. The book was intended as a lowbudget sequel in the event lucas film didnt perform well at the box office, and foster chose to set the story on the misty jungle world of mimban.
Splinter was an exercise in caution on lucass part. Im a big star wars fan, but much of the earlier expanded universe stories are part of a hole in my fandom. The biggest changes splinter of the minds eye made to star wars. Splinter of the minds eye is the first star wars tiein novel. Splinter of the mind s eye is the first star wars tiein novel. Im sure it could have been done fairly well, and probably could have been the moderatesuccess that everyone imagined the original star wars was going to be. Mimban is like a million other planets in the galaxy a lot. However, it wasnt the first star wars sequel planned. Technically the old star wars expanded universe began all the way back in 1978, when del rey published allan dean foster s novel splinter of the mind s eye. Its also well known for being the only example of what star wars could have been had the second film gone in a different direction. As a star wars fan who isnt all that rabid meaning i have consumed little outside of the standard canon, ive long held an interest in splinter of the minds eye, due to its place within the star wars history. A star wars tiein comic may have just made aspects of the first star wars novel canon again. Im of the mind there is a splinter in my eye with this novel originally being a potential low budget sequel to star wars, many fans were aware that it did not take into account the lineage of luke and leia, among many other elements that were not developed until.
But before empire, a very different second star wars movie was planned. Splinter of the minds eye wookieepedia is a novel of the star wars legends continuity. Sep 06, 2019 the empire strikes back is considered by many star wars fans to be the best film in the franchise. Splinter of the minds eye part 5 blue milk special.
Luke skywalker bobby shane ellis and princess leia ingvild deila are marooned together on the world of mimban, where they encounter the locals and struggle against the forces of the evil galactic empire, including darth vader. And that he also painted the cover for the first expanded universe novel, splinter of the minds eye. Star wars splinter of the minds eye audiobook audiobooks. Story of the lost star wars sequel splinter of the minds eye.
Splinter of the minds eye was the first ever star wars expanded universe novel, published the year after the blockbuster release of star wars a new hope in 1978. Technically the old star wars expanded universe began all the way back in 1978, when del rey published allan dean fosters novel splinter of the minds eye. The force awakens arriving in theaters this december, im examining some of the star wars comic books and novels of the past. Splinter of the minds eye the noncanon star wars wiki. That honor goes to splinter of the minds eye, which was published as a novel in 1978 but never filmed. Prior to the first film hitting theaters in 1977, a followup film wasnt always a certainty, with author alan dean foster penning the sequel to the. Star wars legends ebook written by alan dean foster. Why was the star wars sequel novel splinter of the minds. Splinter of the minds eye comics wookieepedia fandom. To add to gwyn mcvays great answer, splinters was never really intended to be george lucas vision for the direction of his star wars story. Splinter of the minds eye was written by alan dean foster and published in february 1978, eight months after the debut of the original movie. Splinter of the mind s eye is a classic star wars novel written by alan dean foster it takes place between a new hope and the empire strikes back. There are a vast amount of differences between the events of splinter of the minds eye and empire strikes back, but one of the surprising elements is how the novel touches upon familiar plot. But now i know luke and leia are brother and sister, and their innocent attraction is a.
Mar 16, 2015 thats the plot of splinter of the minds eye, a 1978 spinoff novel by alan dean foster that was commissioned as a possible springboard for a new star wars film, should the first one survive. Star wars spinoff, splinter of the minds eye, by alan dean foster. Mimban was first conceived by lucas as the bog planet in his earliest star wars scripts. With anthony daniels, ingvild deila, bobby shane ellis, william wayne. This is the alternating universe we could have stayed in. Jan 01, 2018 this was the idea behind the firstever star wars spinoff, splinter of the mind s eye, by alan dean foster. After a marketing bonanza, the film eked out a bit over its budget at the. There are minor inconsistencies between this novel and the 1977 film. Of course, geroge lucas film opened to great acclaim and massive box office so that star wars sequel was never produced.
So it was good to see this video essay and dive into splinter of the minds eye as i. This book was published after star wars a new hope was released and reported to be the story for the second star wars movie. Splinter of the mind s eye was the first fulllength star wars novel with an original storyline to be published after the release of the original film, and is thus considered, alongside marvel s initial comic series, to mark the beginning of the star wars expanded universe. It is by alan dean foster many fans regard it with puzzlement and frustration due to its characterization and. Splinter of the minds eye was the first ever expanded universe novel to be written and published. Vader shows up, and theres a thrilling finale fight before luke and leia are able to escape that world. Allows us to introduce you to splinter of the minds eye. It never was made into a film, but some of its ideas did trickle down into the official trilogy. Looper the lost star wars movie we never got to see. Released in 1978, the novel picked up where a new hope left off. Review splinter of the minds eye 1978 readstarwars.
Fortunately, star wars damaged package office financial institution as well as alan dean fosters splinter of the minds eye was never ever a movie. Jan 18, 2016 in short, splinter of the minds eye could have been star wars. May 24, 2018 the planets history stretches even further back than splinter of the minds eye, too. Dec 07, 2015 most star wars fans are aware that ralph mcquarrie painted the cover for the first printing of the movie tiein issued in the fall of 1976, six months before the films release.
Splinter of the mind s eye was the first eu star wars novel. Splinter of the minds eye was a possible sequel if star wars bombed but was it based off an actual screenplay draft or just some story outlines provided by lucas. Looper the lost star wars movie we never got to see facebook. It was written by alan dean foster, who also ghost wrote the novelization of a new hope for george lucas. Feb 07, 20 this is the alternate universe we might have lived in. The movie even take us to a planet that is at the very core of star wars expanded universe. Splinter of the minds eye was a comic book adaptation of the alan dean foster novel splinter of the minds eye.
Just the first movie, action figures, and collectable cards. It was to exclude the character of han solo because it was thought that harrison ford would either be unavailable or too expensivesomething weve already made light of in a previous strip. But of course star wars stormed the box office and lucas was able to go ahead with his more ambitious and expensive sequel the empire strikes back, relegating splinter of the minds eye to an odd existence as star wars 1. Most star wars fans are aware that ralph mcquarrie painted the cover for the first printing of the movie tiein issued in the fall of 1976, six months before the films release. Nevertheless, the book came out and became the first entry in the now gargantuan entity of expanded universe novels. Splinter of the minds eye holds a unique and weird place in star wars history. Star wars original sequel wasnt empire strikes back. Splinter of the minds eye is a sciencefiction novel written by alan dean foster as a sequel to the film star wars 1977.
Star wars easter egg brings first novel back into canon. Thats the plot of splinter of the minds eye, a 1978 spinoff novel by alan dean foster that was commissioned as a possible springboard for a new star wars film, should the first one survive its. Splinter of the mind s eye was the first ever expanded universe novel to be written and published. Splinter of the mind s eye was written by alan dean foster a top notch scifi writer of the 1960 s and 70 s. The planets history stretches even further back than splinter of the minds eye, too. Splinter of the minds eye was written by alan dean foster a top notch scifi writer of the 1960s and 70s. Sep 16, 2015 of course, as we all know, star wars was a gigantic success, and lucas was able to make a very ambitious sequel, the empire strikes back. I enjoyed the story and surprised myself by reading the whole thing in two days.
From the adventures of luke skywalker, the novelization of star wars. Splinter of the minds eye luke has the hots for his. Star wars splinter of the minds eye 1995 comic books. Splinter of the minds eye is the first legends star wars novel i have read since the creation of the legends books. Episode iv a new hope, and this early involvement in the star wars universe gave foster the opportunity to write splinter. Splinter of the minds eye is the story that lucas was thinking about filming as a chap sequel to star wars in the chance that star wars turned out. Splinter of the minds eye was conceived as a potential backup plan for a low budget sequel if star wars proved to be less successful than hoped. Story of the lost star wars sequel splinter of the. Splinter of the minds eye is a classic star wars novel written by alan dean foster it takes place between a new hope and the empire strikes back. Splinter of the minds eye is a pretty wellknown star wars novel.
Star wars author alan dean foster on splinter of the mind. Splinter of the minds eye nearly a star wars movie sequel. The novel was the first installment in the star wars expanded universe, and it was first. Originally planned as a lowbudget sequel, the story focuses on luke and leia searching for magical crystals. Nevertheless, although splinter of the minds eye was never filmed it is still a good read, an interesting link between the two movies. It is by alan dean foster many fans regard it with puzzlement and frustration due to its characterization and deviance from even the most rudimentary star wars canon. But few know that he developed an unused cover for the novelization to the empire strikes back, that one of his.
A star wars story connects to splinter of the mind. Splinter of the minds eye was the first eu star wars novel. Though the first star wars book written was the novelization of the original movie, splinter of the minds eye is really the true beginning of the star wars expanded universe eu. This is the alternate universe we might have lived in. It sees luke, leia, and the droids stranded on mimban, a dark, foggy mining world that contains a powerful crystal also sought by the empire. Splinter of the mind s eye was the first ever star wars expanded universe novel, published the year after the blockbuster release of star wars a new hope in 1978. Star wars author alan dean foster on splinter of the. Since this story predates just about everything except the first movie, it isnt really consistent with all the stuff that. Yes, han solos origin story finally introduces the. If star wars worked and empire got made, then splinter of the minds eye could easily be turned into a star wars novelhed even gotten star wars novelization author alan dean foster to.
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