A New Hope: the Princess, the Scoundrel and the Farm Boy

Book excerpt: A new retelling of the original film, A New Hope, for middle grade audience by New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken. A retelling of the first film of the original Star Wars trilogy as you've never read it before. Perfect for old and new fans alike. This story begins as so many do: a long, long time ago ... in a place far beyond the glittering stars you see in your night sky. In the time of the Old Republic, hundreds of star systems lived together in peace and prosperity, protected by an ancient order of warriors, the Jedi. But a tide of darkness swept through the galaxy, as unstoppable as it was terrifying, wiping out even the most powerful fighters. Now an evil empire rules the stars, slowly extinguishing the last traces of light and hope in its crushing grip. This is the story of three people who cross paths with destiny--who are in the wrong place at the right time. Together, these three will prove there's more to them than meets the eye ... and they just might be the galaxy's only hope for the future.