A New Hope is the novelization of the film that launched the Star Wars saga (originally titled Star Wars: Episode IV). The story introduces the young hero, Luke Skywalker, a farm boy on the desert planet Tatooine, who yearns for adventure. His life changes forever when he acquires two droids carrying vital data for the Rebel Alliance, leading to his chance encounter with the wise Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke joins Obi-Wan, the cynical smuggler Han Solo, and his co-pilot Chewbacca on a desperate mission to rescue Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Galactic Empire and its terrifying superweapon, the Death Star. The novel expands slightly on the film's events, establishing the central conflict between the good of the Rebellion and the dark power of Darth Vader.
