Jack Mitchell

The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem

My latest and most ambitious literary project is The Odyssey of Star Wars, a retelling of the original Star Wars film trilogy in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter, the meter of Milton). It was published on 28 September 2021 by Abrams Image, an imprint of Abrams Books, and is available to order.

First announcement

Excerpts

Stacks Image 19
Interviews

Reviews
  • by Chelsea Zukowski at Fansided / Dork Side of the Force (30 Sept '21): "Thanks to Mitchell’s expertise and passion . . . the epic poem cements the legends of Luke and Leia, the Force and lightsabers among our most treasured myths."
  • by Marv at Numidian Prime (12 Oct '21): an expert's in-depth breakdown of many of the sources for the poem's references to the larger Star Wars universe.
  • by Arezou Amin at The Geeky Waffle (13 Oct '21): "Jack Mitchell manages to capture the heart and spirit of those epic poems without ever making it inaccessible to readers who might be less than familiar with older texts."
  • by Steve Galloway at JediNews.com (1 Nov '21): "Sure to be a winner with many Star Wars fans. It is definitely a book I will keep at hand for some time to come. I think it will be especially comforting to read on a winter’s day, when you just want to chill in the warmth of your own living room sat by the fire in your comfy chair with your favourite beverage."
  • by Mark Newbold at Fanthatracks (20 Nov '21): "The attention to detail truly delights . . . fascinating and faithful."
  • by John Rivers at SFcrowsnest (3 Dec '21): "Cracking stuff, especially when read out loud. If I were a teacher, I could see myself using ‘The Odyssey Of Star Wars’ as means of opening up a discussion about classical literature, poetry or the theatre or even the epic poetry of ‘Beowulf’. … Buy it for the fan of ‘Star Wars’ who may also love poetry, the theatre or simply wants a different, but beautifully rendered version of the classic saga."
  • by Vittorio Rubens Vese at Star Wars Italia (18 Dec '21, in Italian): "A volume that no fan of Star Wars or of the epic world of ancient Rome and Greece should be without . . . We hope it may soon be published in Italian too."
  • by Ash at (29 Dec. '21): "Jack Mitchell’s The Odyssey of Star Wars is brilliant on a level that I cannot explain. . . . I would honestly recommend this book to any Star Wars fan . . . More Star Wars classics, please!"
  • at StarWars-Universe.com (7 January '22, in French): "Basically it's pretty cool . . . An interesting read thanks to the many small additions that in the end add up to a fair number. The author offers a more complex adaptation, but, on the other hand, some parts are (too?) quickly dealt with."
  • by Roel Veldhuyzen at StarWarsAwakens.nl (7 January '22, in Dutch): "Mitchell succeeds very well in making the epic style accessible and fun for people who have no experience or affinity with it. It is also very clear that [he] is completely at home in both the Star Wars and epic poetry subject matter, and I have the feeling that his Odyssey of Star Wars is well suited as teaching material. . . . The book is definitely recommended if you have even the slightest interest in poetry, or antiquity."
  • by Ines at Jedi-Bibliothek.de (8 January '22, in German): "It's less about depicting the form of ancient poetry point by point and more about bringing Star Wars into verse and a poetical language. And Jack Mitchell clearly succeeds in this undertaking. . . . Mitchell's poetical language is very enjoyable to read and bursting with creativity."
  • by John Klassen at JustOttawa (9 January '22): "I don’t know when anyone last wrote and published an epic poem, but The Odyssey of Star Wars is a singular achievement. . . . Drawing on his skills as a poet, and training as a classicist, Mitchell has expanded and deepened the moral themes of the story, along with the depth of the characters and their actions."
  • by Andréa at MintInBox.net (13 January '22; in French): "This new kind of book is a pleasure to read and to look through. . . . The wordplay and the writing make this book an agreeable read."
  • by Carl Roberts at TheFutureoftheForce.com (15 January '22): "And it is very easy to read and understand. . . . Fans and non-fans alike will get a blast out of the book."