First published in paperback on April 12, 1980. Re-released June 12, 1985. Written by Donald F. Glut.

Based on the story by George Lucas and the screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan.

The novelization was also published in a variant, shorter version for younger readers.

Each edition includes 8 pages of color photos from the film.

One interesting difference between this version and the film is that the author describes Boba Fett's armor as silver. In the film, it ends up as green. But this might explain some of the changes between the all-white Prototype armor, the silver-armored Ben Cooper costume for kids, and what ended up on screen in the end.