Splinter of the Mind's Eye, which was originally subtitled From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker, is a Star Wars Legends book penned by Alan Dean Foster. Functioning as a follow-up to Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, a story whose novelization was also written by Foster, it holds the distinction of being the initial entry in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Del Rey initially released the novel on February 12, 1978.
Taking place in 2 ABY, Splinter of the Mind's Eye details the journey of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa to the planet of Mimban, where their quest involves seeking the potent Kaiburr crystal and ultimately facing Darth Vader.
As a relatively inexperienced fighter pilot, Luke Skywalker anticipated some difficulty when he volunteered to go with Princess Leia on a diplomatic mission to Circarpous, aiming to bring their Rebel Underground into the fight against the Empire. However, the Tatooine farm boy did not foresee an unplanned crash in Mimban's swampy regions, which led to the destruction of their ships. He also didn't expect the discoveries awaiting them on the strange planet.
Firstly, unbeknownst to anyone, Mimban secretly housed a base of Imperial Stormtroopers. Adding to the trouble, there was the Kaiburr crystal, an enigmatic gem promising its possessor incredible Force powers, making them nearly invincible. In the wrong hands, the crystal posed a grave danger.
Therefore, Luke needed to locate the Kaiburr crystal, and do so quickly.
Joined by his reliable droids, Artoo Detoo and See Threepio, Luke and the Princess ventured toward the Temple of Pomojema, leading to a crucial confrontation deep beneath the surface of an alien world with the galaxy's most formidable villain!
Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, accompanied by R2-D2 and C-3PO, are on their way to Circarpous IV for a meeting of the Rebel Underground. An energy storm hits their ships, forcing an emergency landing on the swampy planet Mimban. The group then starts searching for a means to leave the planet. They come across a mining town where Leia uncovers a concealed energy mine operated by the Empire. Luke and Leia, in disguise, infiltrate the facility. An Imperial becomes suspicious and begins to interrogate them, prompting Luke to slap Leia and claim she is his servant. An older woman, named Halla, approaches and speaks quietly with Luke and Leia. Halla recognizes Luke as someone strong in the Force. She shows them a splinter, a fragment of the Kaiburr crystal, which amplifies Force abilities. Halla is looking for the complete crystal and asks for Luke and Leia's help, promising to get them off the planet once it is found. Together, they leave the facility.
After exiting the facility, Leia scolds Luke for hitting her and referring to her as his servant. Luke then loses his footing and falls into the mud, pulling Leia down with him. They engage in playful fighting as miners emerge from the building. The miners accuse them of violating Imperial law by fighting in public, leading to a brawl. Imperial stormtroopers arrest everyone, except for Halla, C-3PO, and R2-D2, who remain hidden. They are questioned by Captain-Supervisor Grammel, who discovers and takes Luke's lightsaber and the crystal shard. Luke and Leia are incarcerated with two intoxicated Yuzzem, Hin and Kee, while Grammel informs Governor Essada about the incident.
Halla appears at the jail cell window and uses the Force to unlock the cell. The two Yuzzem then initiate a rampage against the Imperials, retrieving the confiscated weapons. The four prisoners manage to escape. They reunite with Halla, who steals a vehicle, and they begin their journey towards the Temple of Pomojema, where Halla believes the Kaiburr crystal is located. While driving through the swamps, they are confronted by a wandrella, a monstrous worm. It begins chasing them, forcing Luke and Leia to separate from the others. Luke and Leia find refuge in a deep well, hiding on a ledge. They evade the creature, but are unable to climb back out, leading them to enter a cavernous passage.
Eventually, Luke and Leia stumble upon an abandoned underground city, where they are hunted and attacked by Coway natives. Luke and Leia follow the Coway to the rest of their tribe. There, Luke and Leia are reunited with Halla's group, who have been captured by the Coway. To protect his companions, Luke fights and defeats the Coway's champion. The Coway share a meal with Luke, Leia, Halla, Hin, and Kee. However, Luke senses the presence of Darth Vader through the Force. Coway patrols confirm Luke's premonition: Imperials, led by Darth Vader and Captain-Supervisor Grammel, are launching an attack. The Imperials arrive, but are repelled by the Coway. Darth Vader and Captain-Supervisor Grammel, along with the remaining stormtroopers, retreat. Darth Vader executes Grammel and sets off to find the Temple of Pomojema, while Luke and his group steal an Imperial transport and rush to the temple.
Luke, Leia, Halla, Hin, and Kee arrive at the temple before Darth Vader and begin their search for the Kaiburr crystal. During their search, they encounter and defeat a creature by collapsing a pillar on it. As they continue, the two Yuzzem disappear. Darth Vader arrives and drops debris on Luke, trapping him, and claims to have killed the Yuzzem. Leia picks up Luke's lightsaber and confronts Darth Vader. She sustains severe injuries during the duel. Hin, mortally wounded, appears and lifts the rubble off Luke's leg before passing away. Luke resumes the fight against Darth Vader. Guided by the spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi and empowered by the Kaiburr crystal, Luke strikes and severs Darth Vader's arm. Still determined, Darth Vader continues to pursue the exhausted Luke. As Darth Vader moves in for the final blow, he falls into a pit. Later, Luke, Leia, R2-D2, and C-3PO, accompanied by Halla, venture into the mists of Mimban, ready for more adventures.
Alan Dean Foster, the author of Splinter of the Mind's Eye, had previously ghostwritten Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker, which was the novelization of the 1977 film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. The book was based on discussions with George Lucas regarding the story, and it was written while Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope was still being made. Starlog magazine reported that Foster's Star Wars contract included the possibility of Splinter of the Mind's Eye being adapted into a film. The character Han Solo is conspicuously absent from the novel; in contrast to actors Mark Hamill (Luke) and Carrie Fisher (Leia), Harrison Ford (the actor who played Han Solo) had not yet signed on for any sequels.
Splinter of the Mind's Eye marked the beginning of the Expanded Universe in novel form.
The Kaiburr crystal featured in Splinter of the Mind's Eye was inspired by the "Kyber crystal," a Force-focusing item mentioned in the early scripts of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In current Star Wars canon, kyber crystals serve as the energy source for lightsabers.
The planet Mimban, originally created for Splinter of the Mind's Eye, makes an appearance in the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story. In the 2020 comic book The Rise of Kylo Ren 4, by Charles Soule, an artifact referred to as the "Mindsplinter" is said to originate from the Minemoon of Mimban.
A four-part Splinter of the Mind's Eye comic-book adaptation was released by Dark Horse Comics in 1995. A musical piece entitled "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" was created by Jesse Harlin for the 2019 video game expansion Star Wars: The Old Republic: Onslaught.
- ISBN 9780345275660 ; February 12 , 1978 ; Del Rey ; US hardcover, First Edition [2]
- ISBN 9780345260628 ; April 1978; Del Rey; US paperback, 1st–13th printings [5]
- (No ISBN) 2597; May 1978; Del Rey; US hardcover, Book Club Edition [5]
- ISBN 9780345296597 ; November 1981 ; Del Rey; US paperback, 14th–18th printings [13]
- ISBN 9780345320230 ; March 12 , 1986 ; Del Rey; US paperback, 19th–43rd printings [14]
- ISBN 9780307795465 ; June 28 , 2011 ; Del Rey; US eBook [15]