The novelization is apparently filling in some holes left from the film along with some new things not seen in the movie- (thanks to Darth_Monopoly for the following post)-
The opening is Leia wondering where Luke is and trying to call out to him that she needs him.
Not saying this should have been the opening of the movie, but some acknowledgment or demonstration of Leia using or attempting to use her force powers would have been welcome. It’s the one thing explicitly promised in ROTJ.
When they finally display R2’s map piece and Leia says, “Luke!”, I thought (actually, said out loud to myself in the theatre): “He’s your twin! Why do you need a map? Why don’t you at least try to reach out to him with the Force?”
It was the #2 thing that turned me off the film, next to Han’s nihilistically cruel end.