I’ve been looking forward to reading this publication ever since I heard about it. The Old Republic era has become the one that I’m most interested in, and I can thank the game Knights of the Old Republic for that. Sure, the Clone Wars era continues to entertain me, but nothing appeals to me more than a vast era spanning thousands of years and full of interesting plots and memorable characters.

While I have not played The Old Republic, I have kept up with the trailers, news and first hand reports from some of those who have played it. Technical aspects aside, it sounds like a pretty cool game, set in the era that shares its name. To aid players and to provide an entertaining and informative resource for those interested in the era such as myself, DK Publishing has produced The Old Republic Encyclopedia.

It should come as no surprise that this book is beautifully illustrated inside and out. DK publications are simply the best when it comes to eye-catching, fully illustrated books. The fully illustrated outside cover is itself covered by an attractive dust jacket. Inside the book is a feast for the eyes. The book contains incredible art, screenshots from The Old Republic game, and illustrations of characters, planets, weapons and much more.

The Old Republic Encyclopedia is made up of several sections.

Introduction

The Republic

The Jedi Order

The Sith Empire

The Sith

Mandalorians

The Underworld

The Hutt Cartel

Species

Planets

Introduction: Includes a brief look at the current state of the galaxy, and an impressive timeline featuring key events during the Old Republic. c.30,000 BBY all the way to 3,640 BBY.

The Republic: From before the founding of the Republic, to the battles against the Sith, from weapons to military hierarchy, this section gives a comprehensive look at the galaxy-spanning government.

The Jedi Order: Want to know the origins of the Jedi? Their roles, training, weapon use and place in the Old Republic? Then this section is for you.

The Sith Empire: This section describes the workings of the government led by the Sith. The Imperial fleet, military, weapons and intelligence and overall organizational structure are shown here.

The Sith: Much like the Jedi Encyclopedia entry, this section too covers the origin of the Sith, as well as the Sith Emperor, training, the Dark Council, inquisitors and other key features of this destructive society.

Mandalorians: This is a brief section when compared to the others, but it does discuss who this culture is, along with allies, combat and armor.

The Underworld: Across the galaxy there is a corrupt society made up of gangsters, thieves, and even powerful criminal organizations such as The Exchange and Black Sun. Smugglers and bounty hunters such as Shae Vizla thrive in such an environment. This section highlights these organizations, along with the weapons, armor and ships that keep it strong and dangerous.

The Hutt Cartel: Hutts are known to be vile gangsters, but what may not be widely known is that they have been around for thousands of years, and were in fact brilliant military strategists and conquerors.

Species: A look at many of the life forms that make the Old Republic their home.

Planets: A look at key planets during the time of the Old Republic, including Korriban, Taris and even Hoth.

I considered myself fairly educated this era, but after reading the Encyclopedia, I came to realize that much to learn I still had.

Bottom line, anyone who is interested in the Old Republic, and not just the online game but also the era, should buy this book. For those not familiar with either, The Old Republic Encyclopedia is the perfect publication to get you up to speed with the essentials.

Cover blurb:

Star Wars: The Old Republic is an entirely new Star Wars story to explore. It is a dark and troubled age over 3,600 years before the rise of Darth Vader, in which the Jedi and Sith prepare to battle and decide the fate of the galaxy.

Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia is an unprecedented visual companion to this complex world. Written by a team of writers from the game and created in close collaboration with Lucasfilm, LucasArts, and BioWare, the book reveals a wealth of new material on characters, weapons, equipment, vehicles, history, and locations.

DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher at no charge in order to provide a review. However, this did not affect the overall review content. All opinions are my own.

SEE ALSO:
DK Listing
New The Old Republic: Encyclopedia Images
The Old Republic: Encyclopedia Cover Art
The Old Republic: Encyclopedia
The Old Republic Now Available For Pre-Order
Star Wars The Old Republic: Signs of War
The Old Republic Launch Dates Announced
The Old Republic RETURN Intro Cinematic Trailer
New SWTOR Trailer: Fate of the Galaxy

I think the excitement for this publication was very high before the release date, and for good reason. The Essential Reader’s Companion promised a wealth of information on the Expanded Universe, a chronological listing of titles and a stunning collection of original art. No worries: It delivered.

All along we’ve been told how extensive this publication was, that this was one of the biggest projects in Star Wars publishing, and it really shows. At just under 500 pages, this book is no lightweight. The Essential Reader’s Companion contains 410 individual works and nearly 160 original works of art produced by several illustrators.

Author Pablo Hidalgo obviously spent a good chuck of his life with the development and research needed for a publication of this kind. In fact, he even divulged at Star Wars Celebration VI that he started taking the bus to work so he would have more time to read up for ERC. He also listened to the audiobooks on double speed. Such preparation was necessary to develop each novel synopsis, sure, but as an individual who has been around Star Wars and Lucasfilm for years, Pablo also provided insightful behind-the-scenes facts for nearly every listing. Continuity issues within the Expanded Universe are also addressed, but I guess it’s up to the individual to decide if they are addressed satisfactory.

The original works of art are worth the price of this publication alone, in my opinion. An exceptional author can enable a reader to visualize the words on the page in his mind, but it is truly satisfying to visualize certain scenes on a piece of paper too. There are a few inaccuracies, such as the conflict between Darth Plagueis and Maladin assassins shown on page 53. The actual texts describes a more bloodier battle, but as was explained at Celebration VI, such an accurate visual portrayal would likely be a bit much for new or young readers. The art on page 13 though, while stunning, is just inaccurate without reason, other than artistic license. Aryn and Zeerid were said to be holding on to each other as they jumped from the Fatman. The art clearly doesn’t show that.

Personally, there are still quite a few novels that I have not read, so I’ll keep away from their respective listings in the ERC, but from what I have read and experienced visually, this book proves to be quite an informative guide, and it gave me an occasional feeling of nostalgia as I revisited novels that I haven’t read in years.

At under $30, I believe it’s a great price for a publication so informative and interesting. Some might question its relevance due to the presence of free, online unofficial Star Wars encyclopedias, such as Wookieepedia, and I get that. But there’s many, many people out there that still love the feel of a book in their hands, and the fact that a book like the ERC is an official product. Either way, this book deserves to be on your bookshelf, or even on your coffee table.

DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher at no charge in order to provide an early review. However, this did not affect the overall review content. All opinions are my own.

SEE ALSO:
Megan’s Review: The Essential Reader’s Companion
Preview 28 Pages of The Essential Reader’s Companion!
Sneak Peek: The Essential Reader’s Companion Images 2.0
Sneak Peek: The Essential Reader’s Companion Images
The Essential Reader’s Companion Blurb
The Essential Reader’s Companion Cover Art
The Essential Reader’s Companion Preliminary Cover

Here’s a secret: I don’t think the Essential Reader’s Companion is essential.

In the days of Wookieepedia, few things are if you want reference to the Expanded Universe.

Star Wars has been putting out Essential Guides anyway.

But if you want some fantastic art of never-before-seen characters, and DVD-extra style snippets about the making of books and series, the Essential Reader’s Companion is pretty cool. Pretty Cool Reader’s Companion just doesn’t flow as well.

The book’s art, by Brian Rood, Chris Trevas, and others, is a big part of the appeal. Images of the X’Ting from The Cestus Deception and the Haruun Kal soldiers from Shatterpoint were thrilling to see, and readers should have fun comparing the images to what they imagined their favorite characters to look like. Characters like Scout and Admiral Daala who may not have gotten full-page art appear in yearbook style throughout. Other images showcase exciting action and weapons. Still others, like a sabaac game from MedStar I, are more sedate but reveal new faces. (Speaking of MedStar, it was nice to be reminded of the jokes in that book: pause for a moment to appreciate that there is a Star Wars book that references a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster.) Almost every page has some kind of art, whether it’s new or a book cover.

The other half of the Essential Reader’s Companion is, obviously the text, which talks about the plot, characters, and behind-the-scenes of most of the existing Star Wars books. The discerning fans have probably already figured out the chronological placement of some short stories, like Darth Maul: Saboteur, that refer a lot to the universe around them. It’s still satisfying to see Pablo Hidalgo write it all out, like a person finishing a jigsaw puzzle.

One of the more interesting entries was for the novel Rogue Planet, which shows an gap in continuity when it describes how the book was set up to introduce the Yuuzhan Vong. These aliens were intended to be a call forward to the futuristic New Jedi Order series, but since the book was written before Attack of the Clones was released, it mentions married Jedi. This discrepancy feels sightless now that AotC has been out for so long, but in 2000 there was no way to know that would become an issue.

Hidalgo describes some outdated texts as “historically inaccurate”, lending an interesting third reality to the elsewhere detached narration. It seems that there is the real world, the Star Wars world, and some third timeline, possibly also in the Star Wars world, where the books are seen as questionably accurate history. The beginning of the Companion also has a succinct explanation of what the Keeper of the Holocron called “G-canon”: George Lucas’s vision of the movies, which over-rides but does not prevent the existence of the Expanded Universe. Along the way, Hidalgo clears up some continuity questions.

At its best, the ERC is a timeline not only of the books but of how Lucasfilm and its various partner publishing companies handled the growing Star Wars universe. Sometimes they were drawn into mistakes that made some information apocryphal, and other times one book connects like spokes to five or six others, perfectly in synch. The former appear as nostalgic, and as I read I found myself remembering when I first read each book. The ERC succeeds as both an art book and a reference document. When you take into account the mass of information for free on sites like Wookieepedia, it also serves as a behind-the-scenes guide and an authority. It’s even satisfyingly weighty, worth the price if you’re really into art and continuity.

If you’re not, it probably doesn’t have a lot of re-read value, serving more as a teaser for other books. It doesn’t offer a hint at where to begin with the EU, so is suited more for completionists than new fans. I still would have called it something other than essential.

SEE ALSO:
Review: The Essential Reader’s Companion by Bry Dean
Preview 28 Pages of The Essential Reader’s Companion!
Sneak Peek: The Essential Reader’s Companion Images 2.0
Sneak Peek: The Essential Reader’s Companion Images
The Essential Reader’s Companion Blurb
The Essential Reader’s Companion Cover Art
The Essential Reader’s Companion Preliminary Cover

Here is yet another visual treat from DK Publishing. This updated and expanded edition is the latest in a series of Star Wars visual guides, the first edition released in 2005 and a special edition in 2007.

The book opens right away with a foreword from Ashley Eckstein, the voice behind Ahsoka Tano in The Clone Wars. Afterward, your incredible journey into the world of Star Wars begins.

From Star Wars tech to the Sith, the Republic to the Malevolence, the Battle of Hoth to Star Wars movie posters, this publication has it covered. Fans of The Force Unleashed, The Old Republic and The Clone Wars will be delighted to see coverage of these titles. There is a large dosage of reference material for The Clone Wars, all the way up to the end of season 4. Images abound in this 200 page book; more than enough to keep your imagination busy.

In short, Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide – Updated And Expanded is informative, attractive and fun. It’s a must for any Star Wars fan, both long-time and new ones alike.

DK.com Listing
Amazon Listing

Cover Text…

Journey Through The Star Wars Galaxy With This Compelling Book.

Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide uncovers the full story of the amazing Star Wars saga, with more than 1,000 images from the movies, cartoons, comics, novels, and TV series, along with merchandise, behind-the-scenes photography, and much more!

This extensively researched guide reveals the complete, millennia-spanning history of George Lucas’s long ago, far-away galaxy, from the origins of the noble Jedi and the evil Sith to the rise of Luke Skywalker’s New Jedi Order – an ideal introduction to the world of Star Wars and an invaluable addition to every fan’s collection.

This updated and expanded edition now also includes overviews and images of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series, an in-depth look at The Old Republic video game, as well as stunning new merchandise and the phenomenally successful Lego Star Wars theme.

With a foreword by Ashley Eckstein
Voice of Ahsoka Tano
in Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Publishers Summary…

Revised and expanded!

Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide, newly revised and expanded, reveals the story of the amazing Star Wars saga in full detail. 40 new pages help to explain every detail about Star Wars from the millennia- spanning history of George Lucas’s long ago, far away galaxy to the Star Wars movies and ever-expanding range of books, novels, comics, and media. Packed full of interesting facts about the world of Star Wars merchandise and fandom, astonishing pieces of art, and full-color photographs, DK’s compendium is the key to knowing ALL there is to know about the iconic brand that is Star Wars!

Featuring tons of all-new content including characters, storylines, vehicles, weapons, merchandise, news, and beyond:

• LEGO® Star Wars™ sets and minifigures

• Latest seasons of the ever-popular animated series, The Clone Wars

• The Force Unleashed video games

• Blue-ray release of Episode I: The Phantom Menace

• Updated galactic timeline and galaxy map

• And much, much more!

SEE ALSO:
Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide – Updated and Expanded

Allow me to introduce you to one of the most stunning books that I have ever come across. In basic terms, Star Wars Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle is a timeline of the history of Star Wars. But this book is so much more than that.

In addition to providing a visual chronicle of events that have shaped the Star Wars universe since the beginning, Year By Year also keeps up with global events throughout the years. Economic, political and technological advances and setbacks augment the developments of Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic and other Lucas companies without overshadowing them. The career paths of much of the cast and crew of the Star Wars saga is also documented.

In other words, if it’s an important event related to Star Wars, it’s here. From the early years of George Lucas, to the formation of key technologies that made the film possible, to the creation and expansion of the Expanded Universe and merchandising, Year By Year has it covered (but only until 2010; publication release date was in August of that year).

Regarding the structure of the publication itself, it is simply a masterpiece. High quality images and illustrations abound in this massive 9.25 x 6.25in, 320 page book. (Check out the four pages taken from Year By Year below; click on for larger sizes.) A nice touch is the slip cover that accompanies the book. The illustrations on the book cover show concepts while the slip cover showcases the final versions of the corresponding images. Also included are two collectible prints. Your coffee table will never look better once you place this book on it.

Simply put, this book is a must buy. The amount of work that went into Star Wars Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle is evident and will be appreciated by any Star Wars fan. This truly is a book that wont collect dust. Just fingerprints. Lots of them.

DK.com Listing
Amazon Listing

Synopsis:

From the first release of Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977 to the 2009 second season of The Clone Wars, Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle is an unparalleled chronological journey through the making of the most epic science fiction series ever! Featuring incredible illustrations and stills, the book chronologically details the history and development of the Star Wars movies; the events, press, and logistics surrounding the making of each movie; and exclusive interviews with people who worked behind the scenes. The year-by-year format includes images from the movies, TV series, comic books, video games, and novels as well as movie posters, memorabilia, book covers, and more.

Slip cover text:

From the moment Star Wars hit movie theaters in 1977, it marked the beginning of a worldwide phenomenon. Now, for the first time, more than three decades of Star Wars is presented in one chronological guide.

Produced in collaboration with Lucasfilm and written by renowned Star Wars experts Ryder Windham, Daniel Wallace and Pablo Hidalgo, Star Wars Year By Year provides a unique real-world timeline of everything Star Wars – from George Lucas’s early inspiration to the development of Star Wars spin-offs and merchandise in the 21st century, as well as the impact of the Saga on popular culture and world events. It’s the Star Wars real-life Saga like you’ve never seen it before – painstakingly produced and exhaustively illustrated!

INCLUDES TWO COLLECTIBLE PRINTS

Unlike Master Optician, I’ve never been a DIY kind of guy. The only experience that I’ve had with these kind of manuals is another fake repair manual (the Enterprise Haynes Manual). When this manual came out I was interested but not terribly anxious over it. References books are fun but I usually prefer a novel or a graphic novel any day (The Essential Guide to Warfare is a major exception). That was until I actually got a copy and started to flip through it.

This book is really well done. I loved the pictures spread throughout the book, as well as the diagrams and schematics.  It’s a visual feast to pour over the diagrams of the Millennium Falcon and learn about the various systems of the ship, though there is more than just that to this book. The book details the history of this legendary ship, as well as the history of the YT-1300 Light Freighters.  It’s a lot of fun to read about the origins of the Millennium Falcon. With this kind of detail the Millennium Falcon, always a constant presence in the films and EU, becomes a kind of character itself.  There are flaws in the book, including some typos, but really nothing major. The book is a terrific reference guide for those of us who love the ships of Star Wars (my X-Wing model when I was a kid was one of my most prized possessions).

There are plenty of things here for everyone. The detail oriented fan and the casual fan will love it equally (I’d especially recommend it for fans of James Luceno’s novel Millennium Falcon). I don’t think that this book is an essential buy but there’s no denying that it’s a lot of fun. The range of this book is impressive with all kind of details (weapons & engineering, crew facilities, etc.) included. If you’ve got the money and the inclination, then this is the book for you.

Millennium Falcon Owner’s Workshop Manual  receives a 4 1/2 out of 5.

SEE ALSO:
Review: Millennium Falcon Owner’s Workshop Manual by Master Optician
The Millennium Falcon Owner’s Workshop Manual

The Essential Guide To Warfare is the first Star Wars guide to focus solely on the armed conflicts and skirmishes from the galaxy far far away. Reading this publication marks the first time that I thoroughly enjoyed and wore out a history book.

Want detailed information on many of your favorite warships? Check. How about learning more about key campaigns and engagements? Check. Want to read more about wars during the Old Republic, the Clone Wars, the Yuuzhan Vong Invasion and many more? Check. Interested in knowing just what went down with Lord Hoth, Sifo-Dyas and Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik? Gotcha covered.

But it’s not just the extremely informative chapters that kept me going back for more. This book is packed full of stunning pictures created by a team of talented illustrators. Words really can’t describe how utterly satisfying it is to finally visualize the conflicts and characters that we’ve read about for years. Indeed, this book seems to provide a sense of depth and realism to the engagements all across galaxy, from the Expanded Universe, comics, The Clone Wars and even video games.

Do you like maps? I mean, really awesome maps so detailed that they literally hypnotize you? You’re in for another treat, then. The Essential Guide To Warfare provides several galaxy maps, just like you’d see them in real life history books. Each galaxy map shown is different to show territorial changes and the reaches of various campaigns.

There is no question: The Essential Guide To Warfare is a must buy. Buy it if you want to enrich your understanding and enjoyment of Star Wars 100 fold. Buy it if you want to reward truly talented writers, illustrators and publishers. Most of all, buy it because it’s just so darn fun.

SEE ALSO:
The Essential Guide to Warfare Book Preview
The Essential Guide To Warfare Cover
Del Rey Facebook Page
(The Essential Guide To Warfare Concept & Approved Images)

Blurb…

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE INTERGALACTIC BATTLEFIELD

Like many a great epic, Star Wars is rooted in a rich history of armed conflict. Now, for the first time, the facts, figures, and fascinating backstories of major clashes and combatants in the vast Star Wars universe have been documented in one fully illustrated volume. Extensively researched and inventively written, Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare combines action-filled narrative with encyclopedic knowledge that:

• explores notable military units and groups
• traces the development of significant armaments and technologies
• profiles key warship classes, ground units, and manufacturers
• provides capsule biographies of great military leaders
• presents eyewitness troopers’ accounts of combat
• plus—enough additional profiles, intel, history, and lore to span the cosmos!

Encompassing all of the Star Wars media, including the legendary films, the hit TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the bestselling books, comics, and videogames, and packed with original full-color artwork, Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare is a conquering achievement.

I’m someone who takes on my own vehicle maintenance and repairs. I can’t do it alone, though, and throughout the years have relied on the supremely helpful Haynes auto repair manuals. I own several, in fact. Once we purchase a new vehicle, one of the next things I buy is the corresponding repair manual. So I’m very familiar with the publication. Several months ago, when I found out about the upcoming Haynes/Star Wars: Millennium Falcon Owner’s Workshop Manual, I was very excited. A book that combined my favorite manual and one of my favorite Star Wars ships? I’m game. With all that said, here are my impressions of this latest Star Wars publication:

One word I’d use to describe this book is: Fun. Flipping through the beautifully illustrated pages turned me back into the kid that loves Star Wars. There is a perfect mix of text and images. Millennium Falcon enthusiasts can easily spend a few hours and lose themselves in this book.

Every major function of the ship is described in detail, from cockpit controls, weapons and combat techniques to hyperdrive functions and escape pods. Included among the technical jargon is a nice history of the Falcon, including past owners and variations of the ship model. There’s also quite a few shots from the movies themselves, which provides a nice reference to accompany the illustrations.

Speaking of illustrations, wow. This book is packed full of beautifully rendered images. I literally had to tear myself away from each page. From cover to cover, this book is a satisfying treat for the eyes.

The only complaint I have, if you could call it that, is that this publication is nothing like a normal Haynes repair manual. When I first heard the news about this book, I immediately pictured a Haynes manual like the ones I currently had on the shelf. While I didn’t expect the book to be several hundred pages thick that featured black and white images, I did expect at least something similar. Like step-by-step repairs, a troubleshooting guide, a maintenance schedule or even the instantly recognizable spark plug condition guide found on the back cover of every manual (Not that I think the Falcon uses spark plugs, but something similar could have been used).

In my opinion, there’s no real reason why the Haynes name is on this book, other than to attract repair-minded people such as myself. I’m sure in the early stages a Haynes manual for a Star Wars ship was a winning idea, and it still is, but somewhere along the process this book became more about the Falcon and less about a typical Haynes manual. Detailed descriptions of many individual ship parts: Yes. Instructions on how to tear down, rebuild and reinstall said parts: No. I realize there’s no need for a Falcon book like that in real life, but that is what a Haynes manual is all about. That’s like pairing up with Webster to create a Star Wars-themed dictionary, but in the end fail to include any definitions, pronunciation guides or any other extras like measurement scales that you usually see within a typical dictionary. In-universe speaking, this is the kind of book a ship salesman would use, not the service department.

That said, this really is a cool book that kids and Falcon enthusiasts will enjoy. I can foresee the reader wearing out the pristine pages because of constant use; this book will be looked at constantly and enjoyed every time. People who want to buy the book simply for the Haynes value might want to pass it up, though.

SEE ALSO:
Review: Millennium Falcon Owner’s Workshop Manual by Andrew
The Millennium Falcon Owner’s Workshop Manual