Product Description

The Visual Dictionary is an essential guide to Star Wars. DK's renowned Eyewitness style brings the characters, costumes, droids, and gadgetry of the Star Wars universe to life in astonishing visual detail. Highly defined, annotated photography shows and explains the culture, background, and technology of the Star Wars trilogy. Fans of all ages will enjoy detailed revelations of Star Wars secrets like how a Stormtrooper's equipment works, what the insides of a light saber look like, and what Sand People keep in their bandoliers. A visual glossary explains all the technical terms used in the trilogy. Together with Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections, these books comprise a definitive classic Star Wars reference library.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12090 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 64 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780789434814
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
Watch the Star Wars trilogy enough times and you'll find yourself straining to catch all the little details. Not the subtle plot points (Darth is Luke's dad, check; Luke and Leia are brother and sister, check), but all the cool gear and gadgets that keep flashing in front of the camera. Like what are those pointy things on Boba Fett's kneepads? And what's with all that ammo on Chewie's bandolier? And does an Imperial Probe really need that many legs? Finally, we've got some answers.

David West Reynolds, a boyish Ph.D. in archaeology who looks like he just rode in on the last Bantha, has catalogued the artifacts and inhabitants of the Star Wars universe with the same clinical thoroughness one typically reserves for studying Mesopotamia. His oversized, eye-pleasing picture book is packed with scrutinizing photos of actual props and characters from the movies, complete with systematic, scientific labels. And Reynolds's friendly, pseudo-academic style seamlessly blends new information with old. (In the Sand People description, you can't help but hear Alec Guinness's voice when Reynolds reveals that "Sand People ride in single file to hide their numbers.") In a few instances, the book shines an embarrassing light on the movies (Max Rebo is clearly no alien lifeform, just a poofy, blue elephant muppet), but the countless close-ups of thermal detonators, imperial blasters, and gaffi sticks more than make up the difference. --Paul Hughes

From Publishers Weekly
Guaranteed to catapult Star Wars fans directly into intergalactic orbit, this pair of oversize picture books provide a galaxy full of details about the inner workings of George Lucas's mythical universe. Eschewing the standard "behind-the-scenes" look at the making of the movies, both books take a realistic, reference-like approach to the imaginary realm. Reynolds's forthright treatment helps to further meld fact and fiction: an archeologist, he notes that he views the world of Star Wars as "a culture from another time and place to explore." In glorious photographs, Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary spotlights each of the characters by turn, from the big three (Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo) to the next tier, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, C-3P0 and R2-D2, as well as a vast supporting cast. Sidebars provide "back-stories" on many of the characters (Han Solo, for instance, was raised by space gypsies), and a close examination of clothing, weapons (including a cutaway view of Darth Vader's lightsaber) and equipment provides the answers to such questions as what does a Wookiee carry in his pouch. But novices be warned: Vader's true identity is also revealed in these pages. For Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections, Jenssen and Chasemore have created intricate drawings of the guts of such assorted craft as Solo's souped-up Millennium Falcon, the Empire's battle station Death Star (highlighted in a four-page gatefold), the gargantuan robotic quadruped At-At and Jabba the Hutt's sail barge. These two stellar guides (created with the support of Lucasfilm Ltd.) are sure to soar off the shelves. All ages.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 4 Up?This oversized volume is packed with full-color photographs of the characters and costumes, equipment, weaponry, mechanical droids, and assorted creatures from the Star Wars universe. Each character or category is contained within two pages and nary a space is left uncovered. Spreads that are meant to be held vertically are devoted to pictures of some of the larger-than-life figures, such as Darth Vader and Chewbacca. All of the equipment and other items are labeled. Reynolds profiles the personal histories of the creatures and characters and includes salient details about their gear. "Data Files" provide additional, often fascinating, and personal tidbits about the inhabitants of this fantasy world. While anyone interested in Star Wars will delight in viewing this book, the technological terms and descriptions may be too complicated for young children. Nevertheless, it is a visual treat?the clear, impressive photographs from the Lucasfilm Archives and other sources will capture and hold readers' attention. While not a dictionary in the traditional sense, this excellent guidebook to an appealing fantasy world will be a welcome addition to library collections.?Linda Wadleigh, Oconee County Middle School, Watkinsville, GA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

You'll pick it up again and again
My son the nine-year-old spendthrift actually saved up for this book, and I must say it's worth every penny. It's filled with beat-up, blaster-lased equipment, cool musical instruments, weird details you've wondered about but thought you were too old to ask. When my son first got it, we fought over it!

It's also worth the money because it quickly becomes clear to the careful observer that much of the gear herein is reconditioned everyday stuff from the banal 20th Century. A musical instrument in the Cantina band, for instance, contains brass garden sprinkler nozzles! Spotting these details is what makes this book fun for us adults as well as the second generation of Jedi masters. Unreservedly recommended!

Pretty cool book chalk full of the props
This book shows just about every prop that they could have or did use in the Star Wars film. While parts of it are cheesy, it is a pretty solid book on those who want to know a little more information behind the scenes of Star Wars. The dictionary offers both fictional references and also references to how the movies were made. I recommend this to all Star Wars fans and maybe even to fans of movies in general.

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V & VI
Great pictures and information about characters.