Category Archives: Reviews

Review Of Star Wars FAQ Everything Left To Know About The Trilogy That Changed The Movies

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Today, we take a look at Star Wars FAQ Everything Left To Know About The Trilogy That Changed The Movies by Mark Clark. This book explores every aspect of the Original Trilogy, the inspirations that influenced George Lucas and information about people who contributed to the movies’ success.

Most people know something about Star Wars, they have heard the iconic lines from the film, seen the merchandise and understand that Star Wars has had a large impact on culture. Mark Clark’s book is obviously all about Star Wars, but in a much more detailed way. The book details the history of the Star Wars Phenomen. Clark tells little known stories, discusses the influences on George Lucas and the other creators, gives a behind the scences look at the cast and crew, explores marketing tactics and looks at the cultural impact of Star Wars. The book contains lots of pictures that bring the facts and stories alive.

Star Wars FAQ is 424 pages long. It is an easy read. It can be read all at once or just a section at time. You can easily read about one topic and pick it up later and read about another. It is a great book to consult frequently.

Star Wars FAQ Everything Left To Know About The Trilogy That Changed The Movies, is a great book for new and older fans alike. Fans of The Original Trilogy will enjoy the stories and memories it will envoke, while younger fans will enjoy being a part of the Triology era.

Click here or below to order from Amazon or visit ApplauseBooks.com.

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Star Wars Epic Yarns Trilogy Review & Giveaway!

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The Star Wars Epic Yarns series, by Jack and Holman Wang, is a retelling of the original trilogy with a unique twist. These imaginative board books retell each movie using 12 iconic scenes from the movie paired with a single word that summarizes the importance of the scene. Each scene is illustrated by carefully made yarn characters. Each book is a 24 page (7×7″) well-made board book. They retail for $9.95 each.

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These books are made for pre-readers. The use of the single word format allows the youngest readers to experience the joy of Star Wars in their own way and in their own time. The scenes presented within the book simplify the story so that it can be easily explained to a child. These books are an easy way to introduce young children to Star Wars characters without exposing them to the violence in the movies.

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The attention to detail in the books is amazing. Each scene and character in the books, have been carefully recreated. The “screen accuracy” was impressive in both the characters and the scenes. ‘Star Wars Epic Yarns’ trilogy has a wide appeal. Adult fans and collectors will enjoy the simplicity of the books, their creative scenes and their humor, while the littlest fans will enjoy the easy to understand story and likable characters. This trilogy serves as great introduction to the fantastic world of Star Wars!

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And thanks to our friends at Chronicle Books, we have a set of books and a poster to giveaway to one lucky reader in the US or Canada. Simply LIKE our page (if you don’t already) and LIKE this post on our Facebook page (click here) and you are entered to win! Winner will be picked at random over the weekend!

Lords of the Sith Review

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Today marks the release of Lords of the Sith, the fourth installment in the new line of Star Wars fiction, overseen by the Lucasfilm Story Group. Veteran Star Wars author, Paul S. Kemp, returns to the fray with a novel of epic proportions. Kemp has written Sith in the past, in such works as Crosscurrent, Riptide, and The Old Republic: Deceived. Lords of the Sith however, is Kemp’s first attempt of traversing the Original Trilogy era and bringing the Sith to life: Vader and Sidious.

Image via Random House

Image via Random House

Announced just over a year ago, on April 25th 2014, Lords of the Sith is set between Revenge of the Sith and James Luceno’s recent release, Tarkin. The publishers summary promised a thrilling adventure that involves a rebel cell attempting to end the Empire’s tyranny by cutting off the head of the serpent himself: Palpatine.

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Heir to the Jedi: A First Person Review of the Scion’s Journey

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Heir To The Jedi by Kevin Hearne, used with permission from Random House Publishing

Heir To The Jedi by Kevin Hearne, used with permission from Random House Publishing

Because I write fiction, I don’t write autobiography, and to me they are very different things. The first-person narrative is a very intimate thing, but you are not addressing other people as ‘I’ – you are inhabiting that ‘I.’

-Kate Atkinson

 To date, only one other Star Wars novel (I, Jedi) has portrayed the galaxy far, far away in first person. First person narratives can be some of the trickiest to accomplish, as it requires the author to become a character on such an intimate level. They can also, if executed correctly, give the most rewarding experience to the reader. Kevin Hearne masterfully achieved this goal in Heir to the Jedi, providing the galaxy with the most insightful and profound chronicle  inside the head of Luke Skywalker to date.

Almost forty years has passed since we were first introduced to the farm boy destined for greatness. Over that time period, countless books and comics have attempted to capture a true representation of Luke Skywalker, to varying degrees of success. I for one, was somewhat cautious when I read the publisher’s summary for Heir to the Jedi, as I felt it was something that had been covered ad nauseam.

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First Look Review: Star Wars Costumes The Original Trilogy

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On November 1, 2014, Chronicle Books will release a new book, Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy.  We received an advanced copy, so we can bring you a first look at the new book.

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Star Wars Costumes was written by Brandon Alinger with forwards by John Mollo (costume designer on A New Hope), Aggie Rodgers (costumer designer on Return of the Jedi) and Nilo Rodis-Jamero (costume designer on Return of the Jedi) and photographs by Joseph McDonald.

This book has a hard cover, 226 pages and gives the reader a close up look at the now iconic costumes of Star Wars The Original Trilogy.  The costumes featured include: Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Yoda, Stormtroopers, C-3PO, R2-D2, bounty hunters, rebel pilots and more.

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The book is broken down into sections: Forwards, Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.  Each section is complete with discussion of the character, the process of costume development, interviews with costume designers, fabricators and dressers, original sketches by Ralph McQuarrie and  photographs.  The discussions of each costume bring the process to life.  The pictures show incredible detail.  As a reader, you can appreciate the fabrics, materials and the craftsmanship behind these costumes in a way you never have before.  It is interesting to see some of the details that are added to the costumes to make them look so “real” and believable in each scene.

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Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy is a well organized, extremely detailed, informational look at the costumes of Star Wars.  You will definitely want to add this book to your collection.  The book retails for $60 and is available at chroniclebooks.com or on amazon.com for $37.95 (pre-order price).

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A Quick Review of The Bounty Hunter Code by Chronicle Books

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Today, we take a quick look at The Bounty Hunter Code from Chronicle Books. This book is written as a bounter hunters handbook. This particular book used by Bossk, Greedo and Dengar has been handed down from Dengar to Boba Fett.

This handbook is the essential guide for all bounty hunters. It offers advice for new bounty hunters, provides a list of tools and techniques necessary for bounty hunters and provides tips on this dangerous career.  Each bounty hunter has taken notes and made comments in the margins throughout the book.

Our favorite parts of this book are:

~ The image of each chapter’s author is under the title. We enjoyed being able to see who was saying what and getting to know what they looked like.
~ The history of the Mandalorians was interesting to read.
~ The scrawled notes from previous book owners. It was fun to see what each characters thoughts were and their occassional comments to each other. This made the book  seem more “real” as if it was actually used.
~ The incite into the Lore of Bounty Hunters.
~ You have to love the inclusion of Han Solo’s “Wanted” poster!
~ The attention to detail brought this book to life.

If you are a fan of Star Wars and a fan of Boba Fett, this book is a must read!  It is fun and entertaining.

Click here or below to order from Amazon or visit www.chroniclebooks.com to grab a copy today!

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Yoda’s Take: A review of ‘The Jedi Doth Return’ by Ian Doescher

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'The Jedi Doth Return' via Quirk Books

‘The Jedi Doth Return’ via Quirk Books

 

In July of 2013, Quirk Books began an experiment. They announced a brand new retelling of the original ‘Star Wars’ trilogy unlike anything seen before. The journey ends with the release of ‘The Jedi Doth Return’ on July 1st, 2014. The trilogy of books, penned by Ian Doescher, would attempt to re-imagine the ‘Star Wars’ story through the pen of William Shakespeare, arguably the greatest author in English literature.   It was a risky and bold move, so this Yoda’s News Staff Writer set off to see if it would pay off.

A bit of background, I have never been an avid reader of Shakespeare. It’s not for a lack on interest in the material itself, but rather the style of writing that I find abrasive. Most of us read fiction, primarily ‘Star Wars’ books, as an escape and form of enjoyment. Shakespeare’s works have always felt more like homework, as the reader is forced to decipher the true events taking place. I am a bit late to the party with this series, not reading the first two installments, ‘William Shakespeare’s Star Wars’ and ‘William Shakespeare’s The Empire Striketh Back.’ In this regard, I can hopefully present an unique perspective to readers of Yoda’s News: That of someone who isn’t normally inclined to read this novel.

Expectations for this novel were somewhat high. ‘Return of the Jedi’ would arguably be the most difficult for Doescher to tackle with scenarios like Jabba’s Palace, the final confrontation on the Death Star, and complex space battles all posing a real threat. Any one of these events could seriously jar the reader from the material and unravel the foil of a Shakespearean story, if not handled correctly. While Doescher faced a lot of challenges, he handled them with true skill and craftsmanship.

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Yoda’s Take: A review of ‘Crucible’ by Troy Denning

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via Del Ray Books Facebook page

via Del Rey Books Facebook page

‘Crucible’ first came out almost a year ago today on July 9th, 2013. It was arguably one of the most highly anticipated installment in the ‘Star Wars’ franchise in recent memory. Publisher, Del Rey Books, advertised the novel as being the beginning of the end for the “Big Three” as they reached their rightfully deserved retirement years:

“Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia have spent a lifetime fighting wars, bringing the Jedi back from extinction, raising families, and saving the galaxy more times than they can count. They’ve earned the right to rest on their laurels and let the younger generation shoulder the burden–but fate has another adventure in store for our heroes, a quest only they can tackle and hope to survive…”

Troy Denning, a veteran ‘Star Wars’ novelist, seemed like the perfect choice to tackle one last great adventure for Luke, Leia, and Han. ‘Crucible’ is Denning’s thirteenth installment in the galaxy far, far away that is cherished by fans across the globe. He first joined the ranks as a ‘Star Wars’ author back in 2001 with his entry in ‘The New Jedi Order’ series, ‘Star by Star.’ For twelve years, Denning delved into the adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han in bestselling series such as ‘The Dark Nest,’ ‘Legacy of the Force,’ and ‘Fate of the Jedi.’ He has been at the forefront of the ‘Star Wars’ expanded universe and clearly has an innate understanding of the true personas behind the beloved characters from the ‘Original Trilogy.’ If anyone could tackle this trailblazing story, it was Denning. And he delivered.

Click Here for the Full Review