Star Wars Movie News

Incredible Cross-sections of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V, & VI: (Star Wars)

2005-10-29T23:30:00.000-07:00

Incredible Cross-sections of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V, & VI: The Ultimate Guide to Star Wars Vehicles and Spacecraft

0789434806

DK CHILDREN

15 September, 1999

Who knew proton torpedoes were so expensive? Apparently that's

why Luke only had one pair when he set out to take down the Death Star. And that's not the only bit of trivia you'll bring away from this aptly subtitled Ultimate Guide to Star Wars Vehicles and Spacecraft. Whether you're looking for the bathroom on Jabba's sail barge or you just want to see where Boba Fett catches a few winks on Slave I, this is the book for you. In Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections, author-archaeologist David West Reynolds zooms out from cataloguing minutiae as he did in Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, and instead takes apart the big toys of Star Wars, from AT-ATs to X-Wings.
Full-color, exploded technical illustrations get you under the hood of every noteworthy ship in the Star Wars trilogy, from a grand tour of a Jawa Sandcrawler to a sprawling, four-page foldout of (what else but?) the Death Star. Detailed labels and realistic, miniature depictions of crew and characters roaming around each ship are so engaging that you may find yourself imagining you're on the Millennium Falcon giving Chewie a hand with the power couplings. --Paul Hughes
Hi, I just would like to tell you that these book its not only a peace of art it's also great collection item if you are a Star Wars fan!!!!! thank's!

These books are huge A3 sized, the drawings are mostly of very good quality, and the amount of information packed into them is huge. They are a wonderful addition for any sci-fi fan.
This edition for the original three films is probably the best, it covers the machines in amazing detail and the technical detail fits reasonably well with what's on the (huge) official website.
Of particular note is the double sized page on the Death Star which is absolutely amazing.


Criticisms 
There are two big criticisms with all these books, the main one is that they are far to thin. There are many things in the films that are simply missing, how about cross sections of R2D2, a light sabre, a speeder bike, or things like the ion cannon. Even worse ships like the Star Destroyer although wonderful could benefit hugely from a page or two extra on them.
The second criticism is technical, in some ways things here don't entirely mesh with the movies, although the problems are very subtle and very minor. The films are extremely careful and clever technically, the enormous attention to detail separates the best from the rest. Ok I am a scientist and engineer who has taken an interest in exotic space craft designs for real. Some of the details in the first film in particular are quite staggering, it is obvious that some of the technical people involved had done some real work on the subject. Sadly the people behind all these `technical' books are not always quite so knowledgeable, but they are still very fascinating.

Even after all three prequels have had their cross section books the original is still the best. You get more details, more vehicles, more explanations of technology than in any other book. I suppose that's the way it should be considering this is the first in the series. If you are a fan of Star Wars and have any interest in knowing how the vehicles work or what's in them this is the book for you. 

While this book isn't 100% comprehensive (not all the Star Wars trilogy vehicles are covered) it covers all the important ones like the X-Wing, TIE Fighter (three versions), the Millenium Falcon and much more. You not only get cut away views of these vehicles, but also some interesting information on the history of the ship as well as how they work. The detail that goes into these ships is amazing. And it's not just an artist putting "busy stuff" in the hulls to look technical. A lot of care was put into this one. I would even say this book gives you better information on the ships covered than the very comprehensive Star Wars Guide to Essential Vehicles. 

Only about a dozen ships are featured in this book. While that might sound small the details you get make it definitely worth it. So don't fret over the lack of quantity because it makes up for it in quality. 

The book itself is definitely a coffee table type book. These Incredible Cross Sections books are the largest in my collection. It's a huge hardbound book with a dust jacket. The dust jacket and cover look identical so you don't lose too much taking out the jacket. While the book is large the number of pages is small so the book ends up really thin, but with only a small amount of vehicles covered I can understand the small number of pages. 

The only drawback on this book is the lack of other ships in the trilogy that could really use some exposure like the A-Wing and B-Wing fighters, the Mon Calimari ships and many others. Here's hoping they make a follow up to do just that. I'm guessing if you're interested in this book you either have one or more of the others or are looking to get them. I consider this one a required asset to that collection. Sure the other cross section books are pretty good, but this one is the top dog.

Star Wars: Jar Jar's Journey Adventure Book

B000AOW3A6
LucasArts Entertainment

Force Heretic II: Refugee (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, (Star Wars)

2005-10-23T04:10:00.000-07:00

Force Heretic II: Refugee (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 16)

0345428714
Del Rey
29 April, 2003

To say the first "Force Heretic" novel was a monumental dissapointment that made me want to rip my eyes out, would be a minor understatement. Which made it all the more surprising to find that I actually enjoyed this second book in the Williams-Dix composition for the New Jedi Order series.

In all honesty, it appears as though one of the writers (I can't tell which) wrote the first book, and the other one wrote this one, so different did I find the styles. Gone were the plaguing problems of incoherent sentences and paragraphs, stuttering storylines and lack of involvement in the characters. As well, I found most of the intrigue laced in this book to actually work. Previously, I staunchly believed mystery and Star Wars don't mix - they didn't in Episode II, on film, they definitely won't on paper - but at least in the case of Bakura, with so much back-stabbing and betrayal going on at once (even the Yuuzhan Vong get in on it) I was genuinely pulled into the book. The whole plot on Csilla seemed like an afterthought however, and the conflict that occured there seemed a little too mainpulative and coincidental. It would've been much easier for Jacen, Luke and Co. to learn Zenoma Sekot's location without an overly done powergrab. Just my opinion. The plot with Nom Anor as Yu'shaa, the Prophet, also worked well, and helped advance the Yuuzhan Vong side of things with surprising clarity.

Of course, the book still wasn't that great.

The lack of chapters will bug me forever, I'm sorry, it probably sounds petty, but it just doesn't work for me. Call it a stylistic choice if you want, I hate it. The characters were absolutely stupid on occassion (even if I feel Dix and Williams did an ok job of molding them this time), a good case of which is with Jaina. She has ample opportunity several times to free herself from Harris (the Vice-President) and his cronie's grasp, yet waits until possibly the worst time to do so, after two backup character's unneccessarily die. I mean, she only has to fight two guys, and at one point one of them is knocked out of the equation and Jaina isn't even bound by cuffs (as she is when she eventually does break free) and yet she still doesn't act, instead choosing to allow another person to die. Horrible plot-manipulation, flat out. Time and time again, I saw character's make hideously foolish choices that no Star Wars hero or heroine would truly make, just to make the plot advance. It came off as downright lazy to me. That being said, I still enjoyed the plot - go figure.

All in all, this novel was a definite improvement on the previous Williams-Dix endeavor, but still failed in far too many aspects to be worthy of joining the likes of Traitor, Star by Star, or any of Aaron Allston's or Michael Stackpole's novels. 2.5/5 stars.

Whose idea was it to let this slop stretch into a trilogy? All of the important points could have been condensed into a single novel (or maybe even a short story). The New Jedi Order does bring an exciting new plot arc to the Star Wars universe, and there have been some great books in the series, but once we get toward te end, the true marketing genius becomes clear; a reader who has already read a dozen novels and gotten caught up in the story of the war with the Vong, will work their way through even the worst book to make it to the end of the series. Or indeed, the worst three books. Only a couple of interesting bits (like the Tahiri subplot) save this from a 1 star review.

The second novel of the Force Heretic trilogy encompasses three story lines. The first story line follows Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker, Jacen Solo, and other Jedi as they enter Chiss space in search of the planet Zonama Sekot, in hopes that the planet will hold the key to winning the war against the Yuuzhan Vong. While an interesting tale, it is really a secondary story to one of the other story lines. However, this book does move the story along for Luke and Co.
The second story line is also a sub-story. Nom Anor is the fallen Executor of the invading Yuuzhan Vong race. He has been banished as a Shamed One. Not satisfied to sit back and accept his fate, Nom Anor has begun a heresy of sorts by establishing a cult amongst the Shamed Ones that reveres the Jedi, and looks upon them to free the Samed Ones of the shackles of oppression.
The main story follows Leia and Han Solo, their daughter Jaina and Jag Fel as they return to Bakura. Bakura was the subject of the novel 'Truce at Bakura,' which takes place immediately after 'Return of the Jedi.' In that novel, an alien race called the Ssi-ruuk were threatening to 'entech' an entire planet. Entechment is a process of stealing the souls of a sentient being and using it to control a machine.
Bakura appears ready to sever its ties with the New Republic and form an alliance with a race once subjugated by the Ssi-ruuk. There is more than meets the eye though. The Prime Minister is missing, but then suddenly reappears. The Deputy Prime Minister suspects something is up. Malzana Thanas, the daughter of a political hero of Bakura, is being tried for treason. Intrigue abounds.
Overall, this novel was pretty clever. The story on Bakura had many layers, but about two thirds of the way through, the pieces fall into place rather obviously for most readers. It was interesting, and a bit refreshing, that most of the action took place away from the war against the Vong. However, there is a bit of a surprise near the end of the book that will cause most readers to scratch their head a bit.
Tahiri has an interesting role in this triology. She is dealing with an inner demon, and after this novel, she may never be the same again. This sub-plot has alternated between being interesting and annoying. Hopefully, it will reach an interesting conclusion in the third installment.
I'd recommend this novel to anyone that has been reading the New Jedi Order. I would not recommend starting with this novel. Go back to the beginning and read 'Vector Prime' and other novels in the series first.

Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds Saga (Jewel Case)

B0002IWYGS
Lucas Arts Entertainment Co. LLC
27 July, 2004

If you love the Age of the Empire series and you are a Star Wars fan you will love this game. It works exactly like Age of the Empire, it just has different names, i.e. carbon instead of lumber, nova instead of gold. The greatest difference is being able to do an air attack. It is great to finally get to use tie fighters or x-wings to fight. I really loved being able to send a hoard of AT-AT's to trample the enemy. Loads of fun and with the Clone Expansion there are lots of campains to fight. A must for any Star Wars Geek.

While not new or groundbreaking, this game is a lot of fun. Especially if you're like me and are a diehard Star Wars fan and you've enjoyed playing Age of Empires. The graphics were pretty good for it's time and the sound is the usual incredible Star Wars experience, gone are the days of X-Wing's terrible voice acting. Each of the sides are similar, but have some of their own unique units. At a time when Star Wars games were don the decline in quality this was a breath of fresh air. It also will run pretty well on a low end machine, in todays times that's hard to come by. It's definitly worth the $9.99 price of admission.

my dad ordered the star wars galactic battlegrounds and i had it in two days. we checked ebay but amazon.com had the best price

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter B000067K2DLucasarts Entertainment06 December, 2002Through Jango Fett--father (Star Wars)

2005-10-22T23:11:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter

B000067K2D
Lucasarts Entertainment
06 December, 2002
Through Jango Fett--father of Boba Fett--players will plunge into the dark, deadly world of a bounty hunter. Inspired by events between Episode I and Episode II, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter presents an original, compelling, third-person action experience that establishes Jango Fett's place in the Star Wars galaxy and his connection to the notorious Clone Army. The game draws players into Jango Fett's sinister and seedy world, where thieves and assassins thrive. Using his cunning and a host of deadly skills, Jango Fett ventures into the rarely explored dark side of the Star Wars universe to track down the elusive leader of a mysterious and deadly cult. All the while, he'll compete against a brutal rival from his past in a quest to capture the ultimate bounty, dead or alive.
Gameplay emphasizes intense combat and physical action in the relentless pursuit of prey across six fantastic worlds and 18 levels. Jango Fett faces off against an onslaught of the worst scum in the universe, including crime lords, corrupt politicians, and enemies of various species. He is equipped with an arsenal of powerful weapons such as dual blaster pistols, a flamethrower, missiles, and a distinctive jet pack.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. 

INTRODUCTION: 
Everyone knows that the Star Wars name is the ultimate in science fiction. Unfortunately, as far as video games go set in everyone's favorite galaxy far, far away, they have been hit and miss. For every excellent game like Rogue Leader, there's a crappy one like Masters Of Teras Kasi to bring the genre's name down in the dirt in the video gaming universe. The Episode II: Attack Of The Clones motion picture introduced us to an awesome character - Jango Fett, father of the classic Boba Fett. And in 2002, to accompany the film's release, a game was released in which the gamer could become Jango! Read on for my review of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. 

OVERVIEW: 
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter was released in 2002. The game is one player, and features three-dimensional platformer-styled action. It is available for the Playstation Two and Nintendo Gamecube consoles. 

REVIEW: 
I have to say, I had pretty high hopes for this game, but was pretty disappointed. I was as happy as any other Star Wars fanboy, finally getting to play the role of Jango before his unfortunate decaptiation on the wrong end of Mace Windu's lightsaber. Essentially, this game is straightforward platform action. Jango travels through various scenarios on his bounty hunts, tracking various means of making a living in the galaxy. While the premise sounds cool, the whole idea kind of falls flat. It's much too straightforward and VERY repetitive. Horrible level design and the fact that you can't save whenever you want don't help things either. And did I mention the painfully-long distance between save points? And that the camera sucks, and you have no control over it? Even hunting down the extra bounties and secrets don't add a whole lot of appeal to the game. Jango's got plenty of cool gadgets and moves, which add to the game's appeal somewhat, but the fact of the matter is that the whole package just seems a bit on the generic side. The production, with great graphics and sound, can't mask the fact that this is a generic three-dimensional platformer. And besides that, there are much better Star Wars games out there. This one's only for Star Wars fanboys like myself who want every game, or for those folks who just can't get enough of platformer action. 

EDITION NOTES: 
This game seems to be out of print now, but fortunately, used video game stores seem to get copies in on a regular basis. In other words, you shouldn't have a whole lot of trouble hunting this game down, if you really want to get it. 

OVERALL: 
What needs to be said has been said. Excellent production can't mask an otherwise generic game over which the Star Wars name has been thrown. While this game isn't terrible by any means (it puts garbage like Teras Kasi to shame), there are Star Wars games out there that are considerably better than this one. Stick with those. This one's for Star Wars and platformer die-hards only. 

Bounty Hunter is a game that follows Jango Fett, the father of the classic Boba Fett character and also the blueprint for the clone army in the Star Wars prequels. The game chronicles Jango's back story and how Dooku comes to recruit him, and is worth experiencing for Star Wars fans. But it's not always a fun ride.

The biggest problem I had was with the weapon selection and switching. Jango comes with all his trademark weapons from the film (flame thrower, rockets, grenades, darts, capture cord, etc), but only his standard twin pistols are effective in a firefight when you've got enemies swarming and shooting at you from all sides. With their average strength and accuracy, and Jango's limited amount of health, you'll be dying often as you make your way through the levels. Switching to other weapons requires going through an unintuitive pause screen (unless you want to be shot while doing so), and the rest of Jango's arsenal would've been much more useful if they could be mapped to the controller buttons and accessed on the fly.

The game also has an interesting bounty-hunting aspect where you can nab bounties that in turn unlock extras from the main menu. However, the process of identifying, marking, and capturing a bounty alive is more complicated than it should be, and you'll often be left vulnerable while trying to nab an enemy alive.

What Lucasarts does well with, like always, is the overall Star Wars polish. The in-game graphics aren't always amazing, but the cutscenes are nicely produced. Strong sound effects, John Williams music and voice-acting from the likes of Temura Morrison, Leeanna Walsman, Clancy Brown and Corey Burton really sell the Star Wars experience. And there's always the comic book panels, concept art, trading card images, and other extras to unlock. 

In the end, Bounty Hunter is still a very playable game, and dedicated Star Wars fans will certainly find this a worthwhile purchase (especially now, as it should be relatively cheap). There's really nothing outstanding to recommend to non-fans though, and the coolness of playing as Jango is occasionally lost in the clumsy weapons and bounty system. For the galaxy's most-feared bounty hunter, our boy gets killed pretty easily.

This is one of the greatest Star Wars games! Not only do you get to claim bounties other than the main baddies, but you can fry civilians! Nothing can satisfy you more then the sight of a well-done resident. You can use a bunch of weapons, like saberdart launchers, twin blaster pistols, whip-cord, ID scanners, and more!

You can't stop playing this game once you start. The graphics are great and the music is fabulous. The voices are also good. Bounty Hunter takes place through episodes one and two, so there's plenty of game play.

You will travel through many worlds and places like the home of some tusken raiders, or the skyscrapers of coruscant. You have to take out millions of Republic guards, aliens, out-laws, and rival bounty hunters. This game is over-all a great, must have game!

Star Wars: The Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen (AU Star Wars)

0739320351
Random House Audio
27 September, 2005

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode II - Attack (Star Wars)

2005-10-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode II - Attack of the Clones

0789485885
DK Publishing
23 April, 2002
A thousand years from now, someone might find a dusty collection of DK's Star Wars titles buried in a library vault and wonder at the ancient strife, fashions, and droids of this unusual, unmarked era in history. For one who didn't know this was a series of film characters and situations being analyzed and explained, it would be an extremely believable history resource. For those who do know, it's a fantastic reference guide for all things Star Wars. David West Reynolds's impressive scientific writing style renders this "visual dictionary" a veritable bible of intergalactic information related to Attack of the Clones, the second prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy. The most intricate details of the characters, creatures, and equipment of the film are revealed in crisp, annotated photographs and authoritative text. We see, close-up, the meltproof Ceramoid mesh of a scouter's pack; the traditional Ansata pattern on Jedi Jocasta Nu's tunic, symbolizing knowledge and learning; and the alarming features of Poggle the Lesser, ruler of the Stalgasin hive colony of Geonosians. Star Wars fans and future anthropologists alike will be wowed. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter
This book is very informative and it gives a lot of background information on characters that many star wars fans wouldn't know about. I am a HUGE star wars fan and this book is not a waste of money. There is a lot about Coruscant and the droid foundries of Geonosis. I learnt alot from this book, and it is ideal for any star wars fan's library.

For a Star Wars Fan, it is a must. However, as I described in the other books of this series, it has missing the starships pictures, but is is not a major problem, since the book depicts all hardware and aliens that appear in the film.

The Visual Dictionary of Ep2 once again gives us a more detailed review of the charcters from Ep1 and the arrival of new stars such as Jango Fett and his young cloned son, Boba.
However the best parts of this book is the development of Obi wan, Annikan, and of course the accidental [physcial] symbol of the new Star Wars generation, Padmae Amidala, executed in purfect form by Natalie Hershlag-Portman. Her now famous white combat suit is complemented by her other eyepopping outfits...Very nice.
A must for those who are keeping a library on this epic tail.

Star Wars vs. Star Trek

B00005UQ9D
Passport Video
18 December, 2001

come on dont waste your time . being a fan is one thing,but this is too much.

No, I have not seen this, nor will I. I am a fan of BOTH and comapring the two is idiotic. Get a life, and don't waste the money on this.

This very poorly produced film only makes me want to see a "real" documentry made, co-produced by Paramount and 20th Century Fox on the possitive effects that these two space sagas have had for their fans and for pop culture in general. That would be better and more fitting, then this tabloid trash film.

Star Wars Episode 1 Carded Yoda B0009Z3KR6Brian's Toys, Inc. Star (Star Wars)

2005-10-22T04:09:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Episode 1 Carded Yoda

B0009Z3KR6
Brian's Toys, Inc.

Star Wars Episode 1: The Gungan Frontier

B00000IWIZ
Lucas Learning

The third Episode I game from Lucas Learning is actually an educational title aimed at players ages 10 and up. The Gungan Frontier is a simulation (similar to SimCity) in which you must help the Gungans colonize the water moon of Naboo. It seems that the original Gungan city, home to Jar-Jar Binks and Boss Nass, is getting a little overcrowded and the Gungan High Council wants you (playing as either Obi-Wan Kenobi or Queen Amidala) to help them set up a new city on the moon. To do so, you'll have to populate the moon with plant and animal life from Naboo, creating and maintaining a balanced ecosystem.
The game has two difficulty settings and can be played at three different speeds. To do well in the game, you must continuously monitor the plant and animal populations and make sure that the Gungans do not harvest too many natural resources. As you play, Boss Nass, R2-D2, and Jar-Jar will keep you posted on your progress. The game also offers a Create-a-Critter feature that lets you design your own plants and animals for use in the game. You can't customize their appearance very much, but you can modify all of their vital statistics and give them a name. The game is designed for younger gamers, but adults may find it equally engaging. --Mike Ryan

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi B000B6G3EKCommodore 64 Star Wars: (Star Wars)

2005-10-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

B000B6G3EK
Commodore 64

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures Volume 4 (Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures)

1593074026
Dark Horse
19 October, 2005

The Operational Art Of War Hist B000059P12Global Star Software GBA (Star Wars)

2005-10-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

The Operational Art Of War Hist

B000059P12
Global Star Software

GBA Lego Star Wars with Free Yoda Mini Magnet Figure

B00081RYNW
Eidos Interactive
15 April, 2005

We bought this game for my five-year old sons birthday along with the game boy. This is his first experience with video games and he loves this one. It's not too hard, but he has to think to advance the game. I find my husband playing this one also. Overall, it is a great starter game.

I bought this for my 5 year old, he enjoys it, and is able to play without too much difficulty, and I was able to beat the game in a couple of days.

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: Tarfful Firing Bowcaster (Star Wars)

2005-10-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: Tarfful Firing Bowcaster

B000930D7I
Hasbro

Well here is a very memorable charecter from episode III. He was a fellow friend of chewbacca and Yoda and liked on the planet Kashyyyk. He is a pretty tall figure in scale with the others and he comes with a bowcaster and some sort of log.

Tarfful is a Wookie warrior who plays a crucial and pivotal role in REVENGE OF THE SITH (among other things saving Yoda's life). Now that everyone can see the Wookie battle that's been over 20 years in the making, it's only right that people can have the action figures to go along with the different Wookies, too. Everyone always seemed to be impressed with Chewbacca and his size and fright factor. However, just by looking at the action figure, Tarfful makes Chewie look like a young pup. Tarfful at least appears to be much larger than Chewbacca. His fur is also a mixture of gold, brown, and white. And he's got dreadlocks. Tarfful comes with a Wookie bowcaster that actually shoots a "projectile." Just don't shoot it too far otherwise you might loose it. An impressive addition to any STAR WARS collection.

Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast

B00005LABK
LucasArts Entertainment

In the tradition of the multi-award-winning Star Wars: Jedi Knight, Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2, Jedi Outcast features rebel agent Kyle Katarn in exhilarating first-person action. Several years have passed since Kyle avenged his father's death and saved the Valley of the Jedi from Jerec and his band of Dark Jedi. Allowing his Force powers to languish for fear of falling to the dark side, Kyle entrusted his lightsaber to Luke Skywalker, vowing never to use it again. But when a new and menacing threat to the galaxy emerges, Kyle knows he must reclaim his past in order to save his future.
LucasArts is developing Jedi Outcast in partnership with Activision's critically acclaimed Raven Software. Players assume the role of Kyle as they employ a unique mix of weapons, Force powers, and the lightsaber in both single- and multiplayer modes. Jedi Outcast features expanded and enhanced use of the lightsaber, with new attack and defense moves. Tap into the powers of the Force, including jump, push, Jedi mind tricks, and more. Employ combat or stealth, depending on the situation. When a fight is necessary, be at the ready with an arsenal of weapons: stun baton, Bryar blast pistol, and blaster rifle to name but a few.
Explore breathtaking Star Wars locales such as Cloud City, the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, Nar Shaddaa, the smugglers' moon--plus some never-before-seen locations. Multiplayer options include deathmatch, saber-only deathmatch, and team capture the flag.
If you love watching Jedi battles then pick this one up its great however in the first few levels you dont get lightsabers you get them a bit later and Ill tell you this is one really long game good story you get to fight along side with lukeskywalker or Lando.Not to mention the force powers from lightning to lightsaber throw mindtrick push and more so you can think of multiple ways for taking out your enemys

The multiplayer is very fun tons of games and levels and gamemodes pick from tons of charecters and pick what color you want your lightsaber to be.Playing Capture the flag with lightsabers is alot of fun 
So if you own a Computer,PS2,Gamecube,or an Xbox and you like lightsabers then order this game right now

Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast. The third game in the Star Wars Dark Forces series. 

INTRODUCTION: 
I've pretty much always been a fan of Star Wars, and as you may have guessed, I'm a fan of many of the games based on the series. Although Star Wars games are often hit and miss, when one succeeds, it usually succeeds beautifully. One of the most interesting ideas for a Star Wars game was Dark Forces, released for the Playstation One and the PC. Although the game itself was horrendous, with a terribly-choppy framerate and very poor level design, it was something the world had never seen before - a Star Wars first-person shooter. The sequel, Jedi Knight, cleaned up a lot of the problems, and added in some new innovations. And now the third game in the series, Jedi Outcast, has arrived. Like previous games in this sub-series, it has gotten a multi-console release. Read on to see how it fares! 

OVERVIEW: 
Jedi Outcast is a Star Wars first-person shooter. The game has a one-player quest, as well as several different multiplayer modes. 

REVIEW: 
To put it simply, this game is everything the original Dark Forces should have been. While not perfect, this game is a huge improvement over its predecessors. Once again you play the role of Kyle Katarn, the agent from the other Dark Forces titles. The second Death Star has been destroyed, but many Imperial forces still fight on, so it's up to you to infiltrate their hideouts and exterminate them. The graphics are, for the most part, solid. I was impressed at how good they are for this kind of game. Nothing state-of-the-art, but they're still pretty damn good. Control has also been given an overhaul and rightfully so, since this game lets you use force powers and wield a lightsaber. The single-player mode is extremely entertaining, and the fact that the game offers multiplayer options only adds to the overall value of the package. And you can save whenever you want to in the single-player mode! But, of course, the game isn't perfect. Like earlier Dark Forces games, the level design just is not that good. Too many areas look alike, and there are too many instant death spots that are just too easy to fall into. Likewise, in many cases your objectives are unclear, and some of the puzzles are a pain - I don't know about you, but I buy first-person shooters to shoot people, not solve puzzles! Because of the imbalanced puzzles and often poor level design, it took me over an hour just to beat the first level! Another huge problem is availability. Lack of custom control configuration also plagues the game. This is a huge problem, since the game's limited control selections will often clash with what you're used to for this sort of game. This game wasn't released on the Gamecube in very high quanitites, so you're gonna have to shell out the full new price just to get a USED copy - and in my mind, it's NOT worth that price. Sad but true. I do recommend this game to Star Wars fans, just be warned that it's not perfect, and it's hard to get a copy. 

EDITION NOTES: 
This is a good game, but for some strange reason it just wasn't available on the Gamecube for very long. Because of this, even USED copies fetch close to the original new retail price. This is extremely annoying for people like me who want to get every Star Wars game. Still, you should hunt it down if you're into this sort of thing. 

OVERALL: 
Overall this is the best game in the Dark Forces sub-series thusfar. Where the game succeeds, it succeeds beautifully. I am impressed with the game, it's just a shame the Gamecube version was not made readily available to all would-be players. I strongly recommend this game if you can get a hold of it - I doubt it will disappoint any Star Wars fan. 

...and three years later I buy the game.
Wow! Awesome! I can't believe it runs so well after the three years of its release! Everything looks and feels great on my XP. This is one of the only games I have purchased and and not had to return due to the CD being messed up or some corrupted file. So... I'm happy!

I thought no one would play the multi player anymore but there seem to always be games going on. Yep, this is a game I would suggest to any gamer.

Lego Star Wars (DVD) (Mac) B0007ZNN48Aspyr Media23 August, 2005This game (Star Wars)

2005-10-21T04:07:00.000-07:00

Lego Star Wars (DVD) (Mac)

B0007ZNN48
Aspyr Media
23 August, 2005

This game is very machine specific..I ordered it for my grandson's birthday and have to return it because the Mac at his house is not the right one for this game. A great disappointment. The technology exists to make things more diverse & be compatible with many computers...this game isn't.

Does not work on a normal G4 iMac. Must have a G4 PowerMac or better. Recommended is a G5!!!

Okay, so I would've given this game three and a half stars, but I had to bump it up to four... oh well ;-) Anywho, I would say most of all that this game is a good distraction. Huge Star Wars fans (of which I am a party to) will really enjoy the details and references and the unlockables in this game - which will allow you to finally get to a point where you can kill Jar Jar Binks in the fighting mode (snicker, snicker...). The game play is simple and easy, yet there are definite problems with some of the controls and camera angles, which are OFTEN jerky and awkward, causing repeated falls down cliffs and blaster shots to the plastic behind, dropping down your cutesy little life hearts to zero before you can even turn to face your stubby attacker.

Altogether, the cute little figures and neat-o weapons and unlockables (including droids! oh, dozens and dozens of useless droids...) fail to really make up for the crappy gameplay. I would say, if you're a Star Wars fan, shell out the forty and pick it up for a nice 3-5 hour distraction. If not - well, then, don't.

Ultimate Alien Anthology (Star Wars Roleplaying Game)

0786928883
Wizards of the Coast
19 April, 2003

This book ROCKS! One look at it and it starts to sink in exactly how diverse the StarWars universe has become. It expands upon races in the Core Rulebook as well as introducing huge numbers of interesting aliens. Also included are a few new feats and a couple of Prestige classes that are very welcome.

Whether you play this game or not, getting this book just for background info on races in StarWars makes this book worth it to me.

I would definitely recommend buying this as your second book after the core rulebook. Basically, it's just pack from front to back with a few hundred alien species. All stats are given, so every alien type is available for player or GM characters. Some have complained that there are no creatures in this book, but the Star Wars series has never been about dungeon crawling. If you need creatures, the famous ones are in the core book, and if you want new ones, there's a good creature creation section there too. This book, on the other hand, gets to the meat of Star Wars encounters--facing down aliens of all races and types. You'll definitely want to pick this up to populate your campaigns. Before long, you'll be able to recreate your very own alien cantina. Perhaps my only complaint is that the artwork was done by several artists, and some of the artwork isn't as good as it could be. Hopefully in a future edition, some of the sketchy artwork will be replaced.

Now, I don't play the card game, but I was amazed at how many races of aliens were actually in Star Wars! There is in-depth information on all of the races including home planet, culture, and fighting abilities. This is a must for anyone. The ONLY reason I gave this book a 4 was because a few races are missing. For example the Selkath. Still, buy this book

Darksaber (Star Wars) (Star Wars) 0553099744Spectra01 October, 1995You know what (Star Wars)

2005-10-21T00:07:00.000-07:00

Darksaber (Star Wars) (Star Wars)

0553099744
Spectra
01 October, 1995
You know what they say: build a better a Death Star and the Hutts will beat a path to your door. Poor Bevel Lemelisk, the inventor of the Empire's signature moon-size battle station, has done just that, and now he's in the service of Durga the Hutt (only a marginal improvement over working for Emperor Palpatine, who was in the habit of gruesomely executing Lemelisk, only to recombobulate him into a newly cloned body).
It's eight years after the battle of Endor, and the Hutts are hoping to make a galactic power play using Lemelisk's latest project, a sort of cylindrical Death Star superlaser-on-steroids, dubbed Darksaber. But the newly empowered Rebels and the recovering Empire aren't sitting idle. As the book opens, Han and Luke are sneaking their way across Tatooine's Dune Sea, dressed in Tusken drag. Luke's looking to commune with Obi-Wan to learn how to save his Jedi squeeze, Callista, recently rescued from the innards of the ship computer on Palpatine's super-duper Star Destroyer. Meanwhile, the ranks of the Imperial Fleet swell under the charismatic Admiral Daala. Will Luke help Callista touch the Force again? Where will Daala's fleet strike a blow against the New Republic? Will Lemelisk's new invention hold together long enough to save his own hide? The skilled Kevin J. Anderson sure makes it fun to find out. --Paul Hughes
I can not stand this book. I can't even finish reading it. Kevin J Anderson can not write original Star Wars books at all. The only thing I have ever seen with his name on it that was entertaining was the Dark Lords of the Sith comic book. Everything he writes is unoriginal and lacking in story. He seems to have some obsession with Death Stars and world destroyers because all he seems to put in his books are those. Darksaber, Jedi Search, Dark Apprentice, Champions of the Force, heck even the IG-88 story he wrote for Tales of the Bounty Hunters had the Death Star tied in (IG-88 transfers himself into the Death Star...what the heck?) Seriously, this book is not worth it. Try Timothy Zahn or Michael Stackpole. At least they don't always use Death Stars. And while Zahn's last 3 books are based around Thrawn, the original Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command, when Thrawn first appeared, was not him dry humping the same concept over and over.

boring book. it has too many side plots which make no sense. i tried reading the book but got so bored i couldn't finish.

please don't waste your money on this just stick with timothy zahn star wars. this book just stinks. 

maybe the expanded universe has gotten too expanded. this writer should give it a rest, please!!!

This book was a complete letdown. I haven't read that many Star Wars books yet, in fact, "Darksaber" and "Shadow of the Empire" are the only two that I have read thus far, but these were so terrible that I must warn those who are just beginning to read Star Wars literature NOT to begin with these two.
I will admit that "Darksaber" had a few redeeming aspects of it that makes it worth reading though, even if it is an embarrassing failure.
For instance, scattered throughout the book are flashbacks to past events that took place during the time of the movies and plot developments never explained in the movies such as: who designed the Death Star, who worked on it, and the Hitlerian philosophy of the Imperials. I also liked how Anderson depicted the Imperials, giving them a greater depth than I had previously encountered. I also liked how Anderson made reference to and revisited well known locations in the Star Wars universe, although at times it felt as if he was attempting to cram as much of it as possible into a short book of 300 or so pages, making Luke and Callista's journeys to those locations seem more an excuse for Anderson to write about them in his book rather than having a pertinent reason for going there. I also thought the inclusion of the Hutts had potential and would have been a noble idea had it been done by a better author.
Although these were all laudable aspects of "Darksaber," they just weren't good enough or written well enough to save the rest of the novel from a state of ludicriously bad writing.
Most of the plot scenes were irrelevant, inpertinent, and pointless. The characters were wooden, shallow, and lacking in personality. Even the ones who had potential such as Pellaeon and Daala fell far short of the author's aspirations.
Durga the Hutt seemed more like a character used for tasteless comic relief than a notorious crime lord.
Also, given the fact that the Empire considers females and nonhuman species inferior it seems highly unlikely that the Emperorless Imperials would have so readily followed a woman, especially when Daala went against all the principles of the Empire to give aliens and females equal opportunities.
Bevel Lemelisk, although being a character that had potential, became one of the worst characters ever created under Anderson's amateur guidance.
The destruction of the Death Star was horribly anticlimatic, making it one of the most hyped up and pointless events in the book.
One event that irritated me, although it didn't have much relevance to the rest of the story's plot, but is a perfect example of one of the main things that makes this book so horrible, is when Han and Luke travel with a group of Tusken Raiders on Tatooine. Anderson only vaguely and inadequately explains why they would do such a thing and, again, only seems to be another weak excuse to mention a well known Star Wars ingredient in his badly written book.
The entire scene on Hoth with Luke and Callista (who I might add is one dimensional, annoyingly whiny, and frustratingly weak) was another lame excuse to mention a trademark Star Wars location.
I could go on at length as to why this book fails, but that would probably be a book in itself, so I'll just leave you with what I have written and hope that was enough to convince you to avoid this book.

Wraith Squadron (Star Wars: X-Wing Series, Book 5)

0553578944
Spectra
02 February, 1998

I enjoyed this book. It was slow at times and I skimmed here and there but overall it was a good read. It was fun to read how these "misfits" came together to be a force that played a part in the NJO series. Read this and you will not be disappointed.

The X-Wing series is a great read whether one likes Star Wars or not. Fans of flying, warfare, and special OPs will love this series and in particular, this book. This was the first X-wing book that I read. It was also the only one I read again. While the whole series is very good and well written, Wraith Squadron is by far the very best. The Characters created in this book are wonderful and help to paint wonderful pictures in one's mind. The author does a wonderful job of weaving the characters' lives into the Star Wars world without contradicting any other part of it. He is true to the tradition. This is also a good read if you just saw Star Wars III and are feeling really bummed about the rise of the Empire and the triumph of evil. The tactics used by the "Wraith Squadron" will have readers on the edge of their seats! Enjoy the gripping tails of dog fights and secret operations. Remember Edmund Burke once said, "All that is neccessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." So get out there and read that book!

Wraith Squadron - X-Wing Book Five (1998.) Book five in a nine-part series. 

INTRODUCTION: 
The Star Wars film series is, without question, the greatest science fiction series of all time. George Lucas captured the minds of people young and old across the world. But as anyone knows, there were only three films (this was before the prequels), and for many people, this just wasn't enough. And thus, the Star Wars Expanded Universe was born. The Expanded Universe consisted of comic books, video games, novels, and other media. Many of the stories focused on the characters in the films, many focused on unknown characters from the same universe. Among the authors who tried their hands at creating Star Wars novels was Aaron Allston. In the mid-late nineties, Michael A. Stackpole created the four-book X-Wing series. The X-Wing series was announced to continue beyond Stackpole's initial four books, but with a different author. How does Allston's take on this series compare to Stackpole's? Read on for my review of Wraith Squadron.

STORYLINE: 
This book picks up where the last one left off. Wedge Antilles has an idea for a new kind of squadron, which high ranking Rebel Alliance/New Republic military officials reluctantly agree to let him form. The newly-formed Wraith Squadron's specialty is not in piloting skills, but rather on-the-ground commando tactics. Although these pilots were misfits and outcasts initially, Antilles has brought them together, seeing major potential in their abilities. And a great opportunity arises for the newly-formed Wraiths - the opportunity to steal one of the Empire's Blockade Runners.

OPINIONS: 
Overall, I was very satisfied with this story. I doubted this series would do well without Stackpole at the helm, but I was dead wrong. Although I DO think Stackpole is the better X-Wing author, Allston does a damn good job. Rather than sticking with the Rogues Stackpole made us all familiar with, Allston focuses almost exclusively on the Wraiths - characters new to this novel. I really missed characters like Ooryl, Nawara Ven, and Corran Horn, but I don't blame Allston for focusing more on new characters. I have only two major complaints with this novel. First and foremost, Allston introduces too many characters in too little time. But it's not like he's the only author that has ever done that. The other complaint is that Allston likes to drag the chapter lengths out. We're not talking the unbearable Alan Dean Foster lengths here, but still, I prefer Stackpole's "short and to the point" chapter style. Despite minor flaws, this is an excellent book. Allston is a great author, and I hope he decides to write additional Star Wars novels.

EDITION NOTES:
This novel is still in print and readily available at most bookstores. Can't say much else here.

OVERALL: 
In the end, I must say that I am very satisfied with this story, and I am not at all reluctant to say that it would make for a fantastic movie - if George Lucas decides to make future Star Wars movies, this is a novel I would strongly recommend converting to the big screen. If you're a Star Wars fan who wants to go beyond the films, Stackpole and Allston's X-Wing series should appeal to you - that is, unless, you just want to follow the exploits of the main classic trilogy characters. Just make sure to start with Book One and read the series in order, or you may be left dazed and confused. 

Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast Collectors Edition B0000639W2LucasArts (Star Wars)

2005-10-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast Collectors Edition

B0000639W2
LucasArts Entertainment
27 March, 2002
This collector's edition contains Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast, the full version of the original Star Wars: Jedi Knight, the full version of (I)Dark Forces(/i) and an official Jedi Outcast keychain, all within a custom tin box.
In the tradition of the multi-award-winning Star Wars: Jedi Knight, Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast features rebel agent Kyle Katarn in exhilarating first-person action. Several years have passed since Kyle avenged his father's death and saved the Valley of the Jedi from Jerec and his band of Dark Jedi. Allowing his Force powers to languish for fear of falling to the dark side, Kyle entrusted his lightsaber to Luke Skywalker, vowing never to use it again. But when a new and menacing threat to the galaxy emerges, Kyle knows he must reclaim his past in order to save his future.
LucasArts is developing Jedi Outcast in partnership with Activision's critically acclaimed Raven Software. Players assume the role of Kyle as they employ a unique mix of weapons, Force powers, and the lightsaber in both single- and multiplayer modes. Jedi Outcast features expanded and enhanced use of the lightsaber, with new attack and defense moves. Tap into the powers of the Force, including jump, push, Jedi mind tricks, and more. Employ combat or stealth, depending on the situation. When a fight is necessary, be at the ready with an arsenal of weapons: stun baton, Bryar blast pistol, and blaster rifle to name but a few.
Explore breathtaking Star Wars locales such as Cloud City, the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, Nar Shaddaa, the smugglers' moon--plus some never-before-seen locations. Multiplayer options include deathmatch, saber-only deathmatch, and team capture the flag.
Dont get me wrong, this was a pretty fun game and the story was decent. Graphics were good and enjoyable...
The game would deem a challenge if it weren't for force powers. I mean, the game was more of a challenge pre-lighsaber. Granted it was just the first few levels so it couldn't be anything too hardcore. If the game was restricted like the first few levels, it would have deems difficult, but it isn't now is it?
The game becomes tedious and boring right about then. Force Speed + Lightsaber = Everyone Dies....At the offset of an engagement, activate force speed and you whip around too fast for anyone to kill you. So every bad guy you come across, you activate that and run at them causing their demise. Not to mention the force choke off high place ;-)
overall the game was fun, but it loses a lot of points because it gets too easy with the force speed followed by lightsaber attack...

Please, be warned, before you read my review that my views are not usually looked upon as the popular choice, but hey I speak my mind.
Firstly, they don't just drop you off a cliff, so to speak, like in DFII, and they do allow for you to get used to the controls before real combat. The levels are intricate and innovative, whereas the game is long (unless you use cheat codes, it is the shortened to around 6 hours.) Also, unlike in DFII, the game gets interesting from the start. You have to use strategy throughout the game, instead of just going: SHOOT EM' UP SHOOT EM' UP!!!
Also, the weapons get unique. the Tenloss DX/R disruptor Sniper rifle is a favorite of mine, as well as the Destructive Elctromagnetic Pulse Weapon: Type 2 (DEMP 2). also, the lightsaber is much more realistic in this than DFII. For example, you can chop off limbs in both games, but you can only chop at the shoulder in DFII, where in JKII, you can chop of the hand, the forearm, even the head off. The seeking missle option on the Merr-Sonn PMX portable missle launcher is quite extraordinary. Det. packs are much an asset as well.
The NPC's are extremely intelligent in JKII. they can see you firing and run away. Also, they will fire at spots you can't deflect easily.
The force is quite interesting, allowing that you are a Dark and Light jedi at the same time, with powers such as grip, lightning, heal, and protect. Grip is cool because you can move your enemy around, dropping them off cliffs or using them as shields. The lightsaber throw is quite cool.
Allowing that you are hardcore enough to learn the lightsaber moves by heart, the duels are interesting. I prefer the "death from above" combo in medium style. you do a flip wityh your lightsaber making a horizontal slash while inverted. This is a hard move to time, but causes instant death to anyone who it hits.
THE PRECEDING WAS A REVIEW OF JKII ONLY!!!

What can I say, I was not totally sure I would like this first person shooter/Third person when with lightsaber. Im sure now.
The game is well worth it! Many hours of fun!
A TRUE WINNER!!!

Inside the Worlds of Star Wars, Episode II - Attack of the Clones: The Complete Guide to the Incredible Locations

078949227X
DK CHILDREN
February, 2003

Some of you might not be aware of this, and some of you might be: I am a cross-sections addict! If there was a cross-sections book on something as meaningless to me as the insides of a toilet, chances are that I'd be interested in it. That said...after reading Inside the Worlds of Episode 2 I can't help but wonder why no one else has reviewed this. I mean, it's not like it was released a few days ago. This has some sights in it that are, in my opinion, simply incredible. The Clone Army's training center alone was worth buying this book. The book even lays out events like the ending battle in the movie and routes taken during the speeder chase on coruscant. There's stuff in here that was never mentioned in the movie (even in the deleted scenes), and it's stuff that makes the world of Star Wars just come alive in its own way. Now, Mr. Lucas, once you're done with Episode 3, how about making a movie where you give a tour of these locations?

Star Wars Episode III Battlepack Figures: Rebel Vs. Empire B000BO25GWHasbro (Star Wars)

2005-10-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Episode III Battlepack Figures: Rebel Vs. Empire

B000BO25GW
Hasbro

Star Wars Animated Adventures - Droids (The Pirates and the Prince / Treasures of the Hidden Planet)

B0002YCUPC
Fox Home Entertainme
23 November, 2004

This was really bad. I had to force myself to finish the first "feature film." I now realize why this only lasted a short time. There was really no point. Compared to the Clone Wars this was bantha poodoo.

With shows like Clone Wars now entertaining young audiences, one has to wonder if they should bother showing thier children anything that belongs in the original trilogy universe in terms of spin-offs, there was never a "definitive" animated series featuring Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, Han Solo, etc, however, this show featured the two Droids.

"Droids" is NOT set AFTER the original trilogy, it's set BEFORE it, a series of five episode arcs featured R2-D2 and 3-PO having different adventures with a different matser with each new arc, it was something that was rare in shows of that decade, and it kep the premise fresh...the premise of the two droids going through various comedy acts, whilst being pursued by The Empire.

I would recommend a BOX SET, but NOT this DVD, it only has two horribly-spliced together episodes on it, hardly anything that would represent this series fairly to a cyncial or cautious viewer, of course there's enough humour in it to keep your children happy

And it's a known fact, those who tell people in an immatue fashion to "get a life", usually only say that when they, themselves, have made a mess of thier own.

This series of short adventures that featured the Droids and the Ewoks was almost done as a after thought, designed to cash in on the popularity of Star Wars a year after the trilogy was finished. But Lucasfilm was never really happy with the series, the animation drawings were a bit sub-par, the voice acting not very good, and the writing was standard Weekend animation scripts. It was really no wonder that this series was pulled from the air after only two seasons. I'm surprised even this many remember the show because it was on for short a time. I can only sy to all of you, GET A LIFE.

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: General Grievous Exploding (Star Wars)

2005-10-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: General Grievous Exploding Body

B0006OCFEE
Hasbro

General Grievous, the evil commander of the droid army in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith always seemed pretty cocky for an android with a respiratory problem. But then again, who could blame him? Not only was he extraordinarily powerful, he was so darn crafty, always getting away from danger whenever some impassioned Jedi threatened to put an end to his dubious deeds. In this action figure form, we meet the more brittle side of Grievous as the General falls apartphysically not emotionallywhenever your pretend play sees fit for him to do so. Unfortunately, putting Grievous back together again and having him stay intact proved very tricky indeed. --Charlie Williams
I got this figure at wal mart,and I thought it would be great. I was wrong.When I took it out, it fell apart instintly.It is impossible to put back together.The exploding body doesn't work well.I'd reccomend this toy for leave in the package types.

I read all off these guys reivews and i figured i take there advice but i have all the other figures so i told my self i would by this last and i did. i was smart though because i kept the rubber band that wraps him together.so he is just like a regular action figure so my advice to you is to return it then by it again. and when you wrap him cross the band around his neck about 4-7 times. But i really do love this toy

This toy is ok, once you take the rubber bands off and make him explode when you put him togeather he falls apart. If you throw the rubber band away he will never fight again, or stay togeather, so if you want a good Grivous buy the 4 lightsaber attack one.

Star Wars Racer Revenge: Racer II

B00005V3FC
Lucasarts Entertainment
15 February, 2002
Originally released for the Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo 64, Star Wars: Episode I, Racer was a decent title with its share of flaws--most notably its control and graphics. The game's PlayStation2 sequel, Star Wars: Racer Revenge, addresses many of the original's shortcomings and is a vastly superior product. Rainbow Studios--known for its strong racers such as ATV Offroad Fury and Motocross Madness--developed this game, unlike the original. The developer's prowess at creating racing games is evident, as this title features much better controls and more compelling races. Furthermore, it receives a nice graphics upgrade that showcases the capabilities of the PS2. This game is superior in every respect to its predecessor.
Game modes include practice, single play, tournament, time trials, and versus. Tournament mode is the bulk of the game. Players can beat it in fewer than three hours and it isn't particularly difficult. Replay value is added by requiring you to beat the tournament mode several times so you can unlock all the game's secrets. Oddly enough, the game's sound--usually LucasArts's forte--is hampered by an unusual effect: at times you'll hear the full Star Wars treatment, as John Williams's score and cool sound effects totally capture the feel of the movies, but other times you'll hear only the sound of your engine. The environmental audio is an interesting choice that wasn't executed very well. Audio and brevity issues aside, this game is one of the strongest Star Wars titles released for a console. --Raymond M. Padilla
Pros:

Much better gameplay than the original
Excellent graphics
Tight controls
Cons:

Extremely short
Not very challenging
Music fade-ins and -outs are weird

WHY IS EVERYONE SAYING THIS GAME IS EASY???!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
THIS IS THE MOST FRUSTRATING HARDEST GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED! (...)IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE FUN AND EASY IN THE BEGINNING BUT THEN IT GETS IMPOSSIBLE!!!(...) DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!! IT IS SO(...)FRUSTRATING!!(...) AAAAAAAHHH(...)

I would like to know when this game will come out.

I've had this racing game since it was released and I still think it is the best racing game I have ever played. Lucasarts should make a sequal for the next set of consoles.

The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide 0811828697Chronicle BooksNovember, (Star Wars)

2005-10-20T06:14:00.000-07:00

The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide

0811828697
Chronicle Books
November, 2001

This book is amazing, from the synthetic "dewback skin" cover to the authentic looking field notes and sketches. Author Terryl Whitlatch has really hit it out of the ballpark with this one. The drawings are beautiful and the information is interesting (even though it is all made up). Even though I am not a big fan of Star Wars, I did recognize a few of the creatures in this book and was amazed by the vast array of animals that George Lucas has inhabited that galaxy far, far away of his. The drawings are detailed and in beautiful color, and I really enjoyed the fake dirt used to make the drawings appear as if they had been out in the field with a researcher. Overall, I would really recommend this book, even if you are not a huge SW fan like me. And if you think it is nerdy to buy a book about the wildlife of a fantasy galaxy, then you are right, but embrace that inner geek and go ahead and buy it! You may not understand all of it, but the drawings alone make it a spectacular addition to the library of anyone, Lucas fan or not.

This has to be the best Star Wars book I've ever read. I am an animal lover and I had been looking around for this kind of book forever. Beautiful beautiful beautiful pictures. Great writing. Just amazing. Anyone who likes Star Wars or animals should get this book.

This book is quite possibly the most masterful artistic compilation relating to Star Wars that has been put out in recent years. From the "dewback hide" covers and through every page in between, the reader finds himself immersed in a vision of the Star Wars universe that is so lavish and full of life that he may not want to leave. Clearly, the people who put this book together were not working on a project, they were building a labor of love, and it shows on every page. And yes, it really *is* an excellent wildlife reference too!
If you're buying this book for yourself, it will stand out as the pride of your Star Wars library for years to come. If you're buying it as a gift for a fan of any age, prepare to be showered with gratitude. The book is so endearing that even people who may not necessarily be fans of the genre will certainly come to admire it. The Wildlife of Star Wars is well worth every penny.

Star Wars Tales of the Jedi (Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi (Audio))

1565119738
Highbridge Audio
05 May, 2005

Star Wars Tales of the Jedi is finally out on audio CD it tells the story of the jedi knights 4000 years before Star Wars Episode 4. Star Wars Tales of the Jedi & Star Wars Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith are a must read. These stories are heavily referred to when playing Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic & Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords. This is a great story to listen to and sounds even better on audio CD, I'm glad the publisher released it to audio CD this no doubt is a timeless classic.

Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2) (Star Wars)

2005-10-20T02:09:00.000-07:00

Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2)

0553560719
Spectra
01 February, 1993

Dark Force Rising (1992.) A Star Wars novel by Timothy Zahn. Book two in a three-part series. 

INTRODUCTION: 
The Star Wars film series is, without question, the greatest science fiction series of all time. George Lucas captured the minds of people young and old across the world. But as anyone knows, there are only a limited number of films, and for many people, this just wasn't enough. And thus, the Star Wars Expanded Universe was born. The Expanded Universe consisted of comic books, video games, novels, and other media. Many of the stories focused on the characters in the films, many focused on unknown characters from the same universe. Among the authors who tried their hands at creating Star Wars novels was Timothy Zahn. He was a fairly notable science fiction author, and in 1991, he released the first truly-successful Expanded Universe novel - the classic Heir To The Empire. It was book one in a three-part series, followed by the sequels Dark Force Rising and The Last Command. Read on for my review of the second book in Zahn's trilogy, and see if it lives up to the hype! 

STORYLINE: 
The Thrawn trilogy begins five years after Return of the Jedi, meaning this trilogy takes place after The Courtship Of Princess Leia, but before the Jedi Academy Trilogy. Essentially, Han and Leia are now married, and Leia is pregnant with twins. Luke has received visions from Obi-Wan and Yoda that inspire him to want to train new Jedi Knights. Unfortunately, the Empire, while in a weakened state, is still a threat. Grand Admiral Thrawn has taken charge of the remnants of the Empire, and has joined forces with the clone of a Jedi Master believed to be long dead. The New Republic's military must do everything in its power to deal with Thrawn's threat, because if they don't, they could lose everything they have fought so hard for.... 

OPINIONS: 
Star Wars novels, much like Star Wars video games, are hit and miss in their execution. Being the first wildly-successful Star Wars novels, I had my doubts that authors would have gotten it all together yet (after all, pre-1991 stores like Splinter Of The Mind's Eye and The Lando Calrissian Adventures were godawful.) Boy, was I wrong. There's a reason the Thrawn Trilogy is so popular. Zahn excellently captures the personalities of the characters we know and love, while adding in plenty of new ones, and doing a good job with them as well. If you're a Star Wars fan, this is a must-read. If you've never read a Star Wars novel before, this series would probably be a good place to start. 

EDITION NOTES: 
This remains one of the most widely loved and popular Star Wars novels. With its popularity remaining constant as the years pass by, it's likely to remain on store shelves for years to come. You shouldn't have to look hard - pretty much every bookstore has this one. 

OVERALL: 
Timothy Zahn was the first Star Wars author to create novels that were this excellent, and it's not hard to see why. If you're at all a fan of Star Wars, even if you've never read any of the novels before, you should greatly consider reading the Thrawn Trilogy. I really doubt any fan of the franchise will be disappointed with it.


"Dark Force Rising" is the second volume of the Thrawn Trilogy written by Timothy Zahn. Han Solo and Lando Calrissian are working to discover the identity of the intelligence leak within the New Republic High Council. As they work on this they learn of the leak they learn of the existence of the legendary Katana fleet which disappeared decades before. Leia Organa Solo is seeking to convince the Noghiri race to stop hunting her and to abandon their servitude to the Empire. Luke Skywalker, on the other hand, feels a call of a long lost Jedi Master named Joruus C'Boath. Joruus is quite insane and also happens to be a clone of the real Jedi Jorus C'Boath who was lost during the Clone Wars. The Grand Admiral Thrawn seeks to claim the Katana Fleet for his own and to crush the Rebellion, as he still sees it. 

There is a lot of plot in this book, and while there is a slow start and I felt for at least half of this book that "Heir to the Empire" was far better, "Dark Force Rising" picks up midway through the book and by the end I was just as impressed as I had hoped to be. It is very easy to see why Timothy Zahn's trilogy provided the spark which led to so many more Star Wars novels. These are well told tales featuring our favorite characters from the movies and they are brand new adventures. In the midst of the hundred or so Star Wars novels it is easy to forget that these books here really set the stage and while there were Star Wars novels written before "Heir to the Empire", nothing really compares to this series and this is really the standard for all future Star Wars novels. 

Not a perfect book, by any means. "Dark Force Rising" is definitely a middle novel with all the flaws therein, but in the realm of Star Wars this remains one of the better novels even a decade later. 

-Joe Sherry

It is basically a short review of the great book written by Zahn. I recommend the novel and this as a refresher for later times.

Inside the Worlds of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V, & VI: The Complete Guide to the Incredible Locations

0756603072
DK CHILDREN
16 August, 2004

I mistakenly thought that this book was also going to describe some of the actual outdoor movie set locations of where various exterior scenes were filmed, but it is actually a well-presented and detailed description of all of the various ficticious locations in Star Wars episodes IV,V,& VI from the fantasy point of view. 
The exterior views and also the cut-a-way illustrations, maps of planets,and their detailed descriptions of Star Wars space technology are amazing in detail and descriptive content.
It is a pleasurable study of the Stars Wars Planets,Cities,and buildings and other space-related ships and other story-related structures for those who love the technical points of things like I do. Someone went to alot of trouble to produce this very definitive work, and I appreciate that kind of technical diligence as seen in this most enjoyable book. 

I have enjoyed reading the DK series of books on Star Wars worlds and vehicles and once again they do not disappoint with an amazing level of detail. One really does appreciate the time and patience the artists and writers put into each illustration. Each illustration often contains additional material explaining events that happened off camera (i.e. as characters travel from place A to place C, something occured at place B). Some events I recognised from the original screenplay and deleted sequences(such as the Tosche station / Biggs sequence). Not being a hard core Star Wars fan, I have no idea where the others can from, beyond their being ideas that were tossed around during pre-production.

The copy I have was let down by some unprofessional publication flaws, notably incomplete sentences that trailed off into nothing (this occured about three times).

I am not an expert on Star Wars but there were one or two things that caused me to wonder, particularly the reference to C-3PO and Anakin's lightsaber on Tatooine which I thought may have contradicted something I read on the Star Wars site about droid memory erasure.

The book also vaguely fleshes out a few interesting "links" in the twenty or so year gap between the events of the current triology and the original triology of films, notably with reference to Yoda.

Recommended for fans of the Star Wars films (five stars if DK fix the typos).

This is the third book in the "Inside the World's of Star Wars" series. All of them are absolutely incredible! They take you on an in depth tour of the locations in the "Star Wars" galaxy. If you have ever looked into the background while watching the "Star Wars" movies, and wondered about the complex environments depicted by George Lucas, this book is for you. It gives complex detail about every aspect, of every location, of every scene from the movies. It show's you all of the location's on Tatooine, the Yavin base, the Death Stars, Eco Base, Yoda's hut, the Ewok village, and much, much more. Anyone curious about the colorfull worlds of the "Star Wars Trilogy" should purchse this book. For much more information on the variety of characters from "Star Wars," the "Visual Dictionary" series is also a must have, and to go in depth with the ships and technology, "Star Wars, the Incredible Cross-Sections" is another great series from DK.

Star Wars, Episode IV - A New Hope 0345341465Del Rey12 (Star Wars)

2005-10-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

Star Wars, Episode IV - A New Hope

0345341465
Del Rey
12 September, 1986
"'I want to come with you to Alderaan,' Luke said, resolved. 'I want to become a Jedi like my father.'" This marks the start of Luke Skywalker's involvement with the Rebellion in George Lucas's grand narrative of good versus evil, Star Wars. You know the story, you've seen the film--but this chunky little book is a real gem. Star Wars fans of all ages will enjoy both the fine abridgment and Brandon McKinney's 146 two-color illustrations, drawn in classic comic book style. --C.B. Delaney
Before you read this book you need to know two things. One, although the cover says "By George Lucas" this book was NOT written by Lucas but by a hired author. Two, the book was released six months before the movie, so it is based on the unfinished cut and includes deleated scenes and some minor changes such as red-five to blue-five. It even suggests R2D2 having arms. This book novelizes the movie very well and is enjoyable, but I stoped reading it at the halfway point myself. Although well done, it isnt much more than a script of the movie when it comes to dialogue and plot.

"Star Wars: A New Hope," originally titled in 1976 "Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker," ghost-written by Alan Dean Foster but credited to George Lucas, is the experience of re-living the original "Star Wars" movie (1977). I have watched the original "Star Wars" trilogy many times, even before I could speak. The repitition has driven all the emotion and concious enjoyment of those movies into my subconcious in a way that I love the movies but I cannot figure out why; I just do. Reading this book pulls all that enjoyment back out of my subconcious and into my concious where it belongs.

The story, a fairy tale about Luke Skywalker teaming up with Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, is the swashbuckling adventure of knocking out cold a solidly defined evil. The decievingly simple plot serves to make children happy, and the deepness and emotional satisfaction of the plot serves to make everyone else happy. It succeeds at both. It is a lovable, unforgettable tale of the space opera genre enriched with humor, adventure, action, and foreshadowed romance. It is as magical, in its own way, as the movie, and serves it great justice in accuracy; the movie and this book are almost word-for-word of the same screenplay. The book moves at a steady pace, and although it gets a little dry at times, you feel the great level of joy inspired in the movie by the end of this book.

I, as a grammar stickler, noticed small things that deterred me but will not deter anyone else from enjoying the book. Grammar was generally informal; there were a lot of sentences ending with prepositions that distracted me. "Hutt" was spelled as "hut," which is still true in the Episode V novel only to be corrected in Episode VI, and "Jedi Knight" was written "Jedi knight"; the "Force" was even un-capitalized as the "force." But I also noticed other small differences that actually made it more enjoyable: the X-Wing team colors were switched around (Luke was Blue Five instead of Red Five) and some characters had slightly different personalities from the movies. But these differences are all irrelevant; the book stands alone as a simply-written and joyously concieved masterpiece to complement the "Star Wars" epic.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977.) 

As long as there had been motion pictures, there had been science fiction films. Unfortunately, very few of them ever managed to hit the spot. That was, until 1977 rolled around. It was in this year that George Lucas would change the way we look at science fiction. How would he do this? With the film he released that year - Star Wars. Despite numerous hardships and missed deadlines during the recordings of the film, which was slated for a Christmas 1976 release, it finally did get made, and released in 1977. How does the novelization of the first film actually measure up? Read on for my review. 

BASIC PLOT: 
The basic story of the movie goes something like this. In a distant galaxy, there is a huge evil group known as the Galactic Empire, which aims to control the galaxy by any means necessary. To ensure victory, they have begun work on a massive space station known as the Death Star - so powerful, it can destroy an entire planet. Through an odd twist of coincidences, a young farm boy from a desert planet and an ex-smuggler with an ego the size of the galaxy he resides in learn of the situation. Before long, a full-blown battle between good and evil is raging. The good guys (known as the Rebel Alliance) must stop the Death Star before the Empire can conquer everything they have ever known and loved. 

OPINIONS: 
A great story - no questions asked. This is a rare example of a film nearly thirty years old that doesn't seem dated. Even by modern standards, this is still an excellent tale. Of the three films in the classic trilogy, this is probably the weakest one, but it's by no means bad. However, in the case of the classic trilogy, I recommend seeing the films rather than reading the books - it seems like with the classic trilogy the books are worse than the movies, and with the prequels it's vice versa. A few changes in the book version include Luke being on a different colored squadron in the final battle, some characters having different personalities, Threepio being described as bronze rather than gold, and the character of Captain Antilles being called Captain Colton (I actually LIKE the latter change, it helps to prevent people from mixing up Captain Antilles and Wedge Antilles.) Overall a good story, but the film is better.

OVERALL: 
The Star Wars films are science fiction masterpieces that don't fail to stand the test of time. Hell, these movies are better than most of the modern sci-fi films out there! However, in the case of the classic trilogy, you should stick with the films - only read the books if you're curious as to the differences between the two versions. If you're a fan of the sci fi, the Star Wars series is not to be missed.

GBA Lego Star Wars

B0007M225M
Eidos Interactive
02 April, 2005

This has been a relief, he was playing other SW games and the were so realistic it was boring! Now he has color and sound that is fun, he learns about collecting and saving points and trading them in for things he needs to move up in the game. The characters are enjoyable and far from scarey in their Lego form.

it sucks sooooooooooooooo bad!if youre 11 and you think that killin a droid and havin it explode into lego pieces is dumb,go you!horrible graphics and no dialogue.not worth my time/money.i got ripped off!dont make the same mistake!

ps.it sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great game for Star Wars fans. Unlike many games in the genre, the levels weren't endless, repetitive hack and slash fights. There are enough puzzles, time based challenges and scenery changes to keep it interesting. On the Star Wars side, it follows the movies well. Great use of Force powers and character personalities. Highly recommended.

Star Wars Racer Revenge: Racer II B00005V3FCLucasarts Entertainment15 February, 2002Originally (Star Wars)

2005-10-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Racer Revenge: Racer II

B00005V3FC
Lucasarts Entertainment
15 February, 2002
Originally released for the Sega Dreamcast and Nintendo 64, Star Wars: Episode I, Racer was a decent title with its share of flaws--most notably its control and graphics. The game's PlayStation2 sequel, Star Wars: Racer Revenge, addresses many of the original's shortcomings and is a vastly superior product. Rainbow Studios--known for its strong racers such as ATV Offroad Fury and Motocross Madness--developed this game, unlike the original. The developer's prowess at creating racing games is evident, as this title features much better controls and more compelling races. Furthermore, it receives a nice graphics upgrade that showcases the capabilities of the PS2. This game is superior in every respect to its predecessor.
Game modes include practice, single play, tournament, time trials, and versus. Tournament mode is the bulk of the game. Players can beat it in fewer than three hours and it isn't particularly difficult. Replay value is added by requiring you to beat the tournament mode several times so you can unlock all the game's secrets. Oddly enough, the game's sound--usually LucasArts's forte--is hampered by an unusual effect: at times you'll hear the full Star Wars treatment, as John Williams's score and cool sound effects totally capture the feel of the movies, but other times you'll hear only the sound of your engine. The environmental audio is an interesting choice that wasn't executed very well. Audio and brevity issues aside, this game is one of the strongest Star Wars titles released for a console. --Raymond M. Padilla
Pros:

Much better gameplay than the original
Excellent graphics
Tight controls
Cons:

Extremely short
Not very challenging
Music fade-ins and -outs are weird

WHY IS EVERYONE SAYING THIS GAME IS EASY???!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
THIS IS THE MOST FRUSTRATING HARDEST GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED! (...)IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE FUN AND EASY IN THE BEGINNING BUT THEN IT GETS IMPOSSIBLE!!!(...) DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!! IT IS SO(...)FRUSTRATING!!(...) AAAAAAAHHH(...)

I would like to know when this game will come out.

I've had this racing game since it was released and I still think it is the best racing game I have ever played. Lucasarts should make a sequal for the next set of consoles.

Star Wars Slumber Bag

B0007KT248
Rose Art Industries Inc.
13 May, 2005

The questionaire does not reflect my satisfaction with the Star Wars sleeping bag since it's not really a toy. I was pleasantly surprised at the softness and quality of this product. My grandson curled right up in it and fell asleep.

It was a gift for a friends 3 year old and she said he's been using it every night since he got it.

GBA Lego Star Wars B0007M225MEidos Interactive02 April, 2005This has been (Star Wars)

2005-10-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

GBA Lego Star Wars

B0007M225M
Eidos Interactive
02 April, 2005

This has been a relief, he was playing other SW games and the were so realistic it was boring! Now he has color and sound that is fun, he learns about collecting and saving points and trading them in for things he needs to move up in the game. The characters are enjoyable and far from scarey in their Lego form.

it sucks sooooooooooooooo bad!if youre 11 and you think that killin a droid and havin it explode into lego pieces is dumb,go you!horrible graphics and no dialogue.not worth my time/money.i got ripped off!dont make the same mistake!

ps.it sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great game for Star Wars fans. Unlike many games in the genre, the levels weren't endless, repetitive hack and slash fights. There are enough puzzles, time based challenges and scenery changes to keep it interesting. On the Star Wars side, it follows the movies well. Great use of Force powers and character personalities. Highly recommended.

Star Wars - The Power of Myth

0789455919
DK CHILDREN
01 March, 2000
Luke Skywalker equals Roland, Ben Kenobi equals Merlin, and the Death Star is the minotaur's labyrinth. Without a doubt, George Lucas owes much of the phenomenal success and gut-level resonance of his Star Wars series to a deft use of myth and universal archetypes. Fans of Joseph Campbell (and anyone else who's spent more than two shakes analyzing Lucas's Wookiee-subtle use of symbolism) won't find more than superficial insights in Star Wars: The Power of Myth, but by all means, don't let that keep you from the fun. Kids--and anyone who loves to analyze the similarities between Stormtrooper armor and 15th-century Gothic battle gear--will quickly find themselves engrossed in this picture-heavy survey of intergalactic mythology (despite maybe a bit too much emphasis on Western legends and, even less forgivable, The Phantom Menace).
Under headings like "Sacrifice and Betrayal," "Descent to the Underworld," and "Reconciliation with the Father," screen shots and detailed diagrams from the SW flicks (many recycled from previous DK books) share space alongside classical illustrations and neat-o closeups of lightsabers and blasters. Some connections come across seamlessly (we all knew Yoda was a Zen Buddhist), while others border on the sketchy (what does a Naboo N-1 fighter have to do with Odin's eight-legged horse, Sleipnir, anyway?). But DK's usual slick packaging and clean presentation makes up for any faults, making this a more than reasonable--and likely even educational--acquisition for young fans. --Paul Hughes
The great thing about this book it that it's fun to read. It has a lot of pics about legends that are somehow similar to the events depicted on Star Wars. If you are a fan of the Star Wars films, or just a fan of mithology, you will love this book.
It's a great gift for children who are beginning to read, and are somehow familiar with Star Wars.

This thin, colorful book is a trifle formula, yet despite this it reads itself very well (i.e., hard to put down). Its streamlined, "pure protein" format also make it a likely candidate for multiple, enjoyable perusals...
It's brief, it's light reading, and it's fun...
As Roger Ebert rightly observes, a large part of the SW appeal is its visual richness. The book captures and conveys this well: nicely choreographed presentations of lovely color illustrations illuminated by succinct descriptions of mythological parallels.
It is well-known that George Lucas wisely modelled his universe on the work of Joseph Campbell, (note title). The recurrent mythological themes in SW are sufficiently presented to make this book a nice gift for anyone interested in either subject, child or adult.
Recommended.

This book is besides a nice Star wars picture gallery alsoasplendid popular analysis of the Star Wars myths and legends. Theepisodes and various elements of the movies are compared with episodes in world history, the bible and Greek mythology ect. Luke Skywalker is paralleled with Wilhelm Tell, King Arthur and so on. Lukes companions and enemies and dominating themes as his relationship towards his father Darth Vader, treason, self-sacrifice and heroic deeds are compared with well-known existing myths and legends. World historical events is also clearly felt in the spacefighting (Second World War - Battle of Britain) and the pod racing in Episode One (Ancient Rome - Ben Hur in Circus Maximus). The Jedi-philosophy has many element from the Zenbudhism and the Imperial Storm Troopers are in many ways like medieval armoured knights. The book is nicely illustrated with lots of pictures from the movies. It will appeal strongly to children from 12 years and every Star wars-fan up 99 years. Star wars. The power of Myth will be a great help in guiding you through the rather complicated personal relationships and myths in the Star Wars universe of the four movies. Rasmus of 14 said to me: "Now I suddenly realize how everything works in the four movies and how they are linked together." I can clearly recommend this book to every Star wars-fan.

Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast (Mac) B00006B179Aspyr Media16 November, 2002In (Star Wars)

2005-10-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast (Mac)

B00006B179
Aspyr Media
16 November, 2002
In the tradition of the multi-award-winning Star Wars: Jedi Knight, Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2, Jedi Outcast features rebel agent Kyle Katarn in exhilarating first-person action. Several years have passed since Kyle avenged his father's death and saved the Valley of the Jedi from Jerec and his band of Dark Jedi. Allowing his Force powers to languish for fear of falling to the dark side, Kyle entrusted his lightsaber to Luke Skywalker, vowing never to use it again. But when a new and menacing threat to the galaxy emerges, Kyle knows he must reclaim his past in order to save his future.
LucasArts is developing Jedi Outcast in partnership with Activision's critically acclaimed Raven Software. Players assume the role of Kyle as they employ a unique mix of weapons, Force powers, and the lightsaber in both single- and multiplayer modes. Jedi Outcast features expanded and enhanced use of the lightsaber, with new attack and defense moves. Tap into the powers of the Force, including jump, push, Jedi mind tricks, and more. Employ combat or stealth, depending on the situation. When a fight is necessary, be at the ready with an arsenal of weapons: stun baton, Bryar blast pistol, and blaster rifle to name but a few.
Explore breathtaking Star Wars locales such as Cloud City, the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, Nar Shaddaa, the smugglers' moon--plus some never-before-seen locations. Multiplayer options include deathmatch, saber-only deathmatch, and team capture the flag.
Yeah yeah yeah, it runs on the Quake engine, who cares? It is pretty fun single player game, though you'll get tired of it quickly after playing it once. However, the multiplayer option is really fun. Lightsaber and forcepower action galore, this game is a must have for anyone who needs to yield the force. I found this much better than Star Wars Knights of the Old Replublic, where you don't actually control your powers, you get a , "what would you like to do... 1.)hit 2.)punch 3.)use force" prompt. I'm sure the new Episode III game is similar.

Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is one of the first games I bought for my Mac. Gameplay is challenging and fun! The single player storyline is entertaining and pulls you into the game and keeps you there. After a slow start with no Force Powers or light saber, you really will begin to feel like a Jedi Knight. Kyle Katarn's character is one of the best characters I've seen in any game, and could easily be a film character in a Star Wars movie. Some of the most memorable levels for me are fighting as a Jedi alongside Jedi Master Luke Skywalker against a half dozen or so Reborn Dark Jedi, fighting criminals in Nar Shadaa where you really must make use of your arsenal of cool weapons, and the two key battles against Tavion and Desann. I have other, newer games, but Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is the game I keep coming back to play.

The multiplayer matches are fairly standard Quake 3 Arena fare, with one exception, the one-on-one Lightsaber Duel. You may think you're a Jedi Knight after dispatching hundereds of storm troopers and Dark Jedi in the single player game, but the real creative battles happen in Lightsaber Duels against real people online. Just please remember to fight with honor and bow before combat.

Jedi Outcast has reasonable system requirements will play well on any modern G4 or G5 Mac.

As other people have said, the plot for one-player mode is very...Well, almsot pathetic. It left me confused, it didn't explain alot. But the game is still enjoyable, the graphics are OK.
In Multi-Player, you can fight other players. You can choose what you want you charecter to look like and change it as much as you want and pick your light saber. My only complaint about Multi-player mode is everyone there is rude. Well, almost everyone. There are certain clubs and "cults" where they go around calling non-members of their club/cult "Lamers".
Overall, it's a pretty good game.

Darksaber (Star Wars) (Star Wars)

0553099744
Spectra
01 October, 1995
You know what they say: build a better a Death Star and the Hutts will beat a path to your door. Poor Bevel Lemelisk, the inventor of the Empire's signature moon-size battle station, has done just that, and now he's in the service of Durga the Hutt (only a marginal improvement over working for Emperor Palpatine, who was in the habit of gruesomely executing Lemelisk, only to recombobulate him into a newly cloned body).
It's eight years after the battle of Endor, and the Hutts are hoping to make a galactic power play using Lemelisk's latest project, a sort of cylindrical Death Star superlaser-on-steroids, dubbed Darksaber. But the newly empowered Rebels and the recovering Empire aren't sitting idle. As the book opens, Han and Luke are sneaking their way across Tatooine's Dune Sea, dressed in Tusken drag. Luke's looking to commune with Obi-Wan to learn how to save his Jedi squeeze, Callista, recently rescued from the innards of the ship computer on Palpatine's super-duper Star Destroyer. Meanwhile, the ranks of the Imperial Fleet swell under the charismatic Admiral Daala. Will Luke help Callista touch the Force again? Where will Daala's fleet strike a blow against the New Republic? Will Lemelisk's new invention hold together long enough to save his own hide? The skilled Kevin J. Anderson sure makes it fun to find out. --Paul Hughes
I can not stand this book. I can't even finish reading it. Kevin J Anderson can not write original Star Wars books at all. The only thing I have ever seen with his name on it that was entertaining was the Dark Lords of the Sith comic book. Everything he writes is unoriginal and lacking in story. He seems to have some obsession with Death Stars and world destroyers because all he seems to put in his books are those. Darksaber, Jedi Search, Dark Apprentice, Champions of the Force, heck even the IG-88 story he wrote for Tales of the Bounty Hunters had the Death Star tied in (IG-88 transfers himself into the Death Star...what the heck?) Seriously, this book is not worth it. Try Timothy Zahn or Michael Stackpole. At least they don't always use Death Stars. And while Zahn's last 3 books are based around Thrawn, the original Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command, when Thrawn first appeared, was not him dry humping the same concept over and over.

boring book. it has too many side plots which make no sense. i tried reading the book but got so bored i couldn't finish.

please don't waste your money on this just stick with timothy zahn star wars. this book just stinks. 

maybe the expanded universe has gotten too expanded. this writer should give it a rest, please!!!

This book was a complete letdown. I haven't read that many Star Wars books yet, in fact, "Darksaber" and "Shadow of the Empire" are the only two that I have read thus far, but these were so terrible that I must warn those who are just beginning to read Star Wars literature NOT to begin with these two.
I will admit that "Darksaber" had a few redeeming aspects of it that makes it worth reading though, even if it is an embarrassing failure.
For instance, scattered throughout the book are flashbacks to past events that took place during the time of the movies and plot developments never explained in the movies such as: who designed the Death Star, who worked on it, and the Hitlerian philosophy of the Imperials. I also liked how Anderson depicted the Imperials, giving them a greater depth than I had previously encountered. I also liked how Anderson made reference to and revisited well known locations in the Star Wars universe, although at times it felt as if he was attempting to cram as much of it as possible into a short book of 300 or so pages, making Luke and Callista's journeys to those locations seem more an excuse for Anderson to write about them in his book rather than having a pertinent reason for going there. I also thought the inclusion of the Hutts had potential and would have been a noble idea had it been done by a better author.
Although these were all laudable aspects of "Darksaber," they just weren't good enough or written well enough to save the rest of the novel from a state of ludicriously bad writing.
Most of the plot scenes were irrelevant, inpertinent, and pointless. The characters were wooden, shallow, and lacking in personality. Even the ones who had potential such as Pellaeon and Daala fell far short of the author's aspirations.
Durga the Hutt seemed more like a character used for tasteless comic relief than a notorious crime lord.
Also, given the fact that the Empire considers females and nonhuman species inferior it seems highly unlikely that the Emperorless Imperials would have so readily followed a woman, especially when Daala went against all the principles of the Empire to give aliens and females equal opportunities.
Bevel Lemelisk, although being a character that had potential, became one of the worst characters ever created under Anderson's amateur guidance.
The destruction of the Death Star was horribly anticlimatic, making it one of the most hyped up and pointless events in the book.
One event that irritated me, although it didn't have much relevance to the rest of the story's plot, but is a perfect example of one of the main things that makes this book so horrible, is when Han and Luke travel with a group of Tusken Raiders on Tatooine. Anderson only vaguely and inadequately explains why they would do such a thing and, again, only seems to be another weak excuse to mention a well known Star Wars ingredient in his badly written book.
The entire scene on Hoth with Luke and Callista (who I might add is one dimensional, annoyingly whiny, and frustratingly weak) was another lame excuse to mention a trademark Star Wars location.
I could go on at length as to why this book fails, but that would probably be a book in itself, so I'll just leave you with what I have written and hope that was enough to convince you to avoid this book.

Return of the Heroes: The Lord of the Rings, Star (Star Wars)

2005-10-19T01:12:00.000-07:00

Return of the Heroes: The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Social Conflict

1877275573
Cybereditions
July, 2003

As a fan of Tolkein, Star Wars, and Harry Potter and one who has appreciated a number of analytic treatments of their themes in relation to culture and society, I was expecting something a little different. Perhaps a more accurate title might have been "Defending the Heroes: Debating Critics of Tolkein and Star Wars, with a Little Harry Potter Thrown in."

The larger portion of the book consists of the author cataloging an extensive list of negative criticisms and in turn criticizing the critics for their method and mood. Granted, his arguments make a lot of sense. But there is much less positive treatment of heroic themes and their potential validity and usefulness in modern society, and much repetitive groaning about how mistaken the critics are.

Not only that, the subtitle suggests that three different series will be treated in the book. In fact, Harry Potter is mentioned only briefly, a few times, almost as if his inclusion were meant to capitalize on his current popularity. For the amount of space devoted to Harry Potter themes, he could just as easily (and more accurately) have been excluded from the title. I found this to be misleading.

This is a splendidly stimulating, thought-provoking, slyly humorous and delightful book. The author analyses these great tales from a number of original perspectives and what he concludes is optimistic about the state of our culture and society. His language is easy to read and his great learning, while obvious, is never obtrusive or heavy. To aborb this book is to absorb a political, social and literary education in a fascinating way. All who love The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Harry Potter should buy this book for its insights. It will deepn your appreciation of these great tales and of others in the same tradtion.

When I first read Hal Colebatch's original discussion paper on this topic (from the early 1990's), I knew I had found a kindred spirit. I found it by putting "Star Wars" and "LOTR" into a library catalogue. I was amazed to find that someone had put the two together in a scholarly work, and I was pleased to discover that it was an intelligent, erudite and remarkably coherent piece of writing that crystallised many of my own feelings that had never had an outlet before. Colebatch has completely revised and updated his original paper so that it stands alone as an excellent academic book on western culture, focussed through the prism of heroic literature and film. This new edition includes material on Harry Potter, as well as a more thorough analysis of the works of Tolkien and Lucas. I thoroughly recommend it to any lovers of heroic fiction, english students and Tolkien/Lucas enthusiasts. Colebatch is a very well-read author with his own output of poetry and sci-fi, and his vast knowledge has been brought to bear on important topics, ensuring that this book is a milestone in literary criticism. You do not have to be a dry academic to enjoy this one; you just have to have a love of reading.

Slave Ship (Star Wars: The Bounty Hunter Wars, Book 2)

055357888X
Spectra
06 October, 1998
"How many times, wondered Boba Fett, could he die--and yet not die? Someday it would be all over for him..."
Fett fans take note: Star Wars: Slave Ship features the (in)famous bounty hunter as he chases after the largest bounty ever offered--by tracking down renegade stormtrooper Trhin Voss'on't. The story, book 2 in The Bounty Hunter Wars series, jumps back and forth between the time of Star Wars: New Hope and Return of the Jedi in a series of convoluted plot twists that involve everyone from Emperor Palatine and Darth Vader to Zuckuss and Bossk. Written by well-known SF writer K.W. Jeter (whose first novel, Dr. Adder, was praised by Philip K. Dick as "stunning"), Star Wars: Slave Ship is in many ways a perfect serial novel--it raises as many new questions for the next installment as it solves from the previous one. Neelah's identity is finally revealed, but how did she end up in Jabba the Hutt's palace? You'll have to wait and see. --C.B. Delaney
The books are entertaining; I read them really quickly. I liked them a lot; as much as I liked the anthologies (Tales from Jabba's Palace, Mos Eisley Cantina, Bounty Hunters) and the Han Solo trilogy, but Jeter's writing style gets a little old after a while -- it seems like over and over again, everybody just keeps sucking up to Boba Fett. He just reiterates what a good bounty hunter Fett is and how everybody else sucks in comparison. I am a Fett fan, and I bought this book because of his involvement (along with numerous other novels which don't have much of the bounty hunter in it, as promised) so I enjoyed it anyway.

This is the second volume of the Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy. I read this book not too long ago and I'm already fuzzy on what exactly happened in it. The storylines began in "The Mandalorian Armor" have not been advanced much, except for what happened off screen. Boba Fett, having been rescued by Dengar, is trying to convince the galaxy that he is still dead, so he is hiding his true identity while going into business with Dengar. There is a lot of backstory going on (which I call the previous book). Then, in the other storyline occurring in the past we have found out that the Bounty Hunters Guild has splintered into two fragments. Xizor is still trying to destroy the Guild even farther so all that is left is individual, highly motivated, bounty hunters. 

There is far too much backstory and characters explaining things and trying to find out how everything fits together. There is plenty of chapters with Kuat of Kuat and his shipbuilding yards and Kuat trying to hold onto the control he has over the Kuat Driveyards. "Slave Ship" is just a tedious book that takes far too long to accomplish far too little story and action. There were a couple of decent scenes (trying to capture the Imperial defector was very good), but overall this was just a fairly weak novel and was very, very disappointing. 

Hopefully the concluding volume of this trilogy will be far better, because if I wasn't trying to read all of the Star Wars novels this would be a complete waste of my time. 

-Joe Sherry

Slave Ship (Star Wars: The Bounty Hunter Wars, Book 2)
by K.W. Jeter, continues the story of Boba Fett immediately after the debacle in the Sarlaac's belly and in flashback to a time at the beginnings of the galactic rebellion. Jeter continues to weave in interesting characters and to make tell interesting tales, but his inclusion of the Kuati storyline makes the thrust of the trilogy increasingly predictable. He also spends too much time in Fett's head, rather than drawing primarily on people's reactions to Fett, which would make the authors point but at the same time keep an air of mystery about the bounty hunter. OVerall, Jeter writes a solid if prediactable tale outside the normal Star Wars genera, which does tend to keep the storyline nice and dark, a change during a time period when the expanded universe seemed to be going through a bit of a dry spell in the original ideas department. His ideas are new, but the way he implements them makes this book predictable but still enjoyable.

The Doomsday Ship (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear, Book 10) (Star Wars)

2005-10-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

The Doomsday Ship (Star Wars: Galaxy of Fear, Book 10)

0553486403
Skylark
11 May, 1998

In this book Zak and Tash are on a space cruiser. But Zak won't come out of his Room. He say's "something will happen to me if I come out. But Tash aranges for him to go to the main control room. That gets him excited! But he just happend to get there during this crazy tecky's work shift. The guy doesn't want Zak around so he tells him to press some buttons and when Zak does the ships power goes out! This little cruise has turned into a great big mess. This book will scare as well as surprise you. More surprising than scaring though. Hope you enjoyed reading this review and hope it helped you out to.

Tash and zac go to a cruise ship only to find out the ship is to be taken over by a weird bug. tash befriends a stranger that zac doesnot like . Hang on to your seatbelt as you go along on a fast breathtaking adventure with tash and zac rent this book today.

This book is very different from the others in the series. Instead of one big problem the book is a lot of problems, also it is the only book in the series where so many people die and you feel sorry for them. You would never imagine that such harmless technology can be so deadly, and you would never guess who the killer is.

Star Wars Dark Empire II (Star Wars: Dark Empire)

156511972X
Highbridge Audio
05 May, 2005
The second chapter in the biggest Star Wars graphic novel of all time! The Empire in retreat, Luke Skywalker is on a quest to rebuild the Jedi. But before he can revive that elite corps of protectors, he must first rebuild himself. Can he pull together the Jedi--and himself--before the New Republic loses the upper hand, or will the Empire take root once more?
This review covers the audio cassette book (2 tapes, 2.5 hours). Okay, I should have known better from the previous book, but I am a glutton for punishment. Again, good audio, great special effects, excellent music score. Lousy story line. The only value I found with this book is that it explains a few of the things that happen between the Thrawn series and the Jedi Acadamy series. I was probably mistaken in my last review about the over-editing, this just appears to be so-so writing. Choppy story line, poor plot. Overly powerful jedi, under powered dark-jedi (rediculous is the word I was thinking). Two-second love interest...no, really! Talk about your flash in the pan! Consider carefully before buying this audio book!

The clone emperor cloned himself and Luke must stop him again. This is the sequel to Dark Empire and is very entertaining. There is a Dark Empire III, but you can skip that one. Dark Empire II is worth a listen.
Dark Empire and Dark Empire II take place Six years after the Battle of Endor, (but after the Zahn trilogy). Luke discovers that the emperor is still alive. Luke researches whether a jedi has ever returned from the dark side. This is cool, because this acknowledged the earlier comics dealing with the jedi and sith 3,000 to 5,000 years ago (learned in the holocron's that Luke has gathered.)
This is the description of the comic which the audio tape is based on.

The struggle for mastery of the galaxy continues in this second installment of Dark Horse's Dark Empire graphic novel series. Although Leia Organa Solo and her twin brother Luke Skywalker defeated the clone of Emperor Palpatine, his minions, led by Warlord Sedriss, continue their campaign to wrest star systems away from the New Republic and back into the Imperial fold.
Even worse, the spirit-force of Palpatine still resonates even though it is disembodied, and although rebellious members of his own court have destroyed more of his clone bodies all the Emperor needs is one in which to take physical form. Knowing that he will really die forever without another body to inhabit, Palpatine sets his sights on Leia's third child, Anakin Solo. If he succeeds, Palpatine will achieve two of his most cherished goals: continued survival and revenge upon the man who betrayed him at Endor, Darth Vader.
Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy return to dazzle Star Wars aficionados with their story and artwork in Dark Empire II. As in the best Expanded Universe novels, this creative team mixes classic Star Wars characters from the movies and meld them with a cast of new friends and foes, while enriching the "galaxy far, far away" with new worlds and exotic aliens. They even follow the trilogy's structure by making Dark Empire II a cliffhanger, making sure we readers looked forward to the concluding installment, Empire's End.

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith 12" Figure: General Grievous (Star Wars)

2005-10-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith 12" Figure: General Grievous

B000701D4U
Hasbro

This is a cool toy. Hands down. (Yes, all 4 of them!) And there IS a way to put the sabers in his hands. Seperate the arms, then in the middle of the index (pointer) and middle finger, push in the light saber BY THE CIRCLE PART STICKING OUT! THATS HOW IT WORKS!!! Any way, this toy is great, (I have 2, flipped the cape on the 2nd one to make his made up twin "Grivous")

I've had the same problems as the other reviewers. The arms fall off with even the slightest movement. It takes a lot of fiddling around the with the legs and torso to get him to stand up, and even then he'll fall down. And there's no way to get him to hold the lightsabers. I admit this thing looks sweet in the package but once it's out it's really useless. You cannot pose it. I'd go with the regular miniature Grievious, even though that one doesn't have his cape.

I just bought my General Grievous from ebay about a week ago and just got it. Even though i never thought about taking him out of the box,(basicly im collecting all of his items), after reading others reports i dont think i will ever take him outta the box. but he still is a very cool toy to look at. Even though im not sure how well of a toy he is to play with he is still a great toy to look at and Collect

Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike

B0000A1OG4
Lucasarts Entertainment
23 October, 2003

The Star Wars Rouge Squadron games were always at the top of the list when it came to action games. They were not really flight sims because of the simple controls. Star Wars Rouge Squadron III: Rebel Strike decided to change things by adding on foot missions. Not a good idea. You wander around shooting storm troopers while having to deal with an annoying target lock system and a horrible camera that you can't even control. The graphics are great and starfighter missions are still as good as ever, but there are less of them in order to make room for the on foot missions. The starfighter missions are also not as interesting as Rouge Squadron II which had you escorting star cruisers through a dibris filled nebula while being attacked by groups of TIE fighters. Rebel Strike does have 2-player dogfighting and 2-player co-op in which you and a friend can play through the single player story from Rouge Squadren II. However, if your looking for a better single player story minus all the painful on foot levels, you should probably just get Star Wars Rouge Squadren II: Rouge Leader.

Being a big fan of the SW series, I must say that I found this game frustrating and pointless. The only good thing about this game is using it as a frisbee in family picnics

I really like this game a lot, the graphics are pretty intense and acurate. The levels however are a little too easy and there arn't enough of them. However, the intergration between game and movie footage is very cool and helps it pertain to the Star Wars saga. When you are on foot, it can get a little tedious but the flight missions are a blast. Overall it's a great game and lives up to the first two.

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic B00006IR62LucasArts Entertainment18 November, (Star Wars)

2005-10-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic

B00006IR62
LucasArts Entertainment
18 November, 2003
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic takes place just a few years after the Mandolorian Wars, thousands of years before the events in the Star Wars movies we know and love. Two Jedi, master Revan and his apprentice Malak, led the Republic's forces to victory and pursued the Mandalorians into deep space only to return as Dark Jedi at the head of a huge fleet of Sith warships. Only the Force powers of the Jedi Bastila prevented the Sith from overwhelming the Republic's weakened forces. At the start of the game Malak has usurped control of the Sith by betraying Revan and has attacked the ship carrying Bastila and yourself. In true Star Wars style, the game begins with a bang.
The storyline could have been a standard coming-of-age yarn but is instead a genuinely interesting adventure told with humor, compassion, and respect for the source material. Your character has a mystical bond with Bastila, and the two of you share some kind of connection to the Sith villains Darth Malak and Darth Revan. The game's planet-hopping adventures are driven by your exploration of these connections and how they relate to your larger goal of discovering the source of the Sith's sudden fleet. During your adventure you can explore side quests minor (such as racing swoops or gambling) and major (such as uncovering the fascinating back stories of your companions). Star Wars fans will get a kick out of the rich lore introduced in the game, particularly the Tatooine storyline that reveals the origin and history of the Sand People.
Gameplay is an abbreviated form of Wizards of the Coast's d20 Star Wars RPG game system--anyone who has played Dungeons & Dragons will be familiar with the abilities, stats, feats, and bonuses in this game. The player creates a character as a member of one of three starting classes (soldier, smuggler, scout) and then later chooses a Jedi class (guardian, consular, sentinel). Joining the player's character are other Jedi, warriors, thieves, droids, a wookiee, and even a Mandolorian. Unlike the faceless non-player characters of other games, each member of the supporting cast has an intriguing history and even agenda. Up to two of these other characters can join your character at any time. Depending on who you chose to take with you, new dialogue and even intra-party arguments come into the game (put the Mandalorian veteran with the Republic patriot and you'll see sparks fly). Combat is real-time turn-based, meaning the turns are seamless but the player has the option of pausing the action at any time to issue orders or direct any character to use a certain Force power, ability, feat, or item.
Graphics range from adequate to exceptional. Building and character models are not impressive--about what you get in GTA 3. Lightsaber graphics and environmental effects (like waving grass, clouds, and weather) bring the world to life. Battles are just brilliant, with characters pumping out blaster fire at Jedi who dash, dodge, and even deflect the bolts back toward their assailants. Complete with sounds straight out of the movies, the thrilling combat is pure Star Wars.
All in all, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a masterpiece of Star Wars gaming. The pacing, balance of action and dialogue, clever puzzles and quests, and loving attention to detail have set the bar very high for role-playing games in general and Star Wars games in particular. Consider this a must-have game.--Mike Fehlauer
Pros:

Captivating storyline
Clever dialogue
Star Wars feel
True story and dialogue support for either Light Side or Dark Side play
Brilliant combat graphics
Fascinating characters (the loyal--and homicidal--droid HK-47 is truly unique)
Cons:

Occasional bugs in dialogue, movie playback
Cannot transfer equipped gear between characters while on your ship

Like I said this is my favourite game of all time and it is for many reasons. The first reason is the story it features the best story in a game with lots of twists and turns. The 2nd is that the game has charachters that I acturally cared about from bastila to Juhani and even carth, I cared so much about the charachters that I didn't even play the dark side story the first time because I didn't want anything bad to happen to them. The combat system is also incredibly well done it is very accessible, after all this is the first RPG I ever played even if Tommy (dumbass) Tallarico is to dumb to understand it, man he is stupid. Another GREAT thing about this game is the dark side/light side story lines that I mentioned before with which in certain conversations you can make different choices which will advance you to being the ultimate good to the ultimate evil in the galaxy both stories are excellent since I don't want to give anything away so I won't say anything about it. Another AWESOME aspect of this game is each of the planets you visit during your journey as either saint or sinner is unique and each has it's own unique problems you can fix or foster to your heart's delight. There is only one minor flaw and I stress term minor in this amazing game is the graphics aren't great they're not bad but they aren't great as say Jade Empire another Bioware classic. Even if you don't like star wars (I do) you still might get a kick out of 2003's game of the year, and maybe it not as good but still above average sequel the Sith Lords.

I'm not a Star Wars fanatic, but I really like KotOR. The thing that got me was the interation with other characters. You can talk to each person in your party to learn about their background (although some will say less than others), and just about anyone you see outside of battle. They each have interesting things to say. They may tell you how helpful Jedis are or tell you that you suck, or give you information on how to complete your quest. It's alot of fun.

The combat isn't really exciting, though. You click on what kind of attack, ability or item you want to use and wait until the enemy dies. You can use many different types of weapons and armor, ranging from blaster pistols to light sabres to headsets that increase your stats. There are items to heal and to boost your stats in battle. There isn't an extreme amount of fighting when you're in the field, so it doesn't get too annoying like it can in some rpgs. But there is enough to make money or find items, and to keep you occupied.

The only real problem I had with this game is that it doesn't run well. My computer's decent, since my dad is a computer technician and he keeps it in good shape, but the game still has a lot of slowdown when it gets hot. During the summer, if you don't have air conditioning, you may not be able to play at all. Now its fall and its fairly cool, but I can only play the game for about an hour before I have to stop. So, unless you have a really souped-up computer, you probably won't be able to play for very long before giving your computer a break. If you have a crappy computer that freezes up a lot or moves really slow, this game will be of no use except maybe as a paperweight or gift.

Final verdict: Definitely buy if you have a great computer, but if you have just an alright computer, expect slowdowns.

THIS GAME IS VERY GOOD BUT ONCE YOU PLAY IT THE 100 TIME IT GETS KINDA BORING.I PLAY THIS GAME ON 2 COMPUTERS.MY LAPTOP WICH DOSENT MEET REQUIMENTS BUT STILL WORKS.IT SEEMS TO RUN ALMOST EVERY THING I PUT ON IT EVEN RUNS DOS.ITS BRAND NEW MADE IN 2005!but my destop greatly surpasses the requiments.its 5 years old it runs everything eceapt the older games 1990s under but thats normal.We just got a new G card in our computer because the last one got fried it has the same power but more memory.Overall play this on a fast computer it dosent work good on slow computers.

Battle for Naboo (Jewel Case)

B000063LGX
LucasArts Entertainment
15 April, 2002

Don't expect to have a whole lot of fun with this game. The gameplay is relatively easy with some points of frustration. The graphics a so-so and flight control is simply. Sometimes the vehicles and people look like paper and other times like real things. The controls will sometimes shoot you around and make you crash. Being a short game, you could probably beat this game in a day. It is easy to get the feel. Overall and average game with a fun ending and average storyline.

This game works maybe the first couple of times you play it with acceptable passcodes, then it crashes every time you play it! And good luck getting help from Lucasarts.com--I sent in a request for technical support five days ago and have yet to hear from them!

This game is like rogue squaderon 3d, but with improved graphics, music, sound, and the rest of the techinical improvments.Just system requirments request more.But what this game's lack of gameplay is what distrubes me.I dont reccomend it to any star wars gamer.this simulation is not worth it.The only reason why I gave it 4 stars becaue of techinical improvments.thats it.:(

Darkest Knight (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 5) 0425169502Berkley15 (Star Wars)

2005-10-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

Darkest Knight (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 5)

0425169502
Berkley
15 March, 1999

If I could give it a million stars I would. When Lowbacca (or Lowie) learns that his sister, Sirra, is about to do the dangerous Wookie rite of passage he decides to go to Kashyyyk to be with her. His friends Jaina, Jacen and Tenel Ka agree to go with him. Little known to Lowie and his friends, the evil SHADOW ACADEMY also plans to go to Kashyyyk. But their plans are somewhat different. They plan to raid the Wookie's tech factory. This raid is under the leadership of Zekk (Jacen & Jaina's old friend who turned to the dark side), and the Nightsister Tamith Kai, plenty of stormtroopers, and another Nightsister. Well of course both parties collide and it is very exiting with a great ending. I highly recommend it to all Star wars fans and especially Lowbacca fans.

I think that this was rather boring, but it realy leads up to Jedi under siege, which is among my three favroites. I love this series, and think that this is a great book despite that. If you have already read jedi under siege (as I had when I read this book) you will find boring, but if you just finished Lightsabers it is very suspenceful as you wait to see what will happen to the Shadow Acadmey and Luke's Praxeum, or jedi acadmey as it was called in the Jedi Acadmey trilogey.

Written by the terrific husband and wife team, Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta, the Star Wars Young Jedi Knights series are not to be missed! These series of books center on the young twins of Han Solo and Lei Organa, Jacen and Jacen, and their friends, Lowbacca and Tenel Ka, as they journey on the road to becoming Jedi Knights.
"Darkest Knight", the fifth book of the YJK series, is the second to the last book of one story arc. The story begins where Lowie decides to return to his homeplanet of Kashyyyk, where his younger sister, Sirrakuk, is about to go through with a Wookiee rite of passage. That is each Wookiee must prove himself (or herself) in some way. And Sirra has decided to travel to the lowest levels of the planet to get some gossamer fibers from the terrifying and dangerous syren plant. Lowie desperately wants to help her so when Chewbacca goes with him, his friends naturally decide to accompany him. Meanwhile, Zekk who has now been named the Darkest Knight, must prove himself by accomplishing his own mission: to lead a raid on the computer center on Kashyyyk. Jedi Brakiss has total trust in him, though the Nighsister Tamith Ka still doesn't believe Zekk has truly gone over to the Dark Side of the Force. So Zekk must complete another mission... that is, to eliminate the young Jedis Jacen, Jaina, Tenel Ka, and Lowie, whom they know is on the planet.
I must say that I just love the Young Jedi Knights, which is best read in order! I really like all Star Wars books but this series one of my favorites for the reasons that, 1) the characters are very interesting and close to my age, 2) superbly and well written, and 3) all books are exciting and full of adventure. This book especially has much excitement and suspense. The ending is also sort of a cliff hanger so I suggest you have the next book, "Jedi Under Siege", on hand. The four main characters of the books are well likable because each of them have their own personalities, characteristics, and quirks. Jacen with his love for all living plants, animals, insects, etc. Jaina with her mechanical ability and strong willed nature. Tenel Ka, the warrior and true friend. And of course Lowie, very courageous and strong.
So I highly recommend you read all of the fourteen books in order. The series are divided mostly into three parts. The first six books are about the rising force of the Empire and its Dark Jedi Knights. The next five books are about how the Jedis must stop the Diversity Alliance. And the last three books are how the Jedis deal with Czethros and Black Sun. Another Star Wars series I very much recommend are the "Jedi Apprentice" series. Don't miss them!

Plug N Play TV Star Wars Gamekey 1

B0009DPQYS
Toymax
01 August, 2005

Star Wars: Rebel Assault B00099YQVQLucasArts Trivial Pursuit DVD Game Star (Star Wars)

2005-10-18T03:09:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: Rebel Assault

B00099YQVQ
LucasArts

Trivial Pursuit DVD Game Star Wars Saga Edition

B00061I4YW
Hasbro
25 March, 2005

Star Wars Trivial Pursuit Saga Edition (2005.)

INTRODUCTION:
Despite having been around since the middle of the seventies, the Star Wars series has never declined in its popularity. George Lucas created a science fiction phenomenon that has stood the test of time, and then some. And needless to say, many games have been based on the series - video games, role-playing games, and no shortage of board games have been adapted for the Star Wars universe. In 1998, Star Wars Trivial Pursuit was released. Being a die-hard fan of the series, it was by far my favorite (non video game) Star Wars game ever. Unfortunately, it outdated fast, due to the fact that it didn't cover the prequel trilogy it was immediately followed by. But in 2005, seven years and three Star Wars episodes later, a new version of the game has hit store shelves! Read on for my review of the new version of Star Wars Trivial Pursuit.

OVERVIEW:
Quite honestly, who doesn't know what Trivial Pursuit is? Well, for those of you who have been living under a rock all your life, here's the concept behind the game. Players alternate rolling a die and moving their game token across a wheel-shaped board. There are six different-colored spaces. Each color represents a different category. The player is then asked a question of that category. If he or she gets it right, he or she goes again. If he or she misses it, it's the next player's turn. At six spots on the board are wedge spaces. The objective of the game is to gain a wedge in all six colors and return to the central hub of the wheel, and answer a game-winning question. Some changes for this edition of the game are, rather obviously, the questions and overall game design being Star Wars based, and two DVDs, which contain the wedge and game-winning questions. A new concept to the game includes a player being able to "steal" if another player is unable to answer the wedge question, in the last few seconds of time. Essentially, the game play stays play to the classic stylings of Trivial Pursuit, but gives it a Star Wars overhaul. In other words, this game is exactly what it says it is.

REVIEW:
The original Star Wars Trivial Pursuit was, without question, my favorite Star Wars game of all time that wasn't a video game. This new version is a MASSIVE improvement over the old version. For starters, the new version covers the ENTIRE Star Wars film saga. The classic Galactic Civil War trilogy (Episodes IV, V and VI) AND the prequel Clone Wars trilogy (Episodes I, II, and III) all get equal emphasis. If you hated the original version for not covering the prequel trilogy, that problem has, obviously, been corrected, and in a major way. The DVDs also add a nice new twist to the game. It's good to finally have a method of setting the wedge questions apart from regular questions. And, of course, you can do anywhere from two to four players or teams. I do have a few minor complaints, though. First of all is the selection of the tokens of characters you can play as. The original version had Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Darth Vader. In other words, a nice assortment of main characters. The new version has Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Yoda. In other words, ONLY JEDI CHARACTERS. This is strictly a cosmetic flaw, but still, I think they could have picked a better assortment of characters than those four. Another complaint is the inclusion of a die. For those of you who never played the original version of the game, it included an electronic R2D2 figurine which would tell you how many spaces to move when you tapped its head, via an LCD screen. I liked that better than rolling a die because it helped to give the game a unique Star Wars feel that playing with a die just doesn't have. Another problem is the price of the game - I've seen it everywhere from $45 to $60! Even at the lowest MSRP, it's still a rip off. One of the biggest problems is one of the most obvious - if you're not a die-hard Star Wars fan, you will not get very far in this game. My last and biggest complaint is with the questions themselves - like the original game, they are HORRIBLY imbalanced. Some questions are so simple, a casual fan could answer them easily. Some are so difficult, even die-hards will have trouble with them. This brings me to my complaint about the DVD questions. Not only are these questions really no more difficult than the card questions, but as time ticks down, the questions become EASIER! This makes it ridiculously easy for another player to "steal" the wedge if the question receiver is unable to answer. If I were designing the game, I'd straighten up these flaws. But I'm not, and overall, I am very satisfied with it. 

EDITION NOTES:
This game is a fairly recent release, and it remains readily available at most major stores that sell board-style games and movie merchandise. If you want the game, it shouldn't be too hard - just be ready to pay a fairly high price for it.

OVERALL:
Despite some minor issues, this new version of Star Wars Trivial Pursuit is a leaps-and-bounds improvement over the original game. If you're a huge fan of the series who thinks your knowledge of the series is supreme, don't hesitate to buy this game. There have been many Star Wars trivia games/books/etc. over the years, but Star Wars Trivial Pursuit is the ultimate Star Wars trivia experience. No fan should pass this game up.

I'm a big fan of both Star Wars and games like Trivial Pursuit and Scene It?. However, I must stress that you should only spend your money on something like this if you know three other people who feel the same as you do about it. The geeky types that like to test each others knowledge of Star Wars. Otherwise, you'll be hard-pressed to get your money's worth out of it, because it's not that worth it to the less geeky types who think it's silly to sit around discussing facts. If you can't tell, I've had a hard time getting people to play this game with me. They seem to think that I will definately win and that it's not worth playing to find out.

Also, I was slightly dissapointed in the choice of pieces to play as. They were all jedi. And it's also slightly difficult to tell them apart.

Overall, I enjoyed the game, but can't get anyone to play it with me.

This is a great game! The DVDs really make it come alive. I couldn't imagine this game without the music, images, film clips, and other various forms of dynamism of the DVDs. The game is great fun and will teach most people a great deal about Star Wars.

A word of caution is in order, though. If you would never call yourself "a Star Wars fan," then you probably will be able to answer only a handful of questions during any particular game. In fact, even the most "diehard" fans are likely to find a few questions that will leave them scratching their heads.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Movie Scrapbook (Star Wars)

2005-10-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Movie Scrapbook

0375815821
LucasBooks for Young Readers
23 April, 2002

The Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones Movie Scrapbook is a fascinating book containing the entire plot of the film, accompanied with a series of great photos taken from the film. The written story centres around some of the interesting aspects that weren't fully explored in the film. This is one of my favourite Star Wars books, and one can only wonder just how awesome Episode III will be!

This scrapbook is so cool! It has so many things and to ME this and the Visual Dictionaries are some of the best Star Wars books you can get! Cool picture and reading and everything! Just perfect!

The Cestus Deception (Star Wars: Clone Wars Novel)

0345458982
Del Rey
01 March, 2005

First, I would like to say that this book is better than I thought it would be. After reading the lukewarm reviews, I was very hesitant and did not have high hopes for a great story. I found a great adventure within the pages of The Cestus Deception as well as political intrigue and a touching love story.

The plot of the book centers around Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kit Fisto traveling to the planet of Ord Cestus on a mission. Cestus Cybernetics, a local manufacturing firm, has started producing droids unofficially called "Jedi Killers" or JK droids. One was brought back to Coruscant to be tested and it proved to be a worthy and almost unbeatable opponent, easily defeating an ARC trooper and giving Fisto a run for his money, although he did defeat it. Kenobi and Fisto were sent to Ord Cestus to try and stop the manufacturing of these droids. Chancellor Palpatine instructed that he would like to see the matter settled diplomatically, but if things got worse, other forms of "diplomacy" were OK too. Things got worse and the Jedi had to get creative in their dealings. I will leave it at that as to not spoil the fun.

One complaint that I read about in another review was the inordinate number of chapters (over 70). Yes, there are some chapters that only take up a page, others take up a few. The way I look at it is like this: Think of a movie and how often the scenes change, some scenes only lasting a handful of seconds. It is a way for the viewer to keep up on what's going on with other characters at other settings. I liken this book to a movie where the author is just keeping the reader up to speed on what's going on everywhere else. So, a one page chapter is like a 10 second scene in a movie. The shifts didn't bother me in the least and I think the author chose the right times to "cut to the next scene".

Another complaint I saw was the fact that Nate (later dubbed Jangotat), an ARC trooper, fell in love with one of the locals on Ord Cestus. Personally, I think this side story unfolded at a good pace, not rushed, and was very touching. And, I also believe it's true to life. I'd be willing to bet that in the course of world history, soldiers in wars have fallen in love with a local. Why not in this story? Nate is still human and has merely been trained to tune out emotions. He still has them and they start coming out when he meets Sheeka Tull. Did that make him soft? Absolutely not. Read the book and judge for yourself.

I would encourage everyone to give this book a chance. I am not a writer, merely a reader and fan of Star Wars novels. I read books like I watch movies; I keep an open mind and just relax and enjoy the story, ignoring technical flaws and plot holes. I enjoyed the main story as well as the side stories that accompanied it. Although Barnes didn't personify clone troopers as well as Karen Traviss did in Hard Contact and his writing style may not be technically perfect, The Cestus Deception is worth your time. May the Force be with you!

It is, by far the worst Star Wars book I have read so far, and I've read quite a few. It turns perfectly cool things like ARC Troopers into soap-juggling sensitive nice-guys. I am not joking. The ARC trooper fell in love with somebody who was on the same slave ship as Jango Fett. Do yourself a favor and stay clear of it. Instead, buy Republic Commando: Hard Contact by Karen Traviss. A MUCH better book.

This was a well-constructed story, but like many of the Star Wars Novels, the writer fails to adequately describe the fight scenes by using too many abstracts...('Obi-Wan's light saber danced through the fight....'). This doesn't paint a very vivid or exciting picture of Jedi in action. The ONLY author that really gives you a blow-by-blow, slash-by-slash description of a good light saber fight is Michael Reaves in Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter! It was very nice to learn more about Kit Fisto and get a feel for his character - so Fisto fans should be well satisfied. Unfortunately, this novel is consistent with Episodes I-III in that it really makes the Jedi look weak. Their inability to detect the dark side really diminishes a fan's view of the Jedi as being a powerful cast and really gives the impression that the dark side is really stronger! Not to be negative, this is a good story, especially if you're a Fisto fan!

Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13) 034542865XDel (Star Wars)

2005-10-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13)

034542865X
Del Rey
30 July, 2002

This book is a rather in depth look at what happens to Jacen after the fall of Coruscant. For the most part, the larger context of the war takes a backseat while we see Jacen wage a personal struggle with himself and Vergere. The interplay between the two is fascinating and extremely well done. Kudos to Matthew Stover for making this work within the larger context of the ongoing Vong conquest of the galaxy.

This book gives the most in depth insight yet of the highly alien yet fascinating culture of the Yuuzhan Vong. The creater of this culture certainly has quite the imagination, and it came out in full force in this volume, the 13th in this saga. We don't know what is really going on in the general context of the war through this volume, but one gets the feeling that the elapsed time in this volume is relatively short, though it is rather difficult to get a feel for it.

Though I like the political aspects of this ongoing series, this very deep, introspective of Jacen that this volume provides is fascinating. It brings him full circle from what he was advocating in the beginning the the series regarding a passive use of the Force. Truly, Jacen has come of age with the conclusion of this volume.

Like some of the other reviewers, I picked up this book based on having on enjoyed some of Matthew Stover's other "Star Wars" fiction. It was a good choice, as this is another superb "Star Wars" story by this author.

"Star Wars The New Jedi Order: Traitor" focuses on the story of Jacen Solo and Vergere --- his tormentor, or perhaps his eventual savior. Jacen's first experiences with Vergere certainly don't seem very positive. She sticks him in a torture device called the Embrace of Pain and then takes away his ability to use the Force. He's then thrust into many new situation, with Vergere there the whole way, although it soon becomes clear that her agenda is much deeper than he may have originally thought.

"Traitor" is a powerful tale of Jacen Solo's journey as everything, or at least many things he knew, change all around him. A major power, the Yuuzhang Vong, wants to convert him to one of their followers, but that may not be as easy as they thought. Just how things turn out for Solo is something you'll have to find out for yourself.

Based on this book, I'll probably at least give a look at the other "New Jedi Order" books from the top. This tale, however, is definitely a hard act to top.

Like others who have read this book, I thought it would be the first letdown in the series. A book about a single character's struggle in a universe as immense as the Star Wars sage seemed rather odd. This book however, made me think the entire way through. I felt for this poor soul, and I truly felt the process of the Jacen character's growth. The highs and the lows and everything in between. A wonderfully written book!

Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

B00004TN2T
THQ

After what is widely considered one of the greatest Movie to video game adaptations: Super Star Wars, Super Empire Stirkes Back and Super Return of the Jedi followed. Return of the Jedi is a good game, but if you know what character to use the game is incredibly easy. Case in point, Leia can be nearly invincible if you know how to use her charge (and if you want to defeat the first boss in five easy hits you'll use that).
The gameplay is more similar to Super Star Wars rather than The Empire Stirkes Back. Before each level you can select who you want to be from one of five characters, depending on the level. You can be Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie or Wicket (the Ewok). Each character has their own strentghs and weaknesses, for example Luke only uses a lightsaber and if you want difficulty in the game then you'll choose him since he also has the least amount of life. But the fact that Luke can heal himself and use his lightsaber as a projectile easily remedies his weaknesses (you CAN beat the first boss with Luke I've done it thousands of times you'll just take A LOT of damage). Han and Chewie have weak blasters (unless you power them up but when the next level starts your back to the default). Leia...well you could be invulnerable since every other item enemies drop for her is a health sword (which increases your life gauge) or a large heart. Wicket is just there to take damage. His arrows are VERY VERY strong but he has so little life that you'll find yourself killed off a few times before you get the hang of him.
The levels are great but some of them get VERY repetative. On Tatooine you'll pass over the same landscape dozens of times and in the death star you'll certainly run across the same bridge and go about the same pattern several times.
The graphics in the game stand out at least. They aren't really better than The Empire Strikes Back they're more or less the same.
Overall: Return of the Jedi is a good game but the gameplay element holds it back a bit. It's a little too easy at times and the power-ups that Leia gets are an insult to what the difficulty of this game could've been.

This is a cool game, and I can agree with the guy who says that you can't be a Jedi if you don't beat this! Although it is not very much like the movie, I must say that you can see the simialarities in the game. I personaly like to use passcode cheats, so that I can explore new and unique levels. I am a classic gamer, and I can identify a great classic. This is definitely one of them! A side-scrolling arcade game, first person views on vehicles such as landspeeders, speeder bikes, and X-wings, and hard to beat challenges make it a SNES classic!

Though the graphics aren't as good as Empire Strikes Back, this is still a cool game. Very challenging.
Here's a tip:
select Chewy for the first level, because there's no other way to defeat the boss without a blaster. I tried to using Luke about fifty times, the lightsaber doesn't work, trust me.

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: Palpatine Lighsaber B0006OCFE4HasbroDefinitly (Star Wars)

2005-10-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: Palpatine Lighsaber

B0006OCFE4
Hasbro

Definitly a highlight in the Episode III toyline, this figure of the sinister Supreme Chancellor Palpatine comes straight from the scene where Jedi master Mace Windu and his fellow companions try to arrest him -- with no success, as the cloaked Sith lord is not easily matched.

The figure of Palpatine in an excellent likness of actor Ian McDiarmid comes with an additional head and set of hands, as well as with blue lightning bolts, so that the figure can be transformed from politician to gruelsome Sith warlord.

This is claimed to be one of the best in my collection. He is very detailed and has some pretty interesting features. I enjoy watching this one do its lightsaber action when I test it weekly and gently set it on my shelf for my eyes to see. He is very detailed with his heads, hands and his robe. He also has a very shocking (Get it shocking! I crack myself up!) lightning attack. But one thing I don't like about this figure is that it's hard to keep track of with all those accessories. I loose them sometimes but then I find them again (I'm running out of shelf space). It gets pretty anoying. Along with some other figures that have the same problem... >sigh I should get used to it.

This toy is COOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!! Not Really. I just wanted to say that to see what you would do. It's alright. one thing that I don't like about it is the fact that his entire body is one piece. I think that they should have left out the chopping action, and instead have put a more realistic looking body. Also the way that the plastic that form's his robe is shaped does not look very realistic. everything else about this toy is mentioned in the other reviews, but you shouldn't read them, because mine is the beast.

Star Wars

B000035XC2
Capcom

It's ok. The SNES game is way better. Very hard. No saving, no codes.

Deceptions (Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice, Special Edition #1) 0439139384Scholastic Paperbacks01 (Star Wars)

2005-10-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

Deceptions (Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice, Special Edition #1)

0439139384
Scholastic Paperbacks
01 July, 2001


JEDI APPRENTICE
(Deceptions)


One of the most important things in witch Obi-Wan Kenobi could do to fight the dark side it was fighting first the darkness that he had inside. With his trainer Master Qui Gon Jinn who level up his powers to a place that it can be considered a jedi. The first thing in which Obi-Wan Kenobi was trained was in the controlling of there powers so there in no problem to change of side and all ways go in the same way ass the good jedi. After 2 years o training Obi-Wan have learned the double of powers than when he was beginning. The decision that he took of going through the magic woods were he most train its abilities of power and control its fear. When Obi-Wan end the long trip of a month there ability of the power had increased with the big train of controlling the fear that if it was not stable it will case a lot of problems in the future.
After 12 years; Obi-Wan had trained, he had convert in to a Jedi Knight that wanted to train this little child that was 10 years when his training begin. It was the time were Obi-Wan had to show what he have learned in all of this time since Qui-Gon did. Anakin was the name of the new revolution of the jedi that become half light and half darkness. This was the problem that Qui-Gon was talking about if the training is no complete the problems are going to be bigger and bigger case the jedi is not going to know how to control all the power that it has. When Anakin finish his training he haves power form the dark and the light.

By: Erick Aurelio

This book has two parts. The first relates a difficult period for Obi-Wan, when his actions resulted in the death of another apprentice while the second takes moves forward to a time when Anakin Skywalker has become Obi-Wan's Padawan and Qui-Gon has been dead several years. While Obi-Wan tries to be a good mentor to Anakin, he learns that the past is not easy to leave behind. Anakin is an exceptional student in many ways, but perhaps Yoda's concerns that he was too old to learn the Jedi ways were correct. As Obi-Wan and Anakin investigate the captain and passengers of a spaceship community, they continue to develop their relationship together at the same time each is troubled by his own problems.
Characters are interesting and well-written and the plot is engaging. Vocabulary and structure are appropriate to the target audience, though probably not entertaining or deep enough for older readers or adults.

It's not as good as the other books in the series, but it's not too bad, although it is rather predictable.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part happens after book 8, when Obi-Wan is 14. The second part is three years after Qui-Gon dies, when Anakin is Obi-wan's apprentice.
After Bruck falls to his death while fighting Obi-Wan, his father comes to the Temple to inquire into his son's death. He accuses Obi-Wan of having resposibility for Bruck's death. Obi-Wan is found innocent, but he has gained two enemies for life - Bruck's father and brother.
And twelve years later, as he re-unites with two old friends, Andra and Den, aboard a huge ship where people may be held against their will, he also re-unites with his two enemies.

Light and Dark (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 4)

1593071957
Dark Horse
25 May, 2004

A fantastic entry into the ever-growing plethora of SW novels and comics Jan Duurscema's LIGHT AND DARK is a must-have for Clone Wars fans. No.5 charts the dark side of the battles, primarily concerned with Count Dooku and Quinlan Vos. Deep, rich artwork, and some great writing from STAR WARS regular John Ostrander. A great read and essential for fans of the genre.

This is the fouth graphic novel in the clone wars series and it is amazing. No, their isn't a word to describe how I felt while reading it, so I'll make one up right now: fanamsome. this book is fanamsome.:) Featuring all time expanded universe jedi favorites Aayla Secura (yes!) and her former master light-to-dark-to-light Quinlan Voss (double yes)this book focuses on the rage that build up within a jedi who is "skirting the line" I would recommend this one to everyone. Jan Duurscema's artwork will rock you're world!

--T.R.

This volume collects the last two issues of the Jedi subseries, Aayla Secura and Dooku, alone with Republic 54 & 63. Most center on the character of Quinlan Vos, Aayla's former master.

The art of the comic is excellent, just what I would have expected from Duursema. Ostrander's story is good, but unfortunately suffers a bit from having the Aayla story thrust into the middle of what primarily focuses on Vos.

Granted, one of the reasons for Aayla's mission to Deveron relates to Vos's story, but only tangetally. I guess I would have rather seen it packaged in with one of the other collections.

Perhaps the best surprise of the volume is the reappearance of Jedi-killing bounty hunter Aurra Sing. We finally see that she did recover from her encounter with A'Sharad Hett, and is just as deadly as ever.

As I said, it's probably one of the better Clone Wars graphic novels, but the inclusion of Aayla's story detracts a bit from the overall plot of Vos's apparent treason.

Star Wars X-Wing Fighter B00061I4UGHasbro Star Wars Revenge of the (Star Wars)

2005-10-17T03:08:00.000-07:00

Star Wars X-Wing Fighter

B00061I4UG
Hasbro

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: Palpatine Lighsaber

B0006OCFE4
Hasbro

Jedi Trial (Star Wars: Clone Wars Novel) 0345461150Del Rey31 May, (Star Wars)

2005-10-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

Jedi Trial (Star Wars: Clone Wars Novel)

0345461150
Del Rey
31 May, 2005

This would have gotten 2 Stars, had it not been for a wonderful section towards the end, where anakin is confronted by ghosts of his past. Too much military lingo and battlefield strategies for a fan of the series. They really lacked the Jedi foundation found in Shatterpoint and The Cestus Deception. I was not impressed with this one. Thought , it is a good one if you like the military stuff and star wars, but i am a Jedi guy through n through, not a military man.

Most of what I'd like to say about this book has already been said by other reviewers, so I'll just add a few things that particularly bothered me.

As some others have stated, the novel begins with an intriguing premise, but quickly degenerates into a series of predictable action sequences and badly cliched dialogue. Anakin, the presumed star of the story, is essentially relegated to a supporting role, while the real focus of the book is handed to the poorly-sketched characters Odie and Erk. This wouldn't necessarily be so bad if the characters were more fleshed out. Unfortunately, the writers seem to have a poor grasp of character development (something that shows in all the relationships in the book), or else they were very rushed in completing the work, because Odie and Erk are thrown at us quickly, with little explanation of who they are or why they are important for the reader's consideration. This isn't helped by the authors' lack of descriptive text. Having read the entire book, I still don't have even a vague idea of what Odie looks like. Some action sequences suffer from a similar lack of description, as the authors spend a great deal of time explaining the tactics involved and not enough on the actual execution of the action. The battles often seem rushed and confusing, as important events are glossed over quickly and others are dwelled on needlessly, leaving the reader with a poor idea of what is going on. The early scenes with Odie, in particular, are confusing, as large amounts of time seem to pass within very small amounts of text.

Back to the characters' relationships. The characters in the book often behave in seemingly inexplicable ways. For example, the dynamic between Nejaa Halcyon and Zozridor Slayke makes absolutely no sense. The first half or so of the book goes on and on about how much Slayke hates Jedi and holds Nejaa in utter contempt, but after only a brief confrontation, they suddenly turn into fast friends following an impulsive lecture on teamwork from Anakin. No real explanation is given for this complete reversal in attitude on Slayke's part. Another thing about Slayke: he was supposed to be a renegade from the Republic Fleet before the Clone Wars even broke out. But Attack of the Clones basically implies that the Republic didn't have a full-scale military until the creation of the clone army. So what military was Slayke rebelling from? It makes no sense. The relationship between Nejaa and Anakin is also rushed, as some others have pointed out. Their initial meeting is handled in a series of rather superfluous and uninteresting sparring sessions at the Jedi Temple, which seem almost to have been thrown in as obligatory "Jedi scenes" to remind us that the story really is about Anakin, and to provide a convenient excuse for Nejaa requesting Anakin to be assigned to the mission. The two are built up to have this great trust and bond (Anakin even reveals his secret marriage to Padme to the man!), yet they've only known each other for a few days. Anakin's relationship with Grudo is similarly undercooked. Odie and Erk's relationship is also fast, though this doesn't feel quite as unnatural. I think the authors were playing on that old idea that people who face death together bond in a very intimate way very quickly, but I think that was poorly explained if that was, indeed, what they were going for. Going along with all this is the dialogue. While it's not on the level of, say, a high schooler's casual fan fiction, it's certainly not what one would expect from proffessionals in a published work.

Once the final battle with Tonith's Seperatist forces begins, the story breaks down further. At this point, it seems to become less a story than a treatise on battle field tactics, coupled with a lecture on the importance of logistics. Why the authors felt it was important to inform us how much water the average clone trooper consumes in one day is beyond me, but they did, which partly distracts from the rather rushed and poorly explained nature of the battle itself (it's very difficult to get a clear idea of what's going on through most of it). Then there's Anakin's blink-or-you'll-miss-it fighter combat and his performance of Odie and Erk's wedding(!?) at the end.

Someone else mentioned that they didn't think this particular style of military-realism fit with the Star Wars universe, and I must agree. Reading the book, the Republic army is sort of shoe-horned into contemporary battlefield tactics and army hierarchies, which I don't think is necessarily logical. Given the far superior technological level of this setting, there's no reason to assume (and actually, it's rather illogical to do so) that their approach to military maneuvers would be the same. Military strategy and tactics do change over time, given new advances in weapons technology, yet this battle could have essentially been fought anywhere in the real world today. The Jedi are also basically just portrayed as these sort of elite military commanders, which doesn't fit with the Jedi image at all. Technically, yes, they have ranks and are given command of armies, but they are not traditional military personnel, which this book seems to try to draw them as.

I do think the book has some high points, though. When it's not getting bogged down in over-analysis or ruminations on the term "friendly fire", the characters are at least moderately entertaining. I even found Odie and Erk endearing, though the end of their story could have been handled much better. The two guards who hang around with Nejaa Halcyon are also amusing, though underused. Seeing Nejaa Halcyon (Corran Horn's grandfather, not father) was also a nice surprise, though I would have liked his character to be fleshed out some more. When Anakin finally comes into his own in the last half or third of the book, he does take on a rightful image of the sort of action/adventure hero, and he does get a couple of good scenes (such as his storming of Tonith's command center), which really show off what a Jedi can do (I believe it's the first time we actually see a lightsaber used in the whole story). Also, while some have complained about the lack of a "trial", I believe that these complaints are misplaced. As other novels have suggested, such as the Medstar duology, the Trials are not a set battery of tests administered by the Jedi Council so much as a measure of a Padawan's performance in some real life crisis (hence the term Trial and not Test or Exam). Anakin's Trial, I believe, was the whole action, and he passed by not surrendering to his anger and slaughtering Tonith and his staff. This could, perhaps, have been made clearer in the novel, but it was adequate, I felt.

If you're interested in reading Star Wars novels with a more gritty, military angle, I'd recomend Michael Stackpole's X-Wing series, which are, in my opinion, far superior to this book in every way. If you're dying to read about the Clone Wars, I'd recomend The Cestus Deception, which starts out a bit slow, but picks up a lot as it moves on and offers an intriguing look into the lives of the clone troopers, or Yoda: Dark Rendezvous, which I have just started, but which looks extremely promising.

I found this book spent more time on military tactics than characters. I didn't actually finish the book because it did not hold my interest, the characters were not gripping and the parts that concentrated on the military tactics did not interest me.

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: Clone Pilot

B0006OCFDU
Hasbro

When I saw Revenge Of The Sith I thought that a couple of the new clones were really cool. The Imperial Shock Trooper (the red ones that save Anakin), Commander Gree ( the green clone on Kashyyyk) and this pilot. I knew that they had a toy of this so I bought it. It's kind of rare but you can still find it in stores like KB and Toysrus. Probably even Wal Mart but I havent gone there yet. Anyway, the clone pilot has decent articulation but apparently not as good as some others according to other reviewers. It comes with a firing turret a pretty cool gun and some other thing. I agree though with the last reviewer that there should be eyes on this figure. Pilot goes great with the Republic Gunship and slides right in the seats. In the movie though, these pilots go in the ARC-170 vehicle but I read on another review that they fly in the Republic Gunships which is good because I have the Gunship and not the ARC. This figure is SO much fun. It has 11 points of articulation. Possibly even 12 because of the head but that can't really move. Great toy! Probably one of the best so far. I think the best is capeless Grievous though. This is great fun so buy it especially if you have a vehicle!

This clone is starting to look like the AT-AT pilot but so cooler! He has good articulation: ball jointed neck, shoulders, angle cut elbows, waist, wrists, hips and knees! his sculpt looks pretty much like it is in the movie, but I think the visor should be transparent plastic so you could see his eyes. And to top it of you get one of the best sculpted DC-15 blaster pistols made! It is slightly larger than the one that comes with the "quick-draw attack" clone and Its trigger guard is bigger but put them together and the pilots details are so much better! but you better by at least two because a pen won't fill the remainding seats!

I love this one and picked up three of them, thinking that they would be in low supply. Since then I have seen them all over, so not that rare (especially good for those like me trying to build up a good clone army). The articulation is good, but would have liked the figure to have been an equal to the #41 Clone Trooper or Clone Commander.

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Grievous' Wheel Bike B000701CW8Hasbro15 (Star Wars)

2005-10-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Grievous' Wheel Bike

B000701CW8
Hasbro
15 March, 2005
Although he is evil and wreaks all sorts of havoc all over the galaxy far, far away, its hard not to feel just a little bit sorry for General Grievous from Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. We suspect the whole cocky thing he does is really just a front, masking his own insecurities, plus he is an android with respiratory problems (kind of strange when you think about it) and while other bad guys get to drive those awesome star fighters, Grievous is stuck with a bike. A bike! It kind of gives you an idea of how Darth Sidious really feels about him. Said bike is recreated here in toy form as the included Grievous figure can sit in the center sphere as the two wheels spin around him. There are a pair of legs to lower down, affording a clambering option, as well as articulated claws and a spring-loaded projectile. --Charlie Williams
A lot of toy for the price. Hasbro did a great job.

this toy bites. grevious sucks so i went out and bought the "deluxe Grevious" but that doesn't fit in it. p.s. there is no reason it should b deluxe. the only difference between that and the carded one is the "missile launcher" which is a piece of crap. anyway the wheelbike looks okay but has many, many, many flaws. the figure is worse than the 1970's figures and im extremely disappointed about spending my hard earned cash on this piece of junk. i painted a freakin deck for this!!!! what a flippin waste

My son loves the Star Wars toy. Anything to do with Star Wars, he just loves. The item came on time; there was no delay which was good for my sone because he remembered the day it was going to aarive and sure it was waiting on my front porch. It was also neatly packaged, no broken parts.

Star Wars, Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

1565111583
Highbridge Audio
01 November, 1996
"Watching from his throne, the Emperor laughed with evil glee. 'Good! Your hate has made you powerful. Now, fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side!'" Luke, of course, refuses and good triumphs over evil in Return of the Jedi. The final installment of the original trilogy--flawed, perhaps, by the Ewoks (what was Lucas thinking?)--is beautifully presented in this charming book. Images from the film provide inspiration for Brandon McKinney's crisp illustrations, which complement John Whitman's adaptation of the original screenplay. This book is a perfect little gift for Star Wars fans of all ages. --C.B. Delaney
Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi (1983.) 

As long as there had been motion pictures, there had been science fiction films. Unfortunately, very few of them ever managed to hit the spot. That was, until 1977 rolled around. It was in this year that George Lucas would change the way we look at science fiction. How would he do this? With the film he released that year - Star Wars. The film was so successful, that two sequels were released! And not surprisingly, they've all been novelized. Read on for my review of Episode VI - Return Of The Jedi.

BASIC PLOT: 
A year has passed since the events that took place in The Empire Strikes Back. The Galactic Empire has begun work on a newer, more powerful version of the Death Star, the space station that caused so much trouble for the Rebellion in the first film. After rescuing Han Solo from Jabba's Palace, he, Luke, and Leia reunite with the rest of the Rebel Alliance, and discover that the plans for the new battle station have been taken into their custody, giving them a one-shot chance to destroy the station before it is completed. What they aren't aware of is that the Emperor has allowed the plans to fall into their hands, so that he can launch a surprise attack. While the rest of the Rebel Alliance falls right into the Emperor's trap, Luke goes aboard the new Death Star, so that he may face Darth Vader once again. On the Forest Moon of Endor, below the Death Star, Han, Leia, and the rest of a massive Rebel strike force plot to destroy the shield generator around the battle station. Before long, the Rebellion is involved in its most intense battle yet - a battle that will result in galactic peace if won - or eternal terror if lost. 

OPINIONS: 
A great story - no questions asked. This is a rare example of a sci-fi tale nearly thirty years old that doesn't seem dated. Even by modern standards, this is still excellent. It's by all means worthy of a high rating in my book. 


OVERALL: 
The Star Wars stories are science fiction masterpieces that don't fail to stand the test of time. Hell, it's all better than most of the modern sci-fi out there! If you're a fan of the genre, the Star Wars series is not to be missed. 

James Kahn's novel, Star Wars - Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, is a great interpretation of Lucas' screenplay and a closing for the famous Star Wars series. I'm sure any who reads this book, Star Wars fan or not, will enjoy this book. If you are new to the series than I suggest you read the first book in the original trilogy (Episode VI - A New Hope), instead of VI the last one, of course.

Although the novel strictly follows the screenplay, James Kahn added a couple different scenes in or extended others in the movie (I'll let you find these for yourself :)). The final duel between Luke and Vader at the end of the story, is described in a very dark and powerful way, giving you a larger insight on the strength of the emotions emitted in that scene.

I enjoyed this book just as much as the other 2 in the trilogy, and HIGHLY recommend picking up this book and giving it a try. This book being the last 1/3 of the trilogy, it is more enjoyable because you finally get the feeling of closure in the story - the Emperor is defeated and the Rebellion triumphs. 

Simply put - this is a great book.

Even though I'm in my 30's, I like to think of myself as somewhat of a veteran of listening to radio drama. I discovered this wonderful art of theatrical broadcasting in the early 80's. The local public radio station would broadcast several of the old radio shows throughout the week. I listened to the Lone Ranger, the Green Hornet, Suspense, Abbott and Costello, etc. (Call me a geek for doing it, but I loved every minute of it).
I miss those days because this art form gives you the greatest freedom of the imagination. I wish we could bring it back more often. Anyway, I remember hearing that Star Wars was coming to the radio and I listened to the episodes when I could. What a great experience.
However, I bought the cd edition of Return of the Jedi, which I didn't hear in broadcast. I could not have been more pleased. The performances of the actors and the sound technicians gave me the best listening thrill I've had in a long time. I've had the cds for only 5 days and have listened to them each day. I'm going to get the first two dramas soon so I can to enjoy them too.
Why do I feel this way? I don't know, except that I have always enjoyed listening and letting my imagination go. It allows one to be active in the story, rather than passive as with a film. It's even better than reading in one way. You don't get the writer's vivid details of the appearance of things. You get to produce it all yourself. And when you listen again, you can "see" it differently in your mind.
As for why I give it four stars, I want to hear the other two in comparison before I give it the highest mark. All things said, if you have a good imagination when a story is told, then get this drama. You'll enjoy it again and again.

Star Wars Republic Commando (Mac) B0006B63CMLucas Arts Entertainment Co. LLC01 (Star Wars)

2005-10-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Republic Commando (Mac)

B0006B63CM
Lucas Arts Entertainment Co. LLC
01 February, 2005

Lego Stories and Action Star Wars Episode IIi Snowspeeder (10129)

B0002AHVDC
LEGO

Like all of the bigger collector edition models are of their respective ships, this is a very good representation of the snow speeder. It didn't take all that long to put together, either. It now sits very stably on the top of my desk, next to where the Star Destroyer USED to sit before being knocked off by a closing door one too many times. (It didn't get hit; the vibrations in the floor were enough.)

The durability of this model stands in stark contrast to all of the other models, except for maybe the Naboo Fighter. This thing is built like a brick, which I suppose is understandable given its size and shape. It doesn't have thin, folding wings like the X-wing, and it is far less volumnous than the Star Destroyer. This wasn't near the top of my list, but since I already had all the others, it was a welcome addition.

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith (Star Wars (Random House (Star Wars)

2005-10-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith (Star Wars (Random House Paperback))

0345428846
Del Rey
25 October, 2005

Star Wars Clone Wars Gd

B00005BRBL

Star Wars Unleashed Clone Trooper Figure (Red) B0007YDCOABrian's Toys, Inc.This (Star Wars)

2005-10-16T04:10:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Unleashed Clone Trooper Figure (Red)

B0007YDCOA
Brian's Toys, Inc.

This clone statue is super-detailed and super-fun.
Clones like this are hard to come by. Get a super clone today!

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

B00076SCPW
20TH Century Fox

I love this movie! My favorite Star Wars go in this order:

Attack of the Clones

The Phantom Menace

Return of the Jedi

Revenge of the Sith

A New Hope

Empire Strikes Back

In my opinion Episode III was very, very sad.

Out of all star wars movies this has the shortest major jedi fight,i was hopeing it would be better, but it didnt have enought jedi action in fact it had little Awesome fights,but it still rocks 4stars

This final entry in George Lucas's STAR WARS movies is often regarded as the weakest of the lot. However, this is not to say that it is a totally worthless entry in the series. On the contrary. Sure, it's not as groundbreaking as its predecessors and a bit more slow-going at times, but RETURN OF THE JEDI still offers a lot to warrant the price of admission.

The first third of the movie, where Luke and his friends rescue Han from the palace of Jabba the Hutt, is a classic. Jabba, a truly disgusting blob of bloated flesh who speaks in his own language, not only makes a great villain, but a memorable one, too. It must have been a nightmare to construct this giant puppet, much less give it the spark and life that we see on the finished product. Actually, what also makes this sequence fun is the clever use of puppets for the various members of Jabba's court, including the intimidating, slavering Rancor and scary Sarlaac pit monster. It builds masterfully to its climax and pulls punches all the while.

Things get a little bit slower around the second act, where Luke discovers that he and Leia are related by blood and when we travel to the forest planet of Endor, home of the cuddlesome yet stalwart Ewoks. Most of the complaints about RETURN OF THE JEDI that I've read seem to be centered on these furry creatures, in that they somehow disrupt the tone of the saga. I don't totally agree with that, although this moment is probably played out a bit longer than it should. However, their leader, Wicket (played by Warrick Davis) is a delightfully memorable creation, and watching how they handle the Imperial Troops' technology with their simple, natural weapons provides a nice contrast.

By the time we get to the third act, though, the pace picks up again, as we intercut between the Ewoks battle against the troops, Lando and the Rebel Forces launching an attack against the Empire's all-new half-completed Death Star, and Luke's final showdown with Darth Vader and the Emperor. The latter ties with the Jabba Palace sequence as the highlight of the movie. Mark Hamill flexes his acting chops once again as Luke Skywalker in these scenes, and watching him as a fully matured Jedi Knight makes for an unforgettable performance. Also, as iconic as James Earl Jones' voice as Darth Vader is, he is rivaled only by the shriveled, crone-like Emperor, played with deliciously raspy, frightening evil by Ian McDiarmid. The tension between this trio heightens the excitement of this climactic moment, which is appropriately darkly lit and menacingly underscored.

The STAR WARS movies have always set standards for special effects, and the technical work in RETURN OF THE JEDI can easily hold a candle to its predecessors. The space battle fights are as exhilarating as always, and the speeder bike chase through the forest is a knockout. Of course, given that this movie was made after A NEW HOPE and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, it probably shouldn't be so surprising that the special effects have reached an even greater level of excellence. The acting is classic STAR WARS fare; Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher all mature and deepen into their roles, and Anthony Daniels provides more hilarious moments as C-3PO. Frank Oz's Yoda only appears in two scenes, but he makes the most of it. And yes, there's also John Williams' music.

All told, while RETURN OF THE JEDI falters a little bit in the middle, the first and third acts deliver in style, making this a rather satisfactory finale to one of the greatest sagas ever.

In 1997, George Lucas re-released the classic STAR WARS in digitally restored (and revamped) "Special Editions", which featured added-in effects and/or shots as well as some enhancements. Of the three, RETURN OF THE JEDI appears to have caused the most commotion with STAR WARS fans. Perhaps it can be due to the jarringly out-of-place (albeit funny if you're not so easily offended) "Jedi Rocks" musical number in Jabba's Palace, which, although technically amazing, does disrupt the flow of the film. However, I DID like the ending montage scenes where we see victory celebrations occurring on the various planets of the galaxy. This DVD version features yet more tweaking--we get to see more montage finale scenes (notably on Naboo, where we hear what sounds like Jar Jar Binks screaming, "Wesa free!"), and, in what is probably the most controversial change, Hayden Christensen as the specter of Anakin Skywalker in the closing scenes. Probably due to the intense (and unfair) disdain fans have for his somewhat shaky work in EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES it seems inevitable that fans would put this edition down for that alone. However, if you're watching the STAR WARS saga chronologically (and contemplating about it), chances are you may react a little differently. Nonetheless, it is an issue that fans have raised, so it's probably best to be warned beforehand.

As nice as it would be to have Lucas release the original versions of these three classic films, he nonetheless stands by what he said about these revamps being the "definitive" editions of his classic trilogy, and, when viewing the STAR WARS movies altogether as one complete saga (as Lucas intended), it actually makes sense to keep them technically and aurally consistent. The original films will always be engraved in our memories, but these new incarnations are just as much fun, if one can give them a chance.

The Star Trek Sticker Book (Star Trek: All) 0671014722Star Trek01 (Star Wars)

2005-10-15T23:07:00.000-07:00

The Star Trek Sticker Book (Star Trek: All)

0671014722
Star Trek
01 September, 1999

I don't know if anyone else remembers the first Star Trek sticker book published immediately after "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." It featured images and graphics from that first film, and I drooled when I saw it in the store. Never got it. Now it probably sells on eBay for over a hundred bucks.
Well, just like Spock and the Defiant, this book has a second life in this all-new edition. This excellent collection of well-designed stickers is a lot of fun for any Trek fan with insignia, ships, labels, symbols, signs, and more ranging from Kirk's command badge to the "Deep Space Niners" baseball team logo. Borg ships, antimatter warning labels, communicators, IDICs, the Delta Flyer, Ferengi symbols...they're all here, images from all four series and most of the movies.
A unique bonus is the 'official history' and 'behind the scenes' info by Star Trek designers Michael and Denise Okuda that extensively annotates each image. This section alone means that you'll want to keep this book long after you've peeled off and used all the stickers. It's a great gift for the Star Trek fan in your life and huge fun for kids...I keep a copy in my work office and pass out stickers to visiting kids.
My only complaint, and it's a minor one: my favorite stickers are the 'Enterprise-D' Starfleet Panel Labels (in section five of the book). These are great for sticking on your computer and other electronic equipment...I would have liked to see more than one page of them! How else would my co-workers know that my Mac must remain online unless disconnect is authorized by the bridge's ops officer?

I've never imagined there would be a book like this. The book collected all symbols and insignia from the Star Trek universe. I intend to construct a WWW site for Star Trek recently, and I found this book useful. I scanned many ships and symbols from it, and put them on my website. (Despite that may illegal...) The print quality is quite fine, just slightly worse than Encyclopedia. Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Okuda.

Every essential sticker for a true Star Trek fan. My office computers and cabinets have already been assimilated! One complaint: only one Enterprise E sticker? Lots of great design history on each of the symbols, and everything is authentic. Where was this book ten years ago when I was a kid watching The Next Generation?

Edge of Victory I: Conquest (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 7)

0345428641
Del Rey
03 April, 2001

This was a really good book. It wasn't as dark as the others so far. It showed characters who have not been major players and it featured a great one in Anakin Solo. I really enjoyed this adventure book.

Duros has fallen. The New Republic continues to crumble before the onslaught of the Yuuzhan Vong. Even worse, after his near death at the hands of Jacen Solo, Warmaster Tsavong Lah declares he will not attack any more New Republic worlds if the New Republic hands over the Jedi.

Some are more than willing to take the Warmaster at his word. A coolaborationist group known as the Peace Brigade is willing to do everything it can to turn over Jedi. Even the New Republic Senate is hesitant to fully support the Jedi, even as a traitor is revealing herself among the ranks of the Senate.

Enter Anakin, who comes to the realization that the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4 will be in danger. His concern for the students in general, and Tahiri in particular, draws him to that moon. However, the Peace Brigade is also on the trail. What follows is a test for Anakin and Tahiri as well as for the Jedi as a whole.

With this volume, we continue to get a closer look at the bizarre belief system of the Yuuzhan Vong as well as the maturation of Anakin as he has seemingly recovered from the loss of Chewie at Sernpidal.

While brief, this volume is a compelling continuation of the saga what has brought the Jedi their greatest challenge since Palpatine. This is well worth a read.

This is the first book done by Greg Keyes for this series. 
This is the best book in the series in my opinion (This and his follow up Victory II) and one of the most action packed.
You really get to learn about Anakin in this one and after reading this and Victory II Anakin became my favorite character. I had complete empathy with him and really appreciated the depth in which Mr.Keyes delved into his inner thoughts and emotions, but don't let that make you think this book or the follow up is lacking action. This book has some of the best action so far, at least for me. Thoughtful, intense, and absolutely riveting.

I'm so glad I bought both Victory I and Victory II together. Trust me, you will want to have both so you can finish Anakins journey in and out of hell.

Secrets of Naboo Campaign Pack (Star Wars Roleplaying Game) 0786917946Wizards (Star Wars)

2005-10-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

Secrets of Naboo Campaign Pack (Star Wars Roleplaying Game)

0786917946
Wizards of the Coast
January, 2001

this is a great pack to get if you are begining to play star wars role playing game. it has every thing you need

I had very high hopes for this book. But it is a huge letdown. The infomation for the most part is not new. They mention equipment and give very few pictures for it. The Trade federation is in it. What for? They attacked Naboo they are not a part of it. They are interesting but needed to be in a different book.
There are NO prestige classes at all. Could they not think of any Prestige classes that would be Native to Naboo? It seems not. The whole book just comes off as a poor effort.
The adventure is close to half the book and isn't that exciting and is also set in the battle of Naboo. Too bad if that isn't where your campaign is set.
Is there anything good about it? yes there is. But not alot. They need to do better. Much better in future and give the players something real. Like what happened to Naboo during the Rebellion era and the new Jedi order? What events have shaped it if you want to use it in a future game. But it has nothing.
Very weak. If you have to have it then get it. Otherwise save your cash for some other SW products.

As the first real supplement for the new Star Wars Role Playing Game from Wizards of the Coast, `Secrets of Naboo' could have had a little more...well, a little more. `Secrets' is a complete misnomer, because it reveals nothing that could be considered unusual or out of the ordinary. In fact there are no secrets revealed that any moderately dyed in the wool Star Wars fan wouldn't already know. The proper title should have read something like `Fodor's Guide to Naboo', because although it is well written, it reads a little like one of the many country guides available in most book stores today.
It briefly covers both species to the planet-the humans and the gungans, but doesn't go into much detail about either. It talked about how when the humans first arrived on Naboo almost four-thousand years ago they went to war with the gungans because of vast differences, but in the end both races come off as being basically they same-both revere nature, but the Naboo build in harmony around it the gungans build in harmony with it. And the highly artistic, refined and intelligent Naboo view the gungans as backwards, primitive screwheads. It does have some Naboo customs, but most involve the Queen (as if she were the only interesting person on the planet), and what it lacks for either species is diet-what kind of foods do they eat, manufactured goods-what stuff do they make, marriage customs, you know, important stuff.
What it does spell out is that the Naboo are influenced strongly off Plato's Republic and Confucianism-children are constantly tested to see where the aptitude lies and they are placed into the profess. It also said that even the lowliest sanitation workers talked about poetry, and then went on to say that there is rising organized crime, and one is given to wonder if Naboo gangsters discuss politics while they break someone's knees. It doesn't really detail any of the cities other than brief mentions, and the maps are such a complete waste of time that might have not bothered with them at all.
Where it is good were portions on the various flora and fauna-including a section on poisons. All of the animal and monster stats were much appreciated as well. Plus the section on the criminal element on the planet was good, but again it could have done with more detail. And excluding the pictures from the film, all of the interior art and maps are basically worthless. But there just isn't enough meat to this source book, and I am pretty sure they could have filled the last 36 pages of a 96 page book with yet another retelling of the invasion of Theed! Come on, they already have a boxed set- that does just that and the Phantom Menace video game, and it really doesn't matter if this adventure is a little more detailed-it has been done already.
Is it worth owning. Tough call, but I'd say that it is. The game information is quite good and it is a genuinely well-written book. Plus, if you're like me and have to have most things Star Wars, then yes, go buy it. I only hope Wizards can stop fixating on the Phantom Menace.

Crisis at Crystal Reef (Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights, Book 14)

0425165191
Berkley
01 December, 1998

This is the first long Star Wars book I ever read and I was quite impressed. With Anja Gallendro's growing addiction to andris spice she decides to steal Zekk's ship THE LIGHTNING ROD to go and get more spice from Kessel. Jacen, Jaina, Tenel Ka, Lowbacca and Zekk decide to go after her to stop her spice addiction and get Zekk's ship back. When they get to Kessel they learn that the administraitor has had a assasination attempt on him and Anja has left to Mon Calanmari. Leaving Jaina & Lowbacca to watch over the administrator. When the rest of the gang arrives at Mon Calamari they meet with the Jedi healer/ambassador they meet Anja and decide to destroy the evil Czethros (who smuggles andris spice) spice hideaway under the ocean. But Czethros has landed troops on Kessel for a takeover,and only Jaina & Lowbacca stand in his way! The book is exciting with lots of action. I recomend it to all Star Wars readers.

After many adventures and many friendships, not to mention fourteen novels, the much loved saga of the Young Jedi Knights has finally come to an end. I greeted this book with a measure of respect, and also a touch of sadness. I expected it to be one the best yet, and I was not disapointed. For a brief summery, Anja finally admits to herself that she is addicted to Andris Spice, (a type of drug) and, though she is trying to quit, she finally can't stand it any more. She steals Zekk's ship, The Lightning Rod, and heads for the spice mines of Kessal to get a few more doses to "tie her over" while she figures out what to do next. Naturally, the Young Jedi Knights go after her, and they eventually track her down to Crystal Reef, Calimari, and that's where the real adventure starts... In short, this book provided a fine close to this final trilogy, with (at last) an awesome confrontation with Czethros and Black Sun, as well as coming to terms with the question of Anja's adiction to spice. Speaking of Anja, this book really seemed to redeem her. I didn't like her at all at first, because of how much of a jerk she always is, and because it seemed that she was trying to replace Tenel Ka, whom I have always liked. She was better in this book, because she was at last admitting her mistakes to herself and to others and trying to set things right. Also, while this book solved the delima of this trilogy, there were many loose ends left unsatisfied, and it didn't seem to bring true closure to the whole series, except in the last few pages. For instance, what ever happened to Raynar after the death of his father? He was never one of my favorite characters anyway, but it should have been Zekk who was left out, not Raynar. Now that Zekk is no longer a villian and his healing processes are through, we really don't need him anymore except to be The Boy That Jaina Likes. I was never to enthusiastic about that boring relationship. Jacen and Tenel Ka were much better. Also, what happened to Raaba? Is she ever going to come back? They should have brought her back in this book. And I would have prefered it if all the Young Jedi Knights were together in their final adventure, instead of just Jaina and Lowie getting to fight the last battle. Anja, Jacen, Zekk, and Tenel Ka are instead all under Crystal Reef destroying the Andris, and while this has as much to do with the main plot as anything else, they are not all together and that is the point. Other than that though, there is nothing else wrong with this excellent book, and I would recommend this series to any Star Wars fan.

It's over. The YJK series is at an end, but it's kind of unsatisfying end. To be brief, Anja, suffering from spice withdrawl, steals the Lightning Rod and jets to Kessel to get some of the drug. She learns of Czethros's hidden stash on Mon Calamari, and then goes there to find it. Lowie and Jaina go to Kessel and end up disrupting Black Sun's takeover of Nien Nunb's spice mining operation, and travel to Mon Cal to help out Zekk and Tenel Ka and Jacen. Ambassador Cilghal provided the group with a sub and the YJK make for the ice caps and then destroy the spice cache. Anja nearly dies until the Knights use a healing trance on her. They are nearly eaten by a sea monster looking for a nice snack, but they survive and return to the academy. Anja, discovering that she has no Force potential, goes to Cloud City and works with Lando to run the establishment. This book is drawn to a very disappointing close, with Jacen giving Tenel Ka a necklace and Zekk promising to let Jaina be his copilot whenever she wanted. I figured that since these relationships had been building over 2 years, that they would have a better end (in print.) However, there are many fan fictions dealing with that sort of thing, should you be so inclined. And that leaves me to wonder, in the New Jedi Order, where are Zekk and Tenel Ka? It's like they never existed. Oh well. May the Force be with you guys!

Revenge of the Sith Movie Storybook (Star Wars) 0375826122LucasBooks for (Star Wars)

2005-10-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Revenge of the Sith Movie Storybook (Star Wars)

0375826122
LucasBooks for Young Readers
02 April, 2005

Greatings again to everyone!
Seeing the movie i was so exiting that i was looking forward to buy the dvd as soon as possible.But instaid of this i found in my personal page of Amazon this great book!!!I saw the movie again just reading this book and looking those amazing photograps!

I gave this book a 4 because it does not cover the story in depth. But then again it was never meant to do that. To get the details, either read the junior novelization or the adult version of the book. But I got this for the color pictures from the movie. To me this tells the story much better. and there are heaps of pictures from the movie. The book gets a 5 for pictures, the layout and the flow of the story but an overall 4 for lack of detail.....

I love Star wars.So this book is great.It shows the high light of the movie.It is very sad but I can read it over agin and agin
and it still is great.I read it in about one day.I started around 2:00pm and finshed around 10:00Am and I got a good night sleep to. I just Love'd it so much. I can't wait to see the movie.
Yoou will proble want to read it first.I don't want to tell you about it you should read it your self.I read it by my self and I'm only 11. I was just great.I just had to tell some buddy.It has great picters too.That's about all I can say and are great things.
I hope this helps you.

Star Wars Screen Entertainment

B0009FUPK6
LucasArts

Star Wars: X-Wing VS TIE Fighter with Balance of Power (Star Wars)

2005-10-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: X-Wing VS TIE Fighter with Balance of Power

B00000K57N
LucasArts Entertainment

You get to melee in Star Wars ships. That's essentially the point of this game. X-Wing Vs. Tie Fighter includes melees such as free for all, ones with wingmen, in asteroid clusters, etc. There are also things like minecleaning and turkey shoot where you shoot at larger ships.
Balance of Power adds the B-wing to the list of ships, and campaign missions. Also, my favorite part of the game, it adds a 25 minute long turkey shoot that starts with cargo freighters and ends with a super star destroyer. The first time you see the size of it, you'll be happy you got the game.

Fun. Once I start playing, it's usually hours before I quit. Controls are good, too, though it takes a bit to memorize what keys do what.

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!???????????
ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO FEEL LIKE YOUR MOVING IN YOUR LITTLE SHIP?
Probably, but it doesn't work to well. When you're first playing the game, it can be confusing and you can get "Lost in Space".
Why?
Because, first of all, all of the controls are new to you and you don't know what is what in the cockpit. So if you turn, your facing a [blank] picture of space - and you can't find your way back to the battle. But you get used to it. But it's still annoying!
So why did I give this game five stars?
Because EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, (and a little more at the bottom) IT'S GREAT! YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE THERE! ONCE YOU KNOW THE CONTROLS AND WHAT EVERYTHING MEANS, YOU'RE HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIME, YOU DON'T GET OFF TILL MIDNIGHT!
G-R-E-A-T G-A-M-E-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GET IT!
WARNING: If you don't currently have a joystick, don't get the game! It requires a joystick to play! (I had to go through that, and it wasn't fun.)

THIS GAME RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS NOT JUST 4 STAR WARS FANS!!!! IF U LIKE PILOT GAMES IT IS 4 U!!!!! IF U LIKE STAR WARS IT IS 4 U!!!!! THIS GAME INTRODUCES THE SUPER STAR DESTROYER, MAKING UP 4 THE TINY ISD'S. and u can download ship path's and fly awesome fighters like TIE defenders and missile boats, 2 name a few. GET THIS GAME!!!!!!

The Dark Rival (Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice, Book 2)

0590519255
Scholastic Inc.
03 May, 1999
The exciting tale begun in Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force continues in Jedi Apprentice: The Dark Rival. While thankful for Obi-Wan's life-saving help on the trip to Bandomeer, Qui-Gon must put aside his mixed feelings over the young apprentice and take care of his peace mission. But he soon finds out that he's been tricked--not only did the planet's government not call for him, but the request may have come from his former-apprentice-gone-to-the-dark-side, the sinister Xanatos. Qui-Gon stays on Bandomeer to help rival mining companies there negotiate and to find out more about his fallen Padawan. Obi-Wan, of course, pitches in again, and the bond between the two grows. A few explosions, a couple of lightsaber fights, and a prison break later, the two ... well, you'll have to find out for yourself. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes
I think this book is a good star wars book for 13 though 8.Qiun Gon Jim is having a stuind that wants to kill hem.But Obe One Kenobe is a stuind that Xanitos wants hem to be on the darkside. Later in the book there will be a light saber batlie that is asome.They will drive vicles be capture and met people they nafer seen before.Soon they will find a person and talk to Yoda.I hope you like this book.

Xanatos. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn's first Padawan and greatest failure. A rogue Padawan that continued his training without guidance and found himself within the grip of the Dark Side. Xanatos is not a Sith, by no means. He is merely a fallen apprentice powered by the Dark Side. Driven by vengence, he seeks out his former master who boldly faces his past and disappointments. Young Obi-Wan Kenobi, not yet Qui-Gon's Padawan, finds himself caught in the middle as he struggles to assist Master Jinn in any possible in order to prove himself worthy of apprenticeship.

I just loved this book! I don't know how anyone could NOT like this book! I can't wait to read the next book in the series: "The hidden past"!!! You just HAVE to read this book!!!

Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars: Episode I Journal (Hardcover)) 0613165888Rebound by (Star Wars)

2005-10-15T06:06:00.000-07:00

Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars: Episode I Journal (Hardcover))

0613165888
Rebound by Sagebrush
October, 2001
What would it be like to be Anakin Skywalker? Any kid who doesn't wonder that after seeing Episode I, The Phantom Menace should be checked to see if he's a droid. What was it like to be a slave in Mos Espa? Was it scary to talk to the Jedi Council? And--maybe most important--is podracing really as hard as it looks? This fun, first-person journal lets kids see the action of Phantom Menace through the eyes of their favorite 9-year-old Jedi-to-be. In 14 entries featuring stills from the movie, Anakin tells his story in his own words, from his first encounter with Gui-Jon, Jar Jar, and Padmé to the roller coaster podrace to the wild final ride high above Naboo. Young Skywalker gets an assist from YA author Todd Strasser of Camp Run-A-Muck and Help! I'm Trapped fame. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes
I LOVED this book. For anyone who wants to read about Darth Vader's [or you could say Anakin's] life at 9 years of age, then this is the book for you!

The book I read was Star Wars Episode 1 Journal, by Todd Strasser. This book is about a boy named Anakin Skywalker who was a slave on a planet called Tatooine. One day a warrior called a Jedi appeared and told him he was to be a Jedi too. Before Anakin could be trained to be a Jedi he must prove himself first. Anakin proves himself and is set free from slavery for training to be a Jedi.
My favorite part in the book was the thirteenth chapter called "The Battle." It was about how Anakin had hid in a starfighter, but accidentaly engaged himself in a war. Anakin was just looking for a safe place to hide during the battle and accidentaly took off into nother battle in space. Anakin had no idea what he was doing. Unaware of what he was doing, he faught off most fighter and distroyed the enemy's control base.
I enjoyed this book alot. It was very discriptive and had a great story line. I chose this book when I was a Star Wars fan, but I never took the time to read it until now. I am glad I read this book and I think you shoud read it too if you like Star Wars.

It is an interesting book focusing mainly on Anakin's emotions. It also gives additional details from Anakin's perspective.It is a good book but has a few flaws as some details which should have been there are excluded. The descriptions given by Anakin is similar to what any nine year old would think if they had the same experience.It is told in the first person as it's a journal and Anakin narrates his story to the reader. However it can be confusing at times and a few scenes from the movie are left out.Over all it is an enjoyable book and I recommend that you get a copy soon as possible if you have an appetite for science fiction or a fan of Star Wars who is not too hardcore.

Pilots & Spacecraft (Star Wars (Econo-Clad Hardcover))

0307134806
Golden Books
31 December, 1999

Yoda - Dark Rendezvous (Star Wars: Clone Wars Novel) 0345463099Del (Star Wars)

2005-10-15T01:06:00.000-07:00

Yoda - Dark Rendezvous (Star Wars: Clone Wars Novel)

0345463099
Del Ray
23 November, 2004

i know this is more of an adult book, but i read it because i heard all the good reviews it got and because i like Yoda.
guess what? I loved it. recommended.

In Dark Rendevous, two-and-a-half years into the Clone War, Yoda receives a request from his former student, the separatist leader and Sith Count Dooku, saying that he wants peace. Yoda is suspicious but decides to go anyway.

In this book, the reader sees a glimpse into Yoda the teacher, and how all the Jedi are his children and that he loves each one of them like a father.

Clone Wars favorite Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress is also despately seeking to become Dooku's apprentice. She knows that there can only be two Sith at a time, so she persuades Dooku to kill Lord Sidious...

Very impressed with the "realness" that was given to Yoda by Sean Stewart. This is the first book I've read other than movie-based books. I definitely enjoyed the history on Dooku and Yoda's humanistic qualities. He's often a mysterious character (and still is) but Sean gives us some insight to what it must be like to be the highest Master of the Jedi Order.

Star Wars Episode 1: Racer

B00000K599
LucasArts Entertainment
14 December, 1999
Let's just for a second forget that Star Wars: Episode I, Racer has anything at all to do with the film on which it's based. Would it still have any appeal if you take away the movie license? The answer, almost surprisingly, is yes. This sci-fi arcade racing game is packed with high-speed thrills and a unique style of track-circling action that should get any racing fan's adrenaline pumping.
The game is based on the pod-racing scene from Episode I, which was arguably the best and most exciting segment of the film. Players enter a series of pod races as either Anakin Skywalker or one of his 20 different alien rivals--including Sebulba, once you get far enough into the game to unlock this bonus character. Races are linked in four different circuits, each more difficult than the last. The highest circuit, in fact, can be extremely tough.
Each race is a white-knuckled ride on the wild side, as the game does an excellent job of conveying a feeling of ferocious speed. It helps that Racer utilizes spectacular 3-D graphics to depict the racetracks and their alien surroundings. But racers can't waste time admiring the scenery: tracks are not always well marked, and it's all too easy to get lost and fly off the track.
As with most Star Wars games, the sound effects and music in Racer are top-notch. True, Anakin's cutesy voice can be annoying at times, but the other racers sound great when they complain as you pass them on the track. Watto the shopkeeper, the floating alien guy who sells new parts and upgrades for your pod, is a great character who chatters away humorously as you shop his store.
Overall, Racer is a game that can easily stand on its own merits rather than ride the coattails of Star Wars: Episode I. Intense speed, unique racing action, and excellent 3-D graphics make this one a sure-fire winner. --Michael E. Ryan
Pros:

Unique, high-speed racing action
Excellent graphics
Pod upgrades
Great sound effects and music
Cons:

Becomes extremely difficult at the highest levels
Tracks can be confusing at times
The voice of Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker)

This game is so much fun...I commute 60 miles a day. I bought the game for my "man". As a 53 year old woman, it never occurred to me that it would be a thrill for me to play. My son was amazed that I even thought of buying this game. Of course, it wasn't for me. Now, my "man" and I are having a really good time exchanging racing experiences. During my commute to work, I encounter situations similar to these races- insults from other drivers, overheating engines, unexpected obstacles in the road (box springs, boulders, bicycles, over-turned vehicles). It is so much fun to put the pedal to the metal and not worry about crashing and dying, as you have to do in the real world of commuting to work. This game is easy to start, fun on even the lowest levels (my level, a slow amateur), and has lots of opportunities to go faster, smarter and on all sorts of tracks. Fun for all in the family, ladies included. My only problem is that I am driving my truck like a podracer.......

I recently bought this game and I can say I wasn't dissapointed. This game is based on the Pod Racing Sequence in The Phantom Menace (I would go further, but I know you already saw it, you did didn't you?). Most anyone who saw it probably thought "It probably took them a long time to do those computer animations" and then as an afterthought "Wouldn't it be fun if I did that?". Well guess what, through the marvels of today's 3D computer technology you can, and it's fun!
The graphics are great, I set all the settings on high in the options and I have to say I am impressed, from the little stream coming from the back of the pod to the transparencys to the cool other stuff... mmmm...
Also, the track design is great, while it can be confusing at times (several routes), there is a great amount of replay value in just one track. From trying to find a shorter way to get from point C to point D and so on.
I strongly reccomend this game for anyone, especially Star Wars Fanatics and Fantasy Racing Fans

Somebody made a mistake at Lucas Arts and released a fun arcade action game for the Mac. This is an addictive speed demon-type first person that requires adaptive dexterity and clever intuition. In a perfect world there would be an expansion set with more tracks and a build your own track editor.

Star Wars Episode 1 Carded Anakin Skywalker Tatooine B0009Z3KQCBrian's Toys, (Star Wars)

2005-10-14T21:06:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Episode 1 Carded Anakin Skywalker Tatooine

B0009Z3KQC
Brian's Toys, Inc.

Star Trek Deep Space Nine: The Fallen / Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Dominion Wars (Jewel Case)

B000078COU
Vivendi Universal
23 October, 2002

This game is similar to the original Half-Life in gameplay. There are few bugs, and gameplay is smooth. Missions and storyline are interesting. Game is also fairly long. Con: gets old after a while. Overall, a pretty good game, especially for Star Trek.

This game is the gem of the Star Trek Universe. A nice feature is you can use Quick Battle, a simulation in which you choose your own ship, add friendly and enemy ships, and put them to battle. demo: 5 star. game: 5 star. Id definatly reccomend it to anyone who is looking for a very high quality simulation game with extreme graphics and sound with excitement. Here's some more of #1startrekfan's games:
1. Starfleet Command: try this 1st level
2. Dominion War: no, this is bad
3. Armada: excellent quality 100% satisfaction
4. armada2: super! 175% satisfaction + added WARP SPEED!! YAY!



thanks for reading

#1startrekfan

Most people whos reviews are listed here apparently mistakenly reviewed a different star trek game and thought it was this one. This game puts you in command of a galaxy class star ship at the start of the game. you can give your crew orders by clicking on them and choosing from an options box. your missions are given to you be an admiral who is coordinating efforts in the system of space your ship is assigned to. you eventually get promoted to a soverigne class star ship after you complete the first few missions. you never leave the ship in this game and most of it revolves around skirmishes with varius alien ships. playing the single player mode of this game is like watching an episode of the next generation except without most of the boring sub stories. playing this game was very satisfying and seeing how you fair against some of the ships on the show with the ship of your choice in tactical simulation mode is great. the story although it may sound as if there wouldnt be one with all the ship skirmishes is actually as good as the story or better than the one in elite force.

Star Wars: Deluxe Dart Vader Costume - Large B00001U088Rubies Costume (Star Wars)

2005-10-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: Deluxe Dart Vader Costume - Large

B00001U088
Rubies Costume Company

This Halloween, cross over to the dark side of the Force with this Darth Vader costume. Authentically styled after the garb of the sinister Sith lord from the Star Wars trilogy, the costume consists of a black jumpsuit, cape, and PVC mask. The polyester jumpsuit is machine washable. Fits most adults. --Chris Burns

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (Piano Solos)

0757940838
Warner Bros. Publications
May, 2005

I'm getting a little upset that this item has not been shipped to me yet, as it is the 19th of August and I ordered it on the 1st. First I thought that the item wasn't in stock, but even as the days went by with no package from Amazon, the book was clearly in stock. I've already received Amazon orders that were made after this one. It's a little ridiculous that I haven't gotten it yet, and I'm tempted to cancel the order even though I haven't seen the book anywhere else. I just don't know what's taking Amazon so long with this specific order.

Film composer extraordinaire John Williams closes out the Star Wars saga on a good note (no pun intended). Those who currently own other Star Wars sheet music will notice that this book includes previously published pieces such as "The Force Theme" and "End Title/Credits". However, the hauntingly sorrowful "Anakin's Dark Deeds" and the fast paced Maestoso "Battle of the Heroes" in orchestration take the viewer on an emotional roller coaster that has "Duel of the Fates" like intensity. This book, written for piano solo, is a farily accurate representation of the soundtrack. However, you will find that some of the pieces are not in their original key and require tranposition to be played along with the soundtrack. For a fan of John Williams or Star Wars, this is a book worth having in your collection.

Soviet/ Russian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Red Star) 1857801938Midland Publishing, Ltd.30 (Star Wars)

2005-10-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

Soviet/ Russian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Red Star)

1857801938
Midland Publishing, Ltd.
30 August, 2005

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

B00000K516
LucasArts Entertainment

Enter Prince Xizor, Lord of the Black Sun crime ring and mastermind behind a brazen plot to assassinate Luke Skywalker. But you, as maverick mercenary Dash Rendar, have other plans. Stop Xizor, protect Luke, and rescue Han Solo from the carbonite-cold clutches of Jabba the Hutt and BobaFett. Will light emerge from the shadows? With your help it can.
typical of a lucasfilm star wars game. i,e, it's probably ok for kids, but that's about it.
cool battle of Hoth sequence to begin with

As a person who takes consistent and entertaining storylines seriously in a PC game, Shadows of the Empire delivers the goods. While not supremely challenging, this game gets the player so involved with Star Wars backstory that it's difficult not to spend hours with the game long after you've beaten it. When comparing the game on different game systems, the PC version ups the ante with a more elaborate orchestral score and much more realistic cutscenes that give the game a tangible momentum you won't find on any gamebox. My only real complaint is that the number of game levels is fixed, regardless on which of the four difficulty levels you play. And if you play on "easy or medium" you can beat the game in no time. The "Jedi" level is the most difficult, but also the most congruent with the experiences of the characters in the Star Wars movies, and is also the most fun... and you won't beat the game in an afternoon. I give the game five stars for fun, but four out of five overall.

hi yeall i wrote a review of the sound track go see it i played it star wars:shadows of the empire on N64 and i hated it and i bought it on pc and was amazed i love how it supports 3D card and top computer (cause i have one just bought it with this) and i keep playing if your a hardcore fan like iam get it if your not try it your sure to be plezed.

PS2 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith B0007SL1ZILucasarts (Star Wars)

2005-10-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

PS2 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

B0007SL1ZI
Lucasarts Entertainment
04 May, 2005

the prices on the game are too high for a game thats not that good

This game is amazing and very fun to play. Yes you can get frusterated but that happens. There are also different difficulty levels so if you want it to be more challenging you can bring it up a notch. Wonderful graphics i haven't ever had a glitch with it the whole time I've had it. The missions can be a little hard but you eventually figure it out. It has a not to long of a story but the missions can be long. . . . but the missions aren't to long. So all in all It's a wicked game, wonderful graphics, and a great story! I really did like it.

I happen to think this is a great game. It is a true jedi experince however if you the space aventure part of star wars you would most likely would not like this game you spend the game with a light saber almost at all times. If you like that part of star wars its for you. I love all the great features too.

ps. On level 13 do you just keeping hitting that big airplane until it dies? does anyone know whats the best way to kill it i keeping dying

Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Force Heretic (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, 15, 16, 17)

0739436015
Del Rey/Ballantine/Random House/SFBC
2003

The Deadly Hunter (Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice, Book 11) 0439139309Scholastic (Star Wars)

2005-10-14T01:08:00.000-07:00

The Deadly Hunter (Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice, Book 11)

0439139309
Scholastic Paperbacks
01 December, 2000

this is the third Jedi Apprentice book that i have read, and i am impressed. i enjoyed this one alot!

but not the best out there. However, this one rocked! It kept me in suspense every second of my read! After the somewhat badly written tenth book, Jude Watson gets back on top. This one is a little different from the others, though. It's like a murder mystery, with complicated themes and clues that I sometimes couldn't understand. So if you like mysteries with complicated cases, then meet the deadly hunter! But it's one of the really short Jedi Apprentices, so the perplexing themes don't go on like forever. Overall, I loved it and almost read the whole thing in one sitting. I highly recommend it for series fans everywhere! Oh, yeah, and if you like those silent and stealthy bad guys over the ones that go right out and say like, oh, "I will destroy the world! Ha ha!", then this is really for you. The bounty hunter that attacks Obi-Wan's Jedi Master Qui-Gon's friend, Didi, uses only silence and stealth--then pounces for the KILL! Once again, a great book! (Oh, yeah, and Coruscant is a great-sounding city. I wouldn't exactly want to live there, but it would no doubt be fun to stay for a while in that huge, urban place.) Did I mention how great the book is?

but not the best out there. However, this one rocked! It kept me in suspense every second of my read! After the somewhat badly written tenth book, Jude Watson gets back on top. This one is a little different from the others, though. It's like a murder mystery, with complicated themes and clues that I sometimes couldn't understand. So if you like mysteries with complicated cases, then meet the deadly hunter! But it's one of the really short Jedi Apprentices, so the perplexing themes don't go on like forever. Overall, I loved it and almost read the whole thing in one sitting. I highly recommend it for series fans everywhere! Oh, yeah, and if you like those silent and stealthy bad guys over the ones that go right out and say like, oh, "I will destroy the world! Ha ha!", then this is really for you. The bounty hunter that attacks Obi-Wan's Jedi Master Qui-Gon's friend, Didi, uses only silence and stealth--then pounces for the KILL! Once again, a great book! (Oh, yeah, and Coruscant is a great-sounding city. I wouldn't exactly want to live there, but it would no doubt be fun to stay for a while in that huge, urban place.) Did I mention how great the book is?

Star Wars Blueprints

0345273818
Ballantine Books
December, 1977

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: Clone Pilot B0006OCFDUHasbroWhen (Star Wars)

2005-10-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: Clone Pilot

B0006OCFDU
Hasbro

When I saw Revenge Of The Sith I thought that a couple of the new clones were really cool. The Imperial Shock Trooper (the red ones that save Anakin), Commander Gree ( the green clone on Kashyyyk) and this pilot. I knew that they had a toy of this so I bought it. It's kind of rare but you can still find it in stores like KB and Toysrus. Probably even Wal Mart but I havent gone there yet. Anyway, the clone pilot has decent articulation but apparently not as good as some others according to other reviewers. It comes with a firing turret a pretty cool gun and some other thing. I agree though with the last reviewer that there should be eyes on this figure. Pilot goes great with the Republic Gunship and slides right in the seats. In the movie though, these pilots go in the ARC-170 vehicle but I read on another review that they fly in the Republic Gunships which is good because I have the Gunship and not the ARC. This figure is SO much fun. It has 11 points of articulation. Possibly even 12 because of the head but that can't really move. Great toy! Probably one of the best so far. I think the best is capeless Grievous though. This is great fun so buy it especially if you have a vehicle!

This clone is starting to look like the AT-AT pilot but so cooler! He has good articulation: ball jointed neck, shoulders, angle cut elbows, waist, wrists, hips and knees! his sculpt looks pretty much like it is in the movie, but I think the visor should be transparent plastic so you could see his eyes. And to top it of you get one of the best sculpted DC-15 blaster pistols made! It is slightly larger than the one that comes with the "quick-draw attack" clone and Its trigger guard is bigger but put them together and the pilots details are so much better! but you better by at least two because a pen won't fill the remainding seats!

I love this one and picked up three of them, thinking that they would be in low supply. Since then I have seen them all over, so not that rare (especially good for those like me trying to build up a good clone army). The articulation is good, but would have liked the figure to have been an equal to the #41 Clone Trooper or Clone Commander.

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

0756611288
DK CHILDREN
02 April, 2005

My son loves it and has not put it down. Great pictures and details if you like this sort of stuff. KM

This is a lovely book which shows lots of little details for the true Star Wars fan. The book also includes lots of nice pictures from the movie. There are separate pages for the characters in the movie, plus Jedis in general, the Wookiees, all of the Dark Side characters, Padme Amidala, etc.

I am really enjoying this book.

This book was great because it tells all about the characters, weapons, and ships of Star Wars! You don't have to read it straight through, either. And if you can't read, but like Star Wars, you can just look at the pictures - It has a ton of them!

Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels 0811847357Chronicle Books09 December, 2005 Star (Star Wars)

2005-10-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels

0811847357
Chronicle Books
09 December, 2005

Star Wars Miniatures Rebel Storm Starter Set

B0006HBRQI
Wizards of the Coast
08 May, 2005

This Starter set gives you the 2 main charactors of star was with an extra player that will star you on the large univers of Star Wars. The maps and rule test the memory and the battles keep you sharp on your math skills. Once you've had you fun with this set you can add to it with booster packs, making this game an on going adventure.

Star Wars: Force Commander B00002SV6GLucasArts Entertainment21 March, 2000Star Wars: Force (Star Wars)

2005-10-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: Force Commander

B00002SV6G
LucasArts Entertainment
21 March, 2000
Star Wars: Force Commander
, which casts you as one of the Empire's sinister agents, takes the Star Wars universe into the real-time strategy (RTS) genre. The gameplay follows standard RTS control conventions, so anyone familiar with StarCraft, Command & Conquer, and the like will be able to enforce the Emperor's will in no time.
Force Commander differs from traditional RTS games by eliminating resource gathering. Instead, players receive command points for accomplishing mission objectives, controlling key buildings, or blowing up enemy units. Command points are used to requisition troops and buildings from an orbiting Star Destroyer.
Star Wars fans will find much to love in the plot. Force Commander begins with your small training platoon being ordered to investigate a certain escape pod that has crashed on Tatooine. Caught up in events that will forever change the galaxy, your career takes you to such far away worlds as Tatooine, Yavin, Hoth, Endor--even Coruscant. With each successful mission comes an increase in rank and larger forces of Storm Troopers, speeder bikes, TIE Fighters, and AT-ATs. Being able to take part in the Echo Base assault on Hoth (and other key conflicts from the movies) is a Star Wars fan's dream come true, and we'll be forever grateful to LucasArts for giving us the opportunity to hunt down Ewoks on Endor. --Mike Fehlauer
Pros:

Play as the Imperials or the Rebels, in single player and online
Fully 3-D units and terrain
Units gain experience, and surviving units can be used in subsequent missions
Perfectly authentic sound effects
Storyline puts you in the pivotal battles of Star Wars

Cons:

Hefty system requirements
Occasional texture breaks on the 3-D terrain
Units not from the movies look out of place
Ugly interface

lets cut to the chase this game is one of the best games out there because of the STORY you're Brenn Tantor
A stormtrooper that gets promoted to a luitenent in the Imperial army the first level has you looking for the escape pod from episode
IIV and ends after episode V the graphics are cool and so is the music But I still Really like the STORY.

Like I said in my title, a good game but still not as good as I hoped. First of all to make the game perfectly smooth, you have to have a brand spankin new computer. I have a 450 mhz pentium 2, 128 mb of ram, and an excellent video card. If your comp is anything less, I recommend upgrading your computer befor purchasing this game. The game play is good though. The mission and skermishis are fun, but the game is very limmiting. It's imposible to have as many units on the front intro all at the same time. And the fighters can act stupid sometimes. And something weird is on the back of the box, it shows A-Wings, yet there are no A-Wings in this game. The camera buttons are also very hard to learn, so playing the tutorial is a MUST if you don't know them by heart. The graphics and sounds on this game are remarkable. I mean Even the smallest Stormtrooper, or the largest AT-AT is detailed to the bone. I think this game is supposed to be a recovery for the not so great game, Star Wars Rebellion. (I also have a review about Star Wars Rebellion) Next time, I hope they make a game more like rebellion but much better. With Rebellion a good idea back fired. This game also doesn't hold your intrest very long, at least it didn't for me. Final Verdict: 3.5/5

This would have been a great game except for the actual user interface. What a mess! Unless you are a 5th dimensional being with 20 eyes, you got lost while trying to manage the games meandering views. Locking onto troops in order to give them orders is a tortuous exercise.
I gave up after two hours and uninstalled this programming mistake. This is another LA game that does'nt live up to it's promise.

Star Wars Special Edition Return of the Jedi: Max Rebo and Doda Bodonawieedo

B0001NECIW
Brian's Toys, Inc.

Both Max Rebo and Doda Bodonawieedo are awesomely detaled figures, and Max's bright blue color makes hims stand out even amidst a sea of exotic Star Wars characters. Even the keys on his circular stand-in instrument move! They're not so much action characters but Max is fitted more to action playing than Doda, whose permanently bent arms and somewhat limited posability make him less versatile. That's more than made up for by just how neat and detailed he is. Interesting note: Doda's a Rodian, one of the only alien species that seems to be getting a good number of figures out; most species get just one each. With Rodians, you've got Doda here, more than one version of Greedo (which could be used for seperate characters who just share a resemblance to one another), I believe the female Rodian dancer from Jabba's Palace is available, and perhaps we'll even see Annakin's young Rodian friend from "Phantom Menace" someday? As far as I know he hasn't been released yet. Only drawback with Doda - once you remove the lastics holding the clarinet-like instrument in his hands it's hard to get it back in there. If you're not going to use him for battle you might want to leave the elastics on (of course, even with them on he can still conk adversaries with his instrument, I suppose)

A great set here; especially a must-have for those who love Star Wars as well as music - set 'em up (these guys and the other musicians available) around your CD system and let the Cantina music play in preparation for a Star Wars DVD night!

Recommended for collectors and players alike.

Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars) 0345477324Del (Star Wars)

2005-10-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)

0345477324
Del Rey
22 November, 2005

Outbound Flight (Star Wars)

0345456831
Del Rey
31 January, 2006

Lego Stories and Action Star Wars Episode III General Grievous (Star Wars)

2005-10-13T01:07:00.000-07:00

Lego Stories and Action Star Wars Episode III General Grievous Chase (7255)

B00066LFPW
LEGO

In one of those movie scenes that would have never been possible before the rapid improvement of digital imaging quality, veteran Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, played by a real actor, takes on General Grievous, a sort of asthmatic android bad guy, who is electronically generated. Additionally, Obi-Wan chases Grievous while riding a huge lumbering electronically generated beast while Grievous tries to get away in an electronically generated space bicycle. Fortunately for us back on Earth, the entire affair has been recreated in the highly tangible world of Lego as 111 pieces show both characters, their preferred transportation, and light sabers. And since it is Lego, youre free to insert pirates, astronauts, or whoever else you have in the big Lego box to make the scenario more interesting. --Charlie Williams
this set is good but the grievous minifig is that durable but the set comes with good peices like 6 lightsabers! and boga and obi-wan pretty cool.

Good challenge for my 8 year old to put together... not too difficult as to be frustrating but hard enough to make him think a bit.

He loves Star Wars so he has spent a good amount of time playing with the toy after putting it together.

Obi-Wan comes with a lizard that looks like its wearing a headress. Very cool. It comes with some kind of reins, and a saddle that is built. The lizard, named Boga, is about a foot long. Obi-Wan himself comes with a brown cape and a top similar to Ep.1 Anakin's. Also, this kit comes with 5 lightsabers, 3 blue and 2 green, plus an extra hilt. The lightsabers have to be assembled.

Now for Grievous. His cape is red on the inside and gray on the outside, with some kind of black pattern. His body is white and best described as similar to an Ep.1 droid with four arms that only move from side to side. He rides an interesting spidery-looking contraption with four guns.

PS2 Star Wars Battlefront II

B0009O7HVM
Lucasarts Entertainment
01 November, 2005

Tatooine Ghost (Star Wars) 0345456696Del Rey30 December, 2003Set between David (Star Wars)

2005-10-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

Tatooine Ghost (Star Wars)

0345456696
Del Rey
30 December, 2003

Set between David Wolverton's "The Courtship of Princess Leia" and Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy - the original sequels that launched the Star Wars Expanded Universe - "Tatooine Ghost" is a thrilling adventure yarn. Han and Leia Solo, fresh from their honeymoon, attempt to slip onto Tatooine to bid on a rare, and very important to the New Republic, piece of Alderaanian art, a moss painting called Killik Twilight. What makes it important is that a data chip containing codes and other information about rebel spies within the Empire is hidden in the painting. Being a Star Wars adventure, things go wrong right from the get-go and Han and Leia are one step behind the painting and one step ahead of the Imperials, who want not only the painting (for different reasons) but the Solos as well. But the chase is really just a nicely constructed Hitchcockian MacGuffin that gets Princess Leia on Tatooine and into situations and locations that allow her to discover the boy Anakin Skywalker used to be (before he became a Sith Monster) and the slave mother who mourned her son's departure to chase his dreams of glory. So the book works as both an action adventure piece AND as an emotionally engaging character study (at least on a Space Opera level). Fans will enjoy how Denning weaves together the Original and Prequel events and makes them fit together into one epic tale. The paperback also includes Denning's Chewbacca story "A Forest Apart", which is a real treat for those that remember the maligned "Star Wars Christmas Special"! Recommended.

I liked it so much I can't wait to listen to it again.

"Tatooine Ghost" is a Post "Return of the Jedi" Star Wars novel set between Dave Wolverton's "The Courtship of Princess Leia" and Timothy Zahn's "Thrawn Trilogy". It picks up the story not long after Wolverton's novel. Han Solo and Leia Organa are newly married and they are on a mission to recover a lost piece of Aldaaranian artwork called the "Killik Twilight". More than just a relic of a destroyed civilization, the "Killik Twilight" was used by the Rebel Alliance to hide a microchip containing codes which would reveal the identities of most of the New Republic spies. The "Killik Twilight" was assumed destroyed with Alderaan but it has reappeared on a black market auction on Tatooine. Han and Leia travel with Chewbacca and C-3PO to Tatooine to recover the painting and the code. 

The quest to reclaim the painting is the shell of the novel, but the real heart of the novel is the echoes of Shmi Skywalker and Leia beginning to learn about her grandmother and more about her father, Anakin. Leia naturally has nothing but disgust and revulsion for the man she knew as Darth Vader, but the residents of Tatooine remember a friendly, pleasant young boy who won a Pod Race that humans shouldn't even be able to compete in. Leia finds it nearly impossible to reconcile that Darth Vader was once a nice boy and not a boy who tortured lizards or something twisted. That sense of discovery for Leia about Shmi and Anakin is where the heart lies in "Tatooine Ghost". The painting really is secondary. 

This is a decent Star Wars book and far better than the below average books (there seems to be a real gap in quality in the series), but because the story here is so unnecessary there does not seem to be anything driving the story and making it seem important. The discoveries by Leia are very interesting and worth reading for the Star Wars fan, but this is not a book I would start somebody out on who wanted to read Star Wars. "Tatooine Ghost" is a book that fills in the gaps of the storyline and fleshes things out just a little bit more. It's no more than that, but Troy Denning does a good job at what it is he seems to be trying to do. 

There is fun action and adventure and Denning does an excellent job describing travel across the desert of Tatooine. This book is sure to appeal to the Star Wars fan and is quick enough to read that it will be an enjoyable time spent with Han and Leia, but this is also not a book which drives the series forward. 

-Joe Sherry

Christian Wisdom of the Jedi Masters

0787978949
Jossey-Bass
11 March, 2005
Dick Staub starts his book by describing the key difference between the Christian faith and the Force of the Star Wars films. In Star Wars, the Force itself is the energy field that "surrounds and penetrates us… [and] binds the galaxy together." But in our world, Staub points out that a Christian believes in one true Lord over all things - including the Force itself, a Lord of the Force, if you will. So with this subtle but important point made, the rest of the book takes a journey of exploration, looking in detail at how a Jedi learning the ways of The Force can be readily compared to a Christian learning the ways of the Lord of the Force.
The interesting aspect of this book though, is not the primary conceit of using the Jedi mythology to explore Christianity. Instead it is the wealth of ideas Staub brings to the table from a variety of sources as he takes us on the journey. The title of the book may presuppose and even help ensure a select demographic, but in truth Staub's book comes across as a fireside chat that would be of interest to many, weaving together elements from Star Wars, the Bible, academia, psychology, and so on to make his underlying point, which is to live a fully-engaged Christian life. For example, in a discussion that starts with a quote from Yoda: "Always two there are, a master and an apprentice," Staub follows up with an obvious Biblical parallel on discipleship from the Book of John, but then takes it further, discussing the Jewish tradition of how a rabbi chooses and trains the next generation of teachers that will succeed him, a more detailed description of how Jesus discipled his own followers, and ending with an off-the-wall but thoroughly on-point illustration from the field of engineering that demonstrates the value of correctly applied knowledge from those we should look to as potential mentors.
By the end of the book, we are reminded of the commonality of belief systems (fictional or otherwise.) All seek to give us our place in the universe, and equip us with the knowledge necessary for a successful journey. Staub's book starts with the myth of the Jedi system, but it's true end is an invitation to become a Christian Jedi, following what he calls the "one true myth" of the Lord of the Force.--Ed Dobeas
Staub has an interesting way of interlacing biblical tradition from both the Old and New Testaments with actions and pronouncements of the principal characters. In fact, one might evn, after reading this book, conclude that the Star Wars series was nothing but a long-running morality play which parallels the major morals and ethical values of much of the civilized world. Certain to provoke thoughtful reflection.

This book is great. It is definately not just for Star Wars fans, every Christian, every one actually would do good to read this book. It is my second favorite book, behind only the Bible. It has helped me tremendously.

I must say I too was skeptical about the book and bought it used for a little less than ten dollars. In the end however, I found myself unwanting to finish to the end because I didnt WANT it to end. I almost felt like Obi-Wan being taught by Qui Gon Jinn. Soaking up wisdom from great christian and non christian writers and observers of the faith. I know the jedi teachings stem from taoism and buddhism, but the encouraging correlations Dick uses to compare the jedi teachings to the verses in the bible really stimulated my faith and I'm sure many other people too. Since I read it, I can't find one copy on any shelf here where I live. So if you're looking for a way to boost your faith and call you back to a radical way of living as a Christian then this book is definitely for you.

GBA Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith B0007XTNCGUBI (Star Wars)

2005-10-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

GBA Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith

B0007XTNCG
UBI Soft
04 May, 2005

This is a fun game! And I like how you can be the characters from the movie, and battle where they did! The only bad thing is that they didn't use the real voices for the characters.

This game is like any other game that is based on a movie. Basically same storyline, but they add on the story for more game play. They have a large variety of enemies and the Jedi Fighting concept is pretty neat; i.e.you can block or you can counter attack.
The cool thing is that Anakin and Obi Wan have their own separate paths and attacks, and each one has their own secret bonus levels (hint hint).
The only problem is that the levels become repetitive and the difficulty setting is that you start with less life.
Overall it's a good game.

Star Wars Episode III - The Revenge Of The Sith on the Gameboy Advance was slightly better than I had expected. It is a side scrolling game with both single player and multi-player fun. You take control of the two Jedi Knights Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker as you play through thirteen action packed levels with each. Both characters have different skills and different story mode levels as the game progresses too. As for the graphics, they are some of the best I have seen on the Gameboy. The game looks smooth and everything seems to fit together well. There is not much else to say about this simple and easy to pick up and play game. I hope that if you do purchase it you enjoy it atleast half as much as I did.

Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance

B00000K57S
LucasArts Entertainment

Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance casts you as the youngest son of the Azzameen family, a merchant dynasty operating in a galaxy far, far away. The game is set in the turbulent time period between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Caught amid increasing tensions between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, with business rivals watching for any sign of weakness, the Azzameens are on the edge of financial ruin. Worse, their Rebel sympathies may endanger their very survival.
As the family's newest pilot, you fly tutorial missions at first, under the supervision of your sister Aeron and the droid Emkay. But even as you are training, the situation heats up. Before long, the family has been betrayed, your space station has been seized, and you're forced to turn to the Rebellion. Though the game's focus is on combat, the development of this story is tight and suspenseful.
The story and the merchant/smuggler setting give the game plenty of variety. One mission may have you piloting a loaded freighter through an Imperial blockade, while another may place you in the cockpit of an X-Wing on a hit-and-run raid against an enemy battle station. Every ship, every weapon, every sound effect is pure Star Wars, totally faithful to the look--and feel--of the movies. This extends to the missions themselves: nothing works as planned, but somehow you and your Rebel allies manage to make it all the way to the climactic Battle of Endor. If you've distinguished yourself in the earlier missions, hot pilots will get the chance to take the controls of the Millennium Falcon and cram a torpedo into the gut of the Emperor's second Death Star.
Controlling the fighters, freighters, and transports in X-Wing Alliance is easy, with all the options you'd expect in a Star Wars simulation. Shield, engine, and weapon power levels are all adjustable, so you, too, can transfer all power to front deflector screens while attacking, or shut down power to weapons to outrun a swarm of TIE fighters. Novice players may find it difficult to control wingmen or to keep track of the changing objectives when missions go sour. But practice makes perfect, and the truly frustrated can simply skip up to three missions without penalty.
With a modest learning curve and graphics that put you right in the milieu of the Star Wars films, X-Wing Alliance will have you flying combat missions for the Rebel Alliance in no time--and loving every minute of it. --Alyx Dellamonica
Pros:

Loving attention to detail
Fantastic sound effects and John Williams's music
Interesting and changing mission objectives
Wide variety of spacecraft
Con:

Occasional bugs within missions can render them unwinnable

Don't get me wrong by the title....I loved X-wing to death, and TIE Fighter was just fabulous too (we'll forget about Xwing V. Tie Fighter), but WOW!!! LucasArts finally got to an age when they had the computing muscle and graphical abilities to really give their X-wing series the beauty and power it deserves. These missions are really challenging and thrilling; when you fly into a cloud of TIE fighters and pick em off as they screeeeam by(with good surround sound speakers), you'll really feel like you're in the climactic battle of Return of the Jedi.
Which brings me to the "Finally!" of my subject line: you finally get to fly inside the Death Star!!!! That is, if you can make it to the final mission...some of these missions are very, very tough, even on "easy". I beat all of the missions up to the mission RIGHT before the Death star one. It was just too hard!! Fortuatenly, LucasArts implemented a "skip" feature if you just cannot beat a mission. This will come as a highly welcome relief to those of us who played certain X-wing missions 40 or 50 times before beating them...
I gave up on the game after losing the death star mission a few times, but I WILL get back to it once the school year starts again.
One note: I played the first half of this game without a 3D accelerator, then got a Voodoo III, and holy COW! The difference makes it almost an entirely new game. Don't play this game without an acceleartor, or you're missing out in a big way.
Though it didn't grip me quite as much as the original X-wing, this is still a fantastic game. Buy it if you're into the star wars thing!

this game has some GREAT graphics. the missle trails engine glow and the model details are terrific. the story is a can't wait till next mission story. the AI is incredibly smart. a good game

When I first heard about X-wing Alliance, I thought it was just going to be a cheap attempt to drag out the X-wing franchise. But this is an awesome game. Unlike TIE fighter, the gameplay experience has really been increased from the original X-wing in this game. Flying freighter-craft truly is different from flying starfighters - if you try to fly it like an X-wing, you're as good as dead. Also, comapred to pirate starfighters, I could understand why TIE fighters were considered so deadly, a distinction I didn't really get in the original X-wing.
Most importantly, though, when playing this game I truely felt I was in the SW universe. For example, in one early mission during a bacta transfer between the Azzameens and a shady group of pirates I really felt like I was in one of Timothy Zahn's novels. Also, the shuddering of the ships and the multiple explosive and cha-cha-chas of the TIE fighter's laser cannons went a long way towards enhancing the flying experience. The same goes for the planets images during combat, as well as the immensity of some of the space stations.
A couple minor criticisms: the cutscenes don't seem very relevent/ Also, the "big finale" against the Death Star seems to just have been thrown in, and was somewhat of a disappointment. Finally, most of the levels were a little easy - I beat most of them on one try with the setting on hard. I was hoping for a bigger progression in difficulty as the game increased. The Battle of Endor in particular I was hoping would be more fierce.
Overall, however, this is a great game, with an awesome multiplayer platform. The real forte, however, is the single player - this game has great replayability. I would recommend it to anyone. I even enjoyed it more than Rogue Squadron or Rebel Assault and maybe even Jedi Knight.

Star Wars: Empire Volume 2: Darklighter (Star Wars: Empire) 1569719756Dark (Star Wars)

2005-10-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: Empire Volume 2: Darklighter (Star Wars: Empire)

1569719756
Dark Horse
June, 2004

Biggs Darklighter isn't a very well known character. Rogue 3 in A New Hope, we know he was Luke's friend from Tatoonie that gave his life protecting Luke during the Battle of Yavin. This graphic novel, which collects Star Wars: Empire, issues #8-12 + #15, gives us Bigg's background, motives, and an in depth look at a fascinating man. 

This graphic chronicles Biggs from the time he was a youth on Tatoonie, until the fateful Battle of Yavin, with many interesting notes in between. 

Nor is this simply the tale of Biggs Darklighter. Luke Skywalker and "Hobbie" Klivian both have prominent roles. 

There is also a small series called "The Short, Happy Life of Roons Sewell". Originally printed as Empire #10-11, it is composed of Roons Swell's eulogy, delivered by General Dodonna. Though this eulogy and a series of flashbacks, we see Roons Sewell's path to becoming a hero of the Alliance, a haunting, interesting tale. 

Both these men had different lives, and took very different paths to becoming martyrs for the Alliance. Both men were brave and became icons of heroism. 

The writing is flawless, the art is bold, and the story haunting. Highly recommended. 

Or maybe it should be a prequel to Rogue Squadron. The story of what happened before and during A New Hope.

Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles

B00004S9AB
Lucasarts Entertainment

Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles (2000.)

INTRODUCTION:
Even long after the Galactic Civil War Trilogy of Star Wars films had ended, the series itself did not. The Expanded Universe was born, and from it came books, comics, and plenty of video games. With the arrival of a new prequel trilogy covering the Clone Wars era, it was only natural that lots of Star Wars games would get released. Unfortunately, the market was being so flooded with Star Wars games, that many of them just weren't that good. Following the release of the Episode I film, Jedi Power Battles was released. One of the systems the game got released on was the first Playstation. How is Jedi Power Battles? Read on to find out?

OVERVIEW:
Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles was released in 2000. The game can be one or two player cooperative, features 3D platform-style action, and was released for the Playstation, Dreamcast, and Game Boy.

REVIEW:
In 2000, when this game came out, the thirty-two bit gaming thing was on the way out, and this game demonstrates that very well. Just one look at the graphics goes to show that the Playstation One was nearing its end - these graphics look atrocious! The Playstation is about the only system I know on which the graphics of 3D games seemed to get WORSE as time progressed. The gameplay itself isn't a whole lot better. Most of the buttons let you do different attacks with your character's lightsaber, and there are run and jump buttons for when you need them. Unfortunately, the configuration is godawful. You can't even configure the control to your liking - TOTALLY UNFORGIVABLE in a game like this. You can choose from a few different control styles, but there is absolutely no excuse for not including custom configuration. The fact that the controls are often unresponsive doesn't help things either. And the game's problems don't stop there. The game is frustrating. Not terribly difficult (except for in a few parts), just frustrating. You must complete an ENTIRE LEVEL before you can save, so if you make it to the end of a level and die just prior to completing it, that's just tough - you're gonna have to play the whole thing over again. The game isn't all bad, though - you've got your choice of several different Jedi Knights, and there are plenty of unlockable characters and areas. Sadly though, all of the characters play almost exactly alike, and no matter who you play, you play as if you're undergoing Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon's story from Episode I. Weak. They should have had a custom path and storyline for everyone. Overall, there isn't really anything here to draw in gamers, except for the most die-hard of Star Wars fans who want every game to bear the name. But still, there are better games out there. When this game was released, it was almost instantly obsolete due to the rise of more powerful gaming consoles. 

EDITION NOTES:
This game is long out of print, and you can't find it new in stores anymore, but used video game stores have an abundance of copies these days. If you're hunting it down, I suggest checking one of them out.

OVERALL:
Overall this is a good game, but it falls flat when you compare it to other games of the same day and age. And besides, there are better Star Wars games out there, as any fan will tell you. If you're a die-hard fan of the Star Wars franchise, or you want every Star Wars game, then by all means get it (it's pretty damn cheap if you can find it), but don't expect anything spectacular. It's good, but it sure as hell ain't great.

This game is Very boring, all you do is kill the andorids in your way (which is Easy to accomplish) and then your faced with a big robot(and you think that is the end of level 1 it NOT) then you kill more andriod then your faced with a bit space ship. This game reminds me of the old Mario bros games, where you walk foward and get to the end. I was excpeting this game to be more like Spyro with hiden rooms, challanging villians and clues to figure out this game is so NOT like that!!

Also my biggest Pet peeve about this game is you can not Save it at any time. You have to complete the Whole level before it will let you save your game. After playing for 3 hours and not finishing level 1, I unfortunatly died and was NOT allowed to save my progress. I had to start ALL over from the begaining. It took me another 4 hours to finish level 1 (after starting over from the begaining 50 times) When I finally finished level 1 I was FINALLY allowed to Save my game which SUCKS. If you get tired and want to save the game and come back later you CAN'T you'll have to finish the level before you can save it.

I am a major star wars fan and a gamer. I have liked most sw games but this one i sold for $2 and was very VERY happy. the game starts out vey interesting indeed. you are a jedi and you can kill things, which is fun. the only drawback is that the game sucks after 2 minutes. i dont think that i have ever after seeing 10 people try it (all good gamers) finish the first level. there was something we like to call the "LEAP OF FAITH" whis is in said level. put simply: you cannot do it. ever. in the world. ever. even if god himself is trying to make this game not suck.

Hard Contact (Star Wars: Republic Commando) 0345478274Del Rey26 October, 2004Hard (Star Wars)

2005-10-12T05:13:00.000-07:00

Hard Contact (Star Wars: Republic Commando)

0345478274
Del Rey
26 October, 2004

Hard Contact is one of the best books I've ever read. It deserves so much more than just being touted as a tie-in to a video game. Yes, this novel truly stands on its own.

The main plot centers around a squad of four clone commandos being sent on a mission to Qiilura to destroy a nanovirus that effectively kills clones only, and apprehend the doctor that is masterminding the effort. What's interesting is that the four commandos are "orphans"; ones that have lost their original squad in previous battles and have been reassigned to each other to form a new squad: the Omega Squad.

The other main character is Etain, a Jedi Padawan that happens to be on Qiilura. Etain has just lost her master during their mission and is feeling a little lost and scared.

When the commandos land, or should I say crash land, one (Darman) is separated from the other three and eventually meets up with Etain. Clones are trained to submit to any Jedi Knight or Padawan that they happen across, so Darman immediately looked to her for "orders". Etain had no idea about the clones, much less what "orders" she was supposed to give him.

From there, the two set off to find the rest of Omega Squad and complete the mission that was assigned to them. I will stop here with the plot so I don't give away too much.

The characterization in this story was impressive. Karen Traviss does a wonderful job showing the reader the life of a clone and that each one, in fact, is his own person with his own personality and sense of humor. And, although they are trained to be killing machines, they are gentle and affable guys that are only 10 years old chronologically and sometimes act it too. You really get attached to these guys and find yourself rooting for them to save the day.

Traviss also did a great job with the characterization of Etain. She is like no other Padawan I've read about. Think of Darsha from Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter; Barriss, from The Approaching Storm; and of couse, Anakin Skywalker. Like Yoda, Mace Windu, and Obi-Wan talked about in Episode II, Jedi are known to be confident and sometimes arrogant. You see the confidence and/or arrogance in the three Padawans I just mentioned. Etain is the complete opposite. You can almost say that she is inept. She has no confidence in herself and the Force seems weak in her. Not the qualities you expect to see in a Padawan. When she is thrust in the situation with the Omega Squad's mission, she had no choice but to be their "commander" as protocol required. You really get a chance to see her character grow and mature because of this.

I really could go on and on, but you really should read it for yourself. Like other Star Wars novels I've read, I had a hard time putting it down. This has been my favorite Star Wars book so far, although Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter is a very close second.

And again, I'd like to reiterate that touting this book as a video game tie-in does it no justice at all. May the Force be with you!

I have read just about every Star Wars book available, but this one stands out.
Everything worked - the characters were compelling, the story was coherent and exciting and very believable. I absolutely loved Traviss' writing style: it allowed a peek into the minds of many different characters with no outside judgments or ulterior motives. This book dealt with morality of cloning in a very satisfying, yet enjoyable, way. It was also nice to see a story where the 'plan' is not only told to the reader before it's executed (rather than having the formulation of the plan "offscreen", as often happens), but the characters must make on-the-spot changes to it ("no plan survives contact with the enemy"). I think that made the story more realistic and helped to involve the reader more.
This book was marketed as a game tie-in book (to the video game Republic Commando), but it really stands on its own. In fact, the only similarity between this book and the game is they both have commandos - the actual characters and the plots are separate.
Overall, there's very little I think could have been better in this book - it possibly could have been a little longer, as some scenes seemed a bit rushed. But it's nice to see a well-written book that doesn't center around the main movie characters, yet is undeniably 'Star Wars' in feel.

Basically the book starts off as a flash back by one of the commandos (Darman) from the Fight on Genosis where he remembers how his entire team was wiped out. Move on and now your with a fugitive Padawan whose is on the run from the ruling Nemoidian's hired thugs on some planet called Qilliga or something, while searching for her Jedi Master named Fuiller. Fast foward again and your back with the commando whose platoon was killed earlier, as he is introduced to other commandoes whose teams are also dead - together they become the new team of Republic Commandoes. Now they are sent on a mission to retrieve the Jedi Padawan from Qilliga and if possible, retrieve her master as well. With very little intel, the commandoes go in, but the mission starts off as a failure when thier plane goes down in enemy territory.

I'm not really "done" with this book yet, but I'm really really enjoying it. I'm not even a Star Wars fan, and yes I do find myself getting lost with some of the terms, but in reality- does it really matter if you know what "Gdans" are as long as you're enjoying other aspects of the book? 

Also, a little off topic, but this book reminds me of the Halo book series alot. I really suggest reading it if you like sci-fi or war stories...or Halo.

Star Wars Vintage Action Figures: A Guide for Collectors

0972378006
Frontback Books
October, 2003

This is by far the best book on vintage Star Wars action figures that I've ever read (and I've read just about all of them)! Covers all VINTAGE Star Wars figures (and most vehicles and playsets) released by Kenner between 1977 and 1985 (perhaps the author will consider including a section on the Ewoks and Droids figures in the next edition?). Tons of full-color PHOTOS, and tons of details and information you will not find anywhere else. Here are some of the highlights: (1) great photos of every loose and carded Star Wars figure every released - including important variations, (2) a complete description of every version of every cardback ever released, (3) a nice section on vehicles, playsets, creatures, and cases, and (4) thorough sections on promo and mailer items, POTF coins, multi-packs, pre-production items, and store displays. I even found the price guide to be more credible and helpful than most. All in a high-quality book with nice, thick, semi-gloss pages. Great for the new or intermediate collector; but, even serious, long time collectors and professionals will likely learn a lot from this book.

I happened upon this book while browsing through some other Star Wars titles and let me tell you, I'm glad I did! I have been collecting vintage carded Star Wars figures for about 3 years now and I have been dreaming for a book like this. I am by no means trying to collect every cardback and figure variation created by Kenner, but any one can with the help of this book. (And alot of $$$ of course!) Mr. Kellerman covers every aspect of vintage collecting, from sequence(release)numbers, to figure/card variations, vehicles, playsets, pricing/value and even store displays. It is all in very easy to understand text and charts showcasing the entire history of the vintage Kenner line from the first release double telescoping Luke Skywalker SW 12 back to the POTF Imperial Dignitary 92 back. A MUST have book for any vintage fan/collector. Weather you've been collecting for 2 years or 20, this book is a valuable addition to our hobby.

This book is great for Star Wars action figure collectors. It was very helpful as a resource to fully understanding my collection. Excellent photos throughout book. Written clearly. This seems to be the only book in the market to cover the entire vintage Star Wars action figure in such detail.

I REALLY, REALLY liked the book. Hopefully the previous reviewer will eventually understand how to like the original bubbled carded action figures too.

The Dark Side Sourcebook (Star Wars Roleplaying Game) 0786918497Wizards of (Star Wars)

2005-10-12T01:07:00.000-07:00

The Dark Side Sourcebook (Star Wars Roleplaying Game)

0786918497
Wizards of the Coast
August, 2001

Hey men ! 
what's up too long delay. wait from february and now in May still waiting until july !!

Hope that you give me a discount for items due to the lack of buisness.

To clear up the confusion of one of the previous reviewers, it should be mentioned that the Dark Side Sourcebook was published *before* the Revised Core Rulebook, and thus uses the older, obsolete ruleset. Fortunately, there is an update file to be found at the Star Wars section of the Wizards of the Coast website that addresses these changes, and brings it in line with the new rules.
That being said, I liked this book back then, and I still like it now. The DSSB really set the stage for the high-quality, full-color, hardcover books that would later become the standard.
I really enjoyed the sections on Dark Side Spirits and Possession, but I think my favorite part was the large selection of Dark Side characters. There is also a wide range of new Dark Side force skills, new feats, mutated beasts, killer droids, and deadly weapons... and not to mention the comprehensive history of the Sith tradition itself, starting from its break with the Jedi Order over 25,000 years prior to the events of the movies.
In short, this is still a solid book, and if you're an evil player, or simply an evil GM, this one is for you.

The Dark Side Sourcebook is largely for a gamemaster who wants to produce serious villains, or for someone who wants to run a Dark Side campaign. It contains all the tools necessary for either of these tasks, including a load of very powerful prestige classes (including the mighty Sith Lord) and jaw-dropping items (including the Sith Talisman and Orbalisk Armor). There is also included the requisite gallery of known baddies, and some monsters that will pose an extreme challenge for even the most powerful heroes.
There are only a few problems with this book. Let's start with the most obvious one: the lack of a sourcebook for the ancient eras where Dark Jedi ran rampant. Most of the prestige classes, items, ships, and individuals mentioned in this book are exclusively available in that time period, so this absence is significant. This can be addressed soon, however, and is not one of the 'embarrassing flaws' I mentioned. The charts for the prestige classes have odd discrepancies in convention that seem to be a halfway point between the original and revised core rulebooks. For example, reputation is either noted as ever-increasing or a series of +1 and +0s, and lightsaber damage is listed as +1d8 +1d8 +1d8 ... +2d8 rather than 'increase lightsaber damage.'
Some other gamemasters might have noticed another interesting problem. The Sith Lord prestige class has 10 levels, but it is impossible to become a 10th level Sith Lord (I'm assuming a 'non-epic' campaign here). The reason for this being that the class requires a reputation of 10, and it is impossible to get that in 10 levels. A more obvious problem is with the Emperor's Hand prestige class, since there can only be one Emperor's Hand. This rather limits the potential of the class, does it not?
Of course, the gamemaster is by no means held to obey the whims of this sourcebook. I simply threw out what I thought was unreasonable and went on with the game. Though I generally found the book to be a worthwhile investment of time and money, it could have been far more satisfying with a bit of improvement in the range of options available. This especially applies to campaigns run in the Rebellion Era which, let's face it, is the only really FUN era to run in!

Star Wars Revenge of the Sith Figure: General Grievous

B0006OCFC6
Hasbro

General Grievous, the robotic bad guy form Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith has plenty of things stacked against him. Not only is he a robot with a respiratory problem (what is it about the dark side that effects everyones breathing so horribly?) but in the movie hes locked in battle against a highly skilled Obi-Wan Kenobi. Fortunately for Grievous, hes got mad skills on the light saber. A collector of sabers from Jedis hes defeated in the past, Grievous is able to handle four sabers at once, a whirling tornado of flashing menace. Thats how he is depicted in this nicely detailed and well-articulated six-inch figure. Simply press down on his head to send him into action. --Charlie Williams
I had seen grievous since the clone wars on cartoon network
and I thought it would make a preety good toy after all.I got him
the very first day the ROTS toys came out I was going to get the 
clone trooper with quick draw attack, but I saw Grievous and I 
decided to buy him instead it is one of the best toys besides
Darth Vader which i'm planing to get I really recomend this toy.

THis figure is incredible ,its limbs move ,and the lightsaber atack is not at all clumsy. I really enjoyed playing with this toy.

My son really wanted this and we had a hard time finding one in the stores. Overall has held up well. It is easy to loose the light sabers but other than that we have been pleased.

Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial (Star Wars: The New (Star Wars)

2005-10-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 4)

0345428609
Del Rey
01 August, 2000

Han continues to deal with his internal pain, seemingly finally snapping in this book as he flies off on on his own adventure to help an old friend. 

The set up is pretty good, with Han taking on some different personality characterisitcs than normal, adding some variety to his well known behavior. He meets a new ally, Droma, who while interesting, is pretty two dimensional and will eventually get boring.

Despite being an obvious set up for many events to come, the book still maintains its interest. You get to see some new Yuuzhan Vong ships and weapons, and the followed characters manage to get in trouble no matter which way they turn. 

While not the best of the New Jedi Order series, the book manages to keep you entertained throughout and is worth reading. 




James Luceno has earned my eternal gratitude with HERO'S TRIAL, for he has put the fun back in Han Solo. I fondly remember watching Star Wars for the first time almost ten years ago, and like so many others, my life was changed. The reason for this wasn't Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader, the epic space battles or the Force...it was Han Solo. 

Going into my first viewing of Star Wars, I had heard all there was to hear about lightsabers and the Force, of the Death Star and it's demise. I expected all of that. What I didn't expect was the humour, the sarcasm, the wit, all supplied by the scoundrel Han Solo. He was the fun and excitement of Star Wars, for me anyway, and since The Empire Strikes Back, I haven't felt that again.

Since his union with Princess Leia, Han has become a general in the New Republic, a family man, and compared to the rogue of his earlier days, a pansy. Han is an upstanding citizen now...HAN SOLO! That's ridiculous. She has taken all of the swagger from a man who's swagger defined him. To me, he's a different character from the one we met in Mos Eisley. 

But along comes the New Jedi Order, along comes the death of Chewbacca, and BOOM! Han is back! Widely regarded as a terrible idea, I believe that Chewie's death is one of the smartest ideas ever conceived in the Extended Universe, because it gave Han back his cynicism, his biting humour, his impatience and do-it-alone attitude. But most importantly, it finally gave Han a partner as equally fun as himself, someone who Han can bounce off of and actually have conversations with...Droma, my favorite addition to the Star Wars universe in a very long time. Together, the duo are just plain fun to read. 

The first 2/5's of the book didn't really grab my attention. There were some interesting moments, like Chewie's funeral and the interaction between Han and Leia, but overall, it wasn't anything special. But once Han meets up with Roa and the two go off in search of their old pal Reck Desh, things really get exciting. Once Droma appears, the story is in full swing and gaining momentum with every page. The momentum of this book is tremendous. By the end, you couldn't pry me away from this book for anything. I was completely hooked.

James Luceno's characterization of Han is dead on, and he throws in tons of old-school Han catch-phrases and mannerisms. From calling everyone "sister" to throwing his finger in everyone's face, he made Han feel like Han. I loved it. And by the end of the book, when Han is coming to accept Droma, he goes so far as to let him sit in Chewie's chair, and he calls him "partner." I thought this a nice touch and it was good to see Han dealing with Chewie's death in a way, and allowing himself to move on. 

If not for the slow start, I would have given HERO'S TRIAL a five-star rating, and I can't wait to sink my teeth into AGENT OF CHAOS II: JEDI ECLIPSE. PIck this one up. Droma rules.

If you have read the first three books in this epic series, you already know that Chewie died when Sernpidal's moon came crashing down. Since then, dozens of worlds have fallen, including Ithor in the Mid-Rim and Obroa-Skai, the library world located in the Inner-Rim.

After Chewie's funeral on his homeworld of Kashyyyk, Han decides that he needs to deal with his grieving in his own way, that is alone. However, he learns that an old friend has joined a fifth columnist group. Meanwhile, a defector comes over fromt he Yuuzhan Vong. But is she really a defector.

James Lucerno keeps things moving in this fourth volume of the series. While the focus is on Han and his personal crisis, it doesn't neglect other developments in the owngoing war between the Yuuzhan Vong and the New Republic. There are a few surprises on the way as well as more and more of the galaxy comes under Yuuzhan Vong control.

Star Wars Battlefront

B0001DI6FM
Lucasarts Entertainment
21 September, 2004

Star Wars Battlefront is pretty much the same thing as any of the Battlefield games: giant, open ended battles that have infantry and vehicle combat. You can play as the rebels, the empire, the republic or the trade federation droid army. It has five different infantry classes. They are assault, sniper, anti-vehicle, pilot and a unique unit for each army. The rebels unique units are wookiees, The empire has dark troopers, the republic has jet troopers, and the trade federation has droidekas (destroyer droids). The AI is good for the most part. They dive for cover when a grenade is thrown their way and they use vehicles well. However, the AI does have a few problems such as their weird urge to get to a gun turret. Tons of times I've seen one of my troops go running away from a firefight to get to the nearest turret when we needed him at the battle. Also, whenever your reinforcement count drops below twenty-five or so (right when your about to lose) , all of your troops jump out of their vehicles and refuse to get back in them, even when you order them to. Yes, that also includes the guys in aircraft as well. Every one of your troops in fighters and gunships jump out and fall to their deaths, which does not help your chances of winning. Other than that, this game is great. You can pilot tanks, speeders and the giant AT-AT, which can effortlessly crush the rebel defenses on the massive Hoth level. As for aircraft, you can fly the X-wing, Y-wing, Snowspeeder, Tie Fighter, Tie Bomber, Droid Starfighter, Droid Gunship, Jedi Starfighter and the Republic LAAT/i Gunship, which can hold a crew of five (pilot, wing turret gunner, left ball gunner, right ball gunner and a passanger). The aircraft are difficult to control at first, but they aren't too bad with practice. As for infantry combat, everything works smoothly. There is a grenade button and diving to the left or right to avoid enemy fire is easy. If you love Star Wars and games with chaotic, open ended battles, this is for you.

I am a big fan of star wars(exept the third) and when I saw this game I had to buy it. If you like games were you along with many others fight? well this is it join your fellow commards in the bigest battle of all you can re-live all the battles in the movie and more! you can drive ANY veiciel in the moveis (that has to do with battles) and beat up the enimies. Even though I've beaten this game over and over on hard easy and medium it never gets boring and the types of weapons there are boy oh boy theres a lot and each has its own purpose big missile louncers to hand guns the have it all and every were you play it has diffrent viecles and everthing! its amazing!use thermel detonatores to blast guys around conclusion detonators to destroy veicles and much more tell your men what to do and they will do it!If you love the movie than you cando historical challenge gallactic conquest for taking over the galixe and if you just want to play you can do instant play. I recomend this game to any one who wants to kill guy after guy die and start all over!!!!

I bought this game because i have had so much fun with all the other battle fields on the PC (1942 and vietnam) when i bought it i was not dissapointed. All my friends got it too so we played online and system link for many hours and it never got boring. The levels are large and diverse, if you want a close combat level it is there, same if you want an open fielded map with many vehicles. 
Pros: Fun, long lasting, you can keep playing, many vehicles and weopans, lots of people on each map.
Cons: Xbox live lags way too much, it is not fun to play sometimes if not impossible with enemies jumping all over the screen, moving quicker than the curser can follow. The campain is limited.

The game is definitly worth buying and i think that it is the most fun star wars game as well the one with the best graphics next to KOTOR I and II.

Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force B0002CTTHQUbiSoft21 September, 2004This (Star Wars)

2005-10-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force

B0002CTTHQ
UbiSoft
21 September, 2004

This is a pretty good game for the GBA that takes you through the original 3 movies; in a game. It's a pretty good game, but it's also not that great. here's my review:

Graphics: 3.5/5. The graphics are not that great. You can not see the characters faces, the landscapes are a bit sloppy and boring, but hope the characters move and everything is great.

Sound: 4.5/5. The sound is pretty good. Has original music, and sounds from the animals and all. Blaster pistol noises, Jawas, Sand People.. but like most handheld games, no voice acting.

Control: 5/5. Can't get simplre. To shoot sideways just hold L, to jump press A, to shoot press B. Really easy.

Fun: 4/5. This is one of the best, if not the best, Starwars handheld games I've ever played, but it is still not better than the platform games. This game follows episodes 4-6, and does a fair job, but it also does it rather quickly, cheaply, and using repetetive level design.

ya aya fjdsklajfksfj it is very good go star varws ya man who let the dogs out?

now don't get me wrong, i love this game, it's just that i can't seem to get past the 2nd level. when i'm in the desert, fighting the sand people, and when the music swells, and the screen smalls up, I once sat through that for 20 minutes trying to get past the enormous horde of sand people, but no luck, eventually my health ran out and i went back to the last door. ditto. someone please tell me how long you have to go through that particularly long one.

Star Wars Revenge Of The Sith ARC-170 Fighter

B00065ARKW
Hasbro

The clone troopers from Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith dont exactly need a custom ride as they patrol the galaxy far, far away enforcing the will of Emperor Palpatine and his forces of the dark side. Still, they get to operate a pretty nifty starfighter as depicted here in miniature form. It sports a swing-down handle for easy navigation, a pair of spring-loaded projectiles, proton torpedoes that drop down on the bottom, and wings that open in classic Star Wars x-formation. An R2 unit fits snugly in the wing to serve as a navigation aide. No clone troopers are included with this set, leaving you free to either buy some or load up other action figures from around the house, thus creating an entirely new science fiction adventure as GI Joe, the Power Rangers, and Barbie all take the ride of their lives. --Charlie Williams
this toy is cool.i garentee that it wil be 100% fun.it can drop bombs,fires missles and all kinds of cool features like a retractable handle.if you like starfighters,you must get this toy.

We like the ARC-170 Fighter because it has many features that allow it to be played with like the ARC-170 in the movie. A bonus is that the Star Wars action figures fit into it, and it's always a big hit when the action figure is actually sized to fit into its fighter! It was a little bigger than we thought it would be, but it's been a big hit and worth the money.

This is another really great toy from the Star Wars collection made by Hasbro. They did a great job on this toy.

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight (Star Wars) 0307101037Golden Books31 December, 1999This (Star Wars)

2005-10-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight (Star Wars)

0307101037
Golden Books
31 December, 1999

This book is for kids about 4-7 who love Star Wars and the character Luke Skywalker. My friend got this book for her little brother and he loved it!

StarCraft Expansion Pack: Brood War

B00001IVR8
Vivendi Universal

Fans who mastered the original StarCraft's three races and survived its well-crafted story were quickly clamoring for more. A worthy sequel, Brood War delivers further plot twists and bigger battles.
In keeping with StarCraft's groundbreaking design, this expansion pack--which requires the original game--presents you with three sides of a galactic conflict. Scheming Humans, insidious Zerg, and proud Protoss collide again, with stunning new cinematics setting the stage. Old friends and foes and ominous new arrivals give the story a breakneck pace, while a handful of additions to each race's arsenal makes for tense battles.
Some missions require a bit of finesse, breaking the resource-gathering routine while making good use of the new units. Humans now have Valkyrie missile frigates, as well as Medics that automatically try to heal your grunts. New for the Zerg air force is the acid-spewing Devourer; the new Lurker unit provides heavy-duty (under) ground support. Along with the Corsair fighter, the Protoss re-enter the fray with Dark Templar, which can merge to form the devastating Dark Archon. Unfortunately, units old and new still suffer from some weak pathfinding.
Brood War also features stellar new environments and ambient art, as well as more than 100 additional multiplayer maps. Real-time strategy games don't get any more epic or any more satisfying. --Jack Gardiner
Pros:

New units open up more strategic possibilities
More of StarCraft's great storytelling
Missions are challenging and varied
Cons:

Unit pathfinding is still a little clumsy and requires careful micromanagement

Brood war is, by far, the best expansion to a strategy game ever made. Unlike those expansions that just add a race like every other, or that add a campaign, Brood War adds both consuming campaigns, and units you'll wonder "how did I do without these guys?!"
Graphics: 5/5 It looks like an upgrade, but it's not!
Controls: 4/5 No upgrade here
Gameplay: 5/5 Units make all the difference
Story: 4/5 Makes little sense, but enough
Tech: 6/5 Amazing Expansions
Overall: 5/5 Buy this, it's worth it

This is one of the best games ever. With a map editor you can create your own maps. The editor features trigger functions so you can make the ultimate game. Online playing is superior. I play it all the time and my favorite game is WWII Death in Europe. People create maps and share them all over the internet. The controls are easy to master with keys and the mouse. The game is complex and if u read the strategy book that comes with the expansion, you can master the game. I recomend this game to the best gamers out there. It has a very reasonable price. With the added units like corsairs, and devourers. The game is flawless. Buy it today!

I have played this game ever since it came out and am a veteran player. Each of the three paragraphs will explain different parts of the game so if you are about to just scroll down past this review because it's long, just read the paragraph that most interests you by reading the first few sentences of any of the shown paragraphs because those sentences describe that paragraph. This first paragraph will explain the races and the differences. This game has 3 unique races that are very different. Zerg, Protoss and Terran all have very different units, buildings, statistics, strategies and more. Zerg have weak units, but they are very cheap too build and you can create them very early in the game because you can build units very fast compared to the other races. So Zerg is the best race to rush other players with. Protoss is a very strong and expensive race. They are slower to build than any of the races but they are very good if you are going to play a long game with someone. Terran, which are the humans if you don't know, are in the middle. They are in middle of the stats when you look at the cost difference, strength and how fast they take to build. All the races are good to be, since the game is one of the best of it's kind.
Now this second paragraph is about game play. Starcraft with its expansion pack is a one of a kind. The game loads fast, the controls are straight forward and are simple to use, the graphics are great, with it's dark textures and detailed landscape it has better graphics than all other strategy games for it's time. Even some of the newer games from Westwood Studios do not come near to the graphics of this game. This game has great missions, and the first few for each race also act as a tutorial for new players. Also in between every few mission they have a cinematic movie, which you can watch or skip if you want. The mission-briefing screen depends on which race you are, for the setting is different and the characters (speaking animated portraits) that tell you your mission are different. This game has pretty good music and when you click on a unit they always reply back with some sort of response.
Now this third and last paragraph will talk about the best part of the game, multiplayer mode. Battle.Net, which is Blizzards official online multiplayer battle network where you can play against hundreds of thousands of other players who are online, is a great system. You can play MANY different types of maps with up to eight people in one game. There are different types of maps, some are 'User Map Settings, Melee, Team melee, Capture the Flag, etc.' There are more types but I will just continue. When you install the game it also comes with a map editor. This map editor allows you to customize maps, and even create your own maps. You can change the name and stats of units, change the mission briefings, create triggers and timers and scoreboards and teams and change the terrain plus more. You create an almost actual RPG like game or any other type of game if you put hard work into it. I usually play user map setting maps that are the maps created by other players because they are more fun than the regular melee. This game is the only current strategy game to enable you to completely change and upload your own maps to the server for others to play. I myself have created a map called "God vs. Satan" which is a VERY popular map right now and others have made probably over 10 other upgrades to the map which is probably more than any other map. I play online all the time under the nickname punwod and you can message me or anyone on Battle.Net by typing "/w NICKNAME". I hope you enjoy this game and this review! =)

Star Blazers:Bolar Wars Series 3 Pt 2 B00009KTUXTapeworm27 May, 2003 (Star Wars)

2005-10-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

Star Blazers:Bolar Wars Series 3 Pt 2

B00009KTUX
Tapeworm
27 May, 2003

Bounty on Bonadan (Star Wars Missions #19)

0590846299
Scholastic
1999

LucasArts Archive Series: X-Wing Alliance B00005B444LucasArts Entertainment30 April, 2001Star Wars: (Star Wars)

2005-10-10T19:06:00.000-07:00

LucasArts Archive Series: X-Wing Alliance

B00005B444
LucasArts Entertainment
30 April, 2001
Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance casts you as the youngest son of the Azzameen family, a merchant dynasty operating in a galaxy far, far away. The game is set in the turbulent time period between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Caught amid increasing tensions between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, with business rivals watching for any sign of weakness, the Azzameens are on the edge of financial ruin. Worse, their Rebel sympathies may endanger their very survival.
As the family's newest pilot, you fly tutorial missions at first, under the supervision of your sister Aeron and the droid Emkay. But even as you are training, the situation heats up. Before long, the family has been betrayed, your space station has been seized, and you're forced to turn to the Rebellion. Though the game's focus is on combat, the development of this story is tight and suspenseful.
The story and the merchant/smuggler setting give the game plenty of variety. One mission may have you piloting a loaded freighter through an Imperial blockade, while another may place you in the cockpit of an X-Wing on a hit-and-run raid against an enemy battle station. Every ship, every weapon, every sound effect is pure Star Wars, totally faithful to the look--and feel--of the movies. This extends to the missions themselves: nothing works as planned, but somehow you and your Rebel allies manage to make it all the way to the climactic Battle of Endor. If you've distinguished yourself in the earlier missions, hot pilots will get the chance to take the controls of the Millennium Falcon and cram a torpedo into the gut of the Emperor's second Death Star.
Controlling the fighters, freighters, and transports in X-Wing Alliance is easy, with all the options you'd expect in a Star Wars simulation. Shield, engine, and weapon power levels are all adjustable, so you, too, can transfer all power to front deflector screens while attacking, or shut down power to weapons to outrun a swarm of TIE fighters. Novice players may find it difficult to control wingmen or to keep track of the changing objectives when missions go sour. But practice makes perfect, and the truly frustrated can simply skip up to three missions without penalty.
With a modest learning curve and graphics that put you right in the milieu of the Star Wars films, X-Wing Alliance will have you flying combat missions for the Rebel Alliance in no time--and loving every minute of it. --Alyx Dellamonica
Pros:

Loving attention to detail
Fantastic sound effects and John Williams's music
Interesting and changing mission objectives
Wide variety of spacecraft
Con:

Occasional bugs within missions can render them unwinnable

This is the most awsome Star Wars/flight simulator game ever. If you like either it is a must buy. And it has so much depth that you could play it for days on end...you get over 50 huge missions, create-a-mission, and multiplayer! Get this game! You'll get your worth out of it, and then some!

I don't remember this game when it first came out, but I just recently got it, and it still packs a punch. With a truly gripping plotline that follows from just after the events of The Empire Strikes Back to the end of Return of the Jedi (And yes, you even get to play a scene from Shadows of the Empire), X-Wing Alliance (XWA) is a great game. While the graphics aren't exactly stunning to today's audience, in my opinon, the gameplay more than makes up for it. I came to XWA from Rogue Squadron, really wishing I could take my X-Wing up against a Star Destroyer. Well, I got my wish, and let me tell you, be careful what you wish for: those suckers are hard! And while Rogue Squadron (RS) has beautiful graphics, you never go into space. In XWA, every mission is in space. Also, the controls are more realistic. RS's big kick was the graphics, so the designer's didn't worry about really complex and realistic controls. In XWA, you don't just fly around and fire at stuff, you can control how your shields recharge, how your guns fire, strengthen your shields in one area of the ship, or reroute everything to the engines and fly like crazy.
Another bonus for those of you who liked RS but wanted something more is hyperspace. To get to the areas where your missions take place requires you to jump into hyperspace, which, like in the films, doesn't always work. (Especially when there's an Interdictor Crusier around; you'll learn to hate those.)
So, in conclusion, XWA is a great game if you have a lot of time, there are over 50 missions, not counting the single-player skirmishes you can create in the simulator room (A simulator in a simulator, eh?), and multiplayer options abound.
Have fun. Now get to your fighters!

I'll be blunt when I say that this is the finest space sim I have ever had the privelige of playing. A lofty claim, no doubt, but true nonetheless. What urges me to make this claim about X-Wing Alliance? Let's examine.
Now I don't know why this game didn't seem to make a bigger impact than it should have. It might be the market is flooded with first-person shooters and cheap StarCraft knock-offs. It might have been lack of proper advertising...I remember seeing ads for it in PC Gamer, but never many. But truth be known I think it was the timing. X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter can be blamed for this...it's complete emphasis on multiplayer over plot (it didn't have any, or anything remotely resembling a single player campaign) I think ruined it for a lot of the people who really just enjoyed playing the basic game for it's feeling of taking on the Empire from the comfort of your own house. It could be argued that this came out too soon after XvTF, or maybe noone wanted to give it a try because of it's possible similarities, or maybe there's just so many Star Wars games out there now that are outright bad, noone wanted to put out the money to find out.
And what a crying shame...this game is fantastic. I wouldn't call it perfect, but it's very close to it. The plot follows the adventures of a family of merchants, the Azzameens, with you as the youngest son of the clan, Ace. The family has it's internal squabblings which can be a welcome amusement or likewise, an unwelcome development as you play. The first few missions allow you to fly freighters like the YT-1300, along with new ones like the snazzy YT-2000, which looks like the Millenium Falcon on steroids. After these training missions (some of which are surprisingly difficult for "training" level) you're eventually forced to join the Rebellion and begin the standard instruction with X-Wings and the other Rebel starfighter complement.
The plot is well paced, excellently scripted, and goes as fluid as a dream. Interspersed within these are the occasional Family mission where you assist your clan in some dilemma or scheme to seek revenge against thier antagonists. Success garners you some souvenir from that battle and I must admit that by the game's end it's nice to see your room practically littered with things you've picked up along the way. And I must admit an affinity for having turret guns...they're just plain handy.
The meat and potatoes of the game though is your standard Rebel combat assignments. And they are just a blast. Everything from the voice acting, to the music, to the graphics is all top notch. The ambience is perfect Star Wars. So much so that if one were inclined to experience Star Wars, after the movies I would pick this game as the best way to do so.
But every game has it's faults and this one is no exception. Multiplayer is a mixed bag. There's no cooperative missions, but rather built missions in which you use an editor and add/subtract ships, and then hop in a fighter and blow em' up. I wish though that they'd have put in the ability to hop into one of the freighters as a pure gunner. Having a YT-2000 with 2 human gunners in multiplayer would probably give you a ten-fold survival rate. As far as some of the single player campaign missions go, I won't lie. Lucas Arts has always made some levels that noone short of Luke Skywalker can finish, and this game is no exception. However they've allowed the option to skip a mission should it prove too hard to accomplish.
Flying the Endor/Death Star II mission I must admit is almost Nirvana, although TIE Fighters die rather quickly in comparison to thier Rebel adversaries. Did I mention what a rush it is to fly the Millenium Falcon? The last 4 missions follow the script of the movie almost (almost) perfectly. Beware though: I'd recommend a fast computer for the last one...unless you like wading through that many Star Destroyers on a P2 300MhZ.
I won't lie...this game is such a notable improvement over it's forbears that I cannot understand why anyone who liked it's predecessors wouldn't have this game. I think I'll sum it all up by just saying that this game is simply a helluva lot of fun. Just a real good time. Pick up a copy and see for yourself. :)

Star Wars Attacktix Figures 3-Pack

B00062SWJI
Hasbro

our 7 and 9 year old boys really like this product and makeup many creative games to play; our parental complaint is that the price continues to rise and seems overpriced.

These are awesome!!! I have plo koon,grievous guard,super battle droid,clone trooper,agen kolar,kiadimundi,anakin,chrome wookie scout,and commander bly.If you don't have any get them now!!!!

I just started to collect attacktix and theyre great! Ive gotten two 3 packs and one starter pack. Attacktix are a great value and are extremly fun. So far I have two tarffuls, greivous bodygaurd, clone trooper, clone commander, wookie commando, wookie scout, plo koon, obi-wan, anakin, and a super battle. Ive been showing my friends and now they want to start collecting them too.

Children of the Jedi : Star Wars Series (Star Wars (Star Wars)

2005-10-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

Children of the Jedi : Star Wars Series (Star Wars (Random House Paperback))

0553572938
Spectra
01 June, 1996
As Children of the Jedi opens, a crazed, drug-addled ex-smuggler named Drub McKumb lunges at Han Solo in the middle of his and Leia's state visit to Ithor. (Long after the destruction of the second Death Star, Leia is now the New Republic's work-weary head of state.) Han, Leia, and Luke soon surmise that this isn't just another of Han's drinking buddies but rather a weirdly altered man carrying a terrible secret. Piecing together clues from McKumb's glossolaliac rants, Han and Leia set off in search of the ancient hiding place of the Children of the Jedi, while Luke--using the Force and his former-pupil-and-pal-turned-droid Nichos as a random number generator--decides to head off to a set of coordinates halfway across the galaxy.
They all end up finding more than they bargained for: Han and Leia's search for the Jedi ends on icy, isolated Belsavis; while Luke stumbles onto a humongous but dormant Imperial death machine- -which, not coincidentally, has stirred to life the intent to utterly annihilate Belsavis. Can he possibly stop it in time? Star Wars authors tend to be either you-love-'em-or-you-hate-'em types, but veteran writer Hambly makes a good go at falling into the former camp in this outing, along with the likes of Michael Stackpole and Kevin J. Anderson. --Paul Hughes
I really got burned out on Star Wars novels because all of them, like this piece of book trash, is written by fan writers who have no clue what Star Wars is all about. They just want to make money so that fan boy geeks with no life buy the books. This book is well it reads like a Harold Robbins novel with poor dialoge and the author looks like she set the novel in the same vein as the 1977 Star Wars Holiday special, or the terrible Dark Hors Comics stories. Rubbish.

Hillarious reviews, guys! Please check your sense of humor: the humor in this book is closer to irony and wry humor than to slapstick or vaudeville. This is NOT a Kevin J. Anderson hard-core-realism "SW" novel. It's a different, and welcome, approach to SW fiction. 

True, Leia is trying to be a Superwoman, which stretches belief. Luke, for his part, is trying to balance his responsibilities to the new Jedi Order, to the Republic -- and to find time for himself, being thirty-ish and single! (Some of us can relate. ;))

The human-droid pairings are a fresh take on the standard lineups. Very good. 

The "voices" and reactions of the various Classic Trilogy characters are perfectly right. Very good.

Callista is a Susan Sarandon / Geena Davis / Carole Lombard-esque beautiful, smart and strong woman, which is what you want on your side when you're saving the galaxy from an out-of-date, malfunctioning, well-armed dreadnought. Very good. :o

The rest I could forgive. Luke is his father's son, after all. Very human.

Princess Leia, Han Solo and Chewbacca embark on a mission to search for the long-lost children of the Jedi. They have uncovered information that indicates that the children may have been hidden from the Emperor's purge on Belsavis-a remote, frozen world. The tales they have heard indicate that a Jedi exodus emanated from the dark crypts below the planet's surface. Since that time, no one has returned from exploring those crypts.

On the other side of the galaxy, Luke is guided by dreams created by the Force and uncovers a super-weapon left over from the Emperor's reign of terror. The automated Dreadnought Eye of Palpatine was created for a secret mission by the Emperor, but was never activated. The Eye of Palpatine is controlled by a sophisticated artificial intelligence system know as the Will. Captured and taken aboard the Dreadnought, Luke encounters the spirit of Callista, a Jedi Knight who gave her life years before to stop the ship. Now Luke must find a way to destroy the ship once and for all because the Eye has awakened and the ship is attempting to fulfill its original mission - the total annihilation of Belsavis!

I've always associated Barbara Hambly with novels comprised of complex character development with less emphasis on plot. In this novel, plot development is paramount, although character development is not neglected. The Eye is one of the most creative super-weapons that Star Wars authors have invented. And the plot is believable and well crafted.

The action switches smoothly between the two main plots. The book contains no "dead spots" or filler. All of the scenes move the plot along smartly. Hambly also spends more time than most other Star Wars writers on the development of Leia's character. This attention to Leia continues in her other Star Wars novel reviewed below. Some of the characters in this novel were created in previous novels, so I would recommend reading the Thrawn Trilogy and the Jedi Academy Trilogy to extract maximum enjoyment from this novel.


Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith - Darth Vader Standard Child Costume - Medium

B0007TZWZ2
Rubies Costume Company
10 May, 2005

We bought this for our son who is 3 yrs old (4yrs in a month)and just loves everything Star Wars. We shopped around both on the internet and at a few local stores. This was the best deal at $15.99, plus free shipping. He absolutely loves his Darth Vader Costume and has worn it everyday since we got it for him. Halloween is still 3 weeks away! I have already washed it once and it held together well... still looks like new! I read a previous review where they said this costume runs small. He also has a Spiderman costume from last year in a size small that fits him tight now. Our son is 3 1/2 feet tall so we decided on the medium size. I did have to cut the cape with scissors about three inches so that it wouldn't drag on the floor (very easy to do, only takes a minute). I also cut about 2 inches off the legs and gave it maybe two quick stitches on each side with a needle and thread. The body and sleeves fit him perfect and the mask is one size fits all. It's a great costume for the money, all you need is the light saber. You won't be disappointed!

What a great costume for a little boy (or girl) to enjoy!! My son who is 5 and weighs about 42 pounds fits perfectly into this costume. I had to trim the cape about an inch but otherwise it was a perfect fit - this costume was size MEDIUM. The costume was rained on and had juice spilled on it and it held up in the washing maching like a charm.

I,and my son think this thing "costume" is AWSOME!!!!! He won't get out of it! LOL!!! But you know thats a good thing! It just won't rip,snag,anything. Every mom or dad looking for a Hallowen outfit,this IS IT!!!! If you buy one hope it makes your kid as HAPPY AS MINE!!! 
From.MN

Star Wars: X-Wing VS TIE Fighter with Balance of Power (Star Wars)

2005-10-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

Star Wars: X-Wing VS TIE Fighter with Balance of Power

B00000K57N
LucasArts Entertainment

You get to melee in Star Wars ships. That's essentially the point of this game. X-Wing Vs. Tie Fighter includes melees such as free for all, ones with wingmen, in asteroid clusters, etc. There are also things like minecleaning and turkey shoot where you shoot at larger ships.
Balance of Power adds the B-wing to the list of ships, and campaign missions. Also, my favorite part of the game, it adds a 25 minute long turkey shoot that starts with cargo freighters and ends with a super star destroyer. The first time you see the size of it, you'll be happy you got the game.

Fun. Once I start playing, it's usually hours before I quit. Controls are good, too, though it takes a bit to memorize what keys do what.

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!???????????
ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO FEEL LIKE YOUR MOVING IN YOUR LITTLE SHIP?
Probably, but it doesn't work to well. When you're first playing the game, it can be confusing and you can get "Lost in Space".
Why?
Because, first of all, all of the controls are new to you and you don't know what is what in the cockpit. So if you turn, your facing a [blank] picture of space - and you can't find your way back to the battle. But you get used to it. But it's still annoying!
So why did I give this game five stars?
Because EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, (and a little more at the bottom) IT'S GREAT! YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'RE THERE! ONCE YOU KNOW THE CONTROLS AND WHAT EVERYTHING MEANS, YOU'RE HAVING SUCH A GOOD TIME, YOU DON'T GET OFF TILL MIDNIGHT!
G-R-E-A-T G-A-M-E-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GET IT!
WARNING: If you don't currently have a joystick, don't get the game! It requires a joystick to play! (I had to go through that, and it wasn't fun.)

THIS GAME RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT IS NOT JUST 4 STAR WARS FANS!!!! IF U LIKE PILOT GAMES IT IS 4 U!!!!! IF U LIKE STAR WARS IT IS 4 U!!!!! THIS GAME INTRODUCES THE SUPER STAR DESTROYER, MAKING UP 4 THE TINY ISD'S. and u can download ship path's and fly awesome fighters like TIE defenders and missile boats, 2 name a few. GET THIS GAME!!!!!!

The Art of Star Wars, Episode IV - A New Hope

0345409809
Del Rey
14 January, 1997

I'm not obsessed with the Star Wars films, although I did enjoy them. But the great thing about this book (and the other "Art of Star Wars" books) is that you don't have to be a huge fan to appreciate the conceptual artwork. As an artist, I consider this book to be one of my favourite reference books. It shows much about what goes into the preparation of a film. This book IS rather fan-oriented, and lacks some critical information such as the sizes of sketches, and other technical information about the paintings and drawings which would have been helpful to aspiring artists & designers. However, it is never-the-less an almost daily source of inspiration for me as I do my own futuristic art. 
As for the script, I could take it or leave it. I've never read the whole thing, only bits here and there. What amuses me is how the script is subtly different from the movie. It's clear that although Lucas has a great mind for stories, his writing is only adequate. The script is rather awkward. If you want a good story, see the movies: the script doesn't do them justice. But for great behind-the-scenes production and concept artwork, see the book.
I would also recommend getting the modern 1995 re-issue of the book, not the 1979 version, if durability is an issue, because mine, like so many others I see here, has fallen apart.

In 1979, Ballantine Books (then the sole licensed publisher of Star Wars novels and most tie-ins) published two versions of this book. One was a limited edition hardcover, which I have never seen, the other was one of those "trade paperback" editions (coffee table size but in softcover). What made this book a must-get was that it contained the entire fourth revised draft of the screenplay for A New Hope (it was the first time I had seen the Episode IV subtitle...even though I bought this book AFTER seeing The Empire Strikes Back). The screenplay I read included scenes that were later edited out of the final film (mainly scenes on Tatooine focusing a bit on Luke's life there and introducing Biggs Darklighter. Another deleted scene -- later restored for the Special Edition 20 years later -- introduced Jabba the Hutt...he would have been very different in look and demeanor from the final Jabba, but at least he was there. Some of these scenes appear both in the novelization (make that ALL) and in the Radio Drama.
The other attractive thing of this book was the amazing artwork. It ranges from pre-production paintings, costume concepts, actual photos, storyboards, and poster art. It even has a section devoted to spinoff art and some cute fan art, mostly drawn by small children.
The one flaw in the book is not content related but the choice of paper and binding. The pages are glossy, like those of a yearbook...but the glue that holds the pages to the binding was not strong enough to hold the pages together. I went through three copies of this book in the time it was in print...I only looked at the last one ONCE and the pages still came loose. Thus, out of 5 stars, I give this book 4.

Okay...I have owned several copies of this book. Never the hardcover, since that one is rare ... It is lovely to look at and the screenplay...the fourth draft, which has scenes that were cut in the first version and some adapted in the Special Edition, gives us more of the story as it would be presented in the novel and radio dramatization. It is a wonderful book to look at, ALTHOUGH my other copies had the weakness of falling apart even if one was careful when perusing it. Some problem with the binding, I imagine. It is worth getting, though.

Clone Wars Adventures, Vol. 3 (Star Wars) 1593073070Dark Horse02 March, (Star Wars)

2005-10-09T04:09:00.000-07:00

Clone Wars Adventures, Vol. 3 (Star Wars)

1593073070
Dark Horse
02 March, 2005
The digest-sized Clone Wars Adventures takes the Clone Wars animated series as its base for a selection of all-new stories. The art by the Fillbach Brothers (Matt and Shawn) follows the simple style of the cartoons, and the stories, while inconsequential to the grander Star Wars universe, are usually entertaining. The most interesting of the four stories in the book are the first, in which Asajj Ventress and Durge battle General Grievous, and the second, in which a squad of clone troopers takes to the streets of Ord Mantell to intercept a crucial Separatist delivery. At fewer than 100 pages and with minimal dialogue, Clone Wars Adventures is best suited to young readers or fans who are looking for a quick pickup and put-down. --David Horiuchi
Clone Wars Adventures Volume 3 is an improvent over the first two volumes. However its still flawed. This novel does include Assajj and Durge verus Grievious ending with Grievous becoming the droid general we see of him in the cartoon and Revenge of the Sith. This is a sugnifigant event and shows just how powerful Grievous truely is. We also see an interesting story with Republic Commandos that shows just how pointless the war is. While better then the almost pointless last two volumes this still is to fast missing good details, great artwork, and dark themes of the far superior Republic series.

Arms and Equipment Guide (Star Wars Roleplaying Game)

0786927828
Wizards of the Coast
09 November, 2002

This is a very useful volume filled with lots of information and ideas for gear. My GM has already used it to modify some of the ships in our game with information from the book. Thanks to that our survival percentage has just gone up. (I'm not thinking about how the danger quotient of the bad guys has gone up too.) ;-)

WEAPONS
The selection of weapons is HUGE (even adding more types than the RCRB has listed). Each weapon has WPs & break DCs (which I also like). Along with new rules on Customizing & personalizing weapons.
Species chip (a optional device for Sonic weapons) - which increases effectiveness against a selected species (a few species is listed, but a GM can add more if he/she wishes) - and they are pretty cheap too.

ARMOR
Vast selection of armor & protective gear. Also rules for non-human species.

DROIDS
All Astromech units are included (which are my favorite). They also have many, many more droid types & units listed.

VEHICLES
Rules on custimizing. A big selection including : airspeeders, swoops, speeder bikes, and many more.
Also for the STAR WARS fan who is familiar with Tatooine, this book also includes the popular "Sandcrawler".

OTHER
There's even a section on jetpacks & other devices that let you fly.

There are a lot more things in here (buy the book, I'm not telling you everything).


For SW fans who absolutely MUSt have every possible variation of weapon, speeder and droid available, then this book is a good purchase, however, nothing in this book is a vast improvement on what's in the core rules.

On the up side, there seems to be no redundancy in this book, meaning that if it's listed in the Core Rules, then it's not listed here. The downside being that you have to have both this book and the Core Rulebook handy for a complete list of items.

A MAJOR NEGATIVE is that there are no weapons/droids/vehicles/etc. tables for quick reference like there are in the core rulebook, which makes comparing items at a glance much more difficult (I got around tis by printing up a comparison table in excel). 

Also, to my great dissapointment, there are not starfighters, cargo ships, etc. at all in this book. Only speeders, walkers, bikes, etc., none of which are all that impressive. Infact, save for the armor and possibly the droids, there's nothing impressive about this book at all.

I did, however, like the ability to customize and personalize weapons, armor and--to a limited extent--vehicles.

Some weapons have minor benefits here or there to the ones in the core rules, such as an increase in damage, but at the cost of range and/or accuracy. Spending more will not really get you a superior weapon (unless you personalize). Sorry folks.

I have a HUGE beef with the armor section. Armor lists the type, proficiency requires, cost, max dex bonus, speed, armor check penalty, weight, availability, era, and damage reduction, but not the DEFENSE BONUS the armor provides! WTF???

All in all this book could have been done MUCH better. I don't recommend it.

Star Wars Republic Commando B00020BV1ALucasarts Entertainment01 March, 2005 Star Wars: (Star Wars)

2005-10-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Republic Commando

B00020BV1A
Lucasarts Entertainment
01 March, 2005

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

B000B6G3EK
Commodore 64