The Unauthorized Star Wars Compendium

by Ted Edwards

Book Overview

For every true fan, this book provides a comprehensive, behind-the-scenes guide to everything in the Star Wars( universe, including the original films, novels, comic books, Web sites, and more--plus a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316329290
• ISBN13: 9780316329293
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Little Brown and Company
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.5" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Funny and entertaining

This great book not only does give you insight and complete (though short) history of how the Original Trilogy came to be. From early inceptions to the new Special Editions (1997). The book leaves off just weeks to the release of Episode I but has some chilling insight when refering to the future of the Saga. For instance, when they comment on the burp jokes on Return of the Jedi the authors write "whats next? Bodily function humor? Maybe we'll see that on the next movies" Well, they got it right, didn't they. This books makes a complete recollection of all things Star wars since from 1977 to 1997. From an extensive detail of all the books so far published, to the comics and radio dramas. Especially amusing is the sections 50 reasons why Return of the Jedi sucks. Never had I laughed so hard at any form of Star Wars humor. You will see ROTJ with different eyes after reading this. If you are a SW fans, don't let this one pass.

COMPENDIUM a concise take on the legend that is STAR WARS

This Unauthorized Star Wars Compendium was published just four months before the highly anticipated Star Wars Episode I movie was released. Therefore, the book could only speculate as to the quality of the third Star Wars sequel. But this is the only dated aspect of the book; otherwise, it's a valuable (and very readable) compact version of the legend that is Star Wars.The book re-tells the familiar anecdotes about the movie's creation--how writer-director George Lucas shopped his script around 20th Century-Fox took a chance on it, and so on. Once the groundwork is laid, the book gives in-depth insight into the groundbreaking technical work and mythical story that fills Star Wars and its sequels. The book also offers incisive critiques of the myriad Star Wars spin-offs, such as novels, comic books, and a late-1980's National Public Radio version of the movies' stories.My only complaint is that the book offers a smidgeon too much sugarcoating of how happy everyone was with the saga. (For example, the book offers only the most positive quotes from Sir Alec Guinness, who loudly commented in his autobiography about how he did not wish to be remembered solely as Obi-Wan Kenobi.) As a partial remedy to this, however, the book closes with an insightful and hilarious essay titled "Fifty Reasons Why Return of the Jedi Sucks." All in all, an enjoyable account of a movie legend.

A Refreshing View of the Star Wars Phenomenon.

My first impression on the book was how it contrasted to all of the works authorized by Lucasfilm: it is very refreshing to get another point of view on the whole Star Wars phenomenon. I agree with the authors honest criticism of the Special Editions. For example, was it really necessary to see the wampa monster having a bloody lunch in the Empire Strikes Back? I guess that I am one of the few who thought the original scene was more suspensful because we hardly saw anything on the monster. The authors obvious despise of the ewoks of Return of the Jedi gets tiring after a while but other than that this is an excellent read. Before reading this book I did not realize that the word "ewok" was never mentioned in the film! I would recommend it to any Star Wars fan who has grown tired of only reading the Lucasfilm version (hype) of things.

A very interesting look at the Star Wars genre

This book is very interesting, since it brings together the movies, the comics and the novels into one book. It goes over how the trilogy was conceived, and why it became so popular. It gives the reader an insight to the thoughts behind the creative process. The book also puts together many of the major novels and short stories in chronological order, and give a short synopsis/review of the titles, complete with rating. It also goes over the special additions, the comics by Marvel and Dark Horse, and the upcoming prequel. It ends on a humorous note, with 50 reasons why Return of the Jedi Stinks. Since this is an unauthorized book, it is honest and to the point. I would recommend this to any serious fan of the Star Wars universe.