Mike Conte is back to tell YOU absolutely everything you need to know!
Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
By Adam Bray, Kerrie Dougherty, Cole Horton, and Michael Kogge
By Mike Conte // When you buy a book with the claim “absolutely everything you need to know”, your expectations might be pretty high. Also being a Star Wars fan, you might be a bit skeptical one book can encompass everything you need to know about the epic and intertwining Star Wars universe.
Does the book literally canvass everything you could possible know about Star Wars? No.
Are you going to learn the exact number and specs of the AT-AT’s that attacked Hoth? No.
Does the book work as a great companion piece to the current canon? Yes. And more importantly, is it a fun read? Absolutely.
If you have ever picked up a Guinness Book of World Records you might notice some familiarities in the format of Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know. From the shiny cover to the use to infographics, top five lists and quick fact blurbs, this book definitely apes some of that style, and for the purpose of the book, it’s not a bad thing. It very easy to just pick a page and start browsing, vibrant pictures make and text make it fun book to rifle through. It’s very user friendly. As far as content, although hardcore fans will know most of the factoids and material in the book, they are bound to pick up a few new tidbits here and there. The book is smartly divided into different sections each covering the good guys, the bad buys and everything in between, such as planets, pets and podracing. I found the pages devoted to some of the more exotic species extremely interesting and well informed. Additionally, there are some visually appealing tables charting the evolution of the stormtrooper and droids. As a visual reference book, it more than delivers.
There are a few things to note. The book is meant to be your “catch-up” to Force Awakens. It covers the current canon, including the original trilogy, the prequels, and The Clone Wars and Rebels series. It serves as a great resource to engage in the new canon that will lead to The Force Awakens. Also, beware of spoilers! As a companion piece, the book assumes you’ve seen the source material at least once. I was not caught up on Rebels and had a major plot point revealed.
Another thing I found interesting is that original trilogy is given fair coverage, but there is a definite focus on the prequels, The Clone Wars and Rebels. This leads me to believe the book is in many ways meant for the “lapsed” Star Wars fan. That person who grew up devouring everything the original trilogy had to offer but maybe wasn’t as devoted to the prequel era. The Force Awakens has definitely created a large amount of positive media buzz, maybe even more then The Phantom Menace. For those fans who look to The Force Awakens as a new beginning, this book will get them up to speed with the material they might have missed, and hopefully convince them it was worth looking into after all. It even devotes a few pages the new movie—nothing new people who have the Internet won’t know—but it is a nice addition and it does serve as a great reminder on how cool those First Order stormtroopers look.
You’re not going to be introduced to any groundbreaking material, but the book is absolutely worth the price of admission for any Star Wars fan. It’s the perfect coffee table or bathroom book. Light reading, exciting graphics and the ability to just open up on any page and enjoy.