Review by Jim Fisher

Star Wars Chronicles
by Deborah Fine and Aeon Inc.
published by Chronicle Books

Sometimes size matters.

     Star Wars Chronicles measures 14.5” by 10” and is approximately one inch thick.  This enormous reference book is certainly nothing to be looked upon lightly since it fits hundreds of archival pictures and related trivia in its 315 pages.  However, the first thing that always comes up in conversation when regarding this deluxe coffee table book is the price.  Although it has a retail price of $150, it can readily be found for as “little” as $135.

        An interesting little incident occurred when I purchased the Star Wars Chronicles.  I didn’t expect the bookstore to have such a large and expensive book to be in stock, but they did.  The salesman who helped me said that the display box for the book was behind the front desk and advised me to ask for it when checking out.  At first the sales clerk didn’t know exactly what I was talking about when I asked for the display box, but this was quickly remedied when she saw the book and uttered the words:  “Oh, the $135 Star Wars book!”  Lo and behold, the display box was presented to me inside of a cardboard box with “$135 Star Wars Book” written neatly upon it.

        As evidenced by the above anecdote, the price issue hangs over all other aspects of this book.  The most asked question I’ve seen is “Is it worth $150?”  Unfortunately that question is not a “yes” or “no” question, even if it appears to be.  One must weigh both the pros and cons of the Star Wars Chronicles before answering it.  Although the book contains information about the three Star Wars films, the information is neither impressive nor extensive.  It’s largely garnered from the Star Wars Sourcebook (2nd Edition, West End Games, 1994) and the Guide to the Star Wars Universe by Bill Slavicsek (2nd Edition, Revised and Expanded, Del Rey, 1994).  However, the Star Wars Chronicles doesn’t come close to covering the amount of information covered in these two volumes.

     When you get down to the nitty gritty, Star Wars Chronicles is just a big picture book.  Don’t misunderstand me, there’s nothing at all wrong with that.  In fact, it’s a damn good picture book.  It has beautifully photographed still images on each and every page, many of which I had never come across in my years as a fan.  

        First off, let me go over the things that jumped out at me as “cool” with the book.  There are some very impressive fold-outs which feature scale comparisons of various spacecraft and main characters.  Unfortunately, the photo of Yoda is a bit too small to be of accurate scale.  However, this is a very small error that many fans will not notice, nor will it take away any enjoyment of the book if you do.

        One nice aspect of this book is that the information is presented in chronological order.  Any fan of the films using the book for reference would be able to find something quite easily, and those reading for enjoyment get a movie-like experience.  Fans attempting to use the book for reference but unfamiliar with the chronological order of the films will find use in the extensive index.

        Several sections of the book also jumped out at me as being special.  First and foremost is the cantina section.  Presented in a straightforward manner, and offset from the rest of the book by the background color of its pages, it details practically every creature seen in the Mos Eisley Cantina.  There is also a nice section with pictures of various blasters used throughout the trilogy.  With each film there is also a behind-the-scenes production timeline.  This particular text stood heads above the rest of the text in the book.  It is informative and, more importantly, fairly esoteric.  The section devoted to the Star Wars Holiday Special was also fun to read since this rare Star Wars oddity is often overlooked in other Star Wars reference material.

        As with any book, there are some cons to consider.  Boba Fett, an already overexposed character, receives no less than six pages.  Without a doubt, he is spotlighted more heavily than the more-mportant characters in the trilogy such as Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, and Han Solo.  Yes, he is a visually appealing character, but there are only so many angles you can show his suit of armor from before looking at Fett gets boring.  Some of these pages could have been reserved for other characters who don’t even appear in the book.  There are no photographs of Rebel pilots such as Wedge Antilles, Porkins, or Red Leader.  Nor do we see much of Lobot, as he receives only a third of a page.  I was hoping to see a detailed photograph of his head piece, but instead we are treated to a distant still photo and a few production paintings.

        This book is invaluable to anyone interested in making prop replicas or Star Wars costumes.  It’s very well designed and very interesting to read.  And like I mentioned at the beginning of this review, the one major drawback is the price.  Is it worth $150?  In my opinion, yes.  Even with its flaws, it is a wonderful piece of work and certainly one of the nicest Star Wars books available.  Of course, not everyone has that kind of money laying around.  While $150 may be a pittance to some, many more will find it difficult to put down that kind of money for a book.  In the end it is a personal decision, but those that can afford the book are highly encouraged to buy it.

ECHO STATION Grade: B+

(Jim Fisher can be found brandishing his Star Wars Trivia crown like a shileleah, and answers to "your Worthiness" on his Wedge Antilles Home Page)