Detail
Title: Star Wars: Episode I - The Visual Dictionary (Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary #2) ISBN: 9780751370577Published June 28th 1999 by DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley) (first published January 1st 1999) · Unknown Binding 64 pages
Genre: Media Tie In, Star Wars, Reference, Science Fiction, Fiction, Culture, Film, Fantasy, Childrens, Art, Pop Culture, Audiobook
Must be read
User Reviews
Kelli
OMG! Apparently I will be reading every.single.word in every.single.visual.dictionary in this series. When I grabbed these at the library I expected my son to flip through these books, check out the pictures, maybe read a bit out loud to me but instead he is dissecting every piece of information, asking me to sit with him while we theorize, discuss, and extrapolate. He is just seven and now wants to write a prequel to Episode One. What could be better?! And all because of these visual dictionaries and the wealth of information within them.
Neil R. Coulter
If this book was as good as it could possibly be, it would still be about The Phantom Menace, and there's no recovery from that. On the positive side, some of the costumes are amazing (though some others are really not), and it's fun to get a closer look at some of the detailing. I also liked the hints about the recent past of Naboo just before Amidala's reign (the unusual demise of King Veruna); I don't know if any of that is still canon, but it's intriguing.
But too much of the information is either bland, obvious, or just silly. A photo of a Jedi, for example, with an arrow pointing to "Jedi robe" or "Plain trousers" or "Lightsaber." Come on, now.
Thinking about Episode 1 is always just pondering what might have been. Even this movie could have become okay if the next two in the trilogy had been great. Ah well.
Jesi
This was my first time reading a Star Wars book. I loved the little details that are left out in the movies because ideas and thoughts are hard to convey. It did a very good job at transferring the characters from screen to book without lose of who they were by over explaining things.
Nicholas Klotz
The first word that comes to mind with this book is, neat. The factoids are interesting and the images are high quality. You get a look at items barely seen in the series up close and can analyze them.
That said, the book does have flaws. The information is presented haphazardly on pages. The photo descriptions are bland. And the information has sometimes been retconned by newer entries in the series.
Overall, something fun and interesting but nothing truly special. A nice coffee table book for a Star Wars Enthusiast.
Trevor Meissner
I like the descriptions of the characters and the dialogue of the story
Sally Edsall
I am not one of those people who knows all the intricate details of the Star Wars saga. Now there is a younger person (my son) in my life, who saw Episode One, I find myself answering questions about characters and events.
This book is fabulous. It is the usual beautifully crafter Dorling Kindersley book with superb photo illustrations. Anyone familiar with the "Eyewitness" travel guides will appreciate the style.
The book details in archaelogical type detail (the author is an archaeologist - he says he approaches Star Wars as if it is an ancient civilization - looking for all the evidence of how it works) all the artefacts, and the people / characters, giving background details and physical details. It also explains some history and motivations which help you know the people and events easier.
Marshall
The nostalgia hit hard with this, and it was so good. Getting to read it with my son, who received it as a gift (you know who you are) and asked to read it with me, made it perfect. And aside from all that, I live for the minutiae this book deals in, and DK is the best at it. Lots of terrific details and backstory, even if none of it's technically canon anymore.
Lauren Vogt
There's always something so satisfying in expanding the universe of a fandom. Seeing the creators make backstories to characters we only glimpse, of what all the Star Wars gadgets are and "how they work," and the culture of Star Wars makes the galaxy a richer and deeper place.
I'm all for worldbuilding, however flawed the prequels may or may not be!
Joseph Benitez
This visual dictionary by David West Reynolds has stunning high-quality photographs detailing all the important features of the characters, creatures, weapons,, places, droids and technology about Episode 1. It is a great book to read and own.
Elon
It's always nice with background information for such a big franchise, but some of the descriptions make little sense, and others just show that the Star Wars world just might just have been made to look interesting but with little thought put behind it.
Matthew
Audiobook - A good book, some extras added from the film
Kristina Wise
One of my favorite Star Wars reference books, so much to see and learn.
Andrea
I used to read this over and over as a child. Recently found it again in a thrift shop and I just had to buy it. A must have for any Star Wars fan!
Malkhaz Shonia
Very detailed book on "SW: Ep1" it's characters and weapons.
Melissa Namba
for being a book about something I 100% don't care about it was good. I feel like based on the information presented, I could write a short report on the movie if I needed to, without actually seeing it. the book is well written and presented as other "fact" based books in the series.