Book Review: 'Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary'

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(C) 2012 Dorling Kindersley Books and Lucasfilm Limited
On September 25, 2006, Dorling Kindersley Books (DK Books) published the first edition of Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary by authors David West Reynolds and James Luceno. This 272-page volume is an omnibus edition that presents the material from all four DK Books Visual Dictionaries based on Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars - Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars - Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and Star Wars: The Original Trilogy.

  Published almost a year-and-a-half after the premiere of Star Wars: Episode III, this Complete Visual Dictionary's first edition compiled the first four entries in the Visual Dictionary series: Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary (1998), Star Wars: Episode I The Visual Dictionary (1999), Star Wars: Attack of the Clones The Visual Dictionary (2002), and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith The Visual Dictionary (2005). The first three books were written by archaeologist/author David West Reynolds, while Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith The Visual Dictionary was written by novelist James Luceno. 

 This first edition of Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary was, like all of DK Publishing's Visual Dictionaries, a lavishly illustrated reference guide to the various characters, creatures, planets, vehicles, spacecraft, tools, weapons, and everyday artifacts seen in George Lucas's space-fantasy saga. It is a book that relies mostly on graphics - including stills from all six films (the animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, was in the development stage, and Lucas was adamant that there weren't going to be any more "saga" movies), photos of props, models, and costumes taken exclusively for this project, and detailed cutaway charts and drawings drawn by various artists - with just enough text to give readers an "in-universe" explanation of the Star Wars galaxy. 
(C) 2006, 2012 DK Publishing
Though it was primarily aimed at a target audience of young readers (ages 10 and up), both Reynolds and Luceno wrote the text in such a way that adult Star Wars fans would enjoy it. The style is informative, and the tone is that of two historians who are trying to explain the events that led to the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire to residents of that "galaxy far, far away."

 These attributes helped Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary to become a widely-read reference book, but it had a few issues that warranted a do-over by DK Publishing six years later. 

 First, it seems that the 2005 edition of  Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith The Visual Dictionary had a few (but still embarrassing) typos. For instance, one chapter heading read The Senate – Failing Democrary (a small goof that nevertheless caught my attention and would not - could not - be ignored). 

 Second, some of the stills from Revenge of the Sith looked strange. The laser blasts and lightsaber blades in some of the photos looked exaggeratedly bright or overexposed, which pulled the reader out of the illusion because the pictures looked weird. Also, some of the information in the fourth section of the book - the Star Wars Visual Dictionary which covers the Original Trilogy - was slightly out of sync with the material from the Prequel Trilogy. 

 In 2012, DK Publishing decided to bring in Ryder Windham and a few other artists and photographers to create a second edition of Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary to correct the few flaws of the first one and update several entries to reflect information from the prequels and a few minor retcons.
From characters like Darth Maul and Yoda, to places like Naboo and Dexter's Diner, to creatures like Jabba the Hutt and Ewoks, Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary chronicles every character, weapon, starship, droid, creature, and alien in the Star Wars universe.
The only comprehensive visual guide available — and now with a new, refreshed look — it features more than one thousand stills and digitally rendered pictures, making this the ultimate collector's item for every Star Wars fan. - Publisher's promotional description on the DK Publishing website
The Contents

 Episode I The Phantom Menace (originally published in Star Wars: Episode I The Visual Dictionary)
  • The Phantom Menace
  • Mace Windu – Wise Negotiator
  • Yoda – Ancient Master
  • The Jedi High Council
  • Qui-Gon Jinn – Jedi Master
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi – Jedi Knight
  • The Neimoidians
  • The Invasion Force
  • Battle droids
  • Droidekas
  • Queen Amidala
  • The Queen's Handmaidens
  • Padmé – Disguised Queen
  • The Naboo
  • Captain Panaka
  • Naboo Pilots
  • R2-D2 – Naboo Droid
  • Jar Jar Binks
  • The Gungans
  • Gungan Warfare
  • Sea Monsters of Naboo
  • Darth Maul
  • Anakin Skywalker – Tatooine Slave
  • Shmi Skywalker
  • C-3PO – Anakin's Creation
  • Watto
  • Sebulba
  • Podrace Crews
  • The Podrace Crowd
  • Tatooine Inhabitants
  • Chancellor Valorum
  • Senator Palpatine
  • The Senate – Galactic Power

Episode II Attack of the Clones (originally published in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones The Visual Dictionary)
  • The Growing Darkness
  • Senator Padmé Amidala
  • Supreme Chancellor Palpatine
  • The Corrupt Senate
  • Droid Types
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi – Jedi Mentor
  • Anakin Skywalker – Jedi Apprentice
  • Zam Wesell
  • Coruscant Underlevels
  • Outlander Nightclub
  • Dexter's Diner
  • Jedi Temple
  • Yoda – Jedi Instructor
  • Jedi Archives
  • Freighter Trampers
  • Padmé – Naboo Senator
  • Kaminoans
  • Clone Trooper Growth
  • Clone Trooper Equipment
  • Jango Fett – Bounty Hunter
  • Jango and Boba Fett
  • The Lars Family
  • Tusken Raiders
  • Count Dooku
  • The Separatists
  • Geonosian Aristocracy
  • Trade Federation Battle Droids
  • Geonosian Drones
  • Arena Beasts
  • Jedi in Battle
  • Lightsaber Combat

Episode III Revenge of the Sith (originally published in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith The Visual Dictionary)
  • Galactic War
  • Anakin Skywalker – Jedi Knight
  • General Kenobi
  • Jedi Knight
  • Dooku – Sith Apprentice
  • Separatist Droids
  • Separatist Ground Forces
  • R2-D2 – Versatile Operator
  • Supreme Chancellor Palpatine
  • General Grievous
  • Alien Cyborg
  • Trade Federation
  • MagnaGuards
  • Coruscant Ground Crew
  • Coruscant High Life
  • Padmé – Tragic Heroine
  • The Senate – Failing Democracy
  • Yoda – Jedi Warrior
  • Mace Windu – Stoic Jedi
  • Anakin – Fallen Jedi
  • Elite Clones
  • Clone Specialists
  • Clone Troopers
  • Support Droids
  • Utapauns
  • Battle of Utapau
  • Chewbacca
  • Tarfful
  • Wookiee Weapons
  • Order 66
  • Clone Battle Tanks
  • Bail Organa
  • Separatist Council
  • Polis Massans
  • Mustafar
  • Darth Sidious
  • Darth Vader

Episodes IV–VI: Classic Trilogy (originally published in Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary)
  • Special Technology
  • Luke Skywalker
  • Skywalker: Pilot and Jedi
  • Princess Leia Organa
  • Han Solo
  • Chewbacca – Wookiee Co-Pilot
  • C-3PO – Protocol Droid
  • R2-D2 – Astromech Droid
  • Lando Calrissian
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi – Jedi in Exile
  • Yoda – Skywalker's Teacher
  • Rebel Leaders
  • Rebel Warriors
  • Tauntauns
  • Medical Droids
  • Darth Vader
  • Imperial Leaders
  • Emperor Palpatine
  • Imperial Personnel
  • Imperial Stormtroopers
  • Stormtrooper Equipment
  • Specialist Stormtroopers
  • Imperial Pilots
  • Imperial Droids
  • Jabba the Hutt
  • Jabba's Entourage
  • Jabba's Entertainers
  • The Sarlacc
  • Boba Fett
  • Bounty Hunters
  • Sand People – Tusken Raiders
  • Jawas
  • Ewoks
  • The Cantina Crowd
  • Cantina Patrons
  • Creatures
  • Droid Technology
  • R2-D2 Expanded
  • Glossary
  • Index
Anakin Skywalker's entry in the Episode II: Attack of the Clones section. (C) 2006, 2012 DK Publishing and Lucasfilm Limited
The longest bit of text-only material is the introduction by Rob Coleman, animation director for Lucasfilm Animation and one of the many artists who created the incredible effects for the Prequel Trilogy and the DVD/Blu-ray editions of the Star Wars films created by George Lucas. Coleman is only a year younger than I, so his enthusiasm (dare I say love) for the saga is evident when he writes:

Star Wars helped to springboard my imagination and I remember thinking about what was happening just outside of Lucas' camera's view on Tatooine, Dagobah, and Hoth. How did the citizens of those worlds live? If I could go there, what would I see?

I was one of the first in line to see The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and I remember the impact that Yoda had on me. I was fascinated by the oldest and wisest of the Jedi. Like everyone else, at the time, I had my own version of Frank Oz's backward Yoda speak (something that I was too embarrassed to share with Frank when we were working together on the digital version of Yoda).

...I love the images in this book. They take me back to a time when I was a young boy drawing pictures of secret buildings and magical worlds, a time when my imagination swept me away. It has been really fun for me to leaf through these pages and remember all of the astonishing places. creatures, and vehicles that have sprung from George Lucas' mind. It is my hope that the images here will inspire you, too, and take you back to a galaxy far, far away. 

Of course, this book's content is somewhat out of date. Star Wars: The Clone Wars premiered almost two years later and expanded the story considerably by adding more characters, creatures, astonishing places, and vehicles to the Star Wars galaxy. And Lucas' retirement and sale of Lucasfilm to Disney resulted in even more stories being told in that distant galaxy: another animated series - Star Wars Rebels - was created, and two new live action features - Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story have become box office hits in their own right. In addition, the adventure continues, first with Star Wars: The Last Jedi and its still-in-development follow-up, Episode IX, then with more stand-alone movies, including one about the early adventures of Han Solo. 

Nevertheless, Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary remains one of my favorite reference works about the six original films. It's full of interesting details about the story, its setting, its tech, and its characters. There are entries devoted to major and supporting dramatis personae, most of which have "Data File" graphics with in-depth information that's not mentioned in the films but adds details to the back stories. This fleshes out characters that we only see briefly in one or two quick scenes but have some role to play in the overall saga.

This book is not only fun to read (or as Coleman puts it, "leaf through" its pages), it's also helpful to have around when you're watching the movies with someone who is not acquainted with Star Wars. It is a handy guide to "who is who" and "what does X do to Y and why" in Lucas' Prequel and Classic Trilogies.  It's still in print and available in bookstores and online stores such as Amazon; a new edition is also available with a Disney/Lucasfilm label and a gimmicky light-up lightsaber on the cover, but the content is the same. 

Product Information
  • Age Range: 10 and up 
  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: DK Publishing; First American edition (September 25, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0756622387
  • ISBN-13: 978-0756622381


Sources
https://www.dk.com/us/9780756622381-star-wars-the-complete-visual-dictionary/

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