The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V, & VI: The Ultimate Guide to Star Wars Characters and Creatures
Watch theStar Warstrilogy enough times and you'll  find yourself straining to catch all the little details. Not the  subtle plot points (Darth is Luke's dad, check; Luke and Leia are  brother and sister, check), but all the cool gear and gadgets that  keep flashing in front of the camera. Like what are those pointy  things on Boba Fett's kneepads? And what's with all that ammo on  Chewie's bandolier? And does an Imperial Probe really need that  many legs? Finally, we've got some answers.David West Reynolds, a boyish Ph.D. in archaeology who looks  like he just rode in on the last Bantha, has catalogued the  artifacts and inhabitants of theStar Warsuniverse with  the same clinical thoroughness one typically reserves for studying  Mesopotamia. His oversized, eye-pleasing picture book is packed  with scrutinizing photos of actual props and characters from the  movies, complete with systematic, scientific labels. And  Reynolds's friendly, pseudo-academic style seamlessly blends new  information with old. (In the Sand People description, you can't  help but hear Alec Guinness's voice when Reynolds reveals that  "Sand People ride in single file to hide their numbers.") In a few  instances, the book shines an embarrassing light on the movies  (Max Rebo is clearly no alien lifeform, just a poofy, blue  elephant muppet), but the countless close-ups of thermal  detonators, imperial blasters, and gaffi sticks more than make up  the difference.--Paul Hughes