Star Wars Encyclopedia [Englisch] [Gebundene Ausgabe]

Since 1977, the Star Wars universe, conceived by George Lucas, has been explored by authors and artists eager to build on the foundation laid by the blockbuster movies. The Star Wars Encyclopedia is the essential guide to every detail of the history, planets, vehicles, politics, aliens, and weapons described in countless books, comics, stories, and (of course) movies. You'll find extraordinary details about old favorites here--for instance, did you know that Luke Skywalker helped rescue Han and Leia's children from the dark side of the Force? Or that the primary food of Jawas is the hubba gourd? Endless hours of browsing pleasure await you, from A-1 Deluxe Floater (a luxury air speeder) to ZZ-4Z (Han Solo's housekeeping droid). Each item is cross-referenced to the book, movie, or comic in which it appears, but fans looking for "real-life" information about the Star Wars phenomenon won't find it here--this is strictly a resource for those who want to keep track of how all the stories and characters fit together, the clothes they wear, the foods they eat, and the planets they call home. --Therese Littleton

Who would have imagined, 21 years after the initial release of Star Wars, that the Force would still be with us? And box office receipts in the hundreds of millions of dollars generated by the 1997 rerelease of the SW trilogy prove that interest in the series hasn't waned. This trio tell you everything you always wanted to know about Star Wars but were afraid to ask (or didn't know you should). Sansweet's Encyclopedia is an incredibly detailed A-Z listing of characters, creatures, gadgets, and gizmos gleaned from the films as well as the numerous novels and comic books they've spawned. It also offers a time line for the entire SW story and an introduction by best-selling novelist Timothy Zahn. The beautifully illustrated DK duo cover characters, costumes, and weaponry in Visual Dictionary, while Cross Sections dissects vehicles and spacecraft. Want to know how a light saber really works or what the interior of an Imperial Stormtrooper's helmet looks like? It's allhere. The most remarkable thing about the books is the amount of thought that's been expended on the workings of things that don't exist. Though the Encyclopedia is remarkably comprehensive, it will unfortunately become outdated upon the release of the first of the SW prequel films, The Phantom Menace, next May, making it a marginal purchase, especially at $50. The DK books are seriously cool and exceedingly browsable, making them solid items for libraries. Though they are aimed at kids, don't be surprised to see plenty of adults flipping through them as well.?Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

YA-Pulling together data from all of the official sources of Star Wars information, Sansweet presents this alphabetically arranged volume on characters, planets, weapons, technology, events, and just about anything else that appears in any of the various comics, movies, books, toys, and collectibles currently available. Made for easy browsing, the entries lead to cross references and interconnections as needed. Fans may spend hours serendipitously flipping pages back and forth reading entries as well as perusing the countless full-color photographs, black-and-white sketches, and cartoons. A "Source Code and Bibliography" listing provides the key to the sources and complete bibliographic information used. The time line aides the chronological understanding of the epic story. Serious fans will find this a major source of helpful facts presented in a useful format.
Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Its vast history and environs have been explored, studied, and chronicled extensively for more than twenty years. Now, this landmark volume--a definitive reference devoted exclusively to the Star Wars milieu--draws together data from films, radio dramas, novels, short stories, computer games, and more, running the full gamut of this extraordinary galaxy.

From science and technology to history and geography; from culture and biography to ecology and cosmology; from "abo" and "Abrax" to "zwil" and "Zirtran's Anchor," this all-encompassing, fully illustrated, alphabetical reference covers all the elements which have developed and expanded the Star Wars universe, creating a rich and diverse history that spans millennia. Its scope ranges from the renowned and infamous ("Luke Skywalker," "Darth Vader") to the obscure and enigmatic ("Tnun Bdu"); from the history of the Sith Wars to the Galactic Civil War that pit the Rebel Alliance against the Empire. It introduces us to the natives and customs of planets as diverse as Tatooine and Dagobah, and even to the secrets and beliefs of the Jedi Knights.

As a bonus for the intensive researcher, this massive reference includes the complete timeline of major events in Star Wars history.

Every key element that exists in the world of Star Wars is supplied here--in clearly defined entries that have been researched and written by one of the leading authorities on the Star Wars universe.

The result of an amazing amount of research and dedication
Stephen Sansweet was the kind of author every editor hopes to find. Because of his journalistic background--including a stint at the Wall Street Journal--he's a true professional and a terrific writer. And his love of Star Wars led him to be absolutely meticulous in every facet of his research. I can't imagine anyone who could have done a better job.

AND THAT COVER . . . So many people comment on the colors of the lightsabers. What you may not realize is that the illustration comes directly from the poster for REVENGE OF THE JEDI (take a look in THE ART OF STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI, page 152). We simply weren't comfortable with changing what the artist had created. That explains the colors.

Stephen J. Sansweet was a feature writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer before joining The Wall Street Journal. There, he was named deputy bureau chief in 1983 and, four years later, served as the Journal's Los Angeles bureau chief. In 1996, Sansweet joined Lucasfilm Ltd. as Director of Specialty Marketing to help promote Star Wars to fans both old and new. He started collecting robots and space toys in the mid-1970s and over the years has created the largest private collection of Star Wars memorabilia in the world. He is the author or coauthor of six books, including The Punishment Cure, Science Fiction Toys and Models, Star Wars: From Concept to Screen to Collectible, Tomart's Price Guide to Star Wars Collectibles, and Quotable Star Wars: I'd Just as Soon Kiss a Wookiee.

A-1 Deluxe Floater: A luxury air speeder, it features automated
steering and fine Corellian leather. It is manufactured by Mobquet Swoops
and Speeders. [CCG]

A-3DO: A multitalented service droid owned by Jedi Andur Sunrider,
the robot was a crack mechanic and copilot who witnessed his master's
death at the hands of a criminal gang headed by Great Bogga the Hutt some
4,000 years before the Battle of Yavin. Called ThreeDee for short, the
droid then aided Andur's wife, Nomi, as she reluctantly trained to learn
the ways of the Jedi. [TOJ]

A-9 Vigilance Interceptor: An Imperial starfighter, this short-range
fighter was introduced about six years after the Battle of Endor, soon
after Grand Admiral Thrawn's defeat. The A-9 Vigilance Interceptor gives
up shields and hyperdrive for speed. Faster than TIE interceptors, it's
about equal to the New Republic's A-wing fighters. Imperial forces use its
forward-firing laser cannons for hit-and-run attacks on hardened Republic
installations. However, overall performance is less than hoped for because
of its limited maneuverabil-ity and relatively weak hull. [DE, SWVG]

Aalun, Syron: One of a trio of famous Gand ruetsavii, or observers,
who were sent to observe Rogue Squadron pilot Ooryl Qyrgg's life and
determine his worthiness to become janwuine. The highest possible honor in
the communal Gand society, janwuine involves the right of an individual to
speak of himself in the first person and to use personal pronouns in
conversation. The ruetsavii not only observed Qyrgg's activities but also
participated fully in the squadron as fighter pilots and undercover
operatives. [BW]

Aba: The name young Jacen Solo gave to his Wookiee doll. [CS]

A'baht, General Etahn: Assigned as commander of the New Republic's
Fifth Fleet because of experience leading his native Dornean Navy against
Imperial forces, A'baht had a leathery face that flushed purple and eye
folds that swelled and fanned out. His flagship was the fleet carrier
Intrepid, and he declared the fleet operational following the live-fire
exercise Hammerblow. Defying specific orders from Princess Leia Organa to
stay out of the unexplored Koornacht Cluster, he sent the survey ship
Astrolabe to Doornik-1142, hoping to get good military intelligence.
Yevethan forces, which had been roiling the sector and undertaking
xenophobic extermination campaigns, destroyed the Astrolabe. Ambassador
Nil Spaar, viceroy of the Duskhan League, declared the incident an act of
aggression by the New Republic and prepared to go to war. General A'baht
then led the deployment of the Fifth Fleet to the cluster and blockaded
Doornik-319, where the Yevetha were mounting their forces. When the fleet
came under withering attack, General A'baht was forced to withdraw.
Princess Leia Organa Solo then relieved him of command and substituted her
husband, Han Solo. [BTS]

Abano: A poor farmer on Aruza, he was the father of Manaroo, a
tattooed dancing girl who eventually married the bounty hunter Dengar.
[TBH]

Abbaji: The planet where the famous 100-meter-tall firethorn trees
grow in a single grove of the Irugian Rain Forest. Prince Xizor, head of
the Black Sun criminal organization, was given a 600-year-old dwarf
firethorn tree as a peace offering by a business rival. The tree, less
than half a meter high, had been in the man's family for ten generations
and was considered by Xizor to be one of his most prized possessions.
[SOTE]

abo: Old Imperial slang for native inhabitants of a planet, often
used in a derogatory manner. [SME]

Abrax: An aquamarine cognac with spicy vapors. The best vintages
were produced during the Old Republic. [BW]

Abregado-rae: A manufacturing and trade-oriented planet in the
Abregado system, with a formerly primitive spaceport. Since the birth
ofthe New Republic, the spaceport has cleaned up its act--at least to the
untrained eye. Beneath the spit-shine and polish lies the heart of a
smuggler, a spaceport where the galaxy's uncounted species mingle briefly,
have wild and sometimes fatal flings, then head off again for parts
unknown. An oppressive government allied to the New Republic rules the
planet's population of 40 million. Some nine standard years after the
Battle of Yavin, the leadership cut off all supplies to a clan of
rebellious hill people, which created opportunities for ambitious
smugglers. [HE, HESB, DFR]

Abregado system: A planetary system located in the Borderland
Regions--a militarized zone that separates the New Republic from the
remnants of the Empire--it is controlled by neither but influenced by
both. A vast and complex manufacturing infrastructure links the system's
planets, and the goods produced there are vitally important to the
well-being of the New Republic. [HE, HESB]

Abrion sector: The location of the planet Ukio, one of the top five
producers of foodstuffs in the New Republic. Grand Admiral Thrawn's
capture of Ukio had serious repercussions in the sector. [LC]

Abyssin: This primitive and violent species inhabits the
occasionally fertile planet Byss in the binary star system of Byss and
Abyss. (Byss has the same name as a distant planet that was used as a
retreat by Emperor Palpatine). At about two meters tall, the hulking,
humanoid Abyssin have long limbs and a single large eye dominating
greenish-tan foreheads. Because they heal quickly and can regenerate any
body part, this nomadic race condones a high degree of physical violence,
since the consequences are short lasting. Off-world, they are often hired
as petty thugs. [GG4]

Academy, the: Under the Old Republic, this elite educational and
training institution turned unseasoned youths into highly trained members
of the Exploration, Military, and Merchant Services. Under Emperor
Palpatine, the Academy slowly became a training ground for Imperial
officers, especially Raithal Academy in the Core region. (The Academy's
numerous campuses are spread across the galaxy.) Under the New Republic,
the Academy is rebuilding to regain past glory. [SW, SWR, ISB]

acceleration compensator: A device that generates a type of
artificial gravity and helps neutralize the effects of accelerating to
high speed aboard medium- and larger-sized spacecraft such as the
Millennium Falcon. [HSE]

acceleration straps: These passenger-safety harnesses are usually
built into the seats of spacecraft to restrain passengers during takeoffs,
landings, and violent maneuvers. [SW]

Access Chute: The kilometers-long pathway snakes through a grid of
decaying cities and tall docking towers on the spaceport moon Nar Shaddaa.
Its entrance is masked by a bright advertising holoscreen, and the Chute
leads to the repair facility of an old buddy of Han Solo, Shug Ninx. [DE]

Accuser: See Emancipator

Ackbar, Admiral: Born on the watery world of Mon Calamari, Ackbar
has risen from humble beginnings to become a re-nowned military
strategist. His championing of the Rebel Alliance--after conquering his
own inbred caution--played a major role in the Rebels' defeat of Imperial
forces during the Galactic Civil War. He prefers to personally lead major
assaults, and his troops still affectionately call him Admiral even though
he is now of higher rank. Ackbar, who like other Mon Calamari has
salmon-colored skin, large, bulbous yellow-orange eyes, and webbed hands
and feet, was the leader of Coral Depths City when Imperial forces invaded and nearly destroyed his planet. Ackbar, one of
the first to be enslaved, eventually became an interpreter for Grand Moff...