Published: April 25, 2023
Publisher: DK Publishing
Author: Kristin Baver, Horton Cole, Jason Fry, Amy Richau, Clayton Sandell
Hardback: RRP $50.00/£35.00, ISBN – 9780744060874, 344 pages
eBook: RRP $19.99/£9.99, ISBN – 9780744081114, 344 pages
The synopsis;
Chart the history of Star Wars in this stunning guide, from the time before the High Republic to the First Order.
An indispensable companion for all Star Wars fans, this premium quality book displays visual timelines that chronologically map key events, characters, and developments and mark their significance.
Track crucial conflicts across the years that affect the galaxy in profound ways. Follow the Skywalker lightsaber as it passes through the generations and witness the evolution of the iconic TIE fighter across different eras. Trace the movement of the Death Star plans over the years and uncover multiple branching timelines that break down important battles.
See essential events at a glance arranged by era and drill down into details to discover major and minor events, key dates, and fascinating insights all chronologically arranged. Pore over intricate timelines on nearly every page.
The review;
Last May, at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022, Star Wars: Timelines published by DK was announced. A collaboration between Kristin Baver, Cole Horton, Jason Fry, Amy Richau, and Clayton Sandell, there were audible gasps when the galaxy map was revealed. A copy of that map would be made available for attendees who could then have them signed by the authors in person. I joined the queue and was one of the lucky ones to bring a signed map home, but at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, I joined a different queue. This time to purchase a copy of the book, 2 weeks before it’s official launch. And am I glad I did so, you bet I am!
We have waited a long time for an updated timeline of events. For some reason the timeline of events is something that fascinates so many Star Wars fans, me included. It’s been 23 years since Star Wars: The Chronology by Daniel Wallace was released and 18 years since his revised version Star Wars: The New Essential Chronology were released, and to have a completely overhauled and revised version of events is a welcome addition to our shelves.
At Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023, Amy Richau admitted spreadsheets were her ally while creating her sections of the book. Clayton Sandell also commented that the archive of Marvel Comics since 2015 have helped him massively in his research too. From these comments alone, you can see the extremes of where the authors have gone to, to ensure the accuracy of this book.
So, what makes this version different? Firstly, this is the version of events since the Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2015 and the timeline reboot. Secondly, it is laid out differently to the other Star Wars books of this type that I have seen before and uses a more graphical depiction of the timeline and its events.
In the foreword, Jason Fry gives us a breakdown of how the eras of the timeline have been divided. This forms 7 eras in total. This book will take us on a journey from Early History (26,000 BBY to 501 BBY) all the way through to The Rise of the First Order (28 ABY to 35 ABY). But for me the following page is the truly clever addition. It is a basic instruction manual of how to get the best out of this book. A simple idea which made my reading experience somewhat more satisfying.
I decided to focus on 4 of my personal entries to give you an idea of what to expect.
The High Republic: An Overview (Pages 14-15 – c. 500BBY – 100BBY)
This is the new kid on the block as far as Star Wars goes. A brand-new era to explore and very popular with Star Wars fans young and old. For those who have not read the books yet, this is going to be full of spoilers. But, for those who have, it will help clarify what I have found to be a complex timeline. With the time shift between Phase 1 and Phase 2 and the introduction of some many new characters, these 2 pages are priceless. The events are clear and concisely presented. It has definitely helped me gain a better perspective of the events set during The High Republic era.Obi-Wan Kenobi (Pages 96-97 – c. 41BBY – 35ABY)
Okay, so I am slightly predictable with choosing Obi-Wan. The 2 pages cover his whole lifespan, although this also interconnects with all the events and characters featured in the book. So, from padawan to Force ghost, it’s all his major milestones are in here. The artwork and pictures used are all good choices. Again, they span all his appearances through the Prequel Trilogy, The Clone Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Original Trilogy. I would love to have seen his appearance in the Marvel Comics Obi-Wan mini-series written by Marc Guggenheim featured, but that may have just missed the cut off.Evil Awakens (Pages 206-207 – c. 0ABY – 1ABY)
This phase of the timeline is heavily set within the comic book genre of Star Wars story telling. Comics are a huge part of my personal Star Wars upbringing and the Jason Aaron and Keiron Gillen era from 2015 gets a worthy pedestal here. It introduces well known and loved characters like Magna Tolvan, Doctor Aphra, SCAR Troopers and their leader, the lightsaber wielding Stormtrooper, Sargent Kreel. There are significant events littered throughout this spread. We even get a shout out for events in the Galactic Starcruiser: Halcyon Legacy comic title from Ethan Sacks. Again, this is a great starting point from those who do not read the comics and I hope will encourage you to give them a try.Leia Organa (Pages 312-313 – c. 19BBY – 35ABY)
Now I couldn’t do this review without seeing what has been said about “Our Princess”. The first thing I noticed was how the layout is styled to frame a picture of Leia. There are many milestones in her timeline, form her birth to her appearance with her brother Luke as a Force ghost to Rey at the Lars homestead. Her timeline crosses the one of Obi-Wan Kenobi, but the milestones are not verbatim. It dives deep into the novels that been released depicting Leia at different parts of her life. The highlight of Leia’s timeline is the Desperate Hour (c. 1BBY) for the events building up to Star Wars: A New Hope.
On personal note, I am so glad to see Beilert Valance mentioned in a few places, but was saddened to see Jaxxon Tumperakki was nowhere to be seen. Don’t tell Cavan Scott! Here’s hoping when we get an updated version in a few years time, Jaxxon will be in there, or even better… on the cover.
The biggest issue with any book of this nature is that it is out of date as soon as it goes to print. With the plethora of Star Wars content on multiple platforms, as soon as a new comic or TV episode drops on Disney+, the ripples on the still pond begin to expand once more.
Please do not let that put you off in any way. Because I don’t see that as a problem, and neither should you. We now have a definitive starting point, or dare I say, ‘a line in the sand’ as to where we can begin our own research into a galaxy far, far away. This book is a marvellous achievement in its own right and a huge testament to the skills of the authors and designers who brought this book together.
I am so glad I called in at the Forbidden Planet booth at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 to purchase my copy. It has been a constant companion in the days since and I have learned a few facts that I didn’t know before. Hats off to Kristin Baver, Cole Horton, Jason Fry, Amy Richau and Clayton Sandell. This must have been a mammoth task to undertake and they have brought it all together so beautifully well.
Availability;
Star Wars: Timelines by Kristin Baver, Cole Horton, Jason Fry, Amy Richau and Clayton Sandell was released on April 25, 2023, and is published by DK Publishing. It is available from bookstores on the high street and online, including Amazon UK and Amazon US.
