Published: October 20, 2020 (US), October 23, 2020 (UK)
Publisher: Insight Editions (US), Titan Books (UK)
Author: Daniel Wallace
Lightsaber Illustrator: Lukasz Liszko
Character Illustrator: Ryan Valle
Pages: 172
RRP: $29.99 (US), £24.99 (UK)
Synopsis;
From Luke’s iconic lightsaber to Darth Maul’s shocking dual-bladed weapon to Kylo Ren’s unique crossguard design, there is no other weapon more deeply entwined with the Star Wars universe than the lightsaber.
These weapons, wielded by Jedi and Sith alike, are meticulously designed for each character skilled enough to wield one. Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection is a comprehBookensive visual guide and exploration of the numerous lightsabers found across the Star Wars galaxy, featuring favorite weapons from the movies, animated series, TV series, and video games.
Each spread features a detailed illustration of each lightsaber, allowing readers to see the intricate detail in the hilts and the brilliance of each energy blade, as well as information about the construction and filmmaking secrets about the creation of each weapon. This striking collection is the must-have gift for fans looking to discover the secrets behind these elegant weapons for a more civilized age.
The review;
There are so many Star Wars books to choose from in the latter few months of any calendar year. Released just in time for the holiday season, so many of them aimed as stocking filler gifts from a galaxy far, far away. This year is no different, but there is one that has really stood out for me and that is the Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection from Insight Editions and Titan Books.
The book is beautifully presented and has an embossed finish to the cover. The illustration of the various lightsaber hilts is just a hint of what you get when you start to take a look inside.
The Introduction section of the book deals with the lore of the lightsaber. From creation, to tradition, design, and combat. Each area is explained succinctly in a relatively short passage for each subject, but each of these is crammed with so many facts to get your head around. Some will be known to many, but there are some gems of lesser-known facts throughout.
The second part to the book is what we were all waiting for, The Lightsaber’s. Again, these are split down into three sections, Jedi of the Galactic Republic, Acolytes of the Dark Side and A New Jedi Tradition.
The illustrations stand out well against the black glossy back drop and show so much detail of the hilts that personalised by their owners. The added touch for the fold out pages for double bladed lightsaber’s, like Darth Maul’s, is another great touch. The hilt illustrations of the single bladed weapons are not far off to 1:1 scale and this gives a sense of the feel of the lightsaber.
I really loved the surprises in there too. I did not expect to see the lightsaber’s of characters like Tera Sinube, Sifo-Dyas, Gungi, Ninth Sister and Taron Malicos. This book has really dived deep into all areas of Star Wars and not just the major characters. This for me is what makes this book really special.
Then to close the book, we have the index. This recaps the collected lightsabers and shows them alongside each other. Another great way to compare each weapon against one another and helps highlight the subtle differences between hilts and blades.
I found this book to be an out and out page turner. I just could not wait to see which lightsaber was next. I am sure we will see a revised edition in the next few years with the start of Star Wars: The High Republic in early 2021 and I can’t wait!
Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection is a perfect holiday gift for any Star Wars fan and with so many cut-price deals with retailers, I am sure a lot of you will be reading this sat next to your Christmas tree in a couple of week’s time.
Availability;
Star Wars: The Lightsaber Collection is published by Insight Editions in the US and Titan Books in the UK. It is available online retailers, including Amazon UK and Amazon US, and all good high street bookstores.
