Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know

Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, with a title like that, you’re really asking to be challenged. It’s a very bold statement. Is this really everything you need to know? The simple answer is no. At 195 pages, there’s no way you can contain everything you need to know about Star Wars. The truth of the matter is that Star Wars: A Little Bit of Everything You Did and Did Not Need to Know, while more apt, would not sell as well. That said, it is a nice hardcover with great pictures and a wonderful visual layout. The only thing lacking is the written content.

So what does the book cover? In essence, it’s a collection of random facts sorted by character, theme and location. It embraces all of the six main films, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a little bit of Star Wars Rebels and a sprinkling of The Force Awakens. You’ll learn how long Jar Jar’s tongue is, how much a sarlacc weighs, how many Ewoks are on Endor’s moon, and lots of other facts. But it falls short of a Star Wars almanac because the book is padded with silly things. For example…

Mos Eisley Cantina House Rules

• Leave your droids outside. You don’t want Wuher on your case.
• Keep your blaster holstered! Why ask for trouble?
• Find an empty table or barstool. Crowding other customers will only end in tears.
• Be friendly. Buy a drink for your neighbor at the bar.
• Applaud the band–even if they’re way off-key!
• Make pleasant conversation and try to laugh at bad jokes.
• Tip the bartender, especially if you make a mess.

…the book has tons of little lists that all follow this formula of humor and uselessness. From “Top Five Reasons to Rule the Galaxy” to “Top Five Reasons to Visit Kamino”, it’s all wasted space. Content like this is aimed at very young readers. On the plus side, there’s a very nice table of contents and index to help you look through the book for something specific. From an adult perspective, it’s very much a coffee table book as reading cover-to-cover is more chore than enjoyable experience.

The last section of the book focuses on The Force Awakens. It showcases some great artwork, however there is absolutely zero information on the movie in that section. There is a teeny bit of info hidden elsewhere, but The Force Awakens section is a complete bust on info.

Overall, the book is mediocre for adult audiences. It’s very kid oriented with lots of comedic facts and details. The organization is a little random, and it’s not a good cover-to-cover read. If you’re looking for info on The Force Awakens, this is not the book for you. It is visually pleasing, though, with fun layouts for kids. Bottom line: it’s great kid’s book, but if you’re an adult, it’s only worth picking up if you’re a completist. I give it a two and a half out of five metal bikinis.

Reviewed By: Skuldren for Roqoo Depot.