Customer Reviews

Alias Declassified: The Official Companion

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I happened to be home the Sunday this show premiered in September of 2001. I was curious, so I watched. It wasn't too long before I was hooked. I had to know what would happen next and how Sydney would get out of yet another predicament. Anyone who knows me will tell you I've become a die hard addict, so when I found out about this book, I had to get a copy.

Everything you might possibly want to know about this show is included between the covers. It starts by discussing J.J Abrams ideas that lead to the show and goes through the first season finale. Along the way, you get a behind the scenes look at everything from location scouting to costuming, color schemes, and the sets. Heck, I even learned some new stuff while reading. The last section includes detailed on set reports of the filming of the season finale.

A highlight of the book is the detailed episode guide. Here, the author breaks every episode down to plot threads and keeps the story straight for us. It's wonderful if you need to catch up on some shows or just want a quick reminder of what's already happened.

No matter how fanatical about Alias you are, this is a wonderful book. It will help fill in gaps or just give you a better picture of all the work that goes on behind the scenes to bring us one of the best shows currently on television.

"Alias: Declassified" is THE book you have to get if you're into "Alias" or want to get into the adventure that is "Alias". Between the cover, which contains amazing graphic work, you find the absolute coolest information on all things "Alias" :there are character dossiers, behind the scenes info on stunts, special effects, costumes, and so many wonderful pictures. Mark Cotta Vaz takes the reader on a totally unique journey behind the scenes and into the world of "Alias".

While this might seem only like a great read for a true fan of the show, we all know there are people out there who are interested in the show but a little bit put off by the Bristow family tree and Rambaldi's prophecies - now, in detail every plot line is uncovered, getting you fully informed. "Alias" is honestly too-good to miss, and with this book, you'll only feel like you are more and more a part of the wonderful mythology behind the most creative and well-written television show on primetime today.

So buy "Declassified" - between the excellent photography, the fast-paced facts and details, you'll more than get your moneys worth!!

I am a huge Alias fan. I found this book to be a great addition to my Alias collection. The book is very interesting with details about the characters, actors, design sets, and just about everything. I was interested in how some of the actors and actresses have kind of created their own characters behind the "script". It was a very fun and exciting read. I would reccomend this to anyone who is a fan of alias. You will not be disappointed as this book is entertaining AND informative, which is quite hard to find these days. If you enjoy Alias, you will love this book.

The ABC spy drama "Alias" is only into it's second season, but the hype and cult status created by it's fans almost forced the creation of "Declassified: The Official Companion". If, like me, you're a huge fan of the show, then "Declassified" is JUST what you need.

Packed within 202 pages are sketches, interviews, episode recaps, actor/character bios, show nomination information, and some neat trivia that the "Alias" fan should find interesting. Author Mark Cotta Vaz has done a subpurb job at bringing all of the show's elements together into an easy to read, highly entertaining book. He takes you from the creative minds behind the storylines (creator JJ Abrams and writer Jesse Alexander)to the sets and finally to post production, where the "magic" really happens. You'll also find storyboards, costume sketches, theme music compositions, and Rambaldi artifacts and information, which are VERY important to understanding if you watch the show.

The most enjoyable part of the book for me personally are the pictures. The cover is absolutely breathtaking, with the beautiful Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow and her signature red hair. Inside you'll find more pictures of Sydney, Vaughn, Dixon, and the rest of the characters that you love...and hate.

An added bonus, and something that I really enjoyed, was the limited edition DVD that was included with the book. On it are interviews, behind the scenes shots, bios, wallpaper, screen savers and information on the hottest online game at the moment, Alias Online Adventure.

In short, if you're a fan of the show, YOU MUST BUY THIS BOOK! For those who are just becoming fans, the book will fill you in on everything from last season so that you can understand and enjoy the new one. Let's hope that in a few years, another updated version of the companion will come out.

Gennie Bailey-Rogers

I loved reading about things like the costume design, set design, and all of the other things that go into making a show like this. It was a wonderful book to read as an Alias fan, but it would also be amazing for new fans because it even includes an episode guide to the entire first season! Plus, several thousand of them come with a DVD! The DVD is awesome because it contains cast interviews, clips from the show, character profiles and cast biographies! This book is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in the show!

This behind-the-scenes book is a treat -- no padding nor aimless commentary, and very little of the unabashed fawning that often dominates such books. It's an excellent mini-episode guide to the first season. Moreover, it explains how the creative team has shaped the distinctive feel and plotting of the series. ALIAS DECLASSIFIED is also chock full of technical details, from the magic used to create certain effects, to the problems of functional yet sexy costume design, to the composition of the score which underpins the action. The DVD that accompanies the book (apparently only offered in the first 100,000 copies, so I have no idea as to its current availability) is a nice bonus. It features a lengthy ABC promo for the show, interview snippets with all of the main cast, and biographical information for the cast and characters.

This book is incredible at laying out all the behind the scenes information that even a casual fan of the show would be interested in. The free DVD (for the first 100,000) is a terrific bonus that includes interviews with every major cast member. If you're a fan of Alias, this book is a MUST HAVE; and if you're not a fan, why aren't you?? This edge-of-your-seat show is one of the most intriguing, well-written and well-acted shows on television.

Naturally, I bought this book because I loved the show, and wanted to know more about what goes on behind the scenes of this underrated drama/action/suspense thriller. Every episode brings out an edge-of-your-seat feeling, and it makes you wish that the hour was much longer. This book was great, it even includes a cd-rom so you can watch a few extras. It also includes storyboards and costume designs (still, I wish that there were a few more examples). It also includes an episode guide on every show from season 1, including a few tidbits as well. Certainly a must for any fan of ALIAS, or even for those who appreciate great writing!

Well, I am a huge Alias fan, and when I find out there was a book, I definitely needed to get it. It is an AWESOME book. If you've missed out on episode reviews, then this book has it. If you want to find out behind the scenes from the show, this book has it! And plus, you get one awesome DVD. FOR FREE!! It's so awesome. Totally worth it. Anyone would enjoy it. 220+ plus of PURE enjoyment!

I drove to the nearest Barnes and Noble bookstore (which wasnt even in our home state) on the first day of the Declassified release to pick up a copy of Declassified and Recruited. In a bad financial spot, I was forced to spend the remainder of my lunch money on both the books (Needless to say, I had to brown-bag it the rest of the week!) But the drive and the cost were well worth the trouble. I read Declassified from beginning to end in 2 days flat. That was surprising even for myself because Im usually a slow reader. But the fast pace wasnt my doings; it was because Declassified was such a great success.
First of all, I was impressed with the quality of the pictures, sketches, and all around appearance of the book. When they said Declassified, they really meant declassified. The stories and thoughts of the writers, costume designers, music composers, prop and set managers, producers, and actors of ALIAS were all presented to the reader like a casual, sit-down conversation. I was so intrigued and shocked to find how much work and effort goes into creating one episode of ALIAS. Besides, there are so many little people that I never thought about that truly bring the world of ALIAS alive.
This book explained the background information of the show in detail so now I am in the know all the way. As someone sat down to explain each episode to me, the entire first season all began to click. My brain must have been channeling that information in record time and I was absorbing it like a sponge!
It was also very intriguing as a reader and a fan of ALIAS to read about such things such as creating the props, sets, and origin of the show itself. I would be reading along and all of a sudden exclaim aloud,So thats how they did that!
I especially enjoyed the chapter The Last Episode. That was my favorite episode and it was awesome that the author (Mark Cotta Vaz) devoted an entire chapter to its creation. I almost felt like I was there on the set when the call for action pierced the silence. What a thrill! And when a reader says they get a thrill from a mere cluster of words on a thick stack of papers bound together, then by golly it must be a great book!
Declassified is so good it doesnt even need my review. It practically speaks for itself. Ive already let my mother and sister borrow it and my friends, some of which are not totally ALIAS fans yet, are waiting to read it next. Were all hoping that the second season is also accompanied by a sequel to Declassified. All in all, everyone here agrees Declassified is a great book to further enlighten us on the world of ALIAS. Like so many ALIAS fans say,And so it ends...