Customer Reviews

The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force [Vault Edition]

5 star:		(128)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Just received my Jedi Path Vault package and opened it up. I'll start out by saying that even the exterior packaging is very high quality. It came in a nice black cardboard box within another box, and within that had a wrapper that held the doors shut (which was hard to remove without damaging). Very simple setup - remove a plastic tab that's on the battery compartment and it's ready to go. Pushing down on the button does exactly as described. The vault doors slowly open, and the door rises to some nice sound effects and blue LED backlighting. The cover of the book is a nice leather (probably faux leather) bound jacket, and the pages all have the appearance of being hand cut. Inside the book, there was a coin, a used napkin, and an iron-on patch as per the description. Overall, I'm glad I spent the money on this, it seems like it's a great collector's piece, well worth the steep price.

I had the happy opportunity to attend the 2010 Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, Florida, which is a joyful event for any lover of the Star Wars Saga. While blessfully browsing through the huge dealer's room on the first day, I came across a particular display table surrounded by fellow Star Wars fans uttering exclamations of "Oh, that is cool!" and "Wow! That's sweet!" Making my way through the gathering of people, I reached the table to find two lovely young ladies presenting a unique item to an enraptured audience. Before me on their display table was a rectagular metal box embossed on its top with an artistic rendering of two hands gripping a light saber. One young lady smiled and directed me to press the button beneath the artwork. I did, and with the sound of air being released, the top of the box divided into two sections and opened. Within the box, a whinning sound could be heard as a small blue/gray leather-bound book was slowly elevated above the two open metal casings, iluminated with tiny blue lights. On the book's cover were the words, "The Jedi Path," along with the elegant wings and light saber symbol of the Jedi Order, surrounded by an ornate art nouveau-like design. My immeadiate response was, "Oh, that is cool!"

That afternoon, I attended a panel called "The Making of the Jedi Path," where some of the book's creators described the process of making this special Star Wars book. Unfortunately the book's author, Daniel Wallace, was unable to attend due to plane trouble. I had read about the planned release of the book earlier this year and was intrigued by the idea, but my con experience had me really excited about its publication. At the end of the panel, all the panel's attendees were gracious enough to autograph a flyer promoting the book for me. At the end of my first fun day at the Celebration, the first thing I did when I returned to my hotel was ask my friend, who was sharing the con experience with me, could I borrow her lap top computer so I could pre order this "cool, sweet" work of Star Wars merchandise!!

While the "Vault" is the most immediate selling point of this collectible, the book it holds, "The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force," reveals itself to be an enchanting journey into the history of the Star Wars galaxy and its remarkable guardians, the Jedi Knights. It is a book that Star Wars fans will find a fascinating and fun experience. "The Jedi Path" is more than just a how to manual in Jedi training. It also delves into the ancient origins of the spiritual order's long history, the foundations of its philosophy, their bond with the mysterious energy field the Force, their relationship with the galaxy they protect, and also the continuing conflict the Jedi had with the temptations of the Dark Side of the Force and their ancient enemies the Sith.

The most fun aspect of "The Jedi Path" is the design idea of it being a tome handed down through generations of Star Wars characters, some of whom left not only their individual written impressions in the book but also actual physical items as well; captions and keepsakes from such characters as Yoda, Thame Cerulian (who left a "Jedcred" coin), Count Dooku, Qui-Gon Jinn (whose Padawan braid can be found within the book), Obi-Wan Kenobi (who sketched a light saber design on a napkin from Dex's Diner seen in Star Wars Episode II), his complex apprentice, Anakin Skywalker (who left behind a Jedi Starfighter patch), Ahsoka Tano (featured in the Clone Wars animated series), Luke Skywalker (who provides a historical preface for the book), along with other tantalizing inserts. Even Emperor Palaptine, the tyrannical ruler of the Star Wars Galaxy during the Original Trilogy of films, marks passages in the book, gleefully gloating over his murderous defeat of the Jedi Order in "Revenge of the Sith."

"The Jedi Path" is also richly illustrated by a number of gifted artists, displaying various elements of Jedi lore and legends. They include Paul Allan Ballard, Jeff Carlisle, and Tommy Lee Edwards. But I feel very special mention should go to the book's designer, Rosanna Brockley. She has created a beautiful addition to the ever expanding Star Wars library of books, and this particular Star Wars fan was very impressed with her work.

"The Jedi Path" was a joy to discover, a joy to read and is a Star Wars book I will sincerely treasure. It comes very highly recommended.

For those of us who find the "Clone Wars" series to be an atrocity this book is a grim reminder of what Star Wars has become. The packaging and presentation of "The Jedi Path" is fantastic, and it is an honor to display it because of this fact alone. The content, however, leaves much to be desired. The comments in the margins are a little elementary for my tastes. One reviewer stated that the comments capture the characters personalities very well, and I suppose that is the problem. The personalities in the "new" Star Wars are so simplified that these comments do capture them perfectly. The fact that Asokha Tano's words are right along side those of Masters Yoda and Kenobi is a bit off putting to me. When I saw her refer to Anakin as "Sky-guy" in the text I had to put the book down and do something else for a while. Anakin's words, of course, come off as petulant and whiney, and further undermine the "Legend" of Anakin Skywalker that I grew up wanting to see and read about.

I don't regret this purchase at all, but I do wish that "The Jedi Path" was a bit more serious in tone and the margin scrawling had been left out or at least limited.

I pre-ordered this as a treat to myself. It is a fun collector's edition. The one thing is the price, but you get what you paid for- at about $65, not $100 as listed on the box.! The vault works smoothly and the effect is evocative. The sound is a bit overdone, but by removing the battery, it works without the lights and sound. The inserted extras are clever, especially Qui Gon's padawan braid, and put you in the Star Wars universe.

The book itself is well written. the illustrations are beautiful and colorful. The comments by the previous 'owners' are clever and fun. Makes me want to read more about the Force.

A perfect gift for a Jedi fan or collector.

Length:: 0:44 Mins

I have to say that I have been eyeballing this book ever since it hit shelves. A little steep at $100, but it was amazing.

I had decided to start saving up change and whatnot to get this. $100 can be saved up rather easily. Then I found it here for $57!!! Much more affordable.

There is a version out now that is just the book, but let me tell you, it is worth the extra money for the Vault edition. I know it is just plastic with springs and timed sound effects, but it just makes reading the thing so much more enjoyable.

Within the pages of the book are explanations for different things we have heard discussed in the movies and other series, with sometimes comical notes written by other students who have used this book (Yoda, Ahsoka, Luke) and comes complete with missing pages that had been ripped out by a former student. It also has 8 removable items ranging from a lightsaber sketch on a napkin to your Padawan braid that has been cut off as you progressed beyond that rank.

Again, this is a great set. You will love this. Your kids will love this. Everyone will love this!!

This is essentially a book, The Jedi Path, stuck in a big plastic box. When you hit the button the doors retract and a panel lifts the book out. It also makes noises vaguely reminiscent of Han Solo coming out of the carbon freezing chamber, and blue LEDs light up. Can't get much cooler than that, can it?

The book itself is covered in faux-leather and has a weathered look that makes it appear to be the beat up relic it's supposed to be. It describes various aspects of Jedi service, from the Code to lightsaber styles and equipment. It's illustrated in full color and has thick ragged-edged pages. It also includes several inserts like a Jedcred and half-burned poster of the Code. Notes in the margins by various owners add some amusing insights to the content. You can actually get this book separately, without the inserts, if that's all that interests you.

On to the case. This is what makes this really cool. It's plastic and runs on 3 AAA batteries. The doors and platform are spring loaded, so the batteries are just for the sound effects and lighting. The box is much deeper than the book and pretty large and hefty, as the dimensions indicate. It's quite a sturdy build and has inlaid patterns on the top. One thing I did notice, however, is that the sound effects occasionally go off without you pushing the button. After having the wits scared out of me at 3 in the morning, I took the batteries out. It still works fine without it, just doesn't have the lights and sound.

This is the perfect gift for any Star Wars fanatic, regardless of age. It's also a perfect example of the sort of thing that eBooks will never replace.

After months of waiting it's finally arrived and I'm happy to announce it was worth the wait.

Coming in a glossy black cardboard box, The Jedi Path [Vault Edition] is pretty much amazing. The books cover features a pressed design and the pages look close to archaic. Opening it up it comes with a host of additional "accessories" surely to guide any Padawan in the ways of the Force.

On a serious note, the people who put this together clearly invested both time and effort. The overall design is really well done and illustrations are superb. I've yet to read the content, but I'm sure it's of exquisite quality as well.

A must have for any Star Wars fan. I almost want to buy two just to keep one in the packaging :)

This book is by far the most interesting piece of Star Wars memorabilia I've ever encountered. The book itself is superbly designed and it's look and feel really show the thought and time that LucasArts put into it.

Let's start with the packaging. This book could not have been presented better. After removing the 'vault' case from the beautiful black outer box, you are greeted with the sleek silver doors. On these doors are engraved an image of two hands gripping the hilt of a lit lightsaber, which will automatically get those Jedi juices flowing.

The very next thing your eyes will be drawn to is the black button that activates the whole thing. Press the button, and you'll be treated to a wonderful buffet of sounds from the Star Wars universe as the book itself is lifted on it's platform and the doors sweep out to each side. No star wars fan could ask for a better presentation of this book, and it's that presentation experience that adds to the cost (and fun factor!) of the book.

Now for the book itself (NO SPOILERS!). The cover is soft teal leather embossed with the symbol of the Jedi Order and is of very good quality. Inside, the book is gorgeously illustrated and is a very good for reading or just browsing through. The text of the book written very well and is very much a 'love letter', of sorts, to Star Wars fans (the author himself is an avid Star Wars fan). Suffice it to say that the value of this book is the insights each fan will get into the culture of the Jedi before the rise of the Empire. Much is known about the few individual Jedi seen in the movies, but here, we see a tantalizing glimpse of the culture that they grew up with and lived in.

The thing that puts this puts this book over the top (and what makes it more of an 'experience' than anything else!) is the 'extras' folded into the book's pages by it's various owners. There are quotes from each owner on each section of the book that really let you get inside their heads, and a few owners (I won't say which) left behind some 'relics' in between the pages. Each relic is unique and adds a very personal flavor to the 'experience' that is this book.

Overall, I have to say that this book is an absolute must-have for casual fans and collectors alike. It's fun factor is just off the charts, and there is simply no down side to it. Some may say that sixty plus dollars is way too much for a book, but trust me, you'll get a whole lot of bang your your buck! Hope this helps!!!!

I'm giving this four stars because over all it's pretty good. I just have two negative comments. 1) It sounds cheap. The affect of it opening and the lights is cool but the sound is flat out cheap. 2) There are comments in the book by the owners. This is a good idea but in a book that's supposed to be very important to a padawan comments like the one by Ahsoko about Yoda being old cheapen it. It's funny in the shows when they are joking with each other but not in a "sacred text"

The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force is amazingly great. The information inside is just way beyond imagination. I feel like a Padawan already. And sometimes i forget that this is only a fiction book. As a Star Wars fan and Jedi wannabe, you really need this book