Star Wars: The Old Republic: Encyclopedia [Lay Flat] [Hardcover]

Ian Ryan (Author), Charles Boyd (Author), Hall Hood (Author), Joanna Berry (Author), Zach Bush (Author), James B. Jones (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2012

Since its release in 2011, the massively multiplayer online role playing game Star Wars: The Old Republic has captivated thousands of gamers and Star Wars fans alike. Now comes the ultimate in-depth guide to the turbulent and fascinating world featured in the game — The Old Republic.

Created in full collaboration with LucasArts, this in-depth companion covers the spectrum of characters, weapons, vehicles, events, and planets of Star Wars: The Old Republic. More than just an encyclopedia, it is the ultimate guided tour of the dangerous and mysterious universe found in a galaxy far, far away.

© 2012 Lucasfilm Ltd. ® & ™ All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (October 15, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756698391
• ISBN-13: 978-0756698393
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,743 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Video & Electronic Games
  • #33 in Books > Computers & Technology > Games & Strategy Guides > Video Games

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gives me valuable backround in to the Era October 10, 2012

By Ian

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

When I heard this was going on sale I admit I immediately preordered, and having received it Monday afternoon and read it front to back I can honestly say I got my money's worth and more.

The Book itself covers several topics including The Republic, The Empire, seperate sections for the Jedi and Sith, as well as an entire section on the Hutts, Mandalorians and the criminal elements of the Galaxy. Towards the end of the book it covers all planets currently in the game with one planet every two pages.

As a Roleplayer this has provided me with valuable insight in to the era that The Old Republic is set in, as well as source material to fill in gaps in my information. It outlines Imperial and Republic military rank structure, the ideologies behind both the Republic and Empire, as well as philosophies and structure of the Jedi Order and Sith.

In addition to the above it includes several biographies of key figures we've seen throughout the game like Darth Malgus, and it also has a summed up play by play of the class stories and an overview of the class itself (So maybe skip over the classes you haven't played!)

All in All I've gotten every dime out of this book that I was hoping to.

Be warned, this book is a cofee table book and reads most comfortably resting in your lap or on a table.

The Dust Cover is removeable and the hardcover underneath is just as well designed and artistic as the dust cover itself without the writing getting inthe way of the art

Must Buy for any enthusiast of Star Wars interested in this Era.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome addition to the Star Wars Expanded Universe October 10, 2012

By Matt R.

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've been playing The Old Republic since launch last year, and one of my favorite aspects is the great storytelling, and enrichment of the Star Wars lore. On a whim I decided to check out this book (since Amazon had a great price) and overall I'm very impressed with the quality and content. The book is big and heavy with thick, quality stock paper and vivid imagery and art. The book covers everything from the history of the galactic conflict, to individual notes about the classes and races in the game. I particularly enjoyed the history background prior to the timeline in-game, and was previously only hinted at in the game's cinematics. The book adds more depth and explanation about the return of the Sith, and the sacking of Coruscant.

If you're a fan of the game you will love this book. It serves as a great companion to further enrich the story and characters you experience in the game. If you're a fan of Star Wars, but never played the game, this book serves as a great introduction to the timeline and what happened before the Prequels.

Overall I highly recommend this book to all fans of Star Wars. It's easily worth the money and should be a must have for players of the game.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece! October 11, 2012

By M. Flemming

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'll need to purchase another copy as I drooled all over my book when I flipped through it last night! I cannot think of any other book I've purchased that is as well put together. This book is a masterpiece! The book is big, thick and heavy. Each page is a work of art; well laid out and full of information. No space is wasted or purposeless. I could not read a lot of it due to spoilers since I have not read all the books and comics, and have only played the Imperial Agent in SWTOR. The Old Republic era is a fantastic period of Star Wars history with 1,000s of stories yet to be told through the game, books and comics. This book is a MUST for anyone who claims to be a Star Wars fan!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Essential Guide to The Old Republic October 18, 2012

By Skuldren

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia is a massive book full of useful information. It covers history, game events, species, worlds, spaceships and more. Throughout the entire book is a wide array of artwork that's visually impressive. Quite simply, there's a lot to like in this encyclopedia.

First off, the book covers a lot of ground. Near the front, there is a timeline covering events from the reign of the Infinite Empire in 30,000 BBY all the way to the breaking of the Treaty of Coruscant in 3,640 BBY. At the end, there's a 24 page guide to alien species (18 pages for sentient species, 6 pages for non-sentient), a 4 page guide to droids, a 60 page guide to planets, and a two page teaser for where The Old Republic MMO will be heading next. In between is 230 pages of history and overview of every faction loaded with interesting details. There is information on ships, military ranks, important individuals, weapons, game events, unit sizes, etc. It's just about everything you need to know to be well versed in every aspect of the game. As a non-gamer, I found it to be extremely useful in familiarizing myself with what happens in the game and its impact on the greater EU.

Beyond all the information is a ton of artwork and imagery. Every page is littered with concept art, paintings, illustrations, and a lot of game stills and screen shots. Many of the pictures are in the form of full, two page spreads. It's worth noting that the artwork in the TOR: Encyclopedia is very different from the artwork in a book like The Essential Reader's Companion. For one thing, much of the artwork in the Encyclopedia is computer models and scenery, where as The Reader's Companion used extensive paintings.... That's not to say there aren't any paintings or illustrations in the Encyclopedia, but it's only about 10 to 15% of the total. However a lot of the computer imagery looks very nice and isn't a loss at all. The negative factor would be the extensive use of computer models for the characters which don't come anywhere near the level of visual splendor of actual illustrations.

The format of the book is also worth mentioning. The Encyclopedia is big. It's actually bigger than The Essential Atlas and over twice as thick. The size is pretty much identical to The Complete Visual Dictionary (but thicker). There's also a similarity between the bindings of the two books. As an added bonus, the dusk jacket comes off to reveal a fully colored cover with identical cover art (minus the lettering). Overall the book's format and binding was very impressive.

For Star Wars fans who love reference books, The Old Republic Encyclopedia is a must buy. It covers a little of everything. Really, it's like your standard set of essential guides all boiled down into a condensed collection where everything relates to the MMO game. Since I haven't played the game, I can't speak for gamers, but I would imagine they might find it useful if they have any interest in learning more about the Star Wars universe. With a high level of visual quality, a very nice hardcover binding, and tons of info, it's a great book. Read more ›