Customer Reviews

The Star Wars Vault: Thirty Years of Treasures from the Lucasfilm Archives, With Removable Memorabilia and Two Audio CDs

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Nothing you read about this incredible collection can prepare you for how actually spectacular it is. After flipping through only a few pages you will quickly realize it was money well spent and by the time you get to the end you'll be proud to be a Star Wars fan all over again. No aspect of the Star Wars galaxy appears to have been forgotten. There is even goodies on the "The Star Wars Holiday Special"! If you are any type of Star Wars collector then this set is an absolute must!

For anyone who has been a fan of Star Wars for more than 10 years, this book is simply a must. It offers an amazing wealth of information, pictures and even reproduced, long-since gone, Star Wars items and memorabilia. Letraset, CDs, stickers, letters, Japanese poster, iron-on etc. etc. For any Star Wars fan this must be the ultimate Birthday or Christmas gift. Again: Simply a must!! Great job by Steve Sansweet & Co.

This book is awesome. If you are a Star Wars collector or fan this is a very interesting book and a must to get. I met Stephen Sansweet(author) at the Star Wars show and he is a great and inspiring man. It has so much information in it as well as removable movie history to look at.
You have just got to get this book!!!!

First, the bad: The shipping. This oversized, heavy, boxed book arrived without any lateral cushioning, so one corner of the case is dented, and the book is dented, as well. So I'm returning it. I have no idea why Amazon thinks it's cost effective to skimp on packing and absorb the losses due to books damaged in shipping, but it makes no sense. Recently, this has been a big problem with Amazon on anything heavy or oversized; the shipping dept. simply throws it in a box and tosses in a few air bags, and the book's corners get dented!

The book itself is magnificent and deserves a full review, which is forthcoming. I'll wait until my replacement copy arrives.

In the meantime, CHECK YOUR COPY carefully for damage to corners; it's more likely to happen than not, unless Amazon decides they are in the business of shipping books that arrive intact.

STAR WARS VAULT BY STEPHEN J. SANSWEET AND PETER VILMUR: Celebrating it's thirtieth anniversary this year, the Star Wars franchise is in a similar predicament to the time after the release of Return of the Jedi: no plans for future movies, apart from a continuing animated series of the Clone Wars. By the same token, fans are in the same state with little to nothing to look forward to. Thankfully, to commemorate the third decade of the blockbuster, internationally bestselling movie series, there's the Star Wars Vault: "thirty years of treasures from the Lucasfilm archives with removable memorabilia and two audio CDs.

This is not just a nicely decorated picture book in a sturdy slipcase; it's an experience, a journey that one is immediately taken one when they open up the cover. Star Wars Vault is part of the new style of picture being published, like that of 1776: The Illustrated Edition, where the book goes beyond glossy, colorful pictures and photos, but incorporates all types of media, and with the rich heritage of the Star Wars franchise which literally revolutionized the world with merchandising, Star Wars Vault is a gift that would make any fan of the series, no matter how old or how much of a fan, respect you greatly in your choice of gift.

Sansweet keeps his story short, taking up little room on the page, and leaving the evidence reproduced here in various forms to speak for itself. He begins with the fascinating tale of how the first movie, Star Wars Episode IV, barely made it to release, and with little support, until the enormous numbers of audience members proved that the studio executives were very wrong. While Sansweet spends less time on the development and release of the rest of the movies, the experience as one turns the pages and relives the history of the Star Wars empire is unlike that of any other. With unique photos, movie posters, and a plethora of pictures from around the world, there are innumerable insets and handouts of unique items like patches, stickers, collectible postcards, film cells, and even two audio CDs with a variety of different pieces ranging from the mid-eighties radio ads, to special interviews, to a recording of the song sung by Carrie Fisher for the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special.

While the price for Star Wars Vault is considerable, no one will regret it when they turn the page and discover the world within. It is a book that will immediately be quickly read, the stickers and patches possibly used, and added to the shelf to be rediscovered over and over.

[...]

I am 38, and as old school as Star Wars fans get. I saw Star Wars 7 times in my local theater in the summer and fall of 1977. Please keep this background in mind as you read my review, because the type of Star Wars fan you are (or your gift receiver is) will affect the enjoyment derived from this product.

When I first heard about this book, I was lukewarm at best. I had seen a lot of Star Wars books come out in the last 15 years that were nothing more than cheap, base-line attempts to drag as much money out of fans as possible. When I first saw this book, I couldn't speak for a couple of minutes. Words were not sufficient. By the time I had looked at the first 4 pages of my Mom's just-bought copy, I closed the book and immediately ordered my own. As soon as I received it (no problems with shipping or damage here), I spent the next several hours in a place I haven't been to since Return of the Jedi premiered in 1983. I've seen these movies so many times that the special feeling of seeing "A long time ago in a galaxy far away" has been replaced by a warm, background feeling. It's still great, but it's not the same as fresh discovery. This book is page after page of fresh discovery. I have long considered myself a master of all things Star Wars, but 2 pages of this book rarely went by without me discovering information that I didn't know before I read it. If this book was just text and pictures, it would be at the top of my Christmas recommendations. But there's so much more...

On almost every 2-page spread, there is a piece of memorabilia to touch, fold out, pull out, examine, and pore over. Letterhead, T-shirt transfers, posters, surveys, programs, are just the beginning. Reading a lengthy poster prologue from an early prototype, you realize again just how incredible it is that Lucas, or whichever writer, had the vision to go with "A Long Time Ago, in A Galaxy Far, Far Away...". I can't tell you about the 2 CDs that come with the book, because I haven't had a chance to listen to them. I have no doubt that they will be just as high quality as the rest of this volume.

As a last little nugget, I leave with this: Arnold Schwarzenegger owes Harrison Ford about a billion dollars. When you read why, you'll know it. If you, or anyone you know, feels anything about Star Wars like I do, get this book. It is the greatest gift I have ever received, and that may include the gift of life that I received 38 years ago...

My husband LOVES all things 'Star Wars' and I don't think there's a single day in his life that goes by without him making at least one daily Star Wars reference. This collection has so much to offer. So many little gems that will surprise even the biggest Star Wars fan. It's so masterfully crafted and quite a show piece! It's like a modern heirloom, and sure to provide hours upon hours of enjoyment.

This book is a must for every star wars fan, the presentation, the wealth of the material, and the incredible Memorabilia, plus 2 audio cd's. make this a must Own.

If you are an avid Star Wars fan please buy this. It is filled with loads of interesting memorabilia.

I bought this for my nephew who is a huge Star Wars fan and he loved it. He said it was the coolest Star Wars book he has ever seen!