This week sees the release of a new Star Wars book that seeks to retell the story so far to prep younger audiences for the big finale…And happens to be our Geek Pick of the Week!
It’s October, which means we’re firmly in the “Holiday Months.” As such, we’re bringing our Geek Pick of the Week feature back a tad earlier than usual in order to highlight some of the coolest new/upcoming releases to prepare you for the impending shopping season.
To kick things off, I’m going with a new release this week that Lucasfilm/Disney Publishing were kind enough to send our way a little bit ago: Star Wars – The Skywalker Saga. The new book comes from Delilah Dawson, who also wrote the (really GOOD) Phasma and Black Spire novels, with some art from Brian Rood. Here’s the official synopsis:
This beautifully illustrated treasury celebrates the stories that make up the greatest saga of all time. New York Times Best-Selling Author, Delilah Dawson, retells Episodes I-VIII through Anakin, Luke, Leia, and Rey’s points of view.
The book itself is geared towards a younger audience, but the storytelling prowess Dawson displays make it a fun read for older fans as well. This thing is HUGE. To be honest, when I first heard of this release a while back, I was expecting a much smaller children’s book, so I was surprised at the tome I received in the mail!
Hello, what have we here? I didn’t realize how MASSIVE this book would actually be! #StarWars pic.twitter.com/WdXzbHJd8e
— Jordan Maison (@JordanMaison) September 17, 2019
The book will take you through all the major points in the films (at least the ones that start with “Episode”) while telling them from a slightly different point of view. This works to give the familiar stories a fresh spin that is engaging and fun to dive into. It also helps that it features some really incredible artwork to go along with it. Brian Rood’s art manages to strike a balance in offering a “new” look at key sequences/characters from the films, while still striking on that nostalgia and having those moments replay in your mind as you look at them.
Yes, the book only goes up to Episode VIII, The Last Jedi…So it seems a bit weird to call it The Skywalker Saga when we’re still one film away from being complete. That said, however, it’s highly effective in what it wants to achieve. It’s meant to give kids/fans a chance to recap the entire series so far. It’s written in a way where kids who are able to read on their own, can get through it without troubles and experience all the thrills of the story in a more concise way. Yet, it also works equally well for parents who want to read it to their younger kids who may not be at the point where they can watch all the films.
In this way The Skywalker Saga feels like the perfect companion as we head into December’s The Rise of Skywalker. A great way to share the stories of the films (other than watching them) with your kiddos as you prepare to enjoy the final episode in the Saga. It’s definitely worth picking up, and it’s available now from all major retailers.
As the Holiday season approaches, we’re bringing back our Geek Pick of the Week. Each week leading up to Christmas, we’ll be highlighting a cool product we’ve found that we feel would be the perfect gift for geeks of all kinds. Use these to help fill in your own wish list or find the perfect gift for the nerds in your life. Click HERE to read more about previous Picks of the Week!
