Up to the Hilt: The Lightsaber Collection Provides Detailed Look for Star Wars Fans

Even the casual fans of Star Wars can tell you that the lightsaber is a deeply personal weapon to the one who wields it. Unlike a blaster, the lightsaber is not some mass-produced weapon made in a factory, with identically interchangeable parts. No, the lightsaber is crafted by hand by the Jedi or Sith who will take it into battle, making it an extension of themselves. "This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon for a more civilized age," as Obi-Wan put it to Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars film. And, really, that whole "random as a blaster" comment pretty much sums up why the stormtroopers could never hit anything they shot at.

Daniel Wallace narrates this hardcover comprehensive look at just about every lightsaber that has appeared in the Star Wars universe to date. Each lightsaber is photorealistically renderd by Lukasz Liszko across a two-page spread in this landscape oriented compendium. Some of the lightsabers even come with their own gatefold extension so you can better appreciate them in their activated form. Ryan Valle provides the inset portrait of each lightsaber's owner, as Wallace gives an abbreviated history of the warrior's weapon. For those that appeared on screen, you will even get tidbits on the formation of the prop.

But before Wallace gets into each of the lightsabers, he prefaces the book with important introductory material, explaining what the lightsaber is, how they're designed, their many uses, and how to train with them. After which, the lightsabers are presented in three categories: Jedi of the Galactic Republic, Acolytes of the Dark Side, and A New Jedi Tradition.

THE JEDI

Perhaps one of the few lightsabers that were passed along generationally, the Skywalker lightsaber is the one that started it all for the movies. Originally Anakin Skywalker's when he was a Jedi, the weapon is first seen by fans when Obi-Wan passes the heirloom on to Luke. This was the first sign we had that Luke had a destiny to fulfill.

This particular section of the book provides up close looks at the weapons of such Jedi luminaries as Ahsoka Tano (and yes, it includes the versions from both Clone Wars and Rebellion), Jacasta Nu, Mace Windu, Stellan Gios -- just about any Jedi you could name that you've seen in battle. The section is capped with looks at your typical Training Lightsaber and the ancient Crossguard Lightsaber.

THE DARK SIDE

For every hero, there's a villain. For the Jedi, that would include the forces of the Dark Side. This section kicks off with a very wicked looking katana-like blade known as The Darksaber, forged by the first Mandalorian and wielded in Star Wars: The Clone Wars by Pre Vizsla. 

Entering these pages, you will come across the unique lightsaber weapons carried by such terrible baddies as Darth Vader, Darth Maul, Count Dooku, Kylo Ren, and various Inquisitors. Even Rey Skywalker's Dark Side vision weapon is included. 

The book concludes with the handful of lightsabers that have sprung up during the "New Jedi Tradition." These include the sabers of Ben Solo, Leia Organa, and Rey Skywalker, as well as a few others.

STAR WARS: THE LIGHTSABER COLLECTION is a book any Star Wars fan would be proud to own.