I had reviewed the "Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-up Adventure" book with light-up lightsaber earlier
HERE and enjoyed the book quite a bit, not for the content because most of us Star Wars fans would already know most of the facts inside the book but for the pop-up effects which were astounding and truly a feat of paper engineering :)
This "Star Wars: A Pop-up Guide to the Galaxy" book is actually the first Star Wars Pop-up book by Matthew Reinhart, renowned paper engineer and bona fide STARS WARS aficionado. "Star Wars: A Pop-up Guide to the Galaxy" book was a NEW YORK TIMES bestseller and covers Star Wars episodes IV to VI, which to many of us older folks, was the better trilogy of the two because it was the classic that spawned the prequel.
The Pop-up book is divided into six sections. Each section covers a particular subject or topic and within the section are sub-topics. What's most interesting is that most of the pop-ups are hidden under the sub-topic sections via flaps and as you uncover each sub-topic, a pop-up appears, catching you by surprise with how it's cleverly engineered to be folded flat and hidden from view until you lift the flap. Ingenious is the word and so much FUN haha It brings joy to reading LOL. Scroll down to see the rest of the pictures.
I like the cover design of this "Star Wars: A Pop-up Guide to the Galaxy" book more than the later version because the latter has Yoda on the cover and Yoda is not as intimidating and foreboding as Darth Vader, third greatest movie villain in cinema history on "100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains", behind Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates. At the back of the book is a slip of paper showing one of the pop-up pages (the last section) with "working" lightsabers that light-up, red light for Darth Vader and green light for Luke Skywalker. That's pretty CoOL, right?
The first section covers the Star Wars Galaxy and the worlds / planets that exist in them. The Battle of Hoth is the centerpiece with the AT-AT looming and the rebels trying their utmost best to fight the Imperial forces off (as seen in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back). It even has Luke Skywalker about to climb up to the Imperial Walker's belly in an attempt yo bring the lumbering giant down.
Then there's Tattooine and the Death Star destroying Alderaan,
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
The speeder bike chase on Endor and more... You'll just have to get the book and enjoy it yourself ;p
The next section is titled "Citizens of the Galaxy" with mega predator Rancor taking center stage
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
Pop-up Chewbacca the Wookie, Wicket the Ewok, Bib Fortuna the Twi'lek, Greedo the Rodian...
Jawas, Wampa, Tuantuan and Space vermin Mynock complete the section.
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
Oops! Almost left out the Bantha
The third section is all about space ships / starships with the Millennium Falcon front and center but also has a pop-up of a Imperial Scout Walker AT-ST (top left)
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
The Fourth section has a complete and full pop-up Mos Eisley cantina with all the shady characters you couldn't have thought of
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
Including one Corellian Smuggler named Han Solo...
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
who gets carbonized by Boba Fett the Bounty Hunter. Lando Calrissian is also in the picture.
The fifth section is all about the Rebel Alliance against the Empire
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
There's Admiral Ackbar and Princess Leia Organa
And the rebel droids C-3PO and R2-D2
Against the Imperial troops
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
Last but not least, there's the Power of the Force section! It started with the galaxy and ends with the Force. Anakin Skywalker's face is first revealed before being enclosed by the Darth Vader mask and helmet
Darth Vader's lighsaber lights up in red...
while Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker's lightsaber lights up in green
Jedi master Yoda raises the X-wing fighter
 |
| Click on the picture for a BIGGER and BETTER view |
I didn't cover everything that's in the book but you get the picture :) IMHO This "STAR WARS: A POP-UP GUIDE TO THE GALAXY" and the previously reviewed "Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-up Adventure" book (see my
earlier post HERE) are MUST-HAVEs for all Star Wars fans, young and old. The book is full of hidden surprises and the pop-up effects are simply amazing and mind boggling.
Other notable books I have covered in my toy blog include:
"The Dark Knight Manual: Tools, Weapons, Vehicles and Documents from the Batcave" - posted
HEREand
"X-Men: The Characters and Their Universe by Michael Mallory", a HUGE (28 cm or 11 inches wide x 36 cm or 14.25 inches high x 3 cm or 1.25 inches thick), heavy, hardcover bound and crammed full of interesting facts (288 pages in all) about the X-Men - posted
HEREplus Hobby Japan Mil-FIG Customized 12-inch Military Action Figures book shown
HERE
