Lightsabers: A Guide to Weapons of the Force by Pablo Hidalgo

Lightsabers: A Guide to Weapons of the Force written by Pablo Hidalgo

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     I loved this book!! Originally published in 2010 (although I didn't read it then), it came out with new content relevant to the sequel trilogy in 2018. It was so easy to read and contained numerous fascinating tidbits about lightsabers and their wielders. The images were wonderful as well in that they were very carefully selected--no new visuals to be had. It did stick with the movies without any reference to Ezra's awesome gun-saber or Ahsoka's twin blades, but I'm okay with that because what was contained here was really good.
     The format of this book includes a variety of different types of content which kept things fun and interesting. We start with details about lightsaber general "anatomy" and construction then go through individual lightsabers from famous Jedi and Sith alike and finish off with lightsaber techniques and famous lightsaber battles through time. Plus there's a poster!!!
     According to this book, "kyber crystals are unique life-forms that exhibit a presence in the Force." So does that mean kyber crystals contain midi-chlorians as in the midi-chlorians give what would normally be an inert object life?? Very interesting.
     Also, in reference to how the weapon functions without needing charging, as the beam "loops back into the handle, a superconductor channels the energy back to the power cell." In other words, the lightsaber is constantly repowered and never loses any energy. Great technical explanation for space science that I've never really questioned...
     It is noted that normally, lightsabers and water don't mix since the blade could boil the surrounding water causing turbulence and making control difficult. But...in several episodes of The Clone Wars and in the new book Choose Your Destiny: An Obi-Wan and Anakin Adventure we see the use of several different Jedi's blades under water...and not aquatic Jedi either. Curious to know what this discrepancy is all about...
     In the battles section, there were a couple of interesting explanations put forth. Apparently, when the Jedi came to Sidious's office to apprehend him, the Sith Lord put out a concentrated dark side haze of confusion that allowed him to easily annihilate all but Mace Windu. During the Death Star battle between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader, Obi-Wan was slowed by age and lack of practice and Vader was slowed by apprehension from memories of his last encounter with his old master and the cyborg-ness of his body.
     Trivia from the individual lightsaber section:
- The design of Darth Maul's lightsaber was based off ancient plans found in one of Sidious's Sith holocrons.
- Only Mace Windu's latest lightsaber turned purple after he bonded with the crystal.
- Ki-Adi-Mundi's Cerean anatomy includes a dual brain--and each of these brains connected with a different crystal leading to his lightsaber containing two crystals with an ability to be blue or green.
- We get great detail about Kit Fisto's saber's ability to ignite under water: "he used two crystals charged by an ignition pulse that is split into two currents." Regardless of him having two crystals, they are both green.
- When Anakin was on Ilum finding his Kyber crystal, he had dark side visions...
- Grievous's four main lightsabers are from Pablo-Jill, Eeth Koth, Roron Corobb, and Shaak-Ti.
- Aayla Secura's master was Quinlan Vos.
- Saesee Tiin was primarily a pilot.
- After Tan Yuster died at the Battle of Geonosis, Agen Kolar took his crystal and incorporated it into his own saber so he could use either a green or blue blade in honor of his apprentice.
- Anakin's saber from Revenge of the Sith "contains numerous additional technical interfaces, which grew out of Anakin's passion for tinkering with technology and engineering."
- Luke constructed his green saber from instructions left behind by Obi-Wan Kenobi in his hut on Tatooine.
     So a LOT of juicy information in a well-written format. And some great technical details. Definitely a worthy addition to Star Wars reference book canon!