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Star Wars: Essential Guides #15
Star Wars: The Essential Atlas
Navigate the Star Wars universe as you never have before–with this fully illustrated, full-color guide that maps the entire galaxy.
You know the planets–from Alderaan and Corellia to Tatooine and Zonama Sekot–and the star systems, from the Deep Core to the Outer Rim. But now, for the first time, you can pinpoint their locations and chart the travels of your favorite characters through the vast reaches of space. Star Wars: The Essential Atlas is a galaxy-spanning trove of vital statistics and information ranging from the astronomical and geographical (“Systems, Sectors, Oversectors, and Regions”) to the historical and political (“The Sith Empire” and “The Great Hyperspace War”). Encompassing the entire Star Wars canon, including all the films, and the Clone Wars television series, plus the novels, comic books, video games, and more, this volume is packed with dozens of detailed maps and charts, as well as pertinent data and accompanying facts on
• the Empire: its length and breadth, political regions, populations, trade routes, major attractions, and trouble spots
• the Clone Wars: the trajectory of this decisive conflict across the universe, data on key battles and major Loyalist and Separatist worlds
• the adventures of Han Solo: the heroic rogue’s exploits throughout the galaxy–including his captaincy of the Millennium Falcon and his first, fateful meeting with Chewbacca–before his life-changing alliance with Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi
• the Sith Wars: the progression of the universal clash between the ancient Jedi Order, their dark side counterparts, and the Mandalorian warriors who fought against both orders
• and much, much more
From Hutt Space to the Unknown Regions, from the Knights of the Old Republic and Episode I to the Fate of the Jedi and Legacy era, Star Wars: The Essential Atlas is the ultimate gateway to space fantasy’s most brilliantly imagined and endlessly intriguing galaxy.
You know the planets–from Alderaan and Corellia to Tatooine and Zonama Sekot–and the star systems, from the Deep Core to the Outer Rim. But now, for the first time, you can pinpoint their locations and chart the travels of your favorite characters through the vast reaches of space. Star Wars: The Essential Atlas is a galaxy-spanning trove of vital statistics and information ranging from the astronomical and geographical (“Systems, Sectors, Oversectors, and Regions”) to the historical and political (“The Sith Empire” and “The Great Hyperspace War”). Encompassing the entire Star Wars canon, including all the films, and the Clone Wars television series, plus the novels, comic books, video games, and more, this volume is packed with dozens of detailed maps and charts, as well as pertinent data and accompanying facts on
• the Empire: its length and breadth, political regions, populations, trade routes, major attractions, and trouble spots
• the Clone Wars: the trajectory of this decisive conflict across the universe, data on key battles and major Loyalist and Separatist worlds
• the adventures of Han Solo: the heroic rogue’s exploits throughout the galaxy–including his captaincy of the Millennium Falcon and his first, fateful meeting with Chewbacca–before his life-changing alliance with Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi
• the Sith Wars: the progression of the universal clash between the ancient Jedi Order, their dark side counterparts, and the Mandalorian warriors who fought against both orders
• and much, much more
From Hutt Space to the Unknown Regions, from the Knights of the Old Republic and Episode I to the Fate of the Jedi and Legacy era, Star Wars: The Essential Atlas is the ultimate gateway to space fantasy’s most brilliantly imagined and endlessly intriguing galaxy.
256 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2009
25 people are currently reading
685 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 4, 2012
(More pictures at parkablogs.com)
This is definitely one of the books that ranks up high if you're a hard core Star Wars fan. I must say that I didn't finish reading the book because the material was a bit too dense for me. My mind wandered back to Earth. This is more of a visual companion than an art book. It covers the political galaxy, the planets and galactic history.
The first part is on Star Wars space politics. The sort of topic, during conversation, will instantly elevate you to the know-it-all Star Wars fan status. It covers political relationships, trade, colonies and other issues.
The second part on the planets is pretty straightforward. All the planets are listed with their fact file containing information like population, trade imports and exports, government and the usual things that interest galactic travelers.
The last part is on the history of the galaxy. It includes the movie events and a whole lot more of what's going on outside of the movies. It's good reference for anyone looking to fill in the blanks on, well, everything.
This book is recommended to extraterrestrial politicians, space traders and adventurers, galactic historians and the Star Wars fans.
March 31, 2023
This book was fascinating. I love any books that deal with maps and geography, whether it be realistic places or fantasy locations. A highly informative book about the geography of a galaxy far, far away.
Divided up into several categories, including Systems, Sectors, Oversectors, and Regions, as well as The Sith Empire and The Great Hyperspace War you can read detailed information about planets related to all these topics. The topography, historical context and even alien life on these planets is discussed. There are also sections that detail wonders throughout the.
The majority of the films, television series, books and graphic novels are represented with entries in this book. Locales from the well known, to the more obscure are featured.
It also broke history down into chronological segments but examined them through the lens of planetary geography. Different galactic systems were examined in detail, as were the worlds that inhabited them.
A way to discuss politics, history, war and peace through the lens of geography. Wonderful book.
Divided up into several categories, including Systems, Sectors, Oversectors, and Regions, as well as The Sith Empire and The Great Hyperspace War you can read detailed information about planets related to all these topics. The topography, historical context and even alien life on these planets is discussed. There are also sections that detail wonders throughout the.
The majority of the films, television series, books and graphic novels are represented with entries in this book. Locales from the well known, to the more obscure are featured.
It also broke history down into chronological segments but examined them through the lens of planetary geography. Different galactic systems were examined in detail, as were the worlds that inhabited them.
A way to discuss politics, history, war and peace through the lens of geography. Wonderful book.
August 8, 2017
This book is enormous! It tells everything from Galactic campaigns, maps of time periods of the Galaxy, Planet information, Major Galactic Players, all the way to the entire history of the Galaxy. It is pretty cool.
September 6, 2025
This is a reference book for Star Wars fans, offering numerous maps and charts of the galaxy far, far away coupled with significant narrative chunks of history, anthropology, geography, and sociology of the same. It was published a few years before Lucasfilm sold off the Star Wars property to Disney, so much of what it says would no longer be considered canon. Still, it's an interesting overview of the Star Wars mythology (to date), all in one place, and it offers a richness to the universe that is only hinted at in other stories.
The book is divided into three parts. The first section has short chapters - almost like articles - on the political and social makeup of the galaxy. I found this material perhaps the most interesting, covering as it does some basic nuts and bolts issues (trade, exploration, religion) but also suggesting how the galaxy we know from the films came to be - long before there were Jedi or Sith. It discusses various phases of technological growth, galactic exploration, and political change. The second section is a planet by planet guide, listing basic facts on around 100 key systems mentioned in Star Wars movies, books, TV shows, and comic books. The last section covers the history of the galaxy, using maps to illustrate things like the Great Hyperspace War or the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. Again, much of this may no longer be canon, as the stories referenced happened during what was considered the Legends (nee Expanded Universe) period.
As my friend Sarah mentioned in her review, coffee table books aren't meant to be read cover to cover. And even if you see this as a reference tome, not a coffee table book, the same rule applies. I consumed it in small chunks over several months, and that pattern worked for me. I could absorb the material in pieces and not feel like it was becoming dry, overwhelming, or redundant. Having just finished the Legends novels, it also felt like a swift recap of 20 years of books, which was kind of fun. Sections of the history were entirely new to me however, and it seems that some of these storylines derived from the Dark Horse comics, of which I've only read a few.
This book probably only works for die-hard Star Wars fans or hard core geeks. But if you're a visual learner and would like to understand the physical world of Star Wars a little bit better, the extensive star charts and maps in this glossy, oversized book might just be your cup of tea - or cup of blue milk, if you prefer.
The book is divided into three parts. The first section has short chapters - almost like articles - on the political and social makeup of the galaxy. I found this material perhaps the most interesting, covering as it does some basic nuts and bolts issues (trade, exploration, religion) but also suggesting how the galaxy we know from the films came to be - long before there were Jedi or Sith. It discusses various phases of technological growth, galactic exploration, and political change. The second section is a planet by planet guide, listing basic facts on around 100 key systems mentioned in Star Wars movies, books, TV shows, and comic books. The last section covers the history of the galaxy, using maps to illustrate things like the Great Hyperspace War or the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. Again, much of this may no longer be canon, as the stories referenced happened during what was considered the Legends (nee Expanded Universe) period.
As my friend Sarah mentioned in her review, coffee table books aren't meant to be read cover to cover. And even if you see this as a reference tome, not a coffee table book, the same rule applies. I consumed it in small chunks over several months, and that pattern worked for me. I could absorb the material in pieces and not feel like it was becoming dry, overwhelming, or redundant. Having just finished the Legends novels, it also felt like a swift recap of 20 years of books, which was kind of fun. Sections of the history were entirely new to me however, and it seems that some of these storylines derived from the Dark Horse comics, of which I've only read a few.
This book probably only works for die-hard Star Wars fans or hard core geeks. But if you're a visual learner and would like to understand the physical world of Star Wars a little bit better, the extensive star charts and maps in this glossy, oversized book might just be your cup of tea - or cup of blue milk, if you prefer.
July 29, 2020
More of a historical atlas of the Star Wars galaxy with a selection of key planets from the movies and the Expanded Universe than an atlas of the various planets seen and described in the Star Wars universe. Daniel Wallace and Jason Fry do a tremendous job in establishing the ancient history of the Old Republic, the rise and fall of various regions, trade routes, empires, republics, alliances, and various other spheres of influence along with all of the planets within them. I honestly am amazed at the wealth of knowledge that they have when it comes to naming and describing the various regions of space that have their own histories such as Chiss space, Hutt space, the Corporate Sector, the Hapes Cluster, even though I mostly skipped over them. I would've liked it if an updated version of this had come out at the end of the old Expanded Universe so that everything made before Disney's canon was together in one book.
November 28, 2021
I'm sure coffee table books like this aren't meant to be read cover to cover but I enjoyed treating it like a history book with lots of cool pictures and maps.
NB: This was published before Disney bought Lucas Arts so it includes history that has since been rewritten or just retconned.
If your only contact with the Star Wars universe is the first 6 films, you will be surprised by several things:
1. The films cover a micro dot's worth of events in this book.
2. The Hutts represent an enormous amount of power that is never well represented visually.
3. Governing the entire known universe with one system doesn't even work when Palpatine is running the show: too many planets, too many people, too many other sentient species. The Republic failed. The Empire failed. The New Republic failed. Same problems.
4. The Jedi aren't really the single dimensional heroes we thought they were when we are introduced to them in Episode IV. Neither are their opposites, the Sith. Fans either enjoy the complexities of morality in this universe or pretend everything is black and white.
5. When Disney gave JJ the opportunity to make Episodes VII-IX, JJ picked characters and phrases out of the vast canon, put them in a blender, and threw them up on the screen. I mean I like VII & VIII, but I wish he hadn't gone so pastiche. Ah, well. It's just a story.
NB: This was published before Disney bought Lucas Arts so it includes history that has since been rewritten or just retconned.
If your only contact with the Star Wars universe is the first 6 films, you will be surprised by several things:
1. The films cover a micro dot's worth of events in this book.
2. The Hutts represent an enormous amount of power that is never well represented visually.
3. Governing the entire known universe with one system doesn't even work when Palpatine is running the show: too many planets, too many people, too many other sentient species. The Republic failed. The Empire failed. The New Republic failed. Same problems.
4. The Jedi aren't really the single dimensional heroes we thought they were when we are introduced to them in Episode IV. Neither are their opposites, the Sith. Fans either enjoy the complexities of morality in this universe or pretend everything is black and white.
5. When Disney gave JJ the opportunity to make Episodes VII-IX, JJ picked characters and phrases out of the vast canon, put them in a blender, and threw them up on the screen. I mean I like VII & VIII, but I wish he hadn't gone so pastiche. Ah, well. It's just a story.
October 17, 2009
Wow. "Comprehensive" doesn't even begin to describe this. Fun in an 'alternate universe textbook' kind of way.
In other words, some of it tends to be a little dry - bordering on boring. But it is somehow interesting nonetheless.
In other words, some of it tends to be a little dry - bordering on boring. But it is somehow interesting nonetheless.
July 10, 2025
Undoubtedly, this is a work of great effort and passion. It gets high marks and a recommendation for that alone. The fact that the Atlas was published so late in the EU's life means it probably retains its relevance as more than just a relic of where SW was at at the point of its publishing (compare e. g. the beautifully outdated Essential Guide to Characters from 2002).
In fact, that's its biggest virtue: The Essential Atlas is a killer reference book. If you've ever wondered about the rough context of a SW planet, or galactic sector, or indeed region, this is the source for you. Wookieepedia and LoreSlopTube are faster, but less concise or interesting; it's mainly the former's bibliographic register that even warrants a comparison. In fact, the latter phenomenon seems to have partly been birthed thanks to release and its bits of lore anecdotes sprinkled throughout. I guess there we have negative.
Really though, my own main problem here is that the Atlas lacks what made Jedi vs. Sith so interesting: a narrative framing. There are three parts, detailing general methodological info, the different planets, and a mini-galactic history, and the beginning does imply an authorial presence - but it isn't expanded upon. I don't recommend ever reading this from cover to cover, really, since that approach isn't really rewarded. So TEA sits firmly below JvS as far as Third Gen Essential Guides go for me.
Also, my favorite era - the New Jedi Order - is rather poorly represented IMO; the historical account hilariously omits the name of its most important player (Jacen Solo) in a rather sad indication of its publishing era (i. e. when the fiction was doing its best to randomly destroy everything to do with Jacen's story), and there's comparatively little new or interesting information to parse from it (many planet bios end with "oh and then this main story even happened"). Though at least we get some new and exciting portraits.
Fanboy whining aside, my initial statement still stands: TEA is a great compendium for anyone interested in going beyond the fiction into the nitty gritty of in-universe logic.
In fact, that's its biggest virtue: The Essential Atlas is a killer reference book. If you've ever wondered about the rough context of a SW planet, or galactic sector, or indeed region, this is the source for you. Wookieepedia and LoreSlopTube are faster, but less concise or interesting; it's mainly the former's bibliographic register that even warrants a comparison. In fact, the latter phenomenon seems to have partly been birthed thanks to release and its bits of lore anecdotes sprinkled throughout. I guess there we have negative.
Really though, my own main problem here is that the Atlas lacks what made Jedi vs. Sith so interesting: a narrative framing. There are three parts, detailing general methodological info, the different planets, and a mini-galactic history, and the beginning does imply an authorial presence - but it isn't expanded upon. I don't recommend ever reading this from cover to cover, really, since that approach isn't really rewarded. So TEA sits firmly below JvS as far as Third Gen Essential Guides go for me.
Also, my favorite era - the New Jedi Order - is rather poorly represented IMO; the historical account hilariously omits the name of its most important player (Jacen Solo) in a rather sad indication of its publishing era (i. e. when the fiction was doing its best to randomly destroy everything to do with Jacen's story), and there's comparatively little new or interesting information to parse from it (many planet bios end with "oh and then this main story even happened"). Though at least we get some new and exciting portraits.
Fanboy whining aside, my initial statement still stands: TEA is a great compendium for anyone interested in going beyond the fiction into the nitty gritty of in-universe logic.
December 15, 2020
This book presents an exhaustive look into all things geography and structure of the Star Wars universe. It would definitely be slightly advanced for younger readers but for older primary students who are big Star Wars fans like I was, I could not think of a better book to own. Key information and detailed drawings of the planets are at the top of each page, with the bottom half dedicated to more detailed explanations of the locations, from political development to etymology. This split of structure in the pages makes it much more accessible for a child who wants to just learn a few facts about their favourite locations in the Star Wars universe, and detailed, clear indexes make finding your way around this expansive book very easy. After information on the planets, a large chunk of the book delves into the evolution of the Star Wars story and mythos through centuries. This section is much more detailed but is broken up with many pictures and bullet points/ facts to keep reading interesting.
I think the detail of this book is both a strength and potential weakness. Obviously now this book is a dream to read as an adult Star Wars fan, and whilst I think I would have been capable of reading this in the later years of primary, this book is inevitably going to interest children and it might just be too much for some students. Regardless I think it still has appeal for all abilities, as just the pictures and key facts are enough to excite any young Star Wars fan.
I think the detail of this book is both a strength and potential weakness. Obviously now this book is a dream to read as an adult Star Wars fan, and whilst I think I would have been capable of reading this in the later years of primary, this book is inevitably going to interest children and it might just be too much for some students. Regardless I think it still has appeal for all abilities, as just the pictures and key facts are enough to excite any young Star Wars fan.
September 16, 2023
Though I have not read much of the Yuuzhan Vong War and Legacy era novels and comics, this guide seems pretty thorough even though it is a book (from 2009?) that was released before all of the Star Wars Legends expanded materials were finished.
I strongly hope that the LucasFilm Story Group under Disney makes this book into an eBook format (I ideally prefer iBooks in general, but Barnes and Noble's Nook and Amazon's Kindle book formats are better for viewing pictures over simply reading text).
I strongly hope that the LucasFilm Story Group under Disney makes this book into an eBook format (I ideally prefer iBooks in general, but Barnes and Noble's Nook and Amazon's Kindle book formats are better for viewing pictures over simply reading text).
November 14, 2023
I loved this book when I was a kid, when I was obsessed with Star Wars and before the sequel trilogy came out. I didn’t read the politics section much and the chronology confused me, but that didn’t matter. I loved reading about all the planets and the geography of the Star Wars galaxy. I especially loved everything in this book that isn’t explained in the movies. It contains amazing Expanded Universe stuff that isn’t canon anymore. I miss the old Star Wars expanded universe. It’s much better than the sequel trilogy.
November 30, 2020
Love embracing the technical aspect of my own geekery! For any Star Wars fan who enjoys a deep dive into the classic Expanded Universe, you can't go wrong picking up this bizarrely fascinating exploration of the galaxy, its planets, and its peoples.
My only gripe is that I wish some things were expounded on more.
My only gripe is that I wish some things were expounded on more.
April 9, 2017
This book is very helpful for getting oriented in Star Wars Universe. The essential for the fanfic writers.
February 22, 2020
For an atlas there was certainly an annoying amount of reading.
October 11, 2020
This is just an incredible book for fans of Star Wars.
March 4, 2021
A one of a kind
February 2, 2012
This book was okay. The information about the relevant planets in the galaxy as well as the combined history was really interesting. The maps are useful if you are a mega-star wars fan since it helps place events in perspective. I also thought the character artwork was spectacular (I wish the comics had this artist).
On a negative side, the political history of the galaxy at the beginning was repetitive with several events being detailed and referenced 5 or 6 times. Also, the minor coverage of lesser known planets in larger systems became a bit boring and unbearable. Finally, I wonder if the writers have studied astronomy at all. I don't know a lot about astronomy but would think that a planets diameter would have some bearing on the planets length of day. I would suspect that a larger planet would have to be rotating at a greater speed in order to have the same number of hours in a day as a smaller planet. Presumably this greater speed would also result in a stronger gravitational pull. Otherwise, if travelling at the same rate, the larger planet should have a longer day. This does not appear to be the case for different planets in the Star Wars galaxy as size has no bearing on length of standard day.
Overall, a good book if a bit boring in some sections. A must for hard core star wars fans.
On a negative side, the political history of the galaxy at the beginning was repetitive with several events being detailed and referenced 5 or 6 times. Also, the minor coverage of lesser known planets in larger systems became a bit boring and unbearable. Finally, I wonder if the writers have studied astronomy at all. I don't know a lot about astronomy but would think that a planets diameter would have some bearing on the planets length of day. I would suspect that a larger planet would have to be rotating at a greater speed in order to have the same number of hours in a day as a smaller planet. Presumably this greater speed would also result in a stronger gravitational pull. Otherwise, if travelling at the same rate, the larger planet should have a longer day. This does not appear to be the case for different planets in the Star Wars galaxy as size has no bearing on length of standard day.
Overall, a good book if a bit boring in some sections. A must for hard core star wars fans.
October 7, 2009
A fun source book for any Star Wars geek. The maps are amazing. The authors really took the time to pull together all current source material and attempt to put it together in a cohesive volume. If you ever wondered just what the "Kessel Run" looked like or the route the Death Star took as it was heading out to destroy Alderann. How about the exact route and planets the Yuzan Vong used as they infiltrated the galexy. Ahhh, just fun stuff for the nerd in your life. Enjoy!
August 2, 2011
Endlich gibt es eine umfassende Kartensammlung aus den wichtigsten Epochen der Star Wars Geschichte, von der Prä-Republikanischen Zeit, bis zur neuen Sith-Imperialen Herrschaft unter Darth Krayt 130 Jahre nach der Schlacht von Yavin.
Neben vielen Beschreibungen und Details wichtiger Sektoren wird das Buch durch Geschichten zu den Regionen vom Inneren Kern bis zum Outer Rim ergänzt.
Neben vielen Beschreibungen und Details wichtiger Sektoren wird das Buch durch Geschichten zu den Regionen vom Inneren Kern bis zum Outer Rim ergänzt.
July 5, 2013
Any and every planet that you know in the Star Wars universe and quite a few that will be new to you.
The illustrations are absolutely beautiful.
The side notes about each planet will interest new and die-hard fans alike.
A personal favorite of mine were the star maps showing the journeys our heros take in the movies.
The illustrations are absolutely beautiful.
The side notes about each planet will interest new and die-hard fans alike.
A personal favorite of mine were the star maps showing the journeys our heros take in the movies.
April 17, 2011
Never mind the future-tech aspect...this is a gorgeous coffee table book for geeks, turning that far far away galaxy of the Star Wars universe into a fascinating, mysterious, mystical place. Extremely sumptuous.
June 4, 2016
A must read guide for all Star Wars fans. Note:follows old timeline that is no longer official Star Wars cannon. Disney has officially destroyed the original extended universe created under creator George Lucas.
December 17, 2019
An atlas of Star Wars? Oh, oh my. My guilty pleasure has reached its pinnacle. There is a blip with a name for pretty much every planet that was ever mentioned in the Star Wars movies and expanded universe up until the publication of this fun thing. Also there's some fake history.
February 6, 2011
The ultimate nerd-book of all time. I was suprised by the detail that the authors put into describing the Star Wars universe!
February 16, 2011
AWESOMENESS!!!! It was really cool!! I still read/look at it all the time!! ;D
February 9, 2012
a collection of facts and information on the series
August 9, 2012
An excellent sourcebook. I love that there are updates being made. If only there was an easy way to update the book itself as updates are written.
June 11, 2013
I love this book. i use it when im playing star wars roleplaying games. Im just starting to read it all from the start now but i have been using it for a few years.
November 20, 2015
Absolutely amazing book. The detail is unlike anything I've read of it's kind. No way to be dissapointed here.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews