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The Military Science of Star Wars
Thefirst ever in-depth analysis of the tactics and equipment used by the heroesand villains of the Star Wars universe has arrived! Spanning all of the films, this comprehensive book goes into detail about the various guerrilla tactics ofthe Rebel Alliance and the awe-inspiring might of the Grand Army of the Republic and Darth Vader's Empire.
Including detailed examples from Earth's military history, bestselling author GeorgeBeahm illustrates how a merciless empire managed to subdue a galaxy with theapplication of overwhelming force and technology, and how a ragtag group of rebels could cobble together enough of a punch to topple a seemingly-unbeatable enemy.
Including detailed examples from Earth's military history, bestselling author GeorgeBeahm illustrates how a merciless empire managed to subdue a galaxy with theapplication of overwhelming force and technology, and how a ragtag group of rebels could cobble together enough of a punch to topple a seemingly-unbeatable enemy.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2018
22 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
George Beahm
76 books54 followersGeorge Beahm writes books about censorship, sports figures, and numerous literary figures, including Patricia Cornwell, J.K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Philip Pullman, and others.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 21, 2018
[I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.]
This IS thedroid book I've been looking for! If that very exacting title doesn't grab ya, this is probably not for you, because the military science of Star Wars is exactly what The Military Science of Star Wars is all about. Surprised?
Because of my all-abiding childhood love of Star Wars, I was hoping for a book that took the movie franchise seriously and that's what I got. Military veteran George Beahm provides a nice overview of various aspects of the movies - leadership, weaponry, tactics - and analyses each regarding effectiveness. When he praised Princess Leia and trashed Jar Jar, I knew I was in good hands.
This book is only meant to be a primer for the layman, so it doesn't go into fine-tooth-comb levels of depth. There were times when I wished Beahm lingered longer on blasters and ship capabilities, but being an all-encompassing encyclopedia was not the intention and so I had to reel in my hopes and dreams a bit now and then. Plus, I can always find a more in depth book on any specific topic of interest, which will be easy to find, because this book is rounded out with a lengthy bibliography and interesting appendixes. I almost enjoyed them as much as the rest of the book. That's a first!
Oh, one last important thing. This guy really does not like Top Gun. He makes fun of its inaccuracies at every turn. Another reason to love this book!
This IS the
Because of my all-abiding childhood love of Star Wars, I was hoping for a book that took the movie franchise seriously and that's what I got. Military veteran George Beahm provides a nice overview of various aspects of the movies - leadership, weaponry, tactics - and analyses each regarding effectiveness. When he praised Princess Leia and trashed Jar Jar, I knew I was in good hands.
This book is only meant to be a primer for the layman, so it doesn't go into fine-tooth-comb levels of depth. There were times when I wished Beahm lingered longer on blasters and ship capabilities, but being an all-encompassing encyclopedia was not the intention and so I had to reel in my hopes and dreams a bit now and then. Plus, I can always find a more in depth book on any specific topic of interest, which will be easy to find, because this book is rounded out with a lengthy bibliography and interesting appendixes. I almost enjoyed them as much as the rest of the book. That's a first!
Oh, one last important thing. This guy really does not like Top Gun. He makes fun of its inaccuracies at every turn. Another reason to love this book!
May 2, 2020
Should have been a fun and or interesting read but full of errors; Alexander the Great did not fight Darius in 1100 BC? Death Stars were not in The Empire Strikes Back (an error he repeats throughout the book and he mixes up Star Wars I & II often.
Clearly doesn’t know the subject he is writing about. Very disappointing
Clearly doesn’t know the subject he is writing about. Very disappointing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2018
I would probably give this more of a 3.5 stars, but maybe not enough to rate a full 4 stars. This work takes a look at Star Wars, but from a military analysis, looking at the weapons, tactics, and strategy that all sides employ in the first seven Star Wars movies + Rogue One. It is an interesting perspective on how to look at the battles. The author leverages his extensive military experience to offer a professional insight into what might work, and what would not work, in modern combat. More than likely, there have a few beer-aided discussions at various military schools that would do the in-depth military analysis of Star Wars, and this book provides that...sans the beer. I would be very interested to know how Beahm might rate such figures like Grand Admiral Thrawn from the Star Wars novels. At times, this does become more military textbook, but still, for a Star Wars fan and/or military historian, this is worth at least one read/listen.
May 19, 2020
This unofficial and unauthorized Star Wars book, while interesting in concept, was definitely not written by an author who is not a strong Star Wars fan. After his mistakenly referring to the movies wrongly, and confusing star destroyers with death stars, the author lost a lot of credibility.
I finished it, but it got a little difficult doing so in the end.
I finished it, but it got a little difficult doing so in the end.
March 7, 2019
As expected, nothing in this book was especially insightful, but it was a decent primer to military doctrine using Star Wars battles as examples. However, for someone who is a self-professed Star Wars fan and who appears to have completed relatively extensive research, he makes multiple errors when referencing the films (i.e. referring to the Gungan battle vs. the Empire in Episode II - none of which is right, or stating that after Attack of the Clones, Star Wars fans had to wait 13 years for The Force Awakens to come out). Those are errors that a decent editor should have caught easily, and really eroded the credibility of the author.
June 24, 2018
I enjoyed the audiobook, but several times there were errors referencing the films, usually which film a battle was in, or factions involved. Either the script or the audio needed a better editor.
May 13, 2025
This is one of the most entertainingly awful things I've ever read. This book desperately needed an editor who'd actually watched any of the Star Wars movies instead of just skimming the Wikipedia articles. There are several blatant errors that make it painfully obvious that the author is only partially familiar with the subject matter.
The author's analysis of the Battle of Naboo is a microcosm of most of what's wrong with this book. To begin with, he says that the battle happens in Episode II: Attack of the Clones (instead of Episode I: Phantom Menace). He also lists the two combatants as the Gungan Grand Army and the Empire... thirteen years before the Empire existed. He also criticizes the Federation's failure to use artillery and air support, as well as not sending the droids to walk through the energy shield as move number one. OK... the battle does in fact begin with droid tanks bombarding the energy shield from a distance BEFORE sending in the more vulnerable droid soldiers (they may be expendable, but why risk them in battle until you know the artillery isn't going to do it), and the air support is in orbit defending the droid control ship. Also, they clearly didn't need air support to win the battle.
The analysis was also limited to the part of the battle where the droid army engages the Gungans. There is no mention of the attempt to capture Viceroy Gunray in the throne room or the space battle with the droid control ship. Any valid criticisms of the droid army and the Gungans feel invalid because he clearly missed the point about this part of the battle being a diversion. The Gungans don't need to defeat the droids, they just need to lure them away from the city so they can't defend the Viceroy. And that's not even expert analysis of my own, it's literally what they say during the mission briefing before the battle begins. What makes this particularly galling is that a later chapter has a section explaining the M-ETT formula. That's Mission, Enemy, Terrain, and Time. Literally the first part of that formula, and he seems to be completely oblivious to it. Of course, he also misidentified the Enemy, so I guess we should consider ourselves lucky he didn't also screw up on Terrain and Time.
Other blatant errors include forgetting that Episode III: Revenge of the Sith existed when he said that no new Star Wars movies came out in the 13 years between Episode II and Episode VII, placed the Death Star at the Battle of Hoth, and claimed that Alexander the Great fought against the Persian Empire in the 12th Century BC... a full 800 years before he was even born.
In theory, this was a good idea for a book: studying the in-universe military science. In practice, it was mostly using Star Wars as a launching point to talk about real-life US military doctrine, and consequently providing heavily flawed analyses of some classic Star Wars battles.
The author's analysis of the Battle of Naboo is a microcosm of most of what's wrong with this book. To begin with, he says that the battle happens in Episode II: Attack of the Clones (instead of Episode I: Phantom Menace). He also lists the two combatants as the Gungan Grand Army and the Empire... thirteen years before the Empire existed. He also criticizes the Federation's failure to use artillery and air support, as well as not sending the droids to walk through the energy shield as move number one. OK... the battle does in fact begin with droid tanks bombarding the energy shield from a distance BEFORE sending in the more vulnerable droid soldiers (they may be expendable, but why risk them in battle until you know the artillery isn't going to do it), and the air support is in orbit defending the droid control ship. Also, they clearly didn't need air support to win the battle.
The analysis was also limited to the part of the battle where the droid army engages the Gungans. There is no mention of the attempt to capture Viceroy Gunray in the throne room or the space battle with the droid control ship. Any valid criticisms of the droid army and the Gungans feel invalid because he clearly missed the point about this part of the battle being a diversion. The Gungans don't need to defeat the droids, they just need to lure them away from the city so they can't defend the Viceroy. And that's not even expert analysis of my own, it's literally what they say during the mission briefing before the battle begins. What makes this particularly galling is that a later chapter has a section explaining the M-ETT formula. That's Mission, Enemy, Terrain, and Time. Literally the first part of that formula, and he seems to be completely oblivious to it. Of course, he also misidentified the Enemy, so I guess we should consider ourselves lucky he didn't also screw up on Terrain and Time.
Other blatant errors include forgetting that Episode III: Revenge of the Sith existed when he said that no new Star Wars movies came out in the 13 years between Episode II and Episode VII, placed the Death Star at the Battle of Hoth, and claimed that Alexander the Great fought against the Persian Empire in the 12th Century BC... a full 800 years before he was even born.
In theory, this was a good idea for a book: studying the in-universe military science. In practice, it was mostly using Star Wars as a launching point to talk about real-life US military doctrine, and consequently providing heavily flawed analyses of some classic Star Wars battles.
April 27, 2018
There isn't much to be said regarding this book - it's an elaborate and well-done exploration into the military aspects of the Star Wars universe, as seen and interpreted by a seasoned and knowledgeable military man - who made a name for himself by writing non-fiction books specializing in business and popular culture.
The book covers various topics regarding the military, some more interesting and important than others, as well as fascinating info and insights into Star Wars. As such we have chapters dedicated to women in the military, why Jar Jar Binks should have never been "promoted", and why Ozzel failed as an Admiral... there's a lot of ground to cover when it comes to the military strategy in Star Wars and the author covered most of them. Of course, the military science is a broad subject that can take over a thousand pages, so it's unreasonable to expect everything to be in one book. But the author did a good job in converting the basics into a short and interesting read (320 pages) that anyone can understand. Anyone interested in this topic, that is.
With that being said, I don't see a lot of people enjoying this kind of literature. I do not enjoy it most of the time, either. It’s the kind of book that requires a specific mood to be read - when you need a break from the fictional novels and enjoy a chapter or two of something you’re passionate about. But it's a lot of info about a very specific topic and it does get tiring to read after a while. Not something to be read in one sitting.
And I definitely wouldn't recommend it for Star Wars fans who are not interested in the military science as they will get bored to death by it - this is purely informational, with the intent to educate SW fans on how military tactics work. And it's not for those interested in the military science but they don't like (or aren't interested in) Star Wars, as Star Wars is, obviously, the main focus of the book and the author further immerses readers in its history and mythology.
Luckily, I'm interested in the military science and have a tremendous amount of Star Wars knowledge so this book was spot-on for me. It filled in perfectly the space that other Star Wars authors left open because, well, most fans prefer action, dialogue and character development over paragraphs and paragraphs of why they did that, why this was a bad idea, this is what they should have done instead, etc. It's a great filler for people who want to read this kind of book.
The book covers various topics regarding the military, some more interesting and important than others, as well as fascinating info and insights into Star Wars. As such we have chapters dedicated to women in the military, why Jar Jar Binks should have never been "promoted", and why Ozzel failed as an Admiral... there's a lot of ground to cover when it comes to the military strategy in Star Wars and the author covered most of them. Of course, the military science is a broad subject that can take over a thousand pages, so it's unreasonable to expect everything to be in one book. But the author did a good job in converting the basics into a short and interesting read (320 pages) that anyone can understand. Anyone interested in this topic, that is.
With that being said, I don't see a lot of people enjoying this kind of literature. I do not enjoy it most of the time, either. It’s the kind of book that requires a specific mood to be read - when you need a break from the fictional novels and enjoy a chapter or two of something you’re passionate about. But it's a lot of info about a very specific topic and it does get tiring to read after a while. Not something to be read in one sitting.
And I definitely wouldn't recommend it for Star Wars fans who are not interested in the military science as they will get bored to death by it - this is purely informational, with the intent to educate SW fans on how military tactics work. And it's not for those interested in the military science but they don't like (or aren't interested in) Star Wars, as Star Wars is, obviously, the main focus of the book and the author further immerses readers in its history and mythology.
Luckily, I'm interested in the military science and have a tremendous amount of Star Wars knowledge so this book was spot-on for me. It filled in perfectly the space that other Star Wars authors left open because, well, most fans prefer action, dialogue and character development over paragraphs and paragraphs of why they did that, why this was a bad idea, this is what they should have done instead, etc. It's a great filler for people who want to read this kind of book.
April 22, 2023
This unauthorized Star Wars book, written by former US Army Major George Beahm, compares the military aspects of the Star Wars films (up through 2016's Rogue One) with real-world military strategies and tactics. In a series of short chapters, Beahm explores leadership styles, hardware, and even battle planning. It is clear that he has a military background, and his discussion of US Army training and tactics has a ring of authenticity.
Where Beahm fails is on his knowledge of Star Wars. Although he proclaims himself a fan of the movies, he often misplaces a battle or asset in the wrong film. For example, he mistakenly states that the ground battle at Naboo occurs in Attack of the Clones or that there is a Death Star in The Empire Strikes Back. As several other reviewers have noted, a good editor or fact-checker should have caught these items. This leads to the reader losing confidence in their self-proclaimed tour guide. "I have a bad feeling about this."
Beahm's writing is also replete with cliches and bad puns, many of which he repeats. I can't tell you how many times he uses a variation of the "These aren't the droids you're looking for" line, but it's more than a couple. Beahm is at his best when he sticks to descriptive, tactical material. His after-action analysis of the skirmish on Jedha, or his critique of the Imperial army's artillery are entertaining and allow one to stand back and compare what works in fiction vs. what works in reality. But when he tries to be a clever writer, doling out droll one-liners or using metaphor, he falls flat.
For a niche audience of military enthusiasts who are also Star Wars fans, this book might have some value. However, if you're a die-hard Star Wars fan, who is deeply immersed in the lore, you will find this frustrating. There's not enough attention to the details of the Star Wars universe, and although the book is easy to read, it doesn't offer much that you probably haven't heard before. I would recommend reading something on actual military history or tactics instead - maybe one of those Tom Clancy non-fiction books or something.
Where Beahm fails is on his knowledge of Star Wars. Although he proclaims himself a fan of the movies, he often misplaces a battle or asset in the wrong film. For example, he mistakenly states that the ground battle at Naboo occurs in Attack of the Clones or that there is a Death Star in The Empire Strikes Back. As several other reviewers have noted, a good editor or fact-checker should have caught these items. This leads to the reader losing confidence in their self-proclaimed tour guide. "I have a bad feeling about this."
Beahm's writing is also replete with cliches and bad puns, many of which he repeats. I can't tell you how many times he uses a variation of the "These aren't the droids you're looking for" line, but it's more than a couple. Beahm is at his best when he sticks to descriptive, tactical material. His after-action analysis of the skirmish on Jedha, or his critique of the Imperial army's artillery are entertaining and allow one to stand back and compare what works in fiction vs. what works in reality. But when he tries to be a clever writer, doling out droll one-liners or using metaphor, he falls flat.
For a niche audience of military enthusiasts who are also Star Wars fans, this book might have some value. However, if you're a die-hard Star Wars fan, who is deeply immersed in the lore, you will find this frustrating. There's not enough attention to the details of the Star Wars universe, and although the book is easy to read, it doesn't offer much that you probably haven't heard before. I would recommend reading something on actual military history or tactics instead - maybe one of those Tom Clancy non-fiction books or something.
May 31, 2022
Beahm clearly knows his real life military history, and enough about the original trilogy to write well about those movies (and Rogue One).
But beyond that, even a casual fan of Star Wars will understand just how little Beahm seems to know about Star Wars, and the military science behind any of it.
I'm not military, and I will credit Beahm with being very intelligent when it comes to military strategy, but there are a few things I cannot get past.
1. He repeatedly references a battle of Naboo in "Attack of the Clones" and the battle with the Gungans...this only happens in the "Phantom Menace"
2. He completely ignores Revenge of the Sith and the Clone Wars material. He quite literally mentions that there is a 15 year gap between Star Wars movies with Attack of the Clones and Force Awakens.
3. Generally, his knowledge about Star Wars lore, Canon or Legends, is poor and he clearly did minimal research on the world he was writing to supplement.
4. The Second Death Star was under construction, not built with a large spaceport. Likewise, the references to what movie this was in was repeatedly incorrect.
Over all, I am disappointed with this, as I had hoped it would be quite interesting to see the comparison of real life to Star Wars, but I was instead frustrated at the ignorance of Beahm throughout this book.
But beyond that, even a casual fan of Star Wars will understand just how little Beahm seems to know about Star Wars, and the military science behind any of it.
I'm not military, and I will credit Beahm with being very intelligent when it comes to military strategy, but there are a few things I cannot get past.
1. He repeatedly references a battle of Naboo in "Attack of the Clones" and the battle with the Gungans...this only happens in the "Phantom Menace"
2. He completely ignores Revenge of the Sith and the Clone Wars material. He quite literally mentions that there is a 15 year gap between Star Wars movies with Attack of the Clones and Force Awakens.
3. Generally, his knowledge about Star Wars lore, Canon or Legends, is poor and he clearly did minimal research on the world he was writing to supplement.
4. The Second Death Star was under construction, not built with a large spaceport. Likewise, the references to what movie this was in was repeatedly incorrect.
Over all, I am disappointed with this, as I had hoped it would be quite interesting to see the comparison of real life to Star Wars, but I was instead frustrated at the ignorance of Beahm throughout this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2024
I don't think this book is the best choice for die-hard fans and/or those of us who have served in the military. Beahm does mention in the beginning that this book is not written for people who understand the military, but it is instead for the lay-person who lacks that experience or knowledge. The topic itself is fascinating, however the execution could use some more polish.
Beahm tries to do an analysis is a few plot points from various movies in the Skywalker saga, however his writing comes across as a bit juvenile or "vet bro." The inclusion of so many personal anecdotes dilutes the analysis he is trying to provide. Chapters are meandering and seem to switch in topic with no apparent rhyme or reason. Beahm also appears to believe that what are family/children's films require more bloodshed and grittiness for "realism." I believe this is a mistake on his part in addition to his apparent confusion between "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones." Beahm would benefit from a better editor.
That said, there are some high points when Beahm does provide military analysis of battles or engagements. These chapters or paragraphs do give some food for thought. His analyses in these situations are tight, succinct and make sense for the situations at hand. As an artillery officer, his analysis on Imperial artillery is particularly passionate. The best chapter by far is the one in which Beahm describes basic battle analysis. If Beahm had stuck to such analyses for the whole book, it probably would have been better.
Beahm tries to do an analysis is a few plot points from various movies in the Skywalker saga, however his writing comes across as a bit juvenile or "vet bro." The inclusion of so many personal anecdotes dilutes the analysis he is trying to provide. Chapters are meandering and seem to switch in topic with no apparent rhyme or reason. Beahm also appears to believe that what are family/children's films require more bloodshed and grittiness for "realism." I believe this is a mistake on his part in addition to his apparent confusion between "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones." Beahm would benefit from a better editor.
That said, there are some high points when Beahm does provide military analysis of battles or engagements. These chapters or paragraphs do give some food for thought. His analyses in these situations are tight, succinct and make sense for the situations at hand. As an artillery officer, his analysis on Imperial artillery is particularly passionate. The best chapter by far is the one in which Beahm describes basic battle analysis. If Beahm had stuck to such analyses for the whole book, it probably would have been better.
September 25, 2019
Listened to this during a road trip and it might be the worst thing I’ve heard...ever. It sounded like this was a beer induced discussion among middle-aged friends on a Friday night. The book was frustrating, overly simplistic, and sometimes plain wrong. I felt like this was a random compilation of thoughts.
I applaud the author and honor his service, but many of his military examples were dated. I thought this might provide an analogy to use in teaching. I was wrong. If you want to get a look at how Star Wars and the US military intersect visit the Modern War Institute or The Strategy Bridge. There are a couple articles that get into it. Really was hoping for something more - saw Star Wars at the drive-in as a kid...
I applaud the author and honor his service, but many of his military examples were dated. I thought this might provide an analogy to use in teaching. I was wrong. If you want to get a look at how Star Wars and the US military intersect visit the Modern War Institute or The Strategy Bridge. There are a couple articles that get into it. Really was hoping for something more - saw Star Wars at the drive-in as a kid...
May 20, 2019
Awful. I had high hopes for this book and had hoped to see something resembling a military history of star wars. Instead, the book was nothing close. Do not waste your time with this book
March 31, 2020
The people who created most of the Star Wars movies weren't military tactical geniuses. Go figure.
December 10, 2021
Avoid. Not about Star Wars rather USA military and even on that topic it is superficial and misleading.
March 15, 2023
An interesting look at Star Wars.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews