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December 26, 2007
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 If you?re lucky, you found your very own copy of the new hardcover The Star Wars Vault under your Christmas tree. If not, you should stop what you?re doing and head down to your local bookstore to pick one up. The magnificently designed 128-page tome, authored by uber-collector Stephen Sansweet and Peter Vilmur, is a must-have for serious saga fans and is well worth the hefty price tag. Speaking of heft, the volume itself weighs nearly five pounds, and you know you?re in for a serious treat the first time you lift the sucker and crack open the pristine packaging.
This deluxe coffee table volume comes in a high-quality hard shell sleeve that features Darth Vader and Yoda striking memorable poses, as well as a nifty 30th anniversary logo embossed on the front cover. As good as the packaging looks, however, it?s the contents that elevate this gem above the legion of similar Star Wars volumes published over the last decade.
 Included among the treasure trove of rare images and artifacts are removable reproductions of memorabilia, including Joe Johnston?s directions to the effects crew, George Lucas? hand-written treatment for The Empire Strikes Back, screening passes and invites to the 1977 premiere, and a smorgasbord of marketing material and foreign merchandise that will surprise and delight fans of all ages. The Star Wars Vault also contains two audio CDs featuring cast interviews, commentary by George Lucas, and vintage radio ads (the majority of which are unintentionally hilarious).
In addition to the audiovisual treats, the authors? tight, pitch-perfect prose informs rather than simply accentuating the images, and the end result is a very enjoyable journey through what is, in effect, the coolest Star Wars museum ever.
Whether you?re an avid collector, or just a fan of the films and the Expanded Universe, The Star Wars Vault is a must-have addition to your library. The sheer volume of rare material and gee-whiz geekery on display will keep you entertained for many hours, and remind you how deep the Star Wars rabbit hole goes.
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