Book Description
The Star Wars universe is expanding faster than ever before, and Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Characters has received an exciting new face-lift–with completely updated text and more than a hundred brand new, full-color illustrations by extraordinary new artist Michael Sutfin.
This all-new Essential Guide features detailed profiles of more than one hundred and thirty characters from across the Star Wars galaxy, including all of your favorites–such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, and Mara Jade–as well as, from Episode II:
• Jango Fett • Count Dooku • Anakin Skywalker • Zam Wesell
And the key players from Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace:
• Queen Amidala • Qui-Gon Jinn • Mace Windu • Darth Maul
Here is complete, updated coverage of the novels from the incredible New Jedi Order and all of the classic movies, books, comics, TV specials, games, and the rest of the Star Wars universe.
This must-have book describes the essential history and personal data for each character–with vital statistics, homeworlds, and political affiliations.
More characters, more information, brilliant artwork–the Essential Guides are hotter than ever!
Customer Reviews:
Not comprehensive enough.......2007-01-26
The most obvious flaw of this book is that it doesn't include Revenge of the Sith material. So critical things like Anakin's fall to the Dark Side, Padme and Count Dooku's deaths, General Greivous entirely, are all casually left out.
The more annoying flaw though, is the lack of coverage. A good amount of characters are covered, but too many are just left out entirely. Nearly all the members of Rogue Squadron simply aren't mentioned, just as one example. It's hard to expect them to fit in every character ever, but there are far too many missing for this resource to be able to be considered comprehensive.
Their main mistake was restricting themselves by format. Every character received at least one whole page of information, plus a full, detailed, color illustration. At the end, a few dozen other characters got a short blurb, and some got a facial portrait. They should have gone for a more encyclopedic approach, allotting as much space as was necessary for each character, and not restricting themselves to a page by page format. Then they could have included a lot more people and amde the book a lot more satisfying.
This book does very nicely in what it has done, I'll certainly give it that.
But as it stands, a few years after it's release, it is in need of a serious update and a total revamp of included characters.
A Great Book To Have!.......2006-01-16
I really like this book. Seldom do you get the opportunity to read about Star Wars characters, all compiled into a single volume. Every page in this book is fun to read. Character illustrations are pretty good and the descriptions on each characters are quite detailed and well-constructed.
However, there are some typo errors in the book and I was left wondering why did the publisher (Del Rey) decide to revise this book before Episode 3 was released. Some of the key characters missing from this book include General Grevious and many other important figures in Episode 3. In my opinion, this book should have been revised after Episode 3.
Nevertheless, its still a great book to read. I recommend it book to both fans of Star Wars and RPG gamers. A job well done to the author of this book - Mr. Daniel Wallace.
The New Essential Guide to Characters (Star Wars).......2005-08-18
The book has a lot of good information and is up to date.
Star Wars fan? If so, this book is a must-own!.......2005-07-31
Star Wars: The New Essential Guide To Characters (2002.)
INTRODUCTION:
Star Wars is the ultimate science fiction series. It's not likely that when George Lucas released the classic first film in 1977 just how big the franchise would go onto be. In addition to two trilogies of films, the Lucas series spawned video games, comic books, novels, and an assortment of other Expanded Universe material. With all these different sources of Star Wars, it was high time that guides to everyone's favorite galaxy far, far away were released. And in the mid-late nineties, that happened. Guides were released for characters, vehicles, weapons/technology, alien species, droids, planets, and characters However, many of the guides were outdated with the arrival of the prequel films. And thus, several got a much needed revamp. The character guide was amongst them. Read on for my review of The NEW Essential Guide To Characters.
OVERVIEW:
This book is exactly what it says it is - a guide to the many characters of the Star Wars galaxy. For pretty much every character, whether he or her is from a movie, novel, comic, or video game, you get a standard profile of info like height, species, and birth planet, as well as a biography of the character. You also get a full color illustration - and since many of these characters come from novels, this is the first time official art of them has ever been published. From the better known players in the Star Wars universe like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo right down to considerably lesser-known characters like Exar Kun and Vergere, this book explores characters from every corner of the Star Wars galaxy.
REVIEW:
I really can't begin to say how satisfied I am with the book. I was satisfied with the older version of it, but this newer version kills the old one dead. With color illustrations and ultra-detailed info on every character that goes well beyond what you'd expect, this book is the definitive character guide. I only have two complaints. First and foremost, the book does NOT cover Episode III. This is because this version of the book was released prior to Episode III, and therefore, General Grievous does not appear in this guide. Likewise, characters who first appeared in Episodes I and II (and didn't appear outside the prequel trilogy) only have their history listed up to the end of Episode II. This means that the deaths of Count Dooku and Nute Gunray get no explanation in this book. The other flaw about the book I want to bring up is the omission of some characters. Most of the character get a page or two devoted to them, but the more minor characters just have a brief paragraph in the back of the book. And some characters, mysteriously enough, don't get ANY representation in this book outside of other characters' summaries. Among the characters who fail to get a summary are Guri, Xizor's humanoid replica droid from Shadows Of The Empire, practically all characters featured in The Truce At Bakura, as well as a good deal of the pilots introduced in the X-Wing series. Still, their being forgotten is a minor flaw next to everything this book does well. Accordingly, I recommend it to any fan of the Star Wars universe.
EDITION NOTES:
A few different editions of this book have been released over the years. Needless to say, the latest edition, which features numerous updates and new characters, is the superior version. If you're gonna buy it, be sure to get the latest version!
OVERALL:
In the end, this book satisfies me. No Star Wars fan, no matter how big or small, should be without this book. If you're eager to learn more about a certain character, or maybe you just want to know a thing or two about someone from the Star Wars universe, this is the book for you. I strongly recommend it to any fan.
Needs to be updated and expanded.......2005-06-10
I don't own this book, I just read through it at a local bookstore. I didn't buy it because there was just too much missing. Some major characters from the films and EU are omitted or receive only short (one paragraph) descriptions, while other minor characters get full 1-2 page entries.
For example, mad clone Joruus C'Baoth gets one paragraph (nothing on the original Jorus), whereas Boss Nass and Sebulba from Ep I have full entries. Most of the Jedi Council from Eps I and II get one paragraph each in a collective entry, with a few omitted completely. The podrace competitors get about the same coverage as the Jedi Council, if not more. And a personal quibble, I would have liked to have seen an entry on Captain Tarpals. He's at least as important as Sebulba.
Surely this will be revised to accommodate Ep III and Tartakovsky Clone Wars updates. Hopefully it will also include many expansions on older characters as well.
Product Description
This hardcover collects the three books, Characters, Weapons & Technology, and Vehicles & Vessels, into one easy to use reference on the Star Wars universe.
Book Description
An acclaimed authority shows Christians how to discover and apply their unique passion, spiritual gifts, and relational style within the church. Expanded Edition.
Book Description
Learn how spiritual gifts affect thinking, actions, and relationships and how to best use those gifts in ministry. Workbook format.
Customer Reviews:
Thanks for the Discovery.......2007-01-23
Thanks so much to the Fortunes for writing such a helpful book - so clear and full of useful information. After reading and re-discovering my Gift, I am in awe of how easy it is to see His Gifts in others. Thank You!!!
Theologically accurate; Practically insightful; Fantastic for teaching; but Excessive in application.......2005-10-12
The best resource I've found for spiritual gift study so far.
The theological foundation is very sound, making good sense of the main passages on spiritual gifts in a way very few others do. Gifts are broken into 1) Manifestation (sign gifts - 1 Cor 12-14; Acts 2) 2) Ministry (equipping gifts - Eph 4) & 3) Motivational (every-Christian-gifts - Rom 12).
Written in a style anyone can use.
Inventories are great and surprisingly accurate for the limited number of questions used.
Warnings regarding misuse of spiritual gift impulses are very helpful (e.g. a "teaching" gift can incline a person to feel they are always right).
Application into the arena of employment is a bit excessive and beyond the scope of biblical applications for spiritual gifts. Better to do a Myers-Briggs or some other personality profile for that endeavor.
My choice for spiritual gifts work with churches.......2005-05-29
As a church consultant, I am often asked to recommend spiritual gift surveys and resources for churches. In fact, we routinely ask staff members to fill out gift surveys as part of the consulting process. This book--and the corresponding survey available separately--are the tools I have chosen to use in my work.
I realize, of course, that there is no such thing as a perfect spiritual gifts survey. Since Scripture does not give precise definitions to many of the gifts, and there is much disagreement about the nature of specific gifts, the best any gift survey can do is measure whether a person has abilities corresponding to the author's understanding of a particular gift.
The reason I have chosen this survey is because it distinguishes between what the authors call the manifestation gifts (1 Cor. 12), the ministry gifts (Eph. 4), and the motivational gifts (Romans 12). The Fortune's survey measures only the motivational gifts. (I feel the title of "ministry" gifts for the Ephesians 4 gifts is unfortunate since that passage says that those 5 gifts are given to equip all believers for ministry. I prefer to call them "equipping gifts.")
I have found using this survey to be very helpful in our consulting work, especially in assessing church staff needs. The idea is that each of us is motivated to minister mostly through one or more of these seven gifts, and which of these motivates us largely determines how we respond to a given need.
I find it interesting that when Pentecostal/charismatic churches take the Natural Church Development survey (a widely used survey to assess church health), the most common Minimum Factor (low score area) is gift-oriented ministry. However, having consulting with charismatic churches, that result did not surprise me. Why? Because the primary gift emphasis in those churches is on the manifestation gifts (1 Cor. 12), and few of the people in those churches were aware of motivational gifts or drew on that awareness to discern what shape their ministry should take. I say this not to discount the manifestation gifts, but to point out that for the purpose of determining ongoing ministry roles, the motivational gifts are far more useful. That is why I believe as a practical matter, a survey that measures the seven motivational gifts is most helpful.
Like any other authors of spiritual gift surveys, the Fortunes make assumptions in defining these gifts. While their assumptions seem to me to be reasonable, they still remain their opinions, not the teaching of Scripture, and so their gift definitions (just as anyone else's) need to be held lightly. When this tool is approached as giving us useful language for talking about and identifying motivational gifts, and not as "the right way" to talk about them, I have found it to be valuable.
Built on a flawed foundation.......2004-04-20
I applaud the Fortunes for doing a great job of encouraging people to discover and develop their spiritual gifts. Many of their tidbits and applications are very helpful and motivating. However, I have a problem with some of their foundational assumptions.
First, the idea that the "motivational" gifts of Romans 12 are of a different nature than the "manifestational" gifts of 1 Corinthians 12 is, in my opinion, not defensible. While Paul uses a variety of terms, the key word "charisma" is present in both passages. Also, the Fortune theory requires that the gift of "prophecy" in 1 Cor 12 be given a different definition than the gift of "prophecy" in Rom 12 even though the word is the same in both passages and there is no compelling contextual reason for two different definitions. Is it my personal suspicion, based on my study, that at the root of the "motivational vs manifestational" dichotomy is (in part) the desire to avoid dealing with the more "phenominal" gifts of 1 Cor 12 (tongues, miracles, etc.). Please note that I do not adhere to charismatic or pentecostal theology. However, I also don't find any Biblical warrent to exclude the 1 Cor 12 gifts from today's church.
Second, the practical result of this dichotomy is that the Fortunes must find a way for every believer to have not only a spiriutal gift, but specifically a Rom 12 gift ... significantly narrowing the field of variety of gifts.
Third, the Fortunes don't seem to distinguish clearly enough between spiritual gifts - gifts given by the Holy Spirit when He enters your life; and given specifically for the building up of the Church - and natural talents (God-given abilities that can be used in all facets of life). Yes, spiritual gifts and natural talents will often correspond closely, since ultimately they both come from our Creator God. However, the clear Biblical purpose of spiritual gifts is not to find a job you like, but to advance God's Kingdom. I admit that not all "God's work" happens within the walls and programs of the organized church, but to link spiritual gifts to finding a job is, in my opinion, weak theology.
There are some good nuggets in the Fortunes' book. Unfortunately, the flawed foundation points the reader in a less-than-ideal direction. A better basic perspective on spiritual gifts is C. Peter Wagner's little book "Discover Your Spiritual Gifts".
Every one needs to read this book-- pick it up now!.......2000-09-21
Don & Katie Fortune's book, "Discovering Your God-Given Gifts" is a tremendous asset in the library of every spiritual seeker, server and leader.
There are a lot of "gift" books out there and as a teacher, I probably have all of them in our library. This one is great because it presents a clear case for how different lists of gifts serve their unique purpose in corporate worship and life. It is easy to understand and share with others-- you'll want to go through it together in your Bible study group.
All of us wonder from time to time where we fit in when it comes to ministry gifts and service. The Fortunes have hit it on the head when it comes to helping us identify our motivational gifts.
This book is especially useful for ministry teams, small groups and any setting where a variety of people have to relate or serve together. The very first benefit of reading it, is the insight you'll gain to seeing how each of us in our gifts are needed to work together in balance.
Of course, the thing you will love about this are the surveys included that help you determine your primary and secondary motivational gifting. I also recommend that you order directly from the Fortunes several of the supplemental tests that can be used with children, secular audiences etc.
You'll love it. I give it my highest recommendation.
Book Description
Every believer receives a gifting from the Holy Spirit at the time of the new birth. But God also equips each believer throughout his or her life to use that gift in different ways for the purpose of building up the Body of Christ. Peter Wagner's small but powerful book provides clear teaching on what the gifts are, the difference between natural and spiritual gifts and how to find and use your spiritual gifts within the Body. The result is that you can become all God desires you to be when you find out how He designed the Body of Christ, how you fit in that Body and how you can use your gifts to bless others. The Church isn't whole unless you exercise your spiritual gifts within its midst!
Customer Reviews:
Great Insight.......2007-03-21
I've found this book very helpful in determining my "gifts" as well as my seven year old son's "gifts." It describes him to a tee! It has been a wonderful tool especially in the area of schooling; it gives good insight into strengths and weaknesses, areas of interest, and why children may do certain things that don't always make sense to us as parents. It certainly gives me more patience when teaching my son as a homeschooler.
Gain understanding of your children.......2000-10-13
I found this book a practical and easy to use help in discovering my children's natural giftings and personality traits. It helps explain why their personality "quirks" are really evidences of their own God-given gifts. It helped me better understand them and accept them. I feel I can help guide them better as I understand them better. I can Cooperate with God in helping them live up to their potential, rather than my expectations.
get to know your children better.......2000-01-13
This book is a great resource for parents. I intend to give copies as baby gifts to new parents, it's just that helpful. With it you will begin to understand your child's strengths, their weaknesses, those "little things they do" that exasperate you. Sometimes, I've learned from this book, that annoying habit is a key to their bent, their greatest strength. It will help you direct their interests, know how to discipline them better, understand their friendships, and communicate with them better.
Great book for parent to learn about who their children are!.......1999-02-13
Better than their first effort, and easier to understand, this book explains some of the reason children behave the way they do and how to "train them up in the way *they* should go". Two little quibbles--spanking is not an effective method of *discipline* (discipline's root is disciple--you *don't* hit your students--at least I hope not) and their insistence on putting homosexuality and masturbation on a list of sexual sins. But those are things that can be ignored, and the rest of the book is very well done.
Book Description
An interactive workbook to help women realize their gifts and use them effectively.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome!.......2007-09-21
This is great for personal development or for a group study. It really brings to new light what, why, and how to use the gifts that God has blessed us with.
Book Description
This is a small booklet containing five assessments in the areas of traits, observation, experience, conviction, and ministry fit to help people understand their spiritual giftedness.
Product Description
When you become a follower of Christ, you receive gifts from the Holy Spirit. But how can you know for certain what your gifts are? Once you do know, how should you use your gifts to best serve Go? Discover Your Spiritual Gifts gives you life changing answers to these questions and more. You'll be involved in and enlightened by Peter Wagner's updated and expanded self-guided spiritual gifts inventory questionaire and the explanations of the 28 gifts he has identified. You'll also understand the difference between your natural and spiritual gifts. Most important, Discover Your Spiritual Gifts will start you on the journey to use your gifts within the Body of Christ to become the person God wants you to be! -- from book's back cover
Average customer rating:
|
Discover Your Spiritual Gift and Use It
Rick Yohn
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Inspirational
| Spirituality
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0842306269 |
Books:
- The Road to Dune
- The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the K G B
- The theory of spherical and ellipsoidal harmonics,
- The Umbrella Conspiracy (Resident Evil #1)
- The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
- The Years of Rice and Salt
- Things Not Seen
- Time Enough for Love
- Transmetropolitan Vol. 4: The New Scum
- Transmetropolitan Vol. 8: Dirge
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Rommel Papers
- Out of their Minds: The Lives and Discoveries of 15 Great Computer Scientists
- Jephte's Daughter
- Introducing Issues with Opposing Viewpoints - Animal Rights
- Infectious Diseases of Wild Mammals
- Our World Today, People Places, and Issues, Student Edition
- Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible
- Rogue River Journal: A Winter Alone
- History of Friedrich II of Prussia, Volume 16-18
- Justice and Humanity: Edward F. Dunne, Illinois Progressive
The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels (Star Wars)
The New Essential Chronology to Star Wars
The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology, Revised Edition (Star Wars)
The New Essential Guide to Alien Species (Star Wars)
The New Essential Guide to Droids (Star Wars)
