Star Wars Episode 1: Incredible Cross-sections - Hardcover

Want to get a battle-droid's-eye view of the inside of an AAT battle tank? Care to see what Darth Maul's hiding in the trunk of his sinister-looking Sith Infiltrator? You're in luck: the crew that brought us the super-cool Star Wars Visual Dictionary and the Incredible Cross-Sections for the first movie trilogy is back. Boy wonder archaeologist-author David West Reynolds has put together another Incredible Cross-Sections guide, this time pulling apart the vehicles and vessels in Episode I: The Phantom Menace. DK has mastered the art of making Star Wars fans drool, and this latest guide is definitely state of the art, opening up everything from Naboo starfighters to Trade Federation transports.

As always, Reynolds approaches the Star Wars universe with the respect and love of a fan, putting each ship in context with his characteristic friendly but scientific style. The clean chromium lines and meticulous wiring of Queen Amidala's Royal Starship reflect the order and honor of Naboo royalty; the flowing, shell-like details on a tribubble bongo sub show off the Gungans' organic aesthetic. The best ships, of course, belong to the bad guys: you can check out the secret weapons and cloak field generator packed aboard Maul's Infiltrator (which, we learn, has an "experimental" ion engine that will later put the I-E in TIE fighters), and the Trade Federation's droid starfighter and control ship get a full giant fold-out. From the "bunker-buster" high explosive shells spit out by an AAT to the flame emitter weapon on Sebulba's podracer, this inside-out tour makes all the stops you want it to. --Paul Hughes

14 unbelievebly detailed cross-section artworks, including a magnificent gatefold cutaway of the heart of the Trade Federation Invasion Fleet, as well as encyclopedic text provide the ultimate reference resource for the craft of Star Wars Episode 1. Watch the fastest Podracers in the galaxy compete for their lives, the golden Naboo N-1 Starfighter in Battle-action, the Trade Federation Landing Ship disgorging its unstoppable cargo and the awesome weaponry of the secret army's armored fighting vehicles. Discover the lethel secrets of the stealthy Sith Infiltrator, how a Gungan survives in the treacherous core of Naboo, and the eerie internal workings of the droid starfighter. Then explore the graceful aesthetics of the Naboo Queen's Royal Starship and the hidden control centers of the Trade Federation invasion fleet!