The Force, in the immortal words of Obi-Wan Kenobi, "surrounds us, it penetrates us, it binds the galaxy together." The fortunate few who are able to tap into this extraordinary power have studied and cultivated the full spectrum of its potential-either embracing its virtuous qualities or succumbing to its evil temptations. The Jedi seek to bring peace and enlightenment to the galaxy, while the Sith hunger only for conquest and control.

This comprehensive one-of-a-kind overview chronicles the known history of the Force and its wielders down through the ages, from the founding tenets of Jedi and Sith teachings to the landmark events and legendary figures who have shaped the struggle between the light and dark sides. In first-hand accounts by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo, Darth Bane, Darth Vader, Count Dooku, Emperor Palpatine, and a host of other Jedi Masters, Sith Lords, scholars, and sages, Star Wars: Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force spans the breadth of available knowledge, including

- the first recorded discovery of the Force
- significant battles affected by the Force throughout galactic history
- the purpose, construction, and importance of Holocrons
- the evolution of the Jedi and Sith orders
- Force-sensitive abilities-including battle meditation, telekinesis, and "mind tricks"
- noteworthy Jedi and Sith lightsabers, and the seven forms of lightsaber combat
- a vivid portrait of the Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker
PLUS-More than one hundred brand new full-color illustrations!

No Star Wars library is complete without this definitive guide to understanding the Force. Remember: the Force will be with you . . . always!

Excerpt. � Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Jedi vs. Sith: Star Wars: The Essential Guide to the Force

By Ryder Windham

Random House Publishing Group

PART ONE
HISTORY AND HOLOCRONS
RECORDED 40 A.B.Y.
AUTHOR: TIONNE SOLUSAR

The Jedi Order was founded more than twenty-five thousand standard years ago, at the same time as the formation of the Galactic Republic. Although the origins of the early Jedi remain mysterious, ancient texts indicate that they not only shared abilities to manipulate the energy field we call the Force, but were also compelled to use their powers selflessly to help others. This practice became a key foundation of the Jedi Order.

However, as long as there have been Jedi, there have been those who have been tempted to use the Force for selfish and even nefarious purposes; Jedi drawn into the negative side of the Force known as the dark side became referred to as Dark Jedi. Approximately seven thousand years ago, a conflict between Jedi and Dark Jedi led to the latter fleeing to the far reaches of space. Shortly afterward, a few of these Dark Jedi—known as the Exiles—managed to return to Republic space in an attempt to destroy the Jedi. The effort failed, and the Jedi learned that the surviving Exiles had conquered the people of the Sith system and proclaimed themselves Sith Lords.

For nearly two thousand years, the location of the Sith system remained unknown to the Jedi, while the Sith Lords were unable to find their way back to Republic space. The Sith’s eventual return initiated what became known as the Great Hyperspace War. It was during a subsequent conflict—the Sith War, which occurred more than four thousand years ago—that the Sith triggered the explosion of ten suns, causing a shock wave that ravaged the original Jedi Temple and the Great Jedi Library on Ossus. Research has revealed that the Jedi rescued only a fraction of the materials from the Great Jedi Library, and that these items were brought to Exis Station before they were eventually transferred to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

Fortunately, all was not lost on Ossus, as the planet’s remote location, dry atmosphere, and native Ysanna—descendants of the Jedi who remained on Ossus after the cataclysmic disaster—helped preserve many ancient scrolls and books that remained in the ruins of the library. These texts, along with all known Jedi-related data that survived the Clone Wars, are now held at the new Jedi library on Ossus.

Contemporary Jedi also have two very unusual resources on the history of the Sith: The Lundi Series, recorded lectures of Professor Murk Lundi, who was by most accounts a better teacher than researcher; and the Wavlud Manuscript, which was recovered from the personal effects of Ingo Wavlud, a suspected Sith sympathizer from the world of Byss. Although The Lundi Series frequently fails to cite specific sources and some data appears to have been invented by Lundi to boost his academic reputation, the heavily annotated Wavlud Manuscript not only corroborates many of Lundi’s findings but also provides previously unknown information regarding the Darth title and the Sith Lord Darth Sidious.

THE HOLOCRONS

The most precious and significant sources of Jedi history are held in Jedi Holocrons. Both compact repositories of knowledge and interactive learning devices, Holocrons employ patterns of organic crystals and hologrammic technology to simulate conversation with long-dead Jedi “gatekeepers,” whose teachings infuse particular Holocrons. With few exceptions, Jedi Holocrons are cubes that can easily be held in one’s hand. Evidently, Holocrons are partially powered by the Force, as only Force-users can activate them; once activated, anyone—even non-Force-users—can communicate with the gatekeepers. However, not all data is readily accessible, because Holocrons are engineered to detect students’ abilities in order to hold back elements they are not prepared to know.

In addition to the exotic Holocrons, Jedi utilized standard data tapes for some educational aspects. Data tapes lack the archival qualities of books, scrolls, and Holocrons, but it is most fortunate that some have survived, as they’ve provided many details about the training of Jedi during the Old Republic era. Nearly all of the existing tapes were recovered from a single source: the wreck of the Chu’unthor, a mobile training academy for groups of Jedi apprentices, which crashed more than three centuries ago on Dathomir.

Records also indicate that the Jedi Archives on Coruscant once held a collection of Sith Holocrons, most of which were pyramidical and—because they housed information that was dangerous in the wrong hands—off limits to the majority of Jedi. Like Jedi Holocrons, Sith Holocrons implement restrictive mechanisms to detect whether a student is prepared to receive certain knowledge. The Sith’s hologrammic simulacra can exert only verbal influence, but allegedly attempted to corrupt otherwise innocent beings and draw “students” down the path to the dark side. The Jedi Order’s earliest known awareness of Sith Holocrons dates back to the end of the Great Hyperspace War, when one was recovered from an abandoned Sith ship by the Jedi Odan-Urr. Odan-Urr kept this Sith Holocron for nearly a millennium before it was stolen by the Jedi Exar Kun, who used it to learn many secrets of the Sith. It is also highly probable that at least one Jedi with the knowledge of Holocron construction was among the Exiles who proclaimed themselves the first Sith Lords.

Although the Jedi once regarded Sith Holocrons as tools and not evil entities, the devices are embodiments of temptation to those who hope to achieve power by way of arcane knowledge. During the Clone Wars, the former Jedi Count Dooku—at the time, one of only twenty Jedi Masters known to have renounced the Jedi Order—stole at least one Sith Holocron from the Archives on Coruscant and also acquired the Sith Holocron of Darth Andeddu. Like Exar Kun, Count Dooku became a Sith Lord; while it is conceivable that the respective experiences and personality traits of both individuals guided their paths to the dark side, the possession of Sith Holocrons certainly directed their courses as well. Records do not reveal the fate of the Sith Holocrons used by Exar Kun and Count Dooku.

Various databases and eyewitnesses testify that the Jedi Archives on Coruscant held scores of Jedi Holocrons. Unfortunately, the ancient technology of the Holocrons, as well as the majority of the devices themselves, may be lost to time. Because Holocrons have been such a significant resource in the creation of this record, descriptions of noteworthy Holocrons precede a detailed time line of events in Jedi and Sith history.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Jedi vs. Sith: Star Wars: The Essential Guide to the Force by Ryder Windham. Copyright � 2007 Ryder Windham. Excerpted by permission of Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

GreatBookPrices.com is your top source for finding new books at the absolute lowest prices, guaranteed ! We offer big discounts - everyday - on millions of titles in virtually any category, from Architecture to Zoology -- and everything in between. Discover great deals and super-savings, on professional books, text book titles, the newest computer guides, or your favorite fiction authors. You'll find it all - at HUGE SAVINGS - at GreatBookPrices. Browse through our complete online product catalog today. Serving customers around the world for years, we help thousands find just the books they're looking for -- at incredibly low, bargain prices.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Far Corner Europe Limited
19-20 Bourne Court, 19-20 Bourne Court, Woodford Green, IG8 8HD, United Kingdom

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Company Name: GreatBookPricesUK
Legal Entity: Far Corner Europe Limited
Address: 19-20 Bourne Court, Southend Road, Woodford Green Essex, UK IG8 8HD
Registration #: 10691061
Authorized representative: Danielle Hainsey

Right of cancellation

If you are a consumer you can cancel the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE RIGHT OF CANCELLATION

Statutory Right to cancel

You have the right to cancel this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.

The cancellation period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the the last good or the last lot or piece.

To exercise the right to cancel, you must inform us, GreatBookPricesUK, Willow Farm Business Park, DE74 2TW, Castle Donington, Derby, United Kingdom, +1 410-964-0026, of your decision to cancel this contract by a clear statement (e.g. a letter sent by post, fax or e-mail). You may use the attached model cancellation form, but it is not obligatory. You can also electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". If you use this option, we will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a cancellation on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.

To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right to cancel before the cancellation period has expired.

Effects of cancellation

If you cancel this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).

We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.

We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to cancel with contract.

We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.

We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.

You shall send back the goods or hand them over to us or GreatBookPricesUK, Willow Farm Business Park, Returns Ref: [transaction or order number], DE74 2TW, Castle Donington, Derby, United Kingdom, +1 410-964-0026, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your cancellation from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.

Exceptions to the right of cancellation

The right of cancellation does not apply to:

the delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
the supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not cancel it once delivery had started.

Model withdrawal form

(complete and return this form only if you wish to withdraw from the contract)

To: (GreatBookPricesUK, Willow Farm Business Park, DE74 2TW, Castle Donington, Derby, United Kingdom, +1 410-964-0026)

I/We (*) hereby give notice that I/We (*) withdraw from my/our (*) contract of sale of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following service (*),

Ordered on (*)/received on (*)

Name of consumer(s)

Address of consumer(s)

Signature of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper)

Date

* Delete as appropriate.

Shipping Terms

Our warehouses across the globe are fully operational without substantial delays. We are working hard and continue to overcome the daily challenges presented by COVID-19. There have been reports that delivery carriers are experiencing large delays resulting in longer than normal deliveries to customers. We would like to apologize in advance if your item arrives later than the expected delivery due date.

Internal processing of your order will take about 1-2 business days. Please allow an additional 4-14 business days for Royal Mail delivery.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	10 to 30 business days	10 to 27 business days
First item	� 15.00	� 15.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.

Detailed Seller Information