Frequently Asked Questions

What is this?

At its simplest, The Secret History of Star Wars is a new full-length e-book exploring the writing and creation of the Star Wars saga. Culled from over 400 sources and filled with quotes from people such as George Lucas, Gary Kurtz and Mark Hamill, it traces all the way back to 1973 to examine how the first 14-page treatment that began the series came to be and was slowly built, draft by draft, year by year and movie by movie. Covering a period of over four decades, you will discover how George Lucas got his ideas for the original film, how Darth Vader was made into Luke Skywalker's father in 1978 and forever altered the arc of the story, what happened to the infamous third trilogy in the series and how the prequel stories came to be. The book also reveals the style and method of Lucas himself and how his personal life affected and shaped the story, for better and worse. This is a book which challenges many legends surrounding the series and places the films in a new light.

Why did you write this?

The details and perspective offered in The Secret History of Star Wars need to be better known, basically. There is a glaring void in both the film community and the Star Wars fan community that is in need of being filled. Interest in the history of the Star Wars series, the most popular film and film series ever made, is tremedous, but, unfortunately, there is a ton of misinformation, confusion and inaccuracy surrounding it. I called the book the cliched "The Secret History of" because, at its simplest, this perspective of the series has never been told. Most of the information and views presented and unearthed in this book have never even been published, and one of the more significant features of the book is the tearing down of various myths and presentation of previously-unknown information. Some of these items have been known for a few years in small circles of "Star Wars scholars," i guess you could say, but the overacrching history of the series has never been collected and explained in a cohesive "answer" the way this book has done.

Is this book authorized by Lucasfilm?

No, not in the least. In fact, a primary tenet is its defiance of the "traditional" Lucasfilm version of history, which has skewered some key facts over the years. This is a totally independent work of research, which, it has turned out, is perhaps this book's biggest strength. With Lucasfilm so in control of the franchise, it is hard to present independent works, which is why this book is available for free online.

Can i purchase this book?

This book is made for fans by a fan, and distributed for free as an educational document of scholastic research.

Can i host it for free on my website?

I am trying to control the distribution of this book to a degree, so i ask that noone post this book on their own site. You can however, link to my own download sites as much as you like and host it that way.

Is there a published version coming out

At this time, no.

Will there be any updates, revisions or additions made?

A second edition of the book has been released as of December 2007, with many alterations and additions to the original piece. I will of course be continuously updating and adding to the articles section of the site, which will contain additional information and analysis that will be of interest to readers, so check back often.

So, do you hate George Lucas or something?

There is, i have noticed, a group of Star Wars fans who love the creator of the series as any fan does, but have developed a defensive and apologetic stance of insecurity towards anything resembling criticism towards the man and his work. Some of them, no doubt, may interpret this book as one which is criticial of Lucas, his company and the series and that i must hold them in disregard. This is not true. However, it is indeed true that the book is at times critical of all of the above. Like any human being, George Lucas is not perfect, nor is the work which stems from him. Just as Walt Disney was not a perfect being, whose films were not always masterpieces, nor was his company always a noble organisation, Lucas, the Star Wars series, and Lucasfilm are entities that are imperfect. Why should any work examining these things for what they are be considered derogatory?

What do you think of the prequels?

This also gets asked a lot of me, due to trying to peg me as a prequel/Lucas "basher" and establishing some kind of agenda. The prequel films were entertaining fantasy films but they definitily did not present the same kind of gripping, exciting human drama that the original trilogy presented, though Revenge of the Sith is halfway commendable in this regard. Just as i think anyone that thinks they are completely unwatchable tripe is overreacting, i think anyone who considers them brilliant, or well written, directed or acted is overreacting as well. Having said that, this book, you will find, is not an artistic analysis of the merits of the films but one concerned with a more objective approach of the series' context in history, and thus these issues are fairly moot to begin with. I do believe that a diehard fan in love with every aspect of the series would not be suited to write this type of material and all the objectivity that is necessary for it, so I suppose in this respect being critical is not only healthy and justified, but is also a necessary requirement.

So, who are you anyway?

A Star Wars fan who happens to hold film history of high importance I suppose. I am only an amateur writer; my real job is as a cameraman in the film and television industry.