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Star Wars: Essential Guides Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Star Wars: Essential Guides books in publication order. This is generally the recommended reading order for the series.
Reading order verified: March 2026
Quick Answer
What order should I read the Star Wars: Essential Guides series? Start with "The Essential Guide to Characters (By: Andy Mangels)" (1995) and follow publication order through all 14 books.
The complete Star Wars: Essential Guides reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
The Essential Guide to Characters (By: Andy Mangels)
1995
The New Essential Guide to Characters (By: Daniel Wallace)
1995
The New Essential Guide to Vehicles & Vessels (By: W. Haden Blackman)
1996
The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons (By: Daniel Wallace)
1998
The Essential Guide to Droids (By: Daniel Wallace)
1999
The Essential Chronology
1999
The New Essential Guide to Weapons & Technology (By: W. Haden Blackman)
2004
The New Essential Chronology (By: Daniel Wallace)
2005
The New Essential Guide to Alien Species (By: Ann Margaret Lewis,Helen Keier)
2006
The Essential Guide to the Force (By: Ryder Windham)
2007
The Essential Guide to Warfare (By: Jason Fry,Paul R. Urquhart)
2008
The Essential Atlas (By: Daniel Wallace,Jason Fry)
2009
The Essential Reader's Companion (By: Pablo Hidalgo)
2012
The New Essential Guide to Droids (By: Daniel Wallace)
2013
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