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Rating: 
Summary: Not a transparent rip-off, honest!
Review: All the reviews saying this is way overpriced should think again. Just how much did all the original Star Wars toys cost when the first three films were released by George Lucas? And now they're all collector's Items and go for hundreds of DDuetschmarks in collectors auctions. So these people should stop whining and be grateful for the great things George Lucas is releasing to allow us to interact with his huge Star Wars Universe more. I think this producta llowes us much greater interactivity, as we can touch and get our hands around George Lucas's "Anakin" and watch it turn into his "Darth Vader" as we touch and read. It helps if you read the book while holding it, then the transformation is much more pronounced, until George Lucas's dreaded huge trembling "Lord Vader" can be seen and experienced first-hand. This product allows us to do this in our own homes any time we like, never before have we been allowed to see George Lucas's dark side so intimately! A great buy for any true Star Wars fan, you'll never get tired of taking George's "Anakin" out and playing with him! MYTFBWY! (May the force be with you!)
Rating: 
Summary: Big box with not much in it
Review: Even a serious collector should wait. The pictures are terrific and the figure is good but for the money you would expect allot more from Lucas. The figure could be better for this money. I'd wait until it hit clearance or a sale were it's under $45.00.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Getting....Even If In the Discount Rack
Review: First, be warned. The official Amazon Editorial has it right: the story within doesn't have much to say about the Anakin Skywalker we now know from Episodes I and II. The book, co-authored by Lucasfilm exec and author of the Star Wars Encyclopedia Stephen J. Sansweet, was published several months before The Phantom Menace's release and "the early years" of Anakin's life are based on early story concepts, not from the outlines or scripts to the sequels.That having been said, readers will come to understand that the central figure of the six-movie Star Wars saga is really Darth Vader, and that he is really George Lucas' favorite character. The fiction and non-fiction look at this tragic hero-turned-villain is insightful and very comprehensive, especially in the chapter that chronicles Darth Vader during the time span covered by the Classic Trilogy. Like the other books in the Masterpiece Edition series, the cover price is pretty high, but I found this edition on the discount bin at Waldenbooks. It was the only one left and the cover had a tear, but that was the box cover and not the book. The large figure of Anakin Skywalker (as seen in Return of the Jedi but in non-ghostly form) is really beautifully rendered, although it does not have a lightsaber (the small figure -- which is NOT included -- paradoxically does).
Rating:
Summary: Worth Getting....Even If In the Discount Rack
Review: First, be warned. The official Amazon Editorial has it right: the story within doesn't have much to say about the Anakin Skywalker we now know from Episodes I and II. The book, co-authored by Lucasfilm exec and author of the Star Wars Encyclopedia Stephen J. Sansweet, was published several months before The Phantom Menace's release and "the early years" of Anakin's life are based on early story concepts, not from the outlines or scripts to the sequels. That having been said, readers will come to understand that the central figure of the six-movie Star Wars saga is really Darth Vader, and that he is really George Lucas' favorite character. The fiction and non-fiction look at this tragic hero-turned-villain is insightful and very comprehensive, especially in the chapter that chronicles Darth Vader during the time span covered by the Classic Trilogy. Like the other books in the Masterpiece Edition series, the cover price is pretty high, but I found this edition on the discount bin at Waldenbooks. It was the only one left and the cover had a tear, but that was the box cover and not the book. The large figure of Anakin Skywalker (as seen in Return of the Jedi but in non-ghostly form) is really beautifully rendered, although it does not have a lightsaber (the small figure -- which is NOT included -- paradoxically does).
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not to good
Review: I was extremely disappointed. The book claimed to have a 'Prequel' to Star Wars: A New Hope (The first movie/book). That consisted of about three paragraphs. The rest of the "Saga of Darth Vader" was simply a synopsis of the first three movies. It read like a book report. A well written book report, but a book report nonetheless. Even the first section, which contained insights into the creation of the original concept was at best informative, but rather short and boring. The "story" part was a mere 40-45 pages. If you want to call them pages. The text is jammed into the center of each page on sometimes hard to read backgrounds which consist of original drawings and still shots of the movies. The whole text takes up about 1/2 of each page. Some of the drawings were interesting to see, but should have been placed altogehter on seperate pages. And the last part of the book, which consists of a few paragraphs concerning Vader collectibles and then several pages listing collectibles since the inception of Star Wars, could easily have been found in any toy magazine/price guide. I didn't need to pay $75.00 for it! The figure is nice, but I've seen better. Definately not worth the exorbanant price they're asking for it! Unless you're a serious collector, I'd avoid this one.
Rating:
Summary: Great figure, decent book
Review: Most people who end up with this set are probably more interested in the Anakin 13.5" figure than the accompanying book. Anakin is quite nice, with a high level of articulation and a pleasing expression. The book is smaller than you might think from the size of the package. The first section covering the development of the Vader character is interesting reading. The second part is essentially a summation of Vader's role in Episodes 4-6, which is familiar to most everyone. The third is a fairly detailed look at Vader collectibles, which is fun reading for a Star Wars collector, although intense fans may already know about most of it. The presentation is gorgeous throughout, from the massive outer box to the attractive merging of photos and text in the book itself. All in all, a different sort of Star Wars piece well worth picking up.
Rating:
Summary: The definative history of the Dark Lord-Darth Vader
Review: The overwheming size of the packaging is the first thing you will notice. Any pictures you have seen do not give you an idea of the actual size of this piece. Opening the two velcro tabs on the front of the box reveals the book and the 13.5'' exclusive Anakin figure. (Sure to be a valued Star Wars collectable in the future.) The book is an easy read, broken down into three sections. The first is a sort of retrospective look into how Vader developed. We learn what George Lucas' vision of his anti-hero was to look like. Artist Ralph McQuarrie tells stories of his many meetings with George to bring the vision to reality. Section 2 of the book is a fictionalized account of the happenings in Vaders life from "ANH" on. It reads as if you are in the backround while the Trilogy is going on. Section 3 is a listing of all of the Vader memorabilia and collectables ever produced. If you are a Star Wars fan, this is a must have. It is a limited edition though, so be sure to order now, or go to your nearest bookstore and get it today. At $75.00, it should keep the novice Star Wars collectors away.
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