Star Wars storylines used to be kept tightly under wraps until opening night. Remember Blue Harvest, the movie that never was except as a smokescreen for Return of the Jedi?

The Lucas empire has loosened up a lot since then — even since the recent prequels. The Clone Wars hit theaters in August and just started raging across our TV screens this month, but many of its secrets have actually been our there since July with releases like the New York Times bestseller Star Wars: The Clone Wars Visual Guide.

This “essential companion to the movie and animated series” from DK Publishing uses striking images and quick-hit facts to guide fans of all ages through the familiar yet new universe of the CGI series. It teases episodes that haven’t aired yet without giving too many secrets away. The best action and scenery from the movie and the new series leap off the sweeping layout of its colorful coffee-table-book pages. For a full-color hardcover book, it’s a great value at $19.99.

Author and Star Wars expert Jason Fry took the time to answer a few of Nerdvana’s questions about the book and how it came to be.

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