With the release of The Revenge Of The Sith growing ever nearer I was encouraged to appease the anticipation with some Clone Wars reading. I find many of the extended universe books to be superbly intriguing, especially when considering them in relation to the Star Wars timeline. This time I picked up the Medstar duology, Battle Surgeons and Jedi Healer.

By far, the best part of these books are the characters. They have been well developed despite the fact that all of the characters have their debut in this duology. No doubt it is also their fifteen minutes of fame, so to speak, because the next books on the timeline return to more familiar characters, which is a real shame. You can’t help but wonder what happens to padawan Barriss Offee, as well as the other detailed and emotionally developed characters.

One year prior to Episode III, Barriss Offee arrives on Drongar, a rim planet, to assist one of the Republic’s medical units, after all she is a healer. In the midst of her and the other lead medical staff is a spy, aiding the separatists and sabotaging the unit. There is little sword play and more physiological fights and mystery. Not the typical Star Wars book, yet it is intriguing.

One technical note about the writing style. There are just too many ellipses and em dashes. Sometimes it’s the over use of exclamation marks. Many a paragraph end like…

In A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Not as long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the book follows the classic Star
Wars characters on their quest to fight a newly discovered enemy. In fact, a
large portion of the first book, Vector Prime, is an introduction and learning
experience about the new alien enemy. Although the major plot is only slightly
established in Vector Prime, the various alien encounters and battle scenes
are full of fantastic writing.

Having our (a Star Wars fans) perspective on the older, and perhaps wiser character
from the first trilogy brings a bit more excitement into the book. Han and Lea
are now married and have three children. Luke is also married to Mara Jade,
an excellent pilot and Jedi Knight. And, yes, even Lando has a substantial role
in Vector Prime.

R. A. Salvatore’s writing style is like a favorite meal, easy to open
up and dive right into. Not overly wordy, but descriptive where it counts. You
just have to read it if you’re a Star Wars fan, or just casually interested.

I’m currently reading the second book in The New Jedi Order series, Dark
Tide I: Onslaught. So far it’s a good read, but I’m only a couple of chapters
in. I do wish every book were available in hardcover format, but that’s just
my personal preference.

Like science fiction? Not a full time reader? I’ve got a couple of books
that you should get you hands on.

A couple of weeks ago I saw Down
and Out in the Magic Kingdom in kartooner’s
reading list and decided to pick it up. It’s a really great read, with a
good plot and identifiable characters. Even though the characters can be immortal,
they still have vulnerabilities and weakness. If you are a Disney buff, the
added layer of the setting being at Walt Disney World and Kissimmee adds a fun
layer to the story. Doctorow, the author, is an awesome sci fi writer; Down
and Out being his first novel and all is impressive.

Another of Cory Doctorow’s books is Eastern
Standard Tribe. This is a must read for those geeks out there, looking toward
the future’s technology. Doctrow’s vision of a decade from now does not seem
so improbable, which appeals to those not into far out ideas and a plot based
upon them. So you don’t have to be in to science fiction to enjoy it.

The real entertaining part about this book is his style of writing. The first
chapter is in third person. In the next chapter the narrator introduces the
main character, Art. Art writes the rest of the story from an asylum. The chapters
of Eastern Standard Tribe alternate from past to present explaining how he got
in to his predicament.

I read both of these books last week, I don’t believe I’ve ever
read two books in a week, but I couldn’t put them down. Next up on my
list:

1. Vector
   Prime (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 1)
2. Dark
   Tide I– Onslaught (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 2)
3. Dark
   Tide II– Ruin (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 3)

I’ll see if I want to continue ithe The New Jedi Order series after the first
three. Have you read them? What is on your shelf?

I tend to gravitate toward certain styles more than others, but it is extremely
important to be flexible when it comes to trying something outside a comfort
zone.

For example, designing with an elegant style is not the most comfortable thing
for me to do. However, Graphically Speaking divides it’s examples into
style categories, and there is one for an elegant style. That section starts
with good color combinations and typefaces to try, a definition of the style,
and similar sections (related styles) to compare. Then the book presents various
example pieces of designs done with an elegant style. From labels to identity
packages and signage, each piece applies the style in different ways to spark
some ideas, no matter what type of project one may be working on.

I personally use it all the time and it is the most used reference book on
my shelf.

* I was not aware of this book when I created this blog. Just coincidence I
guess.

Commercial
Photoshop with Bert Monroy is the greatest book for learning advanced Photoshop
and Illustrator techniques. From image retouching, photo composting, and digital
illustration, Commercial Photoshop uses real world examples to show you how
to make those images look a lot more appealing. This step by step guide is filled
with gems that are sure to make your projects go much smoother.

Mr. Monroy’s teaching ability is by far superior to any other how to
Photoshop book out there. The man co-wrote the very first Photoshop book and
never ceases to share something you never heard of. Although he doesn’t
teach you how to draw, he shows you what you can do with a little bit of know
how.

Commercial Photoshop is not just about Photoshop. The integration of Illustrator
is a wonderful thing. Want to know how to use the blend tool in a real application,
Bert shows you. He mentions the strengths and weaknesses of both programs to
let you know how to more effectively use the tools.

Each page is written in concise language, and many of the steps have an accompanying
screenshot. Commercial Photoshop is a great read and a helpful reference for
the next small, or large, image manipulation project.