What do you think?
Rate this book
Haynes Owners' Workshop Manual
Star Wars Millennium Falcon Owner's Workshop Manual
The Millennium Falcon gets the "Haynes" treatment! This is a "Haynes Manual" based on the Millennium Falcon, the iconic spaceship piloted by Han Solo and Chewbacca in the original trilogy of "Star Wars" films. Using brand-new, full-colour cutaways, together with other art and photographs, this manual provides the most thorough technical description of the Millennium Falcon available, making it essential reading for all "Star Wars" fans.
126 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2011
About the author
Ryder Windham
282 books153 followersRyder Windham is an American sci-fi author who has written over sixty Star Wars books, including novels, comics, reference books, and so on. He has also written junior novelizations for Indiana Jones movies. Since 1993, he has been working on Star Wars projects either by himself or with other authors. His reference book Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide had been on the New York Times Best Seller list for three weeks in 2005. Although he has written lots of books, accepted interviews, and appeared at several fan-conventions, little is known about his personal life.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 22, 2022
I bought this for my son for his upcoming birthday. Not only is he a Star Wars geek, but he's a state inspector/auto mechanic. Win-win!! Being a Star Wars fan myself, I decided to exercise due diligence and read it first; I had to be certain that my gift would be up to snuff. I'm pleased to report that this is a very, very cool book! From the specs to the graphics, it's beautiful. If my son is unhappy with it, I'll just take it back ;)
EDIT 9/22/21: Unfortunately, my son thought this was really cool. So much for getting it back :)
EDIT 9/22/21: Unfortunately, my son thought this was really cool. So much for getting it back :)
May 27, 2020
This is a intriguing book- and one I cannot quite put my finger on - you see Haynes - (a UK publisher which for years was the go to bible for giving step by step guides on how to repair your ageing car - then decided to branch out in to other subjects) already published an owners manual for the YT-1300.
However it was published prior to the Disney buy out and re-branding, prior even to the latest Star Wars films including the Solo story. So when I compared the two together, they are the same page count, their chapters are the same but there whole book has been over hauled with new material including images that relate to the latest films.
The strange thing is - and this is where it throws me - I cannot find any reference to versions, it is in fact as if it didnt exist which is rather baffling (Unless I have totally over looked it somewhere).
So to return to my original comment - there is a huge amount of deja-vu but when I sat down and compared them (yes I was that sad) it does feel like you are reading a new book, hence why I guess it is here and not listed as a re-read.
However it was published prior to the Disney buy out and re-branding, prior even to the latest Star Wars films including the Solo story. So when I compared the two together, they are the same page count, their chapters are the same but there whole book has been over hauled with new material including images that relate to the latest films.
The strange thing is - and this is where it throws me - I cannot find any reference to versions, it is in fact as if it didnt exist which is rather baffling (Unless I have totally over looked it somewhere).
So to return to my original comment - there is a huge amount of deja-vu but when I sat down and compared them (yes I was that sad) it does feel like you are reading a new book, hence why I guess it is here and not listed as a re-read.
August 30, 2019
i've been curious about the Haynes Guides to things that don't really exist or are from the past. Really impressed by the quality.
October 11, 2022
From the authentic exterior book design to the history of the design of popular models, this was a wonderfully designed book, providing a semi-immersive trip into the universe of Star Wars. The diagrams were all well drawn, and I definitely spent time cross-examining them with other diagrams from different angles and found them to extremely helpful in familiarizing myself with the Millennium Falcon. It made me excited to rewatch the original trilogy and pay attention to the details, especially paying attention to the interior layout of the Falcon.
My main grievance is with the use of photos from the events which are described as taking place, but there’s no way Haynes could have ever retrieved photos of the events, (ex. the Millennium Falcon flying into a Death Star right before it blew up). They should have only included artistic reinterpretations of these legendary people and events. Also, the history of ownership was an interesting read, but it would have felt more immersive if it was included as a hand-written note at the beginning or end of the manual.
My main grievance is with the use of photos from the events which are described as taking place, but there’s no way Haynes could have ever retrieved photos of the events, (ex. the Millennium Falcon flying into a Death Star right before it blew up). They should have only included artistic reinterpretations of these legendary people and events. Also, the history of ownership was an interesting read, but it would have felt more immersive if it was included as a hand-written note at the beginning or end of the manual.
May 30, 2015
SO I will put my hand up and say this was a bit of fun. I recently came back from the Hay book festival and on my travels I indulged myself in a whole stack of books (okay you have been warned there will be some weird and wonderful titles appearing here for a while) which I would not normally have considered. I will say though I dont regret it at all - its been loads of fun.
So the Haynes manuals - okay I am of the age when I can still remember when there were the essential guide for fixing your car. That helpful guide that let you conduct minor (and on a few brave occasions - not so minor) acts of surgery on my car - I say surgery since I was terrified I would do something wrong and render my car a heap (or bigger heap) of junk with no chance of redemption.
However over the years as our automobiles became more complex and less user serviceable - after all now you take it to a diagnostic centre where they plug your car in and a computer tells you what is wrong - but i digress - Haynes had to find new and unique outlets for their "manuals", and this is one such example.
This book, and its companion title the Imperial Deathstar manual - are a semi serious guide to two of the most recognisable pieces of hardware from the star wars films. The material in this book is presented in a formal manner as you would have expected from a Haynes manual and it does offer a few interesting pieces of information - however if you are familiar all the Star Wars publications you will quickly realise a lot of this has been intact printed else where - admittedly the artwork maybe new but the articles are built upon other publications.
Now at this point I will stand up and say this is a GOOD thing - where else can you find such a huge canon work published over such a long period by so many authors and find such continuity. If anything the fact you can see references to the ship builders who made the Millennium Falcom and the various other ships being talked about else where makes them all a little more special and believable - am sure there are other Star Wars fans out there who appreciate this too.
So the Haynes manuals - okay I am of the age when I can still remember when there were the essential guide for fixing your car. That helpful guide that let you conduct minor (and on a few brave occasions - not so minor) acts of surgery on my car - I say surgery since I was terrified I would do something wrong and render my car a heap (or bigger heap) of junk with no chance of redemption.
However over the years as our automobiles became more complex and less user serviceable - after all now you take it to a diagnostic centre where they plug your car in and a computer tells you what is wrong - but i digress - Haynes had to find new and unique outlets for their "manuals", and this is one such example.
This book, and its companion title the Imperial Deathstar manual - are a semi serious guide to two of the most recognisable pieces of hardware from the star wars films. The material in this book is presented in a formal manner as you would have expected from a Haynes manual and it does offer a few interesting pieces of information - however if you are familiar all the Star Wars publications you will quickly realise a lot of this has been intact printed else where - admittedly the artwork maybe new but the articles are built upon other publications.
Now at this point I will stand up and say this is a GOOD thing - where else can you find such a huge canon work published over such a long period by so many authors and find such continuity. If anything the fact you can see references to the ship builders who made the Millennium Falcom and the various other ships being talked about else where makes them all a little more special and believable - am sure there are other Star Wars fans out there who appreciate this too.
February 12, 2013
I was quite disappointed in this owner’s manual for the Millennium Falcon. Haynes usually produces excellent detailed repair and maintenance manuals for a wide range of automobiles, motorbikes and aircraft. This edition however is more like one of those Star Wars fan guides rather than a proper technical manual to the inner workings of a uniquely modified CEC YT-1300 model light freighter and would therefore be of no use to you should you find yourself needing to carry out emergency repairs to the Millennium Falcon’s FTL drive whilst being pursued across space by Imperial capital ships.
What this guide does have going for it is plenty of detailed cutaway diagrams of the Millennium Falcon as well as various other CEC light freighter models. It also contains some interesting Star Wars lore involving the Millennium Falcon’s unique history such as how she came to be in the possession of Han Solo.
Something else to note is that this manual’s primary author, Ryder Windham, is himself a Sci-fi writer and the author of several Star Wars books so I imagine Star Wars fans will not be disappointed in this book as a fan guide. Three and a half stars.
What this guide does have going for it is plenty of detailed cutaway diagrams of the Millennium Falcon as well as various other CEC light freighter models. It also contains some interesting Star Wars lore involving the Millennium Falcon’s unique history such as how she came to be in the possession of Han Solo.
Something else to note is that this manual’s primary author, Ryder Windham, is himself a Sci-fi writer and the author of several Star Wars books so I imagine Star Wars fans will not be disappointed in this book as a fan guide. Three and a half stars.
December 1, 2018
You can read my full review here: https://www.coffeewithkenobi.com/star...
April 11, 2020
Pure nerdy goodness!
December 27, 2018
Great for any fan of Star Wars and the Millennium Falcon!
July 24, 2020
Definitely not pleasure reading, this is hardcore.
July 28, 2020
Great for what it is even for its release. The newest version provides more in depth detail but this was a nice primer before they retconned a lot of the back story.
September 5, 2017
Written as a repair manual for the YT-1300 with specific information about the Falcon in particular, I had a lot of fun reading this book. There are lots of specifics and diagrams to the point where you could probably build a very accurate cockpit replica for like a computer gaming room or kids bunk bed sort of thing using this for reference. It also includes excerpts from original marketing materials for the YT-1300, and information about the history of the Falcon and its previous owners.
October 12, 2013
When this book was first announced there was three big questions that came to mind when I first saw it listed. The first was: Is this an actual "repair" manual? The second: Does it expand beyond the movie Falcon or does it also contain information that was covered within the Expanded Universe? And finally: Will it be any more specific than the standard Star Wars Encyclopedia? Well, let's look into it.
First, is this an actual repair manual? To be straight forward, absolutely not. This is not the first time Haynes has ventured into the SciFi genre as they have also produced a book for the starship Enterprise (Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise Haynes Manual). And like fans who read that book, it is apparent that the producers of the book have no real intention on making a "repair" manual. There are no instructions or steps on repair procedures like those found in actual Haynes repair manuals and as a mechanic for over 15 years I am quite familiar with what is found in actual Haynes books.
So why the connection to Haynes? Well, in my opinion the connection to Haynes can be easily explained as an attempt to bring a fresh and new layout to the common Star Wars Encyclopedia books and to also add a gimmick to boost sales. Is this a bad thing? No. To me wrapping a Star Wars Encyclopedia on the Falcon in a Haynes manual format is not a bad idea. Not only does it offer something new to an old idea but it also creates a new format to what was become a copy and paste production within the Encyclopedia product line.
If you can over look the fact that this is not an actual "repair" or "workshop" manual then you are brought to the second question. Does this book go beyond information found in the movies and include EU information? For the most part the answer is no. As the book attempts to stay within a "technical" blueprint the vast majority of information is of a technical nature. The book focuses on things like the ships construction and component appearance and operation. Most of the book is split into three parts, first: a brief history of the YT production line and the history of the Corellian culture surrounding the creation of starships. Second, the technical aspects of the Falcon, with descriptions of items like the hyperdrive, shield units, sensors, life pods, general layout of the ships and weapons systems. Third, the Falcon as seen in Episode 4-6 and the people connected to those events. There is no mention of activities beyond the films and no connection to the EU.
And finally the third question, does this book offer anything more than what can be found in a Encyclopedia format? Yes and no. Once you open the front cover the Haynes aspect of the book is gone and the feel of the Encyclopedia product line is more prevalent. The layout of history, specs., impact is pretty much the same as the Encyclopedia books and the information and pictorial layout is very familiar.
So is the book any good? Absolutely. Once you get past the Haynes gimmick and see the book for what it really is then there is no reason why you shouldn't enjoy the book. It offers quite an extensive look at everything Falcon and does so with a good to great production value. The information is extensive and the visual layout is well done.
If you are a fan of the Millennium Falcon and want to know more about it I'd recommend picking this book up. If you are familiar with Haynes manuals and are expecting a detailed look into the operating and mechanical systems of this book you will most likely be left wanting more, this book is a "on the surface" look at the Falcon and what makes her tic.
Recommended.
To see a video preview go to this link:
http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Mille...
First, is this an actual repair manual? To be straight forward, absolutely not. This is not the first time Haynes has ventured into the SciFi genre as they have also produced a book for the starship Enterprise (Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise Haynes Manual). And like fans who read that book, it is apparent that the producers of the book have no real intention on making a "repair" manual. There are no instructions or steps on repair procedures like those found in actual Haynes repair manuals and as a mechanic for over 15 years I am quite familiar with what is found in actual Haynes books.
So why the connection to Haynes? Well, in my opinion the connection to Haynes can be easily explained as an attempt to bring a fresh and new layout to the common Star Wars Encyclopedia books and to also add a gimmick to boost sales. Is this a bad thing? No. To me wrapping a Star Wars Encyclopedia on the Falcon in a Haynes manual format is not a bad idea. Not only does it offer something new to an old idea but it also creates a new format to what was become a copy and paste production within the Encyclopedia product line.
If you can over look the fact that this is not an actual "repair" or "workshop" manual then you are brought to the second question. Does this book go beyond information found in the movies and include EU information? For the most part the answer is no. As the book attempts to stay within a "technical" blueprint the vast majority of information is of a technical nature. The book focuses on things like the ships construction and component appearance and operation. Most of the book is split into three parts, first: a brief history of the YT production line and the history of the Corellian culture surrounding the creation of starships. Second, the technical aspects of the Falcon, with descriptions of items like the hyperdrive, shield units, sensors, life pods, general layout of the ships and weapons systems. Third, the Falcon as seen in Episode 4-6 and the people connected to those events. There is no mention of activities beyond the films and no connection to the EU.
And finally the third question, does this book offer anything more than what can be found in a Encyclopedia format? Yes and no. Once you open the front cover the Haynes aspect of the book is gone and the feel of the Encyclopedia product line is more prevalent. The layout of history, specs., impact is pretty much the same as the Encyclopedia books and the information and pictorial layout is very familiar.
So is the book any good? Absolutely. Once you get past the Haynes gimmick and see the book for what it really is then there is no reason why you shouldn't enjoy the book. It offers quite an extensive look at everything Falcon and does so with a good to great production value. The information is extensive and the visual layout is well done.
If you are a fan of the Millennium Falcon and want to know more about it I'd recommend picking this book up. If you are familiar with Haynes manuals and are expecting a detailed look into the operating and mechanical systems of this book you will most likely be left wanting more, this book is a "on the surface" look at the Falcon and what makes her tic.
Recommended.
To see a video preview go to this link:
http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Mille...
December 4, 2019
Someone needs to let the author know that Disney said it's OK to ignore the Legends stuff.
First, the good stuff. This update to the older Millenium Falcon Owner's Workshop Manual contains a lot of good information from the three movies that have come out featuring the Millenium Falcon since the earlier edition was published. This includes new deckplans for the ship that match those seen in Solo.
The author undoes his mistake in the previous book of removing the backup hyperdrive from the Falcon, specifically stating that it has one this time. Now we don't have to wonder why Solo and Leia didn't die of old age trying to get to Bespin.
He also makes reference to the fan theory that the Falcon is actually designed to push cargo modules using the forward mandibles. It's not the primary purpose of the ship that the fan theory made it out to be, but an optional use that is a nice nod towards one of the more creative fan contributions of recent years.
Unfortunately, the author leaves in references to the Falcon's history from the Legends novel Millenium Falcon. Since much of what is presented in that novel contradicts what is revealed in the movie Solo, the decision to include it in this book is questionable at best. The Falcon is obviously a new ship at the beginning of Solo, so we don't need stories of how the ship was nearly destroyed before Calrissian owned it to understand why the Falcon looks like a "hunk of junk" since the events of the movie Solo explain that quite nicely. That doesn't even bring up the military grade "rectenna" that now both pre-dates and post-dates Calrissian's ownership of the Falcon if we accept this stuff as canon.
These problems lose the star in my rating that fixing the hyperdrive issue would have otherwise gained.
Still, it's a fun look at a classic ship.
First, the good stuff. This update to the older Millenium Falcon Owner's Workshop Manual contains a lot of good information from the three movies that have come out featuring the Millenium Falcon since the earlier edition was published. This includes new deckplans for the ship that match those seen in Solo.
The author undoes his mistake in the previous book of removing the backup hyperdrive from the Falcon, specifically stating that it has one this time. Now we don't have to wonder why Solo and Leia didn't die of old age trying to get to Bespin.
He also makes reference to the fan theory that the Falcon is actually designed to push cargo modules using the forward mandibles. It's not the primary purpose of the ship that the fan theory made it out to be, but an optional use that is a nice nod towards one of the more creative fan contributions of recent years.
Unfortunately, the author leaves in references to the Falcon's history from the Legends novel Millenium Falcon. Since much of what is presented in that novel contradicts what is revealed in the movie Solo, the decision to include it in this book is questionable at best. The Falcon is obviously a new ship at the beginning of Solo, so we don't need stories of how the ship was nearly destroyed before Calrissian owned it to understand why the Falcon looks like a "hunk of junk" since the events of the movie Solo explain that quite nicely. That doesn't even bring up the military grade "rectenna" that now both pre-dates and post-dates Calrissian's ownership of the Falcon if we accept this stuff as canon.
These problems lose the star in my rating that fixing the hyperdrive issue would have otherwise gained.
Still, it's a fun look at a classic ship.
May 11, 2013
I recently read two other books in this series that looks at famous SciFi vessels. Those focused the U.S.S Enterprise and Klingon Bird of Pray from the "Star Trek" franchise. This book is just as good as the two of them. Presented like the Haynes' Owner's Manual series that usually looks at various models of cars/trucks, this book presents that basic design and layout information for "Star Wars"'s most famous vessel.
The book starts with a brief history of the company that built the vessel and the evolution of the make through its variations before and after the production of the YT-1300 before presenting the more specific history of the "Millennium Falcon" itself. This includes coverage of Lando Calrission and Han Solo, her two most-famous owners.
The book is filled with great graphics and illustrations as well as screen shots taken from the various "Star Wars" films to create an attractive presentation of the information while also being helpful and informative in a way that is not unlike the various Eyewitness books put out by DK Publishing.
It's a quick read, and probably a must-read for fans of Star Wars.
The book starts with a brief history of the company that built the vessel and the evolution of the make through its variations before and after the production of the YT-1300 before presenting the more specific history of the "Millennium Falcon" itself. This includes coverage of Lando Calrission and Han Solo, her two most-famous owners.
The book is filled with great graphics and illustrations as well as screen shots taken from the various "Star Wars" films to create an attractive presentation of the information while also being helpful and informative in a way that is not unlike the various Eyewitness books put out by DK Publishing.
It's a quick read, and probably a must-read for fans of Star Wars.
March 6, 2012
Enjoyable book with some nice details on the Millennium Falcon and the YT-1300 Transport in general (the ship the Falcon is a modified version of). Lots of nice photos and technical style drawings make for an entertaining read.
The only complaint I had was where the authors undo a decades old fix to the question of how the Falcon got from Hoth to Bespin in Empire Strikes Back, leaving us to once again wonder why Han and Leia didn't die of old age on the journey. If it wasn't for this bit in the section on the hyperdrive I probably would have given it another star.
The only complaint I had was where the authors undo a decades old fix to the question of how the Falcon got from Hoth to Bespin in Empire Strikes Back, leaving us to once again wonder why Han and Leia didn't die of old age on the journey. If it wasn't for this bit in the section on the hyperdrive I probably would have given it another star.
August 2, 2013
This is an excellent book, but strictly for fans of Star Wars. There's a bunch of technical data about the Millennium Falcon which is very interesting, but only to real die hard fans. Artwork, illustration and photography are also of very high quality. The only gripe I have is that the text pays too much homage to the movies. I would have preferred something a bit more detached and objective. Aside from that I had a good time reading this book.
May 10, 2015
This is a great book for Star Wars fans that gives you a lot of insight into the Falcon. It contains a brief history of the ship. Not many people know that the Millennium Falcon had multiple owners and multiple names before coming into the hands of Lando Calirssian and subsequently Han Solo. Also included are diagrams and in depth descriptions of all the ship's systems. It's weapons, shields, sensors, engines, computers, power core, etc. Lots of fun stuff to geek out on.
May 4, 2012
An in-depth look at the Millenium Falcon and the YT-1300 freighter. Was a very interesting read, although sort of too detailed at times for my taste. Thoroughly enjoyed the looks at the different variations of the YT-1300, which really showed how versatile the class really is.
April 11, 2014
This book contains the most awesome detailed drawings of the Millennium Falcon!! And the technical terms are great. I loved browsing theough this book and just imagining being on board. This is definately a must have for all serious Star Wars fans!
July 20, 2015
I loved this book! It was boring at times and read just like a technical manual for most of it, but it had a LOT of fantastic facts about the Falcon that I didn't know about!! It's definitely a must read for fans of Star Wars, Han Solo, & the Millennium Falcon!!
July 28, 2020
One of the most technically thorough books on a fictional craft and pseudoscience. It’s crazy the amount of detail that went into this. Love the schematics and diagrams. Didn’t care too much for the stock photography but overall helped paint a visual of what they were talking about.
Want to read
December 5, 2012:0 NO WAY!!!!!!!!! the Falcon is ma FAVORITE ship in the ENTIRE Star Wars series!!!!!!!!! MUST......READ!!!!!!!!!!!! XD
August 31, 2013
Wow, I've been wanting this book since long before it existed. It's a fantastic resource, and I can't wait to go scavenge some parts and use this manual to help me in building my own YT-1300.
July 22, 2015
Great easy table read. The book gave loads of background info on the Falcon, so as a fan I loved it. It could have even been longer and more detailed!
February 2, 2014
mostly vague fluff that did not answer key questions about volume of cargo space. the only reason to buy this book is for nuts (and bolts) deep world building minutiae and it just does not deliver.
July 13, 2019
This was cute, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was based on the original EU (now "Legends") novels instead of the new movies - it seemed to be missing so much backstory of the Falcon.
May 6, 2020
Very nerdy, very detailed.
July 3, 2020
A cool, in-depth look at the Millennium Falcon and its tech.
August 14, 2020
It's a bit of fun.
Take it too seriously and you'll find it lacking depth. If anything, it is lacking the Star Wars charm. But what do you expect from a manual?
Take it too seriously and you'll find it lacking depth. If anything, it is lacking the Star Wars charm. But what do you expect from a manual?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews