SW7N Review: Put Me In The Story’s Battle Plans From Darth Vader

Battle Plans From Darth Vader - Cover 2

Does your child love Star Wars Rebels?  Does he frequently jump from the furniture swinging his plastic Ezra lightsaber in the air?  Does she sneak up behind you and strike you down with her imaginary Force lightning?  If this is a daily occurrence in your home, as it is in mine, Put Me In The Story’s new Star Wars Rebels children’s book Battle Plans From Darth Vader may be the book you’re looking for.

 

What is it?

 

Battle Plans From Darth Vader is a personalized interactive hardcover book that puts your child (recommended age 6-12) in the world of Star Wars.  As soon as your child receives the book, they are instantly pulled into a galaxy far far away as his or her name appears on the cover.  Upon opening the book, your child will find a picture of himself under the title “Sith Apprentice” with a special message from you at the bottom.

 

 

Battle Plans From Darth Vader - Dedication

 

Your child enters the world of Star Wars as Darth Vader’s apprentice and is given the knowledge that the book contains character profiles on the Rebel cell from Lothal, with hints about their strengths and weaknesses.  After reading the character profiles (which include: Ezra, Kanan, Hera, Sabine, Chopper, Zeb, and Ahsoka) your child will get the opportunity to make a battle strategy for capturing each of the characters based on their strengths and weaknesses.

 

 

Battle Plans From Darth Vader - Ezra

 

Battle Plans From Darth Vader - Ezra Profile

 

Questions are asked in the book to get your child thinking critically about the characters, analyzing them, and developing the best strategy possible.  She is given lists of their strengths and weaknesses, and has to decide which will work against them in her favor.  There is space provided in the book for your child to write or draw whatever her imagination can dream up.

 

 

Battle Plans From Darth Vader - Ezra Strategy Page

 

At the beginning of the book, there is a message from Commander Sato, a rebel leader, stating that he has intercepted these plans and encourages your child to think about joining the rebels in their fight against the Empire.  From this point on, your child is faced with a moral dilemma – Do I help Vader eliminate the rebels and join him in his quest to rule the galaxy?  Or do I use this information to aid the rebels in their fight against him?

 

 

Battle Plans From Darth Vader - Sato Message

 

Battle Plans From Darth Vader - Vader Message 1

 

At the end of the book, your child will find another personalized message from Sato once again encouraging him to join the rebellion. Immediately following this message, is a closing message from Vader, urging him to be careful as he does not want his “prized pupil” damaged.  He encourages him to continue in his studies and states that when the time is right, he will send an imperial shuttle to his home address which will transport him to Lothal where Vader will be waiting for him.

 

 

Battle Plans From Darth Vader - Sato Message 2

 

Battle Plans From Darth Vader - Vader Message 2

 

 

Following this message are some personalized documents that will aid your child on her mission.  These documents include a galactic passport, a one-way ticket to Lothal, and a helpful Galactic Basic Alphabet guide to help her translate the characters into English.  There is also a luggage tag with your child’s name and address.

 

 

Galactic Basic

 

Galactic Passport

 

Ticket

 

Verdict:

 

My six-year-old loves this book.  He was really excited when he saw his name on the cover and throughout the book as well.  As a huge Rebels fan, he was also excited to read about the characters and has tremendously enjoyed coming up with the battle strategies.  I found it amusing to watch his imagination at work as he developed a plan to use his “sun-saber” (apparently a lightsaber with a hilt similar to the Inquistor’s that has multiple blades protuding from the center instead of two) to defeat Ezra and Kanan.

 

 

Sun Saber

 

My son is a very proficient reader and loves to write, so this was right up his alley.  That being said, he basically finished the book in a matter of days, and time will tell if he still has an interest in this book after the initial read and work through.  As fun as it is for him at the moment, there is just not a whole lot of content to the book besides the character profiles and the fun cut-outs at the back of the book.  In other words, this book has no story to speak of, so I don’t know about the ongoing entertainment value.

 

This book is great for the young Rebels enthusiast and would make a great gift.  However, at $39.99 (USD), the price may be a bit steep considering that it is basically a dollar a page.  Even though my son is enjoying this book at the moment, I can’t help but think it will just be a shelf item in the near future.  If you are looking for a story book that you and your child can revisit from time to time, this may not be for you, as it is kind of a one-time adventure.

 

That’s not to say that your child won’t love this book and cherish it forever, but if you like to get the most bang for your buck, you might want to pass on this one.  However, the book is everything it claims to be, putting your child in the Star Wars universe and letting her imagination carry her wherever she wants to go.  If this is the kind of experience your child is wanting, check out putmeinthestory.com to find out how to personalize and order your copy of Battle Plans From Darth Vader.

 

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Jordan Pate is Co-Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net, of which he is also a member of the book and comic review team. He loves all things Star Wars, but when he's not spending time in the galaxy far far away, he might be found in our own galaxy hanging out in Gotham City or at 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, NY.

Jordan Pate (Hard Case)

Jordan Pate is Co-Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net, of which he is also a member of the book and comic review team. He loves all things Star Wars, but when he's not spending time in the galaxy far far away, he might be found in our own galaxy hanging out in Gotham City or at 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, NY.

14 thoughts on “SW7N Review: Put Me In The Story’s Battle Plans From Darth Vader

  • September 30, 2015 at 3:58 pm
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    Slightly bothered by this. Why do they want our kids to like the bad guys?
    Sith apprentice? When I was a kid everyone wanted to be Jedi. Not Sith.

    • September 30, 2015 at 6:11 pm
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      You should be more bothered by this. To have a kid take the persona of a psychotic murderer searching to kill rebels is a very disturbing thing! I think people aren’t thinking this through.

      • September 30, 2015 at 6:23 pm
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        You have a point. If its any consolation my son was always ultimately on the side of the Rebels. I think that’s what they are counting on here. Most kids will want to be the good guy…but there’s always that one kid.

      • September 30, 2015 at 6:45 pm
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        I did leave a whole rampant message before, but I edited it to “slightly bothered” cause I’m tired and didn’t feel like arguing with a bunch of noodle spined conformists claiming good and bad is all subjective.

        • September 30, 2015 at 7:00 pm
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          I see your point, however, having read through the book before giving it to my son and working through it with him, I have to say that the book doesn’t really present the opportunity to get caught in a gray area. Good and evil is not subjective and is not presented as such in the book. It is clear which side is good and which is evil.

          I have taught my son what is right and wrong and see the fruits of that as he understands that Vader is evil and would never actually choose to “join” the dark side. The book taught my son more about the strengths and weaknesses of his favorite characters and gave him the chance to think hypothetically about how he could best them. At no point was he truly tempted to be evil.

          When we play at home, most of the time I’m the bad guy, but some of the time, he want’s to be the bad guy. And that’s okay with me. It’s imagination. What counts is what the child is taught at home. This is obviously up to the parent here whether or not they feel this book is appropriate, but it never struck me as inappropriate as I read it or as my son was reading it.

        • October 1, 2015 at 4:37 am
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          Yea, clearly this is just anti-terrorism propaganda to lull your kid’s young mind into a lifetime of paranoia aimed at his neighbors, and even his parents. Who knows who could be a Rebel? Wake up Sheeple, the communist, I mean Muslim Terrorist, shit, I mean REBELS are everywhere! You must be prepared for any signs of malcontent.

          • October 1, 2015 at 6:29 pm
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            There isn’t a thing as “Muslim Terrorist”, there are “terrorists” and there are “Muslims”. Terrorists who claim to be “Muslims”, and telling tbe world that they do it for “Islam” are clearly lying because there isn’t a suggestion or an order of “spreading Islam witg terrorism” in Qur’an.

  • September 30, 2015 at 5:20 pm
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    imagine a depressed, unemployed, struggling with alcoholism 40something year old guy in 2035.. “why won’t you get a job and start living your life?” “i’m still waiting for the imperial shuttle to Lothal! Darth Vader promised he will send one for me, I gotta be ready, can happen any day now!” haha

  • September 30, 2015 at 5:22 pm
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    Haha, that lightsaber is awesome, kids come up with some hilarious things!

    Thanks for your honest review – I want to get this for my own kid, but perhaps I’ll wait for something else. $40 is a lot of money (for me) to spend on a one-and-done “toy”.

    • September 30, 2015 at 5:36 pm
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      Yeah, he cracks me up all the time. It’s funny how we adults get caught up in our expectations and “knowledge” of the Star Wars universe that we forget what it’s all about. During play, my son will come off with some off the wall idea and in my mind I’m thinking, “That would never happen in Star Wars.”

      There have even been times when I’ve voiced those opinions and it does nothing but stifle his imagination. Shame on me for those moments. Star Wars, as with all fictional stories of its ilk, is meant to spark the imagination. This book is for kids, and has no bearing on canon, or whatever else we as adults get torn up over. Sometimes we need to step back and take something for what it is, not what we as adults wish it was. This is a lesson I’ve learned as a parent. 🙂

      I think it is on sale right now for $29.99 on the site, but for the product you end up with, I really wouldn’t want to pay more than $15. I understand that with the personalization comes extra cost, but still, there are better Star Wars products for less, however entertaining this book may be for a time.

  • September 30, 2015 at 6:11 pm
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    Protip: blur your address. This is the internet.

    • September 30, 2015 at 6:20 pm
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      That is not my address nor my child’s name. It is a generic template from the website you order from. 🙂

      • September 30, 2015 at 6:23 pm
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        Carry on then. Nothing to see here… 😀

  • October 1, 2015 at 6:43 am
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    I would recommend Lord Vader to search for Ezra and his friends in the Tatooine System. I mean, it’s the last place that he would ever go, so it would make a perfect hiding spot for any rebels… or Jedi.

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