The Essential Atlas

Star Wars: The Essential Atlas is the title of a forthcoming book written by Jason Fry and Daniel Wallace and published by Del Rey. According to Sue Rostoni, the book will basically be an updated version of The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons.

Dan Wallace stated in his blog that the book will contain planet profiles as well as extensive star charts, similar to Star Trek: Star Charts. Wallace ensures that the book will be "light years" better than his previous book on the subject The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons due to more focus on writing plots rather than actual planetary description, though it was his first book. Wallace says that the book will be "equal parts cosmology, planet profiles, political structure, colonization, history, the sweep and scale of wars, and bulleted lists presenting miscellaneous items of kewlness [sic]". He also hopes that it will be closer to older but more detailed RPG resources like Platt's Starport Guide and Han Solo and the Corporate Sector Sourcebook.

In another blog entry, Wallace states he and Jason Fry plan to make a reference to the "Dawferm [SIC] Selfhood States" and the Botor Enclave in the Atlas. They also plan to access Jason's Systems Database for use in writing the book and hope to include all 3900 placenames.

For the First Look, the book is stated to have over 70 detailed planetary profiles in alphabetical order.

In February 2008, Dan stated in his blog that the book survived its first round of editing and was close to 120,000 words, but there were still many changes to be made and more maps to make. In addition he mentioned several items that may be in the book but has disclosed that they are not canonical until its publication, including the Kymoodon Era‎, the Leech Legion (‎a region within the Unknown Regions where blind berserkers resided), Cosm's Well (a region of neutron stars, pulsars, and blue stragglers named by the Zeku) and the Tetrahedron (which was the cradle of the Early Republic). "To enhance your enjoyment of tonight's program, a summary of the plot follows, with major recitatives and arias indicated. Translations from Old Brentaal will be provided on datapad channel 271."

- An excerpt from the book on the blog

TFN revelations
Jason Fry and Dan Wallace posted many comments and questions about cartrography on the TFN Literature boards, leading many fans to suspect an Atlas was in the works before it was officially announced. They have since revealed numerous facts about the Atlas on the boards:


 * The authors intend for every canonical star system to be shown or else for its coordinates to be listed in an index. Systems from children's books, the RPG franchise, and Classic Star Wars (including the original Marvel Star Wars series) will be included.  Jason has stated, "Bottom line: We'll be as inclusive as we can be."
 * Rather than the artistic, slanted-angle maps seen in the New Jedi Order series, the Atlas will employ maps from a "birds-eye overhead view", allowing for easy calculation of scale and real distance.
 * Jason has stated, "the database contains an Easter egg or two I think folks will find amusing, provided they make the cut."
 * A proper name for the galaxy will probably not be revealed.
 * Due to its scope and formal nature, the atlas will focus on showing star systems rather than individual planets; this is in contrast to some previous maps, which due to artistic license showed planets within a system as two separate locations. However, the systems may be labeled by the name of their most prominent planets rather than by actual system names, since planet names are usually more familiar to fans.
 * Jason Fry has stated, "While it can't be the main thrust of the project, I'm hoping the nooks and corners of the ATLAS will be an opportunity to bring some old stuff to light and retcon some of the errors and inconsistencies I've contributed to the STAR WARS universe." Among other problems, Jason hopes to retcon the seeming Sector Zero/Sector One discrepancy.
 * Canonical names will be provided for planets whose existence could previously only have been preferred from genitives.
 * Canonical names will be provided for planets which have appeared as settings in canonical stories without previously receiving canonical names. These planets include a planet which Luke and Leia scouted as a possible new Rebel base, the system where Vrad Dodonna attacked the Executor, and the system ruled by Princess Lourdes.  Jason Fry originally intended to name the planet of the Serpent Masters "Whelori," but he found out the planet had already been named "Ophideraan" by the official site's Databank entry for Tanith Shire.
 * Andowyne will not be canonized by a placement; the Databank April Fool's Day joke about this world will remain a mere joke.
 * Notron, the legendary human homeworld, will be placed as a real world.
 * Had Abbadon, the legendary Jedi homeworld, will be placed as a real world.
 * Wroona will be place on the far edge of the Inner Rim near Moorja.
 * Ultaar will be placed.
 * Mrlsst and Mrisst will be considered separate planets.
 * The original homeworlds of the Iskalonian species will be placed.
 * The original homeworlds of the forest moon of Endor crash-victim species may not be shown.
 * Previously unnamed homeworlds of canonical species will be placed if possible "with a relatively quick reference" of by following an obvious name formula, as Jason Fry worded it, "Planetnamian species getting a Planetnamia on the map."
 * Jason Fry has revised his placement of Harix due to new information in Aliens in the Empire, Part 2.
 * New information will be revealed about Arda-2 and other worlds of the Gordian Reach.
 * Ord Cestus will be placed in the Outer Rim as in The Cestus Deception, rather than in the Inner Rim as originally stated in HoloNet News.
 * Key worlds of the Mandalorian War will be placed.
 * Terminus will have a very significant placement.
 * Picutorion will be shown.
 * Mugaar will be shown in the Greater Javin; according to Jason Fry, Mugaar is not in the part of the Greater Javin visible in the WOTC map available online. According to Jason, on the WOTC chart "it [Mugaar] was just off the map and we were seeing the rimward part of Mugaari Space."
 * Coordinates will be given for Rainboh.
 * Coordinates will be given for Habassa.
 * In most cases, unplaced planets will not be placed in existing systems, but there may be exceptions.
 * The Kira Run and adjacent Harrin and Enarc trade routes will be placed, with a retcon for the seeming discrepancy between WEG and WOTC sources as to Enarc's location.
 * The Celanon Spur will be placed; its placement determined many other placements.
 * It will be revealed what route took Luke Skywalker from Drexel II to Yavin IV that passed by Centares.
 * The Ado Spine will be placed.
 * Myto's Arrow will be placed.
 * The Salin Corridor will be placed.
 * The Red Nebula will be placed.
 * "Atravis Sector" will be considered a mispelling of "Atrivis Sector."
 * There will be a detailed look at the Corporate Sector. Jason has stated, "We were able to unearth some very cool old stuff that deserves another chance at life."
 * In general, rimward sectors will be larger than coreward sectors.
 * It has not yet been decided if each canonical planet will be placed in a named sector.
 * Showing of sector boundaries will be somewhat limited by practical concerns, including allowing room for expansion in future EU.
 * A specific map of the First Great Schism will not be included, as that conflict has not yet been fully developed in the EU.
 * Several detailed maps of specific areas will be included, including at least one of the Core Worlds and maps of many areas previously uncharted. However, there is currently not a plan for a specific map of the Atrivis Sector or Tion Cluster.  Although the authors themselves would be interested in such maps, detailed maps will only be made with LFL approval, depending on supposed appeal to "casual fans."
 * Jason plans to include all star systems from Star Wars Tales comics. This is to be understood as canonizing the locations but not necessarily the events depicted in the comics.