*sigh* And as usual, both this author and the Game Geeks reviewer totally missed the fact that all this began much longer ago then the video games.
In fact, it began with the much better rules found in Star Wars d6 by West End Games...which came out with items such as Tales of the Jedi Sourcebook. Indeed, THAT work was predicated on a whole slew of comics about the ancient past of Star Wars produced by Dark Horse Comics. Now, perhaps I could be mistaken...Tales of the Jedi might focus on an even earlier era - when lightsabers had powercords attached to powerpacks, and there were no blasters - only highly radioactive pulse-wave weapons and needlebeams....
(From what I understand, there is also another comic series more recently produced that covers thise era?)
Anyhoo - there is a rich history to delve into. I would agree this book is great source material even if you dislike d20 in any of its forms...it is very well produced and written, and quite enjoyable. But be sure to track down WEG's works - they defined the Star Wars RPG first, and best IMHO. D20 is often merely adaptation of what they created - but then again, the continuity is pleasing.
Yes - the era it is set in is wide open and in many ways a lot more fun. Wild Space is not way out there - ALL the Republic is still very much Wild Space - navigation is slower (the max hyperdrive rating on ships is x2...which really should be x3 or x4) and more difficult, and the Republic's ability to control anything is questionable.
Wide open indeed....
*EDIT* Yeah, my memory was a little foggy about all this...check out this wiki for more inso...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_the_Jedi