There's no more poignant reminder of our own mortality in 2025 than realizing that "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" is now 20 years old. Yet, amidst this realization comes a silver lining: the film is returning to theaters in May as part of Lucasfilm's anniversary festivities. Adding to the excitement, Matthew Stover's critically acclaimed novelization of "Revenge of the Sith" is set for a 20th anniversary rerelease, available for pre-order on Amazon.
As reported by Collider, "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" will be honored with a Deluxe Edition hardcover, scheduled for release in October. This special edition boasts new cover art, luxurious red foil edge pages, and a removable acetate jacket. Moreover, it includes over 170 new annotations by Stover himself, enhancing the reader's experience.
Tom Hoeler, Editorial Director of Fiction and Special Projects for Random House World, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "We couldn’t be more excited to publish this incredible deluxe edition of the Revenge of the Sith novelization. It has been thrilling to work with author Matthew Stover and Lucasfilm to create a fully annotated edition that gives readers unprecedented insight to the creation of this masterpiece. Across nearly 50 years of Star Wars books, it stands alone, and even among film novelizations its approach to adapting characters and story from screen to page is unique. Two decades later, this novelization is as essential, enduring, and influential – on readers and creators – as it has ever been. Bringing the book back to hardcover in a stunning deluxe keepsake edition is a perfect way to celebrate 20 years of Revenge of the Sith."
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: Episode III - Deluxe Edition (Hardcover)
$60.00 at Amazon
For those yet to experience Stover's "Revenge of the Sith" novelization, the book is widely regarded as one of the finest Star Wars novels, often considered superior to the film itself. While it adheres to the plot of George Lucas' screenplay, the book enriches many scenes and subplots, offering a deeper dive into the psyches of characters like Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Count Dooku. The novel's unique use of second-person narration further distinguishes it within the Star Wars literary canon. Consider this passage that reimagines Anakin's transformation into Darth Vader:
*And you rage and scream and reach through the Force to crush the shadow who has destroyed you, but you are so far less now than what you were, you are more than half machine, you are like a painter gone blind, a composer gone deaf, you can remember where the power was but the power you can touch is only a memory, and so with all your world-destroying fury it is only droids around you that implode, and equipment, and the table on which you were strapped shatters, and in the end, you cannot touch the shadow. In the end you don't even want to. In the end, you do not even want to. In the end, the shadow is all you have left. Because the shadow understands you, the shadow forgives you, the shadow gathers you unto itself—And within your furnace heart, you burn in your own flame.*
Contrast this with the film's portrayal:
This comparison underscores why delving into the novel can be so rewarding.
The "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" novelization is currently available in paperback and audiobook formats, with the Deluxe Edition hardcover set to release on October 14. You can pre-order your copy on Amazon.
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