20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Top Star Wars Novel Released

In 2025, confronting our own mortality comes with the stark realization that "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" has reached its 20th anniversary. However, this milestone brings joyous news for fans: the film is returning to theaters in May as part of Lucasfilm's anniversary festivities. Adding to the celebration, Matthew Stover's critically acclaimed novelization of "Revenge of the Sith" is also being re-released for its 20th anniversary, available for preorder on Amazon.

As Collider reports, a Deluxe Edition hardcover of "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" is slated for release in October. This edition boasts new cover art, red foil-edged pages, a removable acetate jacket, and over 170 new annotations by Stover himself, offering fans an enriched reading experience.

Image Credit: Lucasfilm/Penguin Random House

Tom Hoeler, Editorial Director of Fiction and Special Projects for Random House World, expressed his excitement about the project, 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 into 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."

Out October 14### Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: Episode III - Deluxe Edition (Hardcover)

Priced at $60.00 on Amazon, this Deluxe Edition is a must-have for collectors and fans alike. For those unfamiliar with Stover's work, the "Revenge of the Sith" novelization is often hailed as one of the best Star Wars novels, surpassing even the film in depth and quality. While it adheres to George Lucas' screenplay, the book enriches many scenes and subplots, providing a deeper exploration of characters such as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Count Dooku. A distinctive feature of the novel is its use of second-person narration, setting it apart stylistically within the Star Wars universe. Here's a powerful excerpt that vividly portrays 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.

In contrast, the film presents this pivotal moment with less introspection, as seen here:

This comparison underscores the value of delving into the novelization for a more profound experience.

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. Preorders are open on Amazon.

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