Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Matthew Stover’s Revenge of the Sith novelization isn’t just a retelling of the movie — it’s the most emotionally rich and thematically powerful version of the story. If you’ve only experienced Episode III through the film, this book will completely reframe how you see it. The writing dives deep into the inner lives of the characters — especially Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Palpatine. Every decision, hesitation, and betrayal feels more grounded, more human, and ultimately more tragic. The fall of Anakin Skywalker becomes not just inevitable, but painfully understandable. Stover gives weight to the tragedy in a way the film couldn’t — you feel every loss, every manipulation, every failure to connect. His prose is also a standout: it’s poetic, psychological, and intense, with moments where the narration breaks the fourth wall in bold, mythic fashion. It doesn’t just tell you what’s happening — it invites you into the Force, into fear, into heroism, and into heartbreak. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or someone just curious about the deeper layers of Star Wars storytelling, this book is essential reading. It elevates the prequels, enriches the characters, and adds nuance that’s hard to forget. One of the best pieces of Star Wars fiction ever written — I absolutely loved it.

This is one of the best Star Wars novels out there--and for how hit-or-miss the EU can be (yes, "can"--I refuse to call it "Legends" and consider it "dead"), there are some really good books within it by which to make such a comparison. Stover adds layers and shading to the story of Revenge of the Sith, expanding on characters' emotions and motives where the film did not--likely due to time constraints. His writing might not be everyone's cup of tea: some have called it "flowery"; I'd call it "lyrical" or "poetic". He has a flair for similes and metaphors and weaves something almost like a horror story while utilizing grandiose descriptions and phrases that are syntactically pleasing. He prodigiously uses third-person omniscient perspective, delving into pretty much everyone's head at one point or another, to greater or lesser success. The book isn't without flaws. He does reference the EU quite a bit, which might be difficult if one hasn't delved too deeply into it or doesn't care for it. Occasionally his descriptions of lightsabers are unappealing at best--"a bar of light," for example. His attempts at humor or extraneous details are at times ill-placed: Example 1: Obi-Wan's coming 'round while rescuing Palpatine; being slung across Anakin's shoulders, he wakes up to a view of Anakin's rear and slowly realizes what he's looking at. This is different from the film, and seemed an unnecessary change--if only because it takes place during an otherwise tense "action sequence". Even as an attempt at humor, I think it would have felt out-of-place almost anywhere. Example 2: Anakin senses that Obi-Wan's been in Padme's apartment, and also smells that some kind of broth or tea has been served. Stover takes this moment to add that Obi-Wan's severely allergic to said broth / tea and that his finding this out the hard way almost caused a diplomatic incident. The issue with this scene is that Stover, at the same time, is trying to flesh out what's implied in the movie--that Anakin (in his hyper-possessive / paranoid state) suspects his wife is having an affair with his former Master. As with the "butt" scene, this jars the reader out of the emotional suspense that the preceding paragraphs have built. This having been said, these details aren't always amiss; some do indeed add to the story--or tug at the heart. Mace Windu's explaining to Obi-Wan why he's the perfect choice to fight Grievous, or Obi-Wan's having an inward-spiraling breakdown when he realizes that Anakin's gone to the Dark Side (going so far as to wish he'd died on Naboo with his Master, Qui-Gon)--before Yoda snaps him out of it. As for Anakin's inner "dragon", I simply took it to mean "Krayt dragon"--or something similar. It's an overused metaphor, which does grate on the nerves, but . . . at least Stover's trying to illustrate the idea that there are two parts to Anakin--and one of them is something he's not sure he can control (and, indeed, over which he does lose control as the novel progresses). These details may or may not resonate with readers; for myself, I found them immensely impactful. One further point of critique is that the book ends too quickly. If you thought the ending to the film was rushed, the book is worse. I wanted Obi-Wan's reaction to hearing about Qui-Gon's "return"--especially since Stover had hitherto done an excellent job of basically doing a psychological study of his character. I wanted a little more world-building when it came to getting everyone set up for A New Hope. But these matters are concluded in a series of short paragraphs, no more . . . and given how much lovingly painstaking detail went into the rest of the book, I felt a little bit let down. It almost felt as if the publishers said to Stover, "You must end the book within X number of words" . . . and he didn't save enough to do the end justice. But all-in-all--this is one of my favorite Star Wars novels, despite its flaws. I think said flaws are at times miscues on the author's part, and at times simply a matter of reader's preference in terms of writing style, etc. Of course the book won't be exactly like the movie, no more than a film adaptation can be exactly like the book. But in my mind, Stover did a pretty darn good job.

This deluxe edition of Revenge of the Sith is absolutely stunning. The artwork, quality, and attention to detail make it worth every penny. It’s a great collector’s piece and captures the emotion and depth of Episode III perfectly. Highly recommend for any Star Wars fan or book collector.

Fantastic book, expanding on the events of the film and narrating it as a tragedy with a foregone conclusion. Others will no doubt explain all the reasons to buy and read this. As far as the physical book goes, it is gorgeous and features amazing artwork on the cover, insides of the cover, and the dust jacket. The dust jacket is the only downside on this book, as it is printed on transparent plastic (so that you can see parts of the cover art through the dust jacket art), but the printing wears off in places. Maybe I was just gripping the book too hard while riveted by the story 😂. Fortunately, it's a gorgeous book even without the dust jacket.

The book is beautiful, it was a gift for my boyfriend and he loved it. But Amazon needs to be more careful with the packaging, the book came in the same box as other products and it arrived with some damage as shown in the pictures.

Super cool piece—good for any big fan of the original novel or the film. Arrived way faster than originally expected + in pretty nice condition. Acetate covers are always bound to get a little roughed up but the few ‘scratches’ on mine are so unobtrusive and overall insignificant that you can’t see them unless you’re really looking for them. Really neat edition. The book itself is perfect, too; it’s easily the best Star Wars novel, hands down. Cool story, novelized by a cool writer, and contained in a cool edition.

Great book! Sleek cover design and illustrations.

“Revenge of the Sith” è l’appassionante romanzo che narra le vicende dell’omonimo film della saga di Star Wars, la terza parte della trilogia prequel. Il volume, scritto con uno stile accattivante, è le perfetta versione romanzata di Episodio III anche perché colma alcuni vuoti narrativi del film. I vari personaggi, i loro sentimenti e i rapporti che li legano sono tratteggiati con maestria soprattutto per quanto riguarda i due ‘colossi’ che dominano la scena, vale a dire Obi Wan e Anakin. La loro amicizia e il loro essere un formidabile duo di guerrieri vengono esplorati a fondo e, quindi, l’epilogo finale risulta molto più drammatico. Con altrettanta maestria sono narrati il lento e graduale cedimento di Anakin verso il lato oscuro, la paura che lo attanaglia e lo annebbia e la sua profonda rabbia. Ogni personaggio mostra la sua natura all'ennesima potenza. A mio avviso, tra le varie trasposizioni in romanzo dei film della saga, questa è una delle migliori e non può mancare nella biblioteca di ogni fan.

Très beau livre ! Les finitions sont impeccables !

Got it from u-read. It is the Matthew Stover version not the Patricia C. version, will read it soon.