"20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Top Star Wars Novel Released"

Nothing drives home the passage of time quite like realizing that "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" has reached its 20th anniversary in 2025. Yet, there's a bright side to this realization: fans will have the chance to experience the film again in theaters this May, as part of Lucasfilm's anniversary festivities. Adding to the celebration, the critically acclaimed novelization of the movie by Matthew Stover is set for a special 20th anniversary rerelease, available for preorder on Amazon.

Collider has announced that a Deluxe Edition hardcover of "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" will be available in October. This edition boasts new cover art, luxurious upgrades like red foil-edged pages, and a removable acetate jacket. Moreover, it includes over 170 new annotations from Stover himself, providing a deeper dive into the novel's creation.

Image Credit: Lucasfilm/Penguin Random House

Tom Hoeler, Editorial Director of Fiction and Special Projects for Random House World, expressed his excitement, saying, "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)

Priced at $60.00 on Amazon, this Deluxe Edition is a must-have for collectors and fans alike. For those yet to explore Stover's take on "Revenge of the Sith," the novel is often hailed as one of the finest Star Wars books and, by many accounts, superior to the film itself. While it adheres to George Lucas' screenplay, the novel significantly enhances scenes and subplots, offering profound insights into the psyches of characters like Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Count Dooku. Additionally, its unique use of second-person narration distinguishes it within the Star Wars literary universe. Consider this passage, which reimagines Anakin's transformation into Darth Vader in a deeply personal way:

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 depiction of the same moment:

This comparison underscores the value of diving into the novel's pages. The "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" novelization is currently available in paperback and audiobook formats, with the Deluxe Edition hardcover slated for release on October 14. Preorders are open on Amazon.

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