There's no surer way to confront one's mortality in 2025 than to realize that *Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith* is now 20 years old. Yet, the silver lining is that fans can celebrate as the movie returns to theaters in May for Lucasfilm's anniversary celebration. And that's not all—author Matthew Stover's critically acclaimed novelization of *Revenge of the Sith* is also getting a 20th anniversary rerelease, available for preorder on Amazon.
Collider has revealed that *Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith* will be available in a new Deluxe Edition hardcover, set to 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.
Tom Hoeler, Editorial Director of Fiction and Special Projects for Random House World, shared his excitement: "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 remains 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 fans. For those yet to experience Stover's *Revenge of the Sith* novelization, the book is widely celebrated as one of the best Star Wars novels and even surpasses the film in many fans' eyes. While it follows George Lucas' screenplay closely, the novel embellishes many scenes and subplots, offering a deeper dive into the psyches of characters like Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Count Dooku. Its distinctive use of second-person narration sets it apart from other Star Wars literature. Consider this powerful excerpt that reimagines Anakin's tragic 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.
Compare that to the film's portrayal:
This comparison underscores the value of exploring the novel. *Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith* is currently available in paperback and audiobook formats, with the Deluxe Edition hardcover set to launch on October 14. You can preorder your copy on Amazon.
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