It's a poignant reminder of time's passage in 2025 that "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" has reached its 20th anniversary. Yet, fans have a double reason to celebrate as the film returns to theaters in May as part of Lucasfilm's anniversary festivities. Adding to the excitement, Matthew Stover's critically acclaimed novelization of the film is set for a 20th anniversary rerelease, available for preorder on Amazon.
Collider has shared that "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith" will also be released as a Deluxe Edition hardcover 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, expressed his enthusiasm: "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 experience Stover's novelization, it's considered one of the best Star Wars novels and often deemed superior to the film. While it follows the plot of George Lucas' screenplay, the book enriches scenes and subplots, providing deeper insight into characters like Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Count Dooku. The novel's unique second-person narrative style distinguishes it within the Star Wars universe. Here’s an evocative passage illustrating 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 the same scene in a more straightforward manner:
This comparison underscores the value of exploring the novelization. "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" is currently available in paperback and audiobook formats, with the Deluxe Edition hardcover set for release on October 14, available for preorder on Amazon.
For more Star Wars delights, consider browsing the various Star Wars collectibles available at the IGN Store.
