Product Description

Based on the screenplay of the movie, "Star Wars: Episode III", the novel brings the epic full circle, revealing at last just how the young Jedi, Anakin Skywalker, became the most evil villain in the galaxy, Darth Vader, and father to Luke and Leia. When the novel opens, the Clone Wars are still in full cry, and numerous Jedi have already been lost. Anakin is struggling with his dual life: Jedi Knight and husband (in secret) to Padme Amidala. The time is drawing near for the machiavellian Darth Sidious - the Sith Lord determined to wrest control of the galaxy from the Republic - to draw tight the noose he has been creating around Anakin Skywalker...and create a new Sith Lord with unmatched dark-side Force powers...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #133533 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

From the Publisher
The novel based on Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, the movie that brings the Star Wars epic full circle--to the creation of Darth Vader and the birth of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa. A must-read for every fan of the Star Wars movies.

About the Author
Matt Stover is the author of five previous novels, including STAR WARS: SHATTERPOINT: A CLONE WARS NOVEL, STAR WARS: THE NEW JEDI ORDER: TRAITOR, and HEROES DIE and THE BLADE OF TYSHALLE. He is an expert in several martial arts. Mr. Stover lives outside Chicago.

Customer Reviews

Terrific work
As good a book as could be expected, Stover's novelization of the last "Star Wars" film develops the script and better realizes the characters and the story.

He splits the tale into sections that philosophize (appropriately) about matters of light and dark. Anakin Skywalker's tragic journey is placed in a much more epic perspective, as is that of other characters including Bail Antilles, Padme and most notably Count Dooku.

For a four-hundred plus page length it's an astonishingly quick and addictive read (I got through it in one night) and Stover chronicles the movie's big events well, notably Mace Windu's betrayal and death, Palpatine declaring himself Emperor and the Sidious/Yoda battle in the Senate.

Fantastic stuff and (as with the best "Star Wars") left me wanting more. Recommended.

So much better than the movie its not even funny
This is the first time Ive read a Star Wars novel as Im more into reading the graphic novels. Let me say that this is one of the most enjoyable books Ive read in a while and it really is so much better than the movie. I thought Anakin's fall into darkness came too easy and quick in the movie but it takes longer to happen in the book and you really get a sense of the inner turmoil he feels trying to decide if his decision is correct. Many things Ive wanted to know are also explained, for example, how does C3PO end up as Padme's and plated in gold, how does R2 end up as Anakin's starfighter astromech and the book also gives an insight into the events after Anakin was married and his elevation to Knighthood. The banter between Kenobi and Skywalker is fantastic at times and very funny, which is great because you get the feeling of sadness when Skywalker eventually turns on Obi Wan. Lucas should be slapped silly for omitting a lot of the book from the movie, particulary the whole Dooku-Palpatine conversation while they wait for Anakin and Obi Wan to enter the General's quarters to rescue the chancellor. A great read and Im now looking forward to reading The Rise Of Darth Vadar.

The best novelisation
Having enjoyed Traitor and Shatterpoint I was pleased to hear that Matthew Stover had been commissioned to write the novelisation of the third prequel because I thought that he could handle the dark subject matter with some finesse. I was not displeased. He has managed to capture the grandeur and scale of the movie perfectly, evident from the opening action sequence which I thought was long in the film, in the book it runs at over a hundred pages. But also he manages with some delicacy to allow us to enter the heads of Padme and especially Anakin to greater appreciate how the subtle manipulations of that most evil of dictators, Palpatine, affect their emotions and actions. Anakins gradual slide to the Dark side motivated by love and paranoia are captured quite effectively allowing us to feel sympathy whilst also feeling shocked. We are also treated to material that was cut from the final edit of the film, concerning the foundation of the rebel alliance. This is handled effectively whilst not degenerating into excessive politcal babble rather highlighting the opposing politcal positions of Padme and her husband and the tension that this creates.
I have read all the novelisations of the films except ROTJ, and this is by far the most enjoyable and affecting. I greatly enjoyed it and would recommend it anyone interested in Star Wars.