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A long time ago, in a galaxy
far away… Star Wars… If you’re in your mid-20s, as I am, you’ve pretty much
grown up with these movies. And now, coming on May 19, is the release of what George
Lucas promises is the last Star Wars movie he’ll ever make: Episode III—Revenge
of the Sith. With anticipation running extremely high, those of us who can’t wait to
see how Anakin Skywalker finally succumbs to the Dark Side luckily have this novelization
of the movie.
The novelization, written by Matthew Stover (who previously
wrote the original Star Wars novel, Shatterpoint), is a far cry from the
rushed-out hack-job novelizations you may have read. No, this novel is more like a
companion to the movie. It lets you get inside characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padme
Amidala in a way you never could in a mere two-hour film. More than that, because the
author can be omnipotent, you can read the thoughts of characters, their backgrounds, and
how they feel about the circumstances they find themselves in. For instance, the book
gives us three solid pages on the character of Count Dooku—where he came from, what he’s
thinking about the Jedi, and his plans for the future. It’s really
fascinating.
For those who have been living under a rock, or who otherwise
haven’t been following the story, here’s the gist of what’s going on: It’s several years
into the Clone Wars, which began at the end of Episode II (see the review of the
movie), and Anakin Skywalker is now a full-fledged Jedi. Along with Obi-Wan Kenobi, he’s
become one of the war’s biggest heroes. The story begins with the two of them thwarting
a kidnapping attempt, and the action doesn’t stop from there. While the Jedi get closer
to penetrating the true identity of Darth Sidious, Anakin turns to Chancellor Palpatine
for help in saving Padme, his now pregnant wife, whom he married secretly in Episode
II. He’s been having visions that she will die in childbirth, and he’s desperate to
save her—even if it means getting closer to the Dark Side than a Jedi usually goes. The
story threads weave together to tell a very powerful story that, despite the fact that
it’s sci-fi, is basically about the nature of good and evil—and how the choices we make
can take us in directions we may not have intended to go.
Perhaps the best
thing about the book is it gives you a chance to go through the story at your own pace.
When you see the movie, the scenes play out quickly, with no regard to whether you’ve
gotten a chance to look at everything on the screen or to really understand everything
that’s happening. But in the book, everything happens at your own pace. So if you want
to take your time with some of the bigger moments, you can.
Lastly, with
this novel, you can really get a sense of the bigger world that is the Star Wars
universe. You can read about characters, scenes, and details that would be trimmed down
or cut entirely to keep a movie’s run-time down. And you’ll get more in-depth with the
Jedi way of life and philosophy than you might have ever thought
possible.
Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith is a fantastic
book in its own right. It adds to, and complements, the movie experience, while at the
same time standing on its own as a novel that’s well worth your time. If you’re even the
slightest Star Wars fan, do yourself a big favor and pick up this book. It’ll put
you in just the right mood to see the movie—and it’ll give you a fun literary experience,
enjoying all the nuances the story has to offer.
