Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
by MATTHEW STOVER
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Book Summary Information
Author: MATTHEW STOVEREdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2005-04-02
ISBN: 0345428838
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Del Rey
Book Reviews of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Book Review: Even Stars Burn Out
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to admit a certain bias against the writers of Star Wars novels. The majority that I've read or even glanced at have been either the work of breathless fanboys or the sort of bleary-eyed, penny-a-word hack writers who seem to abound in the paperback industry. However, Matthew Stover's REVENGE OF THE SITH is not only the best novelization of a movie that I've ever read, it's also a tremendous book in its own right - a faithful yet imaginative take on the last (and best) movie of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
Why does it work so well? For starters, Stover seems to have a keen ability to penetrate the souls of the characters of Lucas' space opera, and to pump in breadth and dimension where in some cases it was sorely lacking in the script. He has a hard-core fan's passion for the material, coupled the true writer's ability to bring the reader into the story and keep him there. His takes on the characters, while not always to my liking, were fresh and original. And he works very hard to close up some of the plot holes, inconsistencies and unanswered questions left by the prequels, without necessarily conflicting with the "canon" fans seem to find so important. But it's really the little things, small prose-touches which elevate the read to such inspiring levels - his habit of presenting a character in a sort of vignette style, his clever word choices (lightsabers are "ignited" as they should be, not "activated", as is often dully written), his sense of humor, his keen understanding of how the Force really works, his oddly introspective way of describing lightsaber duels, and finally the atmosphere of dread he creates among the Jedi, who can sense they are on the chopping block but can't fathom where the axe is coming from.
SITH is a novelization, but hardly an imitation, of the film. While the plot essentials remain the same, readers will see that Stover's take on Anakin Skywalker is sharply different than it was in the movie: he's far more powerful, far more unstable and fear-haunted, and far more scarred by his experiences in the Clone Wars, than Lucas depicted him in the movie - a sort of Force powder-keg waiting for the match. Count Dooku, far from being just an enigmatic, power-hungry scoundrel, is rendered as an arrogant sociopath with an oddly Hiterian streak of idealism. The fearsome General Grievous becomes an almost pitiable figure, manipulated by Darth Sidious like an armor-plated puppet and then coldly sacrificed to feed his ambitions. Even the "prophecy of the chosen one" is handled differently, particularly in its implication that Anakin really is the chosen one - he just "brings balance to the force" in a way the Jedi could not have fathomed in their wildest nightmares.
Of course I had some issues with the book. Stover's attempts to sew shut certain plot holes merely create tears in other parts of the story, and he never quite solves the logic-problem of just how Anakin kept his three-year marriage to Padme Amidala a secret from the Jedi, or how someone as wise as Obi-Wan could have mistaken their passionate love affair for some sort of chaste, Victorian-style mutual infatuation. Also, I should greatly have enjoyed some backstory on Palpatine, how he came to be Darth Sidious, and so on - that character remains as mysterious as he is in the movies. Overall, however, none of these quibbles can detract from the fact that REVENGE OF THE SITH is a tremendous accomplishment, a "real" novel which even those who didn't see or enjoy the movies could greatly enjoy.
Summary of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
The turning point for the entire Star Wars saga is at handAfter years of civil war, the Separatists have battered the already faltering Republic nearly to the point of collapse. On Coruscant, the Senate watches anxiously as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine aggressively strips away more and more constitutional liberties in the name of safeguarding the Republic. Yoda, Mace Windu, and their fellow Masters grapple with the Chancellor's disturbing move to assume control of the Jedi Council. And Anakin Skywalker, the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring balance to the Force, is increasingly consumed by his fear that his secret love, Senator Padm? Amidala, will die.
As the combat escalates across the galaxy, the stage is set for an explosive endgame: Obi-Wan undertakes a perilous mission to destroy the dreaded Separatist military leader General Grievous. Palpatine, eager to secure even greater control, subtly influences public opinion to turn against the Jedi. And a conflicted Anakin-tormented by unspeakable visions-edges dangerously closer to the brink of a galaxy-shaping decision. It remains only for Darth Sidious, whose shadow looms ever larger, to strike the final staggering blow against the Republic . . . and to ordain a fearsome new Sith Lord: Darth Vader.
Based on the screenplay of the eagerly anticipated final film in George Lucas's epic saga, bestselling Star Wars author Matthew Stover's novel crackles with action, captures the iconic characters in all their complexity, and brings a space opera masterpiece full circle in stunning style.
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