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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
Never has a book more made me want to create an in-depth video essay about the art of novelization, adaptation, and the outright grecian level tragedy that is obi wan kenobi and anakin skywalkers dynamic. I cried many real tears.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to like this more.
For so long, I had heard of how this book was an absolute must-read for Star Wars fans for how much it expands on Star Wars Episode 3. With that having been my favorite movie of the prequel trilogy, made that much better by the animated series, the Clone Wars, I was overjoyed at the prospect of having this movie's depth expanded upon for me.
And sure enough, the beginning of the book was magical, adding so much substance to the opening sequence, expanding the world of Star Wars, how the jedi, Anakin and Obi Wan in particular, are viewed as media heroes and figures of hope, and giving so much more context to the duel aboard the Invisible Hand, etc.
Then things take a turn for the worse. And quickly. Entire sequences are skipped over, some passed over in the span of a few hundred words, and entire areas omitted such as most of Order 66. There is so much that simply feels as though it's an afterthought, extraordinarily at odds with how much depth the book gives other scenes. But when other scenes between these are near completely skipped over, it almost feels as though I was given an incomplete copy of the book. It's jarring at best and aggravatingly horrid at worst. I came out of this book feeling like I'd been given director's notes on a feel choice scenes of the movie and nothing more, and, frankly, I was disappointed.
For so long, I had heard of how this book was an absolute must-read for Star Wars fans for how much it expands on Star Wars Episode 3. With that having been my favorite movie of the prequel trilogy, made that much better by the animated series, the Clone Wars, I was overjoyed at the prospect of having this movie's depth expanded upon for me.
And sure enough, the beginning of the book was magical, adding so much substance to the opening sequence, expanding the world of Star Wars, how the jedi, Anakin and Obi Wan in particular, are viewed as media heroes and figures of hope, and giving so much more context to the duel aboard the Invisible Hand, etc.
Then things take a turn for the worse. And quickly. Entire sequences are skipped over, some passed over in the span of a few hundred words, and entire areas omitted such as most of Order 66. There is so much that simply feels as though it's an afterthought, extraordinarily at odds with how much depth the book gives other scenes. But when other scenes between these are near completely skipped over, it almost feels as though I was given an incomplete copy of the book. It's jarring at best and aggravatingly horrid at worst. I came out of this book feeling like I'd been given director's notes on a feel choice scenes of the movie and nothing more, and, frankly, I was disappointed.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I cried. It killed me, again.
adventurous
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Far better than a movie tie-in novel has any right to be. Thoughtful, reflective, and very disturbing in light of 2025 geopolitics. Star Wars at its best.
One thing I thought I would really dislike about the novelizations was the fact that they are written by different authors, I actually really like that concept now.
Revenge of the Sith is one of my top 3 favourite Star Wars movie so I had high expectations for this book, I was not disappointing. I loved reading what the characters were thinking, it made the story so much more intense and heartbreaking.
Reading about each individuals heartbreak was so sad: Mace and the Republic, Yoda and his pride, Obi Wan and his best friend, Padme and her husband, Anakin and well everything. Order 66 was also very hard to read.
10 out of 10 would recommend.
Revenge of the Sith is one of my top 3 favourite Star Wars movie so I had high expectations for this book, I was not disappointing. I loved reading what the characters were thinking, it made the story so much more intense and heartbreaking.
Reading about each individuals heartbreak was so sad: Mace and the Republic, Yoda and his pride, Obi Wan and his best friend, Padme and her husband, Anakin and well everything. Order 66 was also very hard to read.
10 out of 10 would recommend.
Literally the absolute best Star Wars novelization I have ever read, I cannot stress this enough, this book is amazing. Every Star Wars fan needs to read it.
The characterisation of Anakin Skywalker in the Revenge of the Sith novelisation written by Matthew Stover is the absolute peak of character writing in the Star Wars franchise, and the ultimate depiction of the character, showing the incredible understanding of the character and care of presenting him correctly from Stover’s prose. He clearly understands the character on a level much deeper than most media that portrays him, even good media where the character is written superbly.
“You killed her because, finally, when you could have saved her, when you could have gone away with her, when you could have been thinking about her, you were thinking about yourself…”
Anakin is a selfish, selfish man, and is clearly portrayed as a man who walks the dark path from the beginning of the story, his fall is inevitable because it is the result of his own actions, his own greed. His love for Padme is what makes him fail, but his love is not a selfless, unconditional love, it is a selfish love, it is about what Padme does for him, what she makes him feel, it is not as simple as him caring for her. Because whilst he does, ultimately, it is all about him.
The motivations and events that lead to Anakin’s turn are clearer, more defined and expanded upon in this book than the movie, and adds to the claim that this novel doesn’t simply feel like an adaptation, it almost feels like the movie is the adaptation, and this is the full story.
Anakin’s obsession with mastery, with the rank of Master, are not just his pride or ego, whilst that absolutely plays a part, he is truly furious because with the rank of Master, he can access information he believes will help him save Padme from his visions.
But he is still human, and the remains of his empathy and love are still clear on display, and whilst he is a very evil, self-centered man, I think the reason this story strikes such a chord with me is the personal attachment I feel to him here, because I can relate.
There’s a moment when we really get into the mind of Anakin Skywalker, as he approaches and searches for Padme after defeating Dooku, and see how deep the roots of his insecurities lie.
“She wasn’t here. Why wasn’t she here?
Something must have happened.
He knew, deep in his guts, that something had happened to her.”
“Had something changed? For her?
In how she felt?”
Padme’s nerves, her life being changed by her pregnancy, immediately spawns an immense suspicion in Anakin. Almost instantly, he jumps to conclusions, before settling on the one that serves him best, that there is someone else. That she is with another man. He is an incredibly insecure man, but this is written so superbly because I know what it is like to be Anakin here, I know what it is like to be a very pathetic, incredibly suspicious, self-conscious man, who allows his anger to get the better of him, who acts like Anakin does here, borderline emotionally abusive to a partner.
Not getting edgy, I was quite young, but I was similar with a partner, and years later I realised what I was, and it has shown great growth in myself, but it still disgusts me and saddens me to realise how I acted, and it makes me understand greater how different things could have gone for Anakin if he had the right help, the time to grow, how amazing a Jedi he could’ve become, how these flaws could’ve been tempered, like they did for me.
But not Anakin Skywalker.
The deep dive into his psyche is phenomenal, and shows the talent of Stover to be able to truly get into the minds of people of all different types, whether it’s Vergere, Jacen Solo, Ganner Rhysode, Anakin Skywalker, or even Obi-Wan Kenobi, he truly gets people on a deeper level than most authors.
“Anakin and Obi-Wan would never fight each other.
They couldn’t.
They’re a team. They’re the team.
And both of them are sure they always will be.”
The way Matthew Stover wrote the brotherly duo of Anakin and Obi-Wan was also shockingly good, they are a dazzling display of heroes who are worshipped throughout the galaxy, the most famous Jedi, possibly, in history.
“Two is enough because the adults are wrong, and their younglings are right. Though this is the end of the age of heroes, it has saved its best for last.”
They are the dynamic duo, they are the perfect team, and they save the day again, but watch as this relationship is deconstructed, their highs, their lows, their strong as steel best attributes, and the tension and flaws between them.
While Anakin is groomed by the omniscient Sidious, Obi-Wan’s actions and words are twisted by his devious friend, and like he will also manage with Padme, his brother becomes his enemy.
Palpatine’s manipulations are at their best here, he is a cruel and clever man, he seemingly knows all, using his knowledge of everyone’s actions and even thoughts to slowly convert Anakin, and to gain his trust and obedience until eventually… it is too late.
The metaphor of a dragon for Anakin’s fear was just spectacular, the dragon grows and gnashes its claws, it tugs at Anakin’s heart, until by the end, Vader clamps down on it and kills it. Only to realise, yet again, when it is too late, that there was no dragon, only Anakin Skywalker.
The dragon remains, and he has failed.
Palpatine manages to come across as a loving uncle to Anakin, and you totally buy why Anakin loves and trusts him, beyond them telling you so. Sidious manages to frame everything that happens to and around him back to his own means, and used it to seduce Anakin very slowly and very cleverly.
“The brightest light casts the darkest shadow.”
Obi-Wan is just… godly here. One of the most talented Jedi Masters of his time, he is wise, loving, and caring in a way most Jedi of this era aren’t, he’s a talented swordsman, and a brother to his former apprentice, Anakin Skywalker.
The truth is, Obi-Wan loves Anakin.
There’s an extremely emotional moment where, concerned about his friend, Obi-Wan goes to Padme to inquire about his worries, seek help, and encourage Padme to assist.
“‘You love him, too, don’t you?’
When he didn’t answer, she turned to look. He stood motionless, frowning, in the middle of the expanse of buff carpeting.
‘You do. You love him.’
He lowered his head. He looked very alone.
‘Please do what you can to help him,’ he said, and left.”
Despite his mastery of the Force, and what it means to be a republic-era Jedi, he has an attachment to Anakin, and not only does it cloud his vision of the darkness in his brother, it hinders him from accepting it, acknowledging it, and doing anything about it.
He hid and accepted his friend’s flaws, he trusted him to do the right thing, and in the end, he failed…
“And here, and now, despite it all…
Obi-Wan still loved him.”
After their climactic duel, Obi-Wan leaves Anakin to burn. He notes that to put Anakin out of his misery would be the right thing to do, but he isn’t feeling merciful. And whilst he thinks about it, it is too late, Sidious arrives, and he flees.
Hoping, but ultimately failing, to save Padme, Obi-Wan resigns himself to watching over Luke. Finally, he smiles, remarking that he cannot think of a better way to spend his life, than watching over Anakin’s son. He declares that he wants to be an eccentric old uncle, and to keep him out of danger too dark for him to handle on his own.
Whilst the novel doesn’t reach the pinnacle of Star Wars books just quite for me, and is definitely outmatched by the greats like Path of Destruction, The Last Command, Vision of the Future, the entire New Jedi Order series, it’s a beautiful novel that just adds more to my favourite film in the franchise.
And whilst I may give this novel a lower rating than the movie, I do believe it improves upon it, adding depth and realism to Anakin’s turn, and adding so much to the film it’s almost its own thing, in fact, I’d argue it is.
But when I rate these books, I compare them to the previous books I’ve read, and it just doesn’t quite compare to my all-timers.
It is, absolutely, a masterpiece in its own regard, and I think that to any fan of the movie, the prequels, or even the franchise in and of itself, this is an exceptional read, if not a gateway into the wider Legends universe.
Artistic, literary, Matthew Stover treats the film like a fine art, making you feel like you’re reading Lord of the Rings, or some beloved literature ancient and old. He makes it feel biblical, like a myth.
‘Mythology’ has never been a better adjective for a Star Wars book, than the Revenge of the Sith novelisation, written by Matthew Stover.
9/10
“You killed her because, finally, when you could have saved her, when you could have gone away with her, when you could have been thinking about her, you were thinking about yourself…”
Anakin is a selfish, selfish man, and is clearly portrayed as a man who walks the dark path from the beginning of the story, his fall is inevitable because it is the result of his own actions, his own greed. His love for Padme is what makes him fail, but his love is not a selfless, unconditional love, it is a selfish love, it is about what Padme does for him, what she makes him feel, it is not as simple as him caring for her. Because whilst he does, ultimately, it is all about him.
The motivations and events that lead to Anakin’s turn are clearer, more defined and expanded upon in this book than the movie, and adds to the claim that this novel doesn’t simply feel like an adaptation, it almost feels like the movie is the adaptation, and this is the full story.
Anakin’s obsession with mastery, with the rank of Master, are not just his pride or ego, whilst that absolutely plays a part, he is truly furious because with the rank of Master, he can access information he believes will help him save Padme from his visions.
But he is still human, and the remains of his empathy and love are still clear on display, and whilst he is a very evil, self-centered man, I think the reason this story strikes such a chord with me is the personal attachment I feel to him here, because I can relate.
There’s a moment when we really get into the mind of Anakin Skywalker, as he approaches and searches for Padme after defeating Dooku, and see how deep the roots of his insecurities lie.
“She wasn’t here. Why wasn’t she here?
Something must have happened.
He knew, deep in his guts, that something had happened to her.”
“Had something changed? For her?
In how she felt?”
Padme’s nerves, her life being changed by her pregnancy, immediately spawns an immense suspicion in Anakin. Almost instantly, he jumps to conclusions, before settling on the one that serves him best, that there is someone else. That she is with another man. He is an incredibly insecure man, but this is written so superbly because I know what it is like to be Anakin here, I know what it is like to be a very pathetic, incredibly suspicious, self-conscious man, who allows his anger to get the better of him, who acts like Anakin does here, borderline emotionally abusive to a partner.
Not getting edgy, I was quite young, but I was similar with a partner, and years later I realised what I was, and it has shown great growth in myself, but it still disgusts me and saddens me to realise how I acted, and it makes me understand greater how different things could have gone for Anakin if he had the right help, the time to grow, how amazing a Jedi he could’ve become, how these flaws could’ve been tempered, like they did for me.
But not Anakin Skywalker.
The deep dive into his psyche is phenomenal, and shows the talent of Stover to be able to truly get into the minds of people of all different types, whether it’s Vergere, Jacen Solo, Ganner Rhysode, Anakin Skywalker, or even Obi-Wan Kenobi, he truly gets people on a deeper level than most authors.
“Anakin and Obi-Wan would never fight each other.
They couldn’t.
They’re a team. They’re the team.
And both of them are sure they always will be.”
The way Matthew Stover wrote the brotherly duo of Anakin and Obi-Wan was also shockingly good, they are a dazzling display of heroes who are worshipped throughout the galaxy, the most famous Jedi, possibly, in history.
“Two is enough because the adults are wrong, and their younglings are right. Though this is the end of the age of heroes, it has saved its best for last.”
They are the dynamic duo, they are the perfect team, and they save the day again, but watch as this relationship is deconstructed, their highs, their lows, their strong as steel best attributes, and the tension and flaws between them.
While Anakin is groomed by the omniscient Sidious, Obi-Wan’s actions and words are twisted by his devious friend, and like he will also manage with Padme, his brother becomes his enemy.
Palpatine’s manipulations are at their best here, he is a cruel and clever man, he seemingly knows all, using his knowledge of everyone’s actions and even thoughts to slowly convert Anakin, and to gain his trust and obedience until eventually… it is too late.
The metaphor of a dragon for Anakin’s fear was just spectacular, the dragon grows and gnashes its claws, it tugs at Anakin’s heart, until by the end, Vader clamps down on it and kills it. Only to realise, yet again, when it is too late, that there was no dragon, only Anakin Skywalker.
The dragon remains, and he has failed.
Palpatine manages to come across as a loving uncle to Anakin, and you totally buy why Anakin loves and trusts him, beyond them telling you so. Sidious manages to frame everything that happens to and around him back to his own means, and used it to seduce Anakin very slowly and very cleverly.
“The brightest light casts the darkest shadow.”
Obi-Wan is just… godly here. One of the most talented Jedi Masters of his time, he is wise, loving, and caring in a way most Jedi of this era aren’t, he’s a talented swordsman, and a brother to his former apprentice, Anakin Skywalker.
The truth is, Obi-Wan loves Anakin.
There’s an extremely emotional moment where, concerned about his friend, Obi-Wan goes to Padme to inquire about his worries, seek help, and encourage Padme to assist.
“‘You love him, too, don’t you?’
When he didn’t answer, she turned to look. He stood motionless, frowning, in the middle of the expanse of buff carpeting.
‘You do. You love him.’
He lowered his head. He looked very alone.
‘Please do what you can to help him,’ he said, and left.”
Despite his mastery of the Force, and what it means to be a republic-era Jedi, he has an attachment to Anakin, and not only does it cloud his vision of the darkness in his brother, it hinders him from accepting it, acknowledging it, and doing anything about it.
He hid and accepted his friend’s flaws, he trusted him to do the right thing, and in the end, he failed…
“And here, and now, despite it all…
Obi-Wan still loved him.”
After their climactic duel, Obi-Wan leaves Anakin to burn. He notes that to put Anakin out of his misery would be the right thing to do, but he isn’t feeling merciful. And whilst he thinks about it, it is too late, Sidious arrives, and he flees.
Hoping, but ultimately failing, to save Padme, Obi-Wan resigns himself to watching over Luke. Finally, he smiles, remarking that he cannot think of a better way to spend his life, than watching over Anakin’s son. He declares that he wants to be an eccentric old uncle, and to keep him out of danger too dark for him to handle on his own.
Whilst the novel doesn’t reach the pinnacle of Star Wars books just quite for me, and is definitely outmatched by the greats like Path of Destruction, The Last Command, Vision of the Future, the entire New Jedi Order series, it’s a beautiful novel that just adds more to my favourite film in the franchise.
And whilst I may give this novel a lower rating than the movie, I do believe it improves upon it, adding depth and realism to Anakin’s turn, and adding so much to the film it’s almost its own thing, in fact, I’d argue it is.
But when I rate these books, I compare them to the previous books I’ve read, and it just doesn’t quite compare to my all-timers.
It is, absolutely, a masterpiece in its own regard, and I think that to any fan of the movie, the prequels, or even the franchise in and of itself, this is an exceptional read, if not a gateway into the wider Legends universe.
Artistic, literary, Matthew Stover treats the film like a fine art, making you feel like you’re reading Lord of the Rings, or some beloved literature ancient and old. He makes it feel biblical, like a myth.
‘Mythology’ has never been a better adjective for a Star Wars book, than the Revenge of the Sith novelisation, written by Matthew Stover.
9/10
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes