Every Star Wars movie has an accompanying novelization, but none so impressive as Revenge of the Sith. While it expertly tells the story of the film, it also manages to add to it in unexpected ways. Not only is it the best novelization, it’s a fantastic work of fiction in and of itself.

Matthew Stover outdoes himself in this novelization by painting Obi Wan, Anakin, and the rest of the Jedi as glorified super heroes in the eyes of the common man in the Star Wars universe. Somehow, this raises the stakes of one of the most intense episodes of the saga and makes Anakin’s ultimate fate even more impactful.

A tie-in novel to the Republic Commandos video game, Hard Contact is the first in a five book series. This novel introduces a squad of clone troopers as they take on a precarious mission to destroy a nanovirus production facility on the Separatist-controlled planet of Qiilura. When the clones find themselves split up behind enemy lines, their chances of success seem slim. If they’re to be successful and make it out alive, each trooper will have to rely on his clone brothers to have his back.

Karen Traviss’ Republic Commando series is one of the most celebrated and dearly loved Legends series out there. Hard Contact, its first installment, is responsible for laying the foundation for fans’ staunch dedication.

The second installment in the Republic Commando series brings Omega Squad together with Delta Squad—units with plenty of rivalry between them—in order to stop an internal terror threat on Coruscant. It also develops the Mandalorian mercenary-turned commando instructor Kal Skirata as a main character. It takes the foundation laid in Hard Contact and adds more complexity, character development, and clones into the mix for an excellent Clone Wars novel.

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This is the third installment in Karen Traviss’s Republic Commando series, focusing on the Omega and Delta Companies of special ops clone commandos, their Mandalorian father-figures Kal Skirata and Walon Vau, and Jedi generals Etain Tur-Mukan and Bardan Jusik. This story develops the themes of family and loyalty as the clones investigate Palpatine’s plot and track down the cruel Kaminoan cloner Ko Sai. Will the commandos' loyalty ultimately lie with the Republic for which they fight, or the Mandalorians with whom they identify culturally?

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The job of the clone troopers is simple: destroy the enemy at all costs. But as the war wages on and its atrocities add up, some clones start question their purpose and plan to lay down their arms altogether. Suddenly, a seemingly simple command from Chancellor Palpatine ruins those plans and also leaves them wondering exactly who the enemy is that they’re supposed to destroy.

Karen Traviss—who has proved more than capable of placing the reader inside the helmet of a trooper—is once again successful with this novel. The pain and suspense of the Order 66 scene in Revenge of the Sith is somehow stretched the entire length of the novel. Readers who have followed the Republic Commandos series can’t miss this part of the story!

Order 66 may have unified the galaxy under the Empire’s control, but it split members of the clone army. Just weeks after the order was carried out, former brothers-in-arms now find themselves on opposite sides. Will they ultimately choose to serve their Emperor or their ex-comrades, the Jedi? And just how far are they willing to go in the process?

While the Jedi may have gotten the worst of it, Karen Traviss manages to brilliantly portray the struggle of the clones following Order 66. This book serves as a fitting end to her run with the Republic Commandos.

Ten years have passed since Obi Wan Kenobi defeated the mysterious Sith warrior on Naboo. His apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, has grown into a young man with exceptional potential in the Force. However, as tensions in galactic politics reach a boiling point, Obi Wan must allow Anakin to undertake a mission on his own to protect Padmé Amidala from those seeking to assassinate her. He can only hope his young apprentice will continue to walk the path of a Jedi while out from under his tutelage…

RA Salvatore, celebrated science fiction/fantasy author, delivers a wonderful rendition of the second film in the Prequel Trilogy. With just enough small changes to keep even veteran fans of the saga on their toes, this novelization is an absolute must-read.

Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark is a fresh take on the animated series that has become a often-binged staple of Star Wars fans young and old. A talented stable of authors has adapted iconic episodes and story-arcs for inclusion in this anthology. Some are from a different character’s perspective from what we see in the tv show: the Senate hostage crisis is told from Anakin’s point of view rather than Padmé’s, for example. Other stories are told in a first-person-POV so as to lend a heavily-stylized slant to the familiar story. This is at the same time interesting, entertaining, and surprising—especially when we get inside the mind of a character such as Count Dooku! Plus, it includes one original story written exclusively for inclusion in this collection. Great for Clone Wars fans or for young readers looking to get started with Star Wars books.

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