"Don't worry. It'll be all right.

Anakin and Obi-Wan will be there any minute."

The introduction to the Revenge of the Sith novelization is fantastic. I've thought this since I first read it weeks ago, but I have been thrust back into the book by Jonathan Davis' performance. The audiobook, though I've not heard a full chapter of it yet, has exceeded my expectations. It is riveting. I listen to it in my car exclusively, for fear I will waste too much time if I listen elsewhere. Davis does a great job of enhancing Matthew Stover's already insightful and powerful descriptions. Which explains the message above. That struck me to hear Davis read it in a way that is more real and moving than anything my imagination could have conjured. It is truly a vibrant rendition.

The cinematic opening of Revenge of the Sith is my favorite of the series, including that wonderful and classic entrance to ANH. That is, in part, due to the fellows who welcome us to the latest film of the saga. I'm unabashedly partial to each of them -- and their wicked awesome starfighters. But I think Stover's introduction gives them a run for their money. It is an incredibly interesting piece to read and examine; for vital politcal information, insightful folk opinion, and even for its poetic prose. I can't congratulate Stover enough for setting up "the turning point for the entire Star Wars saga" in such an expressive and momentous way.

I don't remember taking into consideration the thoughts and feelings of the peoples of the Republic for any substantial amount of time until recently. Stover presents those opinions so that they are difficult to ignore. For example, their love for Palpatine. I understood that he controlled the Senate and that democracy died "with thunderous applause," but I didn't realize how much the common people adored him.

"Palpatine of Naboo, the most admired man in the galaxy, whose unmatched political skills have held the Republic together. Whose personal integrity and courage prove that the Separatist propaganda of corruption in the Senate is nothing but lies. Whose charismatic leadership gives the whole Republic the will to fight on.

Palpatine is more than respected. He is loved.

Even the rumor of his disappearance strikes a daggar to the heart of every friend of the Republic. Every one of them knows in her heart, in his gut, in its very bones --

Without Palpatine, the Republic will fall."

And the youngling's comforting words to their parents woke me up to their world. It stirred my memories of being a little kid, and thinking how great it could be to have a couple heroes of the galaxy to look up to. That became real to me. I become even more respectful of Skywalker and Kenobi. The story of "brotherhood and betrayal" interests me further. Stover delivers something that I never before appreciated.

"They say this as though these names can conjure miracles.

Anakin and Obi-Wan. Kenobi and Skywalker. From the beginning of the Clone Wars, the phrase Kenobi and Skywalker has become a single word. They are everywhere. HoloNet features of their operations against the Separatist enemy have made them the most famous Jedi in the galaxy.

Younglings across the galaxy know their names, know everything about them, follow their exploits as though they are sports heroes instead of warriors in a desperate battle to save civilization."

I think this is the true reason for my belief that the novel's introduction is somewhat more inspiring than the film's: the Republic's younglings are depicted to have more faith in their heroes than their parents do. The younglings' heroes follow through and meet their needs. The younglings' heroes enter the battle in glorious style and, I'm sure, thunderous applause.

"And so it is that these adults across the galaxy watch the HoloNet with ashes where their hearts should be.

Ashes because they can't see two prismatic bursts of realspace reversion, far out beyond the planet's gravity well; because they can't see a pair of starfighters crisply jettison hyperdrive rings and streak into the storm of Separatist vulture fighters with all guns blazing.

A pair of starfighters. Jedi starfighters. Only two.

Two is enough.

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."