stephenson on star wars

Turn On, Tune In, Veg Out - New York Times: "If you have watched these cartoons - or if you've enjoyed some of the half-dozen 'Clone Wars' novels, flipped through the graphic novels, read the short stories or played the video game - you will know that the battle cruiser in question is owned by the New Droid Army of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, which is backed by the Trade Federation, a commercial guild that is peeved about taxation of trade routes. And that is not the only aspect of 'Episode III' that you will see in a different light. If you watch the movie without doing the prep work, General Grievous - who is supposed to be one of the most formidable bad guys in the entire 'Star Wars' cycle - will seem like something that just fell out of a Happy Meal."