'The Clone Army Attacketh' – where Shakespeare meets Star Wars

Three prequel parodies that recast 'Star Wars' in Shakespearean fashion will appear this spring, summer, and fall, helping fans prepare for the December release of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens.'

"O C-3PO, C-3PO! wherefore art thou C-3PO?"

Here's a rare chance for fans of both Star Wars and Shakespeare to unite and rejoice: A new set of best-selling Shakespearean "Star Wars" parodies - that is, Star Wars prequels written in Shakespearean style – are coming soon to a bookshelf near you.

Author Ian Doescher recently revealed to CNET the cover for “William Shakespeare’s The Clone Army Attacketh," the first of three book parodies from Quirk Books to be released this year ahead of arguably the most anticipated film of the year, the Dec. 18 "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

The cover features an armored Jango Fett in the center flanked with clone troopers on his right and Padme and Anakin in a romantic embrace on the left. Written below, "Star Wars: Part the Second."

Doescher's prequel parodies will hit stores this spring, summer, and fall, giving fans plenty of time to read both the parodies and the official prequels before the film hits theaters. First up is the release of the adaptation of “Phantom of Menace” on April 7, followed by “The Clone Army Attacketh” on July 7, and “Tragedy of the Sith’s Revenge” on September 8.

Inspired by Shakespeare, Doescher reimagines Star Wars in both Shakespearean verse and themes, as CNET reports.

"The play, which takes place in a galaxy far, far away, tells of young Jedi Anakin Skywalker, who is torn between the duty to the Jedi, his love for Padme and freeing his beloved mother Shmi. The path he decides to walk will determine his destiny as well as that of the Republic," reports CNET about "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones."

Meanwhile, in "'William Shakespeare's The Clone Army Attacketh: Star Wars Part the Second,' a knight and squire battle, a noble lady is in danger and a forbidden love is written in the stars," it continues.

Of course, Doescher has done this before, with a hilarious trio of prequel parodies from the original Star Wars trilogy. In those, a few changes - some thys and thous, as well as asides and chorus lines - are inserted to hilarious effect.

Take this conversation between C-3PO and R2-D2, which takes place when 3PO sees that R2 is trying to enter an escape pod on the Tantive IV, as DorkSideOfTheForce.com featured:

C-3PO: Hold! Thou art not permitted to go in. / Deactivated thou shalt surely be.

R2-D2: Beep, beep, beep, meep!

C-3PO: – Thou shalt not label me / A mindless, brute philosopher! Nay, nay, / Thou overladen glob of grease, thou imp, / Thou rubbish bucket fit for scrap, thou blue / And silver pile of bantha dung! Now, come, / And get thee hence away lest someone sees.

Laughter-inducing verse that unites both Shakespeare and Star Wars fans? That's a win-win-win in our book.