Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy: Heir to the Empire: Star Wars, Volume I

In 1991, Bantam Books and Lucasfilm Ltd. reinvigorated interest in the Star Wars universe (well, galaxy) by gathering a diverse group of noted science fiction writers and starting a regular series of novels set in the time period which follows Return of the Jedi.

Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire, the first volume of a three-book cycle, was almost an instant phenomenon when it was published in hardcover. With its depiction of the continuing battle between what is left of the Galactic Empire and the fledgling New Republic, this novel cleverly mixes the characters from the Classic Trilogy with a cast of newly created heroes and villains, some of whom will make appearances in other authors' Star Wars works.

As Heir to the Empire begins, the New Republic has been engaged in a long campaign to mop up the remnants of the once-mighty Empire. The once dreaded Imperial Fleet is in disarray, political and military control of the late Emperor Palpatine's New Order has changed hands several times, yet the former Rebels have reduced Imperial dominion to one quarter of its former size. Yet even as Mon Mothma and the New Republic government establish democratic rule from Coruscant (former capital of both the Old Republic and the Galactic Empire), a new dark force has arisen in the form of one of the Empire's most cunning warriors.

His name is Thrawn, and his tactical and intellectual gifts are so great that the racist and sexist Palpatine had promoted him to be the only non-human to wear the white uniform of Grand Admiral. For several years after the Battle of Endor (where the Rebels destroyed the second Death Star and both the Emperor and Darth Vader died), Thrawn was pacifying the Unknown Regions until his return to Imperial territory. Now, with a small but powerful Imperial fleet at his command, the mysterious Grand Admiral believes he holds the key to the undoing of the New Republic and the restoration of the Empire.

Zahn not only introduced a set of new characters that would become essential to what fans know as the Expanded Universe series (the charming smuggler-chief Talon Karrde, the beautiful but mysterious Mara Jade, the devoted Imperial fleet captain Pelleaon, and the mad clone Joruus C'baoth), but he brought fans of the movie heroes up to date on the lives of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa Solo, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, and the droids.

A professional reviewer, at the time of the book's first appearance in 1991, wrote that Heir to the Empire "captures the spirit of the movie trilogy so well, you can almost hear John Williams' soundtrack." Indeed, Zahn does a superb job rendering the personalities from George Lucas' films that one can almost hear Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams, and Anthony Daniels when reading their characters' dialogue. The pace of the book is brisk and the action sequences are so well done that one can swear they are cinematic. Although there are many Star Wars authors whose novels are spellbinding, Zahn stands head and shoulders above the crowd.

Being a hard-core Star Wars fan since '77, I was thrilled but cautious when 'Heir To The Empire' first came out. I had read 'Splinter of the Mind's Eye', the FIRST Star Wars novel outside of the original trilogy books (which ALL stink, by the way) and although it was entertaining, it just seemed like a story with characters who had the same names as Leia & Luke & Darth etc. There was no real substance that tied the 'spirit' of the movies to the book. But even so, I gave Timothy Zahn a shot, and all I can say is WOW! He has captured the very 'essence' of Star Wars PERFECTLY. IF George Lucas ever decided to make Episode 7, 8 & 9 he would start with 'Heir' for sure. I don't think even HE could improve upon his own stories any better than Zahn has. Everything from Grand Admiral Thrawn (a fantastic character, and MUCH more depth than Darth or the Emperor) to the Emperor's Hand, Mara Jade, to the ingenious introduction of creatures that actually REPEL the Force, this book and it's incredible sequels are NOT to be missed. If you have EVER wondered if there were novels about the Star Wars Universe that were every bit as good as the movies, than Zahn is your author and the next series you read should start with 'Heir To The Empire'. I have read and re-read this series 3 times now, and each time I find something new to remember, and another reason to be impressed with Zahn's writing style and ability. I have also read almost all of the 'other' Star Wars novels out there (since a rash of them have been published since the completion of 'The Last Command') and there are but a small few that are even worthy of the Star Wars name, and none of THEM even rival THIS series by Zahn. I'm telling ya, THIS is IT! Ever wonder where Lucas came up with the name for the Imperial world, 'Coroscant'? He BORROWED it from Zahn (no joke). I figure if you don't read this series, you just CAN'T be a serious fan of Star Wars...but if you ARE, don't put off grabbing this entire series ASAP. It's just fantastic Space Opera. Go ahead, give it a shot. Read book 1, enjoy. Go to book 2, repeat. Etc.

Heir to the Empire is the first in a wonderfully written trilogy by Timothy Zahn. This authorized continuation to the Star Wars saga takes place five years after Return of the Jedi.

The last of the Emperor's ruthless regime, Grand Admiral Thrawn, has taken over the Imperial Starfleet, and positioned it for a suprise attack on the New Republic, with the help of a long-lost dark Jedi Knight. Thrawn is the ultimate villian. He shows incredible poise and patience where others have failed in the past.

All of the familiar characters are back along with some incredible new ones, who fit perfectly into this action-packed book. Zahn loads the book with incredible detail, and sets beautifully-descibed backgrounds for the great storyline. He clearly develops the plot so that, by the end of the novel, you can't wait to read the next book of the series.

The character development is superb, and he maintains good descriptive language in this excellent book of intrigue and mystery. The classic good vs. evil conflict has never been more interesting, because you can't tell who truly is the good and who is the evil. You cannot go wrong with this book.

A very entertaining, action-packed first volume in a trilogy that retains the values of the films.
The Rebel Alliance has since become the New Republic and is struggling to form a galactic government with the planet Coruscant as its center. However, the honeymoon period is about to be cut short, when a vicious tactical genius aided by a powerful Jedi Master take over the remants of the Empire and set out to destroy the fledgling New Republic.
The characters that we know and love have grown in stature but have not lost their capacity to be in the center of things. Luke's continuing his development as a fully-fledged Jedi Knight, Han has continued his shift to respectability by marrying Princess Leia and the two of them even have twins on the way who promise to be tremendously strong in the Force. The famous droid duo of C3PO and R2-D2, and the Wookie Chewbacca all return as well. Periphery characters such as Wedge and Lando Calrissian are fleshed out as well.
New characters are also introduced. The charming smuggler Talon Karrde makes an appearance, spearheading the remants of Jabba the Hutt's criminal organisation, and so does his fiesty red-haired partner-in-crime Mara Jade, a dangerous woman with a mysterious past and a sharp tongue. A new race of gray-skinned aliens called the Noghri, who serve the Empire as lethal commandos, are also along for the ride. The best of these characters though is the red-eyed, blue-skinned, white-uniformed Grand Admiral Thrawn; a deliciously brilliant tactical genius, dangerous and decisive, and with such a degree of class, charm and intelligence that its impossible not to warm to the guy. He is also refreshingly grey in a universe that was depicted in the films as black and white (until that revelation at the end of the middle film). He has a thirst for power, and does not suffer fools, but neither does he have the evil capriciousness that led Darth Vader to summarily execute those men who failed him. He is a realistic military commander, who gets the best out of his available resources but does not waste them foolishly.
The evil Jedi Master Joruus C'Baoth though is a relentlessly irritating concoction however, as petulant and moody as a teenager. The fact that Zahn meant to have him this way does not soften the blow either. I felt compelled to read on if only for the intensely satisfying moment when this guy would meet his doom.
The writing itself is limited, but Zahn has an eye for an action set-piece and these don't fail to disappoint. I did get annoyed at the overuse of the words 'sardonically', 'sarcastically' and 'countered', and the extensive tight smiles, lip twisting and sentence ellipsis. Its still true to the films though, with space battles, fire fights and a healthy dose of stormtroopers, and the story itself is so full of twists and turns that it is a guaranteed page-turner. Its no literary masterpiece, but if you love the films and a juicily convoluted plot that never fails to excite, then you won't go far wrong with this.

Compared to some of the other Star Wars books out there (Children of the Jedi, The Courtship of Princess Leia,) Heir to the Empire (and the other two books of this series) are pretty good. However, I find this book to be rather overrated by most people.

For one, the characters that Zahn introduces are not all that interesting. The story's main villian (Grand Admirial Thrawn) is a cool-headed genius who plots and schemes and rarely makes a mistake, however we are given no real insight into who Thrawn is. The smuggler boss, Talon Karrde, is similar to Thrawn in that he is also cool-headed and smart, and basically emotionless.

The worst thing about this book is undoubtably the dialog. As has been noted by other reviewers, Zahn REPEATEDLY uses the same expressions and phrases for all his characters, under almost all circumstances. It makes all the dialog sound the same and sound very uninteresting. Everybody always doing "wry grins" and saying things wryly and "squeezing their thumb and forefinger together" (whatever that is,) and saying "Point," "Agreed," talking in cool, carefully modulated voices. It's stupid and it got on my nerves.

While the overall plot was okay, the weak characters and dialog really spoil the series. At times, it's like you want to know what happens next, getting to the next part is sometimes painful because of the poor dialog, and somewhat lacking descriptions.

And it really doesn't feel like Star Wars too me. There is more wallowing in grey areas than good vs. evil stuff, there is little drama and no color, and no cool special effects.

A lot of people recommend this as the first Star Wars book you should read, but I personally don't. I think the X-Wing Series is probably the best series out right now. Although it doesn't star any of the main characters of the movies, that is part of what's so great about it... all the characters are new and fresh and are developed from scratch.

Perhaps you miss Chewbacca, or the earlier years when Star Wars seemed a bit simpler, and no one felt the need to start pruning central and favorite characters, in order to make "Science Fiction" more realistic. Or maybe you need to brush up on which Grand Admiral was causing trouble for planets after studying with his glowing red eyes their art, as a prelude to their destruction. And do you recall which sessile tree-dwelling creatures made their debut or the Planet that was their home, or perhaps the smuggler who also resided there.

I just wanted to go back to where the Star wars experience continued, to the summer of 1991, and the first trilogy written by Timothy Zahn. I wanted to see how well this volume held up after almost a decade, and dozens upon dozens of books, and one prequel later.

The effect is rather jarring, and it is only not due to Chewbacca's presence, or the amount of action that takes place on his home planet of Kashyyyk. The Star Wars Universe described some 9 years ago for readers, that documented events only 5 years after Episode VI, really is a very different place. The cast of players is dramatically fewer, and I gained even more appreciation for just how complex the latest novels have become.

I also suggest that for those who became fans of the written adventures later on in their development, that they would gain a much better grounding by reading these first books that take place after the middle cinematic trilogy. Many of the players in this first book continue on to the most recent "Balance Point" by Kathy Tyers. And others, who also remain, have evolved so far as to be unrecognizable, if you knowledge of them is limited to the more recent books.

I know there are fans out there that have never forgotten a single detail of any adventure. I wish I could claim such an accurate memory. This book sat on a shelf for 9 years, and while the read was very different, it was still very enjoyable. The only element that has diminished is that when this book first arrived, it was the first fresh experience for all who had been with the series since 1977, and for those who had never seen the films.

Diminished may be too strong a word, for Mr. Zahn is one of the masters of the Star Wars history, and excellent writing rarely degrades with time.

So get it, or read again what you may have owned for a decade. Travel back to Mount Tantiss, and the figure that calls it home, and your subsequent reads will be improved.

In a very real sense "Heir to the Empire" is the reason there are so many Star Wars novels being published these days. While in the 1980's there were several Star Wars Expanded Universe novels published, it was not until "Heir to the Empire" that the Star Wars boom really took place for novels. "Heir to the Empire" is set five years after the events of "The Return of the Jedi" and the New Republic is growing, is gaining strength and popularity. The fight is not over, though. Grand Admiral Thrawn is still holding on to the legacy of the Empire and he continues to fight against the New Republic. What is more, he is actually starting to win battles.

Thrawn takes the fight right to the heart of the New Republic, to Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa Solo. To the unborn children of Han and Leia. Thrawn is one of the great villains in Star Wars lore. He is powerful, ambitious, and a fully realized villain. He is worthy of opposing our heroes. He may even overcome the New Republic and bring back the Empire. This is his aim.

In more than forty Star Wars novels that I have read "Heir to the Empire" is one of the best. It is easy to see why Timothy Zahn was able to usher in this new era of Star Wars novels. It is a well written book featuring our favorite characters in a new adventure and against new and interesting villains and characters. Besides Thrawn, Zahn has also introduced Karrde and Mara Jade, two more well written and interesting characters. For the Star Wars fan this is essential reading.

-Joe Sherry

I've been watching Star Wars episodes (4-6) throughout my entire childhood. At the end of this incessant compulsion there used to be an empty feeling that has now been finally relieved. In Heir to the Empire Timothy Zahn (Hugo award winning author, trust me it's a big deal) delivers a staunch continuation into the Star Wars universe. He has brought forth a new trilogy and really starts it off with a bang. Zhan gives the reader a new story using the entire surviving old cast. He excels at maintaining Luke, the droids, the Wookie and the rest of the gangs classic personality while still creating new and interesting feats and growths for all these characters. There is a plethora of new villains, old heroes and some that are in-between. All of which fit perfectly in the star wars universe and are just as interesting or more so than some of classic icons e.g. Darth Vader.

Story (thrilling fun): Zahn starts us off five years after the battle of Endor. Han and Leia are married awaiting twins. Leia has under gone her apprentice as a Jedi and is gifted to say the least. Luke's a very powerful Jedi but not without limits or the need for assistance from time to time. The New Republic founder's (which includes our gang) are finding that maintaining their new leviathan of a government is nothing short of grueling. There also finding that just as the empire wasn't impervious to falling neither are they. The Empire is all but vanquished and beaten down but still holds considerable array of personnel and star ships. Plus a new Grand Admiral has trickled from the shadows thus giving us a story. His razor sharp cunning puts the Republics ability to maintain control into question along with giving Luke and the gang a whole new set of quests and adventures to overcome. Overall this gripping story is just as much fun as watching its predecessors.

Descriptions (lush): Zahn is simply an artist at painting exotic scenes that let my imagination be utterly entertained. His ability to provided vivid atmospheres really took this book to the next level. Zhan delivered time and time again whether conveying the ambiance of a star destroyer bridge, the swagger of fan favorite Han Solo or the urgency to survive in a hostile forest.

Originality (fresh): Zahn delves deep into galactic politics creating a broader space opera than ever before. There's new vicious species along with curiously gifted ones. Not to mention several well thought out diabolical schemes for the surviving Empire. Zahn ideas at times are flat out genius while others are nothing short of well crafted. I'm mainly impressed with Grand Admiral Thrawn who is the Empire's new glowing red eyed commander and the reader's new villain to love. Then coming out of woodwork is Mara Jade a female force to be reckoned with. Her closet is overflowing with secrets (don't worry no spoilers here) that really keep the story full of surprises. So much more but I don't want to ruin any of this instant classic fresh spins and turns.

Final thoughts (this is episode VII): If you love Star Wars this is really episode 7. It's as great as your imagination can handle and lives up to all the hype. For non-sci-fi readers or non-Star Wars fans this may not be for you yet if that is your M.O. I'm perplexed as to why you're even reading this review. This is solid book from character development down to plot and has excellent re-readability. To sum this up this is one of my all time favorite reads and authors. The real Heir to the Empire is Timothy Zahn.

This is the best Star Wars book ever written, hands down. A strong introduction, intermediary, and conclusion help make this book the greatest. Its villain, Grand Admiral Thrawn, is one of the greatest villains ever created. He is frightening, cold blooded, and has terrific eccentricities that make him more believable. What is most unusual, and impressive about him is that he is INTELLIGENT. This is something that is far too often overlooked when you read other novels. You actually grow to respect him as the book goes on. You really have to read the books in order to understand this respect, you respect him as a person, as an adversary, and as an equal. His strategies are believable, well thought out, and understandable. Some fellow readers even would go so far as to say that they found themselves rooting for the Grand Admiral. The characters from the movies are all there, believable as ever. Luke, Han, Chewie, Lando, the droids, and Leia are all well portrayed, as well as several other characters who you might have noticed in the backgrounds. None of the intertwining plot lines ever even borders on confusing, and you are always on the edge of your seat. When I first read this book, it was the first Star Wars book I ever read. I went up to read the first few chapters, and "woke up" hours later, having finished the book's entirety. You can read any one of the trilogy as a single novel, or as part of the greater picture. It is never difficult to catch on to the characters, or their trials as they battle for control of a galaxy far, far away.

This has to be the best star wars book out there. Zahn captures the action, ezcitment, and mystery of the movies.

1) Sophisticated language makes a good book. It adds that intellignet feeling to it. 2) The intent, from my perspective, in not saying what happened to the other Grand Admirals was to allow other authors the chance to elaborate on that. Personally, I like my novels with that kind mystery in them 3) I'm 13 years old, 11 when I read the book, and I understood what "cocking and eyebrow" meant. I read that terminallagy all the time. If you adults can't see the obvious, it's not Zahn's fault 4) At the Battle of Endor, the EXECUTER was destroyed. Zahn explains quite clearly how a good deal of the Empire's best and brightest were on it. He said it was the fast track to premotion, and remember, Vader was the Emperor's right hand man. He could have gotten anyone he wanted on his own personal Star Destroyer. 5) In the novels preceding Heir to the Empire, the Empire suffered defeat after defeat at the Alliance's hands. It is perfectly pluasible that the Empire didn't have alot of ships.

Heir to the Empire was an excellent book. Zahn receives applause from not only me, but the thousands of others who enjoyed his novels. I would suggest reading the other two novels in this trilogy, and reading the Hand of Thrawn books.

I got this book back when i was 11 years old and read through the whole Thrawn Trilogy. I've re-read the series a few times over since then and it is a great introduction. It has a great deal of depth and explains quite a bit that the movies have always been lacking.

"Heir To The Empire" was the first Star Wars novel to come out back in the early 90s when the saga was revived through novels and comics. It's not the first Chronologically to follow the movie "Return Of The Jedi" (that distinction goes to "The Truce At Bakura", and in my opinion either "Heir" or "Truce" make great starting points for anyone who's seen the movies but hasn't yet delved into the books) but it was the first published, so I've decided to do its writeup first.

If you want to start with "The Truce At Bakura" you might be better off not reading the rest of this, because "Truce" picks up immediately after "Jedi" while "Heir" takes place 5 years after that timeframe, and in talking about it it'll be necessary to say where the Star Wars Universe is at in that period of time.


Five years have passed since the death of the Emperor and the destruction of the second Death Star, but that momentous victory didn't signal the abrupt end of the Empire itself. It did set in motion the Empire's rapid decline, and after five years the Empire finds itself boxed into an area a fifth the size of its former territory, while the Rebellion, now known as the New Republic, has liberated the rest of the Empire's territory. Luke Skywalker has grown in the Force to where he's far more powerful than he was at the end of "Jedi", Han Solo and Leia Organa are married with young children (this all comes out in the first couple of chapters of the book; no spoilers), the Republic is beginning to fully flourish and prosper, and the once seemingly indomitable Empire is low on ships, low on troops, low on morale, and losing ground to the Republic at a constant basis.

Into this time of void for the Empire and growing revitalization for the rest of the galaxy comes Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn, one of several major new characters who make their debut in "Heir". What's kept the expanding Star Wars Universe strong is that it's kept its characters from the movies (in some cases expanding their roles quite a bit, like with Admiral Ackbar, a feature character in some books) but it's continued adding new ones, actually adding new ones who come to be just as important as the movie players. After the first "Star Wars" they didn't restrict themselves to having that movie's characters and that movie's characters only: they added Yoda, Lando Calrissian, gave us our first look at the Emperor, added new planets, vehicles, etc. Same with "Return Of The Jedi" - enter the Ewoks (who I feel have been unjustly maligned), the Mon Calamari, a slew of new species and characters at Jabba's Palace and so on. Likewise the prequel movies, years after the books started going again, didn't limit themselves to having just Obi-Wan, Annakin, Yoda, et al. when they were younger; enter Padme Naberrie, Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn, Jar Jar Binks, Count Dooku and a wealth of others. The novels and comics have been successful in expanding the overall mythos of Star Wars most times out, not by diminishing the classic characters but by bringing in new, vital characters.

Thrawn is definately one of these. A blue-skinned hybrid between a human and an unknown alien, Thrawn is brilliant and ruthless, but possessed of a magnetism that inspires loyalty and reinvigorates the demoralized Imperial forces. Probably the greatest strategic mind the Empire ever produced, Thrawn spent the years of the original Star Wars movie trilogy far off on the outermost fringes of the galaxy, subduing what few systems had not already become part of the Empire. The last of the Empire's twelve Grand Admirals, his return to the heart of the galaxy and subsequent assume of command of the remaining Imperial fleet manages to suddenly - and believably - turn the tide of battle significantly. Thrawn immediately establishes himself as one of the great Star Wars villains, as impressive as the Emperor, Darth Maul, the Fetts, etc., possibly surpassed only by Darth Vader himself.

Of the many other characters introduced the other one who not only makes an immediate impact but establishes herself as one of the great Star Wars characters in the entire pantheon is Mara Jade. She's a secretive, mysterious character in "Heir", her origin not being revealed until later in the saga, but she's hugely engaging, a powerfully driven ticking timebomb driven by hate and loss and biding her time as part of a smuggling outfit. She's every bit as important a new character as Thrawn.

Outstandingly written to the point where you can visualize the exotic locales with crystal clarity, can almost hear the thrum of the star destroyers and the mesmerising buzzing hum of the lightsabers, can practically Smell the lightsabers(like freshly fallen snow mixed with a hint of some flavor like vanilla or frosting or incense, I imagine them), "Heir To The Empire" places one right in the middle of the saga. And proves masterfully that the story of "Star Wars" is fully justified in continuing on past the end of "Return Of The Jedi". Magnificent.

A long time ago, in a book store far away, someone suggested Timothy Zahn to me. I skimmed the first few pages, and in my impatient youth, shoved the book back onto the shelf with a muttered "Nah..."
But that's not a BAD thing. That's a GOOD thing. Because I read it last week, and was totally blown away.
Characters... the portrayal of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and all the others we know so well was solid. Mara Jade is just tremendously entertaining, and Captain Pellaeon is a terrific window into the Imperial Activities.
Grand Admiral Thrawn... "Whoa". A tactical genius with an awesome talent for determining a species' military blind spots from their artwork, Thrawn is controlled, precise, coldly calculating and even entertaining. There were points where I was cheering for him, only to be turned right around when he went after my favorite folks in the New Republic.
Great bad-guys are a rare and valuable thing. Thrawn qualifies completely.
The story is compelling, and there is no deux es machina (god in a box) ending in this. It goes on until the tale is told. A great novel, and I am pleased to have finally read it. And four other Star Wars novels by the same author.:)
Warning: It ends on a cliff-hanger. Great book, and the sequel... well, read the reviews. Read MY review. But whichever, read the books.
If you liked Wedge's Gamble, Isard's Revenge, or Solo Command, you'll dig this.

Timothy Zahn captures the spirit and the feel that we all love from Episodes IV, V and VI.

His original Trilogy was an excellent continuation of the lives of the characters of those movies. It shows the struggles of the Rebellion transforming into the New Republic and introduces a villain that you will enjoy so much you sometimes find yourself rooting for the bad guys.

In my opinion the Zahn Trilogy are the best of the myriad of Star Wars novel out there. If you love the original trilogy of movies, you will love these books.

I had the chance to meet the man and have him sign the books for me. I could tell that he truly loved the Star Wars universe and had a great appreciation for his readers.

"A Jedi can't get so caught up in matters of galactic importance that it interferes with his concern for individual people"
It's had a permanent space on my top books of all time, and there is a reason. Considered by most Star Wars fans to be the best Star Wars Expanded Universe novel and the birth of Expanded Universe itself, Heir to the Empire takes off about 5 years after Return of the Jedi.
Han and Leia are married and expecting twins. Luke is a Jedi Knight. And the New Republic is in its beginning stages. But the Empire hasn't laid down to die yet. A new threat arises, in a hidden Grand Admiral, Thrawn. He has enlisted a mad Jedi Master clone, Joruus C'baoth, in his quest to destroy the Rebellion once and for all.

I Liked:
Where to begin?
The Thrawn Trilogy (of which this is the first book) has been my favorite since I first read it way back when. But as you grow up, your tastes often change. I used to adore "I, Jedi" but when I reread it, there were some parts that I just couldn't enjoy as much as I did as a teen. So I wanted to reread Heir, to see if I still felt the same way, if the book was as good as I remembered, if it still deserved its first place slot in favorite books.
The answer to all three unspoken questions is the same. Yes, yes, yes!
Timothy Zahn is such an enjoyable author! I love the way he writes; in my opinion, it is perfect for a Star Wars setting. He is obviously knowledgeable about Star Wars (at this time, the only places he had to draw on were the Original movies, Splinter of the Mind's Eye and the Han Solo and Lando Adventure books) and it shows throughout. Some say he dwells a little too often on movie events, but I think it is great. The movies were such high points for the characters; no wonder they keep thinking of them as they go throughout this novel, as they experience similar (but not the same) events.
Zahn has also managed to absolutely nail Han, Luke, and Leia, what I like to teasingly call the Trinity of Star Wars Expanded Universe. Han remains the devilish scoundrel, but with more responsibility and maturity, like he was in Return of the Jedi. Luke was done perfectly, an excellent Jedi, yet not so omniscient (like too many authors have done in more recent novels) that he can't be caught by a simple trick. Leia is still stubborn, smart, and deeply in love with Han. All in all, Zahn didn't fail me one bit. As I read each one's point of view, it was easy to think I was in a Star Wars movie!
Zahn's original characters also shine. The devoted, non-power hungry Imperials, Paelleon and Thrawn, are well written. They aren't stupid Imperials out for a land grab for the sake of a land grab. They don't giggle their plots to everyone and his mother. They don't plot evil wicked plans behind closed walls while drinking purple tea (ten points for the one who guesses which villain that represents). They don't throw Star Destroyers pell-mell at the Republic with no plan. They plot. They scheme. They move logically and methodically. Therefore, since I happen to adore the Empire for some strange reason, I find they are probably the most competent Imperials in Star Wars Expanded Universe.
As for Zahn's neutral characters, Mara Jade and Talon Karrde, I was equally impressed. Mara Jade doesn't come off as a Leia clone nor does she strike me as a damsel in distress. She obviously is cold and calculating, but is far from perfect. Yeah, the red hair/green eyes combo wins her Mary Sue points, as does her angsty past, but somehow, she isn't annoying. The whole world doesn't warp to her desires, so I can live with it. As for Talon Karrde, again, we have a scoundrel, a mercenary who rises above the stupid villain caricature.
Goodness! All these words and I still haven't gotten to the meat of the book: the plot! Again, showing Zahn's grasp for the Star Wars world, Timothy Zahn has written a story that, I feel, could be made into a Star Wars movie with very little manipulation. It is that good. Heck, sometimes, I swear I can hear the music!! Our characters have motivations that make sense based on their characters (Leia being the diplomat and demanding to go to Bimmisari, Thrawn being thoughtful and calculating and ordering a three prong attack on Bpfassh to test C'baoth, Luke when dealing with being held captive by Mara Jade and Talon Karrde). People don't miraculously gain powers to suit the story's need. There are space battles, attempted kidnappings, switching ships, villains, antagonists, aliens, distant planets, seedy spaceports...all perfect elements of a Star Wars novel.

I Didn't Like:
This will get petty, I warn you.
The concept of the ysalamiri is best described in this quote from Talon Karrde (page 223): "[The ysalamiri] seem to have the unusual ability to push back the Force--to create bubbles, so to speak, where the Force simply doesn't exist."
Well, based on the New Jedi Order (and the Yuuzhan Vong who didn't exist in the Force) and the Prequels (that say all living things have midichlorians, the building blocks of the Force), this seems rather odd. Not to mention...if the Force didn't exist around these guys, wouldn't Luke have been able to sense the void of the Force? However, I feel this "error" is more of an unclear view of the Force (Zahn wrote this in 1991 when Lucas probably had no clue what the heck the Force was) than a blatant disregard on the author's part.
Zahn also has a tendency to write dialogue in the following manner: "'Not here,' Ghent shook his head nervously..." Shaking one's head, nodding, or sighing are NOT ways to express dialogue (I want to know how to nod out a word or to sigh out an entire sentence). If Zahn had switched that comma to a period, then I would be sated and have nothing to complain about. But I would be remiss if I didn't bring it up, as it was a little distracting to me.
Lastly, I was not quite convinced with Zahn's characterization of Lando. Not to say he was bad, but just that I felt that it was a bit off from the way he was in the movies.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
I can't recall a single foul word!
Leia is pregnant? Does that count?
Well, there are space battles, an enlisted gets killed for an error, Thrawn is trying to kidnap Leia and Luke, and C'baoth is just a twinge mad...

Overall:
It's been a while since I read Heir to the Empire, and, to be honest, I was afraid it wouldn't be as good as I remembered.
Well, nothing to fear! Zahn truly captivated me all over again with this winning novel! If George Lucas could take advice from him, maybe the Star Wars prequels would have turned out better!
The only unfortunate thing is that the highest rating I can give is 5. So 5 stars it is! Thank you, Timothy Zahn, for making Star Wars come alive again!

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

Heir to the Empire is a Star Wars novel where we see an Empire that has experienced 5 years of defeat from the New Republic fighting back. The Empires new ability to fight back is due to a new Grand Admiral (Thrawn) and his intuition for cultures and his having not being in the . To overcome the New Republic, Grand Admiral Thrawn raids the Emperor's store house, finds a Jedi to support him, and sets commando teams on the trail of Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker.

Heir to the Empire does a very good job of capturing the feel of the Star Wars Universe. Mr. Zahn does an excellent job of capturing Luke, Princess Leia, and Han Solo. The dialog and the development of the story fits very well into what we know as Star Wars. My chief complaints are that at points it moves a little slowly and Grand Admiral Thrawn was a little to perfect. If Grand Admiral Thrawn was as perfect as Mr. Zahn describes him, why was he unknown to the New Republic and fighting on the edge of the Empire. Despite these detractions, I found Heir to the Empire to be enjoyable and look forward to reading the rest in this series. Given everything, this is a strong 4 star book, but not worthy of 5 stars.

Star wars heir to the empire was a great book... I usually never read but this book kept me going for 3 to 4 hours a day. I think this book made perfect sense and could easily be made into a movie. I recomend this book to any star wars fans that havent already read it.

There are a lot of Star Wars books out there now, but this was one of the first and still the best.

Zahn knows the characters intimately and they are all believable--even the new ones. And his writing style will pull you in and keep you reading to the end.

I tend to be a Star Wars purist--meaning I consider the movies to be the only real Star Wars authorities--but the Thrawn Trilogy and Zahn's other Star Wars duology are my exceptions. He does an excellent excellent job.

Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire opens the Thrawn trilogy, and was my introduction to the Expanded Universe beyond the Star Wars films. The Thrawn trilogy novels, to this day, remain my favorite Star Wars EU books, laregly because they retain so much of the spirit of the films from the Star Wars classic trilogy. Opening 5 years after the Battle of Endor, Zahn brings us up to date with many beloved SW characters--Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia Organa-Solo (now pregnant with twins), Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian and droids C-3PO and R2-D2--as well as creating several new characters such as Talon Karrde, Mara Jade, Imperial Captain Pellaeon and a great new villain in Grand Admiral Thrawn. Zahn is without a doubt, the greatest of the Star Wars EU novelists, and Heir to the Empire opens the Thrawn trilogy in grand style, leaving you eager to pick up Dark Force Rising (Book Two) and read what happens next.

Many Star Wars readers will agree that Timothy Zahn is distinctively one of the best Star Wars EU writers. Heir to the Empire is part one of a three book trilogy (The Thrawn Trilogy)that was the first authorized SW novel to expand the SW continuity right after Return of The Jedi. In this book, Mr. Zahn introduces us to new characters such as Grand Admiral Thrawn and Jorus C'baoth (not to be mistaken for Joruus C'baoth) and takes us back to "the cave on Dagobah" in one or two chapters. The plot itself starts out relatively slow and doesn't start picking up the pace until the latter parts of the book. Character development in the story was so-so. Overall, I enjoyed the book as well as the other two novels in the trilogy. I dont recommend reading it more than once. There is also a graphic novel adaptation of the same name from Dark Horse Comics but I don't recommend it. Mr. Zahn mentioned a little hint about an Old Republic Jedi project called the Outbound Flight in the novel. Look for Mr. Zahn's expansion of this event later in 2005 in a novel called The Outbound Flight.

For years, I kept myself away from the Star Wars novels in general, and particularly from those continuing the series. I thought that there could never be any author who could capture teh essence of the characters, the scope, and the conflict of the original after the events of Return of the Jedi. However, after some pleasent surprises in books like Shadows of the Empire, I decided to give Timothy Zahn's books a try. Sci-fi has never been the same for me since.

Heir to the Empire marks a first in many ways. It was the first book that Lucas authorized to continue the Star Wars saga, and it is the first in what still reigns supreme as the best book trilogy the series has ever seen. Set five years after the death of Darth Vader and the Emperor, the newly formed New Republic finds itself threatened again by the Galactic Empire, this time, under new management. The new warlord that they face is a Grand Admiral from the days of old, Thrawn, a man unlike any in the Imperial Navy. Cunning, ruthless, and a strategical mastermind, Thrawn presents the greatest threat our heroes have seen since the Second Death Star.

All the major players are here. Luke, now a full-fledged Jedi. Han and Leia, now married and expecting twins. Lando, Chewie, and the droids. All are in the story, and all are portrayed exactly as we remembered them, only better. And all play an integral part in thwarting the newest threat to the galaxy.

However, Zahn does not just stop with high adventure and out favorite characters. Here, we meet new faces, including Thrawn, the insane Jedi Master Joruus C'baoth, and last but not least, Mara Jade. The best addition to the franchise since Lando Calrissian, Mara is a hardened rogue, used to life on the fringe, and desperate enemy of Luke. Of course, that means they'll have to work together sometime during the book. And what a team they make.

All of Zahn's original characters feel right at home in the Star Wars universe, and they all have a part to play in the story. And what a story. Full of the space and saber combat expected in anything bearing the name, the tale takes readers from Coruscaunt to the Jedi power-negating world of Myrkr to the bridge of the Star Destroyer Chimera. The story twists and turns, and even as you see the conflict develop, you can see that this is only the beginning of something far more grand.

I simply can't recommend this book enough. If there was an option for a sixth star, I'd happily give it to Zahn's masterpiece. It is no easy feat to recreate such a beloved universe and beloved characters, craft a satisfyingly epic story, keep the writing both exciting and intelligent, and still retain a "PG" rating. However, Zahn pulls it off with style to spare. This is space opera at its finest.

In this book and the two other books of Tim Zahn's trilogy, he fully displays his writing weaknesses and strengths. He is a skilled storyteller, and his continuation of the "Star Wars" story following "Return of the Jedi" is masterfully packed with suspense, action, exotic landscapes, and epic battles. Zahn is also adept at characterization. Many of our old favorites are here, but it's the new characters who truly shine, particularly Grand Admiral Thrawn. His patience, coolness, and staggering intellect make him the most frightening Imperial leader ever. Unfortunately, these books desperately needed to be glanced over by a good editor before they were published. Zahn has annoying writing habits that will get on your nerves if you are a critical reader. For example, he constantly and randomly switches the way he refers to characters. One minute we're reading about "Luke," our old Jedi pal, and the next minute we're reading about "Skywalker," which is a cold and impersonal way to refer to a character many readers grew up with. That may not seem like much, but Zahn does it so often, you begin to wonder if there's a reason. There isn't, other than bad editing. Zahn also latches on to tin-eared phrases and unusual constructions and uses them repeatedly, so that they stick out and make you wonder why he doesn't try a new way to say the same thing. If you're not critical, you'll love the stories in these books. But if you're like me, your enjoyment of the wonderful plots will be dampened by the clunky, unpolished writing. I'll say this...these books would surely make incredible movies. Maybe when George Lucas kicks the bucket....

This book is great! A wonderful place to start the Expanded Universe readings, although, some people might find it helpful to read the series' leading up to this one(the X-Wing series and the Courtship of Princess Leia) to fill in the gaps such as Leia being pregnant, etc. The one problem I had with this book was the ysalamiri. A creature able to push back the Force, just so Luke can be put in an impossible situation without his powers. Other than that it was great. I was on the edge of my seat, and couldn't put it down. A must-read for any Star Wars fan.

I read this book quite awhile ago, but have only got around now to reviewing it. Looking at what other people have said, I don't understand what some people have a problem with. Besides being the first attempt at a Star Wars book, it had to try and live up to the movie legacy, and I think Mr. Zahn did an extremely good job at that. This was a very good book, I thought. Grand Admiral Thrawn is the tactical genius now commanding the Empire. We're kept guessing about Thrawn's background and such, but this is suspenseful in it's nature. Anyway, he has the ability to pull a military victory out of thin air in almost any situation. It seems to me that he has the right resources and talent to do this. And you can learn much from examining things made by other cultures. IE, the Ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, etc. Many famous battles have been won by anylizing the past history of the people you are fighting. And this book obviously lived up to Lucas' expectations, he hasn't complained about it or anything. Besides, this is the Star Wars universe. Made up, anything can happen. Without going through the books, we wouldn't know what happened after Endor. For all we know, the rest of the Imperial Fleet could have counterattacked the Rebel Alliance at Endor and killed them (West End Games' Star Wars RPG Manuals, which were LucasArts approved, state there are some 25,000 Star Destroyers in service, this is quite possible). I think Mr. Zahn did an excellent job.

Interesting. Slightly too overblown. Do they really need to spend that much time going from place to place to place to place? Disappointed in the characterizations of our favorites. Granted George didn't exactly go overboard to create the deepest characters in the universe, but they at least "breathed". Zahn's treatments of Leia, Han and Luke are cursory at best. ( And stop with the movie line quotes already!!!! In-jokes are fine, but every other paragraph? New dialog, please.) The 'droids were stock, and Chewie as well. Lando alone seemed to live on the pages (and not often enough). Zahn must like scoundrels - and also must consider Han completely reformed! For the new characters, I found myself most drawn to Talon Kaarde. (another scoundrel) He, at least, changes and breathes. He's a man I'd like to get to know better, like Lando was in Empire. What led to him being a Smuggler King? Where was he when Jabba fell? Or was he somewhere on Tatooine as well - seemed like everyone else was. He cares just enough about his people so you can like him and is just ruthless enough so you'll squirm waiting for which way he'll jump. His conversion to the Rebel's cause was slow enough to be believable, convoluted enough to be interesting and echoed the transition Han Solo made much more swiftly in New Hope. (as Leia comments in one of these books somewhere) Of course, I hope he and Mara can make it work - she need's a little happiness now. Luke is wrong for her and Kaarde's the better man, at least in this series. Sorry Luke! (of course, I haven't read any of the other Star Wars books yet, either) Despite myself, I liked Mara Jade. You knew she'd turn to the Light in the end, which made her a bit of a puppet, but it was a clever way to resolve her problems. Always wondered what happened to that hand. . . Sure, Mara's a smart ass, but she's a very unhappy smart ass. And George has already firmly established that the Rebels can be funny and the Imperials are always serio!us. Nice to see you again Wedge! Keep flying. The Grand Admiral's insights through art were interesting and mildly plausible if you also have complete psych. profiles for the entire species as well - not just the artists - - but if you have the psych profile, why look at the art? I swallowed Thrawn's use of the art "chosen" by the Senator as an indicator of actions much more easily. It was also nice to see a competent bad guy again, someone who actually made you worry and made serious inroads on the New Republic. There's a challenge! While I didn't find these books "wonderful" as some of the other reviewers did, I did enjoy them for their glimpse back into George's galaxy. Not a waste of time or money, but then I bought the series used.

This book is the first novel in Timothy Zahn's trilogy. This excellently written book takes place five years after Return of the Jedi, and is the authorized continuation to the original trilogy.

In this first book in the series, we are introduced to Grand Admiral Thrawn, the sole surviving member of the Emperor's vicious staff. He has resumed control over the Imperial Starfleet as he prepares for a suprise attack on the New Republic. Thrawn is a supreme villian. He exemplifies patience, tenacity, and extreme poise in all of the story's crucial situations.

In his campaign for domination, he employs the powers of a long-lost dark Jedi Knight, which later leads to several conflicts. All of the original characters are back in Heir to the Empire, as well as some interesting new ones.

Zahn writes with incredible detail that makes for a descriptive plot. He develops the storyline and teases you just enough to make you want to read the next book in the trilogy.

This book is action-packed and Zahn mixes the characters together nicely. He cohesively loads the book with mystery and suspense, and the character development is fabulous.

The underlying conflict of good vs. evil is interesting because it is hard to tell who is good and who is evil. All in all, this was a nice, easy-flowing book and an entertaining read. You will enjoy it.

Any Star Wars fan who has not read this novel is doing themselves harm. This novel not only carrys on the adventure of Star Wars it makes you feel as if your watching the next movie. Zahn does a superb job in portraying the Star Wars galaxy and is without question the King of all Star Wars authors. New characters are introduced and the reader gets to see a developing Jedi use the force to escape a ruthless and cunning warlord bent on galaxy domination. Han Solo returns along with his trusted sidekick Chewbacca, and as one reads on they can almost see Han's trademark smirk as he dodges death yet again. It is an excellent starting point, and pathway, for any reader who desires to read more about the Star Wars universe but doesn't know where to start. It answers many questions and reveals many things thousands have been dying to know. Get this book along with the rest of the trilogy, and the force will be with you.

Heir To The Empire was a wonderfully written book with amazing plot development and some of the best characters in sci-fi since the original Star Wars. The detail that this book gives makes you visualize every action, and what is amazing is that it so easy to see every movement and even the expressions of the intriguing characters. If George Lucas ever wrote Episode 7,8,& 9, I don't think that he could have done any better than these stories. Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command are beautifully written books. If you enjoy these, then you will also want to read the other amazing books by Zahn. Especially the Hand of Thrawn two book set which sends you into the world of the characters of this trillogy, but is set about a decade after the Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command trillogy ends. Definitly good reading for Star Wars fans and even those who are not. Definitly don't miss these books and Specter of the Past & Visions of the Future (Hand of Thrawn set). Believe me, this is some good reading, and it is packed with action, politics, and cultural knowledge, even if the cultures are not real... Zahn's details make it seem as though these people actually could be real, and in some ways those details help to make the New Republic and the Empire tangible. I certainly recommend this book.

Whether you are a Star Wars fanatic or just a fan of the movies most fans would agree that Heir to the Empire sets forth a blueprint of how Star Wars books should be written. Its ability to introduce new and exciting characters, vehicles, technology and storylines is without doubt epic in nature. Timothy Zahn weaves intricate tales like no other and does so with amazing ability to suck the reader into the universe in which he writes. Over the years many fans have become furious with many of the new series being sold to fans and if you carefully read the reasons for their angst you will quickly come to the conclusion that the books they are reading are lacking in the same creativity that Zahn is able to compel.

In this book we are introduced to some of the most thrilling characters to ever be created. Grand Admiral Thrawn, a brilliant and compelling character that takes a sledge hammer to the foundation of the evil villain and rebuilds it with compassion, compromise and intelligence. Also introduced is Mara Jade, a character that is so three dimensional she almost leaps from the page. Her beauty is undeniable but her character is where her attraction lies. Her back story makes her a strong tie between the old Empire and the Remnant. The list of new and amazing creations within the book would make for a long and drawn out review that would be nearly as long as the book itself.

Rarely in the new age of outspoken opinion will you find such numbers of agreement like you do amongst Star Wars fans about this book. It is simply because the book offers the reader the same as the movies, an ability to learn a new culture, a new civilization and a new species. There are nearly 300 reviews from all over the spectrum of opinion, read them and absorb them. I believe you will be compelled to purchase this book and also I believe you will love it as much as the vast majority of reviewers.

ALL FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. THANKS AND GOOD READING.

I still remember the day I saw this books release, I actually had finished seeing the first star wars(Episode 4) and was at the mall when I looked inside the book store and saw a poster of Luke Skywalker and the star wars cast as the bookstore was advertising the release of this new book called "Heir To The Empire". At first I thought it would be a stale try at storytelling of this sci-fi universe and amusingly bought the book, and I have forever thanked karma for making me get that book. This was the introduction of most of the characters we've grown to love, hate, respect, and cherish throughout these years, and I think most would agree that the most known character created from the star wars books is Mara Jade(R.I.P.). I've reread some of these older novel sagas especially after the recent two sagas which killed off many of our favorite characters which I find somewhat unforgivable. So if your just starting your sci-fi book collection or a new star wars fan I'd say start the book collection with this great trilogy and if you don't mind I'd like to give you a little list on some othe great star wars trilogy books and singular novels that would be a great buy for any sci-fi/star wars fan to get.

SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE
HEIR TO THE EMPIRE
DARK FORCE RISING
THE LAST COMMAND
CHILDREN OF THE JEDI
DARKSABER
PLANET OF TWILIGHT
THE CRYSTAL STAR
THE NEW REBELLION
AMBUSH AT CORELLIA
ASSAULT AT SELONIA
SHOWDOWN AT CENTERPOINT
SPECTER OF THE PAST
VISION OF THE FUTURE

These are some of the earlier books but I feel are probably the best in the star wars universe, after these books we had the star of the Yuuzhan Vong saga which was probably the longest so far in the star wars universe and which also sadly saw the death of a few of our longtime characters we grew to love deeply. So if you're a great fan of Star Wars or just a sci-fi geek like me I say again star the collection today with this great trilogy as a star than try out the rest, you might be surprised at how many hidden diamonds you find with these books...

That is if you don't count Splinter of the Mind's Eye, or the Han trilogy, or Lando trilogy. This is a great series and could easily be credited with keeping the Star Wars series in the general populace's eye during the late eighties and early nineties. With no new films to date Star Wars was officially over in 1983 with Return of the Jedi, that is of course until this was published.

One thing that stands out as exceptionally well done is the sense of military tactics and space battles, which ironically was missing from even the Prequel Movies. Zahn's pacing is quick but precise and leaves readers with a good sense of tension that keeps them reading to see how it gets resolved. The natural progression of the characters from the end of the last film (Episode 6) is apparent and the dialog is well written. He really captured the feel of each of the characters and the sense of scope with his descriptions. The opening scene with Luke and Obi-Wan is touching and written with a good sense of the relationship between the characters. Having read this series twice I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Whether you care for Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy or not, you can't deny that it is the series by which all other Expanded Universe material is judged.

Excellent book continuing the star wars story. The first few chapters are spent getting you back up to speed with previous and new characters, but once through them, it's hard to put the book down. If you enjoyed the battle with Sidious and Vader, Thrawn is a character that will appeal to your liking. A book to read after this before volume two in the series, would be Outbound Flight to further get an idea out Thrawn and who he truly is. An excellent book and a must read!

Heir To The Empire is part one of The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn. This trilogy is set 5 years after Return of the Jedi. Han Solo and Princess Leia are married and are expecting Jedi twins. The Empire, lead by Grand Admiral Thrawn (best villian since Vader), plan to capture Leia and turn her and her twins to the Dark Side of the Force. Very highly recommended.

The Thrawn Trilogy consists of:
Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1)
Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Book 2)
The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3)

Grand Admiral Thrawn. Those words should strike fear into any Star Wars fan. Unfortunately George Lucas scrapped the idea of "Episodes 7, 8, and 9," and so we are left with our own imaginations to fill in the missing parts of his story. To say that this man is evil, cunning, and in every way a perfect villain is simply an understatement. Much like Darth Vader (the REAL Darth Vader, not the joke impostor foisted upon us in the last 3 S.W. movies), and Peter Cushing's character in Episode 4 (er... the first Star Wars movie), and Darth Maul: we - need - more. More villainy. More Thrawn. This book is not so much a story about everyone else involved in the plot as it is an introduction to a man so devious - and - brilliant that he overshadows the very plot itself.

If you wish to know more about what happens in the book, please do read other reviews, as they will undoubtedly reveal various plot points and twists. I simply wish to enlighten you to the fact that one of Star Wars' greatest characters was born in this book and lament that it really was a shame that he did not get a starring role in a movie so that the world could witness just how dangerous men like him are. If you saw ANY of the Star Wars movies, read-this-book. It is that good, and that important to th Star Wars saga. All the rest is commentary.

I hadn't bothered to read this series before, but since I've vowed not to give Lucas anymore of my viewing dollars, I decided to get a little Star Wars fix by reading these.

They were quite good. Much better than I'd expected, actually. I'm not a person who normally enjoys franchise books - AD&D, Star Trek, Star Wars, etc. But this was a real treat - it felt like a worthy successor to the original Star Wars trilogy.

I wouldn't say run out, buy them, and camp out for a weekend. But, if you have room in your reading schedule, feel free - you won't feel cheated.

Timothy Zahn is an exceptional author. He masterfully captures Star Wars in a way that George Lucas should and is proud of.

Heir to the Empire is an outstanding beginning to a three part cycle that will bring you to the edge of your seat. Zahn demonstrates his writing qualities by having done plenty of research to show his knowledge of the Star Wars universe. I can only imagine reading this when it first came out and there wasn't too much to read about the post Episode VI era. This book will bring you into a world in which you will crave more Star Wars and more Timothy Zahn.

The plot is awesome and I am really intrigued with the developments of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Tons of action, great stories and hidden plots that refer to Jabba and other parts of Jedi and Empire (episodes VI and V!). This adds tons of depth to Luke Skywalker and the up and coming Leia Organa Solo.
Go Wedge!

Highly recommend!

I read this series several years ago and on occasion I read them again, and again, and again. I just adore the way Zahn carried on the legacy, the right way. I loved the introduction of Mara Jade.

Besides Truce at Bakura (another author) these is the BEST BEST BEST Star Wars books ever if you are a fan of the original movies.

"Heir to the Empire" is the first novel in "The Thrawn Trilogy" approximately five years following "Return of the Jedi". When the book was originally published in 1991, I remember telling a friend it would start a literary genre similar to Star Trek with hundreds of books. Even though I find an overwhelming number of books diluting to a storyline, Zahn's work resurrected with a passion a universe in written format for other authors to continue exploring.

Timothy Zahn introduces a destroyed Empire and fragile New Republic, strange creatures, and compelling heroes and villains. The originality and creativity in the series is deep, far better than the sorry episode 1 and 2 movies.

Grand Admiral Thrawn is an ingenious, calculating and efficient villain, someone the New Republic should fear. The typical assortment of characters ranging from Luke Skywalker to Wedge Antilles fills the book with essential components to the tale. While Star Wars hasn't been overly political, politics play a part in the developments and brings more depth to an otherwise action oriented plot.

I highly recommend this series above all others to any fan of the Star Wars universe.

Thank you.

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire was written by Hugo award winning author Timothy Zahn. Heir to the Empire is one of the many (maybe 100 novels and countless comic books) officially licensed books of the Star Wars universe. As I understand it, the way these books are made is by an author pitching an idea to Lucasfilm Ltd, then if it gets approved the author writes the story, and then the story must be approved by George Lucas himself. If all that happens the book will be printed, (and often times become number one national bestsellers).
Heir to the Empire is the continuation of the story line after Return of the Jedi. As I understand it one might consider this episode VII.
The story picks up five years after Return of the Jedi, with Darth Vader and the Emperor dead along with the second Death Star destroyed. After the Rebel Alliance defeated the heart of the Empire they became the New Republic. However there are still remnants of the Imperial fleet scattered throughout the galaxy, and one new villain to lead them. His name is Grand Admiral Thrawn. He is one of the few alien species allowed into the ranks of the Empire (the Empire is notoriously racist against non-humans) and the only alien to have any rank of authority, let alone Grand Admiral which is the highest rank in the Imperial military. He is basically human looking except for his pale blue skin and glowing red eyes, which probably symbolize his cold, calculating genius along with his burning evil lust for conquest. He unites the remnants of the Imperial fleet and organizes them in his evil and genius plans to cripple and destroy the vulnerable New Republic while it's still in its infancy.
Standing in his way (oh yes, there's always somebody standing in the villain's way) are Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Leia, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, R2D2, C3PO, Wedge Antilles, Admiral Ackbar and the rest of the characters of the original Star Wars trilogy you (should) already know and love.
And that, I believe, is largely what this book is counting on: its readers already being Star Wars fans with a decent working knowledge of Star Wars characters, technology, and even culture. In my mind that is probably a pretty safe assumption but there is always the possibility of someone picking up and reading (or trying to read) this book without already having seen the Star Wars movies. My recommendation of this book would admittedly be negatively and noticeably impacted if I was talking to someone who had never seen the movies. Not a whole lot of wordage is used when describing things that Star Wars fans should already know, such as the physical appearance of Han Solo (one can just picture Harrison Ford and leave it at that) etc. However new characters and environments are described in great detail. That being said, most Americans have seen at least one Star Wars movie and at least know what a "lightsaber" or "blaster" (laser gun) looks like.
Zahn's militaristic style of writing is evident through the pages of Heir to the Empire, as you can see by these reviews:

"Zahn (is) near the top on any list of military-science fiction or action-science fiction writers. So it was a good idea to turn him loose on the universe and characters of `Star Wars'... good fun." ----- Chicago Sun-Times

"(Zahn's) descriptions of weapons and ships make him the Tom Clancy of a galaxy far, far away." ------- Manhattan (Kansas) Mercury

I think this style works very well for most of the book, and where it needs a bit more adventurous or magical spirit, Zahn is happy to oblige. He gives the book a very suspenseful and exciting feel.
Sometimes in the book there are some parts that seem oddly coincidental, such as Han Solo happening to unknowingly visit the planet and even the very encampment where Luke Skywalker was being held prisoner. However the beauty (or idiocy, depending on the reader) of the Star Wars universe is that pretty much everything can be explained by means of the Force. You may have heard the phrase "the Lord works in mysterious ways." Well here it's the same concept but instead it's the Force works in mysterious ways. The Force is an all-encompassing energy field that is produced by life itself. It can use people and be used by people. It can manifest itself in many forms, such as telekinesis, lighting, visions of the past and possible future, increased speed of movement, telepathy, and other such premonitions. Therefore there is pretty much nothing that can happen in the Star Wars universe that cannot be explained by the Force. To me the Force is a very ingenious idea for a fantasy story such as these.
The end of this book leaves the reader very hungry for more (it ends in a small-scale space-naval skirmish), but when the author has written a whole new trilogy, that is pretty much the point. All in all I think this is a worthy edition to the main Star Wars storyline, with a great combination of old and new characters.

I just re-read this book for the first time in many years, and it still struck me how well this book is written. Timothy Zahn does an absolutely first-rate job in taking old characters I grew up with and developing even them even more. The dialogue, interaction and narrative all perfectly reflect the tone of the original films. It is great to read the back and forth between Han and Leia, Lando, Luke and all of the old favorites. Not only that, new characters are so well developed and well realized that they become instantly iconic and blend seamlessly into the Star Wars tapestry. First and foremost is Grand Admiral Thrawn, much more than a cookie-cutter villain, whose intuition and cunning make him interesting as well as ruthless. Talon Karrde is an instantly likable character and Mara Jade is a great antagonist. Her interactions with Karrde and Luke Skywalker give her some much needed dimension. Joruus C'Baoth and Garm Bel Iblis also are incredibly well written, as are smaller players like Captain Pellaeon, Khabarakh and the Noghri, and even Borsk Fey'lya, who is written as a perfectly manipulative politician.

Reading this book for a second time let me see the numerous subtle hints woven into all three books in this trilogy. The subtlety Zahn uses is excellent, the twists and revelations, while not shocking, are thought out with care and detail. I like the fact that there is no Imperial superweapon being used, and instead it deals mostly with tactics, skill and intelligence. The ultimate plot leaves you satisified, which says a lot more than most of the Star Wars books I have read lately.

After the bad taste that the last few New Jedi Order books gave me, it was very reassuring to go back and enjoy this book and the other two books in this trilogy. They are truly worthy to be made into films (if only they could be), and are immensely satisfying books.

Before this book, I had never read a Star Wars book. Nor had I ever read a book by Timothy Zahn. I was NOT ready for what I encountered. In the trilogy of books in this series, Zahn manages to create one of the coolest villains in all of sci-fi. Personally, I think Grand Admiral Thrawn is a better villain than Vader (but that just me). Through the course of the book he will take the remnants of the dying Empire and put them back on the road to supremacy. When I try to picture him in my mind I see him as a kind of evil version of General Lee in a sci-fi setting. He's a military genius with the uncanny ability to read the mind of his opponents and win repeatedly despite being vastly outnumbered. But is he really evil? Or just extremely ambitious?

Also created in this amazing book series is what has become one fo the most popular characters in the Star Wars universe: Mara Jade. The red-haired young woman with strong force powers and a love/hate relationship with Luke Skywalker also makes a compelling new character. Of course with this being a Star Wars book, all the old characters from the movies return, and the feeling you get from listening to them might be compared to the feeling a person gets from meeting with some old friends he hasn't seen in a long time.

Timothy Zahn's writing style isn't overly descriptive, but neither is it entirely cold. If I had to describe his style I would call it the perfect ADVENTURE style. When reading his books (and I have read several since this one), you get the same feeling you would from watching a book adventure film. Everything moves along at a brisk pace.

Of course, the first book in the series is really just setting up the situation and the characters. We find out Thrawn intentions and see his grand plan start, but you'll have to read all three books to see the real meat of the story. I highly recommend all three books in the series.

Set five years after Return of the Jedi, this tale tells about the struggles of a new government (The New Republic) led by Mon Mothma. Grand Admiral Thrawn is the leader of the fleeting Empire, and proves that he, indeed is worthy of that title. He is cunning, and impressively intelligent, not wasteful of personell, quite opposite of the way Darth Vader would handle things. Talon Karrde, the successor to Jabba The Hutt's group is mentioned, and so is Mara Jade, as Karrde's sidekick. This is a great book, and mentions a Dark Jedi, Joruus C'baoth, a clone. It brings up several interesting ideas as tohow some things work.

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE, EVERYONE, AND OTHER PEOPLE TOO
So go read it, NOW!.

I received this book when I was nine years old. At that time I had no interest in reading it even though I was a Star Wars fan. So there it sat for almost five years, until I picked it up and started reading. Now three years later, I own the entire Trilogy, in search of the Hand of Thrawn books and the New Jedi Order books.
Timothy Zahn stays so true to the theme and mood that you get of the Star Wars movies, that you feel that this is really what would happen to those characters.
The gang is back, and now up against a formidable foe, Grand Admiral Thrawn, the most worthy and feared adversary since ol' Darth Vader. The book starts out like very movie, in space and with the Empire. Han and Leia are married and twins are on the way. Luke is a Jedi Knight and with out the comfort of Ben Kenobi. The droids are back and lovable Chewbacca. Lando is still looking for a get rich quick scheme. New and likable characters are introduced. The mysterious Mara jade and charismatic Talon Karrde. Also the insane Jedi Master Joruus C'baoth.
The plotline is easy to follow and gives you a real Star Wars sense. If you like this book, don't stop, read Dark Force Rising and The Last Command.

I was hoping that Zahn had managed to write some good, mature Star Wars books, but was dissapointed that it was just more mediocre writing and plot development wrapped up in the Star Wars universe. The characters are one-dimensional, and the plot is simplistic and relies on amazing coincidence to advance.

Nothing really special here, and I doubt I will bother reading the other two books in the series.

Personally I thought this was the best Star Wars trilogy written after the films. I first read them at the library then bought them later on. ... Using men's souls to power up droid spaceships is pretty stupid, and turning around and saying that ysalamari is a dumb idea, you're just digging a bigger hole for yourself. Sure, I didn't think ysalamari was an EXTREMELY good idea, but it was necessary to the story, which is pretty good. If you ever read a Star Wars book, read this one. You won't regret it.

As I began to read this emence book(I'm not the heaviest reader) I wondered if I should even start. If I could go back, I'd have read it all in one night, but instad I read it in 2! I now have the 2nd and 3rd installments in the series on their way, I hope they're as good as this one. From now on, Episode I, II and III are out and VII, VIII and IX are in!

This is a great book! My favorite part is when Lando & Han find out that they've been at Karrde's base all the time while Luke was locked up in the storage shed.

in a word.. brilliant. Thrawn is an incredible villian, a man that one can hate and like at the same time. I have always loved Vader as a villian, but Thrawn puts Vader to shame. If you love villians, great battles, and good stories buy this book. It is worth it's weight in gold.