Status
Available
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Del Rey (1992), 416 pages
Description
It's five years after Return of the Jedi: the Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, and driven out the remnants of the old Imperial Starlfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting Jedi Twins. And Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of Jedi Knights. But thousand of light-years away.
User reviews
LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
I saw The Force Awakens (and really liked it), which gave me the urge to reread the original “sequel” to the Star Wars trilogy. Heir to the Empire takes place a few years after Return of the Jedi, when the New Republic is desperately trying to bring the galaxy together and the Empire is equally
Zahn did an excellent of translating the worlds and characters to the page, while also giving new locations and people the depth and history they needed to exist in the same galaxy. Heir to the Empire has the vast, far-reaching storylines required in a space opera, but also a variety of smaller, more personal plots and events that give characters on all sides a surprising amount of relatability. There are no paragons or one-note villains in these books; all the characters, protagonist or antagonist, have nuance.
Aside from being an excellent Star Wars book, Heir to the Empire - and its two sequels - are just simply good books.
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desperately grasping on to what space it still occupies. When new allies and technology seem to start tipping the balance in the Empire’s favor, Luke, Leia, Han, and the rest are left scrambling to keep up. At the same time, internal squabbles begin to threaten the delicate balance of the New Republic’s politics. Zahn did an excellent of translating the worlds and characters to the page, while also giving new locations and people the depth and history they needed to exist in the same galaxy. Heir to the Empire has the vast, far-reaching storylines required in a space opera, but also a variety of smaller, more personal plots and events that give characters on all sides a surprising amount of relatability. There are no paragons or one-note villains in these books; all the characters, protagonist or antagonist, have nuance.
Aside from being an excellent Star Wars book, Heir to the Empire - and its two sequels - are just simply good books.
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LibraryThing member Jennifer.Quail
I had forgotten Star Wars. Really, I had. I grew up playing with the toys and "Return of the Jedi" is one of the first movies I remembering seeing in the theater, but in an odd way it all slipped my mind--horses were far more interesting, there was school, the pain of being the bookish non-athletic
And I had never seen it before.
"What book is that?"
"It's the new Star Wars book."
"New...Star Wars?"
"Yeah."
"Can I read it when you're done?"
I read it.
It was all the things I'd WANTED the prequel to be and what I hope the sequel trilogy will end up being. I was back in a Galaxy Far, Far, Away, with all my old favorites, and even though I had never dreamed it possible there was more to the story than "The Emperor died and they all lived happily ever after." Old favorites were just like they should be, and new characters like Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn fit right in as if they'd always been part of the plot. I could barely wait for the second book and was so anxious for the third even being on vacation in Toronto didn't stop me from rushing to the bookstore to grab a copy the day of its release. On rereading, sure, there are bits that seem a little awkward (Zahn, like many Star Wars authors, sometimes drifts towards 'Star Wars Catchphrase Bingo', and even his own characters seem a little out of tune with their later selves. This is most notable with Thrawn and Captain Pellaeon when compared to later depictions.) C'baoth is probably not the most compelling character ever written. But especially compared to later Star Wars books, this is most like sitting down and watching a new Star Wars movie, only with the added benefit of gray-area characters who are genuinely gray, characters with complex motivations, and most of all a villain who's believably competent even without being Force-sensitive. Zahn's engineering and military SF background pays huge dividends in having Imperial adversaries who do something other than glower villainously and fire a thousand rounds at our heroes without hitting them. There's actual tension-we know in the end Luke, Leia and Han have to come out on top, but just like in Empire Strikes Back, you're not really sure how.
Yes, later Star Wars books have issues. But this one stands the test of time. If you love Star Wars, do yourself a favor and read the Zahn trilogy.
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kid who writes and wants to act and sing and dance, and besides, they weren't making any more movies but Star Trek at least kept turning stuff out . . . and then one day at the barn, I noticed that the book my mom had brought to read while I had my lesson said "Star Wars" on the cover. And I had never seen it before.
"What book is that?"
"It's the new Star Wars book."
"New...Star Wars?"
"Yeah."
"Can I read it when you're done?"
I read it.
It was all the things I'd WANTED the prequel to be and what I hope the sequel trilogy will end up being. I was back in a Galaxy Far, Far, Away, with all my old favorites, and even though I had never dreamed it possible there was more to the story than "The Emperor died and they all lived happily ever after." Old favorites were just like they should be, and new characters like Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn fit right in as if they'd always been part of the plot. I could barely wait for the second book and was so anxious for the third even being on vacation in Toronto didn't stop me from rushing to the bookstore to grab a copy the day of its release. On rereading, sure, there are bits that seem a little awkward (Zahn, like many Star Wars authors, sometimes drifts towards 'Star Wars Catchphrase Bingo', and even his own characters seem a little out of tune with their later selves. This is most notable with Thrawn and Captain Pellaeon when compared to later depictions.) C'baoth is probably not the most compelling character ever written. But especially compared to later Star Wars books, this is most like sitting down and watching a new Star Wars movie, only with the added benefit of gray-area characters who are genuinely gray, characters with complex motivations, and most of all a villain who's believably competent even without being Force-sensitive. Zahn's engineering and military SF background pays huge dividends in having Imperial adversaries who do something other than glower villainously and fire a thousand rounds at our heroes without hitting them. There's actual tension-we know in the end Luke, Leia and Han have to come out on top, but just like in Empire Strikes Back, you're not really sure how.
Yes, later Star Wars books have issues. But this one stands the test of time. If you love Star Wars, do yourself a favor and read the Zahn trilogy.
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LibraryThing member Nekosohana
Excellent series. These books are so well written that they should be a legal followup to the Star Wars Trilogy.
LibraryThing member Anduril85
This is the best Star Wars book I have ever read. The story grabs you from the very start and never lets go, Zhan captures every character perfectly from Luke to Chewbacca. If you only read one Star Wars book make it this one.
LibraryThing member flourishing
I was disappointed by this book. I remembered it as one of the best Star Wars Extended Universe novels, and while it was good enough for fanfiction, it reminded me that I don't actually want to read fanfiction in book form. I think I would have done much better with it if I had had it on a screen -
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I'm much more forgiving of bad writing on a screen. As it was, I just sort of got bored. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sarah_Buckley
I really liked this book. I recently got finished with National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo from here on out) so I wanted something light to read. I decided to go back into my stash of Star Wars books that I had never read before. I had heard that this book, and the whole trilogy, was one of the
This was published in a time when the entire concept of an "Expanded Universe" wasn't even a thing. Back when this was being published, a new book or comic was something exciting and new. New stories about Han, and Leia, And Luke! The Empire being evil! Chewbacca and other wookies! At the time this was published it was basically a sequel to Return of the Jedi and it was super exciting. I think Timothy Zahn treats the characters well and they all have the voices you remember from the movies. It is also the book that (i think) introduces Mara Jade who is , i'm told, pretty polarizing in the Star Wars Fandom.
This book takes place five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. The Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, and driven out the remnants of the old Imperial Starfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting twins. Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited new line of Jedi Knights.
Thousands of light years away, Grand Admiral Thrawn, the last of the Emperor's Warlords, has taken command of the shattered Imperial Fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the New Republic. Thrawn is searching for a Dark Jedi and is succeeding in restoring the Empire.
Thrawn is a very cool addition to the Star Wars galaxy. Like almost literally. He is calm, cool, and unruffled throughout this entire book. Even when things go wrong he basically just shrugs and says "all according to plan". General Pellaeon is his second in command and is written pretty well. He is always making asides about how different Thrawn is than his last boss *coughPalpatinecough*, and how amazing his plan is, which could have very quickly gotten annoying. Mara Jade is OK. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to think she is this ultimate bad ass right now, mostly i find her moody and whiny. This is actually the first book I have read with her in it, she either gets more sympathetic or less sympathetic. I have heard both. I guess I'll have to continue reading to find out for sure.
The trio is handled pretty well. Han is still sarcastic and cynical and Leia still strives for peace and understanding. Their relationship is handled well. They seem like a couple who are equals and fight but ultimately love and respect each other. Luke is written like he always is, at least in the books I've read. Calm, composed, and in control of himself and the force on the outside but unsure and worrying on the inside. I think that this characterization might have started here but who knows. It can get old. I like the characters i read to have some emotions other then "stoic", but the chapters and section where you get a glimpse of the thoughts and feelings inside his head help alleviate that somewhat.
Zahn’s invention of the ysalamiri—creepy little slugs who negate the Force is a cool invention. I like the idea of a life-form that can repel the force and negate its effects. Maybe the new continuity will bring them back?
The battles are well written and each is pretty interesting and the Noghri who chase after our heroes are cool and a bit scary. I almost forgot Joruus C’Baoth, an insane Dark Jedi clone of a Jedi named Jorus (one “u”) C’Baoth. He is crazy, and he wants Luke, Leia, and Leia's unborn twins. He wants to lead them and mold them in his image. CRAZY. Luke gets a Force Message from him and wants to head out and find this random new Jedi. (Luke is not the most cautious person. and he is way too trusting of strangers calling to him through the force). I'm pretty interested in where this story is headed.
This was a great book and I am looking forward to reading the next books in this series!
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best. I found out that people were right!This was published in a time when the entire concept of an "Expanded Universe" wasn't even a thing. Back when this was being published, a new book or comic was something exciting and new. New stories about Han, and Leia, And Luke! The Empire being evil! Chewbacca and other wookies! At the time this was published it was basically a sequel to Return of the Jedi and it was super exciting. I think Timothy Zahn treats the characters well and they all have the voices you remember from the movies. It is also the book that (i think) introduces Mara Jade who is , i'm told, pretty polarizing in the Star Wars Fandom.
This book takes place five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. The Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, and driven out the remnants of the old Imperial Starfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting twins. Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited new line of Jedi Knights.
Thousands of light years away, Grand Admiral Thrawn, the last of the Emperor's Warlords, has taken command of the shattered Imperial Fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the New Republic. Thrawn is searching for a Dark Jedi and is succeeding in restoring the Empire.
Thrawn is a very cool addition to the Star Wars galaxy. Like almost literally. He is calm, cool, and unruffled throughout this entire book. Even when things go wrong he basically just shrugs and says "all according to plan". General Pellaeon is his second in command and is written pretty well. He is always making asides about how different Thrawn is than his last boss *coughPalpatinecough*, and how amazing his plan is, which could have very quickly gotten annoying. Mara Jade is OK. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to think she is this ultimate bad ass right now, mostly i find her moody and whiny. This is actually the first book I have read with her in it, she either gets more sympathetic or less sympathetic. I have heard both. I guess I'll have to continue reading to find out for sure.
The trio is handled pretty well. Han is still sarcastic and cynical and Leia still strives for peace and understanding. Their relationship is handled well. They seem like a couple who are equals and fight but ultimately love and respect each other. Luke is written like he always is, at least in the books I've read. Calm, composed, and in control of himself and the force on the outside but unsure and worrying on the inside. I think that this characterization might have started here but who knows. It can get old. I like the characters i read to have some emotions other then "stoic", but the chapters and section where you get a glimpse of the thoughts and feelings inside his head help alleviate that somewhat.
Zahn’s invention of the ysalamiri—creepy little slugs who negate the Force is a cool invention. I like the idea of a life-form that can repel the force and negate its effects. Maybe the new continuity will bring them back?
The battles are well written and each is pretty interesting and the Noghri who chase after our heroes are cool and a bit scary. I almost forgot Joruus C’Baoth, an insane Dark Jedi clone of a Jedi named Jorus (one “u”) C’Baoth. He is crazy, and he wants Luke, Leia, and Leia's unborn twins. He wants to lead them and mold them in his image. CRAZY. Luke gets a Force Message from him and wants to head out and find this random new Jedi. (Luke is not the most cautious person. and he is way too trusting of strangers calling to him through the force). I'm pretty interested in where this story is headed.
This was a great book and I am looking forward to reading the next books in this series!
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LibraryThing member caltstatt
This book occurs five years after Return of the Jedi. The Rebel Alliance has defeated the Empire and began a new diplomatic society. Luke is a master Jedi and Han and Leia are married and expecting twins. Leia is on the Rebel council. However, in the outer rim territory there is a remaining
Not all students will enjoy this book, but it has an excellent plot and good against evil. Students must use their imagination and this book will encourage this.
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Imperial general who is a tactical genius and he is gathering the remaining piece of the Empire and building it up. The council on Coruscant is having trouble with the new diplomatic society because all the different species cannot agree on anything. As strife builds, so does the Empire ready to take down all Luke, Leia, and Han have fought so long for.Not all students will enjoy this book, but it has an excellent plot and good against evil. Students must use their imagination and this book will encourage this.
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LibraryThing member AgentJade
As was said earlier, Zahn's trilogy is pretty much the only series in the EU (Expanded Universe) that is really worth reading. If you do venture further, make sure to read his duology--it'll clean up all the mess the other authors make.
A fun and exciting page-turner, with a decent plot and two
A fun and exciting page-turner, with a decent plot and two
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excellent new characters: Admiral Thrawn and Mara Jade. I'll always have some issues with Zahn's prose (what's wrong with the word "said"?) and some of his scene development and dialogue, but he understands the original movie characters better than most of the other EU authors out there. Show Less
LibraryThing member clong
This book spawned a seemingly unending avalanche of other post-"Return of the Jedi" stories, which have been pretty uneven, and at times just plain bad. But, don't hold that against Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy. It is surprisingly good and does a great job of blending in the familiar characters with a
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host of new heroes, villains, and races. Well worth your time if you have even a passing interest in the Star Wars saga. Show Less
LibraryThing member irishkitsune
If there was ever a candidate for Episodes VII, VIII, and IX in the Star Wars movie franchise, I would vote that they be based on this trilogy. Timothy Zahn really does justice to the original cast we all know and love and introduces a few memorable new faces. The series has a fair balance of
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intrigue and action, and you'll come to love to hate the cold, calculating ruthlessness of the main bad guy, Grand Admiral Thrawn. If you love Star Wars, I really recommend this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cecrow
Fifteen years after its publication, I've finally begun reading this trilogy. I had unavoidably high expectations; after all, what kid my age didn't imagine possible sequels to Return of the Jedi? I can't say this fully lived up to my hopes, but the disappointments are minor. Luke seems overly
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powerful with his lightsabre, and I'm uncomfortable with believing the Emperor was influencing the effectiveness of the Empire's fleets. There's an unlikely number of quotes from the classic trilogy, but not annoyingly so. The Thrawn character is refreshingly different from Darth Vader, but I find he's significantly less menacing. Among the positives, there's strong continuity with other things I've read and understood. I like the respect for traditions such as a Star Destroyer opening scene and the necessary "I've got a bad feeling about this". Most importantly, I agree with other reviewers that the key characters do indeed behave and sound 'in character'. I'm looking forward to reading the two sequels, and I may even delve further into other Star Wars novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member qarae
Heir to the Empire is the first book in the Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy. This entire series is a must read for the avid (or even slightly interested) Star Wars book reader. The ever present struggle of good vs. evil is mixed with a lot of emotional self-discovery in our beloved Luke Skywalker.
LibraryThing member flourishing
I was disappointed by this book. I remembered it as one of the best Star Wars Extended Universe novels, and while it was good enough for fanfiction, it reminded me that I don't actually want to read fanfiction in book form. I think I would have done much better with it if I had had it on a screen -
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I'm much more forgiving of bad writing on a screen. As it was, I just sort of got bored. Show Less
LibraryThing member lanes_3
Set in time a few years after the battle of Endor, this books tracks all of the remaining main characters from the original movie trilogy. Though the Empire took a brutal defeat, the new Republic does not have smooth sailing. There is a hint of political dispute within the Republic, as well as a
The story follows the plot and character foundation of the original films very well. It is easy to visualize all of the characters fitting right into this continuation.
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new threat from the remaining Empire.The story follows the plot and character foundation of the original films very well. It is easy to visualize all of the characters fitting right into this continuation.
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LibraryThing member Karlstar
A great start to an excellent Star Wars series. The Thrawn trilogy may be one of my favorite Star Wars series, maybe they'll make it into a movie someday! It really has the authentic Star Wars feel, with good characters and action.
LibraryThing member TBones
I thought this Star Wars book was awesome. There was so much action and great plot twists that kept me guessing and I really enjoyed the scenes bewteen Luke and Mara Jade. This relationship seems to be a very interesting one that I hope to see evolve in the second book of this trilogy. Plus, I'd
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like to learn more about this Talon Karrde guy as well. Show Less
LibraryThing member thelibrarina
Of all the Star Wars books (and I have at least sixty on my bookshelf), Zahn's books are the ones that most accurately recreate the feeling of the original trilogy for me. Han and Leia are at work holding the Republic together--and Leia is expecting twins. Luke is still trying to figure out just
Enter one of the most fascinating villains of the Expanded Universe: Grand Admiral Thrawn. By studying the artwork of a species, he develops an understanding of the species' mindset--and uses it to conquer them. He's steadily encroaching on the Republic's territory, and nobody knows quite how to stop him.
Then there's Mara Jade, assistant to Talon Karrde and his smuggling operation. Her past is not up for discussion--but she's desperate to find Luke Skywalker and kill him. But when she does find him, lost in the woods on a Force-dampening planet, she discovers she might need to keep him around...for now.
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what it means to be a Jedi, so when he hears rumors of a living Jedi Master named C'baoth, he sets off to find him.Enter one of the most fascinating villains of the Expanded Universe: Grand Admiral Thrawn. By studying the artwork of a species, he develops an understanding of the species' mindset--and uses it to conquer them. He's steadily encroaching on the Republic's territory, and nobody knows quite how to stop him.
Then there's Mara Jade, assistant to Talon Karrde and his smuggling operation. Her past is not up for discussion--but she's desperate to find Luke Skywalker and kill him. But when she does find him, lost in the woods on a Force-dampening planet, she discovers she might need to keep him around...for now.
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LibraryThing member Anagarika-Sean
This series was a bit of a letdown, and is the reason I haven't really picked up another Star Wars book. I will try again in the future, though.
LibraryThing member regularguy5mb
Finally getting around to reading the first books to officially continue the story of Star Wars into the Expanded Universe. I had previously read a few others, such as Shadows of the Empire, but this was the first that really felt like the next chapter. We pick up five years after Endor, things are
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shaky for this fledgling Republic, and the Empire is still out there trying to gain some of the ground they've lost since the death of the Emperor. I definitely have to say that this tops my reading list for the year as a favorite, and the year has only just begun! Also, I didn't realize that Mara Jade came into the picture this soon in the books, and now that I see her written by her creator, I like her character much more than I have in the past. And Thrawn is such a perfect follow-up villain to Emperor Palpatine. His cruelty and strategy make him a viable and powerful threat to our band of heroes, who under Zahn's pen feel exactly like the characters we cheered for in the movies. Show Less
LibraryThing member azyre
Thanks for naming a bar after Mike and I!
LibraryThing member Wuher
Grand Admiral Thrawn has made the connection between the late, force sensitive, Emperor and his influence on Imperial troops. Thrawn believes that to gain victory once more, a force sensitive being is crucial. Just who will be this force sensitive being? Timothy Zahn’s historic novel, Heir to the
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Empire, caused a huge jump in the canon extended universe of Star Wars. Book one of the Thrawn Trilogy, a book that created so many ideas that later were in the prequel trilogy movies. A great book by a great author. Show Less
LibraryThing member BryanCaron
This first book in what literally kick-started the Star Wars saga back into the public consciousness, is that type of book (as was the series) that not only captured your imagination right from the first word, but captured the spirit, essence and fluidity of the original saga as a whole. With the
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additions of Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn to the already stellar cast of all of our favorite characters, Zahn was able to reintroduce us to the world of George Lucas's epic fantasy and craft a vivid, thrilling, funny and all out action packed story. (This review goes along with the other two books in The Thrawn Trilogy (Dark Force Rising and The Last Command) as well.) Show Less
LibraryThing member Revan97
Star Wars Heir To The Empire is a nice, classic Star Wars novel. I enjoyed the originality of it and the way it ended.
The book is made even better by the new forward and annotations by the author. The new Thrawn novella is what sold it for me.
Although it's great in hardcover format, I'd suggest
All in all, it's a fun, classic Star Wars book that you can't put down and leaves you exited to see what happens in it's sequel.
The book is made even better by the new forward and annotations by the author. The new Thrawn novella is what sold it for me.
Although it's great in hardcover format, I'd suggest
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buying it on Kindle if you have one, it's a lot cheaper in e-book format.All in all, it's a fun, classic Star Wars book that you can't put down and leaves you exited to see what happens in it's sequel.
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LibraryThing member TheMadTurtle
Now that the expanded universe is being wiped away thanks to Disney, I thought it would be a good time to read some more of it. :P I listened to the audiobook recently and it was very enjoyable - very well read. Heir to the Empire is an interesting story. I think Zahn hits on all cylinders with the
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characterization while also introducing some interesting new characters. I especially like Talon Karde. Oh, and if you're a fan of the old PC game Star Wars: Rebellion, you'll enjoy this book as many of the characters in that game stem from this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member rufty
Picks up where Episode 6 left off - well kind of.
The empire isn't dead, it's alive and kicking and appears to have found a new leader who is making some inroads into new republic space.
A good follow onto the Star Wars movies we know and love - a good clean baddie, good clean goodies.
The empire isn't dead, it's alive and kicking and appears to have found a new leader who is making some inroads into new republic space.
A good follow onto the Star Wars movies we know and love - a good clean baddie, good clean goodies.
Subjects
Awards
Science Fiction Book Club Award (Nominee — 1991)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1991-05-01
Physical description
6.84 inches
ISBN
0553296124 / 9780553296129