Here is a special 20th anniversary edition of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel that reignited the entire Star Wars publishing phenomenon—featuring an Introduction and annotations from award-winning author Timothy Zahn, exclusive commentary from Lucasfilm and Del Rey Books, and a brand-new novella starring the ever-popular Grand Admiral Thrawn. The biggest event in the history of Star Wars … history of Star Wars books, Heir to the Empire follows the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia after they led the Rebel Alliance to victory in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.
Five years after the Death Star was destroyed and Darth Vader and the Emperor were defeated, the galaxy is struggling to heal the wounds of war, Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting twins, and Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of new Jedi Knights.
But thousands of light-years away, the last of the Emperor’s warlords—the brilliant and deadly Grand Admiral Thrawn—has taken command of the shattered Imperial fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the New Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to create.
The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale—in short, a story worthy of the name Star Wars.
Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!
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This is what the new trilogy should have been based on
Timothy Zahn breaks all the rules… yet, I love it. I feel like a child again when I read these stories. It’s a wonderful escape. I would never dream of using “sardonically” in my writing, but for Zahn, it just works. Five stars!
It had been 8 years since “The Return of the Jedi”, and no one even contemplated that in another 8 years a new Star Wars film, “The Phantom Menance”, would be released. But for those of us who loved the Star Wars films in 1991, a new story caught our attention.
‘Heir to the Empire’ showed us what happened beyond the main story of the films and brought a shining light in the expanded universe. Not only did it introduce one of the best new characters of the franchise that was never in a film, Grand Admiral Thrawn as the main threat to the galaxy, but it brought into existence the great Mara Jade, and that alone would be worthy of a five-star review.
The story is tight and well conceived. Action and adventure are tied together in a clever and intelligent way as Luke and the other heroes face an opponent that simply out-thinks his opponents to death.
Zahn breathed life into the Star Wars universe at a time when the fires had died down. And what a welcome breath it was.
Hands down, the best of the post- Return of the Jedi books ever written.
The idea that the Emperor was a racist was shocking, considering all the races in the Empire, but he was so evil, why was I so shocked? Moreover, after his death, why would an alien villain step up and prove that he’s actually more capable than even Darth Vader? Thrawn is just that. This and the books that followed are very good (and quick reads), but I think I would’ve been feeling a little left out if I wasn’t already an avid Star Wars fan. Kevin J. Anderson’s Star Wars books have more detail. All the same, Thrawn is one of my absolutely favorite villains in any universe. Highly recommended!
This Series takes off where ‘Return of the Jedi’ left off and it does it very well.
If you wanted to know what happened after the Empire fell. Then you have to read Thrawn. He is the second best opponent the rebellion had.
I’m not really a fan of Kylo Ren as seemed liked a punk when I watched the movie. Just my opinion.
Bringing in Thrawn to canon was probably one of the best decisions Disney made. It’s too bad this whole story isn’t canon.
This is a the first of a trilogy with Grand Admiral Thrawn. This is a must read for any Star Wars fan, and also a must read for anyone who loves military strategy in their fiction!
This is a great story about our favorite Star Wars characters, and their continued battle to fight back the Empire. What sets this series apart is that you have clones of Jedi, a tactical genius with the Empire, and Luke is being hunted by the Emperor’s Hand – Mara Jade. Fantastic story all the way through. And Grand Admiral Thrawn is my favorite Star Wars villain ever!