"Heir to the Empire," by Timothy Zahn [Bantam, 1991]

I gave this one a ten.

I got my copy when I was 12 and it is the book that really got me into reading. At the time I had read the movie novelizations and I was kinda interested in them, and then I saw this book.

This book made me a SW addict, it's all Zahn's fault and I thank him endlessly.

 

10 out of 10
One of the greatist EU books

 

This was a great trilogy when I read it 13 years ago, but I was only 15 then too. I think Zahn nails the characters that we all know so well, and he gets it. He just gets it. The whole star wars thing is done so well. There are a few things that get on my nerves as I try to read it for the first time in 13 years. Thrawn and his art work predictions are ludicrous at times. Ysalamiri=poodoo.

Other than that, I love it still. There are some discrepencies that are not jiving up with everything we now know about the Prequels. These little things are taking me out of the story and making it a little difficult, but all in all it stil retains it's greatness.

 

6/10

While Zahn's style is certainly better than some of the other trash out there, I am thoroughly unimpressed. I have tried to read his trilogy 2-3 times now, and I just can't get through it. His writing is dry, his use of detail and description is almost laughably repetitive sometimes, and within the first 40 pages of the novel, I counted at least four characters that had the making of Mary Sues, or were, at the very least, Zahn's little field day of stomping all over core characters so his could shine. No, hell no. I am severely disappointed after hearing all the hype about Zahn.

 

Of course 10.

 

this is the book where kenobi tells luke he cant contact him anymore right? because I CANT FIND IT ANYWHERE and its really bugging me. anyone know what chapter this is in or better what pages

 

I just finished this bood and started on Dark Force Rising. Thrawn seems a little weird because of how well he can predict things. I give it a 10. Excellent book it is.

 

By far the most perfect Star Wars books ever penned have to go to the Thrawn trilogy! Perfect villain, perfect characterization, and most important of all: perfect Star Wars feel.

 

This book is a 10. It also has incredible significance because it single handedly put Star Wars back on the map of literature. I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Zahn and he was cool enough to sign every single one of my books.

 

Does anybody compare to how awesome Thrawn was? No. Well... maybe Corran Horn.

I like the whole idea of an insane Clone to, and the way that Luuke just came out from the shadows was described with an eeriness that I took to. The smugglers ring was awesome as well.

Wish Thrawn didn't ALWAYS have figure his tactics from art, was an interesting idea, but did kind of get old later. I loved how he was used in TIE Fighter.

Great book, though I wish Borsk's fear of the trophey house was revealed, I was kind of interested. Oh, and Leia's storyline got a little dull here and there. Best series, with only the X-Wing series to even get close to it, so it gets a 10.

 

I believe obi wan telling luke he can't see him anymore was accually the 2nd chapter in the first book. I remember that the first chapter was weird and never understood what it was trying to say. (now i read these books a long time ago. maybe if i read them today i'd know what that first chapter is about.)

 

I don't know if I'd rate it a ten...but then I doubt I'd rate any of them a 10. 9 maybe. The Ysalamiri were interesting but seemed way too much like a plot device. The moment they explained what they did, I groaned out loud. But I dealt with it. Thrawn seemed pretty danged smart, but that didn't mess with my brain too much, so I was able to pass that. Don't get me wrong, I think Thrawn is a great character and I'm told he makes more mistakes later on. But it sure seems funny. Almost like a military Sherlock Holmes...Talon Karrde is immensely cool and well done as is Mara Jade, though slightly less then Karrde. Oddly enough, the comic book version of him seems to differ from the original description of Karrde. He's described as thin, with short dark hair. In the pictures I've seen he has long hair and isn't exactly thin. The most interesting thing about this book is, of all the Star Wars books I've read, this one moved very quickly. Usually I'm looking to see how much is left; this one is like, 'whoa, it's done already'. I think I'd rate it a 9 overall. Very very enjoyable.

 

Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy was absolutly fantastic. I was fascinated the whole way through. I could put these books down hardly at all. His style was by far one of the best out of the few Star Wars novels I've read.

 

i don't seem to find another topic to post this, but i just re-read the complete heir of the empire saga, which is by far the best of the star wars novels i read!
But i've noticed one small mistake: in part two mara quotes that vader lost his right hand due to the emperors anger after the destruction of the first death star! Of course the book was written before attack of the clones where dooku cuts off his hand quite clearly!
One other questions leaped into my mind: why did the republic order 200 warvessels if they hadn't an army for than 1000 years?

 

I started reading this book but when I got to the part where Luke gazes out at the "snow capped mountains" of...Coruscant [?!?!] I had to stop

I'm too conditioned by the PT to accept this.

 

Over all it's a good book, but I thought many of the things Thrawn was able to pull off were ridiculous. I just didn't care for Thrawn it was too unrealistic. Other than that I thought is was a good book. I gave it a 7.

 

Reffering to the fact that they hadn't had any amry in over 1000 years and the snow capped mountains things. That's Lucas' fault, he worked very closely with Zahn through out the entire series. It's stupid that he didn't follow what he told Zahn when it came to the PT. You shouldn't be mad at Zahn you should be mad a Lucas for blowing off the EU.

 

10/10

Just delved into the EU. Now reading Dark Force Rising.

I loved this book, it was perfect Star Wars.

 

10/10

As for mountains, I think of them as a series of pyramidal shaped buildings with snow on the rooftops. Looks similar, and for Coruscant with "valleys" and "canyons" it works.

 

10/10

*Spoilers Below*



A terrific start to the TTT. It makes want to read more and find out the solution tho our Heros. And with Han's genius idea of starting up the mole miner ships at the end! Pure genius. And the cliffhanger at the end! Ackbar has been, Gasp, arrested for treason! Great book!

But Zahn maybe should of checked back to other storylines towards the end. C'boath toatlly disappeared to that one planet and he just sat there. Leia was abandoned for a while because of the Mykr stuff. And they should really consider changing the paper back cover because C'boath isn't that central to the story then say Lando. But it was a cool cover. Overall i loved every minute of it.

 

This is by far the best Star Wars book ever printed

I gave this one a 10

Zahn gives incredible details about the characters such as Thrawn and made me just love star wars books in general.

 

10! This book had me hooked from the first chapter. I read it in a matter of days!

 

10 10 10 itb be a 20 if it was allowed..who in their right mind gave this book anything under a 7???? Zahn is a massivley great writer and this book brought star wars back into the main stream captured so many fans and launched the EU.. Timothy zahn should be praised for his galiant efforts and be betsowed upon a throne of the EU !

 

10, of course. He really captured the atmpsphere and feeling of the movies, as far as I'm concerned.

"his use of detail and description is almost laughably repetitive sometimes,"

Well, I always liked his desciptions and didn't find them repetitive. But then I don't mind things being descibed. What I like is that he does NOT describe all feelings and motivations all the time. The ultimate need to explain such things on the spot (as if we couldn't figure it out by ourselves more often than not) is what really got on my nerves by KJA. I love Zahn for letting me have my own ieads about it (and even for having me groping ain the dark for reasons, he'll surely clear things up later)

 

Hello, Everyone.

I'm nearly halfway through this book (the furthest I've ever been into it). Bought it waaay back when it was originally released, tried about 3 times to get into it but put it down each time. I even donated all the hardcover copies to a library I lived near. The one I have now is a paperback but it suits me just fine.

Perhaps I'm getting way ahead of myself but can anyone point me toward what will be the next "Star Wars revival" book after the Thrawn series? I like "Heir to the Empire" much better than I thought I would (after those initial attempts to read it years ago). Am curious to know what should be next.

I'm sad that Mr. Lucas says there will be no Episode VII, VIII & IX movies. I heard the rumors about them sometime before The Empire Strikes Back originally hit the theatres. Getting into the books is my attempt at making up for the "no more movies" sadness.

I wish we could see Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams & all our other original trilogy favorites reprise their roles in movies set 22 years or so after Return of the Jedi. The building of the New Republic. The rebirth of the Jedi Order. Luke as the new "Master Yoda" (figuratively, of course). Perhaps the war (and victory) against the Yuzhan Vong.

But I digress. Again, my question is: What is next for Star Wars fans after "The Last Command"? Thanx in advance to anyone who can offer help toward this question.

May the Force be with you.

Jay Tee
http://www.rebellegionhawaii.com ( < Check out this website for pix from Celebration III!)