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Star Wars: Allegiance (Star Wars)

by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 3,019 ratings · 150 reviews

Never before has the incendiary mix of action, politics, and intrigue that has become Timothy Zahn’s trademark, been mmore evident that in this new Star Wars epic. On the heels of the stunning events chronicled in Star Wars: A New Hope, the newly minted heroes of the Rebellion–fledgling Jedi Luke Skywalker, smuggler turned reluctant freedom-fighter Han Solo, and Princess L...more Never before has the incendiary mix of action, politics, and intrigue that has become Timothy Zahn’s trademark, been mmore evident that in this new Star Wars epic. On the heels of the stunning events chronicled in Star Wars: A New Hope, the newly minted heroes of the Rebellion–fledgling Jedi Luke Skywalker, smuggler turned reluctant freedom-fighter Han Solo, and Princess Leia Organa, a bold leader with a world to avenge–must face the harsh realities of the cataclysmic conflict into which they have so bravely plunged. From this point forward, legends will grow, treachery will abound, and lives will be irrevocably altered, in the long, hard fight to counter the fist of tyranny and restore hope to a galaxy too long in darkness.

The destruction of the Death Star by the Rebel Alliance was a decisive blow against the Empire, but Palpatine and his monstrous enforcer, Darth Vader, are no less of a threat. The brutal extermination of Alderaan not only demonstrated the magnitude of their murderous power, but served as a chilling testament to their resolve to crush the Rebel uprising. Standing against them, Skywalker, Solo, and the Princess remain uncertain opponents. Luke is gifted and brave, but unschooled in the power he possesses. Han has doubts about waging someone else’s war–and his contentiousness is one more burden for Leia to bear as she struggles to help keep the Rebellion alive. The three have been sent to mediate a dispute between Rebel Alliance factions in Shelsha Sector–agitating matters by forcing Han to deal not only with pirates, but with his more dreaded enemy, politics. At the same time, Mara Jade–all of eighteen and years away from her fateful meeting with Luke–is serving her evil master, Palpatine, well in her role as the Emperor’s Hand: tracking suspected treachery in the Empire to what may be high places–while trying to stay out of Darth Vader’s way.

But the Rebels will prove to be only one of the Empire’s concerns. For Imperial Stormtrooper Daric LaRone, his faith in the Empire shaken by the wanton destruction of Alderaan, will commit a sudden and violent act of defiance, and take four other enforcers with him, in a desperate bid to elude their masters’ wrath.

Each of these fateful actions, whether sanctioned, secret, or scandalous, will expose brutality and corruption, spur upheavals destined to shake the Empire to its core, and shape momentous events yet to come.

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!(less)

ebook, 432 pages

Published June 28th 2011 by Random House Publishing Group (first published January 30th 2007)

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Apr 15, 2009 Ron rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Ron by: Wendell Andrea

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, star-wars

Uncommonly good for fan fiction. Good in its own right.

Zahn had broken the code on creating fresh, exciting characters and tales within the the SW framework. Mara Jade like Grand Admiral Thrawn are more fun, if nothing else, than the cardboard cutouts Vader and Solo ended up. (Being mortal helps.)

Rumor has it a sequel it on its way.

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Mar 22, 2009 Rock Peterson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As big a fan as I am of Star Wars, one thing I always had a problem with was the intentional dehumanization of the Imperial Troops. Most of course were nigh-faceless Stormtroopers, and many of the rank and file units were glossed over, leaving only the higher ranked officers who were portrayed as sniveling, overconfident, incompetent, and generally detached from any sense of "service" or "duty" (with the notable exceptions of Daine Jir, General Veers, and Captain/Admiral Piett). The Galactic Emp...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Seanu English rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: star-wars, young-adult-lit

After the destruction the the Death Star the Imperial Security Burowe(ISB) cracks down on potential rebels, and order a senseless massacre of civilians on the planet Teardrop. After being forced to participate in this atrocious act, five storm troopers desert the imperial navy after killing an ISB officer. Soon after this they become vigilantes, and begin tracking down a group of pirates terrorizing a sector of the empire. Meanwhile Mara Jade, The Emperor's hand is investigating an traitor in th...more After the destruction the the Death Star the Imperial Security Burowe(ISB) cracks down on potential rebels, and order a senseless massacre of civilians on the planet Teardrop. After being forced to participate in this atrocious act, five storm troopers desert the imperial navy after killing an ISB officer. Soon after this they become vigilantes, and begin tracking down a group of pirates terrorizing a sector of the empire. Meanwhile Mara Jade, The Emperor's hand is investigating an traitor in the government, who plans to have his sector break free of the empire. However the plot is bigger than even this highly trained imperial agent,and she is soon on the tail of a group of pirate know as the blood scars. And at the same time as the imperials track down the pirates. Han Solo and Luke Skywalker are charged with Escorting Princess Leia on a diplomatic mission to sooth relation between some rebel leader. However no one is aware that their paths are intertwined as the time for ht traitors plans to be revealed draws near.

Overall the book was good. Zahn did especially well with his characterization of the five storm troopers. He makes it clear the storm troopers are individual people not just the mindless military drones they are portrayed as in the movies. I also enjoy how the book seemed to be mad of small sub plots the turned out to be part of a big part in the the end. On complaint i have about the story was the use of the pirates. They are mad out to be so important only to be killed of in the end. It seemed very anti climactic to me. On a personal note I would have liked if Grand Admiral Thrawn could have been included in the story, but his absence did not effect the book. Zahn's ability to give all the storm trooper different interpersonal was also a great asset to the book. With out different personalities all 5 storm troopers could have been one person. As a final note the ending seemed a bit ruched with many impotent events happening quickly, where as the rest of the book was relatively slow paced. The novel also showed that you don't have to be part of the army to be a hero, because the 5 deserters did more good than the rest of the imperial army. Over all the book was a great read and I would recommend it to fans of Sci-fi and Star Wars.

"Maybe," Han said. "But if you ask me, a soldier's real job is to protect the people." This quote was said in responsible to the storm troopers thinking that they weren't read soldiers. It also shows that the empire was corrupt because it was not protecting it's people, and that Han has a softer side.(less)

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Aug 23, 2012 Clark rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Allegiance is one of those few SW novels that occurs during the original trilogy -- in this case, between Episode IV (A New Hope) and Episode V (Empire Strikes Back). Han, Luke and friends are still a bit giddy after the Rebellion's early victories. Now the Rebellion is trying to consolidate these gains in the galaxy.

Mara Jade, a fan favourite, is the Emperor's Hand. For those of you not in the know, think of someone who's a "fixer" or gun-for-hire: the Emperor's own privateer. She is assigned t...more Allegiance is one of those few SW novels that occurs during the original trilogy -- in this case, between Episode IV (A New Hope) and Episode V (Empire Strikes Back). Han, Luke and friends are still a bit giddy after the Rebellion's early victories. Now the Rebellion is trying to consolidate these gains in the galaxy.

Mara Jade, a fan favourite, is the Emperor's Hand. For those of you not in the know, think of someone who's a "fixer" or gun-for-hire: the Emperor's own privateer. She is assigned to clean up corruption within the bloated Imperial bureaucracy. Young and idealistic, she firmly believes that she is carrying out the Emperor's duties for the good of the Empire. Her portrayal as a novice Hand is intriguing. We also get to see her early rivalries with a certain Dark Lord of the Sith. Imperial office politics!

The other main story arc involves Daric LaRone and his small platoon of stormtroopers. A crisis of conscience drives him to defy orders and desert, along with the men. When I first read the novel, I found this angle intriguing because they didn't immediately run off to join the Rebellion. They still wore their armour, conducted themselves with Imperial discipline and found opportunities to do their duty -- even though they were deserters.

What was also interesting was that some of his men had more difficulty than others in forsaking their duty to the Empire. It was this dissent that made it seem credible. Not all of them were blindly going to follow LaRone, at least without weighing the consequences first. It was rather bold of Zahn to portray Imperial soldiers as more than mindless drones with no scruples. My only concern is that Zahn will likely have most, if not all, of them run off to join the Rebellion in later stories. This would be *yawn* predictable.

I read Zahn's initial trilogy (the one that started the flurry of Expanded Universe novels), so I was already familiar with his work. He deserves much credit for literally opening the door to the many possibilities of Star Wars beyond the movies. Having said that, I found this novel after a second reading to be good -- not great.

I read it a second time after I had read all of Karen Traviss' books on Republic commandos. I've got to say that Traviss' depiction of Republic (then Imperial) troops puts Zahn's attempts here to shame. Yeah, I went there! There is no comparison in terms of military, frontline realism: one of Traviss' hats was as a defense correspondent.

Zahn's version is likely closer to Lucasfilm's ideal, which regrettably still retains the idea that the Empire is ultimately bad and the Rebellion is good, with not much room for shades of grey. I'd prefer seeing a few heroic Imperials and corrupt Rebels in the mix once in awhile.

Allegiance is still an interesting story, full of action and intrigue. But it's not pushing the envelope too far. Part of the reason may be that it does occur between the movies, with the limitations that imposes. I have a nagging suspicion that the predictability factor would still be there, even if it had occurred beyond the original SW trilogy.

I would welcome the surprise if one -or more- of the stormtroopers decides by the end of these stories "not" to join the Rebellion.

[Note: I haven't read the sequel Choices of One yet, so anything could be possible?](less)

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Mar 31, 2012 Jean-Luc rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As stated in a previous review, I had no idea Timothy Zahn had continued writing Star Wars books, and I'm trying to go through them in "chronological" order.

Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand, is a fan favorite, so it's no surprise he finally got around to writing more of her.

Even better, we get some great new characters: 5 stormtroopers who desert their post after accidently murdering an overbearing intelligence agent. They steal a shuttle loaded with weapons and cash and decide to use both to uphol...more

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Jul 11, 2010 Crystal Starr Light rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: star-wars

Timothy Zahn is my absolute favorite author so when I saw this book about Mara Jade in the Empire era I jumped.

Plot:
There are three plots that intertwine towards the end. LaRone, a stormtrooper, accidentally kills an ISB agent. He and four other stormtroopers desert and run to the nearest planet where they begin an investigation into pirate activities.
Mara Jade was sent to investigate a Moff's possible embezzlement. This leads to a pirate consortium.
Han, Luke, and Leia are originally sent to inv...more Timothy Zahn is my absolute favorite author so when I saw this book about Mara Jade in the Empire era I jumped.

Plot:
There are three plots that intertwine towards the end. LaRone, a stormtrooper, accidentally kills an ISB agent. He and four other stormtroopers desert and run to the nearest planet where they begin an investigation into pirate activities.
Mara Jade was sent to investigate a Moff's possible embezzlement. This leads to a pirate consortium.
Han, Luke, and Leia are originally sent to investigate a possible way to win the war. With pirates threatening supply lines, Han and Luke (along with Chewie) are diverted to investigate and Leia is sent to accomplish the diplomatic mission by herself.

Good:
Timothy Zahn does amazing things with the characters. Han Solo in his books is Han Solo from the movie: cocky, independent, and self-absorbed. Luke Skywalker is the apprentice Jedi, experimenting with his talents, naive, and unsure of who he is. Leia Organa is absolutely perfect: the independent woman who is able to mediate between differing factions.
The stormtroopers reminded me of one of the best portrayers of them--or at least their clone compatriots, Karen Traviss. The stormtroopers are real men who face real consequences. It is refreshing to see plain men who only want to do what is right instead of officers who only want power and money (as you see in so many Bantam Star Wars novels).
And Mara Jade...it's nice to finally see her at work in a novel. I felt that, for the most part (see below), she was the perfect agent--naive about the Empire and not overly practiced in every agent technique, but knowledgeable enough to be convincing for this mission.
Lastly, although this is petty, it was fun to see Leia work as a waitress. This practical, pedestrian job is often overlooked or delegated to dispensible characters but it was so nice to see the Star Wars universe in a normal light (ie having the main characters eat, bathe, etc.).
The action is superb. I love the confrontation between Darth Vader and Mara, the battle of the AT-ST, and much, much more.

Bad:
I don't know what it is with Timothy Zahn, but recently, all his books seem to be mysteries (not bad) about one of the characters being duplicitous. Night Train to Rigel: the main character was working both sides. Outbound Flight: Doriana. The Green and the Gray had the boys that fought against them. This is a little boring after awhile.
And the plot was so convoluted that I had trouble following it. Who was Disra serving: the Empire, himself, pirates, or the governor? How did Mara conclude all the things she did about the pirates? What about Han and Luke? What did Caaldra want? And so on. All three (Mara, stormtroopers, Han/Luke) make some pretty hefty assumptions that turn out pretty conveniently right.
Also, although Zahn portrays Mara as a young woman fairly well, I still have trouble believing that an 18 year-old knows this much about espionage, spying, weapons, and the like. What was she, brainwashed as a child?

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Only dialogue is in the form of made up Star Wars references. Mara wears form fitting dresses and a man oggles her. Violence is typical Star Wars fare.

Overall:
A good book, but not the best that Timothy Zahn has ever delivered. I was rather disappointed, not only because it didn't have as much Mara as I thought, but also because the story was so hard to follow. I had to just forget who wanted what and who worked for who and just enjoy the action sequences and the characters. I hope that Timothy Zahn continues to write more about Mara's adventures, but not make his plots so confusing.(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Luke Zwanziger rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, star-wars, ebook

Timothy Zahn captures the voice and tone of the original cast and characters so well. Classic quips, characteristic moods, gestures and interactions all crafted so well without feeling overdone or gimicy. He is by far the best Star Wars author. This perhaps is not his best book, but still stands a head above the rest. The book is a neat premise book with lots of cross, double cross, and characters passing each other in the night as defectors, pirates, and world legislators all have secrets to hi...more

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Feb 15, 2013 Maythavee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A really enjoyable read! I really liked the Rebellion era so I was able to sink into the story fairly quickly.

Addition to our main characters which are Luke, Han, Leia and Chewbacca, we also get to read from the point of views of Mara Jade (the Emperor’s Hand) and the Hand of Judgment (a group of deserted storm troopers). I really liked Mara from Legacy of the Force trilogy so it was interesting to see her serving the Emperor. I wish that there were more of Luke, Han, Leia and Chewy though. The...more

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Jul 21, 2010 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A pretty unique Star Wars story. I liked the idea of a small core of stormtroopers "deserting" because they see the Empire as corrupt. Puts a human face on the Imperial troops instead of them all being numbered clones like in the movies. Timothy Zahn's stories are almost always better than the other authors in the SW novel universe...he brings better depth, better characters and an attention to detail that is not as prevalent in other novels.

The only weak element in the story, I thought, was th...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Kaylin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned

This book was a great Star Wars fix. The story kept me interested all the way through, and there was enough of a cliff-hanger ending that I can't wait to read Choices of One.

Allegiance is set in an interesting time period; right between A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back. While Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca are all in it, the main focus is more around Mara Jade (Codename The Emperor's Hand) and a group of stormtroopers that call themselves The Hand of Judgment. Through a series a circumstances,

...more

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Jan 16, 2012 Paul Darcy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Well, this was not too bad . . . and not too good . . . but somewhere in between. Set not long after "Star Wars: A New Hope"

I was thinking I would get a good dose of Han, Luke and Leia . . . but alas, no.

You see, the slipcover had me thinking I would get a lot more of Luke, Han and Leia the way it was written, but that was not to be. And what I did get was not what I was expecting. Lots of Ben force whispering to Luke (guess he has nothing better to do?) Han acting a bit off in my opinion and Le...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Scott Ray rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Been a long time since I read a Star Wars book. Used to read a lot of them. Of all the ones I read the Zahn books were always the best. I loved his originally Thrawn series. And liked the Mara Jade character in that book...so it was good to see another story with her in it.

The book takes place between the New Hope and Empire and really dosn't much deal with the main characters...they are in it but not as much as you would expect...especially Vader. I would have liked to see more of him.

The polit...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Mike Smith rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: star-wars

Unfortunately, I had to set this book aside for about a month when several library books came in that I had to read before they were due back. So I lost the thread of the story somewhat during the break. Like all Timothy Zahn's books, this had particularly well-developed and interesting characters. The details of the plot were a bit confusing, but the moral choices confronting the major characters were crystal clear. A very young and naive Mara Jade is a central character, and it's interesting t...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Nathaniel Turner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Excellent work from Timothy Zahn, as always. He has a delightful blend of intrigue, humor, and action that keeps the pages turning, and it plays out well in this book as with his others.

I will note that there were, perhaps, too many characters in the book. Some of them were not as fleshed out as they could have been. Even so, the book flowed together well and even managed a few twists that couldn't be nailed down until the very end.

I also enjoyed the expert use of irony as Zahn foreshadowed even...more

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Aug 31, 2010 A. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: xstar-wars

I enjoyed the various threads spun in this book. A bit predictable, but it is Star Wars. The story provided some background for future events and some of the main SW characters, such as Mara and her bad self, and it also gave the stormies a warm fuzzy lovable side.

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Mar 05, 2009 Jwm rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To be honest, there is never much I expect from a Star Wars book nowadays than a quick read. However, this one is set in the post-A New Hope, pre-Empire Strikes Back time period, and is pretty well written and paced. It was a fun read, but not exactly the type of work that will draw in more fans to the expanded writings of the Star Wars universe.

For those of you who are fans, the added bonus of this book's plot is that it's Mara Jade's first official mission as the Emperor's Hand. There are a c...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Jenny McD. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: star-wars

I really enjoyed this book. But I hope everyone realizes I rate Star Wars books within the realm of only other Star Wars books. My 4 stars review is great for Star Wars books but not on the same par as a regular fantasy book.

For a person who has never read a SW's book before, I think you could easily jump into it and not be lost, which is the problem if say you started to read the New Jedi order series without previous knowledge.

The best thing is it has Mara Jade who is the Emperor's hand. She...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Timothy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-reviewed-in-2013

Timothy Zahn is probably the most popular of all of the authors in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and for good reason. His intricate plots, spot-on characterization, and actual research into how things ought to work, make the books simultaneously the most like the movies of any material in the EU, while also being closest to the idea of “hard” science fiction of nearly anything in the EU. He also portrays the Imperials as having good people on their side, and not just cliched, mustache-twirlin...more Timothy Zahn is probably the most popular of all of the authors in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and for good reason. His intricate plots, spot-on characterization, and actual research into how things ought to work, make the books simultaneously the most like the movies of any material in the EU, while also being closest to the idea of “hard” science fiction of nearly anything in the EU. He also portrays the Imperials as having good people on their side, and not just cliched, mustache-twirling villains.

The novel, Star Wars: Allegiance continues this same history of excellent story-telling in the galaxy far, far away. This novel, taking place about half a year after the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, has several different threads that all converge in a dangerous plot that brings the title into focus. You see, a number of players must determine their allegiances, and where they stand, in the larger galaxy, and the conflict between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire.

The key characters are Han, Chewie, Luke, and Leia for the Rebellion, and the Emperor's Hand Mara Jade and five stormtrooper deserters for the Empire. The five stormtroopers are forced to flee after killing an intelligence agent in self-defense, and they decide that, since they are fugitives, to try to use their skills to still uphold their oaths to the Empire, i.e., by protecting it's citizens. On the other side of the galaxy, Luke and Han are sent on a mission to sniff out the cause of pirate activity hurting Alliance shipments, and Leia is sent on a diplomatic mission.

As the story moves forward, both the fugitive stormtroopers, and Han Solo, are separately trying to decide what to do. Do the stormtroopers go to ground and hide? Or do they try to help people when they can? Does Han become a part of the Rebellion? Or does he leave at his first opportunity? Their decisions when they cross paths with each other, and with Mara Jade, will not just determine the freedom of their friends, but could determine whether a power-hungry Imperial traitor plunges a star system into civil war against both the Empire and the Rebellion, causing the deaths of millions.

This story was really a page-turner, and it was really neat, I must say, to see one of my favorite characters outside of the films, Mara Jade, taking center stage. I've always wanted to read more stories where she had a big role, and especially ones that dealt with her days working for the Emperor. What was she like? How could she not see that he was evil? These are all things I've wanted to explore with the character, and this book does so.

I also enjoyed the idea that the Imperials weren't all evil, but some were good, and wanted to do good things by dealing with large criminal groups, pirates, so forth. Not everyone is a monster blowing up planets, but some are actually honorable and so are able to work with, or at least alongside, the heroes at times.

Finally, I want to say a bit about the “voice” of the characters. Sometimes one can write a book, and use characters we all know and love, but they are so different from the characters we read, saw, what not, elsewhere in the original source material, that it seems the story is not really part of the same fictional universe. Zahn never has this problem. When you read his books, Han, Luke, Leia, all of them, sound and feel exactly as in the movies. That is Zahn's great talent for translating the feel of the film to the book.

Once again, Tim Zahn hit it out of the ball park, in a book that I heartily recommend. If you are at all a Star Wars fan, even if you haven't read much of the EU, give this book a try. You will love it.(less)

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Mar 27, 2012 Ethan I. Solomon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another excellent Zahn SW novel. This one was particularly good as it explored the rarely seen post Ep.III pre Ep.IV timeline, when Sidious and Vader are running the galaxy and messing up anyone who messes with them. The story-line of a set of stormtroopers that are hesitant about carrying out Order 66 was of particular interest to me and made the whole book worth the while to read. Zahn remains one of the top SW authors around, even his mediocre efforts are better than many others best, and thi...more

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Sep 18, 2009 Matimate rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, 2009

Empire was pummeling rebels and rebels fought back. Standard Star Wars story but in Zahn version it was very enjoyable to read and it was a readable exception of the horde of Star Wars franchise horror of bad literature. The plot line is set post New Hope and pre Empire strikes back movies. Mara Jade, the Emperor´s Hand, had her first mission and yes she did not know Luke Skywalker yet. Ben Kenobi ghost was there more then was necessary, but well Jedis are used to be obnoxious. Some stortrooper...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read Star Wars books purely for entertainment and enjoy them most when they fill in missing gaps of Star Wars "history." "Star Wars: Allegiance" filled the bill in both regards. The book follows a group of renegade stormtroopers who are on the run and a mission they undertake with Mara Jade, the "hand of the Emperor" (a kind of assassin) who is also the future wife of Luke Skywalker. Of all the author's of Star Wars books, Timothy Zahn is probably my favorite and he did not let me down as "Sta...more

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Aug 12, 2009 Jessi Hafeman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Enjoyed this book by Timothy Zahn, definetly a master of Star Wars writing. Enjoyed seeing a stormtrooper force going through what Han Solo when through as they see the terrible things the empire is really doing as opposed to the idealistic views they felt when they signed up. Enjoyed some character exploration of Luke, Leia, and Han before Episode V as well as Mara Jade. Too much Ben Kenobi intervention though, I felt. He was giving Luke too many answers. Very enjoyable read especially for thos...more

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Jan 10, 2010 Joshua rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, space-opera

While Zahn's Allegiance is not, from my perspective, a bad book—it's reasonably well written, with fascinating stories revolving around a group of Stormtroopers, Mara Jade, and Han/Luke/Leia/Chewie—I do think it is a forgettable one: apparently, I had read this book not long after getting it and, since then, promptly forget having done so; this was a fact I did not discover until about 60 pages into a second reading. Given that the book is only two/three years old (at time of this writing in lat...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Debby Allen rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I usually enjoy Zahn, but the last two, this one and Outbound Flight, were missing something, like an identifiable protagonist. I stuck with OF, but I skipped to the end after about 120 pages with this one. It ended pretty much where I figure, all the parties converging and pursuing their own objectives wihout knowing who was next door and how it all meshed. As with OF, having to fit the story within existing storylines takes some of the suspense out of it, but this felt like wisely deleted scen...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Ryan Koerber rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Allegiance is set between A New Hope and Empire and develops the story between the two movies. I believe this is set before Splinter of the Mind's Eye. Zahn is probably my favorite of the Star Wars authors and he delivers a good book again. The storyline is on multiple fronts: following the A-team as I like to refer to Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie, a group of five stormtroopers, and Mara Jade as the Emperor's Hand. I especially liked the story from the perspective of the stormtroopers, because the...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Yves rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ce roman contient deux histoires. La première est celle de cinq Stormtroopers qui décident de ne pas exécuter des ordres demandant d'exécuter des civils. Ils vont donc demander l'aide des rebelles qui enverront Luke, Leia, Chewbacca et un Han Solo qui ne sait toujours pas s'il veut être dans la Rébellion. la deuxième histoire raconte la première mission de Mara Jade, une orpheline qui sait un peu maîtriser la Force grâce aux enseignements de l'empereur Palpatine. Tout ceci se passe environ six m...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Megan-Marie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi, star-wars, to-buy

How good a sign is it when my overwhelming impression of a book to tell you is that "yeah, I didn't mind reading it." I gave this one two stars out of five. A common theme in positive reviews is how much everyone has enjoyed the humanization of Stormtroopers; I actually am not going to deviate from that because I agree that this was the book's chief selling point. Granted, there was little enough else going for it--a small corps of troopers desert the Empire because they have a problem with what...more

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Jun 08, 2010 Mike rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I find Zahn's writing to be a bit dry overall. And whenever a sci-fi author (even when doing a commercial tie-in) introduces their own characters (except maybe a new villain) to a set of "canon" characters, it rarely goes well.

And one of the (too) many plotlines in this novel is based on a group of Imperial Stormtroopers that become disenchanted and desert from their Star Destroyer, stealing an ultra-sophisticated ship and setting off to right wrongs and save cats in trees (just kidding about th...more I find Zahn's writing to be a bit dry overall. And whenever a sci-fi author (even when doing a commercial tie-in) introduces their own characters (except maybe a new villain) to a set of "canon" characters, it rarely goes well.

And one of the (too) many plotlines in this novel is based on a group of Imperial Stormtroopers that become disenchanted and desert from their Star Destroyer, stealing an ultra-sophisticated ship and setting off to right wrongs and save cats in trees (just kidding about the last bit).

These renegade Stormtroopers are the focus of the book, initially. But I never saw them as much more than two-dimensional. Only their leader, LaRone stands out as a more believable character. The rest of them are ciphers who are hard to tell apart. And as the action gets more intense, they fade into the background and let the real heroes and villains take center stage.

(by the way, this book takes place soon after Episode IV: A New Hope)

The other plotlines of the story fare far better. One involves the Emperor's Hand, Mara Jade, on her way to punish (somewhat minor) corruption in the Empire. During her quest, she finds she's on to much bigger game than some thieving generals and admirals.

Meanwhile, Luke and Han and Chewbacca are off meeting with Rebel contacts and get into trouble with thieves and pirates. Leia is doing the same thing with some diplomats, but gets herself into trouble quickly. And Darth Vader is off hunting down and destroying Rebels and anyone (including Mara Jade?) who gets in his way.

Suffice it to say that all the characters end up in the same place at the same time and complications ensue. There's a threat of an entire sector turning against the Empire (or is it a ruse to trap the Rebellion?) and some bloodthirsty pirates and some stolen Imperial weaponry (AT-ST Scout Walkers).

Honestly, the whole "secession in Shelsha sector" plot that unifies all these diverse characters together is thin at best (as well as a bit confusing). If you're determined to read this book as a fan of Zahn's or just a Star Wars fan in general, my advice is to not look to closely at the plot and just enjoy the characters interacting (when you can).(less)

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Feb 14, 2009 Jonathan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Out of all the authors that have written Star Wars novels there are two authors that I love the most that make me keep coming back to read the Star Wars books and Timothy Zahn is one of those authors. He has written over 90 works ranging from shorts stories to novels since 1978. He has reinvigorated the Star Wars Expanded Universe with other writers but I believe that he is better then any of the other other then Aaron Allston. Yes I did, I named another author other then the one who wrote the b...more Out of all the authors that have written Star Wars novels there are two authors that I love the most that make me keep coming back to read the Star Wars books and Timothy Zahn is one of those authors. He has written over 90 works ranging from shorts stories to novels since 1978. He has reinvigorated the Star Wars Expanded Universe with other writers but I believe that he is better then any of the other other then Aaron Allston. Yes I did, I named another author other then the one who wrote the book I am reviewing on.
This book has brought a mix of action, politics, and intrigue that only Timothy Zahn can bring. This book chronicles the events that happen between Star Wars: A New Hope and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.The Farmboy turned Rebellion Jedi Luke Skywalker, smuggler turned reluctant freedom-fighter Han Solo, and Princess Leia Organa, a leader who lost her home world all must face the harsh realities of the conflict into which they have so bravely plunged.
Even with the destruction of the Death Star by the Rebels, Palpatine and his monstrous enforcer, Darth Vader, are no less of a threat. Even though Alderaan was a show of their power against the Rebels they have 2 things in their way of total control. That is the rebels and the uncertain opponents in Skywalker, Solo, & the Princess.
Luke is unschooled in the power he has even though he is learning through trial and error. Han being a smuggler has doubts about if he should get into the rebellion and doing things for others that don't profit him and Leia being burdened with struggling to keep the Rebellion alive while dealing with Han. With the growing dispute in the Shelsha Sector between Rebel factions, they are sent there to deal with it. But Han is against going along because dealing with not only pirates, but with his more dreaded enemy, politics. At the same time, we are introduced to Mara Jade all of eighteen and years away from her fateful meeting with Luke is serving her evil master, Palpatine, well in her role as the Emperor's Hand: tracking suspected treachery in the Empire to what may be high places while trying to stay out of Darth Vader's way.
On top of the rebels being one of the Empires concerns five stormtroopers led by Daric LaRone all have had their faith in the Empire shaken with Alderaan being destroyed and other acts done by the known ISB. They desert to escape their master's wrath and to do right.
In the end this book keeps me in suspense with every page being turned and will be waiting for the next book to come out.The characters were well written with the way Han Solo was in the first movie and how at ease he was to deal with in the second movie.This shows how he is dealing with everything between those two movies. The dialogue was great(less)

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Jan 30, 2010 Callista rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Callista by: Cilghal2

Shelves: star-wars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. More of a 2-and-a-half star rating.
It was a bit of a struggle to read the first half of this one, and I'm not sure if it's because the Mara Jade storyline isn't that compelling (my college thesis advisor warned me against having characters spend too much time alone) or if it's because there are too many characters with names that are rather difficult to keep track of--too many people with C-names.
The action did pick up as the story went along, and the various threads started coming together, in...more

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About Timothy Zahn

Timothy Zahn attended Michigan State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1973. He then moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and achieved an M.S. degree in physics in 1975. While he was pursuing a doctorate in physics, his adviser became ill and died. Zahn never completed the doctorate. In 1975 he had begun writing science fiction as a hobby, and he bec...more

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Books by Timothy Zahn

Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, #1)

Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, #2)

The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, #3)

Specter of the Past (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, #1)

Vision of the Future (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, #2)

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