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

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

by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 6,777 ratings · 77 reviews

Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo are thrust into the middle of an impending civil war - and discover the shocking truth behind the rumored resurrection of the dead Admiral Thrawn. For a beleaguered Empire, desperate times call for desperate measures. Sowing discord among the fragile coalition of The New Republic, remnants of the once powerful Empire make one las...more

Hardcover, 520 pages

Published September 1st 1998 by Bantam Spectra

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Jul 12, 2010 Ron rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Ron by: Wendell Andrea

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, star-wars

(rating relative to other Star Wars novels)

Excellent. Good plot twists, good suspense. Great character development.

This edition, BTW, had 694 pages, not the lesser number displayed by Good reads.

It must be hard to write a book in which none of the main characters can have much happen to them...like die. But Zahn did a great job, again, within the constraints of fan fiction.

Even though he was not credited for it, Drew Struzan's cover art was good, too.

If George Lucas hadn't already said that no...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Yves rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-wars, sf

Le supposé retour de Thrawn a réussi a insuffler une énergie nouvelle aux Restant de l'Empire et à briser le moral de la Nouvelle République. Pendant ce temps, Luke et Mara Jade découvrent un complexe de guerre nommé la Main de Thrawn qui est dirigé par l'ancien impérial nommé le Baron Soontir Fel. Luke doit donc détruire le complexe à seulement l'aide de Mara Jade.

Ce que j'ai aimé le plus dans ce livre est que l'auteur fait une mise au point de ce qui s'est passé entre les livres qu'il a écrit...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Jean-Luc rated it 4 of 5 stars

So, where were we? The Bothan's home planet of Bothawui is surrounded by 2 very angry fleets from different New Republic members and their allies. Both sides are waiting for the other side to give them an excuse to initiate a full scale civil war. 3 Imperial Star Destroyers hidden nearby are ready to mop up whoever survives the fight. Mara Jade's gone missing. Admiral Pellaeon's peace overture has been thwarted by a secret Imperial conspiracy, but he doesn't know that yet. And everyone is freaki...more

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Dec 04, 2011 Kathryn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, space-opera

Vision of the Future finishes off the Hand of Thrawn duology. Most of what I have to say about it would reiterate what I said about Specter of the Past; Zahn's strengths are characterization and plotting (though this particular book suffers a tiny bit from Loads and Loads of Characters and approaches a Thirty Xanatos Pileup toward the end).

The biggest weakness of this book is that Zahn is burdened with a lot of junk from other EU authors, making the book inaccessible to people who haven't read...more

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Jul 11, 2010 Crystal Starr Light rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-wars

"The more you tap into [the Force:] for raw power, the less you're able to hear its guidance over the noise of your own activity"
The New Republic is on the brink of collapse as members use the Camaas Document and the situation of the Bothans as an excuse to let loose on each other. Han and Lando make a desperate mission into the heart of the Empire; Luke goes to rescue Mara on a world in the Unknown regions; Leia receives word of the transmission from Admiral Paelleon--the first signal of peace...more "The more you tap into [the Force:] for raw power, the less you're able to hear its guidance over the noise of your own activity"
The New Republic is on the brink of collapse as members use the Camaas Document and the situation of the Bothans as an excuse to let loose on each other. Han and Lando make a desperate mission into the heart of the Empire; Luke goes to rescue Mara on a world in the Unknown regions; Leia receives word of the transmission from Admiral Paelleon--the first signal of peace between their governments. But can their be peace when "Thrawn" has appeared?
In the tradition of the review of the previous Hand of Thrawn entry, I want to give you the ABC's of Timothy Zahn: Adventure, Big, and Clever.
Whenever you open up a Zahn book, you expect ADVENTURE, action, and intrigue. With Vision of the Future, you get it. Specter of the Past was 300+ pages of setup: the background (where are the characters now and what is the situation), the contention point (the discovery of the Camaas document), the history (the destruction of Camaas, the unravelling of the New Republic, the Empire's bid for peace), and the plan (find the full Camaas document!). So, while I still very much enjoyed Specter, it was a much drier read, particularly in comparison to Vision. Vision is the payoff, seeing one plot thread after the other, how they intertwine, how they accomplish the final outcome; Luke is here, Leia is here, Han is here. Wedge and Corran meet Moranda; Lando is with Han; Talon is with Shada. Again, each character is given a mission befitting their personality; each mission has some intrigue, some "danger", some adventure! It's just like watching Star Wars, only with words and images that Zahn creates in your mind!
There are also many personal adventures. Shada Du'Kal desperately seeks vengeance for the destruction of Emberlene, disgusted at how it was overlooked in favor for the more "chic" Camaas. Talon Karrde must seek after Jorj Car'das...but the last time he saw Jorj, Jorj was a ruthless smuggler. Can Karrde survive a meeting with Car'das? Mara is frustrated with her Force powers, her inability to hear the Qom Qae and the Qom Jha. Plus, she is hoping to bring Luke back to the man he had been ten years ago, the man she respected and admired. Luke is trying to figure out the path of the Jedi. And so on. And so forth.
Vision of the Future is BIG. Literally AND figuratively. Clocking in at 694 pages in paperback, this novel remains THE largest novel of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. And when you start reading what is inside, you learn why. There are SO many plot threads, so many characters, so many storylines, it couldn't be any shorter without losing something vital to the story, to the essence. If there is any complaint, it is that there is no Character Sheet at the beginning to remind us of all the participants, because Timothy Zahn does what we love and creates new, amazing characters like Moranda Savich (a personal favorite), Shada Du'Kal (seen in his short story in Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina), and Child of Winds (Luke and Mara's native guide).
Lastly, Zahn once again writes a CLEVER novel. Gone are the overblown, useless superweapons. Gone are the silly warlords who are said to be worse than they really are. Gone are the too-powerful Jedi who are too easily undermined by even more absurdly powered Sith. This book is smart, this book has intelligence, this book is founded at least partially in the real world. I've said it before in Specter, but the overarching conflict over the Camaas Document doesn't sound too out of place on our planet. I liked how Zahn removed the "evil" from the Empire, how he made the INDIVIDUAL the evil one instead of the side. I love how Zahn imitates life in having people have over-blown opinions of others (such as how everyone in this book thinks Thrawn is unable to be defeated, even though Thrawn lost several battles AND was never able to anticipate his death). I love how the characters are intelligent, likeable, good at what they do. There are no bumbling idiot bad guys, no doofus good guys meant for bad jokes, and no sexy women thrown in just to be sexy women. Everyone has a purpose, everyone has a motivation, and everyone has a story. Some characters get along, some don't. It's beautifully done.
There are so many aspects to love about this book, let me make a list of my highlights of the book:
1.Mara and Luke's relationship: Mara and Luke finally break down and talk about their previous relationships. I can't help but think that Mara had a crush of sorts on Luke, but could never get close to him because his mind was always on someone or something else. Here, she finally can break down that wall and show him how she feels. And Luke of course does the same.
2.Paelleon's call for peace: When Leia discovers the message Pellaeon sent to Garm Bel Iblis, I was choked up. Having Leia, who negotiated a cease-fire with the Bakurans, and Pellaeon , who was a staunch Imperial of a new, more benign order, both sit down and talk peace was brilliant and poignant.
3.The Qom Qae and the Qom Jha: I love how they talk, I love how they assist Mara and Luke. Their concept is interesting, and I just think Child of Winds is adorable.
4.Moranda Savich: This woman is pure brilliance to me. Independent, smart, and not some sexy, young thang...thank you, Zahn!
5.Flim as Thrawn: This poor man, whose only skill to the Triumvirate is the fact he can impersonate Thrawn. He tries desperately hard to ingratiate himself to the group, to "hang on" with the threat of the Hand of Thrawn returning and supplanting Flim. It's sad to see his struggle and you can't help but feel for the guy.
6.A hint at the Yuuzhan Vong: Parck tells Mara that there are things, ominous things in the Unknown Regions. A nice entry into the New Jedi Order.
Of course, no book is perfect. The beginning is long; the book itself is very long. It's easy to become disheartened and stop, then to resume and forget where you were. I got lost in some of the descriptions of some of the settings. And this book makes almost no sense without Specter. Years ago, I read this book without having read Specter and I spent half the book playing catch-up and failing.
Vision reminds us why we love Star Wars, why we love Han, Luke, and Leia, and why Timothy Zahn is so amazing at plots. It is the crown jewel in Timothy Zahn's Star Wars work, his biggest, most elaborate contribution. I highly recommend. (less)

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Feb 14, 2013 Sabina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-wars, my-book-reviews

If it wasn't for the ending, the villains and the Luke/Mara plotline, I would have given this two stars at most.

I loved the Disra/Tierce/Flim plotline in the last novel and I still love it in this one. Their performance is one of the things that made this book earn a third star from me. And poor Flim, it must be really stressful to be in his shoes... Anyways, these three are decent, not even halfway bad villains. They are well fleshed oout, have dynamics with each other and are overall very com...more If it wasn't for the ending, the villains and the Luke/Mara plotline, I would have given this two stars at most.

I loved the Disra/Tierce/Flim plotline in the last novel and I still love it in this one. Their performance is one of the things that made this book earn a third star from me. And poor Flim, it must be really stressful to be in his shoes... Anyways, these three are decent, not even halfway bad villains. They are well fleshed oout, have dynamics with each other and are overall very competent. It must be hard to not get caught in your own lies when you're running such a complicated plan, so congratulations for them.

But as for the rest of the book... I'll just say it as it is. It dragged on. I love Timothy Zahn's complicated plots, but here, he may have overdone it. There were... what, eight or more different plotlines with every character doing different things?! I'm sorry, but it's just too complicated. I couldn't keep track of it. There was too much to follow and to be honest, most of what the characters did, didn't seem that interesting in the first place. Characters appear out of the blue and with eight or more plotlines going on, I wish you good luck in keeping track of who is doing what.

So, because of that, I skimmed (and sometimes skipped - yeah, I'm sorry) a lot of pages to get to the parts that actually interested me. Besides the Disra/Tierce/Flim plot, the other thing that saved this book for me, was the Luke/Mara plot! I thought their journey through the caves was beautifully well done. This and the reveals about Thrawn, the character of Jorj Car'das and the whole Outbound Flight project alone earn this book the fourth star.

And the ending... that ending! It all wrapped up perfectly nice. The ending was perfect, with the pieces coming together, like in all of Zahn's novels.

Hey, what can I say? You sometimes think a book is boring, but a few parts in it can make it worth loving.

Finally, the book is good. (Did you really think that I would say a book by Timothy Zahn isn't good?! Psheesh...) Yes, it drags, yes, it's too complicated, yes, it has too many stories going on at the same time, but Luke and Mara's parts, the villains and the ending make it totally worth it.(less)

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Jul 25, 2012 Timothy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-reviewed-in-2012

I realized once again, upon taking up the second book in this duology, that Timothy Zahn's Star Wars Expanded Universe story The Hand of Thrawn Duology should have been a trilogy. The second book, here reviewed, is the longest novel contributed by any author to the Star Wars universe.

As Vision of the Future begins, several threads from the first book were picked up. Luke has gone after Mara Jade, to rescue her from the planet on which she has gone missing. Though he sees several possibilities f...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Duncan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-wars

A good book, but there were too many plot lines going on to really enjoy.

Timothy Zahn returns to the Star Wars Galaxy in this the second part of the "Hand of Thrawn" series. Zahn has a great writing style and is very good in this book. However the book suffers from too many plotlines going on. The book is ultimately about the prevention of a Civil War in the Galactic Republic but there are at least 7 plot lines to follow and Zahn does not pull off effectively balance out these plotlines like he...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Ashish rated it 1 of 5 stars

There are some books that you know are a bad idea. I got this around a third of the way through, but kept going hoping it'll get better. Past the halfway mark it was beyond redemption, and I just wanted to get it done. When I got it done, it was even worse than I expected.
A story weighed down by not one, not two, but more than a dozen millstones in the form of extremely complex, unwieldy, and verbose story arcs attached to both old and newly introduced characters, all of whom are on their own l...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Adam Kranz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of SW in general, Zahn in partilcular

Shelves: star-wars, science-fiction

This is the final book I read in this season's Star Wars phase. As it was coming on the last legs of my infatuation, my opinion may be tainted by some abnormal feelings of interest in the outside world/real life.

Zahn's Hand of Thrawn Duology promised nearly as much as the original Thrawn Trilogy. Specter of the Past set up the expectations for a really great conclusion. Vision of the Future meets most of those expectations. Its plot becomes an internecine clusterfuck of intrigue and information...more

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Apr 14, 2012 James rated it 2 of 5 stars

Disappointing. I loved Zahn's original Star Wars trilogy and had high hopes for this book. It's an okay story, but it has too many threads, drags on, and the ending feels very much like "happily ever after." i think part of the problem comes from tying into too many other stories from the larger Star Wars universe. I haven't read any SW books other than Zahn's and there are times when the backstory looms very large. I frequently felt like I lacked the background to understand all the nuances of...more

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Feb 12, 2011 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-wars, science-fiction

The Hand of Thrawn duology should be a movie. Or movies. Or TV-series, animated series or any other cinematographic adaptation you can think of. When I finally put down the book after an almost non-stop read, my first thought was: "Yes. This is Star Wars."

Specter of the Past set up a great premises for a good storyline and Vision of the Future has clearly come to the potential, even exceeding it. The plot was not entirely foreseeable and in places where it was, the characters even implied that...more The Hand of Thrawn duology should be a movie. Or movies. Or TV-series, animated series or any other cinematographic adaptation you can think of. When I finally put down the book after an almost non-stop read, my first thought was: "Yes. This is Star Wars."

Specter of the Past set up a great premises for a good storyline and Vision of the Future has clearly come to the potential, even exceeding it. The plot was not entirely foreseeable and in places where it was, the characters even implied that something was bound to fail. There is just the right amount of action added to the adventure combined with some good places of suspense and scheming, topped up with realistic dialogues and interactions.

Just as in Specter of the Past most characters are kept into their canonical selves, keeping in mind the great time that has passed since the movies' (and the reader is constantly reminded how many years it has been. The level of character development is moderate, probably most evident in Luke and all of his dilemmas. Several characters were introduced anew, but the plotline mostly kept to the known characters with all the limitations it set in place (no, he's not dead, because that'd break the space and time continuum) and it done so very well.

Now I'm still a newcomer to Star Wars novels, but this book seems to contain a greater deal of romance than the average. It has a great deal of jedi-esque (there is no emotion, there is peace, therefore we must never tell our true feelings and all that) romance and a good deal of Leia worrying about Han and Han worrying about Leia and some other characters either sending loving eyes at each other (or blaster bolts at the bad guys they're against) in addition to several implied situations. While normally I don't like my science fiction sweet, this time it sort of adds to the charm.

However be aware that this book will spoil you in at least two ways:
1. Just like the Thrawn Trilogy, it sets up high expectations for other Star Wars books, expectations that are rarely met.
2. If you haven't read any other Star Wars books, it will spoil a great many events that occur up to the events of the book.(less)

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Jul 07, 2011 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-was-young-and-dumb-okay, science-fiction, star-wars

Grand Imperial conspiracies, clones, Bothans involved in some kind of espionage, and Han, Leia, Luke and Lando are smack dab in the middle of it all. This is what Star Wars is all about - really the last time this is the case in the EU, as this is the final of the books published by Bantam. After this, Star Wars moved to Del Rey and it was all about the long-running plot arcs.

There are plenty of good things about the New Jedi Order and such. It's interesting seeing more ambitious plots and in so...more

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Aug 10, 2009 Zachary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

Vision of the Future is the sequel to Specter of the Past, both of which form a little mini-series in the Star Wars universe of books called "The Hand of Thrawn." It picks up right where Specter of the Past left off, without much re-hashing at all - so definitely read Specter first. That said, if you enjoyed Zahn's previous Thrawn Trilogy of the Star Wars universe, then you'll probably love this little series. It is kind of a sequel to that trilogy, sort of...

Zahn does an incredible job weaving...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Molly G rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, media-tie-in, adventure

Reread 11-17-2011.

This has been an interesting month for my health! A show I had to finish with a cold, the cold turned into bronchitis, the bronchitis turned into an extreme reaction to a suddenly-developed penicillin allergy, and a series of medications to help clear up the allergy. It seemed like the right time to finally reread, as I'd meant to for a while but had a hard time "justifying", all the Timothy Zahn "Star Wars" books I'd enjoyed so much as a teenager. (It's probably my second rere...more Reread 11-17-2011.

This has been an interesting month for my health! A show I had to finish with a cold, the cold turned into bronchitis, the bronchitis turned into an extreme reaction to a suddenly-developed penicillin allergy, and a series of medications to help clear up the allergy. It seemed like the right time to finally reread, as I'd meant to for a while but had a hard time "justifying", all the Timothy Zahn "Star Wars" books I'd enjoyed so much as a teenager. (It's probably my second reread: for the beginning of my freshman year in college, before I (a) temporarily forgot how to read for fun, and (b) sadly lost the habit of reading before bed due to the unprecedented proximity of computers, the Dark Force trilogy was just the right speed in the midst of all my work, and delightful in helping me get to sleep at night.)

It's widely agreed that if you're going to read any expanded universe "Star Wars" novels, the Zahn books are the way to go. I also love the Barbara Hambly installments, though the Zahn ones are unquestionably the best at capturing the style and essence of the original movies. Not only good science fiction novels (which most of the expanded universe installments aren't) but true Star Wars (moreso than the prequel movies by far).

Since I just reread the Dark Force Trilogy and the Hand of Thrawn Duology as a continuous 5-book cycle, I'm briefly reviewing them all right here. I'd forgotten just how and why I find the Dark Force series so wonderful. The things I remembered (easily!): Zahn's perfect characterization of the characters I love from the movies, and his complete success in adding to their ranks. (Commonly known: also see, why Zahn's characters form the backbone of the expanded universe.) His pacing and phrasing are in perfect accord with the movies and so give a stronger sense of a continuous/cohesive universe than even the details do. And the details, of course, are exquisite: the kind of mastery of a universe that involves not only an obvious encyclopedic knowledge of the original source, but doesn't stop at just referencing it (which he does constantly, for continuity and inside jokes). He reinforces, draws connections, and deepens and expands, adding a layer of analysis that doesn't tear down the effect, instead intensifies the reality of the world. And from there expands. That goes for Star Wars technology, species population, planets, military strategy, history and politics.

And his grand creation, the masterpiece of the Star Wars extended universe and culture at large: one of the greatest "villains" ever created, for whom you not only root but believe in. And really it's the unit of both Thrawn and Pellaeon: a perfect Holmes/Watson. A testament to the strength of all these characters: when reading other Star Wars novels (and I worked through a lot of them in my teens!) when I'd get infuriated at other authors' failure to correctly characterize some of the characters, that judgment wasn't reserved for Movie Canon cast, but for Pellaeon, Karrde and Mara.

This Thrawn-as-best-and-most-compelling-herovillain element is a major piece of a theme I didn't think about, or appreciate more/differently now than when I first read: the lack of moral absolutes in this installment of the Star Wars universe. Thrawn is a great example, as are the Noghri. It's easy and customary in Space Opera to draw hard and fast lines for the sake of an action-packed plot: people in hats and certain races of alien are evil/unsympathetic; people in robes and certain other races of alien are protagonists and allies. So step one: when you DO draw those lines, make both sides of the line equally compelling! 'Cause people don't act for the sake of being on a side, they have their own goals and beliefs. (As Willem Defoe answered when asked if he preferred playing heroes or villains: "There's no difference, everyone thinks they're righteous.") Achieved with Thrawn! Second: as in life, if you take the time/effort/good fortune you FIND OUT what someone's goals/beliefs/motives are, it may change your perception of them entirely. That is so exquisitely encapsulated in the Noghri plot. Again: no wonder they become a fixture of the Expanded Universe, as securely as anything from the films.

The last thing I quite enjoyed, that I've grown to associate with books like Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and Orson Scott Card's Homecoming sequence: a largely plot-based book, with a huge cast, an entire universe of settings, and a great deal of movement of cast within settings: the constantly moving currents of different characters, in unexpected combinations, coming together for scenes, sometimes incredibly brief, whose chemistry and relationships and emotional presence is so compelling and tangible. One wonders (irrelevantly and futilely!) the balance of set-up: how much of the plot is engineered to combine certain characters, and how much the dynamics of the larger universal forces give rise to and/or become encapsulated in the individual character combinations. (Another reference, J. Michael Straczynski's inspiration for Babylon 5: wondering whether to make a show about characters stuck together in a tin can, or a show about epic historical and political forces in a larger world, then realizing it's the exact same show.)

All that is mainly of the Dark Force trilogy. The Hand of Thrawn Duology is very much a follow-up; it doesn't go against most of these elements, but they're preestablished. What's interesting is that in many ways it's very much a comment on the original: a major theme is how everyone loved Thrawn, and how that love of him has taken on a life of its own with its own power, that everyone is variously trying to harness. This would be a bit feeble as an authorial device, or a bit overplayed, except that it's TRUE: Thrawn does indeed cast that kind of shadow, beyond the original trilogy into the entire expanded universe. Of the five books, Spectre of the Past felt the weakest to me, still marvelous but least containing all these strengths, but it reads largely like a set-up for Vision of the Future. But that's all right, because Future pays off and reclaims these things admirably.

All in all: even though I felt the need to remove the dust jackets and hide the "Star Wars" brand on the spine as I began to emerge from my convalescence and read these books as an adult in public places, I do in fact consider them excellent science fiction books in their own right, and recommend looking past the franchise (even if one likes the franchise, which, despite its admittedly checkered quality, I do!) to read them on their own terms.(less)

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Jan 22, 2011 Daniel Kukwa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-wars

Continuing on from "Spectre of the Past", this book takes a radical turn to the hero quest...with unexpected yet wonderful consequences for the core characters of the Lucas universe. The conclusion of this series of Star Wars novels ends a decade of strong, imaginative storytelling with considerable style and immesurable human warmth. A lesson George Lucas himself could take to heart, if he's planning future trips into the Star Wars galaxy...

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Jul 01, 2008 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Star Wars fans, people willing to be seen carrying Sci Fi fan fiction in public

While this is the 2nd of a 2 part series, its really, to me, the 5th of a 5 part series. The first being the hand of Thrawn series, then these. I think its amazing how in depth a world Timothy Zahn has layered over the original Star Wars epic. I think all of these Thrawn books would have made a much better new trilogy, but since they're all based on events after Jedi, maybe they still will be. Anyway, they are a fun read, and I think Zahn tries to capture the spirit of each character, and succee...more

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Feb 18, 2011 William rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-wars

I enjoyed this conclusion to the great story started in Specter of the Past. I am even surprised to say that I liked how Lando was used a little more effectively than he is often used in other Star Wars novels. He actually matters (a bit) this time. Kudos to Zahn who may well be the best Star Wars writer out there, although I still like Matthew Stover's stuff too.

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Dec 31, 2012 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Liked it overall. This book I felt I could finally understand all of the Star Wars insider language. Honestly, these two book could have been combined and shortened. Each standout character, Luke, Leia, Han, Lando were all probably given too much story time, but I guess a big bow to the fankids.

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Aug 11, 2011 Chris Westbay rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love how Zahn ties all the characters' stories together and has them coalesce in the end. I was on the edge of my seat all the way to the last page and was trying figure out how everything could wrap up in those last few chapters. His 'villains' are as deep as his 'heroes' and he continually adds more dynamic characters that seem to just naturally 'fit' into the SW mythos!

When does Pellaeon get his own series?

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Jul 28, 2008 breena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Out of all the Star Wars novels that I have read, I believe that Timothy Zahn is one of my favorite authors for the series. Sometimes he gets a little technical and dull, but his dialog is so engaging it makes you continue on through the harder parts. His description is far from unsatisfactory, as he can describe even the most mundane actions or things and make them seem monumental and important, even if they aren't. I'm not done with this one yet, I have had less and less time during my lunch b...more

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May 07, 2009 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-and-scifi, fiction

Here's the thing- I read this when I was 13. I don't remember much about it (a lot of action and general gripping thrillingness) except for one scene, but I remember that scene word for word. Probably because I am incredibly sappy.

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Apr 09, 2010 Richard Houchin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, star-wars, science-fiction

Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future aren't quite as good as the original Heir to the Empire trilogy, but they are still among the best Star Wars novels I've read. Zahn knows how to make the Star Wars universe sing.

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Jun 11, 2012 Brendan rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thought this was a great step forward in Luke's story and a great conclusion to the duology. Well worth the read, though with the multiple story lines things do begin a little slowly. If you haven't read any Star Wars I would recommend starting with the Timothy Zahn books.

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May 02, 2013 Ian Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

A fantastic closing volume to the first phase of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Luke, Mara, Han, Leia, Wedge, and so many others are woven together in a brilliant, surprisingly moving web.

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Aug 31, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really good! After having read a few Star Wars books, I think that Timothy Zahn is by far my favorite author, and Grand Admiral Thrawn is my favorite character, next to Han Solo, of course :D

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Sep 29, 2010 Eric Moreno rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi, spaceopera-my-stories

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 28, 2009 Michael Campbell added it

Shelves: star-wars

Another great read from Timothy Zahn, by far now my fav author. The two books of The Hand of Thrawn were all a good Sci-Fi book should be. Great characters, interesting story lines, and he is clearly setting up the future of the galaxy with the knowlege of theats from the unknown regions. It was a great read.

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Jun 22, 2011 Stacie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I fell in love with Luky Skywalker, okay? It was satisfying to see him get the opportunity for a love interest! Also, Zahn's dialogue is not quite as cheesy as Lucas'.

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May 04, 2011 Kelly Lynn Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: star-wars

Zahn wrote some of the best Star Wars EU fiction out there. My 13 year old self ate this shit up. My 24 year old self still eats it up.

And that's why I have an X-wing tattoo.

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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)

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“Without trust, there can be no genuine peace. Neither in politics, nor in the quiet individuality of the heart and spirit.” — 46 people liked it

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

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