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

Timothy Zahn

Start date: June 1, 2013

Finish date: June 30, 2013

Why we're reading this: Since its release in 1991, this has been an EU classic for almost every one of us. Zahn started lifting t…more
[close] Since its release in 1991, this has been an EU classic for almost every one of us. Zahn started lifting the curtain on the Galaxy far, far away, and we've been loving the stories ever since.

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Dec 17, 2013 Markus rated it really liked it

Shelves: star-wars, science-fiction, 2013

"History is on the move, Captain. Those who cannot keep up will be left behind, to watch from a distance. And those who stand in our way will not watch at all."

Five years have passed since the destruction of the second Death Star and the fall of the Emperor. The New Republic is rising from the ashes of the Galactic Empire. The old Imperial Starfleet is in complete disarray, and the greatest of the Emperor's warlords, the Grand Admirals, are all gone. Except for one. And that lone one will give t "History is on the move, Captain. Those who cannot keep up will be left behind, to watch from a distance. And those who stand in our way will not watch at all."

Five years have passed since the destruction of the second Death Star and the fall of the Emperor. The New Republic is rising from the ashes of the Galactic Empire. The old Imperial Starfleet is in complete disarray, and the greatest of the Emperor's warlords, the Grand Admirals, are all gone. Except for one. And that lone one will give the leaders of the fledgling government more to fear than all the others combined...

Timothy Zahn is an author long revered among fans of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Not merely for writing some of the best Star Wars novels out there, but for creating some of the most beloved characters in the franchise. One of those is Mitth'raw'nuruodo, better known throughout the galaxy as Grand Admiral Thrawn. He's a master strategist and a military genius, and one of his greatest strengths lies in simple observation of the enemy. Obsessed with art, he is also capable of understanding a whole species of people simply by studying their artistic legacy. And after the demise of Palpatine and the fall of his government, Thrawn, an alien Chiss who rose through the ranks of the emperor's military hierarchy against all odds, suddenly finds himself as the heir to the empire.

But Thrawn is far from the only wonderfully intriguing character introduced by Zahn. Brick by brick, he's managed to build a whole new setting succeeding that of the original Star Wars movies, and while characters like Luke, Han and Leia remain as protagonists, much of the weight is being put upon a brand new bunch of people. From rogue smugglers to scheming senators to a mysterious survivor of the days of the old republic. And perhaps the most popular character of the Star Wars fanbase: Mara Jade, a woman who once served as the Emperor's Hand and has now sworn vengeance upon Luke Skywalker for the death of her master.

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It's not a perfect book, and it certainly has its flaws. The writing could have been a lot better, and Zahn never quite manages to recreate the epicness and scale of the movies. But believe me when I say that he makes a damn good attempt.

Since Disney bought LucasFilm and created a story group responsible for deciding what was official Star Wars canon to be used in future instalments, all the great novels written about it, including this one, were swept under the carpet and turned into the so-called Star Wars: Legends. And despite that everything else surrounding that decision was total bullshit, the name kind of fits. This book is most definitely a legend of the Star Wars universe. And it is what the upcoming Episode VII should have been based on. It could have been so artistically done. But canon or no, the stories remain, and they're waiting for you to read them.

If you enjoyed the Star Wars movies and want to explore what else this amazing universe has to offer, Heir to the Empire is the book to read. Don't allow yourself to be confused by the hundreds of books, games and comics existing out there. While not the first Star Wars novel ever written, this is the real sequel to the original movie trilogy. This, ladies and gentlemen, is where the Expanded Universe begins. And what a universe that is...

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