Zahn, Timothy

Average customer rating:

A Refreshing Idea
Rogue Stromtroopers - You Gotta Love It
NOT for fans of the movies (some spoilers)
This book was weak for Zahns usual outstanding books
A weak return from the Master

Allegiance (Star Wars)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0345477383
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Book Description

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.

Customer Reviews:

A Refreshing Idea.......2007-06-21

When reading any of the Star Wars (SW) novels, one must never compare it to the SW movies, because there is always new material in the novels. If you're expecting SW novels to have the exact feel and make of the movies, then it's best that you don't read the novels at all.

That said, Allegiance was a refreshing change. We finally get to see how the Emperor's Hand works. Well, other than the comic series that Zahn wrote with Darkhorse titled Mara Jade: By The Empeor's Hand. However, the comic was written post Battle of Endor, after Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine are dead. Allegiance is written just after the events of A New Hope, where the Emperor and Vader are very much alive. So it was interesting to see how he handled their characters here and he did it very well!

I do enjoy reading Zahn's novels because he makes his characters very human, and doesn't go over the top, unlike other authors who make their characters infallible and completely resistant to injury, jumping through obstacles and performing unbelieveable Jedi tricks. At the same time, Mara has a certain amount of compassion, which makes her character all the more human and likeable.

The Hand of Judgement was an interesting idea, yes, why indeed don't we have stormtroopers who continue to uphold what they believe it. In our world, that's called going rogue, in the SW world, it's deserters from the Empire. Whichever way you call it, it's treason, but isn't that what you call fighting for what you believe in?

I do wished, however, that Zahn wrote more battle scenes into his novels, as he's always able to describe and choreograph battles so vividly that you don't need to much imagination to enjoy it thoroughly - a trademark feature in all his SW novels.

Zahn's characters are smart and believeable and his style manages to capture the essence of the characters from the SW movies, what Han Solo says to Princess Leia, the snap-hiss of the lightsaber, these are the little things that triggers your memory of those loveable moments and makes for a well-written SW novel worth reading.

I highly recommend reading all of Timothy Zahn's SW novel, starting with the Thrawn Trilogy: Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command. I guarantee that you'll enjoy them immensely.

Rogue Stromtroopers - You Gotta Love It.......2007-06-13

Mr. Zahn is best known for his seven previous Star Wars books, and I have always enjoyed his books that I have read. Allegiance is good but not my favorite. The characters are interesting and there is plenty of action, but it all gets very complicated and I grew somewhat tired of referring to the list of characters.

The story takes place soon after A New Hope. Luke is still not comfortable with his Jedi skills and Han is not sure if he and Chewie should be part of the Rebel Alliance. Leia exhibits her strengths as she mediates a dispute in the Shelsea Sector. Also, the young Mara Jade plays a major role on a mission from Emperor Palpatine. All of them have to deal with problems caused by bands of pirates. It is interesting to note that Luke and Mara are both callow youth at this point, but Mara's effectiveness shows her to be light-years ahead of Luke. I doubt that the difference between the two would have been that blatant.

The most interesting characters to me were a group of five Imperial Stormtroopers led by Daric LaRone. For the first time we see Stormtroopers who wonder if they are doing the right thing by serving an Empire that would wantonly destroy the civilization of Alderaan. When LaRone stands up for his rights and kills an officer of the Imperial Security Bureau, he and four other troopers are forced to desert. They spend the rest of the book trying to elude Imperial forces and trying to do what they think is right in various situations. They end up working with Mara Jade and are still free at the end of the book even though she knows who they are. They also survive a face-to-face meeting with Darth Vader. I found that a little hard to accept because Vader surely would have deduced that something was wrong. I doubt that he would have let them go on their merry way. Mara Jade has an important role in the book, and you have to admire her skills and fearlessness, particularly at such a young age.

Mr. Zahn's books are always worth reading, and Allegiance is no exception.

NOT for fans of the movies (some spoilers).......2007-05-20

In 1991, I was very excited to discover that the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia were continuing with a new trilogy of novels. At that time the prospect of new Star Wars movies was still uncertain. Since the potential new films would be prequels to the original films, the time period of the movie saga was off limits to the new novels. Happy to have more Star Wars, I enjoyed Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy as an exciting, dramatic and well-crafted "author's vision of what may have happened" after Return of the Jedi.

Well, I liked it all the way until the climax of the third book, in which Mara Jade kills both a clone of Luke and one of the two main villains, Joruus C'Boath. I felt it was such a disappointment that main hero of the trilogy eventually turned out to be one of Zahn's original characters. That killed even my youthful fantasies of Zahn's trilogy being another movie trilogy featuring the main three Star Wars heroes (at the time).

One of the main reasons the character of Mara Jade was so appealing was that she was an amalgamation of the main three movies heroes and Vader (Force-sensitive strong female smuggler struggling with her loyalty to Palpatine). Voila, instant new Star Wars character! But despite that, I still liked Mara Jade for what she was, and Timothy Zahn for being a good writer.

A few years later, I absolutely loved the Shadows of the Empire book from start to finish. It introduced interesting new characters, without taking any thunder away from the movie characters. Sure, while Han is frozen in carbonite the new protagonist Dash Rendar takes the role of the scoundrel of borderline loyalty ala Han, Lando, Mara and Talon Karrde. But contrary to The Last Command, (we are lead to believe) Dash dies in Shadow's climax. And another thing I really love about Shadows is that it fits perfectly between The Empire Strikes Back and Jedi.

James Luceno's prequel-era novels have also become some of my favorite books for the same reason I like Shadows so much: quality tales tying into the continuity of the movies with a strong emphasis on the characters of the movies. Granted, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader features a new main protagonist, but his story is also one that ends in tragedy, not unlike Dash and the protagonists in Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter.

Since I had enjoyed the vast majority of the Thrawn Trilogy, I was excited to finally have the chance to read a prequel-era novel by Zahn. As with the prequel movies with respect to the originals, I knew Outbound Flight would include part of the back-story of his six post-Jedi novels, and I was happy that Zahn would have the chance to retcon a few continuity discrepancies that crept up due the prequel films contradicting a few things in his previous novels. And Thrawn was such a cool villain! But what I was really looking forward to is Zahn having a chance to use Obi-Wan, Anakin, Palpatine and Sidious in a story.

But I was very disappointed as this wasn't a story about Star Wars movie characters. Zahn was completely self-serving to his own novels. Obi-Wan and Anakin have no important purpose to the story, appearing only as far as Zahn's plot allowed. Jedi Master Jorus C'Boath was a total dill-hole before he crossed-over to the Dark Side, which explains the personality of his insane clone in the Thrawn Trilogy, but doesn't jive with the Jedi created by Lucas. There is no way that Jorus C'Boath could be a Jedi Master with that attitude.

And to Zahn's credit, I actually sympathized with the character of Thrawn. But then I realized that Thrawn was created as a villain! I want to revile Thrawn! But by end he is portrayed as a renegade Chiss hero who saved his people by defeating C'Boath's Outbound Flight and the Vagaari. This novel is good for the fans of Zahn's post-Return of the Jedi novels and specifically the character of Thrawn, but not so good for readers who like books that focus on movie characters. Outbound had nothing to do with the stories of the prequel movies.

In the 30th anniversary of the original Star Wars film, we have now come full circle with the newest novel depicting events from during the movie saga. Despite my experience with Outbound Flight, I wanted to give Allegiance a chance. Since Shadows of the Empire, I have dreamed of a series of novels that take place in the three years between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, and now we have this new Zahn book. It was promoted as featuring Luke, Han, Leia and Darth Vader. Yes, I knew going into it that it would also include Mara Jade in Imperial service as Emperor's Hand. But I still thought that without a major back story to maintain (i.e. Outbound Flight's disappearance precluding Obi-Wan and Anakin remaining passengers), this novel could be a great book emphasizing the three main classic trilogy heroes. Boy was I naïve.

The story in Allegiance interweaves three main story arcs. Much to my chagrin, THE main protagonist of this book IS Mara Jade, who investigates a plot of corruption in the Empire. Zahn's second main story arc features five new characters that becomes known as the Hand of Judgment, a group of stormtroopers who go rogue. Last (and definitely least) is the arc of Alliance heroes Luke, Han and Leia.

Allegiance has many problems. Mara Jade is too powerful, wise and authoritative for a teenager, even one that is trained as an Imperial agent. She was snapping orders left and right, and even high-ranking Imperials usually just obeyed when she threw out a couple code words. She even bested Vader in a brief duel. Come on!

The premise for the Hand of Judgment was unrealistic, even for Star Wars. Even if the Empire did accept non-clones to be trained as stormtroopers, I imagine the non-elite ones would be completely amoral - brainwashed into thinking that nothing the Empire ever did could be wrong. The elite officers with greater experience and perception would probably just have had to become plain evil to get promoted. The Independent-minded, moral stormtroopers in this book seem very far-fetched in the movie saga's Empire. In all their years of service to the evil galactic Empire, they've never been ordered to do anything immoral before the beginning of this book? Come on! I have noticed that several readers would like to read about the further exploits of the Hand of Judgment. I couldn't care less.

And regarding the question of whether the Empire had non-clones stormtroopers, Lucas has already stated that the reason movie stormtroopers exist of varying heights and abilities is because multiple hosts were used to base clones on after the death of Jango Fett. So in the movies they could still all be clones, just not all clones of the same person. But yes it is true that long before this book, non-clone stormtroopers have existed in the Expanded Universe continuity, so Zahn isn't breaking new ground here.

And the formally-masterful story-teller of space opera has just gotten plain lazy. The movies don't portray manned AT-STs nearly as powerful as one automated scout walker is in a major scene in this book. Ewoks foiled multiple AT-STs with primitive traps! The Hand troopers are new fugitives that just happen to get involved in all these heroic missions, including leading a rebellion against a corrupt spaceport. The Hand knew Skywalker and Solo's names but in all their research they couldn't figure out that they had captured two of the most wanted criminals in the galaxy. Mara Jade just barely doesn't meet Luke and Han. The renegade Hand starts taking orders from Mara very easily, and their objectives just happen to become one in the same. And apparently the Hand tells their whole story to Mara without mentioning their association with Skywalker, Solo and Chewbacca, which is how the Rebels can conveniently escape the Empire's clutches without anyone knowing. Ugh.

However my major beef is that Zahn's plot could have easily been written without the heroes of the Alliance (and probably originally was). Zahn said that he couldn't find anything for Artoo and Threepio to do in this story, but they weren't even mentioned! Not even a cameo appearance in one scene? Not very creative. Chewie's role and the use of the Falcon are cheaply contrived to be minimal by leaving Chewie on the ship and out of most of the action. Vader and the Emperor's roles are very small. As the book moved closer to the end, I kept wandering what the Heroes of Yavin were doing. But the book would go on and on about Mara and the Hand troopers. When I did finally get brief glimpses of my heroes, I found that they hadn't done much of anything. The climax of the story does not feature the heroes at all. I actually feel cheated.

You may like Allegiance if you're a big fan of Zahn and Mara Jade. But I've finally learned the lesson about Zahn that I should have learned back in 1993 - he can't just write a story featuring characters he didn't create. He may be an excellent writer, but he is not a good Star Wars movie tie-in author. May Zahn please be exiled back to the post-Jedi regions, never to return.

And may James Luceno and Steve Perry please be brought in to do a series of novels set in the time period between the original movie and its first movie sequel, featuring the heroes of those movies? Pretty please? :-)

Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are extremely relevant to the film series:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

This book was weak for Zahns usual outstanding books.......2007-05-20

The characters were not emotional and the story had no large effect on the Star Wars universe. I would not recommend that Zahn fans(such as myself) read this or else their faith in this writer will be shattered.

A weak return from the Master.......2007-05-17

Timothy Zahn's eighth book in the Star Wars expanded universe and, unfortunately, possibly his weakest yet.
The story itself reads as though it were written for a very specific group of fans, and is at oft times childish. For the more adult die hard fans of Star Wars the continuity changes will draw frowns, with characters from previous books acting with greater skill than they appear to have later on in life.
Though, for these difficulties the simplicity of the story, and the ease of the writing will appeal to younger fans, and those looking for a simple and quick read with nothing challenging. Though these are not the trademarks of the intrigue and atmosphere that Timothy Zahn's other work has.

Not great, stormtrooper fans especially will love the Hand of Judgment and this story, so if you are; consider it recommended. But certainly this is not close to his best work, and it simply doesn't feel like it was written for the wider audience.

Average customer rating:

Intriguing Story
Dashed expectations...
Another great one from Zahn
Zahn is my hero
outbound and good riddance

Outbound Flight (Star Wars)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 034545684X
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Book Description

It began as the ultimate voyage of discovery–only to become the stuff of lost Republic legend . . . and a dark chapter in Jedi history. Now, at last, acclaimed author Timothy Zahn returns to tell the whole extraordinary story of the remarkable–and doomed–Outbound Flight Project.

The Clone Wars have yet to erupt when Jedi Master Jorus C’baoth petitions the Senate for support of a singularly ambitious undertaking. Six Jedi Masters, twelve Jedi Knights, and fifty thousand men, women, and children will embark–aboard a gargantuan vessel, equipped for years of travel–on a mission to contact intelligent life and colonize undiscovered worlds beyond the known galaxy. The government bureaucracy threatens to scuttle the expedition before it can even start–until Master C’baoth foils a murderous conspiracy plot, winning him the political capital he needs to set in motion the dream of Outbound Flight.

Or so it would seem. For unknown to the famed Jedi Master, the successful launch of the mission is secretly being orchestrated by an unlikely ally: the evil Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, who has his own reasons for wanting Outbound Flight to move forward . . . and, ultimately, to fail.

Yet Darth Sidious is not the mission’s most dangerous challenge. Once underway, the starship crosses paths at the edge of Unknown Space with the forces of the alien Chiss Ascendancy and the brilliant mastermind best known as “Thrawn.” Even Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, aboard Outbound Flight with his young Padawan student, Anakin Skywalker, cannot help avert disaster. Thus what begins as a peaceful Jedi mission is violently transformed into an all-out war for survival against staggering odds–and the most diabolical of adversaries.

Timothy Zahn’s unique mix of espionage, political gamesmanship, and deadly interstellar combat breathes electrifying life into a Star Wars legend.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Intriguing Story.......2007-06-17

While "Outbound Flight" is not very action-packed(there are still several well-written battles sprinkled throughout the book, however), I still found it to be a very engaging and well-written prequel-era EU novel. The book spends a lot of its time examining a younger Thrawn, whose actions and firm beliefs about launching pre-emptive attacks against potential threats (sound familiar?), set the stage for his eventual exile from his people who, although militaristic, have a firm code against such attacks. Events in the storyline also bring Thrawn to the attention of Palpatine/Darth Sidious, who is secretly helping advance the "Outbound Flight" project for his own nefarious goals, specifically helping thin the ranks of the Jedi since several Jedi Masters are part of the expedition. It also examines in greater detail the character of Jorus C'Baoth whose personality and behavior, as we discover by the end of the book, are not too far removed from his deranged and power hungry clone who plays a major role in Zahn's original "Thrawn Trilogy". Curiously, Zahn does not provide an explanation for nor even suggest exactly how a clone of C'Baoth actually gets created so we can only continue to speculate how it actually happens. The story brings in Anakin and Obi-Wan, both of whom end up briefly traveling on "Outbound Flight" until they are personally pulled off of it by Palpatine (who, of course, doesn't want to lose his prospective apprentice) just before its tragic end. Although their presence in the story is ultimately negligible (and largely unnecessary-they were probably added to try to bring more readers in), it does serve to further illustrate, albeit in a very small way, Anakin's admiration of "strong" leaders like C'Baoth. "Outbound Flight" answers some of the many unanswered questions raised in "Survivor's Quest", especially why the survivors have a seemingly irrational hatred and fear of Jedi and Dean Jinzler's stormy relationship with his Jedi sister, Lorana, one of the central characters in the story. It also introduces the Vaagari race, who also end up playing a major role in the events of "Survivor Quest". In regards to the audiobook presentation, Jonathan Davis, who seems to have become the "chosen one" for narrating Star Wars audiobooks, does his usual excellent job portraying the various characters and bits of familiar Star Wars music and sound effects litter the audiobook presentation. The only criticism that I have of the audiobook presentation is that it is slightly more abridged than I would've preferred. Although the audiobook rightly skips over the assassination plot whose outcome results in C'Baoth's victory to get "Outbound Flight" fully funded by the Republic, I was disappointed that they did not include Lorana and Thrass' sacrifice to save the lives of the rest of the colonists, as well as the heartwarming good-bye between Thrawn and Card'as. However, all-in-all, it is an excellent novel with an equally intriguing story and a well-done audiobook presentation! Highly recommended for Star Wars fans, particularly fans of Zahn's "Thrawn Trilogy".

Dashed expectations..........2007-06-10

I was glad to find out what this book was going to be about, where Thrawn came from and also to have more story line from this period in Star Wars.
The storyline had promise but as the book went on not enough action and less information really made it a long read. I would have to rate this book only 3 stars.

Another great one from Zahn.......2007-05-25

Great read! It was so nice to finally get the whole story on what happened with Outbound Flight! And of course, any story with Thrawn and the Chiss is great! Timothy Zahn is easily my favorite Star Wars author. I loved the way that he weaved so many of the characters from other books into this story.

Zahn is my hero.......2007-05-24

Ever since I read the Thrawn trilogy I had wanted to know a little more about the Grand Admiral and this book delivered big time. It makes Thrawn a very likeable character and creates many connections between Outbound Flight and his other star wars novels. It fills in lots of holes and should satisfy anyones curiosity about Thrawn and Cardas and tells an amazing story, easily one of my favorite star wars novels of all time.

outbound and good riddance.......2007-05-22

Since I had enjoyed the vast majority of the Thrawn Trilogy, I was excited to finally have the chance to read a prequel-era novel by Zahn. As with the prequel movies with respect to the originals, I knew Outbound Flight would include part of the back-story of his six post-Jedi novels, and I was happy that Zahn would have the chance to retcon a few continuity discrepancies that crept up due the prequel films contradicting a few things in his previous novels. And Thrawn was such a cool villain! But what I was really looking forward to is Zahn having a chance to use Obi-Wan, Anakin, Palpatine and Sidious in a story.

But I was very disappointed as this wasn't a story about Star Wars movie characters. Zahn was completely self-serving to his own novels. Obi-Wan and Anakin have no important purpose to the story, appearing only as far as Zahn's plot allowed. Jedi Master Jorus C'Boath was a total dill-hole before he crossed-over to the Dark Side, which explains the personality of his insane clone in the Thrawn Trilogy, but doesn't jive with the Jedi created by Lucas. There is no way that Jorus C'Boath could be a Jedi Master with that attitude.

To Zahn's credit, I actually sympathized with the character of Thrawn. But then I realized that Thrawn was created as a villain! I want to revile Thrawn! But by end he is portrayed as a renegade Chiss hero who saved his people by defeating C'Boath's Outbound Flight and the Vagaari. This novel may be good for the fans of Zahn's post-Return of the Jedi novels and specifically the character of Thrawn, but not so good for readers who like books that focus on movie characters.

Outbound has NOTHING to do with the stories of the prequel movies. Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are extremely relevant to the film saga:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

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

Average customer rating:

Mara Jade usurps Luke Skywalker (minor spoiler)
The Best Way to Experience This Book
The Last Command Book Review
Sprint to the End.
The Last Command

The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2)
Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1)
Vision of the Future (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book Two)
Specter of the Past (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book One)
Jedi Search (Star Wars: The Jedi Academy Trilogy, Vol. 1)

ASIN: 0553564927
Release Date: 1994-01-01

Book Description

The embattled Republic reels from the attacks of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who has marshaled the remnants of the Imperial forces and driven the Rebels back with an abominable technology recovered from the Emperor's secret fortress: clone soldiers. As Thrawn mounts his final siege, Han and Chewbacca struggle to form a coalition of smugglers for a last-ditch attack against the empire, while Leia holds the Alliance together and prepares for the birth of her Jedi twins. Overwhelmed by the ships and clones at Thrawn's command, the Republic has one last hope--sending a small force, led by Luke Skywalker, into the very stronghold that houses Thrawn's terrible cloning machines. There a final danger awaits, as the Dark Jedi C'baoth directs the battle against the Rebels and builds his strength to finish what he had already started: the destruction of Luke Skywalker.

Customer Reviews:

Mara Jade usurps Luke Skywalker (minor spoiler).......2007-05-20

As post-Return of the Jedi novels about Luke, Han and Leia go, Timothy Zahn's breakthrough Thrawn Trilogy is the best. The author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera overall, but the ultimate hero of climax of this book is NOT Luke or Han or Leia. As long as you're ok with that then you'll probably enjoy this book a lot. I would have given this book 4-stars if not for the let-down ending.

As for the best novels from the era of the movie saga, I recommend all of the following 5-star novels:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

The Best Way to Experience This Book.......2007-05-02

I want to highly recommend you get the audio versions of this trilogy which is amazing. As great as the books are (and if you've read them you know they are probably the most worthy of the title "Star Wars" of any book written in the entire star wars universe), now imagine hearing them dramatically performed complete with (and this is the best part) John Williams original soundtrack set to the events of these books. If you've read the books, try this out, you will enjoy it. If you've heard the book, go back and read it because the audio version is abridged. Hope you enjoy it. I know I did.

The Last Command Book Review.......2007-04-03

The Last Command is the ending book to a Star Wars trilogy. It is set a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, and is a science-fiction book. It is about how the Empire, under Grand Admiral Thrawn, starts taking back lost territory at a furious rate and what Luke, Leia, Han Solo, and the New Republic do to stop it. I recommend it for ages eleven through fifteen. You also might want to read Heir to the Empire and Dark Force Rising, the two prequels.
I think the audience for this book is ages eleven through fifteen, especially those already acquainted with Star Wars. For example, the book mentions characters portrayed in the movies, and you need to know at least a little of their background, which is mentioned in the movies. The author does not use hugely advanced words, but words like sputter and glide, which are pretty easy to understand.
The book contains plenty of information but pieces it together just right, making it easy and informative reading. The novel is only around three-hundred to four-hundred pages long, but you learn a lot.
The Last Command is written in an easy to understand way. The writing flows quickly, and it is a real cliff-hanger. I read it in around four days.
Young s will enjoy this book because of the relatively easy vocabulary, speedy reading, and the dramatic writing. I highly recommend it.

Sprint to the End........2007-02-10

Remember Star Wars? Not that joke of a series that came out with the most recent three movies, but instead that sometimes hokey, sometimes brilliant, always engrossing space opera from the seventies. Luke Skywalker, hero for millions of boys, Han Solo, dreamed of by girls everywhere, and Darth Vader, feared by all. That's the series that changed science fiction. Timothy Zahn loved those movies as much as I did. Timothy Zahn stayed true to that vision where George Lucas didn't. The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3) is the conclusion of the best Star Wars story since we first met Luke and Han Solo.

As should be, the book is action from beginning to end, but that action is varied and tense. From light saber duels to Horatio Hornblower sea battles in space to political intrigue and obsessed vindettas.

The new characters feel like they were just off camera when Lucas filmed the original movies. Mara Jade has dreams of fighting Luke. She's an enforcer for a brilliant smuggler, Talon Kardde. Talon is a political animal, playing alliances and allegiances like chess moves while remaining likable and understandable.

The greatest addition of all is our true villain, Grand Admiral Thrawn. The reader understands that it's a good thing that Thrawn wasn't around for the rebel victories over the Emperor because the result would have been different. He's a mastermind, both strategically and tactically, and can only be defeated by underhanded means or overwhelming force.

To complicate matters, Thrawn's ally, the insane Joruus C'baoth, is a dark Jedi master trying to turn Luke to the dark side and to possess Leia's children, raising them as the seed to a new Jedi army.

The action doesn't stop and the ending is fantastic. Pick it up, enjoy it, and remember those good old days.

- CV Rick

The Last Command.......2006-08-14

Zahn is an excellent author, and I really enjoy his Thrawn series. Very easy reading and it seems to flow seemlessly with the original Star Wars movies.

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

Average customer rating:

best of the Star Wars stories
Readable but annoyingly written continuation of original trilogy
Best of a shot-in-the-dark lot
Author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera
Heir to the Empire review by Llama King!!!!!

Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2)
The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3)
Vision of the Future (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book Two)
Specter of the Past (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book One)
Champions of the Force (Star Wars: The Jedi Academy Trilogy, Vol. 3)

ASIN: 0553296124
Release Date: 1992-05-01

Book Description

It's five years after Return of the Jedi: the Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, and driven out the remnants of the old Imperial Starfleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting Jedi Twins. And Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of Jedi Knights. But thousand of light-years away, the last of the emperor's warlords 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 build. 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.

Customer Reviews:

best of the Star Wars stories.......2007-06-24

Heir To The Empire is part one of The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn. This trilogy is set 5 years after Return of the Jedi. Han Solo and Princess Leia are married and are expecting Jedi twins. The Empire, lead by Grand Admiral Thrawn (best villian since Vader), plan to capture Leia and turn her and her twins to the Dark Side of the Force. Very highly recommended.

Readable but annoyingly written continuation of original trilogy.......2007-06-13

My curiosity finally got the better of me, so I decided I would read the official continuation of the Star Wars story post Return of the Jedi. It starts out familiarizing the reader with a glossing over of the post Death Star V2 Emperor defeat happenings and jumps right into the activities of the new self appointed head of the Imperial forces, Admiral Thrawn who has been successfully raiding New Republic bases and supply lines. He has a plan to reinsert the Empire into their previous spot as bully overlord of the galaxy and Heir to the Empire is the jumping off point for this story, which takes three books to wrap up.

First off, it's an easy read. The story flows at a pretty good pace and seems to match the films in this respect. There are plenty of new characters that are realized relatively well and only seem out of place sometimes by name more than anything else. Some of the names of the characters just don't seem appropriate for Star Wars and it can be a little distracting, but not terribly so. What is more distracting however, and what makes these books less successful for me, is the lazy writing of the author. He can only describe moods with lip characterizations and most of the time, it's of the "so and so's lip twisted" variety, like...

Han is mad: His lip twists

Luke is worried: His lip twists

Leia is frightened: Her lip twists

Luke is determined: His lip twists

C3PO is acting dandy: His... Just kidding (Zahn probably had to hold himself back none the less)

He also comes up with new ideas of how to describe things and just starts using them all of a sudden but doesn't go back to insert them into earlier parts of the book. It's just weird when a character starts using a phrase all of a sudden, frequently, and they never used it for the first half of the book. How hard would it be to go back and place it in earlier parts of the book to make the character's use of language consistent?

And don't get me started on the Mynocks! "The thingy took off like a Mynock with a scorched tail." "It fell to the ground like a clipped Mynock." "He chortled like a bemused Mynock." "She ate like an anorexic Mynock."... and on and on.

Additionally,these characters, and maybe this was unavoidable but I don't think so, live completely in the past that is the 3 prequels. They are not given much of a life before them, in memory, so all of their recall harks back to the films (like we need to be reminded what happened) and that gets old real quick. Everything is "this is just like it happened on the Death Star" or "don't you remember what he did at Mos Eisley?" or "Luke thought back to the cave on Daigobah." Where's that extra mystery of the stuff we didn't see? It's like sitting around a bunch of people who only reminisce about a small period in their lives... Enough!

Well, I guess I'm trying to say that Heir to the Empire is not very well written, but the story is relatively interesting, easy to read, and, well, it tells us what happens to Luke and all of the rest after Return of the Jedi. I imagine a lot of people don't expect to find something literate in a book like this, but, maybe just once, I would like to be surprised.

Best of a shot-in-the-dark lot.......2007-05-27

Star Wars novels are often hit or miss, with many of them being completely unappealing to non-star wars nerds. Speaking as one of those nerds, I've read quite a few of the Star Wars novels, and the entire Hand of Thrawn trilogy is one of the few that stands on it's own not just as a good Star Wars series, but as an excellent general science fiction story as well. Timothy Zahn has an eye for detail that escapes most authors of any genre, and has carefully crafted a fantastic story that has something for every reader to enjoy.

The trilogy focuses both on the difficulties of setting up a new government to replace the old Empire, the number of things still mysterious and unknown even in a well-known universe, and the artful style with which a true strategist could use the resources of the Star Wars universe.

If I could rate it higher than five stars, I would.

Author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera.......2007-05-22

As far as post-Return of the Jedi novels about Luke, Han and Leia go, Timothy Zahn's breakthrough Thrawn Trilogy is the best.

As for the best novels from the era of the movie saga, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

Heir to the Empire review by Llama King!!!!!.......2007-05-16

Heir to the Empire isa fast-paced Star Wars book by Timothy Zahn. It starts out with Grand Admiral Thrawn and Captain Pelleaon going to Mount Tantiss to uncover the Emperor's storehouse, a place rumored to have a cloaking device and some Spaarti cylinders. A cloaking device is a device that masks a ship from sensors, and, in the hands of the Imperial Remnant, it would prove devastating to the New Republic. But, the Grand Admiral and Pelleaon come across Joruus C'Baoth, the clone of Jorus C'Baoth, and a tale of action, adventure, sacrifice, a little blood spilt, and loyalty unfolds.

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

Average customer rating:

Author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera
A Star Wars Fix
The middle of a saga is always the best!
The Force is with you!
story holds well 15 years later

Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3)
Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1)
Specter of the Past (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book One)
Vision of the Future (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book Two)
Jedi Search (Star Wars: The Jedi Academy Trilogy, Vol. 1)

ASIN: 0553560719
Release Date: 1993-02-01

Book Description

The dying Empire's most cunning and ruthless warlord--Grand Admiral Thrawn--has taken command of the remnants of the Imperial fleet and launched a massive campaign aimed at the New Republic's destruction. With the aid of unimaginable weapons long hidden away by the Emperor on a backwater planet, Thrawn plans to turn the tide of battle, overwhelm the New Republic, and impose his iron rule throughout the galaxy. Meanwhile, Han and Lando Calrissian race against time to find proof of treason inside the highest Republican Council--only to discover instead a ghostly fleet of warships that could bring doom to their friends and victory to their enemies. Yet most dangerous of all is a new Dark Jedi, risen from the ashes of a shrouded past, consumed by bitterness... and scheming to corrupt Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side.

Customer Reviews:

Author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera.......2007-05-22

A Star Wars Fix.......2007-01-19

Do you hate George Lucas for ruining his own creation like I do? I mean, Star Wars, the defining mythology of at least two generations, the story of heroes and redemption has become the joke of our times. How could it not? Did you see that idiot, Anakin, scratching his way up the hill, beaten and burned, destined to become the shell for James Earl Jones's ominous basso voice? Did it make you groan? Did it make you want to set fire to the Skywalker Ranch? Am I alone?

Now, I'm not a Star Wars Geek. I don't play the roleplaying game. Never have. I don't have the library of tie-in novels and I do poorly at the trivia compared to a lot of people. But I snuck into the theater when I was 11 years old to watch Luke Skywalker discover The Force. I know great stories and despite the slightly cheesy effects and the ham-handed acting, Star Wars was a great story.

Why am I going on and on about what was? Because Timothy Zahn does Star Wars better than George Lucas does Star Wars. If Lucas had just filmed these three books - Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command - he'd have a masterpiece to crown his early achievements.

In Dark Force Rising, Leia conducts a mission to influence an alien race heretofore loyal to one of the Emperor's warlords, Luke finds himself battling an insane Jedi Master, Joruus C'Baoth, and Han Solo races the forces of the warlord, General Thrawn, to get to a lost fleet of Dreadnaught cruisers. The tension is high throughout this second book in the series and the characters conduct themselves admirably, keeping to the heroic expectations and rebellious attitudes we expect.

Reading this series, and especially this book, will remind you why we loved Star Wars and why we now hate George Lucas.

- CV Rick

The middle of a saga is always the best!.......2006-07-13

Just like Empire Strikes Back, Dark Force Rising is the pinnacle of what the middle portion of a saga is all about. There is tons of action and the book is so well written that you won't want to put it down.
Highly recommend this one and I can't wait to finish the triology with The Last Command.
Zahn is the man!

The Force is with you!.......2006-07-13

"Dark Force Rising" Volume 2 of the Thrawn Trilogy. Grand Admiral Thrawn continues his attempt to finish off the struggling New Republic. Talon Karrde, the smuggler who took Jabba's place is slowly being pulled over to the New Republic's side even though his right hand Mara Jade (The Emperors' Hand before he died) wants nothing to do with the new republic and who's only goal has been to kill Luke Skywalker. The two opposing sides race for a lost fleet of about 200 ships. The winner will have the upper hand in the continuing battle. Meanwhile the newly surfaced Jedi master plots to capture Leia, her twins and Luke.

The Good: The whole book (along with the other 2 were all very good). It's good to read the old favorites including Han, Leia, Luke, Chewy and Lando. The plot stays strong throughout and this kept the book enjoyable.

The Bad: Nothing memorable

Overall: The book and series are both very good and I recommend them highly

story holds well 15 years later.......2006-05-10

It's amazing how much of the prequel trilogy draws from Zahn's phenomenal Thrawn trilogy. Although the writing is often hackneyed (Han growled, Luke grinned...over and over like that), the book elaborates on themes introduced in the movies. Dark Force Rising is better written than Heir to the Empire, and it details elements alluded to in that first novel. The political wrangling between Ackbar, Mothma and Feylya is reminiscent of (foreshadows???) the similar play between Palpatine, the Jedi and the senate (from the prequels). Zahn goes into the mind of Leia as she negotiates with the Noghri and balances her beliefs with her duty to the New Republic (like mom). By the end of ROTJ, I had no idea who the clones were and whether they were bad or good (not sure if even Lucas had fleshed this out yet). At the end of Dark Force Rising, Zahn hints at the origin of the stormtroopers and in hindsight, gives a nod to their clone ancestors. Well done.

Average customer rating:

The Blah of Thrawn
Zahn's triumph
A worthy "follow-up" to the Thrawn trilogy
boring
Zahn is still the king!!!

Specter of the Past (Star Wars)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Vision of the Future (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book Two)
The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3)
Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2)
Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1)
Survivor's Quest (Star Wars)

ASIN: 0553095420
Release Date: 1997-11-03

Amazon.com

Timothy Zahn is the master of the Star Wars novel. His trilogy (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command) did almost as much as the movie trilogy's re-release to create new interest in Luke, Leia, and Han Solo. Specter of the Past is the first of a new series, The Hand of Thrawn. Princess Leia is trying desperately to hold the loose coalition of interests known as the New Republic together long enough to see the evil Empire finally vanquished. But in a stunning setback, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker discover that the pirate ships raiding New Republic transports are staffed with clones under the command of someone who claims to be Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Empire's most powerful warlord, believed dead for 10 years. Thrawn's plan for destroying the fragile New Republic seems well on the way to completion--unless Han, Leia, and Luke can stop it.

Book Description

From Hugo Award-winning author Timothy Zahn, whose unprecedented bestselling trilogy continued the saga of George Lucas's blockbuster films and became a landmark in the history of science fiction publishing, comes a dramatic new chapter in the greatest science fiction epic ever told.  Now Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo must battle to safeguard the fledgling New Republic from a dead Imperial warlord--and from itself.

Once the unquestioned master of countless solar systems, the Empire is tottering on the brink of total collapse.  Once commanding an invincible armada of Star Destroyers, its fleet has been reduced to a skeleton force.  Day by day, neutral systems are rushing to join the New Republic coalition.  But with the end of the war in sight, the New Republic has fallen victim to its own success.  An unwieldy alliance of races and traditions, the confederation now finds itself riven by age-old animosities.

Princess Leia struggles against all odds to hold the New Republic together.  But she has powerful enemies.  An ambitious Moff Disra leads a conspiracy to divide the uneasy coalition with an ingenious plot to blame the Bothans for a heinous crime that could lead to genocide and civil war.  At the same time, Luke Skywalker, along with Lando Calrissian and Talon Karrde, pursues a mysterious group of pirate ships whose crews consist of clones.  And then comes the most startling news of all: Grand Admiral Thrawn--believed to be dead for ten years--is reported alive.  The most cunning and ruthless warlord in Imperial history has seemingly returned to lead the Empire to triumph.

As Han and Leia try to prevent the unraveling of the New Republic in the face of this fearful and inexplicable threat from the past, Luke sets out to track down the rogue pirate ships.  To do so, he will team up with Mara Jade, with whom he will share his growing mastery of the Force and the ever-present threat of the dark side.  All the while, lurking in the shadows is the enigmatic Major Tierce, a disciple of Emperor Palpatine, sharing his long-dead master's lust for power, schooled in the devious stratagems of Thrawn himself, and armed with his own dark plans for the New Republic and the Empire.

Specter of the Past marks the triumphant return of Timothy Zahn to the celebrated Star Wars(r) universe in a novel that brings together all the trademark action, suspense, startling revelations, and brilliant spectacle worthy of the name Star Wars.

Timothy Zahn is one of science fiction's most popular voices, known for his ability to tell very human stories against a well-researched background of future science and technology.  He won the Hugo Award for his novella Cascade Point and is the author of sixteen science fiction novels, including the bestselling Star Wars trilogy Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command, the novels Conquerors' Pride, Conquerors' Heritage, and Conquerors' Legacy, and three collections of short fiction.  Timothy Zahn lives in Oregon.

(r), TM & (c) 1997 Lucasfilm Ltd.  All rights reserved.  Used under authorization.

Customer Reviews:

The Blah of Thrawn.......2007-05-22

I put the book down about half-way through it because I just couldn't get into it anywhere near as much as the Thrawn Trilogy. I realize that this book is probably just a lot of setting-up for the 2nd book, but I decided that I'd rather read other books instead of be bored on the way. It probably would have been better if Zahn had stuck with his original idea of one book instead of making it a duology.

Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

Zahn's triumph.......2006-06-13

I really, really enjoyed Tim Zahn's retur to the Star Wars universe, especially since this actually makes political sense. Though I enjoyed the Thrawn trilogy, Thrawn himself was rather annoying, as I am sure that he was to Luke, Leia et al, since he was so good at making their lives miserable. But he was just so omniscient that he was a tad over the top, a Fu Manchu from the Galaxy far, far away. This time, he is just being imitated, with humorous results. Mara Jade is back, too, and nobody does Mara like Zahn does. I don't think the other authors that touch on her really understand her, at all, least of all B. Hambly. Highly recommended.

A worthy "follow-up" to the Thrawn trilogy.......2005-08-19

I really liked this book. Zahn did a great job leading you along. You couldn't wait to start the second book in the duology A Vision of the Future.Luckily since I didn't get to read it till well after they had both been published I didn't have to wait. This is one of the better Star Wars books out there.

boring.......2005-05-18

the irritating writing style continues...unfortunately this time there is no attempt at a storyline and no interesting characters. we don't really need to be informed every time someone has to 'connect to the force', or runs through jedi meditation techniques, etc. it has to be implied at some point really.

Zahn is still the king!!!.......2005-01-26

If you think the Thrawn Trilogy was the best thing ever written in the expanded Star Wars Universe and if you think Andersen's Jedi Academy is the worst then you'll greatly appreciate the addition of the Hand Of Thrawn series. Zahn truelly makes the universe worth expanding again.

Vision of the Future (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book Two)

Average customer rating:

not as good as Zahn's original trilogy
Fantastic!
Romance...the Star Wars way
I couldnt wait for it to end
A must read for Star Wars fans!

Vision of the Future (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book Two)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Similar Items:

Specter of the Past (Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn, Book One)
The Last Command (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 3)
Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 2)
Survivor's Quest (Star Wars)
Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1)

ASIN: 0553578790
Release Date: 1999-09-01

Amazon.com

Timothy Zahn finishes the two-part Hand of Thrawn series with Vision of the Future. In the first book, Specter of the Past, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo battled the minions of the evil Grand Admiral Thrawn, long presumed dead. In the sequel, our heroes must prevent civil war and ensure that Thrawn's plans for a triumphant Empire are thwarted. Intergalactic intrigue, space battles, and heart-pounding action will thrill Star Wars fans in this eagerly awaited novel. Zahn is one of the most popular interpreters of the Star Wars universe with good reason.

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Grand Admiral Thrawn, long believed dead, has returned. Civil war is imminent in the New Republic. And what--or who--is the Hand of Thrawn? Vision of the Future is the conclusion of the two-part Hand of Thrawn series, written by Timothy Zahn, Hugo Award-winning author of the original trilogy based on the Star Wars films. The book is read by Tony Award-nominee Anthony Heald, who uses his theatrical talents to perform everything from love scenes to fight scenes as the story unfolds. His range of voices--from the "distinctive, somewhat prissy" voice of C-3PO to the gruff cynicism of Han Solo--is complemented by selections from John Williams's score and sound effects from the Star Wars films. (Running time: 3 hours, 2 cassettes) --C.B. Delaney

Book Description

Hugo Award-winning author Timothy Zahn brings his epic two-volume series The Hand of Thrawn to an explosive conclusion with a discovery that rocks the New Republic to its foundations--and threatens to resurrect the Empire.

The Empire's master plan is under way. The New Republic is on the verge of civil war and the rumor that the legendary Admiral Thrawn has returned from the dead is rallying the Imperial forces. Now Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and their allies face the challenge of their lives. They must infiltrate a hidden fortress filled with Imperial fanatics, rendezvous with a double-dealing Imperial commander, and journey into enemy territory to learn the identity of those responsible for an act of unthinkable genocide. But most important of all is the truth about Thrawn. In his hands--alive or dead--rests the fate of the New Republic.

© 1998 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM
All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

Customer Reviews:

not as good as Zahn's original trilogy.......2007-06-23

First, let me start off by saying that I love Zahn's original Star Wars trilogy - The Thrawn Trilogy. Got me hooked on reading Star Wars novels, which have turned out to be rather hit and miss.

This book is part two of a duology called The Hand of Thrawn. It's not as good as The Thrawn Trilogy but better than a lot of other Star Wars novels I've read.

Best Star Wars books I've read:
The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn (Heir To The Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command)
The Han Solo Trilogy by A.C. Crispin (The Paradise Snare, The Hutt Gambit, Rebel Dawn)
The Rogue Squadron series by Michael Stackpole (Rogue Squadron, Wedge's Gamble, The Krytos Trap, The Bacta War)

Fantastic!.......2007-02-13

If you've read other Star Wars novels by Timothy Zahn, you know he's the best author of the novels. Do yourself a favor and read the Thrawn trilogy. I'm still hoping Lucas will come to his senses and make a movie from those books.

Romance...the Star Wars way.......2007-02-07

I really like this book. Personally I am a fan of Luke and Mara and I have to had this book, I wanted to know how they end up together and even if some fans think they were more rational than passional, I think it is the Star Wars way for romance. They are two strong characters, they couldn't have a typical romance! I think it was very "in character" for them. The story is fast and entertaining, I like it, a lot.

I couldnt wait for it to end.......2006-05-18

I'm amazed at some of the positive reviews. This book was so boring. Probably one of Zahn's worst books, although i havent read all of them yet. To many things going on at once, no real connection to the main story. Which seemed to be the return of Thrawn. And how did it end? With a DUD. Simply horrible.

A must read for Star Wars fans!.......2005-08-24

This book was great. It was longer than most Star Wars novels (almost 700 pages), but well worth it. I read it after the NJO so I could see a lot of fore shawdowing for that series and also the new Dark Nest trilogy. You will enjoy this book.

Average customer rating:

an ok Star Wars mystery story
Don't believe the critics. . .
In which Luke and Mara find out what happened to Outbound Flight
Timothy Zahn does it again!!!
Survivor's Quest by Timothy Zahn

Survivor's Quest (Star Wars)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Similar Items:

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ASIN: 0345459180
Release Date: 2004-12-28

Book Description

Sometimes it seems a Jedi’s work is never done and Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker know this only too well. Despite the bond they share in the Force, after three years of marriage the Jedi Master and his wife are still learning the ropes of being a couple—and struggling to find time together between the constant demands of duty. But all that will change when they’re united on an unexpected mission—and must pool their exceptional skills to combat an insidious enemy . . . and salvage a part of Jedi history. It begins with a message from a surprising source: Nirauan, the planet where Thrawn, dangerous disciple of Emperor Palpatine, once held sway . . . and from which Luke and Mara barely escaped with their lives. The message itself is shocking. After fifty years, the remains of Outbound Flight—a pioneering Jedi expedition viciously destroyed by Thrawn—have been found on Nirauan. Now, the fiercely honor-bound aliens who reside there wish to turn over the remnants of the doomed mission to the New Republic. Accepting the gesture will mean a long voyage into the treacherous cluster of stars where the thousands of souls aboard the Outbound Flight vessel met their grim fate. But it may also mean something more . . . something that has stirred an inexplicable sense of foreboding in Mara. Whatever may await, the Skywalkers will not face it alone. Joining them on the strange and solemn journey are an officer of the post-Palpatine Empire, escorted by a detachment of Imperial stormtroopers; a party of diplomats from a gentle alien species that reveres the fallen Jedi for saving them from bloodthirsty conquerors; and a New Republic ambassador who harbors his own mysterious agenda. Soon enough, suspicion, secrecy, and an unknown saboteur run rampant aboard the isolated ship. But it is within the derelict walls of Outbound Flight itself, buried for half a century on a desolate planetoid, where the gravest danger lies. As the marooned hulk yields up stunning revelations and unexpected terrors to its visitors, Luke and Mara find all they stand for—and their very existence—brutally challenged. And the ultimate test will be surviving the deathtrap carefully laid by foes who are legendary for their ruthlessness . . . and determined to complete the job Thrawn began: exterminating the Jedi.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

an ok Star Wars mystery story.......2007-06-24

Survivor's Quest is one of Timothy Zahn's latest Star Wars books. It takes place three years after the Hand of Thrawn duology. Luke and Mara head into the Unknown Regions to investigate the wreckage of Outbound Flight. This book serves as a connection to both the prequels and the New Jedi Order. Good story but not as great as Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy.

Don't believe the critics. . ........2007-02-24

I'll have to admit that before I bought this book I read some bad reviews people had given it. I think I had a bit of thier criticism when I started reading, so the book seemed to start slowly. As a read deeper into this adventure, I found myself getting hooked and couldn't put the book down. I'm sorry I ever listened to other people's opinions, and I should have trusted more in my favorite Star Wars author Timothy Zahn. I give this book four stars because it was a wonderful, captivating adventure, yet doesn't deserve five stars because I reserve five stars only for my very favorite.

In which Luke and Mara find out what happened to Outbound Flight.......2007-02-09

Timothy Zahn is one of the most original Science Fiction writers writing today. His contributions to the "Star Wars" Universe, especially Grand Admiral Thrawn, are some of his best work.

"Survivor's Quest" is set 22 years after the first "Star Wars" Film (Episode IV - A New Hope). Luke Skywalker is now a Jedi Master, and is married to Mara Jade, who was formerly the Emperor's Hand, but is now a Jedi Knight.

Luke is sent a message by a race called the Chiss: they have discovered the ships of a Jedi-led exploration mission called "Outbound Flight" which had left the Old Republic on a voyage to another galaxy some 50 years before.

Outbound flight had never made it out of the home Galaxy. A Chiss commander called Mitth'raw'nuruodo - who later served Emperor Palpatine as a Grand Admiral and was known by his core name, Thrawn, which humans can pronounce - intercepted Outbound Flight and apparently destroyed it.

The Chiss government had not been pleased by Thrawn's actions, and he had narrowly escaped being cashiered and exiled. Having found what is left of the ships of Outbound Flight, the Chiss want to give them back and hold a commemoration ceremony to formally apologise for their destruction. Luke and Mara are invited as representatives of the Jedi and the New Republic to take part in the ceremony and explore the remains.

But what starts out as the investigation of an old tragedy turns into a deadly pattern of intrigue and plots. Several of those who turn up to take part in the ceremony commemorating Outbound Flight are not what they seem, and it soon becomes apparent that a number of hidden agendas are in play.

Furthermore, it turns out that there are survivors from the original crew of Outbound Flight. Their experiences fifty years ago have made the survivors, and their descendants, paranoid about anyone entering the remains of the expedition. This presents some difficult challenges, but is far from being the worst danger which Luke, Mara, and their companions face.

Subsequent to writing this book, Zahn went back fifty years and published the novel "Outbound Flight" which tells the story of the original expedition. If you're minded to read both stories, I recommend that you tackle "Outbound Flight" first.

Knowing too much about what is going to happen may somewhat dampen your pleasure at reading "Outbound Flight" if you read the books in the order they were written. I also found a number of details in "Survivor's Quest" more powerful when I re-read that story after tackling the book about the earlier events.

It's difficult to illustrate this point without giving away either story, but let me give one example: two important characters in "Outbound flight" are faced with a choice between two options, one of which will mean their own deaths, the other those of the other remaining survivors of the expedition. They choose the former, and a communications failure means that nobody knows about their sacrifice.

Fifty years later, Luke and Mara find the bones of those two people in the wrecked bridge of Outbound Flight, with an item which enables one of them to be identified. Luke and Mara draw the right conclusion, that the individual concerned had died to save the people of Outbound Flight, and convey this to the next of kin of that person, on the basis of a wholly wrong assumption about what had been going on. It's very poignant if you read the two books close together, but this is one of a number of details which make more sense if you read "Outbound Flight" first.

Other good things about this book: the partnership of Luke and Mara is well described and highly enjoyable to read about. The plot and action setting are first rate.

If you enjoy Zahn's Star Wars fiction but were disappointed in most of the other books set in the Star Wars Universe, there is one other writer whose Star Wars books I can strongly recommend, and that is Roger MacBride Allen. His Corellian trilogy is nearly as good as Zahn's "Heir to the Empire" trilogy, and that is saying a lot.

Overall both "Outbound Flight" and "Survivor's Quest" are worthy additions to the Star Wars canon and I recommend them.

Timothy Zahn does it again!!!.......2006-12-15

This book certainly deserves a 5 Star rating! Timothy Zahn is by far the best of the Star Wars novel writers. This book takes place just prior to New Jedi Order and prepares you for the invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong. This book also serves to close out the project known as "Outbound Flight"
Timothy Zahn was the author to establish the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade (now Mara Jade Skywalker). You get to see the unique bond between 2 married Jedi and Luke questions why Jedi were forbidden from marrying in the past.
This book will also provide you some insight into the lives of the Chiss people. This is the first time we see much about the Chiss since the fall of Thrawn.
There are some good battle scenes in this book between the Skywalker's and the Vagaari. The Vagaari were valiant warriors, however they of course were not powerful enough to defeat Luke and Mara. Unfortunatley the Vagaari are never heard from again after this book.
Timothy Zahn did a great job of tying the older Star Wars era to the age of Star Wars past the movies. Luke and Mara have about a 9 page battle with a Droideka (last heard from prior to the rise of Vader). Also covered are the Storm Troopers from the 501st, who where Darth Vader's special force of Storm Troopers.
If you read the book "Outbound Flight" you owe it to yourself to read this book. If you are new to reading Star Wars novels, this book is a great place to start! Timothy Zahn you get 2 thumbs up from me!

Survivor's Quest by Timothy Zahn.......2006-09-13

Survivor's Quest, by long-time Star Wars author Timothy Zahn, was an intriguing - if quick - read. This story, like Zahn's other Star Wars novels, has a mystery plot line and focuses on several groups of characters.

Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker receive an invitation from the alien Chiss official Aristocra Formbi, asking if they would like to come and see the remains of the Outbound Flight - a group of six connected ships that had been on an outer-galactic space mission fifty years ago. Grand Admiral Thrawn had supposedly destroyed the ships before they left the galaxy. Before their supposed demise they had housed several Jedi as well as many scientists and their families. Luke is excited to discover that the ships have been found partially intact, and so he and Mara accept the Chiss' proposal and head to the Chiss ship that will take them to the wreck. There they discover that three other groups are planning to accompany them: Commander Fel - Baron Fel's son - and four stormtroopers from the Empire of the Hand; New Republic ambassador Jinzler, whom Luke and Mara know to be a imposter; and also a group of aliens know as the Geroons, whose purpose there is not certain. Mysteries quickly appear as a Geroon is shot and someone sabotages the Chiss' and Geroon's ships - leading Luke and Mara to discuss in great length whom they think is the culprit. When finally all groups arrive at Outbound Flight, they discover that people have survived there for fifty years, and are bringing up children and grandchildren aboard the remains. All the characters now get separated and we follow the adventures of a different party each chapter. The mystery deepens, and we get to see how each group unravels the riddle, which has a surprising twist near the end.

This book is primarily a mystery story, and in being so deviates from the "traditional" Star Wars action/adventure book. Zahn's other Star Wars books certainly have an element of mystery to them, but in this book it is the principal genre. Although it is fun to watch as Luke and Mara try to solve the puzzle, their dialogue does gets boring and somewhat "speechy" at times.

Old-time Zahn fans, who have followed Luke and Mara from Heir to the Empire to Vision of the Future, probably won't have a problem coping with the new array of characters that Zahn invents; however, newcomers reading this book on its own might have a more difficult time. Luke is the only character from the movies who appears, and he is much older and more mature than he was at the end of "Return of the Jedi." Although he recently married Mara Jade, she has been well known in previous Star Wars books. The rest of the characters, though, are new and completely different. Although Zahn does a nice job at developing these new characters, I think even old Star Wars fans would like to see a little of Han, Leia, C-3PO, and other old characters. Even Luke's constant companion R2-D2 is not there, which I found very surprising.

One inconsistency that I found was that one of the stormtroopers of the Empire of the Hand was an alien. I know that the Empire of the Hand was much different from the empire under Palpatine, but I still don't think that an alien would be allowed in Vader's former legion. Also, the stormtroopers seemed to be almost invincible. Maybe it was just because they were of the famed 501st legion, but in the movies the troopers were getting mowed down right and left. I thought that only four of them winning every battle against innumerable enemies seemed like a stretch.

There were also a couple of things left unresolved at the end of the book. One of the crucial points of the plot line was that the survivors of Outbound Flight have a strange animosity toward Jedi - but throughout the whole book the reason for this was never explained. I am hoping that Zahn's latest novel, Outbound Flight, will elucidate this further. Also, it is hinted several times that Aristocra Formbi is a relation to Grand Admiral Thrawn, but this point is also never followed up, leaving you slightly mystified.

Survivor's Quest was overall a fast, exciting, enjoyable read. Because it is a newer book Zahn does a good job tying the newly revealed events of the Clone Wars to later events, especially through talk of the Old Republic Jedi and Luke and Mara's humorous attempts to sneak past the old droideka. This story lacks the powerful depth that many of the other new Star Wars books (especially most of the ones in the New Jedi Order series) have. However, this lack of intensity does not change the fact that this is a gripping mystery/adventure tale written by a skilled writer. This novel is not Zahn's best, but he still delivers his own unique style that many Star Wars fans have come to love. I give this book four out of five stars - anyone looking for a good, well-written mystery story that does not require much deep thought would like this. Even though some Star Wars enthusiasts might be disappointed, I think most will be pleased with this new addition the to Star Wars universe.

Average customer rating:

Better than the origianal series "10 fold"
Excellent Collection

Star Wars Boxed Set
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0553473220
Release Date: 1994-09-01

Customer Reviews:

Better than the origianal series "10 fold".......2003-04-24

Hey look I'm Keanu Reeves, "Whooaa!"

Excellent Collection.......1998-03-03

A great way to have all 6 audiotapes for the Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn. Anthony Daniels and Denis Lawson do an excellent narration for the books, and provide some excellent personalization for the characters. Definately a recommended purchase for the Star Wars fan.

Average customer rating:

Dragon and Herdsman
Too short
"Most of the Rest Was Verbal Scribble"
Fast enjoyable read, with some real series developments
Dragon and Herdsman

Dragon and Herdsman (Dragonback)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Starscape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Blackcollar: The Judas Solution

ASIN: 0765314177
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Book Description

Fourteen-year-old Jack Morgan, determined to get justice for both himself and his symbiotic dragon partner Draycos, narrowly escapes a trap set by the notorious Malison Ring, thanks to another teen Alison Kayna, with whom he once worked as a reluctant mercenary. She in turn now needs his help to get to the primitive world of Rho Scorvi. There, at the edge of a hundred-mile-wide forest, they make a shocking discovery: traveling with a group of the planets native Erasvas is a small lost colony of Draycoss race, the Kda. But unlike Draycoss people, these Kda are slow, lethargic, and unintelligent. When the Malison Ring tracks them to Rho Scorvi, Jack must shield this herd of animals from their ruthless pursuers, or they will become the newest victims of the genocide that threatens to wipe out their entire race. But even more importantly, he must protect, from the mercenaries and Alison, the dark secret of the herd and Jacks poet-warrior ally. This new sf adventure, which can be read on its own terms, is the most exciting novel yet in this popular young adult series.

Customer Reviews:

Dragon and Herdsman.......2007-01-10

great book, amazing quality. hard back book with a very decorative cover. all around a great buy...

Too short .......2007-01-04

After reading the previous novels in this series, I expected a more rounded story for the end novel (it may not be). The culmination of the big fight against the evil magicians seemed to be pretty much a throw away, and new discoveries about the 'new' dragon habitation they are living in were not really detailed. I love this series, I just hope if there are any more books, that the author returns to his normal great story.

"Most of the Rest Was Verbal Scribble".......2006-11-18

Says Jack in this new "Dragonback" novel. Heh. I plan to steal this for myself and use it as soon as possible.

"Dragon and Herdsman" is the pivotal fourth novel in the "Dragonback" series. In this book, an important truth about the fate of Draycos's people, the K'da, is revealed and so is the true nature of a henceforth mysterious character, Alison Kayna.

This book finds Jack stranded on a planet full of Phooka, which are actually K'da. Their senses have been dulled by living an idyllic life and Draycos is disgusted at first. But he and Jack both soon find that things are more than they seem.

Fans of this series won't want to miss this newest work by Zahn. Things are really getting rolling with this series, which I only just recently started reading. I can't wait to see more!

Fast enjoyable read, with some real series developments.......2006-11-03

Dragon and Herdsman is the fourth novel in Timothy Zahn's ongoing series about 14 year old thief Jack Morgan and his alien symbiotic companion, Draycos, a K'da poet warrior who looks like a (small) dragon and who can become 2-dimensional and reside on Jack's skin, looking like a tattoo.

Jack and Draycos are looking for evidence of the rendezvous to which the remnants of Draycos' people are being lured. Human mercenaries are apparently plotting with an evil alien race to exterminate the K'da and their usual hosts, the Shontine. Jack's attempt to steal the data from one branch of the mercenary group goes wrong, but he is rescued by an old acquaintance, a girl of his age named Alison Kayna. In exchange he takes Alison to her planned rendezvous with her friends on another planet -- where, to their shock, they meet some more K'da -- but degraded K'da, with limited intelligence, hosted by fairly unintelligent humanoids. And then they are attacked by the mercenaries -- so Jack and Draycos and Alison escape into the forest on this planet, herding the K'da and their hosts. The three of them outwit the mercenaries a few times, while they make a shocking discovery about the supposedly unintelligent K'da like beasts on this planet. And we know that Alison has apparently nefarious motives of her own ...

Fun stuff -- and this might be the best of the series after the first. Fun, as I said, but awfully slight -- a fast read, enjoyable, but nothing special.

Dragon and Herdsman.......2006-07-30

The dragonback books continue to entertain my whole family from my 12 year old on up. The two primary characters, Draco and Jack, provide a very effective hammer and anvil to illustrate the wisdom of the universe and the reoccuring big questions of life. In this Zahn never dissappoints. His books always have a unique Sci-fi plot but they continue to be simply stories about people. Zahn writes descriptively and smoothly so that, even for younger readers, the story flows easily.

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