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Summary: A Wonderful Star Wars Continuation
Review: This book is the first novel in Timothy Zahn's trilogy. This excellently written book takes place five years after Return of the Jedi, and is the authorized continuation to the original trilogy.In this first book in the series, we are introduced to Grand Admiral Thrawn, the sole surviving member of the Emperor's vicious staff. He has resumed control over the Imperial Starfleet as he prepares for a suprise attack on the New Republic. Thrawn is a supreme villian. He exemplifies patience, tenacity, and extreme poise in all of the story's crucial situations. In his campaign for domination, he employs the powers of a long-lost dark Jedi Knight, which later leads to several conflicts. All of the original characters are back in Heir to the Empire, as well as some interesting new ones. Zahn writes with incredible detail that makes for a descriptive plot. He develops the storyline and teases you just enough to make you want to read the next book in the trilogy. This book is action-packed and Zahn mixes the characters together nicely. He cohesively loads the book with mystery and suspense, and the character development is fabulous. The underlying conflict of good vs. evil is interesting because it is hard to tell who is good and who is evil. All in all, this was a nice, easy-flowing book and an entertaining read. You will enjoy it.
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Summary: Pandora's Box
Review: I read this a long time ago in a study hall not too far away... I picked up the _Heir_to_the_Empire_ trilogy on a whim. I'd seen the Star Wars movies, but I didn't consider myself to be a major fan. This series, though, turned me into a wide eyed sixth grader, begging for more. Zahn does an overall wonderful job. Some people complain about the setting five years after ROTJ, but I see this as Zahn continuing Lucas's tradition of spacing the movies out. For instance, ESB takes place about three years after SW, and ROTJ a year after ESB. Zahn could have done a little better job filling in the five years, but it's a minor flaw. The series is slow in places, but it always picks up. I love the new characters that were introduced, Mara Jade and Talon Karrde are both great additions to the side of the good guys. Thrawn and C'Baoth are terrific villains. Rather than slipping into "superweapon threatens the galaxy" story, Zahn gives the New Republic a calculating villain to fight (Thrawn) and the perfect mad Jedi (C'Baoth). The best part, though, is seeing how the familiar characters have adapted from their "rebel" places, to their new "establishment" characters. Seeing the political intrigue and the personal squables that develop in the creation of a new government and how the movie characters adapt to this alone makes the series worth reading. In hindsight, the worst thing about this book is that it leads to the numerous other mediocre (at best) Star Wars novels that follow.
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Summary: Very good book
Review: This Heir to the Empire is awesome. I've just finished reading it, so I'm going to start hunting for Dark Force Rising.
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Summary: Leaves You Wanting More
Review: The audio adaptation of this book is quite well done. Denis Lawson (Wedge Antilles) does a credible job with the characterizations, well enough for the listener to keep the various characters straight. His voice does not drone (important while driving)! Timothy Zahn has woven a terrific tale of the newly re-founded Republic and their struggle to survive the remnant of the now beaten Empire. Or is it beat? Admiral Thrawn is simply amazing (it is difficult to write about someone as being intelligent and actually having him be that way). I can add little more to the publisher's notes on the story. The audio and special effects are crisp and clear. Run time: 180 minutes. Well worth the purchase price!
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Summary: Incredible
Review: Zahn does an incredible job, considering he only has three movies as sources from which to write. I love the character of Thrawn, but I don't think Zahn was as good writing him in Dark Force Rising and The Last Command. In the first chapter you can see Thrawn's genius at tactical commanding. This book is a must-read for any Star Wars fan!
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Summary: Star Clause?
Review: I was very cynical when I came to this book, I mean nothing could recapture Star Wars, could it? But Zahn has done a very good job, the characters remain faithfull to the original, but reveals perfectly how they react under new strains placed upon them. Like Luke doubting his teaching og Leigh, or Han finding it hard to adjust to not being a rogue anymore. In the light of Episode 1 some things don't ring true, like "always two there are, no more, no less" seems dodgy when there's a Dark Jedi. But hey this is just nit-picking, if you're a doubter than try this, you will be impressed.
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Summary: Zahn does a pretty good job of writing for star wars
Review: As I said, Timothy Zahn does a pretty good job writing for starwars. I think Mara Jade's an idiot, however Luke Skywalker's evenworse (they make such a cute couple). Captain Pellian was pretty irresponsible for a star destroyer captain. All he did was hover around Thrawn and act stupid when there were battles. Thrawn was allways talking about some elaborate scheme and Pellian was allways standing around saying "huh?" That's another thing, I don't think you can tell everything about a civilization's war tactics by studying its art. Other than that, it was pretty good.
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Summary: Excellent continuation of a timeless saga.
Review: This first book in the series is an excellent continuation for Star Wars. I felt that the characters were handled excellently and that the story flowed with those of the original trilogy.
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Summary: Heir to the Empire -- a must-read Star Wars book
Review: Heir to the Empire is one of the first books ever published about the Star Wars universe. Its characters and events overlap into many other books, so I suggest you read this book first if you don't want to be confused. Heir to the Empire is the first in a trilogy by Timothy Zahn. It takes place five years after A New Hope, and has many of the characters from the movies. Although the New Republic is growing bigger every day, an Imperial mastermind named Grand Admiral Thrawn has taken control of the Imperial troops, and is concocting a plan to defeat the New Republic. Han and Leia Solo,and Luke Skywalker must find out who is behind the many skillful attacks on the Republic, and how to stop them. There is also a dark Jedi with the Imperials, who wants both Luke, Leia, and Leia and Han's unborn twins to train. There are many new characters, and Timothy Zahn is an excellent author, with subplots and main plot woven together. Even if you don't read Star Wars, I suggest you read this book. It is one of science fiction's best.
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Summary: Fabulous Continuation
Review: Heir to the Empire is the first in a wonderfully written trilogy by Timothy Zahn. This authorized continuation to the Star Wars saga takes place five years after Return of the Jedi. The last of the Emperor's ruthless regime, Grand Admiral Thrawn, has taken over the Imperial Starfleet, and positioned it for a suprise attack on the New Republic, with the help of a long-lost dark Jedi Knight. Thrawn is the ultimate villian. He shows incredible poise and patience where others have failed in the past. All of the familiar characters are back along with some incredible new ones, who fit perfectly into this action-packed book. Zahn loads the book with incredible detail, and sets beautifully-descibed backgrounds for the great storyline. He clearly develops the plot so that, by the end of the novel, you can't wait to read the next book of the series. The character development is superb, and he maintains good descriptive language in this excellent book of intrigue and mystery. The classic good vs. evil conflict has never been more interesting, because you can't tell who truly is the good and who is the evil. You cannot go wrong with this book.
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