wned authors. His forte lies in his ability to tell stories with well-researched backgrounds of futuristic technologies. He is the author of thirteen science fiction novels, including Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, Cobra, The Blackcollar, and Warhorse. His novella Cascade Point won him the Hugo Award.
Zahn has created one of Science Fiction’s greatest treasures in his contribution to the Star Wars saga. The amount of creativity exerted in these three novels is amazing — almost as amazing as the original movies themselves. Any Star Wars fan who has not read these should do so immediately — they are truly enjoyable as well as exciting! Rumor has it that Zahn is working on a new Star Wars novel entitled The Hand of Thrawn. Keep your eyes open in the bookstore for that one! Heir to the EmpireThis novel begins Timothy Zahn’s Trilogy; it is set approximately five years after Return of the Jedi. With the Emperor and Darth Vader dead, the new apparent “leader” of the Empire is Grand Admiral Thrawn, the controller of several of the last remaining star destroyers.
Thrawn and another new figure, Captain Pellaeon, slowly build the Imperial fleet into a threat to the Alliance, and make most of the attacks on small planets and shipyards to gather materials for rebuilding the empire. The New Republic, or the Alliance, is also experiencing some changes. Princess Leia Organa is now Princess Leia Organa Solo, following her marriage to Han Solo. She is also pregnant and expecting twins. Also a Smuggler by the name of Talon Karrde and his crew-member Mara Jadefind themselves assisting in the battle against the Empire. But the Empire is not the only threat to the New Republic.
The mad Jedi clone Joruus C’Baoth is introduced; while he terrorizes the minds of Luke Skywalker and the!force-sensitive Mara Jade, Thrawn sees his opportunity to seduce C’Baoth fully to the Dark Side and use his Jedi powers to control his armies across the galaxy. Thrawn’s forces are still too weak and he loses the battle of Sluis Timothy Zahn is one of Science Fiction’s most renowned authors. His forte lies in his ability to tell stories with well-researched backgrounds of futuristic technologies. He is the author of thirteen science fiction novels, including Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, Cobra, The Blackcollar, and Warhorse.
His novella Cascade Point won him the Hugo Award. Zahn has created one of Science Fiction’s greatest treasures in his contribution to the Star Wars saga. The amount of creativity exerted in these three novels is amazing — almost as amazing as the original movies themselves. Any Star Wars fan who has not read these should do so immediately — they are truly enjoyable as well as exciting! Rumor has it that Zahn is working on a n!ew Star Wars novel entitled The Hand of Thrawn.
Keep your eyes open in the bookstore for that one!an, but a new discovery may help the Empire rebuild and let the war continue. . . Dark Force RisingThis novel continues Zahn’s saga and is highlighted by several events. Leia is nearly abducted by a group of Noghri on the planet Kashyyyk, but all except one of them are killed — Khabarakh. He recognizes her as the Mal’ary’ush, or the Daughter of Vader, and realizes she is not to be hunted.
She compromises with Khabarakh, convincing him to rendezvous with her to discuss the role the Noghri can play in the future of the New Republic. Meanwhile Han Solo and Lando Calrissian search for evidence against treason in the high councils of the Republic. Councillor Borsk Fey’lya has accused Admiral Ackbar, who has been placed in prison. In their voyages, however, Han and Lando stumble upon an entire fleet of ships which have been abandoned for years — the Katana Fleet. They also discover Senator Garm Bel Iblis who had been hiding in his hidden mobile base the Peregrine’s Nest. But Thrawn also discovered this fleet of ships, and took the opportunity to seize these ships for the Empir!e.
Thrawngained his first major victory against the Alliance by claiming most of the Katana fleet’s Dreadnaughts. This victory combined with Thrawn’s knowledge of a hidden mountain where Emperor Palpatine stockpiled powerful weapons could pose a threat to the New Republic. . .
Last CommandThis novel is the exciting conclusion to Zahn’s trilogy. It ties everything together beautifully and is full of surprises. Grand Admiral Thrawn, now in command of much of the Katana Fleet, has stocked his army with clones to man his new Dreadnaughts. These clones were made from cloning cylinders hidden away by the Emperor in Mount Tantiss.
Thrawn hinders the New Republic with another of his little “toys” — cloaking devices placed on asteroids. He releases these into the space around Coruscant, the New Republic’s primary planet, destroying ships travelling to and from Coruscant, unable to see the asteroids. Also, the apparent “leak” in the Alliance is revealed to be a vast network of of eavesdropping trees planted in the Palace by the Emperor Palpatine many years ago. The Alliance decides that one of their only shots at defeating Thrawn and his Empire is destroying Mount Tantiss.
When the strike team arrives at Mount Tantiss, Joruus C’baoth is there waiting for Luke, Mara, an!d Leia with plenty of tricks up his sleeve. He first matches Luke up with his clone Luuke Skywalker, made from the hand Luke lost in the Cloud City during The Empire Strikes Back. A great battle is fought in the throne room between Luke and Luuke, but Mara resists C’baoth and kills the clone, fulfilling her destiny as forseen by the Emperor — to kill LukeSkywalker. With help from the Force within Luke and Leia, Mara is able to distract C’Baoth and destroy him.
During all this, Thrawn and his army are attacking the Bilbringi shipyards. As he receives word of Mount Tantiss being under attack and the Noghri being involved in it, his Noghri bodyguard Rukh sneaks up and slays him. At this point, Captain Pellaeon orders the fleet to retreat, and the New Republic is triumphant.
