Heir to the Empire was not only important because it was a timely addition to Star Wars; Zahn also introduced many characters and planets that would go on to become important centerpieces within future Star Wars books and movies, including naming the galaxy capital planet of Coruscant, Mara Jade, Talon Karrde and of course, Grand Admiral Thrawn. But enough with the background; lets dive into the review.
Simply put, I absolutely loved this book. Taking place five years after the events of Return of the Jedi, Heir to the Empire shocked my perceptions of what I believed occurred after Episode VI. The day is note completely saved, nor are our heroes gallantly riding off into the sunset. Rather than the Rebel Alliance flawlessly transitioning into the New Republic, Zahn shows us that galactic politics is a messy endeavor, as the New Republic struggles to secure a foothold in the galaxy.
Similarly surprising to me, even after five years, Luke is not yet an all-powerful Jedi. In fact, there are times when it is difficult to discern Luke's Jedi prowess in Return of the Jedi from that in Heir to the Empire. There are also no signs that Leia, who is married to Han and pregnant with twins, is following in the Skywalker Jedi lineage. But these surprises are what made this novel so enjoyable for me, as Zahn has created and captured a very realistic environment after Return of the Jedi and not some cinematic fairytale ending.
The best part of this book has to be Zahn's antagonist, Grand Admiral Thrawn. Although I have to admit that I have not ventured far within the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Thrawn is one of my favorite characters and is really nothing like any other Star Wars villain that I have seen. Every scene he was in, I could not help but think of the infamous Gustavo Fring from Breaking Bad, a truly scary individual who is always one step ahead of everyone else in the scene. Thrawn, a deadly intelligent foe who learns the characteristics of his enemies by studying their art and understanding their culture, is diligently trying to restore the Empire and retake control of the galaxy from the New Republic. As an individual who relies on their raw intelligence, rather than the Force, Grand Admiral Thrawn is an excellent contrast to the typical evil Star Wars characters, namely Darth Vader and the Emperor. I was enthralled with every page that Thrawn was on and I anxiously anticipated his next appearance.
I also enjoyed Zahn's new characters, Talon Karrde and Mara Jade, Although I would not consider Karrde to be a smuggler with a heart of gold (at least initially), he is certainly a man of honor and always ensures to keep his word. As a smuggler, Karrde knows the power and value of his reputation. I found Karrde's arc to be the most interesting throughout Heir to the Empire and Zahn did a wonderful job pulling this character in a number of directions, ultimately forcing him to choose his allegiances carefully.
I also found Mara Jade to be an interesting character. Next to Thrawn, Jade was my favorite of Zahn's new character creations. My jaw dropped when we learn about her background and position as Emperor Palatine's Hand, which certainly provided the justification for her undying hatred of Luke. Some of my favorite scenes in Heir to the Empire were when Mara and Luke were forced to work together, as Zahn did a remarkable job of illuminating the depth of these characters. It was wonderful to see the struggles that Jade had to go through as she was conflicted with her hatred of Luke, but at the same time her reliance upon him for her survival.
The brilliance of Zahn's Heir to the Empire is in his successful capturing of the Star Wars universe. This story felt like Star Wars. It could easily be the story for Episode VII. Zahn fills Heir to the Empire with quick scene changes, excellent pacing and action. All of our favorite characters are in the book, including Han, Lando, Leia, Threepio, Artoo and Chewbacca, and Zahn captures all of them magnificently. The scenes with Luke and Artoo immediately conjured up the scenes of them on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back. The same goes for Han and Lando.
There are many loose ends to look forward to in the second installment of the Thrawn trilogy, Dark Force Rising: the further development in the relationship between Mara Jade and Luke, the internal political struggle of the New Republic between Ackbar and Fel'lya, Thrawn's next step in trying to rebuild his Imperial fleet and Leia's journey to the Noghri's home planet. I also have many questions surrounding both Joruus C'Baoth and the ysalamiri. I look forward to these questions playing out in the final two installments.
I couldn't be happier with choosing Heir to the Empire as my first book to read in my 52 Star Wars books in 52 weeks challenge. Although I have already committed to reading The Old Republic: Revan in week 2, I am definitely going to jump back into the Thrawn trilogy the following week as I am dying to know what happens next. I would recommend Heir to the Empire to any Star Wars fan; it is just that good!
