Heir to the Empire

Five years after the fall of the Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn emerges from the Unknown Regions to wage a brilliant campaign against the New Republic. Luke, Han, and Leia are back, joined by new characters who became just as beloved: the enigmatic Mara Jade and the charming smuggler chief Talon Karrde.

Why Start Here

Heir to the Empire is Zahn’s masterpiece and the book that launched the Star Wars expanded universe. It proved that Star Wars novels could be just as compelling as the films. Zahn’s great gift is his ability to write intelligent, layered villains. Thrawn does not rely on the Force or brute power. He wins through analysis, patience, and an unsettling understanding of his enemies. The book reads like the best kind of military thriller set in a galaxy far, far away.

Published in 1991, it became a massive bestseller and revived public interest in Star Wars during a period when no films were in production. The trilogy (completed by Dark Force Rising and The Last Command) sold over 15 million copies and established the template for all Star Wars fiction that followed.

What to Expect

A tightly plotted space opera at 361 pages. Multiple intercut storylines keep the pace fast. The writing is clean and cinematic. Familiarity with the original trilogy is all you need. Zahn captures the voices of Luke, Han, and Leia so well that you hear the actors in your head.