Saturday, September 13, 2014

Saturday's Series Spotlight: Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn

For my first Saturday Series Spotlight I'm featuring the series that jump started the Star Wars Extended Universe: The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.

Heir to the Empire
Summary:
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.



Dark Force Rising
Summary:
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. 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.



The Last Command
Summary:
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.



I haven't read this series in nearly 20 years and yet it feels like just yesterday.  Not only is the Star Wars universe continued on beyond the films but Timothy Zahn created one of my most favorite characters in all the literary world:  Mara Jade, The Emperor's Hand.  Grand Admiral Thrawn is an incredible villain worthy of the title.

Rating:  



Author Link:  Goodreads

Graphic Novel Adapter Link:  Mike Baron--Amazon




Heir to the Empire

Dark Force Rising

The Last Command

Complete Trilogy Graphic Novel Hardcover