Shadows of the Empire (novel)

Shadows of the Empire is a 1996 novel written by Steve Perry. It describes the events between the films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. It was part of the Shadows of the Empire multimedia project.

Hardcover
His name is Xizor, Underlord of a galaxywide criminal organization called Black Sun. He seeks to displace Darth Vader as Emperor Palpatine's right hand. To do so, he will hatch a brilliantly evil plan to discredit Vader in the Emperor's eyes. But in the meantime he will join the Dark Lord in an unholy alliance whose common target is the young Rebel hero, Luke Skywalker.

While Vader and Xizor bait their trap for Luke, Han Solo is being held captive, flash-frozen in a carbonite slab. Mourning the loss of the man she loves, Princess Leia mounts a rescue mission to free Han. She enlists the aid of Luke, who is sharpening his skill in the Force at Ben Kenobi's home on the edge of Tatooine's Western Dune Sea. Skywalker organizes a crack fighting force, including Wedge Antilles and his famous X-wing squadron; Lando Calrissian; and the mercenary Dash Rendar. Yet the fierce battle that ensues to rescue Han will not go according to plan. For the Empire's spies are everywhere.

What's worse, though he is cold and reptilian, Xizor has a certain predatory charisma that not even Leia can totally resist. Against the judgment of Chewbacca, who has promised Han to keep her from harm, Leia walks willingly into Xizor's lair in a dangerous play of passion and willpower to get the information she needs to defeat him. At the same time, Luke stands in the crosshairs of a conspiracy of assassins and bounty hunters recruited by Xizor's lieutenant, the beautiful but lethal Human replicant Guri. As the struggle between Xizor and Vader intensifies, Luke finds himself the potential prize of the two most evil entities in the galaxy — one who wants him alive, and one who wants him dead.

In a final, explosive showdown, the Rebels must infiltrate Xizor's impregnable stronghold and fight the combined forces of Black Sun and the Empire in deep space. With death and betrayal looming on every side, Luke, Leia, Lando, and Chewie must use every weapon and resource at their disposal, including the Rebel fleet and some intriguing new allies, if they are to prove victorious. In Shadows of the Empire, Steve Perry adds an exciting new chapter to the Star Wars saga and introduces important new characters and situations no Star Wars fan will want to miss.

Paperback
It is a time of crisis. Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, is being taken to the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. As Princess Leia mounts a rescue mission including Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, and a brilliant young pilot, Darth Vader pits himself against a cunning and ruthless rival. Xizor is the leader of a powerful crime syndicate (Black Sun) who seeks to supplant Vader for the favor of their mutual master, the dreaded Emperor. Their target: Luke Skywalker. Suddenly Luke finds himself the potential prize of the two most evil entities in the galaxy - one who wants him alive...and one who wants him dead.

American
ISBN 0553574132; April 1997, Bantam Spectra, 385-page paperback

Foreign
ISBN 8025205991; 2007, EGMONT ČR, 304-page Czech paperback (Stíny Impéria)

Synopsis
It is a time of crisis. Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, is being taken to the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. As Princess Leia mounts a rescue mission and Darth Vader scours the galaxy for Luke Skywalker, another sinister figure emerges. His name is Xizor. Cunning and ruthless, leader of the powerful Black Sun criminal organization, he will pit himself against Vader for the favor of their mutual master&hellip;the dreaded Emperor.

Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and Lando Calrissian face betrayal and death at every turn and must use every weapon and resource at their disposal to confront the combined forces of Black Sun and the Empire. And, of course, Vader still lives&mdash;and faces a battle of his own&mdash;against a villain every bit as evil and powerful as the Dark Lord of the Sith himself.

Individuals

 * Wedge Antilles
 * Boushh
 * C-3PO
 * Lando Calrissian
 * Chewbacca
 * Clezo
 * Mayt Duvel
 * Boba Fett
 * Green
 * Guri
 * Hoff
 * Howzmin
 * Wes Janson
 * Kreet'ah
 * LE-BO2D9
 * Z. Limmer
 * Lonay
 * Koth Melan
 * Okins
 * Leia Organa
 * Palpatine
 * Perit
 * R2-D2
 * Dash Rendar
 * Dix Rivan
 * R04
 * Evet Scy'rrep
 * Skahtul
 * Luke Skywalker
 * Snoova
 * Han Solo
 * Avaro Sookcool
 * Spero
 * Sprax
 * Durga Besadii Tai
 * Jabba Desilijic Tiure
 * Tuyay
 * Darth Vader
 * Vekker
 * Benedict Vidkun
 * Wumdi
 * Xizor
 * Dellis Yuls

Creatures

 * Chirru

Food and beverages

 * Giju stew
 * Soypro
 * Sunfruit
 * Moonglow

Locations

 * Bespin
 * Bothawui
 * Coruscant
 * Gall
 * Kothlis
 * Rodia
 * Tatooine
 * Vergesso Asteroids
 * Zhar
 * Kile

Organizations and titles

 * Alliance to Restore the Republic
 * Black Sun
 * Galactic Empire
 * Coruscant Guard
 * Ororo Transportation
 * Rogue Squadron
 * Xizor Transport Systems

Sentient species

 * Falleen
 * Gand
 * Ho'Din
 * Human
 * Hutt
 * Quarren
 * Rodian
 * Trandoshan
 * Wookiee

Vehicles and vessels

 * BTL Y-wing starfighter
 * Conqueror-class assault ship
 * Stinger
 * Firespray-31-class patrol and attack craft
 * Slave I
 * Mobquet medium transport
 * Suprosa
 * Skyhook
 * Falleen's Fist
 * Palpatine's skyhook
 * Swoop
 * T-65 X-wing starfighter
 * Virago
 * YT-1300 light freighter
 * Millennium Falcon
 * YT-2400 light freighter
 * Outrider

Miscellanea

 * Boontaspice

Cover gallery
This is a gallery of the different cover variations of Shadows of the Empire.

Behind the scenes

 * When asked about cut or disputed content of the novel, Steve Perry explained, "I wanted to have Luke and Lando stop at the SW's equivalent of a gas station to use the phone, but nobody thought that was funny except me. At first, everybody was leery of having droids fly the FALCON, didn't want to do it, but I begged them to let me try and toss it if they didn't like it. They decided they liked it."
 * This story establishes that Dash Rendar was one of the snowspeeder pilots in the Battle of Hoth.