Heir to the Empire

Heir to the Empire is the first entry in the Thrawn Trilogy, written by Timothy Zahn, published by Spectra in June 1991. It takes place in 9 ABY. Heir to the Empire was adapted into a comic in 1995.

Product details

 * Original Publish Date: May 1, 1991
 * Language: English

Hardcover

 * May 1, 1991
 * Bantam Spectra
 * 361 pages
 * ISBN 0553073273
 * Amazon Link

Mass market paperback

 * May 2, 1992
 * Bantam Spectra, Reprint Edition
 * 432 pages
 * ISBN 0553296124
 * Amazon Link

Paperback

 * October, 1994
 * Bantam Books
 * ISBN 0553634852
 * Amazon Link

Publisher's 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 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 thousands 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&mdash;in short, a story worthy of the name Star Wars.''

Plot summary
As the New Republic holds a fragile foothold in control, a new threat emerges from the far side of the Galaxy. Having been posted so far away from action, Admiral Thrawn, a cunning and intelligent alien commander, begins to gather his Imperial forces for a strategic attack on the New Republic. With the aid of Captain Pellaeon and his personal bodyguard Rukh, they begin to set in motion an almost unbeatable plan. They enlist the aid of a mad clone of a powerful Jedi Master and use the Emperor's hidden weapons vault which he guards.

Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker encounters Talon Karrde and his gang of smugglers. Luke soon learns that Karrde's personal assistant, Mara Jade, hates him and wants to kill him, but will he find out why before it's too late?

As the mad clone Joruus C'baoth comes out of isolation and learns about the Skywalker twins and Leia's unborn children, he decides he will train them in the ways of the Force. Basically, they will join him or die. Thus, they are both pursued across the galaxy.

Also, there is a spy hidden amidst the New Republic. Who could it be?

Dramatis personae

 * Borsk Fey'lya, Senator (male Bothan)
 * Gilad Pellaeon, Imperial captain (male human)
 * Han Solo, captain, Millennium Falcon (male human)
 * Joruus C'baoth, Jedi Master (male human clone)
 * Leia Organa Solo, diplomat (female human)
 * Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight (male human)
 * Mara Jade, smuggler (female human)
 * Rukh, Death Commando (male Noghri)
 * Talon Karrde, smuggler (male human)
 * Thrawn, Imperial Grand Admiral (male Chiss)

Trivia

 * Outbound Flight is first mentioned in this book.
 * Gilad Pellaeon makes his first appearance in this novel.
 * Mara Jade makes her first appearance here.

New characters

 * Afyon
 * Aves
 * Brasck
 * Jorus C'baoth
 * Joruus C'baoth
 * Chin
 * Cloak Leader
 * Colclazure
 * Cyru
 * Dankin
 * Drang
 * Dravis
 * Fein
 * Borsk Fey'lya
 * Ecclessis Figg
 * Zakarisz Ghent
 * the Guardian of Wayland
 * Harbid
 * Mara Jade
 * Kampl
 * Talon Karrde
 * Khabarakh
 * Koiogran
 * Lachtan
 * Mitth'raw'nuruodo
 * Par'tah
 * Gilad Pellaeon
 * Cris Pieterson
 * Ralrracheen
 * the Reverend
 * Rukh
 * Marg Sabl
 * Salporin
 * Jacen Solo (unborn)
 * Jaina Solo (unborn)
 * Sturm
 * Fynn Torve
 * Tschel
 * Wadewarn
 * Winter

New creatures

 * asaari tree
 * cattle
 * chocolate
 * katarn
 * kroyie
 * kshyy vine
 * olbio tree
 * proom
 * vornskr
 * ysalamir

New planets

 * Abregado-rae
 * Bimmisaari
 * Boordii
 * Bpfassh
 * Bpfassh 3
 * Draukyze
 * Honoghr
 * Janodral Mizar
 * Jomark
 * Myrkr
 * Nellac Kram
 * Nkllon
 * Obroa-skai
 * Paonnid
 * Praesitlyn
 * Sluis Van
 * Wayland

New sentient species

 * Bimm (indigenous race)
 * Chiss
 * Elomin
 * Froffli
 * Gado
 * Myneyrsh
 * Noghri
 * Obroan
 * Paonnid
 * Psadan
 * Saffa
 * Sluissi
 * Stokhli
 * Thennqora
 * Vaathkree

New vehicles and vessels

 * A-class bulk freighter
 * Action V transport
 * asteroid ship
 * hoversled
 * liftcar
 * mole miner
 * Noghri airspeeder
 * Nomad City
 * orbit-dock
 * PLY-3000 yacht
 * shieldship

New Organizations

 * Inner Council
 * Law Elders
 * Provisional Council
 * Spaarti Creations
 * Sibha Habadeet
 * Stonehill Industries

Behind the scenes
This was the first Star Wars book to refer to the galactic capital as Coruscant. George Lucas would later use this name as the official galactic capital.