Star Wars: Heir to the Empire

(20th Anniversary Edition), The Thrawn Trilogy, Book 1

By: Timothy Zahn

Narrated by: Marc Thompson

Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Here is a special edition 20th anniversary release of the number-one New York Times best-selling novel that reignited the entire Star Wars publishing phenomenon - unabridged for the first time. The biggest event in the history of Star Wars books, Heir to the Empire follows the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia after they led the Rebel Alliance to victory in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.

Five years after the Death Star was destroyed and Darth Vader and the Emperor were defeated, the galaxy is struggling to heal the wounds of war, Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting twins, and Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of new Jedi Knights.

But thousands of light-years away, the last of the Emperor’s warlords - the brilliant and deadly Grand Admiral Thrawn - 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 create.

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.

More in the Thrawn Trilogy we have. And listen to all of our Star Wars titles you can!

©1991 Timothy Zahn (P)2011 Random House Audio

Best audiobook I've ever listened to!

This is by far and away the best audiobook I have ever listened to. The voices, the sound effects, the music. This isn't just an audiobook this is an audio-performance!

Phenomenal reading

Why oh why didn't Disney use this storyline for the sequel trilogy??
They would have hit the ball out of the park so to speak.

Incredible production value

Between the voices, sound effects, and music, this reading was unparalleled. Even the vocal imitations are a near total match. It's like watching a movie without the pictures.

Best production value of any audio book I've heard.

Marc Thompson Is Incredible

I've always loved this trilogy, but experiencing it with the Star Wars music and sound effects is something special. They manage to mix it just right so that the sound design never overpowers the narration. Marc Thompson's Thrawn voice gives me shivers. His Han Solo and Lando Calrissian are excellent as well.

Great bit of nostalgia

I read this the first time when I was twelve years old! I’ve enjoyed revisiting it 20-plus years later. Timothy Zahn’s Star Wars books are the only ones I consider “canon,” as they’re simply outstanding. Plan on revisiting the rest of this series and his later Star Wars books I missed.

Timothy Zahn and Mark Thompson are a perfect match

Would you listen to Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (20th Anniversary Edition), The Thrawn Trilogy, Book 1 again? Why?
Yes! I have enjoyed the entirety of this trilogy. I remember loving this trilogy when I read it upon original release, but hearing Mark Thompson narrate with his wide range of voice work, combined with all the sound effects and music, truly brings these stories to life.

Who was your favorite character and why?
Grand Admiral Thrawn. He is the coolest, most decisively calculating villain in the Star Wars universe. He isn't evil, but he is very steadfast in his convictions. His ability to out-think and out-maneuver his opponents at every step is astounding.

That fact that everyone respects/fears him solely based on his abilities is such a refreshing way to go about making a compelling villain. He doesn't operate through fear or the dark side, just cold, uncompromising calculations and logical reasoning.

What about Marc Thompson’s performance did you like?
Everything. He is the best narrator I have come across and has a wide range of voices that the throws at every single character. He doesn't merely read the text to you like every other narrator, he actually impersonates the voice and energy of the character, making the story so much more enjoyable. It is literally as if a Star Wars movie was playing in my car while driving.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
It was a pretty well-paced ride.

Any additional comments?
If you like Star Wars, you cannot go wrong with this series. It is hands-down one of the best things to come out of the original expanded universe.

Classic Zahn, Excellent Narration

It was as if Marc Thompson knew what I imagined and brought it to life.

It's a classic for a reason.

Loved the story. TZ writes a fast and snappy action sci-fi. Not much for colorful prose, the style is lean and clean. I finally understand why this is so highly recommended for SW fans.
Narrator was fantastic. He did most voices well. His impersonation of Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Billy Dee Williams were surprisingly good.
Hated most of the sound FX. I didn't mind some of ambiance or chapter diddies, but I really hated the battle SFX. It was distracting and almost couldn't hear the narrator at times. I should have found a "de-specialized" edition!

Classic for a reason.

I'm a little amazed at how good this was. I've read the new canon Thrawn trilogy, but even at their best, they weren't this good. Story-wise, I think it's about as good as A New Hope. Zahn even did it without killing Han.

Nothing more can be said about Marc than that he's amazing. The production value and performance is perfect. The only criticism I can nitpick is that the studio could hire a female narrator for the female lines. Marc uses like two female voices that are arguably convincing, so those characters lack the variety the male characters have. On a side note, the wookie that spoke was grating, but what can you do with a part like that?

Possibly the best audiobook I've ever listened to

This is simply a fantastic book start to finish and the reader, MarcThompson, does an amazing job of bringing the story and characters to life. He even does passable impressions of all the characters we know and love. Luke, Han, Lando, C3PO etc. all spot on. Just a great job all around!