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

Absolutely amazing!

I really enjoyed listening to this stunning piece of work. The acting, the music as well as the sound effects really made me picture everything as I listened to it. I throughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it especially if you’re a fan of Star Wars, you will not be disappointed with this amazing story and audiobook

It feels like Star Wars: Episode 7

When tasked with writing characters that you didn't create, within an established setting, many authors are forced to mold their speech patterns and personalities to their own writing style. Timothy Zahn managed to write Han Solo like Han Solo from "Empire Strikes Back," and Marc Thompson sounded so much like Harrison Ford that I actually checked if he had voiced the character. It was that well done. C-3PO was equally masterful. The other characters were varying degrees of good. Thrawn is a compelling villain, and Mara Jade is interesting if somewhat lacking in depth. I suspect that will change as the story progresses.

Combine that with music by John Williams, sound effects from the movies, and a solid narrative, and you've got an excellent final product. I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone who said to themselves "I like Star Wars - I wonder what happened after the Empire fell." It might not be canonical, but this is a great audiobook.

Wish every audiobook was like this

I wish every audiobook had the same level of production this had. The story was also really good, can't wait to start the second book.

Excellent addition to the Star Wars story!

Grand Admiral Thrawn is a spectacular villain! Can't wait to start the next book.

Is the engine sound effects on the ships ruin this

The sound effects are good at times and sometimes they're terrible. The ship sound effects give me a migraine it ruins. The book the story is amazing everything else is amazing the sound effects suck

Incredible

This is what the sequel trilogy was lacking. Wonderful way to continue the story after ROTJ!

Perfection

Can’t say any more that hasn’t already been said by other reviewers except that even if your not a Star Wars fan… you should still listen to this masterpiece!

Perfect production of a perfect book!

I loved this book years ago when it first came out but this unabridged recording made it even better. Marc Thompson is the perfect narrator for Star Wars books. I’d only this series had been the sequels we were given. Long live the EU, the true Star Wars universe.

Great Audible

you gotta love it when all the ambient sounds are part of the story the way it's done here. It felt very immersive from start to finish.

Great sequel!

I've been listening to audiobooks for quite a long time now, but I've never heard production values like this before!! Sound effects, background noises, music, and more!? Wow! They made this story pop and come alive more than any other audiobook I've ever heard before! I know many others found it distracting, but not me! I loved it!! It was almost like listening to a movie recording! My only beef was with the actual story and the introduction of Jedi Master C'baoth. He's supposed to be this big, bad Master Jedi that looms large over Grand Admiral Thrawn.....yet....his character all but disappears half-way in the book! They'll occasionally mention him, but he is totally forgotten until he pops up again in Chapter One of the second (sequel) book! WTH?! I really wanted him to show up and cause problems, but....nope! Nothing! Well, we'll see what happens in Book Two!