Since we are well into the Star Wars Arc, I was thinking this might be a good book club selection.
This is the first of the “Thrawn Tilogy” books that take place 5 years after Return of the Jedi. Excellent story telling, great dialog & it has the sweeping feel of the first trilogy of movies. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
I’ve been meaning to re-read the Thrawn trilogy. This would give me a reason to read the series. Heh, Usually I just cheat and read the comic adaptation.
There’s a comic adaptation? Hm. I would be interested to see what Thrawn looked like…
I highly recommend these books and am inspired to go re-read them given the recent casts. I remember clearly being amazed at the development of the Thrawn character and the impact to the remnants of the Empire based on essentially a throwaway shot from Jedi of a Super Star Destroyer crashing into the the Death Star.
Brilliant.
Here you go GR…
Oh yeah, The opening scene where Thrawn is in his command chair looking at his latest art collection is forever etched in my brain. Zauhn knows how to write the hell out of a scene.
Oh crap. I think I’ve read, like, one of these… And sort of forgot about the series. I need to pick these up. 
Shame on you Mage, how can you have read the X-wing series and never have read the Thrawn Trilogy… 
I found an audiobook version of these that claims to be unabridged. We’ll see. 
I’m about 40 pages away from finally FINALLY finishing reading Sandworms of Dune. When I’m done I’m gonna go up to my scary, dusty attic and find Heir to the Empire and re-read it . I think I first read it ten years ago? I dunno…
What do you think? I loved the original Dune series and haven’t had the heart to read the so-called “Dune 7” novels yet. As incomplete as Chapterhouse leaves the story, I just don’t like Brian Herbert’s writing in general, so I was hesitant to “ruin” his father’s septology with a disappointing ending.
When I’m done I’m gonna go up to my scary, dusty attic and find Heir to the Empire and re-read it . I think I first read it ten years ago? I dunno…
I only recently realized that I had read the first two of these books when they first came out. For some reason, I never read the last, although I enjoyed the others.
Couldn’t agree more. He brought Star Wars a new life. My favorite part is when Luke gets to Myrkr and experiences the effects of the Ysalamiri. That sold me and didn’t destroy the mystery of the Force like the midi-c’s did in Phantom Menace. Oh but there I go hatin’ again.
I love that whole section on Myrkr with Talone Karrde, Mara Jade and the pet vornskers(SP?).
The reason the scene I mentioned is so strong in my thoughts from time to time is because that scene was the first step I took into the EU. What makes it even more special is that my father read me this series and I always go back to the memory of the opening scene. My father passed away a number of years ago, so I think of the memory often.
I have a cool story about Timothy Zauhn that goes with the above story. Back in 2005 at Star Wars Celebration 3 Zauhn was signing books. I took my original Heir to the Empire novel to get signed. When it was my turn I told him how much I loved his work etc. Then I went on to tell him the story about my father. I told him about how my dad would buy books, SW books in particular, for x-mas and b-days and that he had an annoying habit of writing goofy little notes about me being a great son or that he loved me. Shortly after my father died I started going through my bookshelf looking for the notes etc. When I came across Heir is when I started to break down and cry, this book didn’t have the note like some of the other books. It was the memory of my father reading to me that got me. I shared this with Tim and he told me he was really touched by the story. The sweet thing is that rather than a generic sig. he went on to write a very nice little note in the book. I can’t tell you how grateful I am that Zauhn was so thoughtful. I also think it’s neat that Zauhn and my father share the same first name.
Well, if it wasn’t for the fact that I just A) Love the Dune universe and B) Have a preference for reading long series of books, I may have given up long ago. Yeah, there’s things in Hunters of Dune and Sandworms of Dune that make me cringe—but I kept on reading. Sandworms got some bad reviews. I’m gonna reserve judgement until I read to the last page. If Brian Herbet doesn’t end it on a compelling, satisfying note, I’m gonna be very disappointed—and mad that Brian squandered his father’s legacy. I give Brian Herbet a wider lattitude with the prequel books, because those are essential Brian and his partner’s original creations. But if he brings the main Dune series to a conclusion that’s not satisfying, I’ll be irked.
All that said, when Brain H. comes out with the next prequel book “Paul of Dune”, I’ll be reading it for sure.
That is an amazing and touching story. Thank you sooo much for sharing. As a father, I often reflect on the impact I have on my two daughters. It is humbling.
I think that’s definitely something where we differ. If I feel like I’m just slogging through a book – a book that, in theory, I’m reading for enjoyment – I won’t finish it. Pleasure reading shouldn’t be a chore.
I’m gonna reserve judgement until I read to the last page. If Brian Herbet doesn’t end it on a compelling, satisfying note, I’m gonna be very disappointed—and mad that Brian squandered his father’s legacy.
Let me know when you’re done. I’m still not convinced that I even want to give them a try. I’d much rather have the series just remain open-ended than to have hackneyed closure motivated more by turning out marketable product than by a satisfying story.
All that said, when Brain H. comes out with the next prequel book “Paul of Dune”, I’ll be reading it for sure.
As much I loved the originals, BH lacks the politically and religiously thought-provoking and immersive mythos of his father. His stories have all read like he’s doing a book report on someone else’s work (IMO). I never gotten more than a quarter of the way through his House novels, and what I did read was unmemorable. I enjoyed some aspects of the Butlerian Jihad books, but overall, I was disappointed with the treatment of such a pivotal event in Dune-history.
Ya know, I used to almost feel obligated to finish a book. Especially if I went out & bought the thing. Then I realized, my time is valuable & limited. I came to the same conclusion, if it’s a chore to do it, it’s not worth it. Although there have been a couple books that were worth the slogging through it. The Witching Hour by Ann Rice comes to mind, the first half for me was very slow & methodical to get through, the second half was completely engrossing. But with as few books that happens with, it’s not worth the effort for me in the end.
Anne Rice’s books are always hard to get through, but well worth the effort. I’m always fascinated how she weaves history into her stories. I’m a big fan of the Vampire Chronicles.
I liked the Vampire Chronicles until Memnoch…I still can’t foce myself to read it.
As for the WItch/Taltos series…it just stopped being interesting. With her born again statues…I just don’t find her work at all interesting to read anymore.
Memnoch was one of the last books I read in the series. I only read, like two more in the series after that. Pandora’s Box and The Vampire Armand. I thought Memnoch was really interesting with the devil and God. I’m curious to find out what Happened to Lestat. There wasn’t a resolution in the last two books I read.
Heh, Hasbro is thinking of us. Have you seen the (thank frakking gods finally) Comic two-pack they were showing at Comic Con?
Can you say Thrawn & Karrde? http://www.rebelscum.com/sdcc08/Hasbro/comicpacks/
OMFG!!! I’m so on this one.
Lots of other cool ones coming out this year too.