Customer Reviews

Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn: Specter of the Past: Book I

5 star:		(147)
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3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

After reading Timothy Zahn's first Star Wars trilogy, and finding that it was good, I, being an avid SW fan, set my sights on the dozens of other books written afterward. They. . . weren't so good. In fact, some of them were downright bad, either using a tired device over and over again (superweapon anyone?) or destroying the characters. I began to lose faith in the franchise as literature-worthy.

Then Zahn wrote Specter of the Past, the first of The Hand of Thrawn Duology, and I believed again.

While his Thrawn Trilogy is usually considered best, this is perhaps his most daring work. With his first trilogy, he had no canon material he had to follow, allowing him an essentially clean slate with which to work. However, after five years and over a dozen novels, there was a lot of histroy that he just couldn't ignore. However, once again, Zahn proved to be more than equal to the task, using characters and events from the earlier and inferior novels to further his story or expand his characters. And, being Zahn, it worked.

The story of Specter of the Past is one of galactic conflict on a familiar Star Wars scale, but it also weaves threads intrigue and shadow plots into the play, giving the novel a fresh feel from the usual "The Imperials have a new superweapon!" arc, and it works well. One of the two main threads focuses on the supposed return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who we saw die in The Last Command, in all his strategic genius and glory. The second thread involves the framing of the Bothans for the destruction of a pacifist planet. While Leia tries desperately to hold the New Rupiblic together in the face of a catastrophic backlash, Han and Lando struggle to acertain if Thrawn really has returned.

Meanwhile, on a covert mission, Luke and Mara run into an Imperial style ship manned by clones, which vanishes into deep space. As Mara gives chase, she discovers a strange planet with a mysterious link to Grand Admiral Thrawn. Luke, recieving a disturbing premonition of her possible death, races to join her.

Behind it all is a brilliant mind and a daring con, backed by a ruthless and greedy warlord bent on galactic domination. However, where others have failed, they may very well succeed.

All the characters that Zahn introduced us to are back, and better than ever. Captain Pelleon holds a nominal authoritative position in the Imperial Remnant, struggling to find a way to end the decades-long conflict that has toppled an empire, while also wondering at the possible return of his mentor. Talon Kardde, smuggler and business man, journeys to the edge of the galaxy to meet a man he betrayed to uncover the truth about the Bothans. And Mara Jade is, of course, just as we remember her; smart, sassy, strong, and a perfect foil for Luke. Damn, but they make a great team.

While there's plenty of swashbuckling and space battling in Specter of the Past, the stage is only being set for something much MUCH bigger. Zahn is creating something grand in this volume, something which has ties not only with the SW books by other authors, but also brings back seemingly unimportant details from the Thrawn Trilogy as all too important. It really makes you admire his genius in storytelling and planning, and wonder whether he had planned follow-ups to the Thrawn Trilogy from the very beginning.

Any way you slice it, The Hand of Thrawn Duology is a wonderful addition to the Star Wars franchise, and is a wonderful set-up for a grand finale.

I admit right up front I am a firm believer that Timothy Zahn is THE Best Star Wars author out there -- bar none. Simply put, he has NO equal -- PERIOD. At least not that I have read. Anyway, after reading Zahn's original trilogy (which are the standard by which ALL Star Wars novels ought to be judged, by the way), I rekindled my interest and love in that Galaxy Far, Far Away and anxiously started to read as many other novels that came after as I could find -- only to be disappointed each and every time (with 2 or 3 possible exceptions...). Suddenly I see 'Specter of the Past' with Zahn's name on it, and my interest goes back UP again. The challenge facing him this time around wasn't so much to write a story of his choosing, but now he must incorporate into his novels events that have happened following his Trilogy by authors who have all but ruined the Star Wars name. In this effort, Zahn proves he us up to the task yet again. Many feel deprived that he chose not to explore several avenues established by other authors (such as what is going on at the Jedi Academy) but I for one am glad that he ignored these and instead developed an original story that built upon his original 3 novels and continued to expand his characterization of some of the greatest Star Wars creations to date, namely Mara Jade, Talon Karrde and Captain Pellaeon.

I was one of the many who was genuinely upset when Thrawn bit the dust in Zahn's 'The Last Command'. He was in every way a better bad guy than the Emperor or Vader combined. Sure, they were more evil, but Thrawn was a far superior military strategist. Where Vader & the Emperor ruled through fear, Thrawn ruled through brilliance and gained the respect and allegiance of his army by treating them fair and providing them with results, sometimes against impossible odds. So, when Zahn hints of Thrawns return in 'Specter' I was absolutely thrilled. But is it in fact the REAL Thrawn, or a clever impersonator? In many of the previous and following SW novels, the conflicts have been larger than life and having the tiny remnants of the Empire developing Super Weapon after Super Weapon is lame and totally boring. With Zahn's careful writing, Star Wars begins to delve into what I feel to be a much more realistic setting for this series: internal conflict within the New Republic, and continuing threats from those within the Empire who wish to derail the upcoming possible treaty with the New Republic. I think that because the plot is more character driven it becomes instantly more interesting and overall more entertaining. While not as overall satisfying as his original Thrawn Trilogy, I give VERY high marks to Zahn for being able to thread together this story, and meshing it with the plot-lines established by other authors in this series. If you count yourself a fan of the Star Wars Universe, it ought to be required reading to pick up anything written by Timothy Zahn, but you should decide for yourself. In my personal opinion, he is the best author in the Star Wars Universe.

Specter of the Past is the first in the Hand of Thrawn duology, Timothy Zahn's spectacular return to the Star Wars Universe after his incredible Thrawn Trilogy began the renewed expanded universe. In Specter of the Past, the events of the Corellian Trilogy have forced Princess Leia to take a leave of absence from her post of Chief of State, while Han and Luke along with Chewie are off on a mission of their own. Mara Jade, Lando Calrissian, Talon Karrde and ADmiral Pellaeon feature prominatently as do X-Wing pilots Wedge Antilles and Corran Horn. After countless defeats, the Imperial Navy is ready to call its quits with the New Republic. They send out emissaries to negotatiate a peace with the Republic, but one Imperial Moff with his military attache and a mysterious red-eyed being are determined to gain back the empire. Filled with suspenseful dogfights as well as superb character development, Specter of the Past ensures Zahn's place as teh patriarch of the Star Wars universe.

"Specter of the Past" is the first novel in "The Hand of Thrawn" series approximately ten years following "The Thrawn Trilogy". It continues the tradition of creativity and intrigue from the prior novels.

Timothy Zahn resumes with a struggling New Republic in the aftermath of the battle against Grand Admiral Thrawn. However, strong political developments dominate the storyline, detracting from the strengths of amazing battles that were the groundwork in the first series.

While not as rich in cultural developments, character favorites continue to risk their lives in the conflicts of New Republic versus Empire. In addition, a select few in the Empire pull a fascinating con on the galaxy regarding the fate of Grand Admiral Thrawn.

I recommend this series to any fan of the Star Wars universe.

Thank you

Zahn has to be the best writer in the Star Wars business (next to Lucas). Reading his material you get a sense that he truly understands the characters and what motivates them. I just wish he had had more control over the series between his first set and the two new books. If you always felt Luke and Mara belonged together, then this series is for you.

Game on...

After suffering greatly from the parsimonious (and at times even scandalous!) inanity churned by the likes of Hambly and Anderson, Zahn returns to liberate the Star Wars universe with this towering masterpiece.

I have to admit that I felt a little cheated when I started reading this novel. Over the years since the Empire trilogy, I have come to realise what a unique and incredible villain Zahn had created in Thrawn. I usually despise the concept of past characters being resurrected as it cheapens the original story. But in this case I was willing to overlook it as I so desperately wanted to see the return of Thrawn. So you can imagine my vast disappointment when I discovered the legendary villain is in fact an impostor.

As I continued reading however, I began to realise two things. Firstly, the intricate plot/sub-plot development revolving around the Camaas incident and the issue of clones aboard pirate ships, was judiciously handled by the author in a manner and style that is easy to read and understand. Secondly, had the real Grand Admiral Thrawn been introduced then the New Republic (even with their Jedi knights) wouldn't have a hope in hell of surviving simply because Zahn created a flawless genius. Unlike Vader, Thrawn does not fight one-to-one, he is a leader who is a strategic mastermind. One, who could beat you at a game of chess starting with only half the pieces!

The one key area where several SW authors have failed is with the handling of Skywalker (what a name!). Other authors tend to either give Luke ridiculous omnipotent powers or find some means of preventing him using his abilities; both of which are unrealistic in terms of character development. Zahn however stays true to the farm boy hero created by Lucas and more importantly, finds the right balance between his force ability and his human characteristics; that is, we can see he is now a Jedi master but also that he is still the same old Luke.

As for Mara Jade, although I liked the Emperor's hand idea and her personal history, I didn't particularly like the character in the first series, simply because her aggressive hatred and emotional turmoil overshadowed any endearing qualities. This was my one complaint of the original series. However in this novel, which takes place ten years later, we see a very different Mara Jade. She is much more relaxed and is at peace with herself. Her "association" with Skywalker is intriguing and I for one cannot wait to see how this pans out in "Vision of the Future".

Incidentally, if you are a Mara fan, I recommend that you read Stackpole's "I, Jedi" prior to this one; I can't really explain why without spoiling the story, so I won't even try!

Finally, I cannot emphasise my delight at seeing Leia wield her lightsaber once more. It's all well and good making her head of the Republic but Zahn for one has not forgotten that she is a Jedi twin and part of the "new hope" emphasised by a certain revered 900 year old Jedi master.

This book was _the_ best Star Wars book I've ever read, except for the Heir to the Empire trilogy, of course. Zahn is the only author who has managed to capture the spirit of Star Wars. All the others were just missing something, except for one or two. My copies of his first Star Wars trilogy are the most worn books on my shelf. I love those, and I love his new ones too. He is the best. And he also has a good grasp of the Force as a plot element, better than most. And Thrawn being back is just great! He was the only real opposition the New Republic ever had. And I also think that it was great that Zahn put Rogue Squadron back in action. Wedge just wasn't the general type. Zahn just knows how to write the characters of the Star Wars universe. Talon Karrde, Fey'lya, Mara, Luke, Wedge, they all just seem more true to the movies and their spirit with him. I totally reccommend this book for everyone. It is the best! The absolute best! Before, when anyone asked me who my favorite author was, I'd name two or three people. Now I've realized that Timothy Zahn is the absolute best author I've ever read. He is the king of Star Wars! Vision of the Future, here I come!

With Specter of the Past, Timothy Zahn returned to the Star Wars Expanded Universe and starting tying a neat little bow around the Bantam Spectra era of the publishing license. Bantam published a wide array of Star Wars stories in the 1990s starting with the superb Heir to the Empire. The majority of Bantam's novels were set in the post-Return of the Jedi era and took a wide variety of directions while still maintaining a reasonably cohesive overall storyline. Just as he kicked off the Star Wars literary renaissance with his Thrawn Trilogy, here Mr. Zahn is afforded the opportunity to provide some closure to this era and set the stage for the new (at the time) publisher Del Rey's gritty New Jedi Order saga.

Despite Grand Admiral Thrawn's apparent demise at the end of The Last Command, his persona haunts this story in a gripping and imaginative way. His mysterious reappearance frightens the New Republic deeply and breathes new life into the dwindling Empire. Beyond that, though, his mentorship of Admiral Pellaeon motivates the Admiral into making a necessary but humiliating decision regarding the future of the Empire's remnants. Pallaeon determines that making peace with the New Republic represents the Empire's only hope for the future. He bravely puts aside his own feelings and ego to lead the way down this bold path.

Concurrent with Pellaeon's plan to surrender is a fascinating storyline centered around the devastation of the planet Caamas decades earlier (an event brought to further light in the second Coruscant Nights book Street of Shadows). This plot could have been ripped from today's contentious and vindictive headlines, as the entire Bothan race takes heat for the actions of an unknown number of individuals years ago. Politicians scramble to benefit from the controversy and across the galaxy numerous petty grievances flare up, using the Caamas debate as an excuse to revisit ancient vendettas.

I relished the use of the Caamas document as a primary plot device. While I enjoy the scheming of evil Sith and Imperial warlords as much as anyone, this was an engaging change from the villain- and superweapon-of-the-week stories found fairly often in the Bantam era. Battle lines are drawn but good and evil are often not clearly delineated, a theme shown on a micro scale by the numerous local conflicts and on a macro one by the overall shift in the New Republic's leadership compared to the spark of benevolence found in Pallaeon's vision for the Empire. Of course, lest anyone think the entire Empire has suddenly changed character, we do get the evil Moff Disra, his co-conspirator Major Tierce, and the actor Flim trying to flare up the minor disagreements in the New Republic's constituencies into the downfall of the galactic government.

Mr. Zahn brings back several favorite/pivotal characters from throughout the Bantam books. Smuggler Talon Karrde returns along with Mara Jade, both still aiding and abetting the New Republic despite trying to keep their distance. Duplicitous-but-not-quite-evil Borsk Fey'lya is back and finds himself the center of an unwelcome spotlight with the resurgence of the Caamas holocaust. There are many minor nods to other stories and Zahn also lifts bits from Star Wars short stories he wrote for the Tales books and other sources.

Specter of the Past is an excellent start to the Hand of Thrawn duology. Strong and accurate characterizations, an intelligent plot, and a rapid pace set a rock-solid foundation for the sequel Vision of the Future.

Timothy Zahn resumes his role as perhaps the most accomplished Star Wars writer after the "Thrawn Trilogy" with the "Hand of Thrawn" series. As the most menacing villain since the Emperor, resurrecting the Thrawn charcter would seem a natural choice. Yet some may find the circumstances of Thrawn's return hand to swallow.

The core characters of the original Star Wars trilogy seem to be adjusting to a sense of peace as the novel begins. But the conflict between the Bothans and the Noghri is revisited at an suspicious time. This sets the plot in motion as the remains of Thrawn's group appear ready to surrender their cause. When Thrawn allegedly makes an appearnce, the peace is sent into a state of jeopardy with the potential Bothan conflict simmering. New members join the New Republic's cause, though somwhat reluctantly. The subplot of Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker also seems underused.

I enjoy Zahn's ventures into the Star Wars series, though I felt this one spent too much time in dialogue. I realize this is necessary to establish the series for the next book. However, the overall product was somewhat dry.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (1991, actally) one Timothy Zahn rejuivenated the Star Wars universe with 'Heir to the Empire'. Upon finishing his epic Thrawn Trilogy, he got to sit back and watch the other writers have their shot at it. Some hit their targets, others had their shots go wide. And in some cases, very, very wide. In any case, Zahn returns to finish what he started (in more ways than one) in his Hand of Thrawn duology. And he has done well.

Its quite different from the Thrawn Trilogy, but that's okay. It just shows off Zahn's talents more. Now the Imps are but a remnant, still clinging onto the old ways. At the same time, the Republic is now somewhat of a squawbling bunch. It appear's Sate Pestage's prediction in 'Mandatory Retirement' rings true:
"Your republic will become and Empire soon enough. It's all about power and how it changes people. Your leaders will see to that and fall prey to it."
In this case, though, I've found its done better than in, say, the New Jedi Order books. Like most of the NJO series, in my opinion, they try to hard there to make the Republic's leaders a bunch of rambling idiots. Here Zahn makes it a lot more realistic. Gavrisom is not a 'good' character, nor is he an 'evil' or 'bad' character. He's a mix, and that's better and far more realistic than either perfectly good or perfectly bad. Still, the wrath of politics burns strong here, showing just how fragile the Republic can be. It's also far ore realistic that something that could destroy such a powerful government would begin with a whimper, not a bang.

The overall storyline is good, and I must say it really does say something about Grand Admiral Thrawn when he can still effect the course of glactic history after he's been dead for 10 years. His mythical status, though, just shows how perspectives change in time. It also opens the door for scams like Disra's. The Imps are overall done quite well, I think, and Pellaeon's is excellent. The Hand of Thrawn duology has helped make him become one of the best all-time Imperial characters, in my opinion.

And, of course, you get classic characters like Leia, Luke, Han, Mara, and Karrde. It's nice to see them going along, growing, changing, as so forth. Obviously 'Specter of the Past' is meant to be taken as one with 'Vison of the Future', so I've reviewed it as such. Highly reccomended.