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Cover of Heir to the Empire by Timothy ZahnHeir to the Empire
Modern · Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Heir to the Empire

by Timothy Zahn
1991 · 528 pages · Fiction
74.8Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 13 hours to read · about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Five years after Return of the Jedi, the Rebel Alliance has defeated the Emperor and driven what's left of the Imperial fleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Leia and Han are married and expecting twins, and Luke is becoming the first of a new line of Jedi. But a brilliant Imperial commander, Grand Admiral Thrawn, is about to strike back.

Why it's worth reading

It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and revived Star Wars publishing. Many fans consider it the best Star Wars novel.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

It's the first of the Thrawn trilogy. It's now labeled 'Legends', outside the films' official story.

By the numbers

74.8Must-Read Score
  • Readers68 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller63 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (1 week at #1)

Reads as

Adventurous, Epic, Dark

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 1990sTop 25 · 273 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Heir to the Empire worth reading?

Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and revived Star Wars publishing. It ranks #817 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.8 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Heir to the Empire about?

Five years after Return of the Jedi, the Rebel Alliance has defeated the Emperor and driven what's left of the Imperial fleet to a distant corner of the galaxy. Leia and Han are married and expecting twins, and Luke is becoming the first of a new line of Jedi. But a brilliant Imperial commander, Grand Admiral Thrawn, is about to strike back.

How long does it take to read Heir to the Empire?

About 13 hours (528 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Heir to the Empire?

If you liked it, try Dune by Frank Herbert, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card or Red Rising by Pierce Brown.