Based on the success of Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy, Bantam and Lucas Arts
offered several contracts for additional books in the Star Wars expanded universe.
Various works starting to appear toward the end of the 20th century,
all dealt with different aspects of the fictional world. Some told X-Wing stories, others tales from
the Mos Eisley cantina, Jabba’s lair was expanded, and some picked up Zahn’s
story where he’d left it at the end of The Last Command. The universe had not
heard the last of Zahn, however, and four years after the completion of the Thrawn trilogy, a new duology of books
appeared that continued the main Star
Wars storyline, picking up where other writers left off.
Called the Hand of Thrawn duology, Zahn adds little new to the Star Wars universe, rather ties up a
couple of important loose ends. Working
with the story infrastructure handed him by Lucas and that which he created in
the original Thrawn trilogy, the
books bring together two key characters in matrimony, as well cements the New Republic’s
position in the universe. The story
divided between Specter of the Past
and Vision of the Future, the writing
is in the same solid style that Zahn previously displayed and generally
continues to show a respect and understanding for all things Star Wars. There are, however, a few new
items which show authorial license. More
importantly, the overall story is beginning to show its limits.
