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Dark Force Rising (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Book 2) | 
 enlarge | Author: Timothy Zahn
Publisher: Spectra
Category: Book
List Price: $6.99
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Rating:  116 reviews
Sales Rank: 13814
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 440
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.8 x 4 x 1.2
ISBN: 0553560719
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780553560718
ASIN: 0553560719
Publication Date: February 1, 1993
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Some wear on book from reading, spine creases, wear on binding and pages, we guarantee all purchases and ship all items via USPS mail.
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Product Description
The dying Empire's most cunning and ruthless warlord--Grand Admiral Thrawn--has taken command of the remnants of the Imperial fleet and launched a massive campaign aimed at the New Republic's destruction. With the aid of unimaginable weapons long hidden away by the Emperor on a backwater planet, Thrawn plans to turn the tide of battle, overwhelm the New Republic, and impose his iron rule throughout the galaxy. Meanwhile, Han and Lando Calrissian race against time to find proof of treason inside the highest Republican Council--only to discover instead a ghostly fleet of warships that could bring doom to their friends and victory to their enemies. Yet most dangerous of all is a new Dark Jedi, risen from the ashes of a shrouded past, consumed by bitterness... and scheming to corrupt Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
 Excellent second volume in a superb trilogy August 22, 2008
Andrew Pruette (Winston-Salem, NC USA)
Timothy Zahn continues the incredible story of the New Republic's efforts to repel the attacks of the formidable Grand Admiral Thrawn in Dark Force Rising, the second volume of a trilogy. Set five years after Return of the Jedi, this book is an excellent continuation of one of the most interesting storylines in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Since the trilogy was written in the early 1990's, some details have been contradicted by the prequel films and the immense growth of the saga, but the overall impact of the story is undiminished and things fit together remarkably well.
The book opens with Thrawn's assault upon smuggler Talon Karrde's base of operations on the planet Myrkr. Karrde is struggling to maintain his profitable neutrality in this conflict, but the open attack by the Empire starts him down a path that ultimately will have major ramifications in determining the victor between the Imperial remnant and the fledgling New Republic. Zahn avoids painting Karrde as a carbon-copy of Han Solo, another smuggler whose heart is opened to his inner goodness via external events, by keeping Karrde as an outside force willing to collaborate with the New Republic but not willing to flat-out join.
The primary focus of this second volume's plot is centered around the Katana fleet, a legendary group of Clone Wars-era automated dreadnoughts lost in the uncharted depths of space. This fleet, also known as the "Dark Force," is fantastically desirable to both the New Republic and Grand Admiral Thrawn. The galaxy largely believes the massive fleet to be a myth, but events here prove otherwise and we are swept to a tense conclusion in which both sides make their play to acquire this source of power.
The former Emperor's Hand and Imperial assassin Mara Jade plays a key role in this story. Her impetus to kill Luke Skywalker remains from the first book, but essentially there's never a good time to actually do it. Indeed, despite blaming him for the collapse of her life and despite the Emperor's implanted suggestions, she ends up teaming with Luke to save Karrde and his crew from the Empire. Zahn does a great job weaving her story into Luke's and she brings a very interesting perspective as an ex-Imperial servant. Also enjoyable is a sequence in which she meets Grand Admiral Thrawn and starts to realize that her role as Emperor's Hand wasn't quite what she thought it was.
Luke learns more about the Force and the Jedi through his meeting with the mad Jedi clone Joruus C'baoth on the planet Jomark. Luke is portrayed as very unsure of himself, a decision I don't entirely agree with, but considering that Luke is single-handedly attempting to chart the future of the Jedi, I can see why Zahn developed this particular characterization. If Luke had been a little more self-confident of his own feelings about right and wrong, I don't believe he would have spent very long with C'baoth, but I do like how this time depicts Luke as extremely anxious to weigh all possible paths and opinions as he forges his own vision of a new Jedi Order. Also valuable to this portrayal is a short but engaging scene where Luke arbitrates a small dispute between two aliens in a bar and realizes the high esteem that much of the galaxy still places in Jedi.
Dark Force Rising has a spectacular storyline involving Leia's efforts to understand and ally with the Noghri people, the same species who assiduously attempted to kidnap her and her unborn twins throughout Heir to the Empire. Leia journeys with Chewbacca and C-3PO to Honoghr, the devastated Noghri home world. The Noghri are a brilliant addition to the Star Wars universe, a truly alien species that Leia struggles to relate to and eventually is able to reach. The sequence in which Leia discerns the truth concerning what the Empire did to the Noghri and Honoghr is absolutely compelling.
The Thrawn Trilogy is some of the best reading in the Expanded Universe, and as such Dark Force Rising is highly recommended. Zahn offers a potent mix of action, politics, character development, and intriguing plotlines to make a fresh and highly readable tale.
An exciting second installment May 18, 2008
Nathan Andrews (New Milford, CT. USA)
Having left our heroes in the wake of imminent danger, Dark Force rising starts off with a real sense of foreboding. This installment of the Thrawn Trilogy delves into Leia's character and interestingly examines Darth Vader's influence during his reign with the Empire. The Noghri character whom befriend's Leia is told of Vader's "generosity" as well as the Empire's during the time of the Galactic Civil War.
Another fun aspect of this book was following Lando and Han in their discovery of the Dark Force fleet. It was a nice venture into different territory and interesting to see how these two characters interacted when pressed into dangerous situations.
Luke's training with C'boath is also well written and readers get a real sense of Luke's lack of confidence in his skills since defeating Darth Vader. His rushed training on Dagobah is echoed nicely in his story arch for this novel and it fleshes out his character very well.
For those who loved Heir to the Empire, you just need to keep reading the trilogy!
 Had Its Moments March 18, 2008
Geoff Howard (Yellowknife, NT CANADA)
I found this book a little more drawn out then the first. In keeping with the first book I found myself putting it down shortly after picking it up. It was interesting in parts. The last third of the book picked up for me so I give it three stars.
Frankly I have enjoyed this trilogy quite a bit. Timothy Zahn is definitely a decent writer but so far does not write a story capable of getting better then a 4 star review. This book was good but a little less interesting then the first. Still it is an interesting series and he does have a good character in Grand Admiral Thrawn which he depicts very well.
Rising Action February 18, 2008
JMack (Chicago)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
While I must admit that I was not a great fan of the first book in the Thrawn Trilogy "Heir to the Empire", the second book really got my attention. I will venture to say that most people reading the Star Wars books are reading to see the characters they loved from the movies develop. In the second book, Han Solo, Luke, Lando Calrissian, and Leia Organa Solo take center stage as they chase an once defunct fleet of abandon ships while a conspiracy against the New Republic unravels. It makes for a fast paced read that is hard to Star Wars fans to dislike.
There were a number of aspects of this book that I really enjoyed. Star Wars certainly has some political wrinkles in the plot. "Dark Force Rising" sees the New Republic's government developing into dangerous factions. The power grabs of this era are not limited to the Sith. Seeing the insanity of Jedi Master Joruus C'baoth spiral as he meets Luke Skywalker affords the opportunity to develop Luke's character as he continues to learn the ways of the force. As I await the third book in the trilogy, I am most looking forward to seeing the direction which the author takes the Mara Jade character. While the author seems to have ended this aspect of the story, I find it hard to believe that the author would end it so abruptly.
After reading the first book in this series, I was certain that I would be disappointed by chronology. After reading the second book, I can not wait to read the third book. With the plot leaving questions in my mind, the author did more than enough to keep the series interesting through three books.
Action Packed Adventure February 14, 2008
Nikki (Texas USA)
I really enjoyed Dark Force Rising, the second book in the Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn, and it made me excited to read the rest of the books in the Thrawn series.
Dark Force Rising starts immediately where Heir to the Empire leaves off. Admiral Ackbar is in prison, accused of treason, and Fey'la is still trying to take over leadership of the New Republic. Han Solo and Lando Calrissian journey to investigate the claims against Ackbar. Leia rendezvous with Khabarakh, and she must try to convince his fellow Noghri the Empire is exploiting them while she and Chewbacca try to remain hidden from Grand Admiral Thrawn's presence on the Noghri planet, Honoghr. Luke, still questioning his abilities as a Jedi, sets off to find Jedi Master Joruus C'Boath on the small planet of Jomark. Mara Jade inadvertently leads Grand Admiral Thrawn to Talon Karrde and his capture, and she must reluctantly seek out Luke Skywalker to help in Karrde's escape. Looming in the background of the novel is the search for the mythical Dark Force, a large fleet of Dreadnaughts, which could prove invaluable to whomever is able to find them first.
Timothy Zahn's Dark Force Rising is an action packed adventure with one perilous situation after another. Zahn writes the characters and action so well, I found myself completely consumed by the story, eager to find out what happened next. I would recommend this book to Star Wars fans who read and enjoyed Zahn's first book in this trilogy, Heir to the Empire.
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