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It's tough to classify Timothy Zahn's Hand of Thrawn Duology. Sure, it's got all the space battling, swashbuckling, hero derring-do that you'd expect from the franchise, but it's also something inherently individual. In Specter of the Past, Zahn took the road less-traveled, creating a story apart from the usual "New Superweapon" cliche, adding lots of political intrigue and shadow games to the mix. What readers got was a sort of Tom Clancy Star Wars novel, if you will. The characters and situations felt incredibably real, despite the fantastic setting, and the plot threads and character arcs were more than believable. There was a feeling in the book that, because this was so different, the outcome could also be different, forever changing the Star Wars universe. And it is, and it does. In Vision of the Future, the opus of Zahn's Hand of Thrawn Duology, there is easily enough material for two books, or more. Encompassing nearly 700 pages, Vision manages to both drive the narrative along at a perfect pace, but also deepens the mythos of the universe, the characters, and the history of what went before the rise of the Galactic Empire. The book starts, as does all of Zahn's Thrawn-related material, aboard the Star Destroyer Chimera, as seen through the eyes of Admiral Pelleon. From here, we are swept through the galaxy, from Coruscaunt to the Bothan's home planet, from the Imperial strondhold of Bastion to the planet Nirauan, a mysterious and dangerous fortress with links to Thrawn's past. Han and Lando continue their search for the truth about the supposed return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, the greatest threat the New Republic has ever faced, and also seek the truth about the Bothan involvement in the massacre of an entire planet. Leia struggles to hold the New Republic together as factions split over the scandal and the galaxy is once again pushed to the brink of civil war. Luke and Mara, on the other side of the cosmos, fight their own battles. Making their way through the mysterious fortress known as The Hand of Thrawn, they must avoid hostile aliens, entrenched Imperials, uncover the secrets of Thrawn's past and future, and come to terms with their feelings toward one another. Here, Zahn brings the galactic conflict as we know it to a brilliant close, while setting the stage for the darker New Jedi Order series. Even as he weaves a tale of power and peace, he also deals with important issues with the main characters; namely the relationship between Luke and Mara. I for one was glad to see this resolved, as NONE of the previous books even tried to add anything to these characters who Zahn had set up in his original trilogy with an almost painful amount of foreshadowing. It was infinitely satisfying to read the beginning of the next stage of their wandering relationship. Bravo. All in all, I couldn't ask for a better way to see the old guard of Star Wars books depart, of think of a better high note to hit while doing so. With some of the most reading, best humor, frenetic action, and pleasently subtle series references, Vision of the Future is just that, as well as being a wonderful memory of the past. Thank you Timothy Zahn. The Force will be with you. Always.
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