Timothy Zahn’s classic novel of the Grand Admiral’s backstory gets a deluxe edition.

Timothy Zahn is one of the greatest Star Wars authors ever. When he wrote Heir to the Empire in 1991 it was considered an instant classic and introduced the galaxy to the most intriguing character – Grand Admiral Thrawn, a master tactician and brilliant leader. Fans fell in love with him and wanted more. But it wouldn’t be until 2017 that we would get the full telling of his rise to power and how an outsider became a Grand Admiral and what that even was. Zahn would end up writing five MORE Thrawn books, all intriguing and filling out the story of our favorite Grand Admiral.

Now, nearly ten years later, fans get not one but TWO more servings of Thrawn. Random House Worlds is re-releasing a deluxe hardcover version of the original Thrawn novel complete with die-cut removable slipcase, gilded edges with the sign of the Empire, and a satin ribbon marker. Along with brand-new cover art, the die-cut is shaped like a Star Destroyer in honor of Thrawn’s command of the Chimaera. A beautiful book, the gilded edges elevate it to another level of sophistication. A wonderful addition for any Thrawn fans.

But another surprise is in store for Thrawn fans with a new adaptation of the book in manga form. Adapted and illustrated by Man Tsang, the first of what is definitely a series of books as this one only covers a portion of the book. It’s an easy read with easy to follow illustrations and while the richness of the text in Timothy Zahn’s book is missing, this is a great addition to the Thrawn legacy. Readers get to see a vision of Thrawn beyond the books which is great! Maybe one day this will all lead to a Thrawn film? Both books are great reads and if you have never enjoyed Thrawn before either one is a good introduction. And if you are a fan? You NEED both of these books.

Thank you to Random House Worlds for the review copies. All opinions are entirely my own and have not been paid for.