Culled from the pages of the Star Wars Adventure Journal, one of the most popular Star Wars magazines in the field today, comes this exciting new short-story collection. Here are stories from such award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors as Timothy Zahn, Michael A. Stackpole and Kathy Tyers as well as exciting newcomers, including Erin Endom, Laurie Burns, and Patricia A. Jackson. From the desperate flight of a civilian mail courier carrying vital Rebel intelligence through an Imperial blockade, to a suicidal commando raid on an impregnable Imperial prison, to a Corellian smuggler mysteriously hired by an actor turned Jedi Knight turned Imperial assassin for one final transformation, these tales capture all the high adventure, imaginative genius, and nonstop action that are the hallmarks of the Star Wars saga. What's more, the centerpiece of this magnificent collection is the short novel Side Trip, the first-ever collaboration between Timothy Zahn and Michael A. Stackpole, in which a freighter smuggling arms for the Rebels is commandeered by an Imperial Star Destroyer led by a mysterious helmeted figure who claims to be the notorious bounty hunter Jodo Kast. It is all part of a devious plan that includes Hal and Corran Horn, who are working undercover to nail the infamous Corellian warlord Zekka Thyne. But one slip-up can get them all killed. Collected for the first time, Star Wars(r): Tales from the Empire is one book no fan will want to be without. Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years! (r), TM and (c) 1997 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

Written by some of today’s leading science fiction writers, these tales sweep us into a world where the only laws are cunning, force, and power—and only the bravest, craziest, and deadliest dare to tread. Here mercs and smugglers, gangsters and warriors fight toe to toe, side by side, and behind each other’s backs in the backwaters of a universe ripped apart by war. On Zelos II a man and a woman are held prisoner in a dark cell, each fighting in their own way for survival at the hands of Imperial captors—and a chance for escape that could cost one of them their life. On the tortured landscape of Ryloth, Fenig Nabon awaits a ship of women warriors to complete a dangerous deal: the smuggling of a troupe of dancers to the homeworld of the Hutts—only to get more than she bargained for. And in a stunning novella written especially for this collection by Hugo Award–winning, New York Times bestselling author Timothy Zahn and Michael A. Stackpole, Senator Garm Bel Iblis, believed dead at the hands of an Imperial assassin, teams up with Hal Horn in a duel against the Empire’s most dangerous agent. At stake are the plans for a terrifying new weapon called the Death Star—and the fate of both the Empire and the New Republic. Including these stories of intergalactic derring-do: “Interlude at Darkknell” by Timothy Zahn and Michael A. Stackpole “Jade Solitaire” by Timothy Zahn “Gathering Shadows” by Kathy Burdette “Hutt and Seek” by Chris Cassidy and Tish Pahl “The Longest Fall” by Patricia A. Jackson “Conflict of Interest” by Laurie Burns “No Disintegrations, Please” by Paul Danner “Day of the Sepulchral Night” by Jean Rabe “Uhl Eharl Khoehng” by Patricia A. Jackson “The Last Hand” by Paul Danner “Simple Tricks” by Chris Cassidy and Tish Pahl

In the dusty heat of twin-sunned Tatooine lives the wealthiest gangster in a hundred worlds, master of a vast crime empire and keeper of a vicious, flesh-eating monster for entertainment (and disposal of his enemies). Bloated and sinister, Jabba the Hutt might have made a good joke -- if he weren't so dangerous. A cast of soldiers, spies, assassins, scoundrels, bounty hunters, and pleasure seekers have come to his palace, and every visitor to Jabba's grand abode has a story. Some of them may even live to tell it. . . . Featuring original stories by: Kevin J. Anderson, M. Shayne Bell, John Gregory Betancourt, Mark Budz and Marina Fitch, A.C. Crispin, Dan'l Danehy-Oakes, George Alec Effinger, Kenneth C. Flint, Esther Friesner, Barbara Hambly, Daryl F. Mallett, J.D. Montgomery, Judy and Gar Reeves-Stevens, Jennifer Roberson, Kathy Tyers, Deborah Wheeler, Dave Wolverton, William F. Wu, Timothy Zahn. Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!

Like father, like son . . . Growing up in the shadow of his heroic father, Lumpawarrump, son of Chewbacca, feels tremendous pressure to match his father’s daring exploits. Chewie’s life-debt to Han Solo keeps him from returning home, and without the steadying influence of his father, Lumpy is unfocused and out of control. So Chewie’s wife decides that a visit to Coruscant is in order. It’s the perfect opportunity for the family to bond—and for Chewbacca to teach his son some much-needed life-lessons. But when Lumpy’s eagerness to impress his father leads to direct disobedience, Chewie is forced into an extreme pursuit that will lead him into Coruscant’s dangerous underlevels–and to a secret as shocking as it is deadly. . . . BONUS: This original novella includes an excerpt from Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Betrayal and an interview with the author.

Here is a special 20th anniversary edition of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel that reignited the entire Star Wars publishing phenomenon—featuring an Introduction and annotations from award-winning author Timothy Zahn, exclusive commentary from Lucasfilm and Del Rey Books, and a brand-new novella starring the ever-popular Grand Admiral Thrawn. The biggest event in the history of Star Wars books, Heir to the Empire follows the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia after they led the Rebel Alliance to victory in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Five years after the Death Star was destroyed and Darth Vader and the Emperor were defeated, the galaxy is struggling to heal the wounds of war, Princess Leia and Han Solo are married and expecting twins, and Luke Skywalker has become the first in a long-awaited line of new Jedi Knights. But thousands of light-years away, the last of the Emperor’s warlords—the brilliant and deadly Grand Admiral Thrawn—has taken command of the shattered Imperial fleet, readied it for war, and pointed it at the fragile heart of the New Republic. For this dark warrior has made two vital discoveries that could destroy everything the courageous men and women of the Rebel Alliance fought so hard to create. The explosive confrontation that results is a towering epic of action, invention, mystery, and spectacle on a galactic scale—in short, a story worthy of the name Star Wars. Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!

In a wild and battle-scarred galaxy, assassins, pirates, smugglers, and cutthroats of every description roam at will, fearing only the professional bounty hunters-amoral adventurers who track down the scum of the universe...for a fee. When Darth Vader seeks to strike at the heart of the Rebellion by targeting Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon, he calls upon six of the most successful-and feared-hunters, including the merciless Boba Fett. They all have two things in common: lust for profit and contempt for life... Featuring original stories by Kevin J. Anderson, M. Shayne Bell, Daniel Keys Moran, Kathy Tyers and Dave Wolverton. Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!

The specter of the menacing Grand Admiral Thrawn looms over Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker as they embark on a journey to recover an important piece of Jedi history. Sometimes it seems a Jedi’s work is never done, and Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker know this only too well. Despite the bond they share in the Force, the Jedi Master and his wife are still learning the ropes of being a couple after three years of marriage—and struggling to find time together between the constant demands of duty. But all that will change when they’re united on an unexpected mission: They must pool their exceptional skills to combat an insidious enemy and salvage a part of Jedi history. Whatever may await, the Skywalkers will not face it alone. Joining them on the strange and solemn journey are an officer of the post-Palpatine Empire escorted by a detachment of Imperial stormtroopers; a party of diplomats from a gentle alien species that reveres the fallen Jedi for saving them from bloodthirsty conquerors; and a New Republic ambassador who harbors his own mysterious agenda. Soon enough, suspicion, secrecy, and an unknown saboteur run rampant aboard the isolated ship. But the gravest danger lies within the derelict walls of Outbound Flight, buried for half a century on a desolate planetoid. As the marooned hulk yields up stunning revelations and unexpected terrors to its visitors, Luke and Mara find all that they stand for—and their very existence—brutally challenged. The ultimate test will be surviving the deathtrap carefully laid by foes who are legendary for their ruthlessness, and determined to complete the job Thrawn began: exterminating the Jedi.

Long-standing foes must put aside their ancient grudges and deep-seated distrust to uncover and defeat a threat to the galaxy before it can escape its isolation—forcing Sith and Jedi to raise their lightsabers together. “When I look into you, I see no loyalty. . . . I sense only tangled allegiances. . . . Given a choice, I would never trust you.” From across the galaxy they’ve come: agents of both the Republic and the Sith Empire, an investigating Jedi Padawan, an ex-trooper drummed out of the Republic’s elite Blackstar Squad, and a mysterious Mandalorian. An extraordinary auction has drawn them all together—in quest of a prize only one can claim. Each is prepared to do what he must to possess the treasure, whose value may be the wealth of a world itself. No one intends to leave empty-handed. All have secrets, desires, and schemes. And nothing could ever unite them as allies—except the truth about the deadly danger of the object they covet. But can Sith and Jedi, Republic and Empire—enemies for millennia—join as one against the certain doom of the galaxy?

Han Solo and Chewbacca’s extraordinary exploits carry them across the galaxy in this awesome trilogy. Han Solo at Star’s End: Han Solo trusts no one, and does no favors. But when the best illegal ship rebuilder in the galaxy disappears, Han and Chewbacca agree to go after him—after all, the Millennium Falcon needs some very special repairs. Their search pits them against powerful and ruthless enemies out to destroy them, and finally leads them to an airless speck of desolate asteroid—the Authority prison planet known as Stars’ End. Han Solo’s Revenge: For a cool ten thousand credits, Han and Chewbacca will do just about anything—except transport slaves. For one thing, it means an instant death sentence. So when a high-paying cargo shipment turns out to be a consignment of slaves, Han and Chewie have to think fast. But Han forms a plan to turn the tables on the slavers and free the captives. Then, good deed accomplished, he scours the skies for the nasty joker who set him up—because revenge can be so sweet. Han Solo and the Lost Legacy: There’s a fabled treasure at stake and a price on Han’s head. So he and Chewbacca head for a planet rumored to hide undreamed-of riches. But once they get there, Han’s beloved spacecraft, the Millennium Falcon, is hijacked by a band of assassins and killer robots. Their chances for survival are so slim, they might as well risk it all. Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!

Collects Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire (1996) #1-6, Star Wars: The Bounty Hunters - Scoundrel'S Wages (1999) #1, Classic Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi (1994) #1-2, Star Wars: Tales From Mos Eisley (1996) #1, Star Wars: Tag & Bink Ii (2006) #1, Sergio Aragones Stomps Star Wars (2000) #1 And Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire Minicomic (1996) #1-2 - Plus Material From Star Wars Kids (1997) #12; Star Wars Visionaries (2005); And Star Wars Tales (1999) #2, #4-8, #10, #12, #14 And #20. The Rebellion on the verge of triumph - or tragedy! On the eve of RETURN OF THE JEDI, as the rebels struggle to find enough allies to counter the Empire, they must contend with notorious crime lords Prince Xizor and Jabba the Hutt! Determined to redeem himself, Lando Calrissian tasks smuggler Dash Rendar with tracking down the captured Han Solo, now in the hands of the galaxy's most feared bounty hunter: Boba Fett! It's up to Lando, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Chewbacca to rescue Han, destroy the new Death Star, and defeat Darth Vader and the evil Emperor Palpatine! Plus: Go way behind the scenes with unexpected and hilarious tales from around the galaxy!