Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

Book Description

Shadows of the Empire illuminates the shadowy outlines of a criminal conspiracy that exists in the background of the events in the movies, ruled by a character new to us. Prince Xizor is a mastermind of evil who dares to oppose one of the best-known fictional villains of all time: Darth Vader. The story involves all the featured Star Wars movie characters, plus Emperor Palpatine and, of course, Lord Vader himself.

Customer Reviews:

Filling in the Star Wars blanks.......2007-08-22

Shadows of the Empire takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Han Solo is frozen in carbonite but has not yet been taken to Jabba's palace. Leia, Luke, Lando and our two favorite droids are on a quest to find Boba Fett and retrieve Han. They are joined in this quest by Dash Rendar, a cocky hotshot pilot, very reminiscent of Han Solo himself. Three very significant characters stand in their way - Darth Vader, Prince Xizor of Black Sun, and Xizor's amazing apprentice Guri.

Prince Xizor of the Falleen race is an intriguing character. He is the ultimate crime lord, and his life is filled schemes and double-dealings as he runs the huge crime syndicate of Black Sun plus some other legitimate enterprises. He is considered to be the third most important person in the galaxy behind the Emperor and Lord Vader, and he wants to move up. The point of all the Machiavellian schemes he develops during this period is to get rid of Vader and become #2 in the Empire. Even that would not satisfy him. Xizor's self esteem is extremely high. He has never met an individual who is his equal. Of course, he and Vader do not see eye to eye on most things.

The key individual in the story is Luke Skywalker. The Emperor fells that Luke is strong enough in the Force to pose a real danger to the Empire. He wants Luke out of the picture. Vader wants to keep the boy alive and turn him to the dark side. Xizor sees an opportunity here to cause trouble for Vader, so he puts out orders to have Luke assassinated. He also sends Guri to meet with Leia and to bring her back to Xizor's palace in Coruscant. Guri is an extremely advanced droid who looks completely like a human female. Her fighting skills appear to be unmatched. Leia and Chewie end up at Xizor's palace being used as bait to draw Luke in. Of course, Luke does come to the rescue. Luke, Lando, and Dash Rendar have memorable scenes making their way through the sewers below the palace and making their way up through the palace to find Leia. The last few chapters of the book tie things together very neatly and leave us set for Return of the Jedi. Maybe they will rescue Han at last.

Shadows of the Empire is an excellent tale, and Mr. Perry has done a good job with it. The story fits nicely in the time period between Empire and Jedi. I highly recommend this one.

If you've never read a Star Wars novel before, try this one.......2007-06-08

In 1996 the marketing team at Lucasfilm developed an innovative concept for a major cross-channel promotion: they proposed Shadows of the Empire, a Star Wars movie without the movie. What did this mean? It meant all the trappings of a movie were released: a novelization, a full orchestral score, a videogame, comic books, toy lines, statues, and sundry other widgets, but there was never an actual movie for them to center around. Each aspect of the campaign emphasized different aspects of the story, but the core tale was contained in Steve Perry's novel. The idea seemed to meet with mixed success, as the Shadows toys, statues, and some of the other odd products lingered on the pegs a terribly long time, but the Nintendo 64 videogame is fondly remembered by many and the score by Joel McNeely is absolutely terrific (pick up a copy if you haven't heard it before!)

Shadows of the Empire fills in some of the blank space between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, a year left largely untapped except in the Marvel comic series. Perry works hard to build a strong bridge between the two films and succeeds beautifully, exploring some of the emotional aftermath of the climax of Episode V and setting up the opening section of Episode VI. Of course, Han Solo spends the duration of this novel frozen in a block of carbonite, but the majority of the other main film characters all get a chance to shine.

The novel introduces us to Black Sun, the galaxy far, far away's leading organized crime syndicate. Black Sun is headed by the brilliant, charismatic, egotistical Falleen Prince Xizor, the third most powerful person in the galaxy after our old favorites Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. Xizor's constant preening and self-admiration make for slightly tiresome reading, but he does play a role distinct from the usual Sith and Imperial villains in other Star Wars novels. Being the third most powerful person is not quite enough for the Prince, and so much of the plot of Shadows of the Empire is driven by his scheming against Darth Vader and his attempts to kill Vader's son. The Falleen species is endowed with some slightly creepy abilities to attract mates, and Xizor almost leads Leia, newly separated from her love Han Solo, down a very unpleasant path. Fortunately stalwart Chewbacca is on hand to help Leia escape Xizor's pheromone-driven trap. This sequence was unusual reading for a Star Wars novel, and although it is deliberately rather icky, I give Perry credit for exploring these themes rather than sticking solely to action sequences.

The other main new character is Dash Rendar, virtually a "carbon" copy of A New Hope-era Han Solo. Dash is a smuggler and superb pilot who was doing a job for the Rebel Alliance when the Empire struck the Hoth base. Dash always looks out for himself first and drops sarcastic wisecracks right and left. However, maybe Dash isn't as shallow as he first appears, and perhaps by the end of the story he'll find the need to look out for others and the ability for self-sacrifice. Sound familiar? I didn't really mind this character but Perry could have made a little more effort to make him less of a second-tier Han Solo.

The story itself is a rollicking thrill-ride. Perry takes us all over the galaxy as our heroes try to track down Boba Fett and Vader and Xizor try to track down our heroes. We learn the back story of the "many Bothans" who died procuring the Death Star II plans, how Leia got the Boushh bounty hunter disguise she uses in Return of the Jedi, how Luke spent time enhancing his Jedi skills and constructing his new lightsaber, and many other interesting tidbits. The characterization of Vader maps well with the new information we learned about Anakin Skywalker in the prequels, and it's nice to see a new element introduced to the Emperor/Vader plotting in the form of Xizor. R2 and 3PO have a hysterical sequence piloting the Millennium Falcon across Coruscant (it's rare that a Star Wars novel makes me laugh out loud). Perry writes in a brisk, cinematic style, and it is quite easy to picture this novel as a good film, an Episode Five-and-a-Half, if you will.

Shadows of the Empire does a terrific job of detailing the story between the final two films in the saga. Depending on which stories a reader considers to be canon, there are either many or very few tales set during the original trilogy. Personally, I would love to see more novels covering this period of time, as well as the three years between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. These years host the only stories with the opportunity to directly explore the Vader-Luke dynamic, an element so central to the films. The ancillary products such as the toys, comics, and especially the soundtrack further enhance the Shadows experience. This book is highly recommended to everyone, including readers trying their first Star Wars novel.

Nice bridge if a little light.......2007-04-24

I really enjoyed this book. I always wanted some link between the Luke at the end of ESB and the beginning of ROTJ - one broken and fragile, the other darkly confident and calling himself "Jedi." And since he is my favorite character, I love that this book takes him through that process, albeit in less depth than seems warranted.

Inconsistencies in Luke's character abound, however, which jarred with the character arc I had been longing to see. His attitude and dialogue in places seem more juvenile than in Episode IV. I realize that these things change by the end of the book, but they do not match the characters we leave at the end of Empire Strikes Back; this takes away much of the book's cred.

Glitches in style also undermine it - while the author has great pacing, and I don't mind his switching between characters with a jerk for that cause - he FAR too often ends a segment with two or three more lines than necessary, degenerating into hilarious cheesiness where it could have been compelling. Sigh. "Luke hoped Leia was okay." "Luke had to think of something. Something fast... What?" These things cause eye-rolling after the tenth time. So do many thinly derived conclusions on the part of characters who should have needed more evidence.

Dash is annoying, I'm sorry, in life and in death. His only merit is giving Luke a Jedi-worthy crisis of conscience towards the finale. And Leia, while a great gal here, needed to fall for a lizard while Han was frozen WHY?? Her newfound love for Han is a bit tarnished in a plot arc for no good reason.

Having said all that, Shadows is truly an irresistible read for a die-hard Luke fan, and Vader is handled very well, without goofiness or excessive sulking. In fact, Vader's take here on his relationship with Luke enhances all future read/views of Return of the Jedi. This puts Shadows on my must-borrow list and Perry on the thank-you-for-not-butchering-my-Star-Wars list with Zahn, somewhere. :)

Episode 5.5.......2007-04-17

This is the novel that connects the dots between Episodes V and VI. The novel starts firmly planted in The Empire Strikes Back with the Emperor's holo-message to Vader - but this time from Palpatine's point of view (and although Vader didn't know it, the Emperor was not alone). And then several months later Princess Leia wakes up from a nightmare about Han Solo being frozen on Cloud City.

Many questions arise about the time between the two Star Wars sequels, and this novel has the answers. How did Luke Skywalker, severely demoralized by finding out the true identity of his father and feeling that Obi-Wan Kenobi had lied to him, go from being a Jedi padawan with incomplete training to a confident, powerful Jedi Knight in every way except for his final trial? Who completed Luke's training? How did Luke construct his new lightsaber? Why didn't Boba Fett deliver Han to Jabba the Hutt right away? Who died to make Jabba the most powerful crime lord in the galaxy? How did Leia get her Boushh disguise and thermal detonators? How did Wedge Antilles become the leader of the Rebel's elite X-fighter squadron? How did the Bothans bring the Alliance the information about the second Death Star? If the droids ever tried to pilot the Millennium Falcon through Coruscant while Han was frozen, would you ever tell him about it?

Shadows of the Empire ends with Luke hiding his lightsaber in R2-D2 and recording his message for Jabba. This novel is an adventurous story very worthy of the Star Wars name. And this BOOK even has it's own SOUNDTRACK!

Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire [Enhanced CD]

I also highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are extremely relevant to the prequel trilogy:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)

Filling in the Gaps.......2007-03-05

Steve Perry's "Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire" explores events between the two films "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" just as Timothy Zahn's new book "Allegiance" bridges the gap between "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back".

Zahn established himself as the best writer of Star Wars fiction with his Thrawn trilogy following on from "Return of the Jedi": "Heir to the Empire", "Dark Force Rising" and "The Last Command". In "Shadows of the Empire" Perry comes close to Zahn's class in serving a similar function.

One of Zahn's strengths has been the creation of new characters who have taken their place in the Star Wars universe, like Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Zahn. In "Shadows of the Empire" Perry provides fascinating background into Prince Xizor, leader of the Black Sun criminal network, and his human-like killer droid Guri, characters also featured in A.C. Crispin's "Han Solo trilogy" tracing Han's life before the fateful day he met an old man and a kid in a Mos Eisley cantina: "Paradise Trap", "The Hutt Gambit" and "Rebel Dawn", which seem to have been published in 1997, after "Shadows of the Empire".

"Shadows of the Empire" features all the main characters of the final two Star Wars films, with the exception of Han Solo, who is still in carbonite. The action concerns the Rebels' efforts to free Han, and along the way we learn things like how Leia came by her bounty hunter suit and a thermal detonator, and how Luke made his first light saber.

In the NPR radio series of "Return of the Jedi", which goes into greater detail than the film, filling in many gaps, when Han is rescued he criticises Lando for letting C3PO fly the Millennium Falcon. That flight is in "Shadows of the Empire".

In the Shadows of Their Fathers (Star Wars: Empire, Vol. 6)

Average customer rating:

Loose sequel to Clone Wars Volume Three
When commerce trumps art

In the Shadows of Their Fathers (Star Wars: Empire, Vol. 6)
Thomas Andrews , Scott Allie , Adriana Melo , Michel LaCombe , and Various
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1593076274

Book Description

Luke Skywalker confronts the legacy of the Jedi father he never knew in an epic story involving Princess Leia, Darth Vader and the fate of an entire planet! When Luke and Leia travel to Jabiim recruiting allies for the fledgling Rebellion, they unwittingly set into motion events that will ignite one man's betrayal of his people, pit rebel hero against rebel hero and attract the attention of the Empire's deadliest enforcer - Darth Vader!

Customer Reviews:

Loose sequel to Clone Wars Volume Three.......2007-01-15

The sixth graphic novel collection of the Star Wars Empire comic series collects issues 29-34 and is titled In the Shadows of their Fathers. Issue 31 was a standalone story and is presented first in this book; we then roll into the main event with the tale of the Rebels' attempt to sway the planet of Jabiim to their cause. Some readers may recall the planet of Jabiim from the Republic series dealing with the Clone Wars (the original Jabiim arc can be found in the graphic novel Clone Wars Volume Three: Last Stand on Jabiim).

The standalone story that kicks off this book tells the story of Darth Vader "negotiating" a business deal on the planet of Tiss'sharl. The reptilian inhabitants reminded me of the Ssi-ruuk, the race encountered in Kathy Tyers' Truce at Bakura. I believe this was a wholly separate planet and race (since the Ssi-ruuk were from beyond the known galaxy), but I confess, my Expanded Universe knowledge may have a gap here and perhaps we've seen these guys before. Anyway, we get a glimpse at the weight the Empire brings to bear on systems under its thumb and we see the potential hazards in daring to meet with a representative of the Rebellion.

The remainder of the book deals with Luke and Leia's visit to Jabiim. If you've read the Clone Wars Jabiim arc, you know that Anakin Skywalker left the inhabitants who had remained loyal to the Republic in a horrible position. The potential for a story where Luke visits the planet unaware of the sins of his father is strong, but I found this story to be rather predictable. The issues telling Anakin's story were a gripping, extremely well-drawn look at the horrors and chaos of war. I guessed going in that the locals would be pre-disposed against Luke but that he would win their trust in the end.

Unfortunately not too much really happens considering the story spans five issues. My favorite portions dealt with Luke trying to understand who his father was and what he had done. I enjoyed the small touches tying to the prequels, such as the use of old Acclamator-class destroyers as slave ships, and also enjoyed seeing Vader's reaction to being forced to visit one of the planets that brought up so many unpleasant recollections for him.

All in all, these issues were fine but nothing really stands out from them in particular. They're worth reading if you've been following the Empire series or if you're interested in a follow-up to Anakin's adventures on Jabiim.

When commerce trumps art.......2006-10-18

You needn't have read Clone Wars Volume 3, recounting the First Battle of Jabiim, to enjoy this volume. You will be required, though, to be forgiving of the editors at Dark Horse for handing off the final chapter of this story to a less skilled back-up artist.

Brazilian artist Adriana Melo handles the fist four chapters in journeyman fashion. She seems most skilled at portraits, but also does a good job of framing, mixing up angles and panel sizes and shapes. Her facilities are especially evident when they all but disappear after Canadian artist Michel LaCombe shows up. The framing and angles become fixed and static, and the characters are deadly stiff, exhibiting no sense of motion, quite an irony for a penciler with a background in animation. (For examples of their contrasting styles, please see accompanying images.)

The switch in artists is unfortunately not the only disappointment, though it is by far the biggest. Writer Thomas Andrews keeps things tight and does a good job weaving together the various strands of the story, but the end feels rushed, a major claim is unsupported, and a significant point in the plot is left unresolved.

Fans of the Star Wars Expanded Universe will recall the First Battle of Jabiim was fought during the Clones Wars (chronicled in Clone Wars Volume 3: Last Stand on Jabiim). This Second Battle of Jabiim takes place some 22 years later in the months following the emergence of a new hero in the Rebel Alliance, Tatooine farmboy and slayer of the Death Star, Luke Skywalker.

The young force adept still knows little about his real father, but he's about to learn a horrible truth. It was on this planet that a young Anakin Skywalker gave the order to retreat, to abandon the forces loyal to the Republic, an army that was subsequently and summarily crushed by a separatist droid army supporting a nationalist faction of Jabiimi.

Now two decades later the Alliance is on Jabiim to assist a guerilla resistance active against the Empire. Happy as they might be for whatever help they can get, many of the Jabiimi rebels are not happy that the son of Skywalker is now among them - including one high-ranking leader who wants to sell Luke and Leia to Vader in return for Jabiimi independence.

[SPOILER] In the end, Luke flees to take Imperial pressure off the Jabiimi. Like his father before him, he leaves the resistance in the lurch. Scripter Andrews tries to put a positive twist on Luke's decision by claiming Anakin never cared for the people of Jabiim, an interpretation not born out by events recorded in the first story. But to his credit, at least Andrews makes a stab at resolving this issue (however cheesy it sounds), which is more than can be said for how the tale is concluded, leaving the reader to wonder what happened to Vader's order for his Star Destroyer to scorch the planet surface. You'll have to buy a forthcoming volume to find the answer to that question. [END SPOILER]

Despite some glaring weak spots, In The Footsteps Of Their Fathers is not a horrible graphic novel. What's most frustrating about it is that, like the First Battle of Jabiim, the problems it has could have easily been addressed to make it a better than average book.

Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire (Star Wars (Dark Horse))

Average customer rating:

eh...
Above-Average
Meh.
Very good book.
Luke takes out Vader Enemy

Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire (Star Wars (Dark Horse))
John Wagner , Kilian Plunket , and variou
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1569711836

Book Description

Darth Vader wants Luke Skywalker -- alive. Prince Xizor, the largest trader in the galaxy, wants Skywalker dead. And Skywalker, along with Leia, Chewbacca, and the droids, have a goal of their own: rescue Han Solo. But Solo has been encased in carbonite and taken by the most notorious mercenary in the galaxy, Boba Fett, who intends to deliver him to Jabba the Hutt. It's a clash of good against evil, of right against wrong, and it comes to a head in the Shadows of the Empire . . . Featuring all your favorite characters from the Star Wars motion picture trilogy and a score of new ones, Shadows of the Empire is everything a Star Wars fan could hope for.

Customer Reviews:

eh..........2006-10-22

i remember reading the novel several years ago, but didnt remember specifics. i picked up a used copy of the graphic novel, and was left disappointed...the story line was very quick and choppy. princess leia's scenes with Xixor were almost laughable. the style of art and drawing didnt appeal to me at all and the colors just weren't vivid. the Swoop gangs felt very out of place and Jabba was out of character. the redeeming value was the prescence of Fett, whose part in the novel could've probably filled out the entire graphic novel. i can't wait for Dark Horse's Fett collection to come out next year.

Above-Average.......2005-12-09

A decent graphic novel. Has pretty good art, the storyline was ok, but what really ruined this for me was the unrealistic-ness. If you thought Empire vol. 1: Betrayal had cheesy dialogue by Vader, you'd hate this. Vader also seemed to be acting like a disobient 2 year old, never listening to anyone. What I also found annoying was the fact that the characters all seemed to be constantly talking to themselves. Boba Fett isn't his usual quiet, calculated self in this book. He was always taunting others and talking to himself as he tried to escape what seemed like an entire galaxy chasing him. Possibly the only cool characters in this were Luke and Dash Rendar. I've definitely read better.

Meh........2005-08-20

The novelization was much better. I did however love the Boba fett plot that was added, as well as the artists renditions of Leia and Fett. Absolutly amazing.
However it just didnt have the power of others ive read. 3 stars

Very good book........2004-09-13

I read this book in 2 hours and do not regret it. It was definetely worth the $10 I paid for it. It gets a little confusiing at times, but you just gotta keep reading it. Now you can find out when and where Luke constructed his new lightsaber, and much more. If you are a star wars fan, you won't regret it, if your not, you probaly won't have any idea whats going on.

Luke takes out Vader Enemy.......2003-07-24

Apparently Dark horse did have available any pictures of Lando or Leia because the artists did a lousy job of drawing them. Most of the time Luke was OK, but sometimes he looked like Jessica Lynch. They did do a great job drawing Fett, Vader and dash however.

Everyone is searching for Han, but he has not be taken directly to Jabba. Xizor has risen to lead Black Sun which has thrived since Darth Maul wiped out the old leadership. His newest ambition is to replace Vader as #2 in the empire. Xizor orders Luke killed knowing that Vader wants him alive. Then Xizor captured Leia.

This is one of my favorite of all the EU stories. Steve Perry has created a new and exciting Journey. The novel is 4 stars and the comic is 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Considering that Dark horse released this in 1997 before some of their awesome new production techniques, this is a very well done comic. The abridged audio cassette is good quality, but at on 2 ½ hours to much is cut.

Average customer rating:

Great bok on the topic.

Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook (Star Wars RPG)
Peter Schweighofer
Manufacturer: West End Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Dark Empire Sourcebook (Star Wars RPG)

Jedi Academy Sourcebook (Star Wars)

Shadows of the Empire: Planets Guide (Star Wars RPG)

Cracken's Threat Dossier (Star Wars RPG)

Star Wars: The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook

ASIN: 0874312817

Customer Reviews:

Great bok on the topic........2007-05-19

This is a great "Shadows of the Empire" book, unlike most other D6 Star Wars RPG books, this one is fairly limited in it's scope (obviously). All-in-all it is a good book and worth having.

Star Wars - Shadows of the Empire: Evolution

Average customer rating:

Tying Up Loose Ends
4.5 stars - An excellent Star Wars comic
Guri takes charge
Very good at first glance

Star Wars - Shadows of the Empire: Evolution
Steve Perry , Ron Randall , and Tom Simmon
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 156971441X
Release Date: 2000-03-06

Book Description

Xizor, the leader of the Black Sun criminal organization, has been destroyed, and Guri, a beautiful human-replica droid and Xizor`s personal assassin, is left wondering what her future will hold now that she no longer has anyone to answer to. Throughout the ongoing struggle for underworld supremacy, Guri endeavors to uncover hints of her human side-if it even exists. But in her quest to alter her programming and gain humanity, Guri becomes the quarry of both bounty hunters and Rebels (led by a Jedi-to-be named Luke). What secrets lie buried in her android mind that make her such valuable prey? Evolution is the sequel to the best-selling novel Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire and is the first foray into comics by best-selling Shadows novelist Steve Perry.

Customer Reviews:

Tying Up Loose Ends.......2006-04-12

For fans of the 'Movie Without The Movie' Event: Shadows of the Empire, this is a great little epilogue. Author Steve Perry takes the opportunity to explore life for Guri without Xizor and the future of Black Sun in this collected series.
The Empire is directionless, yet still dangerous, as the post-Jedi years continue on. Looking for allies, Luke, Leia, and Han get caught up in this tale that is artistically lighter than its predecessor. And also, learn Dash Rendar's true fate!

Recommended for die hard Star Wars nuts, and a nice read for an occasional fan.

4.5 stars - An excellent Star Wars comic.......2005-08-26

Shadows Of The Empire: Evolution.

INTRODUCTION:
The Star Wars film series is, without question, the greatest science fiction series of all time. George Lucas captured the minds of people young and old across the world. But as anyone knows, there are only a limited number of films, and for many people, this just wasn't enough. And thus, the Star Wars Expanded Universe was born. The Expanded Universe consisted of comic books, video games, novels, and other media. Many of the stories focused on the characters in the films, many focused on unknown characters from the same universe. Among the authors who tried their hands at creating Star Wars comics was Steve Perry (this is NOT the same guy who sang for the rock group Journey.) Perry was a fairly notable science fiction author, and circa 1996, his Shadows Of The Empire novel was released. The novel was a smash hit, and remains one of the Expanded Universe's most popular. Late in the nineties, Perry teamed with two others to try his hand at making a comic book for the first time. What resulted was Shadows Of The Empire: Evolution, somewhat of a sequel to his previous Star Wars novel. Read on and see how it fares!

STORYLINE:
It is not long after the death of Emperor Palpatine. This comic takes place between the novels The Truce At Bakura and The Courtship Of Princess Leia, meaning it takes place around the same time as the earlier X-Wing novels. The Black Sun criminal organization, despite the death of its leader Prince Xizor, still exists. The few factions remaining are at war with one another. Xizor's niece aims to unite the factions and rebuild the criminal empire, but to do it, she'll need Guri, the human replica droid that once served as Xizor's bodyguard/servant. Guri is alive, and seeks to have herself reprogrammed, not wanting to be an assassin anymore. Unfortunately, her quest for reprogramming is not an easy one, and before long, all your favorite classic Star Wars characters are thrown into the mix. Everyone fast comes to realize - the Emperor may be dead, but threats are still looming all around the galaxy....

OPINIONS:
Overall, this is a very good story, and the excellent artwork only adds to the experience. Even though Steve Perry had never created a comic book prior to this one, his first attempt at it is nothing short of excellent. There's really not a whole lot to say. The story is good, the art is good, practically everything about this story is done well. My only real complaints are that I wish the story had been longer, and that some scenes seem a bit rushed. Other than that, awesome story. This was my first Star Wars comic book, and I'll definitely be checking out more of them.

EDITION NOTES:
This story is EXTREMELY hard to find, which is a damn shame, since it's such a good one. Take my advice, though - look in COMIC BOOK stores, not regular bookstores. Either way, if you're a Star Wars fan, it's worth searching for.

OVERALL:
Can I really say anything else? If you're a fan of Star Wars, you shouldn't overlook the comic books. And this one is, quite literally, one of the best of the lot. It's tough to find, but if you can, I think you'll be impressed. I hope Steve Perry will be making additional Star Wars comics, because his first attempt at it is great. Final verdict? This story is highly recommended!

Guri takes charge.......2003-07-24

I am reviewing Shadow of the Empire ý Evolution ISBN 156971441X A Dark Horse TPB Ccomic published Feb., 2000 at 120 pages, printed in Canada. This is the one with the blond Guri dominating the cover. Not the one with Boba fett dominating the cover. Sorry for all that, but some of the reviews here are for the first SHADOWS comic based on the novel. This comic, Evolution, is not based on a book but rather collects 5 issues into one story called a TPB.

Evolution picked up after the apparent death of Xizor in SOTE, which took place between ESB and ROTJ in year 3 After New Hope on the timeline. Evolution takes place at about the same time as ROTJ in year 4 ANH. This is a story featuring Guri, Xizors personal assassin. She is a beautiful, blond human-replica droid who likes reflex blue outfits and wonders if a droid can dream. Steve Perry, the author that brought us the SOTE journey joins Dark horse as the story writer.

This comic was produced at a time that the inking, coloring and manufacturer techniques were starting to produce superior looking comics. Because it was made in Canada, the binding is excellent, a problem with later TPB comics made in China.

The art style is cartoonish, one I generally do not care for, but it works here. Regardless of whether you like the cartoonish style, the pencil art is excellent and detailed. An interesting thing that I noticed was that special care was taken to draw Luke and Leia to look like the real actors that they are. Dark horse has been criticized by me and others for allowing their artists to just wing in when drawing Luke, Leia and Lando. The SW reader knows what these 3 people are supposed to look like, and a lazy pencil artist canýt fly that one past us. Well I say all that to congratulate the Artist and editor here for getting Luke and Leia right.

Oh yes, if you like to look at the female body as an art form, you will like this comic. At times it is sexy without being obscene so you can still read it to your 5 and 6 year kids.

The inking and color here are almost awesome. By 2002 the process that they are evolving will mature into jaw dropping visual art. This one was pretty close.

SPOILER!! Guri doesnýt die in this comic. I seem to remember listening to a book on tape where Guri came up in the story, but I canýt recall if it was a NJO or Prequel book.

With the pencils, ink and color all rated at 3.5 to 4, and a story that is good, 3 to 3.5 I decided that this is a 4 star effort and a recommended read.

Very good at first glance.......2000-03-07

At first glance, Shadows of the Empire: Evolution is a very good and interesting book. The continuing story of Guri, Xizor's second in command, is supplemented by good artwork and not too much boring dialogue, and complimented by plenty of action.

Unfortunately, when you look at it again a bunch of little details crop up. First of all, why didn't Xizor's niece have that huge spinal ridge thingie? It has been established that all Falleen, male and female, do have it, so why didn't she? So she would fit into her human costume? So she would be easier to draw?

Next is another minor technical thing. Supposedly taking place immediately after Return of the Jedi, but before Vandelhelm Mission and all that, it just doesn't fit in properly. If they'd made it take place during the same time as the early Rogue Squadron comics it would have been much better.

All the females in the comic for some reason are unrealistic. The Pikkel sisters, who have mastered Teras Kasi among various other martial arts, are in pretty good condition, but are too buxom. In my experience, most female dancers and athletes don't have such huge breasts. Leia is also too slender and buxom, as is the Falleen, and all of the other women in the comic. I know it's probably more fun for the illustrator's that way, but it's unrealistic.

The inclusion of Dash in this comic was kind of a corny stretch as well, and the Imperials at the beginning were kind of random. Since when does a Star Destroyer on random patrol randomly open fire on a civilian ship legitimately passing through the sector? And since when can a "full spread" of all of five or six proton torpedoes destroy an ImpStar? Oh well.

I applaud the authors for some other details, though. All of the aurebesh really translates, it's not just random lines, and all of the art is pretty good. There wasn't excessive dialogue, but there was some good humor, and a neat look at Guri's past. Besides the fact that the story is completely inconsequential in the grand {Star Wars} scheme of things, it's quite nice.

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Shadows of the Empire - An Audio Adventure.......2007-07-08

If I could, I'd give this 4 1/2 stars, for as much I enjoyed this abridgement, there was one small thing that bothered me: it doesn't use much of the Shadows of the Empire soundtrack, by Joel McNeely, aside from Xizor's Theme. There is great music on that CD, and I was hoping a lot of it was used in this one.

Still, it was a wonderful performance by TV, movie actor Anthony Heald, (TV's Boston Public, "Silence of the Lambs") whom I've enjoyed as an actor for years. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of voices he uses in this for the different Star Wars characters, most notably Darth Vader, which was electronically modified and deepened, giving the listener a good mental image of the Sith Lord, though the voice is definitely not James Earl Jones, or even the late Brock Peters(voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars Radio Drama Trilogy), but it is sufficient.

Some of the other reviewers have noted that since this is an abridgement, a lot of material is removed from the performance. This is a fact, but in my humble opinion, it does not overly hurt the story. To my knowledge, there is not an unabridged version available.

But I'm glad to have this in my audio book collection. It's good listening while I'm in my car, working. Better that than most of the garbage on radio these days!

Good, but not filling.......2005-05-12

This review covers the audio cassette book (2 tapes, 3 hours). This was a pretty good tale, but, as an abridged version, it felt like some things were left on the cutting room floor. Once again, Anthony Heald does a great job in acting out all the various characters. The story line was weak and choppy. It does, however, fill in some of the gaps between episodes V and VI, so worth listening to for that. The sound-effects were well done, with the usual music score from the movies. Worth the purchase price.

Vader vs Xizor, and the journey to find Han.......2003-07-24

Anthony Heald is the great. He is so good that I'd rather listen to him do a book than the dramatizations I've heard.

This is a review of Shadow of the Empire which is available as a hard cover book of 340 (ISBN 0553574132) pages, a comic (isbn 1569711836), a novelization of 176 pages (isbn 044013036) and audio cassette (isbn 0553100890). This story tales places between ESB and ROTJ. I always felt it was one of the more important stories of the Expanded Universe given that Xizor became an action figure as did Dash Render and his ship (Outrider). The whole gang is in this one even Han, though is encased in carbonite. We get Vader, the emperor, Fett, Guri, Boosk, 4-Lom, Jabba, Zuckuss and Wedge along with the regular gang of heroes.
Apparently Dark horse did have available any pictures of Lando or Leia because the artists did a lousy job of drawing them. Most of the time Luke was OK, but sometimes he looked like Jessica Lynch. They did do a great job drawing Fett, Vader and dash however.
Everyone is searching for Han, but he has not be taken directly to Jabba. Xizor has risen to lead Black Sun which has thrived since Darth Maul wiped out the old leadership. His newest ambition is to replace Vader as #2 in the empire. Xizor orders Luke killed knowing that Vader wants him alive. Then Xizor captured Leia.

This is one of my favorite of all the EU stories. Steve Perry has created a new and exciting Journey. The novel is 4 stars and the comic is 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Considering that Dark horse released this in 1997 before some of their awesome new production techniques, this is a very well done comic. The abridged audio cassette is good quality, but at on 2 ½ hours to much is cut.

READ THIS BOOK!!!.......2003-01-28

My dad got me this tape for getting a good report card and I was very satisfied. I originally thought that this would be a boring book but I was wrong. This book has a very good plot.

The 3 most powerful person in the galaxy is Prince Xizor. Darth Vader killed Xizor's familly and now Xizor wants revenge. Using his crime syndicate, Black Sun, he plots to kill Luke, Vader's son.

Anyone who has even a faint interest in Star Wars should read this book. It is one of the best Star Wars books so far. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes sci-fi stories for this is one of the best. I only wish Xizor was in it more.

Xizor rocks!.......2001-08-02

I love this book for the simple fact its got not one, not two, but three villains. Aside from my fave, Palpatine, it introduces another, Prince Xizor who dares to go up against another fave Lord Vader. Its an action packed book with lots of scheming, dirty dealings and fighting scenes. The glimpses into Vader's thoghts was a real treat and I was glad to see that the ending left you guessing a bit. A great addition to the Star Wars saga. Anthony heald who is my favorite narrator in audiobooks does a fantastic job bringing each character to life; using sound effects i.e mechanical breathing when Vader was speaking was a nice touch and you got to love Xizor's theme which plays throughout this great audio production; one of my top audiobooks in my collection and one which has given me countless hours of listening enjoyment. Highly recommended.

The Secrets of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

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The Secrets of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Mark Vaz
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345402367
Release Date: 1996-04-30

Book Description

Between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the galaxy was plunged into the shadows . . .
STAR WARS(c) : SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE v
The minds behind the Star Wars galaxy have created a phenomenon of epic proportions, designed to unfold in nearly every medium at their disposal. This intensely researched volume guides you through this Star Wars event--as its creators reveal the secrets behind the multimedia release of the year. The tendrils of this dark drama will reach throughout the Star Wars galaxy:
--The evil crimelord Xizor challenges the power of Darth Vader in an exciting new novel of Imperial intrigue.
--Leia, Lando, and Dash Rendar launch an all-out attempt to rescue Han Solo in a state-of-the-art Nintendo video game.
--Xizor's agents search the galaxy for Luke Skywalker in the taut comic book mini-series. Their mission: kill the son of Vader.
--The secrets of the Imperial homeworld are revealed in brilliantly painted trading cards.
--A fully orchestrated soundtrack and exciting new Star Wars action figures embellish the adventure.
STAR WARS: THE SECRETS OF SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE provides the official guide to the heroes, the villains, and all the major combatants.
When this war is over, only one will control the Empire's violent
underworld. . . .

Shadows of the Empire: Planets Guide (Star Wars RPG)

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Shadows of the Empire: Planets Guide (Star Wars RPG)

Manufacturer: West End Games, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook (Star Wars RPG)

ASIN: 0874312841

Secrets of the Sisar Run (Star Wars RPG: Shadows of the Empire)

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Secrets of the Sisar Run (Star Wars RPG: Shadows of the Empire)
Craig Robert Carey , Shane Hensely , and Pablo Hidalgo
Manufacturer: West End Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)
Steve Perry
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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