A Certain Point of View: Writing, Film and Stuff

Cover art by Tom Jung. (C) 1993 Bantam Spectra and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) In 1991, eight years after the release of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Lucasfilm's licensing division authorized various projects to revive interest in George Lucas' characters and situations in advance of both the 20th Anniversary of the Star Wars Trilogy and to create fan anticipation for the still-in-planning prequel trilogy. Among the many ideas that were given the green light was a publishing concept known as Star Wars: The Expanded Universe, which entailed hiring some of the best science fiction and fantasy writers to create new "further adventures" featuring Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Artoo Detoo (R2-D2) and See Threepio (C-3PO) and set in the time period immediately after Return of the Jedi. Although there were many authors involved and not all the stories would be in the same format (Dark Horse Comics, for instance, would publish the Dark

(C) 2014 LucasBooks and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) Cover art by Tom Jung In 1991, Bantam Books and Lucasfilm Ltd. reinvigorated interest in the  Star Wars  universe (well, galaxy) by gathering a diverse group of noted science fiction writers and starting an ongoing series of novels set in the time period which follows  Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi .  Timothy Zahn's  Heir to the Empire , the first volume of a three-book cycle, was almost an instant phenomenon when it was published in hardcover. With its depiction of the continuing battle between what is left of the Galactic Empire and the fledgling New Republic, this novel cleverly mixes the characters from the Classic Trilogy with a cast of newly created heroes and villains, some of whom will make appearances in other authors'  Star Wars  Expanded Universe works.  As  Heir to the Empire  begins, the New Republic has been engaged in a five-year long campaign to mop up the remnants of the once-mighty Empire. The once dr