Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (novel)

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is a novel penned by Steve Perry and released in 1996. The story unfolds in the time frame between the cinematic releases of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. It formed a key component of the broader Shadows of the Empire multimedia initiative.

Publisher's summary

Hardcover

Back Cover

The galaxy faces a moment of peril. Han Solo, encased in carbonite, is en route to the clutches of the nefarious Jabba the Hutt. While Princess Leia orchestrates a daring rescue and Darth Vader relentlessly pursues Luke Skywalker across the cosmos, a new and menacing presence arises. A shrewd and merciless figure, commanding a formidable criminal organization, seeks to challenge Vader for the favor of their shared master...the dreaded Emperor.

Inside flap

This individual is known as Xizor, the Underlord presiding over Black Sun, a criminal syndicate spanning the galaxy. His ambition is to usurp Darth Vader's position as Emperor Palpatine's most trusted advisor. To achieve this, he devises an ingenious and malevolent scheme to undermine Vader in the Emperor's estimation. However, for the time being, he forges a sinister alliance with the Dark Lord, united by their common objective: the young Rebel hero, Luke Skywalker.

As Vader and Xizor lay their trap for Luke, Han Solo remains imprisoned, frozen within a carbonite block. Grief-stricken by the apparent loss of her beloved, Princess Leia embarks on a rescue mission to liberate Han. She seeks assistance from Luke, who is diligently honing his Force abilities at Ben Kenobi's former residence on the outskirts of Tatooine's Western Dune Sea. Skywalker assembles a skilled combat team, including Wedge Antilles and his renowned X-wing squadron, Lando Calrissian, and the mercenary Dash Rendar. Nevertheless, the ensuing battle to rescue Han deviates significantly from their initial plans, as the Empire's spies are ubiquitous.

Adding to the complexity, Xizor, despite his cold and reptilian nature, possesses a captivating charisma that even Leia finds difficult to completely resist. Against Chewbacca's better judgment, who has vowed to protect her from harm, Leia willingly enters Xizor's domain, engaging in a perilous game of passion and willpower to acquire the information necessary to defeat him. Simultaneously, Luke becomes the target of a conspiracy involving assassins and bounty hunters recruited by Xizor's lieutenant, Guri, a beautiful yet deadly Human replicant. As the conflict between Xizor and Vader intensifies, Luke finds himself as a potential prize for the two most malevolent entities in the galaxy — one desiring him alive, and the other seeking his demise.

In a climactic and explosive confrontation, the Rebels must infiltrate Xizor's seemingly impenetrable fortress and confront the combined might of Black Sun and the Empire in the depths of space. With treachery and death lurking at every turn, Luke, Leia, Lando, and Chewie must utilize every available weapon and resource, including the Rebel fleet and some unexpected new allies, to emerge victorious. In Shadows of the Empire, Steve Perry contributes an enthralling new chapter to the Star Wars saga, introducing significant new characters and situations that no Star Wars enthusiast will want to miss.

Paperback

The galaxy is in a state of emergency. Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, is being transported to the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. As Princess Leia launches a rescue operation with the help of Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, and a talented young pilot, Darth Vader finds himself in opposition to a cunning and ruthless adversary. Xizor, the leader of a powerful criminal syndicate, aims to take Vader's place in the favor of their shared master, the dreaded Emperor. Their target: Luke Skywalker. Suddenly, Luke is caught between two of the galaxy's most evil forces - one wanting him alive, and the other wanting him dead.

Plot summary

Princess Leia Organa puts together a team with the goal of saving Han Solo, who is frozen in carbonite, from Boba Fett, the well-known bounty hunter, as he delivers Han to Jabba the Hutt. The operation fails, and Fett successfully escapes with Han.

In the meantime, Darth Vader is on the hunt for his son, Luke Skywalker, with the intention of turning him to the dark side of the Force. However, Prince Xizor, who is the head of the Black Sun crime organization, is plotting to assassinate Luke. Xizor acts as if he wants Luke to become an agent of Palpatine's Galactic Empire, similar to Vader's objective. Despite Vader's awareness of Xizor's schemes, Palpatine compels his apprentice to place trust in the prince.

To draw Luke in for an assassination attempt, Xizor orchestrates the kidnapping of Princess Leia. Luke, Lando Calrissian, and Dash Rendar infiltrate Xizor's palace through underground passages to rescue Leia, leading to a confrontation that results in the palace's destruction. While Luke, Leia, Lando, and Dash manage to escape, Xizor also evades capture. Ultimately, a battle unfolds over Imperial Center, culminating in Xizor's death during the destruction of his own skyhook.

The novel concludes with Luke and Leia making plans to rescue Han from Jabba the Hutt's clutches, setting the stage for Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.

Development

The novel's origins lie in the comprehensive notes and outline crafted by its author, Steve Perry, during meetings with other executives at Skywalker Ranch. This collaborative process ensured that the novel would gain universal approval and adhere to a unified vision. Perry then completed a 400-page draft of the novel within the initial four months. Perry aimed to portray Vader as vulnerable and somewhat frustrated, highlighting the lingering presence of Anakin Skywalker's spirit and the influence of paternal instincts. Perry focused on visualizing scenes and dialogues, rehearsing lines to ensure they sounded authentic to Vader's character.

While adhering to the established outline, Perry also had to incorporate input from the other Shadows of the Empire projects, maintaining frequent communication with Ryder Windham to guarantee consistency with the comic adaptation.

When questioned about content that was either removed or debated during the novel's development, Steve Perry recounted, "I had an idea for Luke and Lando to stop at the Star Wars equivalent of a gas station to use a payphone, but I was the only one who found it amusing. Initially, there was resistance to the idea of droids piloting the Millennium Falcon, but I pleaded for the opportunity to try it out and offered to remove it if it didn't work. Ultimately, they decided they liked it."

The cover art was created by Drew Struzan, renowned for his work on the Special Edition posters for the Original trilogy, the Indiana Jones film series, and numerous Star Wars book covers. The initial draft depicted Luke towering over smaller figures of the villains, including an early rendition of Xizor. The back cover was intended to feature Leia and C-3PO, with the Millennium Falcon and a TIE fighter in the background. In April 1995, Lucy Autrey Wilson provided reference materials and notes, specifying that Luke should wear the khaki vest, clarifying Xizor's color palette, and replacing C-3PO and the ships with Boba Fett and a swoop. Further corrections for Xizor were suggested in June. The final cover portrays the Dark Side as triumphant, looming over an intimidated Luke. The planet in the background unifies the front and back covers, conveying a sense of "grandeur and scope" while also evoking a feeling of foreboding with its "weird colors."

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