The Hand of Thrawn are a pair of novel

Novel

A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....

s set in the Star Wars

Star Wars

Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...

Expanded Universe

Star Wars Expanded Universe

The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...

 galaxy

Star Wars Galaxy

Star Wars Galaxy may mean:* Star Wars Galaxies, a Star Wars themed MMORPG platform for Microsoft Windows* Star Wars galaxy, the fictional galaxy where the setting of the Star Wars saga occurs...

, which were written by famed Star Wars author Timothy Zahn

Timothy Zahn

Timothy Zahn is a writer of science fiction short stories and novels. His novella Cascade Point won the 1984 Hugo award. He is the author of nine Star Wars Expanded Universe novels, including seven novels featuring Grand Admiral Thrawn: the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn duology, Outbound...

. The books continue Zahn's eight-book series which chronologically began with the Outbound Flight Project.

Series novels

1. Specter of the Past
   Specter of the Past
   Specter of the Past is the first of the two Hand of Thrawn novels by Timothy Zahn. Chronologically, it is the fourth in the Thrawn series.-Setting:...
   
   (1997) ISBN 0-553-09542-0
2. Vision of the Future
   Vision of the Future
   Vision of the Future is the second of the two Hand of Thrawn novels by Timothy Zahn. This, the final book written by Zahn that relates to Grand Admiral Thrawn, takes place 10 years after The Last Command, in 19 ABY.-Summary:...
   
   (1998) ISBN 0-553-10035-1

Characters

The continuing Star Wars saga includes Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...

, Princess Leia, Han Solo

Han Solo

Han Solo is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise played by Harrison Ford. Introduced in the film Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope , Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot, Chewbacca , become involved in the Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire...

, C-3PO

C-3PO

C-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...

, R2-D2

R2-D2

R2-D2 , is a character in the Star Wars universe. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character throughout all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga...

, Lando Calrissian

Lando Calrissian

Lando Calrissian is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is portrayed by Billy Dee Williams in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...

, Mara Jade Skywalker, Talon Karrde, Wedge Antilles

Wedge Antilles

Wedge Antilles is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is a supporting character portrayed by Denis Lawson in the original Star Wars trilogy. Antilles, also called the "greatest ace" pilot in the Rebel Alliance, also appears in the Star Wars Expanded Universe and is the lead...

, Corran Horn, Gilad Pellaeon, and various other Imperial personnel.

Plot summary

The New Republic

New Republic (Star Wars)

The New Republic is a government in the fictional Star Wars universe.When the Rebel Alliance re-established the Old Galactic Republic after the downfall of the Galactic Empire, it became known as the New Republic, just as the original Galactic Republic had become known as the Old Republic by that...

's stability is threatened by infighting and rumors that the tactical genius Grand Admiral Thrawn

Grand Admiral Thrawn

Grand Admiral Thrawn is a fictional character and major antagonist from the Star Wars galaxy. He first appeared in Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy, published between 1992 and 1994...

 has returned from the dead.

Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, uncertain of the directions his life is taking, tries to reduce his use of the Force

Force (Star Wars)

The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...

 for unnecessary things. He runs into trouble, and is rescued by an old friend, Mara Jade. Mara and Talon Karrde then pick up strange signals from alien ships. Mara follows one, and becomes stranded on an unknown planet.

It is revealed that the Imperial remnant is attempting to revive sleeper cells of clone

Cloning

Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...

 troopers. Leia and Han attempt to deal with this issue, while Chewbacca

Chewbacca

Chewbacca, also known as Chewie, is a character in the Star Wars franchise, portrayed by Peter Mayhew. In the series' narrative chronology, he appears in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...

 takes the children to Kashyyyk

Kashyyyk

Kashyyyk , also known as Wookiee Planet C, is a planet in the Star Wars universe. It is the tropical, forested home world of the Wookiees...

 for safety.

Mara, out of contact with the New Republic, is seen by Luke in a disturbing vision. Luke sets out, with R2-D2, to help.

Many of the main characters become wrapped up in the search for the Caamas document, which supposedly contains information as to who destroyed the Caamasi homeworld. Han and Lando go to the Imperial capitol, Bastion, to search. Talon Karrde and the Mistryl bodyguard Shada D'ukal, along with C-3PO, also depart to search for it.

Luke meets a race of pterodactyl-like creatures and finds Mara, and they embark on a journey to discover more about the fortress they are inside.

Proposal

Vision of the Future is the book in which Luke proposes to Mara Jade when they believe they are going to die.