They believed the Empire was finally defeated. Five years have passed since the victory over the Emperor, and the galaxy is trying to recover from the effects of the war. Thousands of light-years away, the last of the imperial warlords, the brilliant Grand Admiral Thrawn, has taken command of the shattered imperial fleet and is directing it towards the still-weak New Republic. For Thrawn has made two crucial discoveries that could destroy everything for which Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and all the brave rebels have fought so hard. The anniversary edition of the bestselling novel - now with an introduction and notes by the author Timothy Zahn, exclusive comments from Lucasfilm and the original publisher, as well as a brand-new bonus story.