Survivor's Quest

Timothy Zahn

2000 • 482 pages

Ratings21

Average rating3.6

Sometimes it seems a Jedi’s work is never done and Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker know this only too well. Despite the bond they share in the Force, after three years of marriage the Jedi Master and his wife are still learning the ropes of being a couple—and struggling to find time together between the constant demands of duty. But all that will change when they’re united on an unexpected mission—and must pool their exceptional skills to combat an insidious enemy . . . and salvage a part of Jedi history.

It begins with a message from a surprising source: Nirauan, the planet where Thrawn, dangerous disciple of Emperor Palpatine, once held sway . . . and from which Luke and Mara barely escaped with their lives. The message itself is shocking. After fifty years, the remains of Outbound Flight—a pioneering Jedi expedition viciously destroyed by Thrawn—have been found on Nirauan. Now, the fiercely honor-bound aliens who reside there wish to turn over the remnants of the doomed mission to the New Republic. Accepting the gesture will mean a long voyage into the treacherous cluster of stars where the thousands of souls aboard the Outbound Flight vessel met their grim fate. But it may also mean something more . . . something that has stirred an inexplicable sense of foreboding in Mara.

Whatever may await, the Skywalkers will not face it alone. Joining them on the strange and solemn journey are an officer of the post-Palpatine Empire, escorted by a detachment of Imperial stormtroopers; a party of diplomats from a gentle alien species that reveres the fallen Jedi for saving them from bloodthirsty conquerors; and a New Republic ambassador who harbors his own mysterious agenda.

Soon enough, suspicion, secrecy, and an unknown saboteur run rampant aboard the isolated ship. But it is within the derelict walls of Outbound Flight itself, buried for half a century on a desolate planetoid, where the gravest danger lies. As the marooned hulk yields up stunning revelations and unexpected terrors to its visitors, Luke and Mara find all they stand for—and their very existence—brutally challenged. And the ultimate test will be surviving the deathtrap carefully laid by foes who are legendary for their ruthlessness . . . and determined to complete the job Thrawn began: exterminating the Jedi.

Genres

Want to edit this book?Become a Librarian

Series

331 released books

Star Wars Legends

Star Wars Legends is a 331-book series with 331 released primary works first released in 1976 with contributions by George Lucas, Alan Dean Foster, and Geraldine Richelson.

Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker

El ojo de la mente

Popular Reviews

Reviews with the most likes.

Gabriel

This is another wet-dream book for me.

Luke and Mara the whole way through! What more could I want?

Married couple Luke and Mara are amazing to read together. Their chemistry is at its best and they are so good for eachother. They are an amazing team, and I love their interactions and how they work together well in this book.

Finally uncovering the mystery of Outbound Flight in this novel was absolutely thrilling, and we also finally get educated about the unknown regions, something I am excited to learn more about in the New Jedi Order, hopefully!

This novel has a plethora of great characters, as any Zahn novel does, including the suspicious but incredibly talented empire from Nirauan (which includes the 501st!).

The Vagaari are brilliant villains, extremely evil, but without the knowledge they need, they truly struggle against Luke and Mara as they wipe the floor with them repeatedly.

Mara is especially badass in this novel - in one particular moment, the Vagaari attack with their wolvkils which seem invincible as they have no knowledge of the lightsabers, and Mara effortlessly kills one in a single swing.

This novel truly understands Luke, as he tries his best to avoid killing the wolvkils, at one moment using the force to make them unconscious.

A beautiful line describes his character perfectly, “Even as the years had grown and matured and hardened him, the inner core of idealism and mercy he'd brought with him out of that moisture farm on Tatooine had never faltered.”

I love Luke!

Dean Jinzler is a really good character, who starts off mysterious, but gets better as we learn more about him. He has a really good, emotional arc that actually made me feel something!

The survivor's of Outbound Flight are an interesting set of characters, and it's cool to see how a society could form and live in the remnants of the flight.

Although we learn a lot about what happened, most of the major details are still lost to time, which makes me excited to read the novel ‘Outbound Flight!'

There is an unnerving suggestion from Mara that Luke agrees to, which makes perfect sense, as everything goes according to plan almost unnaturally well for the Empire from Nirauan, as they suggest that maybe Thrawn is helping them, that maybe the clone didn't die, or that Thrawn has other clones.

But either way, Thrawn is on their side. For now...

Overall, a fantastic standalone novel that bridges the gap between the Bantam era of New Republic novels and the New Jedi Order, further developing Luke and Mara's married relationship, which is intensely fun to read for me!

July 24, 2024

Mark Martinez

Timothy Zahn lit a fire in the Star Wars universe several years ago when he authored the Thrawn trilogy, beginning with Heir to the Empire. He resumes telling the story of Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade Skywalker in Survivor's Quest, sort of a mystery, which also explores Mara's doubts about her chosen path. An entertaining read. Zahn is also working on a followup to this novel.

Published in hardcover by Del Rey.

March 22, 2004