Crystal Star

First Timothy Zahn reopened the door to George Lucas's dazzling universewith his "New York Times" -bestselling "Star Wars" trilogy. ThenKathy Tyers's "The Truce at Bakura" took readers back to the fateful daysfollowing the events in "Return of the Jedi." And with "The Courtshipof Princess Leia" Dave Wolverton chronicled Han Solo's turbulent campaignfor the princess's hand. Now, award-winning author Vonda N. McIntyre continuesthe tradition as the ultimate space adventure unfolds in "The CrystalStar."

Princess Leia is dealt a crushing blow when her three children--Anakin and thetwins Jaina and Jacen--are kidnapped. Leia's advisers counsel her to wait fora ransom note, but waiting is the hardest thing for a mother to do when herchildren are in danger--and worse than waiting is her discovery that she cannotsense her children through the Force.

Ultimately, the princess has no choice. She, Chewbacca, and Artoo-Detoo trackthe kidnappers, following their trail to a disabled refugee ship where theanswers provided by Rillao, a mysterious fugitive, only provoke more questions.The refugees' children are also missing--and Rillao thinks she knows who hasthem: a powerful Imperial officer named Hethrir who has his own twisted plansto restore the Empire to its former glory.

Meanwhile, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker are on a separate mission to the planetCrseih to investigate a report of a lost group of Jedi. Crseih is at the mercyof strange quantum effects caused by the death of a nearby star that is slowlyfreezing into a uniquely perfect crystal. This crystal star causes adisruption in the Force, blunting Luke's power and cutting the MillenniumFalcon off from Leia and their homebase.

What Han and Luke find on the planet is even stranger than a crystallizing sun: a charismatic alien named Waru who has attracted a following of fanatic devoteethrough his miraculous healing powers. Is Waru a being of benevolence? Or dohis healing arts conceal a darker purpose? As Leia, Chewbacca, and Rillaofollow Hethri trail of treachery across space, Luke and Han draw closer to thetruth behind Waru' sinister cult. Ultimately they will face anexplosive showdown that could determine not only their own fates and the fateof the New Republic but whether the universeitself will survive.

The "New York Times" Bestseller

Praise for previous "Star Wars" adventures:

"Heir to the Empire: "

"Chock full of all the good stuff you've come to expect from a battle ofgood against evil."
-- "Daily News," New York

"Dark Force Rising: "

"Zahn has perfectly captured the pace and flavor of the "Star Wars" movies. This is space opera at its best."
"--Sunday Oklahoman"