Timothy Zahn (1951-) Biography

Born 1951, in Chicago, IL; Education: Michigan State University, B.A., 1973; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, M.A., 1975, further graduate study, 1975-80. Hobbies and other interests: Classical music (particularly nineteenth-century Romantic era), crossword puzzles, martial arts.

Addresses

Agent—Russell Galen, Scovil, Chichak, Galen Literary Agency, 381 Park Ave. S., Suite 1020, New York, NY 10016.

Career

Writer.

Member

Science Fiction Writers of America.

Honors Awards

Hugo Award nominations, World Science Fiction Convention, 1983, for "Pawn's Gambit," and 1985, for "Return to the Fold"; Hugo Award for best novella, 1984, for Cascade Point.

Writings

SCIENCE FICTION

The Blackcollar, DAW Books (New York, NY), 1983.

A Coming of Age, Bluejay (New York, NY), 1984.

Cobra (also see below), Baen (New York, NY), 1985.

Timothy Zahn

Spinneret (first published serially in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, July-October, 1985), Bluejay (New York, NY), 1985.

Blackcollar: The Backlash Mission, DAW Books (New York, NY), 1986.

Cascade Point (stories), Bluejay (New York, NY), 1986, title novella bound with Hardfought by Greg Bear, Tor Books (New York, NY), 1988.

Cobra Strike (also see below), Baen (New York, NY), 1986.

Triplet, Baen (New York, NY), 1987.

Cobra Bargain (also see below), Baen (New York, NY), 1988.

Deadman Switch, Baen (New York, NY), 1988.

Time Bomb and Zahndry Others (stories), Baen (New York, NY), 1988.

Warhorse, Baen (New York, NY), 1990.

Heir to the Empire ("Star Wars Thrawn Trilogy," Vol. 1), Bantam (New York, NY), 1991.

Distant Friends and Others (stories), Baen (New York, NY), 1992.

Cobras Two, Baen (New York, NY), 1992.

Dark Force Rising ("Star Wars Thrawn Trilogy," Vol. 2), Bantam (New York, NY), 1992.

The Last Command ("Star Wars Thrawn Trilogy," Vol. 3), Bantam (New York, NY), 1993.

Conquerors' Pride, Bantam (New York, NY), 1994.

Conquerors' Heritage, Bantam (New York, NY), 1995.

Conquerors' Legacy, Bantam (New York, NY), 1996.

Specter of the Past ("Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn," Vol. 1), Bantam (New York, NY), 1997.

Vision of the Future ("Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn," Vol. 2), Bantam (New York, NY), 1998.

(Author of introduction) Stephen J. Sansweet, The Star Wars Encyclopedia, Ballantine (New York, NY), 1998.

The Icarus Hunt, Bantam (New York, NY), 1999.

(With Michael A. Stackpole) Star Wars—Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand (graphic novel), illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra, Dark Horse Comics (Milwaukie, OR), 1999.

Angelmass, Tor (New York, NY), 2001.

Manta's Gift, Tor (New York, NY), 2002.

Star Song and Other Stories, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2002.

Dragon and Thief ("Dragonback Adventure," Vol. 1), Tor (New York, NY), 2003.

Dragon and Soldier ("Dragonback Adventure," Vol. 2), Tor (New York, NY), 2004.

Cobra Trilogy (includes Cobra, Cobra Strike, and Cobra Bargain), Baen Books (Riverdale, NY), 2004.

Star Wars: Survivor's Quest, Ballantine (New York, NY), 2004.

The Green and the Gray, Tor (New York, NY), 2004.

Work included in anthologies, including The 1983 Annual World's Best SF, edited by Donald A. Wollheim, DAW (New York, NY), 1983, and Alien Stars, edited by Elizabeth Mitchell, Baen (New York, NY), 1985. Contributor of numerous stories and novelettes to magazines, including Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, Ares, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Fantasy Gamer, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Rigel, and Space Gamer.

Adaptations

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire was adapted as an audiobook, read by Denis Lawson, Bantam (New York, NY), 1991.

Sidelights

Timothy Zahn is known for penning novels of military science fiction featuring fully realized, complex characters who often face moral dilemmas that involve conflicts Two antagonistic groups of alien refugees live in New York City, disguised as humans and preparing for a monumental battle which can only be prevented by a group of implausible New Yorkers who find they must be the champions for peace. (Cover illustration by Jim Burns.) between human and alien cultures. He frequently focuses on seemingly impossible situations—such as dealing with uninhabitable planets or tyrannical alien rulers—and shows how ingenious, inventive, and determined individuals manage to find solutions. In addition to such popular sci-fi novels as The Icarus Hunt and Angelmass, Zahn has also moved toward the literary terrain bordering mainstream fiction, writing such books as The Green and the Gray, a mystery that finds a New York City cop entering a battle between two alien—and hidden—races when he comes to the aid of a married couple and an odd twelve-year-old girl. He is also well known to many readers for his contributions to the ongoing "Star Wars" book series based on the popular feature films, as well as for the wealth of short fiction he has published in magazines and which has appeared in science-fiction anthologies.

When Zahn decided to first try his hand at writing, he had no idea how successful he would become: he just knew he enjoyed making up entertaining stories. Working towards a Ph.D. in physics at the University of Illinois, Zahn began writing science fiction as a hobby. "I was working on a mathematical project that really wasn't going anywhere," he told Chris Knight in an online interview for TheForce.Net. "It was something we hoped would be useful in plasma physics. It wasn't really working. My advisor was too stubborn to give up. And he was out of town a lot, so it gave me a fair amount of time while I was stuck waiting for him to get back into town with not much to do, so I started writing as kind of a hobby." In 1978, when he sold "Ernie," his first story, he considered taking a year off after graduation and writing fiction full time. Zahn's plans changed completely in mid-1979, when his thesis advisor died unexpectedly. The then-graduate student was faced with the prospect of beginning a new project with another professor, and decided to take time off to write instead. The nine stories he sold that year convinced him to stick with writing science fiction.

Initially, Zahn limited himself to short stories, publishing many of them in the early 1980s and becoming one of Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact magazine's regular contributors. In one of his early stories, "Hollow Victory," an alien ambassador has fallen seriously ill and two human biomedics must discover the cause of his sickness. To do this, they use clues about the Thrulmodi physiology and the Thrulmodi planet, where the first human-Thrulmodi conference is taking place. It was an early incidence of a common theme in Zahn's work: two cultures—generally human and alien—coming to terms with each other.

The Blackcollar, his 1983 debut novel, combines science fiction with martial arts adventure. The book centers on the conflict between the Ryqril, a conquering alien race who have vanquished Earth and its worlds, and a group of their human subjects. Among these human revolutionaries are several people who remember a time when humans had their own superwarriors: the Blackcollars, well-trained fighters whose reflexes were enhanced by drugs. Despite the fact that the Blackcollars were dissolved after the war with the Ryqril, a small band is known to still exist. Allen Caine leaves Earth to seek them out, highlighting another of Zahn's ongoing themes: the limits and strengths of human potency. Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact reviewer Tom Easton complimented Zahn for not allowing the predictable triumph of humans to be total. He also made special mention of The Blackcollar's originality: "There is more realism here, and hence more satisfaction." Zahn returned to the same scenario in a novel sequel titled Blackcollar: The Backlash Mission.

Although Zahn had by now established a following in militaristic science fiction, he took a new direction in the early 1980s. Three stories the former physicist published during this period signaled his interest in the universe of the mind and the psychological difficulties that can result from working at a higher mental level: "Dark Thoughts at Noon," "The Final Report on the Lifeline Experiment," and "The Cassandra." From that point on psychology would play an increasing role in Zahn's plots and characters.

Telekinesis and social questions form the basis of Zahn's second novel, A Coming of Age. Again, the author plays with the idea of a mutation whose effects bring both good and evil to humans. Because of a mutation some two hundred years before the novel begins, children on the planet Tigris develop psychic powers at five years of age. While these powers enable them to fly and move objects with their minds, among other telekinetic skills, the abilities disappear with the onset of puberty. During this eight-year interval, the children are more powerful than adults; therefore, society has developed several means by which to control the potent pre-teens and harness their powers. Once children reach puberty and lose their powers, they are allowed to go to school and are streamlined into adult society.

The characters in A Coming of Age include a thirteen-year-old girl who dreads the loss of her special facility, an adult detective and his preteen assistant who are looking into a kidnapping, a scientist who is researching the biology of the telekinetic phenomenon, and a criminal who plans to use this research. By using the universal experience of adolescence and the fluctuations in self-esteem experienced during that time in life, Zahn is able to address both social and psychological issues. Analog contributor Easton said he found A Coming of Age "a warm and sympathetic story very suitable for a broad range of ages," and deemed the novel "complex" enough to entertain older readers. A Publishers Weekly reviewer commended Zahn for writing "an entertaining science fiction police procedural that should especially appeal to teenagers."

While Zahn branched out into increasingly psychological areas, he maintained his ability to interest readers with space adventures. Despite the fact that Earth vessels can travel beyond the stars, no habitable worlds remain within reach as the author's 1985 novel Spinneret opens. All the potentially habitable areas have been colonized by other star-faring races. In what Hal Hoover, writing in Voice of Youth Advocates, described as a "first class sci-fi novel," Zahn follows Colonel Lloyd Meredith's attempt to colonize Astra, a world no one wants because it has no metals, or so everyone thinks until its dormant volcano spews a metal thread into orbit shortly after Meredith's expedition lands. One Publishers Weekly reviewer pronounced the book one of "Zahn's best novels," while another admired it as a "light, brisk and entertaining yarn." In reviewing Spinneret, Booklist contributor Roland Green remarked in particular on Zahn's "excellent narrative technique, clear prose, and intelligent characterization."

Cobra, Cobra Strike, and Cobra Bargain deal with the theme of the superhuman warriors Zahn began to explore in the "Blackcollar" books. The CoBRA's—Computerized Body Reflex Armament—are technologically souped-up soldiers programmed to react lethally to anything their reflexes read as an attack. They are created after one of the colony worlds of the Dominion of Man is conquered by the Troft forces, whom they manage to subdue. Because the Cobras' indiscriminate responses make them dangerous for civilian life, they are sent to protect the colonists on the far side of Troft territory. Zahn focuses on Jonny Moreau, a twenty year old from a backwater planet who is one of the first people to sign up for the Cobra program. Moreau changes from a naive, idealistic young man into a savvy politician as he becomes a leader on his new home.

In Cobra Strike, second in the series, Moreau's three sons must contend with another threat. On the distant planet of Quasama, a paranoid race of humans lives in a mutually beneficial and dependent relationship with predatory birds called mojos. The formerly adversarial Trofts, now trading partners with the humans, want to use the Cobras as mercenaries to destroy this race, in return for five new worlds able to support human life. The last installment of the "Cobra" series, Cobra Bargain, takes place after Moreau has passed away. His granddaughter, Jasmine, decides to buck the all-male tradition of the Cobras and join their ranks—she's a Moreau, after all. She successfully completes the training and proves herself to be a resourceful and independent young woman, whose diplomatic and warrior abilities mirror or surpass those of her male predecessors.

Writing in Voice of Youth Advocates about the ways in which Zahn manages to avert war throughout the "Cobra" series, Diane G. Yates noted that "the moral questions that [the Moreaus] struggle with are those that concern us all, and to find a character in a military SF novel who agonizes over ethical questions is a refreshing change, and a welcome one." Analog's Easton lauded Cobra Bargain especially for its heroine, noting that Jasmine is "smart, empathetic, energetic, [and] determined" and that by the end "a number of males have had their consciousness suitably broadened or their egos ventilated." Continuing to be popular with readers, the "Cobra" series was repackaged in a single volume in 2004, almost two decades after the first novel in the series was published.

Zahn explores possible permutations of the death penalty in his 1988 work Deadman Switch. The galactic society the novel describes uses its convicts as pilots for space travel to the world of Solitaire, which is surrounded by a mysterious cloud that can only be navigated by corpses. Ships that seek to enter or exit the system must kill a member of their crew to create a "zombie" pilot. When Gilead Benedar, who works for the magnate Lord Kelsey-Ramos as a human lie detector, is sent on an inspection tour of Kelsey-Ramos's newly acquired Solitaire-licensed ships, he discovers that one of the ship's two intended zombies is innocent. As well, he discovers that she, like Benedar, belongs to the Watchers, a Christian sect that is one of the last remnants of organized religion left in the galaxy. Watchers are trained to accurately, truly, and deeply observe the universe. Benedar's recognition and subsequent search for a replacement zombie leads to all sorts of problems with Solitaire's elite as well as with the executives whose company his boss has taken over. Analog reviewer Easton chided the story for its "elementary" structure and theme, adding that the "plot is too largely predictable."

In Warhorse the author imagines a conflict between an outwardly mobile human race and an alien species of sophisticated biological engineers. The "Tampies" have decided that all life is valuable and should be protected, a philosophy that clashes with the often-violent realities of human society. Among the Tampies' weapons are living spaceships called "warhorses," which are more powerful than anything humanity has produced and which could be used to destroy mankind if they proved a threat. Writing in Booklist, Roland Green deemed While the evil Empire is fading, Grand Admiral Thrawn makes one last attempt to overthrow the New Republic by resurrecting two hundred lost Dreadnaught cruisers in Zahn's thrilling novel featuring characters from the Star Wars films. (Cover illustration by Tom Jung.) Warhorse "Zahn at his best," and made special mention of the author's mix of "hard science and social science extrapolation." In Conquerors' Pride Zahn offered another military-themed work, as an aggressive nonhuman species suddenly appears and attacks several ships of the intergalactic Commonwealth Peacekeeper force. When a high-ranking Commonwealth official realizes that his son, Commander Pheylan Cavanagh, is the only human survivor and is now in alien captivity, the officer organizes a rescue mission that includes another son and a daughter. However, the rescue mission may endanger the survival of the Commonwealth, which leads to troubling questions of family, duty, and patriotism. Critics praised the novel as a readable, lively work of science fiction. Zahn returned to the story line with 1995's Conquerors' Heritage and 1996's Conquerors' Legacy.

The 1999 novel The Icarus Hunt tells the tale of space smuggler Jordan McKell, who agrees to deliver an unidentified cargo to Earth aboard the spaceship Icarus. This cargo seems to be an alien star drive, which constitutes a serious threat to the Patth, the dominant race of the galaxy. The Patth currently have the fastest star drive in existence, which lets them control all intergalactic trade, and they and their allies are in hot pursuit of the Icarus. They attack McKell several times and kill one of his crew members. McKell finally decides to fire up the star drive he is transporting, only to discover that it is in fact a star gate. This creates even more plot twists and excitement. Zahn does not shy away from the unpleasant but unavoidable aspects of life; in his world, wounds actually hurt and the living grieve for their dead friends. Roland Green, reviewing the novel for Booklist, wrote that The Icarus Hunt "is one of the better novels in some time for readers moving from Star Wars and its clones to other sf, and, as such, is highly recommended." Zahn's novel Angelmass takes its name from an alien force that can control human behavior through its emissions, called "Angels" and so named because they appear to encourage their users to be morally good. The Empyrean, the government of an interplanetary system, uses the Angelmass to help it govern, although Empyrean's chief opponent, the Pax Comitus, is concerned about this practice. Zahn introduces a number of heroes, including a spy, a sixteen-year-old thief, and an Empyrean senator, all of whom question official governmental and scientific opinions. Zahn pays as much attention to ethics as he does to adventure. Booklist reviewer Roland Green observed that the plot is the basic "good guys" against "bad guys" story that forms the classic science-fiction story mold, and that the characters are broadly drawn. Nevertheless, he wrote, "the action is abundant and vivid, and there are absorbing subplots." In Library Journal, Jackie Cassada called Angelmass "a first-rate sf space adventure."

In Manta's Gift Zahn combines a coming-of-age tale with a vision of alien contact. Twenty-two-year-old Matt Raimey has been made a quadriplegic following an accident, so when he is offered the chance to escape Twenty-two-year-old Matt Raimey was paralyzed in a skiing accident, but has a chance to live again when his brain is transplanted into a sea creature-like alien, thereby linking him psychologically and emotionally to his new, threatened species. (Cover illustration by Stephen Martiniere.) his body in order to communicate with an alien race he jumps at the chance. The alien Qanska have been discovered in Earth's own solar system, living in Jupiter's atmosphere. After Matt's brain is transplanted into a Qanska's womb and he is reborn as one of the manta ray-like creatures, his new life is interrupted by an impending ecological disaster and the expectations of his human sponsors. "Zahn concentrates more on the psychological processes at work than on technological advances," a Publishers Weekly writer observed, concluding that Manta's Gift is "more than the usual SF action-adventure."

Sometimes a writer decides to rework a classic—a play by William Shakespeare, for example, or a myth—but very few do what Zahn did in 1991: take a popular and celebrated film series and resume the story where the creators left off. With Heir to the Empire the author picked up the "Star Wars" story five years after The Return of the Jedi, the last of George Lucas's original three films. Zahn's "Star Wars" books reawakened the immense interest in the film series, and introduced several characters, including Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn, that now have as much legitimacy in the popular eye as the original ones who appeared in the first three movies. Zahn refuses to call himself the "savior" of Star Wars; he claims that he simply tapped into interest that was already present among science-fiction fans. And the interest clearly was present; the books flew off the shelves and did much to further Zahn's career.

In Heir to the Empire Han Solo and Princess Leia are married and expecting twins. Luke Skywalker continues to learn the secrets of the Jedi, as well as to train Leia in the Jedi arts. Darth Vader and the Evil Empire have been defeated and the Republic is at peace. All appears to be well—until Grand Admiral Thrawn, a former war-lord of the empire, shows up and attacks the Republic. John Lawson noted in School Library Journal that while Heir to the Empire is "not on a par with Zahn's creative, powerful works" it is "well written." Indicative of its popularity, the book reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list and remained there for twenty-nine straight weeks.

Dark Force Rising, the second book in the series, joined Heir to the Empire on the bestseller list. The same characters are back, along with Grand Admiral Thrawn, who is preparing to crush the New Republic. To this end, he has enlisted the help of unsavory smugglers, political rivals, a well-placed snitch, and an insane Jedi Master. Booklist reviewer Green termed Zahn's adoption of the "Star Wars" characters "one of the more remarkable pastiches of recent years," and praised Zahn's "real flair" for incorporating elements of science fiction into the "Star Wars" saga. Library Journal contributor Jackie Cassada complimented Zahn's "snappy prose and cinematic style." Dark Force Rising reached the number-two position on the New York Times bestseller list.

In the final volume of Zahn's first "Star Wars" trilogy, The Last Command, Thrawn has been quite successful and is preparing to mount a final siege against the Republic using his new technology: clone soldiers. As Han and Leia struggle to keep up resistance—and await the arrival of their twins at any moment—it becomes clear that the Empire has too many ships and clones for the rebels to have a chance in face-to-face combat. The only solution is the infiltration of Thrawn's stronghold by a small band of fighters, led by Luke. Naturally, further dangers await them at Thrawn's headquarters. Writing in Voice of Youth Advocates, Lisa Prolman described The Last Command as "a thoroughly mesmerizing and satisfying continuation of the Star Wars saga," and applauded Zahn's sensitive extension of the original characters, noting that they had achieved a new depth in his trilogy. The Last Command "is a must read for anyone who has followed the George Lucas series from the beginning," she stated, adding that "Zahn's handling of the characters and plot create a work that readers will enjoy and is a good read." Clearly, quite a few readers agreed with her: the book spent twelve weeks on the New York Times best-seller list and managed to reach third place. Zahn has continued to return to the "Star Wars" universe, penning a second set of books—Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future—that comprise the "Hand of Thrawn" series, as well as a further volume, Survivor's Quest. In Specter of the Past Luke, Han Solo, and Princess Leia fight the armies of the evil Grand Admiral Thrawn, who had been presumed dead, but seems to have been mysteriously resurrected. In Vision of the Future the heroic triumverate must once again keep the Empire at bay while preventing a civil war. Along the way, they engage in the intergalactic battles and intergalactic intrigue that has made the series so popular with readers. In Survivor's Quest Luke is now married to Mara Jade, a Jedi knight who joins him on his intergalactic travels. When the couple joins an intergalactic rescue mission, they find that the survivors of a mass migration of space travelers forced to land after being shot down fifty years before, do not want rescuing at all. Dubbing the novel "full of action and more twists than a corkscrew," a Publishers Weekly contributor praised Survivor's Quest as "another G-rated crowd pleaser" in the popular "Star Wars" series. In Library Journal Jackie Cassada praised Zahn's novel for retaining the "fast-paced action, clever dialogue, and intriguing characterizations of the films."

In 2003 Zahn introduced a new series of books with Dragon and Thief, which tells of fourteen-year-old Jack Morgan, an orphan and small-time thief who is on the run for a crime he did not commit. While Jack is hiding out in his late uncle's rocket ship on a distant, unoccupied planet, another rocket ship crashes nearby. In the wreckage is a dragon-like being named Draycos. The two unlikely partners team up to escape Draycos's enemies and to clear Jack of the criminal charge against him. "As things progress, Jack and Draycos learn to trust each other—and discover that they have enemies in common," a critic for Kirkus Reviews explained. A Publishers Weekly reviewer concluded that "Zahn keeps the story moving at a breakneck pace," while Sally Estes in Booklist called the novel "a romp of a space thriller." The series continues with Dragon and Soldier, as Jack join up with a group of soldiers-for-hire in the hopes of stopping the efforts of whoever it is that is trying to wipe out all of Draycos's race.

Zahn has become popular among readers and critics alike. Green, reviewing Zahn's writing for Booklist, has praised Zahn's "generally excellent military novels" as well as his "consistently acute eye for detail." And Analog contributor Easton has pointed out that in the vein of most traditional science fiction, Zahn deals with a vast interplanetary system in his work. However, according to Easton, like many of his contemporaries, Zahn's ideas are "smaller, of lesser sweep" than those of older writers. But in Zahn's case, he concluded, "this is a consequence of more attention to character, to individuals, to matters of soul instead of destiny."

After fourteen-year-old orphan Jack Morgan commandeers his uncle's spaceship and flies to a distant planet to escape punishment for a crime he didn't commit, he decides to team up with an alien warrior who offers to help Jack prove his innocence. (Cover illustration by Jon Foster.)

Zahn collects thirteen of his short fiction works in Cascade Point, among them the Hugo Award-winning title novella. Booklist reviewer Green praised Zahn's "consistent intelligence in both the presentation and the resolution" of his stories, going on to write that despite the traditional nature of Zahn's science fiction it is "certainly high-quality work." Gregory Frost, writing in the Washington Post Book World, remarked that "every story of Zahn's contains a novel idea" and that the stories center on scientific theories or possible advances in science. Frost did, however, take Zahn to task for failing to handle his ideas in an unusual way. He said that "Zahn is what is referred to as an 'idea' writer," someone whose stories "are often extrapolations from hard scientific data." In Voice of Youth Advocates Yates cautioned readers that both "The Energy Crisis of 2215," in which scientists try to bring about a total matter conversion from a black hole in order to meet the Earth's energy needs, and "Cascade Point," about a spaceship that ends up in an alternative universe, "provide heavy going for non-scientific types."

The other selections in Cascade Point include "The Giftie Gie Us," about two handicapped people who discover that love is not weakened by physical deformities, "Job Inaction," about what happens when computers do the hiring and firing, and "Teamwork," in which a man with a multiple personality disorder may have cured himself, but by doing so he destroys an alien structure. Yates noted that Zahn's stories are "decidedly upbeat" in feeling, although "the tone is wry and ironic." In Voice of Youth Advocates, reviewer Joni Bodart emphasized the fact that the collection is "well written, with believable situations, witty dialogue and engaging characters." Describing the collection, Zahn said in the introduction that it would give readers "five years of story development as I've slowly grown from a semi-rank amateur to at least journeyman status in this field."

Zahn himself professes no deep motives to his writing other than to tell a good tale. "I consider myself primarily a storyteller and as such have no major pulpit-thumping 'message' that I always try to insert into each story or book," he once commented. "If any theme crops up more than any other, it is my strong belief that there is no prison—whether physical, social, or emotional—that can permanently trap a person who truly wishes to break free of the bonds."