Heir to the Empire has a lot of cool ideas and no doubt a more interesting version of events than the sequel trilogy... but I cannot get over the prose. I can't remember if that's why I didn't like the book when I read it twenty years ago but it's definitely why I don't like it now. The characters from the movies just don't sound right, and all the new characters don't have a distinct voice. Shot through with "And so-and-so felt like This, just like that moment from the movies" which is fine, it's pulpy YA, but it's hard to take seriously and doesn't stand up against the actually cool story ideas.
watching a LP of outlaws and everyone is referring to "the police" is exactly my point on tone and voice: the word 'police' sounds weird and wrong in a star wars context imo! squads, units, enforcers, thugs are all words that fit way better
