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BooksaliensThe Icarus Needle
Cover of The Icarus Needle by Timothy Zahn
№ 5 · The Icarus Saga

The Icarus Needle,

by Timothy Zahn

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Rating3.7/ 5
Ratings3
Pages422
Reading Hours9h
Published2024
Language—

§Synopsis

01

NEW ENTRY IN THE ICARUS SAGA FROM NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR TIMOTHY ZAHN. Ten thousand years ago, a mysterious people known as the Icari vanished from the Spiral, leaving behind a network of portals that can instantaneously transport passengers hundreds or thousands of light-years across the stars. Gregory Roarke and his Kadolian partner Selene have been tasked with seeking out these alien artifacts and bringing them under the control of the Icarus Group. But the Group’s leadership has changed, and Roarke soon finds himself at serious odds with the new director’s plans. The result: a counter-plan that lands Roarke and Selene on a distant world with a broken city, a dozen portals, and a group of aliens called the Ammei who dream of using the portals to bring back their own glory days. But their ambitions will be costly, and not just for themselves. Roarke and Selene must put together the scattered clues and solve the riddle of the Ammei and their plans, while at the same time fending off the Patth and their bid to claim the city and portals for themselves. Because the Icari are gone . . . aren’t they?

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§Genres
aliens1science fiction1

§About the Author

Timothy Zahn
Timothy Zahn

4 books in catalog

Science fiction literature expanded significantly through the detailed galactic narratives and intricate military strategy developed in space opera and tie-in storytelling. Author Timothy Zahn introduced pivotal characters and expansive lore to the Star Wars expanded universe while publishing dozens of standalone novels and original science fiction series across several decades.

Career & Background

Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Lombard, Timothy Zahn studied physics at Michigan State University before turning his attention to full-time fiction writing. His early work in short fiction earned major critical recognition when his novella Cascade Point won the Hugo Award for Best Novella in 1984. Zahn gained broad public attention with the release of Heir to the Empire, a bestselling novel set after the events of Return of the Jedi that introduced Grand Admiral Thrawn and Mara Jade. Over his career, Zahn has written more than forty novels, including the Conquerors' Trilogy, the YA Dragonback series beginning with Dragon and Thief, and multiple original sci-fi sagas.

Writing Style & Themes

Zahn is recognized for combining technical precision, tactical military science fiction, and fast-paced adventure. His narrative style frequently emphasizes strategic planning, political maneuvering, and logical problem-solving over raw force. In original work like his Icarus series—which includes titles such as The Icarus Job, The Icarus Needle, and The Icarus Changeling—as well as his media tie-in work, Zahn consistently examines themes of duty, military discipline, alien diplomacy, and high-stakes interstellar survival.

Major Works

  • Heir to the Empire — A bestselling Star Wars novel set after Return of the Jedi that launched the Thrawn Trilogy and revitalized interest in Star Wars prose fiction.
  • Cascade Point — A celebrated science fiction novella that won the Hugo Award for Best Novella in 1984.
  • The Icarus Job — An original sci-fi adventure novel exploring interspecies dynamics and high-stakes space exploration in Zahn's Icarus universe.
  • The Icarus Needle — An entry in the Icarus series showcasing Zahn's signature focus on tactical strategy and suspense.
  • The Icarus Changeling — A novel expanding the sci-fi mystery and strategic conflicts within the Icarus setting.
  • Dragon and Thief — The first book in the Dragonback young adult series, named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults.

§Featured Series

The Icarus Saga

Cover of The Icarus Job by Timothy Zahn

The Icarus Job

Timothy Zahn, 2024
Cover of The Icarus Changeling by Timothy Zahn

The Icarus Changeling

Timothy Zahn, 2024
Cover of The Icarus Needle by Timothy Zahn

The Icarus Needle

Timothy Zahn, 2024
§Genres
aliens1science fiction1

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2024 Book Releases

1000 books