I know TCTTS has discouraged EU (Extended Universe / Books) discussion here, but I just gotta say.......
Because of this thread, I've gone back and started reading Heir to the Empire by Zahn again. I read it originally in 1992. I couldn't get my hands around "Star Wars" in book form at the time, but I'm enjoying it more now. I've read maybe 120 books since 1992, and I'd put Heir to the Empire somewhere in the middle as far as personal enjoyment. I wouldn't be reading it again, but everyone here spoke so highly of it that I got the urge I couldn't resist. I'm glad that Disney isn't using EU since I agree that it is glorified Fan Fiction, although anything done by anyone other than Lucas is really glorified Fan Fiction. At least this way, we'll get two universes of Star Wars canon with the movies ultimately being more widely known.