They could be better, but I liked how the Thrawn trilogy revitalized the spirit of Star Wars. And without Heir there really wouldn't be an EU. Zahn's Thrawn duology was similar. (anything with Mara Jade can't be that bad..) But things like Outbound Flight put me to sleep. Allegiance was one of the only good modern EU books that I can think and that has a sequel due this year.
And now Heir to the Empire has a 20th Anniversary edition. Crap.