Star Wars: Thrawn─Alliance by Timothy Zahn

(hb; 2018: sequel to Star Wars:Thrawn)

Review

This direct follow-up to Star Wars: Thrawn is both a sequel and prequel. Thrawn and Vader are sent by Emperor Palpatine back to a star system where they first met, when Vader was Anakin Skywalker. Palpatine has felt a disturbance in the Force, something secret related to Thrawn’s people, the Chiss. The interplay of uncertainty and grudging trust between the crush-the-enemy Vader and the more flexible, charming and future-leaning Thrawn makes Alliance a worthwhile read─so does some of the better action sequences. (Padmé, Anakin’s now-dead mother of his children, makes an appearance in the flashbacks, as well.)

I did not like Alliance as much as I liked its prequel: for me, Anakin Skywalker is one of the most rigid and whiny characters in the Star Wars franchise. His flashbacks were a chore to get through sometimes, despite Zahn’s interesting characters and overall entertaining writing.

Followed by Star Wars: Thrawn--Treason.