Star Wars – Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising by Timothy Zahn

(hb; 2020: first book in the Star Wars – Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy)

From the inside flap

“Beyond the edge of the galaxy like the Unknown Regions: chaotic, uncharted, and near impassable, possessing hidden secrets and dangers in equal measure. And nestled within their swirling chaos is the Ascendancy, home to the enigmatic Chiss and the Nine Ruling Families that lead them.

“The peace of the Ascendancy, a beacon of calm and stability, is shattered after a daring attack on the Chiss capital that reveals no trace of the enemy. Baffled, the Ascendancy dispatches one of its brightest young military officers to root out the unseen assailants─a recruit born of no title but adopted into the powerful family of the Mitth and given the name Thrawn.

 

“With the might of the Expansionary Fleet at his back and aided by his comrade, Admiral Ar’alani, thrawn begins to piece together the answers he’s looking for. But as Thrawn’s first command probes deeper into the vast stretch of space his people call the Chaos, he realizes that the mission he has been given is not what it seems.

“And the threat to the Ascendany is. . . just beginning.”

 

Review

Caveat: possible (minor) spoilers in this review.

Chaos is a good, lots-of-political-and-military-maneuvering work, a familiar set-up read for those well-versed in the Star Wars-verse, especially Zahn’s previous Thrawn novels. Thrawn remains a compelling character, with his known quirks (studying alien artwork for psychological insight; his lack of political guile), in this methodical, well-written set-up for the Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy, with other familiar faces (e.g., Anakin Skywalker) making brief or extended appearances.

This time out, Thrawn’s military career is just starting to take off when threats, the first of which is the Nikardun, an aggressive species that is rapidly incorporating other aliens into the Nikarduns’ subjugating culture. The second threat is the Chiss-ruling Nine Families, conservative and arrogant to a dangerous fault, who ignore this threat, and seek to punish anyone who upsets the delicate balance of power within Chiss culture, especially an outsider like Thrawn. Thankfully for the controlled-risk-taking Captain, he has allies who complement his talents, allies he'll need if Chiss culture is to survive beyond its present days.

The smart-minded, climactic battle, brief as it is, is a thrilling pay-off for the deceptions-and-maneuvering gabfest that dominates much of this book. Chaos’s ending is an excellent set-up for the next phase in the Thrawn Ascendancy, one that echoes Palpatine-foreshadowings in a good way.

Note: In the filmic Star Wars timeline, Chaos occurs between the events of Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Star Wars: Thrawn─Treason by Timothy Zahn

(hb; 2019: sequel to Star Wars: Thrawn─Alliance)

From the inside flap

“‘If I were to serve the Empire, you would command my allegiance.’

“Such was the promise Grand Admiral Thrawn made to Emperor Palpatine at their fist meeting. Since then, Thrawn has been one of the Empire’s most effective instruments, pursuing its enemies to the very edges of the known galaxy. But as keen a weapon Thrawn has become, the emperor dreams of something far more destructive.

“Now, as Thrawn’s TIE-defender program is halted in favor of Director Krennic’s secret Death Star project, he rewalizes that the balance of power in the Empire is meausured by more than just military acumen or tactical efficiency. Even the greatest intellect can hardly compete with the power to annihilate emnitre planets.

“As Thrawn works to secure his place in the Imperial hierarchy, his former protégé, Eli Vanto, returns with a dire warning about Thrawn’s homeworld. Thrawn’s mastery of strategy must guide him through an impossible choice: duty to the Chiss Ascendancy or fealty to the Empire he has sworn to serve. Even if the right choice means committing treason.”

Review

Treason is a good, fun and often-thrilling science fiction read, like one of its prequels, Star Wars: Thrawn. Thrawn, clever─and lucky─strategist, deftly navigates his path through a battery of conflicting elements, situations and personalities, trying to unite his dual allegiances together in a way that is ultimately faithful to both. It is a fast-burn, intriguing entry in the Star Wars franchise, worth your time.

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.

Star Wars: Thrawn by Timothy Zahn

(hb; 2017: direct prequel to Star Wars: Thrawn─Alliance)

From the inside flap

“. . . [Grand Admiral] Thrawn’s origins and the story of his rise in the Imperial ranks have remained mysterious. Now, in Star Wars: Thrawn, Timothy Zahn chronicles the fateful events that launched the blue-skinned, red-eyed master of military strategy and lethal warfare into the highest realm of power─and infamy.

           

“After Thrawn is rescued from exile by Imperial soldiers, his deadly ingenuity and keen tactical abilities swiftly capture the attention of Emperor Palpatine. And just as quickly, Thrawn proves to be as indispensable to the Empire as he is ambitious; as devoted as its most loyal servant, Darth Vader; and a brilliant warrior never to be underestimated. On missions to rout smugglers,  snare spies, and defeat pirates, he triumphs time and again─even as his renegade methods infuriate superiors while inspiring even greater admiration from the Empire. As one promotion follows another in his rapid ascension to greater power, he schools his trusted aide, Ensign Eli Vanto, in the arts of combat and leadership, and the secrets of claiming victory. But even though Thrawn dominates the battlefield, he ahs much to learn in the arena of politics, where the ruthless administrator Arhinda Pryce holds the power to be a potent ally or a brutal enemy.

           

“All these lessons will be put to the ultimate test when Thrawn rises to admiral and must pit all the knowledge, instincts, and battle forces at his command against an insurgent uprising that threatens not only innocent lives but also the Empire’s grip on the galaxy─and his own carefully laid plans for future ascendancy.”

Review

Thrawn is a good, fun and often-thrilling novel with interesting characters and their strangely heartwarming or edgy interactions. Zahn shows Thrawn’s steady and unusual rise through Imperial ranks─he gains power by helping those around him, even his enemies (who later may be of use to him) as he, with his Sherlock Holmesian eye for detail and hard-edged charm, moves upward.

Of course, this being Star Wars, there are familiar characters─Palpatine, etc.─as well as starship and blaster battles, Jedi awareness and other franchise elements. This is a good read, one worth checking out. What makes Thrawn stand out from other series novels is how different and interesting its titular character is. Followed by a direct sequel, Star Wars: Thrawn─Alliance.)

Side-note: According to Wikipedia, Thrawn “covers several years between Thrawn’s ‘first encounter’ with the Empire and the events of the third season of the 2014─? animated Disney show Star Wars: Rebels.”

Star Wars: Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn

(pb; 2011)

From the back cover

“The Clone Wars have yet to erupt when the Jedi Master Jorus C’baoth petitions the Senate for support of an ambitious mission: to contact intelligent life and colonize undiscovered worlds beyond the known galaxy. But government bureaucracy threatens to scuttle the expedition before it can even start─until Master C’baoth foils a murderous conspiracy plot, winning him the political capital he needs to set in motion the dream of Outbound Flight.

“Or so it would seem. The evil Sith Lord Darth Sidious has his own interests in the Outbound Flight. Yet even he is not the mission’s most dangerous challenge. Once under way, the starship crosses paths with the forces of the alien Chiss Ascendancy and the brilliant mastermind known as ‘Thrawn.’ Thus what begins as a peaceful Jedi mission is violently transformed into an all-out war for survival.”

Review

Outbound is good, fun read. It has solid, steady character and plot build-up, lots of starship battles, and personal and political scheming, elements that flavor, structure and set up future Star Wars tales. Of course, there’s Jedi action as well. This is worth reading, maybe worth owning for a few bucks.

Side-note: Outbound is set five years after the 2001 film Star Wars: Episode I ─The Phantom Menace.