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Thrawn

(Star Wars: Thrawn #1)

Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)

4.27 · Rating details · 26,141 ratings · 2,521 reviews

One of the most cunning and ruthless warriors in the history of the Galactic Empire, Grand Admiral Thrawn is also one of the most captivating characters in the Star Wars universe, from his introduction in bestselling author Timothy Zahn’s classic Heir to the Empire through his continuing adventures in Dark Force Rising, The Last Command, and beyond. But Thrawn’s origins an ...more

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Hardcover, 427 pages

Published April 6th 2017 by Random House

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Apr 21, 2017 Khurram rated it it was amazing

This is a great book. I had very high hopes for this book. All the ingredients seemed to be in place. I remember reading Heir to the Empire trilogy when it first came this ignited my love of reading and since I have devoured everything from the expanded universe. What could go wrong with the book they even had Timothy Zahn (Thrawn's original creater). What could go wrong? NOTHING!!! The book is AWSOME!!!!

As much as I loved Heir to the Empire we were never given too much background of Thrawn's ra This is a great book. I had very high hopes for this book. All the ingredients seemed to be in place. I remember reading Heir to the Empire trilogy when it first came this ignited my love of reading and since I have devoured everything from the expanded universe. What could go wrong with the book they even had Timothy Zahn (Thrawn's original creater). What could go wrong? NOTHING!!! The book is AWSOME!!!!

As much as I loved Heir to the Empire we were never given too much background of Thrawn's raise through the Imperial ranks. The fact that he was as non-human at the rank of Grand Admiral, which was unheard of in the xenophobic Imperial military. So he must have been brilliant to stand out or get as far as he did. However we never got that part of his story apart from hints. This book fills in many of those banks, whilst leaving part to expand on for later. It covers the highlights of Thrawn's entire Imperial career up till the point of him reaching Grand Admiral. On a side note as evil as Palpatine was I have not read anywhere about him being xenophobic himself, I am wondering if this is another Tarkin-ism that was passed through the military.

This has more then wet my appetite for Rebels Season 3. unless you have already seen this season I would say read this before watching this it should enhance the viewing, and provide a couple of links towards the end of the book. I think Eli says it be as much as not is not possible to full know Thrawn, he is as complex as he is brilliant. The thing this book portrays is Thrawn is not evil, he can be cold and a military man through and through, but he is always aiming his tactics for preserving life, and collateral damage. I did also like the introduction of the Nightsswan as Thrawns adversery, and Eli as a sort of apprentice. Towards the end of the book we do get a bit more understanding of why Thrawn joined the Empire. Even though he is not in the book much, I do like that fact the they show Palpatine is not an idiot, he is a very skilled tactician as well especially in their last conversation.

I cannot recommend this book enough even with my sky high expectations this book delivered in every way. This is a great book for old Star Wars fans like men and fans getting to know Thrawn for the first time or even wanting background on him after seeing him in the TV series. ...more

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May 07, 2017 Alejandro rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, media-tie-in, star-wars, espionage, politics, novel, military

The great tactician returns to the canon!

ONCE GREAT, ALWAYS GREAT

Grand Admiral Thrawn was created by Timothy Zahn in his original Thrawn trilogy that it was the cornerstone of the then Star Wars Expanded Universe in prose novels.

However due the buying of Disney of Lucasfilms, that trilogy became non-canon and part of what is know nowadays as “Legends”, and of course, since that trilogy was written so early in the franchise where the Clone Wars weren’t properly developed in the Prequel T ...more

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Jul 19, 2016 Crystal Starr Light marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2020-owned-challenge, science-fiction, star-wars, signed-by-author

I don't care to read any "new" Star Wars canon, but anything Zahn writes, I will read.

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Apr 18, 2017 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy, star-wars, science-fiction, media-tie-in, audiobook

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/05/04/...

Unpopular opinion time: I never cared for the Thrawn trilogy. Though to be fair, I was late to the party and only started reading Heir to the Empire after college sometime in the mid-2000s, about 15 years after its original publication. In my eyes, the books did not age very well, and I think many tended to view them through nostalgia-tinted glasses.

Still, setting my personal critique of the books aside, as a character I d 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/05/04/...

Unpopular opinion time: I never cared for the Thrawn trilogy. Though to be fair, I was late to the party and only started reading Heir to the Empire after college sometime in the mid-2000s, about 15 years after its original publication. In my eyes, the books did not age very well, and I think many tended to view them through nostalgia-tinted glasses.

Still, setting my personal critique of the books aside, as a character I do maintain that Thrawn is one of the best to come out of the Star Wars universe. And I suspect the powers that be agree as well, explaining why Thrawn was canonically reintroduced in the third season of Star Wars Rebels, despite the original trilogy having been classified “Legends” along with much of the old Expanded Universe. Timothy Zahn was tapped to reprise his role as author to a new novel about the titular character, which is intended to chronicle his early life and meteoric rise to power. It’s a rare opportunity for any reader to revisit a favorite character like this, and thus far I’ve really enjoyed Thrawn’s appearances on the show, which is why, come hell or high water, I knew I was going to read this book.

Like many origin tales, Thrawn begins with our Chiss protagonist in humble circumstances, alone and exiled on a planet at the edge of known space. For those familiar with Zahn’s Mist Encounter, this first section is essentially a fleshed out and updated retelling of the events in that short story. A good chunk of the novel is also told through the eyes of Eli Vanto, a lowly Imperial cadet who is taken along on an investigation of this jungle world because of his knowledge of these backwater systems. When the crew encounters Thrawn, they are immediately impressed by his survival skills and knowledge of military strategy, traits that are said to be valued by the Chiss Ascendancy. Obviously, these skills are also highly sought-after in the Empire, leading the Imperials to bring Thrawn to Coruscant so that Emperor Palpatine can decide his fate.

Despite being an alien, Thrawn manages to impress the Emperor with his eloquence and persuasiveness, and immediately gets assigned to a military academy to hone his skills and knowledge of the Imperial Navy. Eli Vanto is sent along with him, in order to be translator and guide to all things related to the Empire’s culture and society—a role that the cadet resents at first, but in time he learns to respect Thrawn’s intelligence and personality, especially when after graduation, the Chiss starts getting promotion after promotion.

Meanwhile, on a mining planet called Lothal, another origin story for a Rebels character is beginning to unfold. Before she became the governor of her planet, Arihnda Pryce was a young company heiress, forced to watch everything her family has built fall into the Empire’s hands. Secretly vowing her revenge, Pryce agrees to work for an Imperial Senator, already making plans to worm herself inside the political machine where she will bide her time until she has enough power to take what she wants. Along the way though, she’ll need some help—and Thrawn, who is making his own way up the ranks at this point, may prove to be the perfect ally.

Not surprisingly, Thrawn is a very character-focused novel, detailing how the Chiss became so successful even in the face of the Empire’s xenophobia, as well as to put readers into his head. The first is accomplished by simply by giving examples of Thrawn’s genius and describing the processes that led to his victories. It didn’t matter that many in the Empire held anti-alien attitudes; the Emperor saw potential in Thrawn and he only cares about results. It is clear that Thrawn eventually achieved Grand Admiral status on his own terms and merits, and his leadership skills naturally drew others to him despite what they might think of his origins.

However, putting readers into Thrawn’s head is another, more subtle, matter. Zahn’s writing has always struck me as rather stark and clear-cut, in a whatever-it-takes-to-get-the-job-done kind of way. I daresay without the glimpses he offered into Thrawn’s mind, this book could have been a very dry read indeed. Fortunately, peppered throughout the novel are brief looks into what makes his character tick, from his journal excerpts at the beginning of each chapter to his furtive observations on how others are behaving and reacting around him (though there must have been at least a couple dozen mentions of “facial heat” or “cheeks tightening”, making me wish there’d been more variation in the descriptions). A lot can also be gleaned from Thrawn’s interactions with the other characters. Through Vanto’s and Pryce’s eyes, we see how much Thrawn values and rewards hard work and loyalty, and he puts just as much of both into the men and women who work under him. In many ways, Thrawn serves as a counterpoint to a lot of traditional Star Wars villains as well. For one, he does not possess the Force, mainly relying on thinking rather than fighting to win his battles. He also views unnecessary loss of life as a waste, a point that I think earns him a lot of sympathy from readers. While it’s true Thrawn may be a symbol of the Empire, Zahn nevertheless makes it so easy to root for him.

All told, Thrawn isn’t among the best novels I’ve read from the new canon, but neither is it among the worst. It’s actually quite a decent book, and in my eyes, “New Thrawn” certainly beats out “Old Thrawn” hands down. In theory, you’d think Thrawn would also appeal most to fans of the character, the original trilogy, or Star Wars Rebels, but I would urge anyone—even if you do not consider yourself to be a hardcore Star Wars fan—to give this one a look. There’s a reason why Thrawn as a character is so beloved, and this is his story.

Audiobook Comments: At this point, I think anything I say about Marc Thompson will sound like a broken record. But if all of my praise for him happens to sound the same, it’s only because it’s true! The guy is great at voices, and I love his Thrawn, the way he made him sound similar to the Rebels version. Do yourself a favor and listen to this one. ...more

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Aug 19, 2016 Michael Galdamez rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018, space-opera, science-fiction, star-wars-originals-and-beyond, action, star-wars, new-del-rey-eu

THIS GUY:

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AND THIS GUY:

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Nuff said. ...more

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Jun 22, 2017 Ben Brown rated it it was ok

Shelves: star-wars-canon

Boy, did I want to like this book more than I did.

A few quick background details: prior to his appearing on Star Wars: Rebels last fall, I had close to zero prior experience with the character of Grand Admiral Thrawn (I say “close to zero,” because after doing a little research, I was surprised to discover that he did make an appearance in one of the “Galaxy of Fear” books from the 90s, a series that I remember reading voraciously as a youngster. I have zero recollection of his appearance, howe Boy, did I want to like this book more than I did.

A few quick background details: prior to his appearing on Star Wars: Rebels last fall, I had close to zero prior experience with the character of Grand Admiral Thrawn (I say “close to zero,” because after doing a little research, I was surprised to discover that he did make an appearance in one of the “Galaxy of Fear” books from the 90s, a series that I remember reading voraciously as a youngster. I have zero recollection of his appearance, however).

After YEARS of hearing from scores of EU fans about the sheer awesomeness that was Grand Admiral Thrawn-about his uncanny intelligence, his calculating nature, his overall badassery-I’d be lying if I said that, upon finally meeting the man himself in “Rebels,” I wasn’t a tad disappointed. While I dug his “look” and I could appreciate what made him a threat to the Rebels gang, there was little about Thrawn-or at least, this version of Thrawn-that struck me as distinct or original. Honestly, if there was anything that did surprise me about Thrawn, it was how eerily similar in personality he was to Grand Moff Tarkin.

I lay all of that out, because I want to make it clear exactly what I was hoping for from book. My hope was that it would illuminate for me why Thrawn is a character that deserves all of the accolades that he’s had heaped upon him. And with Timothy Zahn-the character’s creator-returning to pen this newest book, I had every reason to hope and anticipate that this book would get me jazzed about Thrawn in a way that “Rebels” never quite managed.

Judging by the star rating, I guess you see how well that turned out.

For years, I’ve put off reading “Heir to the Empire,” “Dark Force Rising,” and third “The Last Command,” Zahn’s early 90s-sequel trilogy that more or less acted as fans’ sequel trilogy long before Disney did; unfortunately, if said books are anything like “Thrawn” in terms of how they approach their narrative, I’m thinking that’s a wait I can continue to prolong. Look, I can appreciate the crispness of Zahn’s prose and the way that he constructs militaristic battle sequences-there’s one action scene about halfway through that almost makes the book worthwhile-but on the whole, I was stunned by just how thoroughly unaffected I was by any of what Zahn was doing here.

I didn’t connect with any of the characters-not Eli Vanto, Thrawn’s conscripted right-hand man; not Arihnda Pryce, who you might recall as “Governor Pryce” on “Rebels”; and especially not Thrawn, who-to my shock-I found here to be even MORE “blah” than he was on Rebels- I didn’t care about the stakes, and I found Zahn’s writing style to be curiously cold, Simply put: I just didn’t care about any of it. At around the halfway point, when I found myself skimming over huge swaths of text, I realized: this book just wasn’t working for me.

So overall, this was a big bummer for me. With Thrawn due back for Season 4 of Rebels, I’m still (perhaps naively?) holding out hope that the character can be redeemed for me and that I can still be convinced of his awesomeness, but at this point-after 20-some episodes and 427 pages of novel-I’m not holding my breath. ...more

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Jun 20, 2018 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2018-shelf, space-opera, sci-fi

A long time ago in a galaxy, far, far away, I was once absolutely amazed and thrilled when a certain Timothy Zahn revitalized the whole Star Wars franchise by picking up a few decades after the events in Episode Six, introducing the most charming and deadly enemy the New Republic had ever faced.

I was doubly amazed because there was no heavy reliance on BDOs, just strategical and tactical strength. Grand Admiral Thrawn came back from the outer rim and WIPED everything in his path.

My jaw dropped. ...more

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Apr 23, 2017 Rob rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, science-fiction, own, star-wars, author-male, read-2017

Executive Summary: After a slow start, I really enjoyed this book a lot. But I spent the whole book rooting for a member of the Empire, and I feel dirty for it.

Audiobook: Marc Thompson is so good, that I really don't want to listen to a Star Wars book he doesn't narrate. You get the usual Star Wars audiobook treatment here: Music, Sound effects and a narrator who can do all the voices, making this feel more like a radio drama than a novel at times. Generally I find music in audiobooks distractin Executive Summary: After a slow start, I really enjoyed this book a lot. But I spent the whole book rooting for a member of the Empire, and I feel dirty for it.

Audiobook: Marc Thompson is so good, that I really don't want to listen to a Star Wars book he doesn't narrate. You get the usual Star Wars audiobook treatment here: Music, Sound effects and a narrator who can do all the voices, making this feel more like a radio drama than a novel at times. Generally I find music in audiobooks distracting, but the Star Wars books always do it right, and make any book narrated by Mr. Thompson a must listen for me.

Full Review
I always loved the Star Wars movies as a kid, but I was never a big enough fan to jump into the Expanded Universe (Legends) books until I was much older. Shortly after I did, Disney bought Lucas and it made all of that stuff non-canon. The one series I did read, was the one that everyone seemed to recommend the most: The Thrawn trilogy.

I enjoyed that trilogy, especially in audio. Often dubbed the third trilogy, it was a pretty good attempt to tell a bit story after the end of Return of the Jedi. I enjoyed those books, but I didn't love them. The main antagonist however, was fantastic. Thrawn made for a very different character than the emperor and Vadar. I also found Mara Jade another excellent character. Timothy Zahn's contribution to Star Wars was substantial. It was a shame to see those characters suddenly be relegated to "Legends". I understand why they did it though.

Fast forward a few years, and when I saw the announcement that Thrawn was being added back into the canon again, first on the excellent Star Wars Rebels show, and later with a new book written by Timothy Zahn and I was really excited.

I don't remember a whole lot about the original Thrawn series beyond the characteristics of Thrawn himself. Most of the other characters and plot details are hazy at best. What is fresh however is his appearance on Rebels. This book serves as a backstory of sorts. How Grand Admiral Thrawn came to be such a highly ranked member of the Imperial Fleet.

You get a lot more insight into his thinking. At times I found that a bit tedious, especially the parts where he was observing people's facial movements in order to evaluate what they were thinking. However as the book went on that seemed to be a bit less frequent, or maybe I just finally got used to it.

The character is so well done, that I found myself rooting for him to outmaneuver everyone he went up against, and forgot that he was working for the Empire. He's certainly not the villain in this book that he was in the original trilogy, or that he's portrayed on the Rebels show. It probably helps that none of the usual heroes are present to oppose him. Much of his issue stems from the empire itself. I enjoyed getting this kind of view of the character.

The secondary characters were quite good as well. Not quite to the standards of the original series, but memorable nonetheless. Eli Vanto is definitely a new favorite, and I hope we get more stories about him in addition to Thrawn. Marinda Price was another interesting character, who despite being a secondary character, got quite a lot of character development.

Originally I was wondering what her story had to do with the plot, and I found the early parts of her sections slow. Eventually though her story got more interesting, and its relevance was revealed.

Overall, I thought this was a really enjoyable addition, and I hope that it's only the start, because while we got a lot of interesting backstory on Thrawn, I found myself with a lot more questions than answers. I especially want to see where this fits in with the final season of the Rebels show. ...more

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May 13, 2017 Sr3yas rated it it was amazing

Shelves: hall-of-fame-2017, starwars-universe

Say goodbye to Sun Tzu's Art of War. Behold Thrawn's Art of War!

*Cue epic war drums*
Leadership and obedience are the two legs on which a warrior’s life is balanced. Without both, victory cannot be achieved.
Leadership depends on information and comprehension. Not so obedience. Sometimes a commander may choose to share details of his plan. Often he may not. In either case, obedience must be instant and complete.
Such automatic response relies on trust between commander and those commanded. And ...more

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Jun 14, 2017 Chad rated it liked it

I have to say I was a little disappointed because the other Timothy Zahn penned Star Wars books are SOOO good. This isn't so much the secret origin of Admiral Thrawn as it is just little snippets of his rise to the top. There's very little characterization in the book. It's a series of looks into Thrawn's victories using his tactical superiority. Plus this is as much a book about Arihnda Pryce's rise through the Empire as it is anything else. Every other chapter is her story which actually has m ...more

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Mar 29, 2020 Ray rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, sci-fic, novels

This is what the Expanded Universe is supposed to be all about. Or Legends, or whatever.

Author Timothy Zahn pretty much invented the genre of the (good) Star Wars novel. Although the original Thrawn trilogy doesn't "count" anymore, in my own head-canon this origin story perfectly lines up with the Grand Admiral who will fight the New Republic in Heir to the Empire.

With the Rebels cartoon making it official, Thrawn was there. This novel explains how the brilliant Chiss--full name Mitth'raw'nuru ...more

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Apr 10, 2017 Josh rated it it was amazing

Thrawn lives on.

As a large majority of the reviews from various sites have stated, this is the best version of Thrawn we have ever gotten, we get to spend more time and learn more about Thrawn in the first quarter of this book than we ever did in the Legends books, and yet he still remains mysterious. I'm now okay with saying goodbye to Legends Thrawn, and embracing Canon Thrawn as an equally incredible version of the brilliant strategist.

With the combination of his excellent portrayal in Star W Thrawn lives on.

As a large majority of the reviews from various sites have stated, this is the best version of Thrawn we have ever gotten, we get to spend more time and learn more about Thrawn in the first quarter of this book than we ever did in the Legends books, and yet he still remains mysterious. I'm now okay with saying goodbye to Legends Thrawn, and embracing Canon Thrawn as an equally incredible version of the brilliant strategist.

With the combination of his excellent portrayal in Star Wars Rebels: Season 3 (Timothy Zahn himself praised the use and characterization of Thrawn in Star wars Rebels, after the 2-part season finale 'Zero Hour', his full interview can be found on StarWars.com) and this book, simply titled Star Wars: Thrawn, it's hard to deny the fact that this beloved character has been brought back with the utmost care and respect, and has evolved beyond the simple (and awesome) villain he was in Legends. Kudos to LucasFilm (Yes, they run everything, not Disney like some people think) and Timothy Zahn for bringing back one of the greatest villains in a galaxy far, far away.

Now, onto the book: I will specifically not say anything plot based because of spoilers (Yes I'm aware you can hide your review if it contains spoilers, I'm trying to avoid that), so what I will say is this: Solid characters - Eli Vanto, the new Captain Pellaeon, certainly proves to be one of the best new characters, and even better than Pellaeon. Pryce isn't the tough aggressive character we see in Star Wars Rebels, her arc from point A to point B is one of the best in the book. Obviously Thrawn shines the brightest here, it is the most developed, strategic and brilliant he has ever been.

This book certainly has a more focused narrative than that of Dark Force Rising, The Last Command or Outbound Flight, and I personally find that refreshing, it always felt like it was building, rather than padding. The audiobook has brilliant voice-work from Marc Thompson (who does a great Lars Mikkelsen Thrawn impression). The working relationships between characters are incredibly strong, and feel natural and grounded for a galaxy so huge. The empire's alien-racism (Xenophobia?) is finally touched on a lot, unlike the Legends books which hinted at it, but never really tackled it. And finally, this book contained some great universe/history-building, showing the empire eventually evolving into what we see during the Galactic Civil War.

This is a perfect character study. It's the Thrawn we always wanted but never got in Legends, and finally he's here in all his glory, in the Star Wars canon. ...more

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Dec 06, 2017 HBalikov rated it really liked it

I did not read the earlier “Thrawn Trilogy” written by Zahn over 25 years ago. This book is Zahn’s reinvestment in Mitth'raw'nuruodo, more commonly known as "Thrawn." The book takes us back to when The Empire discovers Thrawn as a “castaway” in a chance encounter in the outer regions.

What The Empire doesn’t initially know is that Thrawn, having risen through the ranks to become a well respected member of the Chiss Ascendancy, advocated breaking the code of the Chiss and, we are told, was exile I did not read the earlier “Thrawn Trilogy” written by Zahn over 25 years ago. This book is Zahn’s reinvestment in Mitth'raw'nuruodo, more commonly known as "Thrawn." The book takes us back to when The Empire discovers Thrawn as a “castaway” in a chance encounter in the outer regions.

What The Empire doesn’t initially know is that Thrawn, having risen through the ranks to become a well respected member of the Chiss Ascendancy, advocated breaking the code of the Chiss and, we are told, was exiled for that. The Empire knows little about the Chiss.

This book is a slow-mover and thus, for fans of action, it may not offer enough punch per chapter to satisfy. Zahn is creating a backstory that will illuminate the Thrawn Trilogy and he is not going to be rushed through it. From the point that Thrawn is “discovered,” we are taken through how each of his superiors plans to exploit, train, sidetrack and/or discredit him.

Zahn takes us inside Thrawn’s thought process and we see how the humanoid Chiss have additional sensory perception and what that allows them to perceive. Each chapter that focuses on Thrawn’s perspective begins with an observation or maxim that allows us to better understand this person and his code of conduct. It also serves as a tutorial for those who wish to adopt his “warrior” p.o.v.

Zahn gives us the stories of two younger characters: Arhinda Pryce and Eli Vanto. In that process, we see things from their perspective and we share their innermost thoughts. I guess it is time for full disclosure or, at least, self-revelation. I am a Star Wars fan. I was from the time of A New Hope. I have read some of the Star Wars books, but I am not a Star Wars geek. It was only when reading Alejandro’s review that I learned of Thrawn and that a valued author, had written about him. Zahn gives us a measured build-up of information that leads to understand how this Thrawn becomes Grand Admiral, arch villain of later novels and dramas.

Thrawn is paired with Eli Vanto, just a cadet in a “rural” finishing school for The Empire’s space force. Cast initially as Thrawn’s “translator,” he becomes more of a factor as the story goes forward. And, whether he wishes it or not, his fate seems tied to that of Thrawn. On the other hand, young Arhinda Pryce sees politics destroy her family’s remote world mining operation and she seizes what opportunity is left to her. The book spotlights her relentless climb to political power and her eventual encounters with Thrawn that lead to mutually supported activities. By the end, Pryce has become the governor of the Lothal Sector (as is consistent with the story in the animated version of Star Wars).

As I mentioned above, you may find the plot ponderous and the backstories less than essential. For my tastes, it was a very skillful and innovative novel that succeeds in both giving us a solid slice of the Empire under Palpatine and great insight into why Thrawn is Thrawn and what the Chiss may become.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/s... ...more

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Dec 12, 2017 Sud666 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi

In a galaxy far, far away there was an epic story called Star Wars. Since that time we have seen the "new and improved" Disney Wars version and, most of us, felt varying degrees of disgust or ennui when faced with the "threat" of a vaguely metro-sexual Sith wanna-be and his "master" Snooky. So it was with great pleasure I saw this book by Timothy Zahn.

This is Star Wars as I remembered it- great characters, wonderful villains and a truly impressive Galactic Empire. This is the story of Mitth'raw' In a galaxy far, far away there was an epic story called Star Wars. Since that time we have seen the "new and improved" Disney Wars version and, most of us, felt varying degrees of disgust or ennui when faced with the "threat" of a vaguely metro-sexual Sith wanna-be and his "master" Snooky. So it was with great pleasure I saw this book by Timothy Zahn.

This is Star Wars as I remembered it- great characters, wonderful villains and a truly impressive Galactic Empire. This is the story of Mitth'raw'nuruodo. Thrawn for short. From the very start, when Cadet Vanto of the Imperial Navy and his squad stumble across an amazingly intelligent and crafty alien, it is obvious Thrawn is an impressive intellect. The Empire decides to use young Thrawn to their own benefit.

This is the story of the the gifted and talented Naval Officer who, in time, will hold the august rank of Grand Admiral. From his initial meeting with the Emperor to Thrawn's time spent at the elite Imperial Academy in Coruscant-we see his gifts on display as we chart his meteoric rise through the ranks of the Imperial Navy.

Thrawn is brilliant, cerebral and a military strategist of the highest order. His ability to read people and learn about different cultures by their artwork is nearly Force-like in his talents-but he has no Force ability. He's simply brilliant. Without any spoilers we follow Thrawn from his time as a Lieutenant all the way to his donning the white uniform of the Grand Admiral. It is an amazing tale.

There is only one thing that bothers me- where is this Empire in the movies? This glittering, efficient, ruthless war machine seems to have paroxysms of sheer incompetence when faced with Rebel trash in the movies. I know it makes for a "good story" but it is rather a jarring concept to read about the Imperial military and read about them in action- they are truly a war machine against whom none will stand. Unless, of course, you're a bunch of annoying, semi-communist, Rebel trash..then the Imperial military forgets everything and is annihilated by some insurgent trash, drunken pilots in outmoded equipment and some oversized teddy bears with sticks. Yep.

This is not that Empire. This Empire is intelligent and well trained. Disciplined and utterly ruthless. It's bad enough fighting against Naval/Army forces, but were you to be on the receiving end of a Stormtrooper assault, it is unlikely you will survive. In the movies Storm troopers fight with the ability of a bad African or Middle Eastern Nation-which is to say they get run over by any modern, well trained military force. This Empire is a juggernaut. Woe unto any who cross its path. THIS is an Empire to be feared. What a shame the Disney people didn't read this story.

So if you enjoy the concept of a truly impressive Imperial threat-then you will love this inside look at the Imperial Navy. I tremendously enjoyed charting Thrawn's career and reading about his brilliant ideas and plans. It is through stories like this, that the Star Wars world still lives in my mind. I use quality stories like this to blot out the pain of the "new and improved" Star Wars where the story makes little sense, the Force and its use has completely changed, the Jedi/Sith are banal and not very impressive, the "New" New Order is a joke-then you will hate this awesome version of Star Wars. For the rest of us- you will love this story. This IS what the Star Wars universe was supposed to be about. Highly Recommended. ...more

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Dec 13, 2017 Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ Rabid Reads-no-more rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: star-wars, audible, rabid-reads-reviews, science-fiction, aliens-i-love-em

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

After finishing Chuck Wendig’s AFTERMATH trilogy, I tried to settle in to several non-STAR WARS books, but after a few lackluster beginnings that were all unceremoniously set aside, I surrendered to my fate and indulged my recent obsession with THRAWN.

I didn’t know what to expect, having never heard of the character, but it was well received by readers, and if a character is so badass that his name is the only title needed . . . I was okay with lack of prior knowledge (wh ...more

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Jul 19, 2016 Michael Otway marked it as to-read

While so far I'm not a fan of any new Canon novels, I'll eagerly look forward to this release.

This story will be set before Rebels Season Three and Timothy Zahn has said it will explore a part of Thrawns history that he has never had the opportunity to write about before. Therefore it may very well fit in nicely with his books from the old Universe for original EU fans, even though it is part of the new Star Wars Universe.

"You're going to get to see how Thrawn basically got to his position of p ...more

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Jan 07, 2019 Adah Udechukwu rated it it was amazing

Thrawn is a fabulous read.

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Aug 08, 2017 Jack +Books & Bourbon+ rated it really liked it

Damn but it's good to have Thrawn back in official rotation! Arguably the single best villain of the extended Star Wars universe, Thrawn was a character like no other, a cool, calculated, and supremely effective Grand Admiral in the typically blustery and barely competent Imperial Navy. And when Disney bought out everything Lucas, and the extended universe were removed from canon and made into "legends", many of us were saddened by the loss of this fascinating Chiss tactician.

But with appearance ...more

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Aug 09, 2019 Michael O'Brien rated it really liked it · review of another edition

An enjoyable read on one of Star Wars' most interesting characters, Grand Admiral Thrawn. In fact, in comparison with original book, "Heir to the Empire" (1991), introducing Thrawn to Star Wars fans, this is the better of the two in my opinion. It begins with Thrawn as an exile from his people, the Chiss, and proceeds from there with Thrawn in each situation, manifesting superior ability as a strategic thinker and tactician. For me as a Coast Guard veteran, I have to admit that I got a kick out An enjoyable read on one of Star Wars' most interesting characters, Grand Admiral Thrawn. In fact, in comparison with original book, "Heir to the Empire" (1991), introducing Thrawn to Star Wars fans, this is the better of the two in my opinion. It begins with Thrawn as an exile from his people, the Chiss, and proceeds from there with Thrawn in each situation, manifesting superior ability as a strategic thinker and tactician. For me as a Coast Guard veteran, I have to admit that I got a kick out of Thrawn in his first assignments in the Imperial Navy grabbing the attention of the brass with his acumen at executing what would in real life be Coast Guard missions ---- busting smugglers, protecting lives, and upholding the law.

Thrawn is early on paired up with the longsuffering Eli Vanto, originally a Navy cadet, promoted to officer specifically for his skill as Thrawn's translator and aide. It's a good pairing that worked well --- akin to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Like Watson, Vanto grounds Thrawn, gives him context with which to fill in the gaps of his knowledge such that he can then use his superior intellect as Sherlock does, and, like Watson, his above average intelligence complements Thrawn's even greater abilities.

And it takes a vastly superior intellect like Thrawn's, him being an alien in a human-dominated military service to draw the attention of superiors above and beyond his peers. Because, contrary to the real world military's ideal of being a meritocracy, it can be as much riven by bureaucracy, petty rivalries, and office politics as any other institution, and the Imperial Navy is no different in this regard. I had to look up the author, Zahn's background, in fact, because I was curious if he'd ever been in the military --- so well does he portray these things. So this is not only a story of Thrawn's genius but it is is also on how he manages to make that brilliance ever see the light of day almost in spite of the Navy!

In addition, there is a parallel story line about Ahrinda Pryce --- an ambitious civilian political type. To be frank, I did not find her either interesting or likeable. I guess she's in there as a foil -- to show that there are 2 vehicles to success in the Empire --- that of military brilliance and success --- or of being to able to maneuver and manipulate the Empire's internal politics to one's own advantage. I looked forward to getting past her portions back to Thrawn's.

Unlike Vader and Tarkin, Thrawn seems to care about limiting casualties and avoiding unnecessarily excessive use of superior power and violence. Not so much because he has scruples against doing so if necessary, but because he sees these as wasteful and often counter-productive to the overall mission accomplishment. As he rises through the ranks, Thrawn is increasingly forced to come to terms with the nature of the Empire itself --- its evil. Personally honorable and dutiful, Thrawn, nevertheless continues to further that evil with each victory. Like such Nazi military leaders as Grand Admiral Doenitz, and Field Marshals Rommel, and Manstein, who personally had noble qualities, Thrawn in showing he can do great military feats never seems to reflect much on whether he SHOULD be doing them.

At any rate, this was fun book to read. Those who remember the original Thrawn Trilogy books that came out in the 90s will likely enjoy this latest Thrawn reboot as well. ...more

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Jun 17, 2017 Ashley rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, star-wars, swashbucklers-capers-and-heists, political-plots-and-maneuverings, professional-fanfic, space-opera

It is quickly coming to the point once again, as it did for me in the early 2000s, where it is simply not feasible for me to read every new canon Star Wars book that comes out. For a while there I was keeping up, but I feel I must concede defeat earlier than my younger self might have: there are too many, and I am too old for all of this. I shall read the ones that my people say are must-reads and I will not let my OCD make me feel bad about it. DO YOU HEAR THAT, UNIVERSE? STOP KEEPING ME UP AT It is quickly coming to the point once again, as it did for me in the early 2000s, where it is simply not feasible for me to read every new canon Star Wars book that comes out. For a while there I was keeping up, but I feel I must concede defeat earlier than my younger self might have: there are too many, and I am too old for all of this. I shall read the ones that my people say are must-reads and I will not let my OCD make me feel bad about it. DO YOU HEAR THAT, UNIVERSE? STOP KEEPING ME UP AT NIGHT WITH VISIONS OF FLOATING BOOK LISTS. I DO NOT NEED THIS POKEMON NONSENSE.

All that to say, Thrawn is one of the good ones.

Timothy Zahn famously started this whole Star Wars Extended Universe phenomenon back in 1992 with the publication of Heir to the Empire, an official continuation (in that it had Lucas’s blessing) of the story in the films. His trilogy introduced baddie Grand Admiral Thrawn, a brilliant strategist, who despite being an alien in a xenophobic environment, managed to crawl his way up the ranks of the Empire to be a thorn in our heroes’ sides. The Hand of Thrawn trilogy is gold-standard Star Wars, which is why so many people were upset when Disney garbage-chuted the whole thing. Sure, we were losing a bunch of worthless crap published just for the money, but we were also losing Thrawn, and Mara Jade (OMG PLEASE BRING HER BACK TOO).

But lo, there was much rejoicing when it was announced first, that Thrawn would be appearing in the third season of Star Wars: Rebels, and second, that Zahn would be returning to his first creation and bringing Thrawn back into the canon through an origin story novel.

And it 'twas good.

The best thing about Thrawn as a villain is that you kind of LIKE him, even as he’s fucking shit up for everyone else. He’s so smart and secretive, and he has that whole underdog thing going for him. He’s utterly captivating. Zahn makes the smart choice not to have Thrawn be the protagonist here. Instead, we see Thrawn’s rise through the Empire through two other characters’ eyes: Arihnda Pryce, an ambitious Lothal citizen, and cadet Eli Vanto, who acts as Thrawn’s translator, and later, his aide de camp. Thrawn’s always playing like five games at the same time, and it’s fun to see his plans play out.

I hope we get more canon Thrawn in the future, especially since the only thing I didn’t really like about this book was the ending, which felt too abrupt and not wholly earned. Now please excuse me while I finally get around to watching the third season of Rebels. ...more

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Apr 24, 2017 ~Dani~ LazyTurtle's Books rated it liked it

Thrawn is a reboot of sorts of the 90s Star Wars trilogy Heir to the Empire that introduced the main villain Thrawn. He is a super intelligent badass, that can not be out-thought in battle. (OR anywhere else for that matter)

This book follows him and other characters as he rises through the ranks and reaches further in the Empire than any alien ever. We deal with the struggles he faces and the racism that he has to over come. Besides bounty hunters, there are really not many aliens in the empire. ...more

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May 26, 2020 Mara rated it liked it

Shelves: physical-owned, recommended-to-me, sf-challenge-2020

This was honestly a lot of fun, if a bit repetitive in its formula (Eli & Thrawn get in a scrape, Thrawn outwits their enemy, Thrawn advances up the chain of command while the people around him suffer to varying degrees). I think this is a nice version of an EU property & I appreciated having an extended amount of time with the "bad guys" in this world ...more

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Apr 14, 2017 Loren Gilmore rated it liked it

I was disappointed by this book. The tension-filled plot and strong character development that were present in the original Thrawn trilogy are sorely lacking here. Instead of presenting a story, the first half of the book feels like clunky and rushed preamble, each chapter being a discrete anecdote to illustrate the infallibility of the titular protagonist as he climbs the The Empire's ranks. Examples of situations that are supposed to show his tactical brilliance seem murky and far-fetched.

The ...more

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Jun 12, 2019 N.N. Light rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I had high expectations for this book and it was even better than I imagined. Zahn plunges the reader into the Star Wars universe and weaves a captivating story. One not to be missed.

My Rating: 5 stars

Reviewed by: Mrs. N

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May 17, 2020 MissBecka rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-books-i-read, audio-books

Very late to the Timothy Zahn party, but totally glad I showed up.
Loved this and can't wait to drip into more of his work!!!
Side note:
Marc Thompson was freaking impressive once again.
Dude never disappoints!

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Apr 20, 2017 Taylor rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2017-books, sci-fi

4.5

"There are things in the universe that are simply and purely evil. A warrior does not seek to understand them, or to compromise with them. He seeks only to obliterate them."

...

Wow. This book was damn good. This was my first foray with Timothy Zhan, and it definitely won't be my last. I'm so glad Grand Admiral Thrawn is canon now.

This guy . Thrawn is one of the most fascinating villains I've ever read about. Even calling him a villain is hard for me; he's so complex and driven in his goals ...more

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Feb 05, 2020 Andreas rated it liked it · review of another edition

Thrawn is a super interesting character and had this book solely been about him then I probably would've enjoyed it more. In reality the book was more about Eli and Arihnda, and while I thought Arihnda was an interesting character I found Eli to be just plain boring, and that made finishing the book kind of a chore. I'll most likely continue with this series at some point, but first I need to read something that's actually fun.

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Jul 08, 2017 Peace rated it it was amazing

Shelves: would-read-again

Can I adopt Eli? He is my fave cinnamon roll.

This book was so artistically done.

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Jun 03, 2020 Jamie Finch rated it it was ok

The thing with every highly rated book, is that I go into it fully expecting to enjoy it. When that doesn’t happen, I find myself questioning my judgment. I even try to convince myself that maybe I am liking it or I blame the reason for it taking me such a long time to get through on a reading slump.

After continuously picking this book up and setting it back down again, I have finally managed to finish it and I can now unfortunately confirm that I didn’t like it.

I’m not saying it was a bad boo ...more

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May 22, 2017 Nathan rated it liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, author-male, rated-3-star, tie-in, read-2017

The timeline for those not in the know.

There were Star Wars book published before Heir to the Empire but they were never allowed to continue the story that at the time ended with the rebels blowing up the second Death Star. So events between the movies and a few adventure stories with Han and Lando were out there, but fans finally had a new story to follow with Zahn's release. And most fans agreed that Zahn did it just right. The introduction of Grand Admiral Thrawn gave fans a new kind of villa ...more

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About Timothy Zahn

Timothy Zahn

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Timothy Zahn attended Michigan State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1973. He then moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and achieved an M.S. degree in physics in 1975. While he was pursuing a doctorate in physics, his adviser became ill and died. Zahn never completed the doctorate. In 1975 he had begun writing science fiction as a hobby, and he bec ...more