Book Review: Thrawn

Anyone who knows me, knows how much of a fan I am of Grand Admiral Thrawn. In the entire universe that Star Wars spans, no character has captured my attention as well as the cunning and clever military tactician from the Chiss Ascendancy. Ever since I got introduced to his character in the Star Wars Rebels TV show I've been constantly drawn to his character and the stories he's been a part of. After spending a good portion of the last three years learning about the origins of Mitth'raw'nuruodo during his early military career in the Ascendancy series, it's now time to move onto the next chronological step in his timeline; his rise to power within the Galactic Empire.

This new trilogy of books follows Thrawn as he works his way into the very top of the Empire's military structure and becomes one of Emperor Palpatines closest confidantes. These books have the continuous benefit of being written by the man who knows Thrawn better than anyone. Timothy Zahn who I must say, does an exceptional job in further fleshing out Thrawn's character within the confines of this first entry which is simply titled Thrawn.

After his exile from the Chiss Ascendancy, Thrawn has settled among an obscure planet in the Outer Rim of galactic space. It's here that he ends up coming into the sight of the Galactic Empire who take note of his rare aptitude for military tactics as well as his unique appearance. Rather than kill or court marshal the man, they introduce him to the Emperor who immediately takes note of his rare capabilities and helps set him up within the Empire's military structure. From here the book seeks to outline an interconnected story which details the vast influence Thrawn is capable of providing the Empire and the many military victories he tallies for them. This journey is not a singular story however, Thrawn is joined by a aide called Eli Vanto who serves as his translator and personal ally amongst his many assignments. The book also shines a spotlight on the rise to power of Lothal's most notable Governor; Arihnda Pryce. The story is mainly about Thrawn but all three of these characters have a clear and present focus within it's 470 page count as Zahn seeks to interconnect their stories.

For the most part I rather enjoyed the narrative core of this book. Zahn has an exceptional quality as a writer to bring characters to the forefront of his stories. The man has been writing for Thrawn for decades so it's no surprise he knows how to project this character's development with clear confidence. That's not to say his efforts don't get showcased solely within his parts though, as both Eli and Arihnda get a lot of definition to add weight to their presence in this story. Arihnda's inclusion in this story was a definite surprise for me because she too was a major character within the Rebels TV show, so it was a very pleasant surprise to see how these character early history was defined prior to the events of that story. There's a meticulous level of detail in the way these characters all develop through the course of the story and that can never be dismissed. What I did have less of a smoother time running with is the books wider narrative structure. As the narrative seeks to juggle a lot of different sub-plots along within some notable jumps in time it did come off as a rocky transition. It's not a major deal breaker but I think I would have a lot better a time with this book if the story didn't jump about so much because it made it tricky to keep track of important elements.

That negative relating to the time jumps and different sub-plots is what factors into the books rocky pace in my opinion. When the book is over 470 pages long it can be very noticeable when the story pumps the breaks on one aspect of the narrative to focus on another or when it tries to recall important plot points form several chapters ago. It's tone however is exceptionally realised. Zahn projects Thrawn's time within the Empire with a very neutral perspective. I like the idea that as a writer who is exploring the other end of the Empire's dominion over the galaxy, he's able to use Thrawn and these characters to explore the current climate of the politics and military aspects of this world. It's never done in a way that feels compromised either, it treats the reader with the respect to allow them to form their own impressions on the wider impacts of this era of Star Wars and Thrawn's position within the Empire.

Thrawn's rise to the power within the Empire despite a minor hiccup is a story I'd highly recommend to any Star Wars fan. Thrawn as a character continues to be exceptionally built up and his presence in this world is given more weight the more stories of his I continue to read. I really enjoyed seeing Zahn build up other aspects of this galaxy as well as Thrawn in this book, he's a credible writer and a valuable resource to the Star Wars franchise. I can't wait to read the other two books in this trilogy