Star Wars: Thrawn
September 2018
Dave
Dave
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Author:
Timothy Zahn
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Publisher:
Del Rey Books
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Originally published:
11 April 2017
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Page count:
446 (Paperback)
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RRP:
£8.99 (Paperback)
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There are a number of spoilers in this review - you have been warned!
I am a massive fan of Timothy Zahn, and loved his original Star Wars novels ‘The Thrawn Trilogy’, where we were introduced to a blue-skinned humanoid Grand Admiral who was a strategic genius. Whilst these, and pretty much all of the other novels written before Disney bought LucasFilm in 2012, were never canon, in that George Lucas didn't recognise the stories as official, they were treated as such by the fans and the Expanded Universe (as it was known) was a series of interconnected novels and background books that provided a framework for fans wanting more Star Wars during the dark times. All of these novels were relegated to ‘Legends’ following the purchase of LucasFilm by Disney in 2012, when Disney decided (in some cases unwisely in my humble opinion) to officially turn their back on the EU and all content that was not screen based. Thrawn himself was brought back in Season 3 of Rebels to the delight of fans who knew of the character from the original novels. This book is a reintroduction of the character by his original creator, set during the early years of the Galactic Empire. This is, therefore, Thrawn’s own origin story. Mitth'raw'nuruodo is the full name of a Chiss exile discovered on an unknown planet by an Imperial fleet ship responding to a distress beacon. This Chiss male, who shortens his name to Thrawn for the sake of his captors, convinces the ship’s captain to take him back to the Emperor. |
His meeting with Palpatine goes well, where Thrawn displays his strategic brilliance and the potential he can offer the fledgling Empire, and is subsequently enrolled at the Imperial Academy to become a naval officer. Alongside Thrawn is the human, Eli Vanto, a cadet on the ship that discovered him, who Thrawn initially adopts as his translator.
Battling species-ism at the academy due to his non-human heritage Thrawn (and Vanto) succeed in graduating from the academy as ensigns and are posted (together) on their first ship. The majority of the novel is focussed, from this point onwards, on Thrawn’s career and some of the highlights in military strategy he employs.
As well as Thrawn and Vanto we are also introduced to the future governor of Lothal, Arihnda Pryce (who also features heavily in Seasons 3 and 4 of Rebels) and Colonel Wullf Yularen (a colonel in the Imperial Security Bureau, but who is probably better known as Admiral Yularen from the Clone Wars TV series). Both of these characters make regular appearances in the novel, working alongside Thrawn in bringing pirates and rebels to Imperial ‘justice’. We also meet Tarkin who becomes an ally of Thrawn and Pryce when she manages to provide him with political leverage over his rivals.
A clever aspect of the novel is the way that we see what Thrawn is seeing or thinking at points throughout the story. This provides an insight into his more than human sensory perception, which allows him to make decisions based upon how he reads the people around him and the situation he is in. There is a strong similarity to the way that the BBC drama ‘Sherlock’ provides an insight into Holme’s deductive skills by being able to see more than just the surface details. Vanto plays a very credible Doctor Watson to Thrawn’s Sherlock in the novel, however unlike Watson, Vanto does begin to show his own deductive brilliance as the novel progresses. If this book was ever to be televised I can see it being delivered in a very similar manner to the BBC hit TV show. Hint, hint LucasFilm!!!
I also liked the way he is painted, not as an evil villain, but as a skilled strategist and tactician who has made a pledge to serve the Empire. In this capacity he struggles with the politics of the Empire, where senior servants seem to be looking to further their own career at the expense of assets of the Empire.
Over the course of the novel, Thrawn is continually promoted for achieving results by applying his brilliance to the situation, often making enemies in the Empire who were displeased that a seemingly incorruptible non-human could do so well. Vanto meanwhile pays for his friend’s success by remaining a humble ensign as his promotion is constantly blocked by those with power looking to punish Thrawn politically. Towards the end of the novel Vanto finally receives the promotions he has deserved whilst working alongside Thrawn and we see Thrawn himself reach the rank of Admiral.
I loved this book, it’s very cleverly written, with a good pace. There is a strong mix of both action and politics. With Zahn painting a very good picture of the politics of the Empire and how characters we already know managed to obtain some of their power. I can’t recommend this book enough – it really is that good, and I will be reading Thrawn: Alliances (as reviewed by Justin Ward here) in the very near future!
Battling species-ism at the academy due to his non-human heritage Thrawn (and Vanto) succeed in graduating from the academy as ensigns and are posted (together) on their first ship. The majority of the novel is focussed, from this point onwards, on Thrawn’s career and some of the highlights in military strategy he employs.
As well as Thrawn and Vanto we are also introduced to the future governor of Lothal, Arihnda Pryce (who also features heavily in Seasons 3 and 4 of Rebels) and Colonel Wullf Yularen (a colonel in the Imperial Security Bureau, but who is probably better known as Admiral Yularen from the Clone Wars TV series). Both of these characters make regular appearances in the novel, working alongside Thrawn in bringing pirates and rebels to Imperial ‘justice’. We also meet Tarkin who becomes an ally of Thrawn and Pryce when she manages to provide him with political leverage over his rivals.
A clever aspect of the novel is the way that we see what Thrawn is seeing or thinking at points throughout the story. This provides an insight into his more than human sensory perception, which allows him to make decisions based upon how he reads the people around him and the situation he is in. There is a strong similarity to the way that the BBC drama ‘Sherlock’ provides an insight into Holme’s deductive skills by being able to see more than just the surface details. Vanto plays a very credible Doctor Watson to Thrawn’s Sherlock in the novel, however unlike Watson, Vanto does begin to show his own deductive brilliance as the novel progresses. If this book was ever to be televised I can see it being delivered in a very similar manner to the BBC hit TV show. Hint, hint LucasFilm!!!
I also liked the way he is painted, not as an evil villain, but as a skilled strategist and tactician who has made a pledge to serve the Empire. In this capacity he struggles with the politics of the Empire, where senior servants seem to be looking to further their own career at the expense of assets of the Empire.
Over the course of the novel, Thrawn is continually promoted for achieving results by applying his brilliance to the situation, often making enemies in the Empire who were displeased that a seemingly incorruptible non-human could do so well. Vanto meanwhile pays for his friend’s success by remaining a humble ensign as his promotion is constantly blocked by those with power looking to punish Thrawn politically. Towards the end of the novel Vanto finally receives the promotions he has deserved whilst working alongside Thrawn and we see Thrawn himself reach the rank of Admiral.
I loved this book, it’s very cleverly written, with a good pace. There is a strong mix of both action and politics. With Zahn painting a very good picture of the politics of the Empire and how characters we already know managed to obtain some of their power. I can’t recommend this book enough – it really is that good, and I will be reading Thrawn: Alliances (as reviewed by Justin Ward here) in the very near future!