Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendency Chaos Rising, was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Timothy Zahn.
This tale takes place after the events of Attack of the Clones, however there are memories sections in the story that that reach further back in time to significant moments in our characters lives.
SUMMARY: A ship is discovered on the outskirts of the Chiss Ascendency, its crew, dead. There was also an attack on the Chiss capital, but it was a quick attack that led to nothing but curiosity and confusion. An investigation of the discovered ship leads General Ba’kif, of the Chiss Ascendency to believe the attack on the Chiss world was a distraction from the root cause of the drifting, dead ship. Further investigation, leads to the discovery of the Nikardun. The Nikardun are ruled by Yiv the Benevolent, they travel from world to world in the Chaos, adding new allies to their Nikardun Destiny.
Thrawn is not too impressed by Yiv’s tactics, but is displeased by the conquers treatment and manipulation of other worlds. Thrawn takes it upon himself to expose Yiv for what he is, a coward and a a user. In this story, Yiv the Benevolent is trying to persuade the Vak, citiziens of the world Primea, to join his rule. What the Vak don’t know, is that if they don’t join the Nikardun Destiny, that death will reign down upon them. Thrawn believes the Chiss need to stop the Nikardun, but the Synidcure, or Chiss government, disagrees. Well, Thrawn is no politician, but will take whatever means necessary to fulfill his mission, whether the Chiss Ascendency is with him, or against him.
Will Thrawn defeat The Nikardun? Will he be cast out from the Ascendancy? You’ll need to pick the book and read it to find out!
CHARACTERS: Zahn delivers a great tale with rich characters and edge of your seat action! The story gives us a great full cast of characters. Some are familiar to Star Wars readers, while most, are introduced for the first time.
Admiral Ar’alani: She’s a successful Admiral of the Chiss Ascendency. She’s loyal to her people and protective of Thrawn. She uses her rank to help shield some of Thrawn’s reckless yet brilliant tactics from the Syndicure’s (Chiss government’s) wraith. She will do what’s right for her people, even if it means a slap on the wrist.
Yiv the Benevolent: He’s a pretty mean dude, he is wrathful of those who stand against him or deny him. He craves power and puts on a front of peace to lure new systems into his Nikardun Destiny. Once he has made his treaties, he bends the cultures and systems to his will.
Thrawn: He’s the man with the plan. He always remains calm and level headed. He doesn’t really care what others think of him. While he’s an expert in military warfare tactics, he’s not the best politician. He likes art, a trait we’ve seen remain consistent in other Thrawn stories, by studying a cultures art, he can learn that cultures defense tactics, not quite sure how that’s possible, but, whatever. Thrawn is highly intelligent and can’t seem to just be still, he’s got to be on some mission, authorized or not.
OVERALL THOUGHTS: This novel, while treading on familiar ground with a character that was introduced first in the Star Wars Expanded Universe or Legends canon, then given a trilogy in the current canon, ended up being a breath of fresh air. The social agendas that many of us fans pick up on in many of the new novels is absent in this book, and it’s so refreshing. Finally, a book without some real world political stance. The real Star Wars EU vibe has been restored in this novel.
Zahn brings the Expanded Universe heart back to canon.
I’m going to be honest. When I first started reading I was pretty hyped. Then I was hit with a touch of boredom, I started thinking too much about Star Wars as a whole and how fandom is so divided, and wanted to put the book down. Then, the book hit the gas, and I had to buckle up for one heck of a ride.
The characters names can be a little too difficult to grasp, I don’t like how complicated they are. I can make up a way to say the names in my head, but can’t actually speak them. Yet, the characters were written very well. We get a good sense of what makes these characters tick. We understand their strengths and weaknesses.
Zahn delivers a great tale with rich characters and edge of your seat action!
The memories sections were important to the stories main timeline. However, it would have been cool if instead of having these “memories” chapters in the book, that a short novella had been printed, a short Thrawn prequel novel about his youth. It would have made some things less predictable, as many of the memories foreshadow many actions or events that take place in a following chapter for the current story timeline.
I enjoyed the book overall, the political and familial aspect of the Chiss culture is elaborate and unique, we haven’t fully explored an alien culture in Star Wars to this extent. I love it. Hopefully we dive even deeper into it in the next Thrawn novel.
As this is book one of a new trilogy, the ending leaves it open, as it should. I would have appreciated something a little more nail biting at the end, but I’m pleased with the ending we did get. It gets the mind going with theories, which is also a fun way to end a book.
Do I recommend you pick up Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendency Chaos Rising? Yes, I do. Like I said, there’s no social agenda that I picked up on this story, it’s a true Star Wars tale.
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RATING: I give this novel an A.
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