Thrawn: Treason (Star Wars) (Star Wars: Thrawn)

Lucky enough to snag an early copy at SDCC this year- and ordered a regular copy from here as well.This entire Thrawn series opens your eyes so much into the world of the Empire and the hidden politics and culture going on.These are quite simply the best Star Wars books out there now in the new post-Disney acquisition era.The character of Thrawn was mostly revealed and explored in books 1 and 2, but you get even deeper into his psyche with Treason. I'm excited and thrilled each time one of Thrawn's plans/strategies are revealed. As a protagonist, he has become one of my favorites in fiction.The exploration of the Chiss in this book provides a welcome new look into a more "exotic" alien race. I loved how some things are familiar standards with any militarized civilization, and some things are unique to them.Treason hooked me more than the first two books in my desire to see the outcome/resolution.Never really cared for Eli too much in the first two either, but he had some nice time to shine here.Like usual, I wish there was more of JUST THRAWN- but it's a minor complaint. He shows up enough and proves who he is. Highly recommended for all Star Wars fans.. but read the first two in the series first, otherwise I feel you'd miss a lot of the most important character.

Zahn and Thrawn. The only thing saving the Empire and Disney.

While I did enjoy this novel, and I would recommend it to anyone as a good Zahn tale, I don't think it was the best of the three. Again as with the last two novels, the story is very self-contained with a minimal impact on the larger Star Wars galaxy. This is what happens when you are making films and novels at the same time, everything has to fit perfectly together, and you give more creative freedom to filmmakers than authors.I also think the marketing for the book set me up for disappointment in two key ways:1. The cover features Palpatine. He is barely in the book at all. Had he been more of a presence it would have made Thrawn's loyalty balancing act that much more tense and potentially dangerous.2. The description above states: "his former protégé Eli Vanto returns with a dire warning about Thrawn’s homeworld." In fact, the threat in this novel is completely to the Empire. Eli doesn't seek Thrawn out, they just happen to run into each other. I was expecting we would finally venture into Chiss space, but sadly that didn't happen.Sure it is fun to read any story with Thrawn in it, and I really like the new Chiss characters and Eli Vanto, but I cannot stress how much more interesting and better developed the characters and stories were in Zahn's original Thrawn trilogy. The stakes were so much higher when Luke, Han, and Leia were involved.Finally, I had really hoped for some clues of what may have happened to Thrawn after Rebels Season 4. Sadly this didn't happen which was a huge missed opportunity to keep the fans excited and looking forward to more.

Timothy Zahn’s “Star Wars: Thrawn – Treason” takes place a few weeks after the present-day events of the previous novel, “Thrawn – Alliances” (pg. 134). This work continues the storyline of that novel, with Admiral Thrawn again working with Chiss Admiral Ar’alani against the Grysk, who have further infiltrated the Empire and appear to threaten Director Orson Krennic’s Project Stardust. Similarly, the Grysk have again kidnapped a Chiss child who shows latent Force abilities. Zahn further situates this story within the current timeline by including a reference to Hera Syndulla in the custody of Governor Arihnda Pryce on Lothal, placing this novel sometime between the events of “Rebel Assault” and “Jedi Knight” during the fourth season of “Star Wars Rebels” (pg. 10).The subtitle, “Treason,” indicates the various divided loyalties among the characters: Thrawn left the Chiss Ascendency to serve the Empire, but remains an outsider in the humans-only Imperial Navy; Eli Vanto is serving aboard Admiral Ar’alani’s ship in order to help defeat the Grysk, who Thrawn views as a potential threat to the Empire, even though most in the Empire consider Vanto a traitor; Assistant Director Ronan serves the Empire and Director Krennic loyally, but holds the Emperor and the political elite in disdain; and other Imperial forces work to advance their own causes at each others’ expense, all in the name of the Empire. Zahn brilliantly engages with these complex loyalties, imbuing his characters with a great amount of depth. Further, Zahn’s writing typically adds more science to the science-fantasy universe of “Star Wars” and this book continues that trend as he draws upon his physics background in his description of the Grysk array (pg. 244). Fans of Zahn and his most well-known character will find an entertaining story with all the elements they expect from a Thrawn novel in this book.

-SPOILER ALERTS-First of all, this is not a bad novel. If you like Zahn, yes, you will like this book. I did. There is a lot of intrigue, minor action and a lot of politics and military tactics. But, I had a difficult time rooting for the protagonist. Thrawn is too perfect. I knew he wouldn't even get a minor flesh wound ( and he didn't). It's like he can see the future as a master tactician and foresee almost every move the enemy will make.So what's the point then of reading a novel where one already knows the outcome. One knows he will come out the winner no matter what .....Too Godlike, can't relate.On the other hand, Zahn does a good job of weaving the plot out and the discovery of the grollocks and what was really happening behind the scenes.This is a good story. But I give it 3 stars for the above mentioned reasons.

Grand Admiral Thrawn reaffirmed my childhood assertion I essentially rejected the rebels and embraced the Empire as the moral force of stability in the Star Wars Saga. With leaders such as Thrawn peace, order, and good government seem possible inside the Empire. It is with brimming anticipation I wait for a new series starring my favourite by far Star Wars Universe character and how he fits into the First Order or other remnants of the Empire post sequel movies.Of the raging torrent of squandered possibilities of Disney Star Wars, failing to portray Grand Admiral Thrawn as a powerful remnant of the Empire on the big screen in the sequel stories comes in the second order only after failing to reunite the original heroes against the greatest protagonist of the legends.

It's simple, I want more of Thrawn. We still don't get the answers from Rebels finale... but it's enjoyable and it opens doors to new adventures and hopefully, Disney's people will learn to let their writers work properly after Episode IX comes out.

The first of the new thrawn's was great, the second felt like fan service with Anakin. I was worried about this one but it is a truly great sci fi book, even if it didn't have the star wars license.

A decent book but Thrawn's ability to foresee 90% of a situation's outcome is getting... predictable. I like the character and stories; they both have quite a lot of depth and political intrigue. Do yourself a favor and read Outbound Flight then the Heir to the Empire trilogy before reading this Thrawn trilogy.

Es una buena conclusión para esta trilogía de libros, aunque es lento en ciertos momentos y en caso de seguir el resto de la historia de star wars no toma muchos riesgos.