Originally posted by Eli VantoI imagine this trilogy will definitely showcase some of the other threats that Thrawn warned Palpatine of. The Grysks were just one.
Me too.I remember thrawn saying that there were numerous threats in the Unknown regions that posed a threat to the Empire. Hopefully we'll see more of that in this trilogy.
Originally posted by ScizardYep. We saw that as recently as TCW S07. Rex was promoted from Captain to Commander, just before the Siege of Mandalore.
Commander > Captain is the same for clones as well
Just got done binging this novel. I'll definitely have to give it another read through, but my first impression is that it's probably just as good as(if not better than) the first Thrawn novel. Easily one of the best things we've gotten in new canon.
It is completely self-contained. There's no Jedi, no Republic, and no Sith in this story(which was a nice change of pace.) It focuses almost entirely on the Chiss families/hierarchy at a very deep level(almost similar to GoT in that respect), Thrawn and Ar'alani's rise within it's ranks, and some of the threats the Chiss have to face in the Unknown Regions -- and on that note, it massively world-builds the Unknown Regions as well. The story is super-dense and packed with a TON of new info, but it's still easy enough to read.
That said, this novel interweaves with the events of Alliances(when Thrawn first met Anakin), so it is set during TCW.
F*ck that's great to hear. 😄
Plan on reading it next week, but I have a few questions-
I know it's probably wishful thinking, but is there any mention of the Vong? If not, who are the villains?
Does the Chiss empire as a whole get expanded on, or just the Chiss homeworld?
And since you said this set during TCW I take it Thrawn gets a promotion? 😛
No Vong, thank god. Main antagonists are a species called the Nikarduns, who are led by a character called Yiv("The Benevolent"😉 -- he's essentially puppeteering the Nikarduns, and seeks to overthrow the Chiss Ascendancy.
The Chiss Empire as a whole(along with its inner hierarchy) gets expanded on massively.
Yes, Thrawn starts off as a Captain, then gets promoted to Commander later on. The events of Alliances(where Thrawn first meets Anakin during TCW) take place about midway through this novel. Zahn wove it together seamlessly.
The second novel in the Ascendancy Trilogy (titled "Greater Good"😉 arrives April 27th:
An excerpt from the novel can be read here.
And to end Zahn's canon Thrawn origin trilogy will be the novel "Lesser Evil", which will be released November 16th:
For thousands of years The Chiss Ascendancy has been an island of calm, a center of power, and a beacon of integrity. Led by the Nine Ruling Families, their leadership stands as a bulwark of stability against the Chaos of the Unknown Regions.But that stability has been eroded by a cunning foe that winnows away trust and loyalty in equal measure. Bonds of fidelity have given way to lines of division among the families. Despite the efforts of the Expansionary Defense Fleet, the Ascendancy slips closer and closer toward civil war.
The Chiss are no strangers to war. Their mythic status in the Chaos was earned through conflict and terrible deeds, some long buried. Until now. To ensure the Ascendancy’s future, Thrawn will delve deep into its past, uncovering the dark secrets surrounding the ascension of the First Ruling Family. But the truth of a family’s legacy is only as strong as the legend that supports it. Even if that legend turns out to be a lie.
To secure the salvation of the Ascendancy, is Thrawn willing to sacrifice everything? Including the only home he has ever known?