Thrawn: Ascendancy Trilogy

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Galan007
It just occurred to me that I hadn't made a proper discussion thread for this...


http://i.imgur.com/n9ktz8Dl.jpg

This is an upcoming trilogy of novels written by Timothy Zahn, and will be centered around the origins of Thrawn and the Chiss Ascendancy in the Unknown Regions... The first novel of the series will be called "Chaos Rising"..


It's not the period of time I was expecting Zahn to explore, but I am still very much looking forward to it. droolio

Lighter332
Originally posted by Galan007
It just occurred to me that I hadn't made a proper discussion thread for this...


http://i.imgur.com/n9ktz8Dl.jpg

This is an upcoming trilogy of novels written by Timothy Zahn, and will be centered around the origins of Thrawn and the Chiss Ascendancy in the Unknown Regions... The first novel of the series will be called "Chaos Rising".


It's not the period of time I was expecting Zahn to explore, but I am still very much looking forward to it. droolio

So it's a Disney-rehash of what Zahn originally wrote in the Thrawn Trilogy and later the Thrawn Duology?

Galan007
Same era I guess, but I'm quite sure the story will be different. I'm definitely not ready to lump Zahn in with the rest of Disney's failures -- his last canon Thrawn trilogy was not only really good, but it was original.

Sheev
oh damn. Another Thrawn Trilogy!? sign me up! big grin

Galan007
A bit of good news(for me at least)... The first novel will actually be getting released a month early:
https://i.imgur.com/R24GDIW.jpg

Here's a new plot synopsis:

"Beyond the edge of the galaxy lies the Unknown Regions: chaotic, uncharted, and near impassable, with hidden secrets and dangers in equal measure. And nestled within its swirling chaos is the Ascendancy, home to the enigmatic Chiss and the Nine Ruling Families that lead them.

The peace of the Ascendancy, a beacon of calm and stability, is shattered after a daring attack on the Chiss capital that leaves no trace of the enemy. Baffled, the Ascendancy dispatches one of its brightest young military officers to root out the unseen assailants. A recruit born of no title, but adopted into the powerful family of the Mitth and given the name Thrawn.

With the might of the Expansionary Fleet at his back, and the aid of his comrade Admiral Ar'alani, answers begin to fall into place. But as Thrawn's first command probes deeper into the vast stretch of space his people call the Chaos, he realizes that the mission he has been given is not what it seems. And the threat to the Ascendancy is only just beginning."

Scizard
A month early. More like months late lol. But yeah sounds like it could be cool.

Galan007
Yeah, it was originally supposed to be released this month... Then the COVID kneejerk happened.

But September is better than October. thumb up

Galan007
A new poster and leaked excerpt...

http://i.imgur.com/6gOUH28l.jpg

Sheev
I really can't wait for this.

Presumably set in a new era that predates the PT, in a sector of space that we know nothing about, centered around a species that hasn't really been explored at all in the new canon, and featuring new potential threats to the galaxy.

Will be awesome.

Galan007
I agree 100%.

Tzeentch
I'm glad that the chiss having visible pupils seems to be confined to the rebels cartoon. I understand why they did it but I've still always hated that change.

Galan007
I think that's actually the first time the Chiss have been shown without pupils in canon.

Even the covers for the first 3 Thrawn novels show him with pupils.

Tzeentch
That makes me sad.

Galan007
Another leaked excerpt from the novel:
https://www.ign.com/articles/star-wars-book-excerpt-thrawn-ascendancy-chaos-rising-timothy-zahn-rebels

Really am looking forward to this. Aside from it fleshing out some of the civilizations in the Unknown Regions, it will be refreshing to see Thrawn in full "Art of War mode" again. thumb up

Eli Vanto
Thanks for that Galan thumb up

I wonder when exactly this story will be set in the SW timeline?

And also; do you think the Grysk will appear in this trilogy?

Galan007
I don't think he'll encounter the Grysks directly, no. Alliances seemed to be the first time he had actually seen/fought them.

That said, the Grysks could very well be masterminding the attack against the Chiss empire in this trilogy, from behind the scenes. They seem to play the long game when it comes to overthrowing civilizations, and prefer to enslave other species to do their bidding before directly entering the fray themselves.

Eli Vanto
Ya makes sense.

So is there any word about when this trilogy will be set? Obviously before TCW, but anything more specific?

Galan007
I don't know exactly when Chaos Rising is set(or if an exact timeframe will even be given), but it will be pre-CW for sure.

When Thrawn first encountered Anakin in Alliances(which takes place during the Clone Wars), he was a Chiss Commander -- but according to the leaked excerpt, Thrawn is evidently a fairly new Captain here. So at some point between this novel and Alliances, Thrawn gets promoted from Captain to Commander(assuming the Chiss naval ranks are the same as the Empire's, which seems to be the case.)

...And that's aside from the fact that Thrawn also looks pretty young in the poster.

So I guess it could be set in the time between TPM and AotC? Dunno. /shrug

Eli Vanto
Huh? I thought Captains outranked commanders. At least that's how it seemed to be with the Clone troops. confused

Galan007
Commander > Captain in the Imperial navy, at least.

In the first Thrawn novel, for example, Thrawn was promoted from Lieutenant, to Captain, to Commander. In that order.

The Chiss seem to have the same command structure.

Total Warrior
I hope there will be a full scale all-out war like against the Vong in Legends

Eli Vanto
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.

Scizard
Commander > Captain is the same for clones as well

Galan007
Originally posted by Eli Vanto
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. I imagine this trilogy will definitely showcase some of the other threats that Thrawn warned Palpatine of. The Grysks were just one.

Originally posted by Scizard
Commander > Captain is the same for clones as well Yep. We saw that as recently as TCW S07. Rex was promoted from Captain to Commander, just before the Siege of Mandalore.

Eli Vanto
Ah ya, fair point. Completely forgot that Anakin promoted Rex in Season 7.

Galan007
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.

Eli Vanto
F*ck that's great to hear. big grin

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? stick out tongue

Galan007
No Vong, thank god. Main antagonists are a species called the Nikarduns, who are led by a character called Yiv("The Benevolent"wink -- 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.

Sheev
Someone on reddit said that Csilla (how the hell do you pronounce that anyway? "Sisila"?) is wiped out in this novel. Is that true?

Galan007
No. Don't trust everything you read on reddit.

And it's pronounced "Chee-La".

Eli Vanto
Sorry just one more question.

Saw that there was a reference to Outbound Flight in this. Is that legit?

Are there any Legends references?

Galan007
The Chiss cruiser "Whirlwind" and Vagaari pirates were briefly mentioned. Those are the only nods to Outbound Flight that I saw.


Also worth mentioning that at some point in the ancient past, the Chiss fought alongside the Republic in the "Sith Wars", but no further information was given about that.

Galan007
The second novel in the Ascendancy Trilogy (titled "Greater Good"wink arrives April 27th:

https://i.ibb.co/Y2RtyGZ/thrawn-ascendancy-greater-good-cover.jpg


An excerpt from the novel can be read here.

Total Warrior
oh cool, i'm looking forward to this

Galan007
And to end Zahn's canon Thrawn origin trilogy will be the novel "Lesser Evil", which will be released November 16th:

https://i.ibb.co/SsxSRsW/star-wars-thrawn-ascendancy-lesser-evil-cover.jpg

Eli Vanto
Surprised we got a cover reveal and synopsis for the final novel already. Disney must be bored. stick out tongue

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