Ratings20
Average rating4.2
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The fate of the Chiss Ascendancy hangs in the balance in the epic finale of the Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy from Timothy Zahn. For thousands of years the Chiss Ascendancy has been an island of calm, a center of power, and a beacon of integrity. It is led by the Nine Ruling Families, whose leadership stands as a bulwark of stability against the Chaos of the Unknown Regions. But that stability has been eroded by a cunning foe who 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 to 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?
Reviews with the most likes.
I read this series of 3 books to sort of take a break from heavier stuff I'd been reading, figuring Star Wars would be easy and quick, but I didn't want a novelization with all the characters and bleeps and bloops - this is a series that takes place outside of the location and timeline of the main Stars Wars (I knew this) but still fit the tropes quite well - it fit the bill, a fun read, where I could slide with fun familiar things, like breaking my diet for one meal and driving through the hamburger joint. Plus, I trust that Zahn is a skilled author, and in this series he held up that bargain well. If this is the sort of thing you're looking for, this is for you. If you're looking for your favorite characters, they're not here: Anakin makes an off-screen cameo, and of course in this ending chapter of the book, you get set up for all the Thrawn expanded universe stuff; but it's not Star Wars. But it is in the tropes, and, not being critical, because this is what I expect, even look for in a relax read - I mean there's a lot of intellectual debt owed to Dune, E. E. Doc Smith, Sailing Ship age novels, Star Wars of course (even the long lost siblings trope makes an appearance), the whole Hero's Journey thing, and more. Nor should you expect any hard sf, I mean space is crowded with debris (it's not) and there is no smoke in space, but, we don't care, it's for fun. And as I said, I have a high opinion of Zahn to give you a good story. It does get a bit draggy when the main character, Thrawn, goes through the same battle routine over and over again, making some magically never-fail fake-out gambit - you'd think every other character would get wise after 3 books of this (well, they do, sort of) - but on the other hand, these sections read like military sf under cruise control. Set your expectations, and Zahn delivers to those. Put your feet up and read.
Man, finishing this series makes me feel good. I feel like I need to go back and read through the first 3 Thrawn books again to keep going. So well done.
Series
9 primary books13 released booksStar Wars Disney Canon Novel is a 112-book series with 9 primary works first released in 1976 with contributions by John Jackson Miller, Chuck Wendig, and 48 others.
Series
1 released bookStar Wars (Canon and Legends) is a 48-book series first released in 1976 with contributions by John Jackson Miller, Mike Chen, and 28 others.
Series
3 primary booksStar Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2020 with contributions by Timothy Zahn.