Thrawn: Treason was written by Timothy Zahn and published by Del Rey on July 23, 2019.
Synopsis
Grand Admiral Thrawn’s TIE Defender project cannot thrive with so many resources being directed toward Orson Krennic’s Project Stardust. In an effort to secure additional funding, Thrawn agrees to use that big, blue head of his to solve a problem with one of Krennic’s shipping routes. At the same time, the dreaded Grysk have begun their incursion into Imperial space; pursued by a ship of the Chiss Ascendancy, withThrawn’s protege Eli Vanto on board. Enemies will be confronted, loyalties tested, and treason uncovered! A Thrawn divided against itself cannot stand!
Review
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When I started reading Thrawn: Treason, and for the first few chapters into it, I was thinking to myself: “oh, man; not another Death Star/Death Star adjacent story”. I haven’t crunched the numbers, nor do I intend to, but it seems like we’ve gotten a lot of that over the last few years. The first in this series of new Thrawn books had a sub-plot of Thrawn slowly uncovering evidence of the Empire’s massive, secret building project. While the Death Star certainly serves as a plot point in this story, it is quite firmly relegated to the periphery. Thrawn already knows about the project at this point, much to Krennic’s and the Emperor’s chagrin, so you’re not dealing with that whole “main character is trying to solve a mystery and we already know exactly what it is” thing. You know, that old chestnut. The initial problem laid out in the first few chapters turns out to be a massive act of misdirection, and Thrawn wastes no time in getting down to solving the real mystery; a mystery that is wrapped up in the threat of the Grysk. Along the way we run into both new and familiar characters. Commodore Karyn Faro returns as Thrawn’s trusted captain of the Chimaera, Eli Vanto returns after his departure at the end of the first book. Krennic, Tarkin, and Palpatine get in some memorable appearances as well. Speaking of Krennic, it was very important to me that, despite part of the plot being Thrawn’s objection to the Project Stardust, he not be the primary Imperial antagonist in the story. He’s in it; and when he appears he’s a smug jerk; but it is his proxy Assistant Director Ronan who is the weasel to Thrawn’s cobra. I mean mongoose; he’s the mongoose; but he really is more of a weasel. What do weasels hunt? (Checks Wikipedia) Ok, I guess Thrawn is a chipmunk. I digress. The point is that we all know how Krennic’s journey is going to end so in his stead we get a new character who is not just a one dimensional caricature. After brief appearances in the first two books, we once again see Admiral Ar’alani of the Chiss Fleet in a greatly expanded role. She commands Eli Vanto as well as, among others, the navigator Vah’nya. Vah’nya is unique in that she has retained her “third sight abilities” into early adulthood. Tantalizingly, we get Gilad Pellaeon’s name dropped a few times before he gets a voice over near the end. His inclusion sets up his triumphant return in the series finale of Rebels where he gets...another voice over.
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I have enjoyed all of these new Thrawn novels. I liked the second one a little better than the first, and I liked this one a little better than its predecessor. I think. Alliances was maybe better, but it was a Thrawn/Vader book; this is a better Thrawn book. The plot gets a little complex, but that’s okay because the good Grand Admiral is always there to Thrawnsplain what’s going on. Thrawn’s Sherlock Holmes-like intellect and powers of observation and analysis are on fine display here, with Faro and Vanto acting as the Watsons to his Holmes. The presence of the other Chiss in this story lets us see that Thrawn is unique even among them; both Ar’alani and Vanto are well utilized as lenses through which we can view him. That said, they also get some respectable character development themselves; as does Faro and Ronan. It’s also possible to pick up on some contrasts between Thrawn and Krennic as leaders. Thrawn values loyalty and respect, but also encourages those under him to think for themselves and work out problems in their own way. It is always a pleasure to see him in command. The threat of the Grysk as well as the mystery of the supply line is drawn out brilliantly over the course of the book; the tension, palpable, builds and builds until not one, but two fiery confrontations. Even after the last shot has been fired, one of the central questions of the book remains: where does Thrawn’s ultimate loyalty lie? With the Empire, or the Chiss? Palpatine promises Thrawn that they will soon have a long talk about it, but we know that talk never happens. Thrawn: Treason ends just before the events of the Rebels series finale. Hopefully, Mr. Zahn’s next Thrawn story will pick up where Rebels left off. One of my only complaints is that the Grysk still don’t get any real direct development; everything we learn about them comes from secondary sources (the Chiss, the people they capture). I understand that it’s important to preserve some mystery, and you do get some good info here, but at some point they really need to pull back the curtain and we need to get some Grysk POV chapters.
Notes
This story takes place a few weeks after the events of Thrawn: Alliances; specifically it occurs between the Star Wars Rebels episodes Rebel Assault (S4E9) and Jedi Night (S4E10). Hera is referred to as being in Gov. Pryce’s custody.
I don’t remember if this was mentioned in Alliances, but here the Grysk are said to be able to exert some sort of mind control over those they dominate as “client” species.
Comic Pack Wish List:
Action figure ideas: Obviously we need a good Thrawn figure. Ar’alani would be cool. A Grysk.
Score:
An engrossing mystery and a fascinating character study with some solid action: 4 Skulls.
