Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of the most beloved Star Wars characters in the Legends continuity. Created by Timothy Zahn in 1991, Thrawn is perhaps best known for his first appearance in the Heir to the Empire trilogy, where he has been praised for his cunning and tactical superiority.
The character was eventually brought over into the main Star Wars canon, being reintroduced in Star Wars: Rebels as one of the primary antagonists of season 3. Timothy Zahn has since been able to write for the character again, first with the recent Thrawn trilogy and now again with the Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy. The first novel , Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, explores the character's early years.
The follow-up to this story and more have been announced in conjunction with Thrawn's 30th birthday...
NEWS
Gizmodo revealed a new lineup of upcoming Star Wars books and merchandise to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first appearance of Grand Admiral Thrawn.
The second book in Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Ascendancy series was announced, titled Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good. The book will release on May 4, 2021, and was accompanied by a striking new cover:
Greater Good continues on from the events of Chaos Rising, following Thrawn as he has to prevent further threats to the Chiss Ascendancy:
Thrawn’s latest triumph still rests newly on his shoulders. Despite leading the Chiss to victory and bringing glory to the House of Mitth, the true threat to the Ascendancy has not yet been extinguished. Their foes do not send threats or ultimatums, or mass ships on the edge of the Chaos. Their weapons come cloaked in smiles and generosity—gifts offered freely, services granted unconditionally.
Across the Ascendancy, seemingly inconsequential events could herald the doom of the Chiss. As Thrawn and the Expansionary Defense Fleet rally to uncover the enemy plot, they discover a chilling truth. Rather than invade Chiss capitals or pillage resources, this mysterious enemy strikes at the very foundation of the Ascendancy by widening the rifts between the Nine Ruling Families and Forty Great Houses below. As rivalry and suspicion sow discord among allies, each warrior must decide what matters most: the security of their family, or the survival of the Ascendancy itself.
Also announced was a limited release version of the previous book Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising :
The new edition comes with a brand new cover, with artwork of a young Thrawn in his Expansionary Defence Force officer uniform illustrated by Magali Villeneuve.
There are only 750 copies of this version of the book, with each copy being signed by author Timothy Zahn. Preorders will launch in November at $150.
For die-hard fans of Grand Admiral Thrawn, the announcement of a new book and a new version of a previous book release should prove exciting. Greater Good will be the second in the Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy, so fans of the first novel will certainly want to pick up the next installment to see how his journey continues.
While the new version of Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising will set buyers back by quite a bit, a stunning portrait of a young Thrawn and the hand-signed blessing of Thrawn creator Timothy Zahn may justify this cost. If Thrawn fans are interested, they'll definitely want to act fast before the limited amount of copies are snapped up quickly.
Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good will release on May 4, 2021, and the limited edition of Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising begins preorders in November.
