Book Review: Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good (Ascendancy Trilogy Volume II)

 

This is the second in the backstory trilogy of the character of Thrawn in the new Star Wars canon material. Specifically, during the time when he was an officer in the Chiss Ascendancy before he joined the Empire. This is set a short time after the events of the first novel, Chaos Rising, and in the Star Wars timeline occurs between Episodes II and II, during the Clone Wars. The basic plot of the book is that the Chiss Ascendancy (which consists of multiple planets in the Unknown Regions) is being attacked by enemies who seek to divide the nine ruling families and start a civil war within the Chiss Ascendancy. Thrawn's ship is one of two that are mopping up the remnants of the Nikardun military (from the first book) only to uncover the larger plot. 

There is definitely less action in this book than in the first and a lot more political maneuvering. Thrawn is also not in the book as much, and the memories chapters really have nothing to do with him, focusing on some of the ancillary characters. There is another big battle at the end in which Thrawn uses his enhanced strategic and observation skills, which is what most people who are reading the books are likely to be interested in. So, while I do not think the book is bad, it is not as good as the first and definitely feels like the middle part of the story.