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Plot
Five years after the defeat of the tyrannical Emperor, Grand Admiral Thrawn, a cunning patriot of the old Empire seeks to destroy the democratic New Republic. He enlists the warrior Joruus C'baoth, and together they conspire to kidnap the Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and his twin sister Leia, two of the most prominent figures in the Republic.
With Luke and Leia under control, the plotters easily take over the capital by force, but it isn’t all plain sailing — Luke and Leia are aided by their friends in the Republic as well as smugglers Talon Karrde and Mara Jade. They thwart Thrawn’s Machiavellian plots, and successfully cripple his forces, saving the galaxy from another reign of terror.
The book opens with an exhilarating space battle
The Power of Pacing
Zahn’s pacing masterfully creates a sense of excitement, balancing fast-paced action with elaborate plots. This writing style extends throughout the whole series. Instead of cluttering the prologue with long backstories and expositions, the book opens with Thrawn victoriously fending off a swift attack from the New Republic. Not only does this exhibit Thrawn’s wit, which intensifies the apparent threat he poses to the protagonists, it also entices the reader to embark on a journey in the galaxy far far away.
Thrawn - A Diabolical Genius
The author fills the story with various characters, each with distinct quirks and personalities. The most intriguing of them all is Thrawn, an original character who did not appear in the films. The Grand Admiral is a crafty intellectual who, instead of working for personal gains, sees a bigger picture of the enemy lines. Unlike many of his villainous contemporaries, he leads his subordinates through admiration and loyalty rather than coercion and threats. This is in stark contrast to his ally Joruus C’baoth, who only craves total destruction to those who oppose him.
With powers of deduction comparable to Sherlock Holmes, Thrawn’s ingenuity presents a menace to Luke and his allies. A turning point of the book is found when Luke and Leia split up to escape from Imperial forces, unaware that Thrawn is a few steps ahead of the New Republic. By analysing their footsteps, Thrawn correctly predicts the destinations of the twins and sends his troops to intercept them. Such astute observations and accurate predictions often add a sense of suspense to the tale - if our heroes cannot outsmart their nemesis, who can?
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