I’ve never really gone for the book side of the Star Wars expanded universe, partly for time but partly because I was never sure what was canon anymore!

However, when Thrawn joined Rebels in season 3 it was great to see a literary character brought into the mainstream and officially made canon.

And what an intro it was! Thrawn has easily made it into my list of top Star Wars villains with his collected demeanour and utter surety in his strategy. Not content with a lack Thrawn after Rebels drew to a close, I thought I’d get the book by Timothy Zahn.

A couple of pages in and holy sh*t it’s good! I won’t spoil the story for those who want to read it but damn that’s a good origin story. I’m currently half way through and it’s proving incredibly hard to put down, even to the point where I’m reading late into the night and trying to fight of those heavy eyelids. Thrawn is portrayed as a tactical genius and the book gives you a fascinating insight into his mind, his thoughts and how he outwits every opponent.

The book is a great addition to the SW universe and it gives a unique point of view from characters inside the Empire, which we rarely get to see from anything but the Rebellion’s perspective. The characters compliment each other very well and exploring some of the planets we know and love in more detail is a fantastic journey to go on. 

If you like Thrawn or have always been tempted by the safety and security of the Galactic Empire then you’ll enjoy seeing the bureaucratic side of the Imperial War Machine, the politics and back-stabbing of those who want to climb the ranks.

Read it! You won’t be disappointed.