Thrawn: Alliances is a 2018 Star Wars novel by Timothy Zahn, published on July 24, 2018 by Del Rey Books. It continues the chronicles of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a character that Zahn originated in his Heir to the Empire trilogy published in 1991–1993. It is the sequel to Zahn's Star Wars: Thrawn novel, the second installment of the newer Thrawn trilogy, and the ninth Thrawn novel overall.[2]
Development
At the New York Comic Con in 2017, Timothy Zahn, the author of the first eight Thrawn novels, announced that he had been working on a sequel to the 2017 Thrawn novel. He said that the book was actually finished and had been turned in a few weeks prior.[3] @DelReyStarWars, the official Star Wars Del Rey Twitter account, published a comment that read: "Thrawn is back. And he's bringing Vader with him. Coming summer 2018." The book was initially planned for release on June 26, 2018,[4] but was later delayed to July 24, 2018.[5][6][7]
Zahn said about coming back to writing about Thrawn: "Thrawn is a great character to write. It was really like I was never away from the last books I did. He’s a fun character to deal with..."[2]
Plot
Thrawn: Alliances focuses on Thrawn's partnership with Darth Vader,[8] whom he meets at the conclusion of Thrawn. In the novel, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader are sent on a mission to Batuu[9] to explore a disturbance in the Force felt by Emperor Palpatine.[1] The mission is more than that however, as Thrawn's split loyalties between the Empire and his native people the Chiss and Vader's past as a Jedi require a test of loyalty for both of the characters. The book also features flashbacks to a Clone Wars conflict featuring Thrawn and Anakin Skywalker on the same planet several years ago.[10] Additionally, Padmé Amidala is featured, investigating the disappearance of an old ally.[11][12]
The novel also introduces the fictional species Grysk,[13] which later return in Thrawn: Treason.
Reception
Timothy Zahn authored Thrawn: Alliances
Thrawn: Alliances topped The New York Times Best Seller list for Hardcover Fiction on the August 12, 2018 edition,[14] and stayed there the next week.[15] It placed second in Hardcover Fiction for the August 6, 2018 edition of Publishers Weekly's list of the week's best-sellers.[16]
Megan Crouse of Den of Geek wrote:"The sequel moves a lot faster and has a more energetic central dynamic than the first book. It’s a science fiction beach read in the best way, brisk and amusing, with some cool additions to the Star Wars galaxy."[9]
In 2019, Alliances won a Dragon Award for Best Media Tie-In Novel.[17]
