Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn: Treason is due in the summer of 2019. This time, both Emperor Palpatine and Orson Krennic are in play. Check under the cut for the blurb and full cover.
“If I were to serve the Empire, you would command my allegiance.”
Such was the promise Grand Admiral Thrawn made to Emperor Palpatine at their first meeting. Since then, Thrawn has been one of the Empire’s most effective instruments, pursuing its enemies to the very edges of the known galaxy. But as keen a weapon as Thrawn has become, the Emperor dreams of something far more destructive.
Now, as Thrawn’s TIE defender program is halted in favor of Director Krennic’s secret Death Star project, he realizes that the balance of power in the Empire is measured by more than just military acumen or tactical efficiency. Even the greatest intellect can hardly compete with the power to annihilate entire planets.
As Thrawn works to secure his place in the Imperial hierarchy, his former protégé Eli Vanto returns with a dire warning about Thrawn’s homeworld. Thrawn’s mastery of strategy must guide him through an impossible choice: duty to the Chiss Ascendancy, or fealty to the Empire he has sworn to serve. Even if the right choice means committing treason.
The book will be up for pre-order next week.
Ugh. They continue to play up the “is he loyal?” question even though we already know the answer! It was proven at least half a dozen times in Alliances, and Vader questioned it extremely frequently, and even he was satisfied. I wish they’d let Thrawn actually do something interesting without his (apparently) still ambiguous loyalty pervading every plot point.