Lit STAR WARS - THRAWN - My Brutally Honest Review

This thread is really just DG's view, for a somewhat more varied picture this might be more useful:

http://boards.theforce.net/threads/...rs-book-by-timothy-zahn-spring-2017.50041473/

 

I liked it a lot.

 

I too thought it was a great book. Maybe my favorite of the new canon.



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Nice... I think I'll pick a copy up and give it a go, then.

 

I found it enjoyable and it's certainly not Zahns worst book. Is it his best, no not even close but it's still not his worst and worth a read at least once

 

I said at the beginning of my thread that this was "my view"....this was by means not to keep you from reading this book at all. The only real critic that matters is - you. Everyone has the right to read and share his or her views on books, that's what books were meant for....not just for enjoyment, entertainment and/or for a means to inspire the imagination....but something to share, talk to others about....create a line of communication and debate. A freedom that many still do not have in this world. By all means....go read Thrawn and may the Zahn be with you.

 

I had no idea B&N were still around. I remember reading more than a decade ago they were shutting down the last one in my then city.

 

Finished!

Well...that was a very rocky road of highs and lows for this whole novel. But it's time to put the whole thing into perspective. So....on with the final review.

The GOOD - The characters are good and solid. Thrawn is very Thrawn (as always) cold, calculated and observant. I love the inner thoughts as he observes everyone and everything. The story seems to flow straight and a somewhat of a conclusion to bring it all together at the end. The first several chapters where almost free of those Zahn-isms....and at least he managed to show Thrawn studying art in there.

The BAD - Those habits are hard to break...the Zahn-isms ( Ah, Got it, Right) and all the wincing Eli does. The meeting with the Emperor (Both beginning and at the end) that was the most uninspired use of Palpatine I've ever seen. Not only was he too dull, but I'm pretty sure he would have 'foreseen' Thrawn's ambitions and true agenda. Now he kind of hinted at that at the end of the novel....but not enough for us to understand just how much Palpy would have been prepared for. And Vader's one and only entrance....*sigh* wasn't as dramatic or intese between the two as I would have liked. Vader was just as held back as Palpy was.
Arinda Pryce....didn't care for her story at all. Now that I know she's in the REBELS tv show....I still don't care for her character. It was something that could have been shortened greatly and give more on Thrawn (seeing how it was his book), the battle scenes could have been made more intense and or more of a perspective on Thrawns battle tactics during. They had some....but not enough actionable description, just too much exposition of it. I rarely think military men suddenly get swooped into conversation during the heat of a major skirmish and debate the matter while quick thinking is required.

The Average - The relationship between Eli and Thrawn was interesting and weird. I was hoping Eli would betray Thrawn (which would please him to see he could think for himself) and join the Rebellion. Thrawn's grand plan for being in the Empire, while good use of being a spy for his people, wasn't really explained about how or for what puprose the Chiss would aide or hinder the Empire in the future. Probably setting it up for yet another book I assume.

The Overall Review - This seemed to have better structure then the previous Thrawn Trilogy, but sadly, it was just a dull read till almost the ending itself. I understand that it takes A to get to B....but it was lacking any sort of intensity inbetween. The whole Nightswan seemed a waste as well. It seemed shoved in there to keep Thrawn occupied while Pryce was going about her adventures....Nightswan didn't even really have a final ending either....I guess maybe he'll survive in the next book too. I would have liked to have seen more of the stirring of the smaller rebel factions or even others coming to the aid of Nightswan so that Thrawn could see this was going to be an increasing problem. It's also a pity that Thrawn couldn't put together that Ankain and Vader where the same...being so observant on stances and gesture habits. But I guess Vader is the "Blindspot" in this novel.
I didn't really enjoy the book, but I didn't overly hate it either. So Zahn has improved in his story telling (somewhat) but not when it comes to boring the readers to death as he drowns them in exposition and far too many details. And while Thrawn might say "the details are everything", I believe that too many make it hard to keep it interesting. The Battle scenes where weak as was the beginning of how Thrawn meet the Imperials.....I could have thought up a better senerio for how he met them (By stealing a shuttle, crashing into the launch bay and capturing the bridge crew by sheer logic and tactic)....but then that would be my book, not Zahn's, right?

Rating - Out of the five....I give it a four. Better....but not great. As far as making this canon now....it could have been much better, I was hoping for him to be more of an evil bastard then a misunderstood pussycat.


Still not a fan of Zahn's books....but this was the better out of most I've read so far.

 

Building on my earlier point about different authors having their own individualistic style and writing preference, I've been doing a re-read of the Thrawn Trilogy and I've noticed a number verbal ticks and, dare I say it, failings of Zahn.

Perhaps it's just his physics background, but TImothy Zahn's storytelling is extremely technical. In a way, he seems to lack that creative spark that Stover or Luceno or even Denning seem to have. What I mean by this is that his writing is sorely lacking in proper visual descriptions. In many ways his prose seems very dry and mechanical. There are no flowery descriptions of settings or beings, no grand depictions of fights or action scenes. This sparse writing style can make it very difficult for the reader to picture what's going on in their mind. This book comes to mind in terms of character visualization. I've read it a few times, and I have no mental images of Eil Vanto. At all. His physical description was completely unmemorable. As an author, Zahn does not seem to be a very visual person. Which is quite a shame, given that books are supposed to create a mental picture of events in a reader's mind.

The battles and fights he does write seem to be over in a few seconds, or else are largely about characters maneuvering around obstacles instead of heroically challenging the odds in a brave display of courage.

His portrayal of certain characters also sometimes feels odd, or out of place. Almost every character in Zahn's novels, be they Jedi, smuggler, Senator or Admiral seem to think their actions and moves through, step by step in a painstaking way, sometimes thinking six or even ten steps ahead. That isn't the way to write an action-themed novel. When people are placed in sudden, dangerous situations, their first step isn't to stop and think their exit plan out step by step. They often choose a plan, go with it and handle whatever obstacles that come in their way. To write a battle or confrontation as if it's a chess match with each combatant thinking out every move, step by step makes for a very boring story.

An example that comes to mind is a scene in The Last Command, where a group of Imperial commandos are trying to break into Leia's personal quarters to kidnap her and the twins. While the Imperials are trying to blast their way through, Leia starts coming up with ideas for an escape. Cutting through the walls to the next room, cutting through the floor to get away below or even cutting into the ceiling to escape above. But rather than implement any of these ideas, she just keeps thinking herself in circles, convincing herself that the Imperials have planned for every possibility. In terms of characterization, this just doesn't seem to jive with the brash young princess that blasted a hole in a garbage chute and leapt though it to escape the Imperials.

All authors have their own way of writing characters, and when you're writing a character that was created and established by someone else that can be very difficult. But to attribute a set of traits to that character that directly contradict their original or earlier depiction without very good reason can come across as out of character.

 

I had a similar take on this novel to you, DarthGaul. I wrote a big long diatribe on it here, if you're interested, but a quick summary is as follows: There was no suspense or tension in any of the battles, action sequences, or even the larger plot --- everything proceeded very straightforwardly with a Thrawn who's identical to the Thrawn from the EU doing the same things he's always done. Oh, he won the battle with a hidden trick up his sleeve that nobody else on the bridge expected, for the sixth chapter in a row? What a shocker! Thrawn never once felt like an underdog in this book and it was difficult to root for him. Eli wasn't very sympathetic or memorable either. There were also too many sloppily written passages, and we know that Zahn's better than that. A lot of stuff happened off-page that really shouldn't have, and those first-person italicized observations... ugh. What a disaster. In all nothing about the book was fresh, interesting, or necessary --- it didn't succeed in justifying its existence. If we had a JC Lit review special thread I'd probably give it a four out of ten.

 

Vialco - I agree that every writer has their style and that Zahn is very much in his own mind about how a character thinks/acts/carries out plans. He knows Thrawn inside and out....so he obviously has his own character down pat, but when he puts them in situations where there is absolutely no need or time to over think things....the whole tension is destroyed into boredom. He's too much a thinker writer (especially in an action/adventure type novel) and overshoots the thought process on all of them way too many times. His weakness isn't so much the characters, they seem to be honed fine, it's his interaction and reactions with them. They come off as stiff, calculated (not always a good thing), and really dull in action.

 

Whereas someone like Troy Denning is all about action, sometimes inserting into situations that should be calm and tension-free. Denning does write the best fight scenes of any Star Wars author I've read.

 

At least Zahn's writing seem to be logical. Whereas Denning's Battle of Coruscant was yay! The NR is winning! Next sentence, withdraw. Withdraw WITHDRAW! Leave Coruscant to the VONG.

 

There's real no happy middle ground when it comes to SW writers. Either they are so engrossed in their own logic or they're pouring on the action and forgetting the substance. I was reading some of Cloak Of Deception...and noticed how dry and rigid that one was. But at least it didn't drag on too much off to the side that it left from the main premise of the book.

 

I think I'm done reading anymore Zahn books....I know many have suggested I review his other titles, but I think I need a break from his storytelling and delve into others. Infact I've started reading (ok, listening since it's an audio book...I've got time going back and forth to work) to Darth Plagueis....

 

Jonathan Davis doesn't do the best job narrating that one, I found. Was a bit too dry for me. Good book though.

I agree with you on Zahn, I just finished a full audiobook marathon of the Thrawn Trilogy and there were a lot of story elements that really stood out as odd or nonsensical to me. I'm actually planning to revive one of those older Thrawn threads to talk about the stuff that didn't make sense to me in each of the books.

 

Jonathan Davis doesn't narrate Plagueis, that would be Daniel Davis.

 

I recommend John Jackson Miller's Lost Tribe of the Sith short story collection.

However, just wondering, it sounds you didn't enjoy the book much, why give it 4 out of 5?

 

Oh, that's why it sounds so dull. Was wondering why Jonathan sounded off his game.

 

I actually enjoyed it more then I liked the entire trilogy of Thrawn. I gave it 4 out 5 based on the fact that Zahn had actually done a better job on this one then an entire trilogy (which, as a whole, was really just one book stretched out into a set of three). While I'm not a fan of his writing methods or "Zahn-isms" as I call them, I was satisfied that the book held better then his previous titles I've read.

This was more of a love/hate relationship to his work....rather then a full on hate. Because as we all know....."Anger leads to hate - hate leads to suffering.....of the reader."

 

So no more reviews from me then. I thank many of you for reading, debating and sharing views. I'm sure many will be pleased by this and others may be indifferent or shrug the shoulders and say "get over it dude"....but personal (Or even brutally honest) reviews are not accepted only "official" ones.

Ta!

 

Hey I liked your reviews.
You can't go yet anyway, not until you've done Allegiance and Choices of One, Zahn's OT Duology

 

I'll probably get to those at some point in my new thread.

 

Your reviews as you know them are over. They shall be assimilated into the official threads. Your brutality will serve us. Resistance is futile.