What do you think?
Rate this book
Star Wars: Thrawn: Alliances
Return to the saga of Grand Admiral Thrawn with the comic-book adaptation of the hit novel THRAWN: ALLIANCES!
As rivals for the favor of the Emperor, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader may seem like unlikely partners for a crucial mission! Yet this formidable twosome has worked together before. Years ago, Thrawn and the man once known as Anakin Skywalker were joined in the hunt for Padmé Amidala. Now, as each man carves his own way through the galaxy, they will find themselves bound together once more by the Emperor’s will — and they will be each be tested to their limits by an enemy worthy of their formidable combined might!
COLLECTING: Star Wars: Thrawn: Alliances (2024) #1-4
As rivals for the favor of the Emperor, Grand Admiral Thrawn and Darth Vader may seem like unlikely partners for a crucial mission! Yet this formidable twosome has worked together before. Years ago, Thrawn and the man once known as Anakin Skywalker were joined in the hunt for Padmé Amidala. Now, as each man carves his own way through the galaxy, they will find themselves bound together once more by the Emperor’s will — and they will be each be tested to their limits by an enemy worthy of their formidable combined might!
COLLECTING: Star Wars: Thrawn: Alliances (2024) #1-4
112 pages, Paperback
Published September 17, 2024
26 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
September 22, 2024
I really wish this one would’ve been two separate stories rather than one four-issue miniseries dealing with both storylines all at once. I understand this was an adaptation of a novel, so the story might be better read in that format as opposed to being told in comics. It just felt like they tried to shove too much into only a few issues.
January 25, 2024
[#1/4] vader thinks he’s part of the chimaera… still can’t believe we got workplace rivals thrawnvader romance content in the year 2024
[placeholder review until the real first issue gets added on here 😭]
[placeholder review until the real first issue gets added on here 😭]
January 6, 2025
Much like the previous Thrawn adaptation, Thrawn: Alliances suffers in comic form. There's simply too much talking and too low of stakes. The dueling storylines are confusing since they're so similar. By the end, I had no idea who was fighting what and why. Didn't help that the ending appeared to take place mid-scene? Like, "okay, let's go get the bad guy. The end?" Did someone cut off funding?
May 30, 2025
The graphic novel adaptation of the novel. Always enjoyed this story, with the back and forth between Anakin and Commander Thrawn from the Chiss Ascendancy during the Clone Wars era and Vader and Grand Admiral Thrawn during the early days of the Empire, exploring the same region at different times. Thrawn KNOWS Vader is Anakin for sure.
Though the comic is good, I'd recommend not only the novel, but the whole Thrawn: Ascendancy Trilogy.
Recommend
Though the comic is good, I'd recommend not only the novel, but the whole Thrawn: Ascendancy Trilogy.
Recommend
January 25, 2024
i love space homos
May 14, 2025
This sure was some of Thrawn Alliances, stitched together in that janky way that all comic adaptations of novels is. Not for me, but glad to have another Thrawn thing to add to my collection.
May 7, 2025
It's a damn shame they ruined this adaption. Less issues than the previous entry in the series, and it ends randomly in the middle of the original novel's storyline? A baffling choice and a disappointing read
September 19, 2024
I wasn’t the biggest fan of this novel, and I am a lesser fan of this graphic novel adaption. Ultimately, the story is kind of hard to follow as it goes back and forth between two separate stories: Anakin meeting Thrawn for the first time as he hunts down a missing Padme, only to uncover a Separatist plot, and Darth Vader and Thrawn traveling back to the same planet of Batuu years later to investigate a disturbance in the force. What’s more, the Anakin/Thrawn plot is very interesting, but the Vader/Thrawn plot never hooked me. I also kept confusing the timelines as I read since the quests are so similar in structure. Great artwork, though! And I like how this story further captures Thrawn’s strategic mind!
October 24, 2024
Thrawn is such a sick character.
December 8, 2024
An adaptation of Tim Zahn's novel of the same name.
In two separate parallel stories, set during the Clone Wars and later in the reign of the Empire, Thrawn works alongside Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Sith Lord Darth Vader on missions to the edges of the Unknown Regions.
The novel this is based on is probably my least favourite of all of Zahn's Star Wars work and it was interesting to see here that my particular gripes with the novel are somewhat mitigated but that this book comes with huge problems of its own instead.
Originally, I didn't like how contrived the teaming-up between Thrawn and Vader or Thrawn and Anakin were, but due to the accelerated pacing here it feels less obnoxious (although I still don't like how quickly Anakin goes from "Who are you?" to "Let's be BFFs!" with Thrawn).
Similarly, I didn't like how the novel switched between the two timeframes whenever the plot started to pick up speed. Here, however, the plot has to be at full speed the whole time due to the condensed nature of the adaptation which, combined with the visual storytelling medium, made the transitions between the Clone Wars and the Dark Times less jarring.
The flip side to all these improvements gained from the change in medium comes with the obvious downside that so much of the novel's subtlety, characterisation and plot is thrown out of the window in favour of the accelerated storytelling. In its wake it leaves huge leaps of logic, a few plot holes and a general sense of shallowness.
This book's worst failing, however, is the deliberate pretence of being a complete adaptation of the novel. Nowhere on the cover or in the blurb does it ever give you the impression that it's anything other than a straightforward adaptation the way the first 'Thrawn' graphic novel was.
However, when you reach the end of this book, you discover that it just stops mid-story without resolving any of the major plot threads and without getting to the end of the novel.
It feels very much like Marvel are trying to cheat you (especially since, at time of writing, there's no announcement of a continuation coming out) and that's a crappy way to treat buyers.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
In two separate parallel stories, set during the Clone Wars and later in the reign of the Empire, Thrawn works alongside Jedi General Anakin Skywalker and Sith Lord Darth Vader on missions to the edges of the Unknown Regions.
The novel this is based on is probably my least favourite of all of Zahn's Star Wars work and it was interesting to see here that my particular gripes with the novel are somewhat mitigated but that this book comes with huge problems of its own instead.
Originally, I didn't like how contrived the teaming-up between Thrawn and Vader or Thrawn and Anakin were, but due to the accelerated pacing here it feels less obnoxious (although I still don't like how quickly Anakin goes from "Who are you?" to "Let's be BFFs!" with Thrawn).
Similarly, I didn't like how the novel switched between the two timeframes whenever the plot started to pick up speed. Here, however, the plot has to be at full speed the whole time due to the condensed nature of the adaptation which, combined with the visual storytelling medium, made the transitions between the Clone Wars and the Dark Times less jarring.
The flip side to all these improvements gained from the change in medium comes with the obvious downside that so much of the novel's subtlety, characterisation and plot is thrown out of the window in favour of the accelerated storytelling. In its wake it leaves huge leaps of logic, a few plot holes and a general sense of shallowness.
This book's worst failing, however, is the deliberate pretence of being a complete adaptation of the novel. Nowhere on the cover or in the blurb does it ever give you the impression that it's anything other than a straightforward adaptation the way the first 'Thrawn' graphic novel was.
However, when you reach the end of this book, you discover that it just stops mid-story without resolving any of the major plot threads and without getting to the end of the novel.
It feels very much like Marvel are trying to cheat you (especially since, at time of writing, there's no announcement of a continuation coming out) and that's a crappy way to treat buyers.
* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *
November 11, 2024
The dialogue is fine, and it works as a short version of the first half of the story. The problem is that this mini-series doesn't cover the entire book. It ends in the middle of the story, and so far, I cannot tell if there is a plan to do the second half of the book. Now, I've read the book and can just go read it, but I was hoping that it would be an adaptation of the entire book like the first Thrawn was. The art has gotten worse since the first Thrawn comic series. The cover art is beautiful, but the art on these characters in inconsistent, and often ugly. Much of the humor from the book is lost in this adaptation. The anatomy is off on these characters. What happened to well-drawn Star Wars comics? Just go read the actual book by Timothy Zahn. It is a much better experience.
October 5, 2024
2 ABY
This graphic novel contains Thrawn Alliances issues 1-4, completing the adaptation from the Zahn novel of the same name. It has two alternating timelines. The past timeline follows Anakin, who has lost Padme and thinks she may be in danger from her current mission. On his way there, he encounters a Chiss named Thrawn, who has left his home planet to investigate this new galactic war and aim to prevent it from hitting his own world. The two work together to find Padme, Thrawn making his appearance and working closely with the Jedi. Many years later, in 2 ABY, Thrawn finds himself a Grand Admiral, because of his investigative abilities, is tasked by the Emperor to work closely with Darth Vader to explore a disturbance in the force. This task takes them both back to Batuu, where they duo'd previously together, but that was Anakin, a man who no longer exists. While Thrawn is inquisitive enough to figure out who Vader once was, that is no longer who he identifies with now. It will take a miracle for hot-headed Vader and cool-collected Thrawn to figure the mystery out...together.
While I haven't read the novel as of this review (though I do have a copy), I find the art an enjoyable way to explore both character's past and present selves. I found that the back-and-forth between timelines was extremely frequent and could have been moved around a little bit for longer stretches of each, rather than shorter bursts. It does make me wonder how the novel is constructed, and not I am intrigued to compare. Thrawn is my second favorite Star Wars character, and I am always seeking more. While it doesn't quite resonate as the same Thrawn as in Heir to the Empire, the presence is their, and he reveals his inquisitive mind eventually. Overall, a good adaptation and "episode" for Vader and Thrawn fans alike to enjoy.
This graphic novel contains Thrawn Alliances issues 1-4, completing the adaptation from the Zahn novel of the same name. It has two alternating timelines. The past timeline follows Anakin, who has lost Padme and thinks she may be in danger from her current mission. On his way there, he encounters a Chiss named Thrawn, who has left his home planet to investigate this new galactic war and aim to prevent it from hitting his own world. The two work together to find Padme, Thrawn making his appearance and working closely with the Jedi. Many years later, in 2 ABY, Thrawn finds himself a Grand Admiral, because of his investigative abilities, is tasked by the Emperor to work closely with Darth Vader to explore a disturbance in the force. This task takes them both back to Batuu, where they duo'd previously together, but that was Anakin, a man who no longer exists. While Thrawn is inquisitive enough to figure out who Vader once was, that is no longer who he identifies with now. It will take a miracle for hot-headed Vader and cool-collected Thrawn to figure the mystery out...together.
While I haven't read the novel as of this review (though I do have a copy), I find the art an enjoyable way to explore both character's past and present selves. I found that the back-and-forth between timelines was extremely frequent and could have been moved around a little bit for longer stretches of each, rather than shorter bursts. It does make me wonder how the novel is constructed, and not I am intrigued to compare. Thrawn is my second favorite Star Wars character, and I am always seeking more. While it doesn't quite resonate as the same Thrawn as in Heir to the Empire, the presence is their, and he reveals his inquisitive mind eventually. Overall, a good adaptation and "episode" for Vader and Thrawn fans alike to enjoy.
April 11, 2024
In the Thrawn: Alliances novel, Zahn attempts to weave together two narrative strands from past and present. And while it isn't my favorite Thrawn novel, as an avid follower of Zahn's Thrawn saga, I was looking forward to this comic adaptation. However, it fell drastically short of expectations and left me deeply disappointed.
Firstly, the comic omits many of the novel's standout moments, and the visual depiction of the Grysks, making their first-ever comic appearance, lacks the depth expected, likely to maintain ambiguity. More significantly, the story is left unfinished. Despite expectations for a complete tale in four issues, readers are left with only half of both narratives. The fourth and final installment concludes with a suggestive "The End?" hinting at a potential continuation.
Marvel's decision to greenlight this adaptation without committing to its completion reeks of greed and disrespect toward fans. It seems pretty apparent that they wanted to capitalize on Thrawn's resurgence in Ahsoka with this blatant cash grab - and it's a complete betrayal of trust.
A one-star rating feels excessively generous; frankly, it deserves nothing. Unfortunately, the Goodreads interface doesn't provide an option to rate lower than one star
TL;DR: Thrawn: Alliances' incomplete adaptation is a letdown, failing to capture the essence of Zahn's work and exploiting fans' loyalty for profit and serves as a glaring example of corporate exploitation at its worst.
Firstly, the comic omits many of the novel's standout moments, and the visual depiction of the Grysks, making their first-ever comic appearance, lacks the depth expected, likely to maintain ambiguity. More significantly, the story is left unfinished. Despite expectations for a complete tale in four issues, readers are left with only half of both narratives. The fourth and final installment concludes with a suggestive "The End?" hinting at a potential continuation.
Marvel's decision to greenlight this adaptation without committing to its completion reeks of greed and disrespect toward fans. It seems pretty apparent that they wanted to capitalize on Thrawn's resurgence in Ahsoka with this blatant cash grab - and it's a complete betrayal of trust.
A one-star rating feels excessively generous; frankly, it deserves nothing. Unfortunately, the Goodreads interface doesn't provide an option to rate lower than one star
TL;DR: Thrawn: Alliances' incomplete adaptation is a letdown, failing to capture the essence of Zahn's work and exploiting fans' loyalty for profit and serves as a glaring example of corporate exploitation at its worst.
December 9, 2024
A comic adaptation of the novel of the same name, Thrawn: Alliances sees Thrawn teamed up with Vader to investigate a disturbance in the Force. Their mission takes them to the site of a Clone Wars team-up between Thrawn and Anakin Skywalker, and thus the comic switches back and forth between Then and Now. The comic isn't terrible and has some great art. The problem I have is that the time switches seem way too abrupt (in a way I didn't find when I listened to the novel), the comic seems somewhat abridged (but not terribly), and then the last issue ends just as we're starting to get answers. The comic miniseries only adapts the first two thirds of the novel! Granted, it ends with a "The End?", but still! The miniseries that adapted the first novel in this particular trilogy was six issues, this was only four issues. How hard would it have been to do another two issues and finish the story? Was it not selling as well? Anyway, it's not a complete waste of time, just a disappointing ending.
December 25, 2024
I love the art style of this book, unfortunately it falls flat in quite a few ways for me, the lack of internal monologue really takes away from thrawn and Vader in this, especially in comparison to the book it’s was adapting. The introduction of characters feels sloppy and the story is a little bit repetitive. But the worst part is the ending. Better put the complete lack of one, it just stops ? It doesn’t finished the content of the book, I was looking forward to to thrawn finding children from chiss or literally anything else on the grysk. It feels cheap especially with how much they packed into the first comic adaptation of the books. They could have actually added in some more detailed content if this story was going to be split into two parts/ 8 issues.
Side note always sad to see anakin failing to pronounce thrawns name.
Overall it’s pretty and it is the adaptation of the weakest of the trilogy I just wished they had released the entire story.
Side note always sad to see anakin failing to pronounce thrawns name.
Overall it’s pretty and it is the adaptation of the weakest of the trilogy I just wished they had released the entire story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2024
Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn stories are arguably the pinnacle of Star Wars fiction. This comic adaptation provides stunning artwork to accompany the dual narratives of the original novel, switching back and forth between two timelines which see Thrawn and Anakin during the early Clone Wars era, and Thrawn being matched with Darth Vader on a mission for the Emperor. The drama is fuelled by our desire to find out whether Thrawn knows what became of Anakin, whether he knew Padmé, and what fate awaits anyone who gets too close to Vader’s backstory. Readers should be advised that this adaptation ends abruptly about three-quarters of the way through the original story. Hopefully Marvel has plans to finish it, either with another volume or by carrying the story forward in an adaptation of Thrawn: Treason.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2025
8/10:
Grand Admiral Thrawn is my favorite character in all of Star Wars, so any excuse to get more of him is appreciated. I love the art throughout this that brings the original story from Timothy Zahn to life. The dual stories mimicking one another is such a fun trope and I love how it’s utilized here.
I’m certainly very frustrated, however, that only half of the story is adapted in this comic series! It seems that yet again, Marvel Comics has dropped the ball and given up on a series that wasn’t selling well weekly and leaving an incomplete story.
I’ve read a lot of the more recent Marvel Comics Star Wars trade paperbacks this week, and quite frankly, I’m pissed that they can’t get their act together. It’s Star Wars man, just let people write and the stories will sell themselves.
Grand Admiral Thrawn is my favorite character in all of Star Wars, so any excuse to get more of him is appreciated. I love the art throughout this that brings the original story from Timothy Zahn to life. The dual stories mimicking one another is such a fun trope and I love how it’s utilized here.
I’m certainly very frustrated, however, that only half of the story is adapted in this comic series! It seems that yet again, Marvel Comics has dropped the ball and given up on a series that wasn’t selling well weekly and leaving an incomplete story.
I’ve read a lot of the more recent Marvel Comics Star Wars trade paperbacks this week, and quite frankly, I’m pissed that they can’t get their act together. It’s Star Wars man, just let people write and the stories will sell themselves.
September 30, 2024
Thrawn Alliances is probably my favorite of the canon Thrawn novels. However the comic adaptation was a disappointment. For those who didn’t read the novel, the comic would feel disjointed. The comic jumps into the middle of the chapters in the novel without context or transition that made it feel like the characters were teleporting.
I am sorry, but the designs of the darshi and grysks… really? That’s what you went with?
In short, the comic adaptation felt as if someone told Marvel the story and Marvel adapted the comic from what they remembered hearing.
This story had such huge potential and it is not complete! Very disappointed for one of my favorite star wars novels 😔
I am sorry, but the designs of the darshi and grysks… really? That’s what you went with?
In short, the comic adaptation felt as if someone told Marvel the story and Marvel adapted the comic from what they remembered hearing.
This story had such huge potential and it is not complete! Very disappointed for one of my favorite star wars novels 😔
October 3, 2024
So this adaptation is a bit weird. On one hand, I do enjoy the artwork, the coloring, and as far as adapting the story into a new medium, they did a decent job with these issues. On the other hand, this is only half the story, and at the time of this review, Marvel has made no indication that they are going to adapt the rest of the book. If they aren't then why even bother making these issues at all? It is just a weird situation. Moreover, I, like many others, wish the Grysks had a more unique and appealing design since the Thrawn novels build them up as menacing villains.
March 4, 2025
There's got to be another volume, yes? I mean, this story doesn't even conclude, it just stops, mid-scene. I wasn't real happy with the two different timelines and the constant switching between them, but to just kind of cut things off at the end was particularly annoying. The art is decent throughout, but just as I'm getting into the story, there's no solution, no end, no nothing. If there ever is a second volume, I'll have pretty much forgotten what happened in this one by the time I read it. Not good.
October 22, 2024
Really good book. Continued from the first book really well and was great to see Vader and thrawn together in the present and thrawn and anakin together in the past. There was times where I thought Vader was being made to not be smart so thrawn could be. So I think they could of done a bit better with that but other than that it was really good. Can't wait for the 3rd book to be adapted into a comic next
November 8, 2024
What's here is fine. But like did they just give up on adapting the rest of the novel ? the last third of the book is not here. If you haven't read the book then the end of this comic book is a slap in the face, as nothing gets revealed or concluded. Who is this for ? People like me who read the book don't get anything from this, the art is worse then in the last adaptation and people who haven't read the book just do not get a complete narrative. Missed opportunity.
April 2, 2025
Already by far the weakest Thrawn Novel, the comic is an insult, not even completing the full story and just ending at a weak midpoint cliffhanger. Erratic jumps between different characters and timelines, sometimes on a page-by-page bases, deliver an almost incomprehensible narrative. The only think i can see value in is the good Art, even if the actions are sometimes really hard to follow - an issue mostly also inherited from the awkwardly constructed plot of the novel.
May 24, 2025
An overall enjoyable adaptation of the book, the art was really cool as per usual - the only issue I had with the comic was how rushed it felt, I know they wouldn’t be able to fit the whole book in there but I think for anyone that hasn’t read the book this adaptation might be confusing and even take away from the greatness of the actual book. I think considering making the comic adaptations of the Thrawn books into a series with multiple volumes might’ve been a better idea.
June 30, 2025
wish they would finish the story! Lovely art!
Wonderful art throughout and awesome retelling of the Alliances story by Zahn. It’s always interesting to see how stories can be condensed or retold to fit a format. When this one was coming out in issues, it was literally the first comic I’d drag myself out to go and get the issue and then the alt cover issues. I love Thrawn and these stories and hope that they’ll finish this comic and adapt the third book (Treason) as well!
Wonderful art throughout and awesome retelling of the Alliances story by Zahn. It’s always interesting to see how stories can be condensed or retold to fit a format. When this one was coming out in issues, it was literally the first comic I’d drag myself out to go and get the issue and then the alt cover issues. I love Thrawn and these stories and hope that they’ll finish this comic and adapt the third book (Treason) as well!
August 26, 2024
Thrawn comes off a bit Sherlock-y, and the layered plots with a bunch of frankly stupidly spelled nonsense names (shoving unharmonious consonants together with no vowels doesn't make you exotic and interesting, just rude) makes it a bit hard to follow, but the interplay between the two leads allows it to work.
October 7, 2024
I love it that Marvel is creating comics based on Thrawn novels and hope they will continue to do this until al de recent canon book have been turned into comics, but i think it would've worked much better if they turned the different novel into one big chronological story told as a long comicrun instead of different ministeries.
December 27, 2024
It's Thrawn so of course it gets 5 stars.
My only issue is that it isn't the full Alliances story - more like half. And it ends on a question mark about it being the end...
I guess that means I'll have to wait another year to see if they make any more volumes to continue on the story. I really hope that they do!
My only issue is that it isn't the full Alliances story - more like half. And it ends on a question mark about it being the end...
I guess that means I'll have to wait another year to see if they make any more volumes to continue on the story. I really hope that they do!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2025
Uh... this only adapts part of the novel and ends just as things are getting good. I'm really quite annoyed... where is the rest? Are there any plans to release it? Or are we just never going to get a conclusion? I suppose I can read the book, but I shouldn't have to.
And once again, this is yet another piece of the Galaxy's Edge advertising push. Sigh.
And once again, this is yet another piece of the Galaxy's Edge advertising push. Sigh.
June 21, 2025
Admiral and Darth Vader team up for a mission, which mirrors one which brought Thrawn together with Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars. It’s a balancing act of brains and brawn, power and plotting, tying in intriguing ways to The Clone Wars and Rebels anime. If you enjoyed those series and these two iconic Star Wars villains, don’t miss this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews