Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising is a complete, spoken-word rendition of the canon novel of the same title by Timothy Zahn. Marc Thompson lends his voice to the performance, which was launched by Random House Audio on September 1, 2020.
From the pen of the acclaimed Timothy Zahn comes the first installment of a brand-new Star Wars trilogy, delving into Thrawn's formative years within the Chiss Ascendancy.
Far beyond the familiar boundaries of the galaxy lie the Unknown Regions: a realm of chaos, uncharted territories, and formidable challenges, brimming with both concealed knowledge and lurking perils. Within this turbulent expanse resides the Ascendancy, the homeland of the enigmatic Chiss and the Nine Ruling Families who govern their society.
A sudden and audacious assault on the Chiss capital shatters the Ascendancy's tranquility, a beacon of order and stability. The attack leaves no trace of the perpetrators, leaving the Chiss perplexed. In response, the Ascendancy entrusts a promising young military officer with the task of uncovering the elusive adversaries—a recruit of humble origins, adopted into the esteemed Mitth family and bestowed with the name Thrawn.
Empowered by the Expansionary Fleet and supported by his ally, Admiral Ar'alani, Thrawn embarks on a quest to unravel the mysteries before him. However, as Thrawn's initial command ventures deeper into the vast expanse of space known as the Chaos, he begins to suspect that his assigned mission is not as straightforward as it appears.
And the threat looming over the Ascendancy is only in its nascent stages.
In the sixth chapter, the text reads, "I apologize in turn for our startlement to you.", but the audio version says, "I apologize in turn for our startlement of you."
The name "Ab'begh" is mispronounced by the narrator in Chapter 8.
In Chapter 10, the narrator incorrectly pronounces the term "shipping."
Chapter 14 contains the line, "And he's somehow adapted the fighter's laser to transmit a message. Is that it?" in the book, while the audiobook has "And he's somehow adapted the fighter's laser to transmit a message. Isn't that it?"
Memory 12 presents "The center is there" in the book, but "The center is here" in the audiobook. Furthermore, the book states, "vehicles would have difficulty maneuvering through the weekend Creators' Market.", whereas the audiobook says, "vehicles would have been difficult maneuvering through the weekend Creators' Market."
In Chapter 22, Thrawn's last line is clearly audible, unlike the muffled quality of his other lines in the chapter's conclusion.
This audiobook, brought to life by the experienced Star Wars narrator Marc Thompson, was made available by Random House Audio on September 1, 2020. Kevin Thomsen served as the producer and director, with Nick Martorelli acting as the executive producer.
On May 22, 2023, Random House Audio, Deutschland released a German language audiobook version, with narration by Thomas Nero Wolff. Wolff had previously provided the German voice for Thrawn in Star Wars Rebels, and later resumed the role for the German dub of the Ahsoka series.
- ISBN 9780593215371 ; September 1, 2020; Random House Audio; Audiobook download [1]
- ASIN B0C5J9X5LK; May 22, 2023; Random House Audio; German language download (899 minutes) [5]