by Timothy Zahn
First published 2021
Thrawn stands victorious after his recent triumph for the House of Mitth, but the Chiss Ascendancy faces a new kind of threat. The enemy sends no fleets or ultimatums. Instead, they offer gifts and services that appear generous but carry hidden poison. Across Chiss space, these seemingly harmless gestures plant seeds of destruction. Thrawn and the Expansionary Defense Fleet work to expose this conspiracy, only to discover their foes target something more vital than military assets or territory. The enemy strikes at the bonds holding the Ascendancy together, driving wedges between the Nine Ruling Families and the Forty Great Houses beneath them. As distrust spreads and old alliances crack, each Chiss warrior confronts an impossible choice. They must decide whether to protect their own family's interests or sacrifice everything for the Ascendancy's future. The fate of their civilization hangs on whether unity can survive when every gesture of friendship might be a weapon in disguise.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, space-opera, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Chiss Space
432 pages · Hardcover · Random House Worlds