Just as fantastic, iconic™, and enjoyable as the first one.

ALRIGHT. Now for the spoilers. ⬇️

As expected, there are two stories here: Anakin and Thrawn's team-up, probably set somewhere in season six of The Clone Wars after Ahsoka leaves the Jedi Order, and Vader and Thrawn's team-up, set shortly after the season three finale of Star Wars: Rebels. Both stories send them to the same Unknown Region planets, uncovering two halves of the same mystery decades apart.

Also as expected, Anakin and Thrawn are the absolute height of enjoyable ridiculousness together. The "Mitth'raw'nuruodo." "Mitth'raw'nuruodo." excerpt made it obvious that it was going to be so, and really what can you expect when you put two such extremely melodramatic people in the same room. They honestly make a great team, with Thrawn solving every scene like Sherlock Holmes and pointing Anakin exactly where he needs to go in order to inflict maximum damage.

Vader and Thrawn are a little harder to get a bead on. Ostensibly they are rivals, but Thrawn doesn't really participate in the rivalry. Vader starts off ready to FIGHT but over the course of the mission actually chills out as he realizes that he is the only one here with an axe to grind. It's actually enormous fun to watch them spar, and all their subordinates posture and compete. The transition from Thrawn chiding Anakin about his divided priorities, to Vader doing the same to Thrawn is a great contrast.

Also just I have to mention that, frankly, Thrawn is the best. He's just great. There's no two ways about it. He's amazing. Stunning. Incredible. Show stopping. Spectacular. Somehow he's ruthless and morally upright at the same time? Somehow he's uncompromising and demanding and yet simultaneously generous and patient? One of my favorite parts of this book was getting to see the up close contrast in the way Thrawn runs his command versus the way Vader does. It's fantastic and I love Thrawn so much.

There is only one real downside to this book: I miss my son Eli Vanto.

Some other highlights:

• Padme! She was awesome. She and Anakin make so much sense together honestly; they have the same way of going straight for a problem's throat.

• All of Anakin's fight scenes here were impressively cool, especially when half the time it's like Thrawn puts him in place and turns him on and he just goes like an unstoppable death whirlwind. And especially when we get to see Vader do some of the same things (puppeteering the body, puppeteering the suit) later, only BETTER.

• Thrawn constantly dragging Anakin. "You must be a Jedi. We know of two types of Force users, but the Sith are supposed to be skilled warriors." WOW. ICE COLD.

• Commodore Faro. Honestly, I loved seeing her and all the rest of the crew's interactions with Thrawn — how they all have complete faith in him and loyalty.

• Vader starting out hating the TIE Defender project just out of spite and then he flies one of them and is like HM. ACTUALLY. POWERFUL SHIPS GOOD.

• THE CHISS PERFORM SPACE NAVIGATION LIKE THE SPACING GUILD IN DUNE? EXCEPT USING THE FORCE INSTEAD OF SPICE? WHAT? Getting to see Vader doing this, also, was hype.

• Thrawn pretending he doesn't know all of Anakin's secrets, in both timelines. "Remember when we—" "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT" "Oh, sorry, right, I meant when Anakin Skywalker and I—"

• "You must be Ambassador Padme. Is that a grappler on your gun?"

• INSIGHT INTO THE SITUATION AT THE CHISS ASCENDANCY. Are the Aristocra seriously in such conflict that civil war is a possibility? This not anything I expected. Honestly I am WILD to know what is happening at the Ascendancy. How is Eli? What is he doing there? How is he navigating the politics? Does Thrass exist in this version of canon? PLEASE TELL ME, I'M BEGGING.

• The whole skit Anakin and Thrawn play out to infiltrate the factory.

• Thrawn is always right. Hearing him warn Anakin about Order 66, and then Anakin going "yeah, yeah, whatever" killed me.

• I mentioned Thrawn's divided priorities. He toes the line between his Chiss loyalties and the oath he swore to serve the Empire with a skill and finesse only he could manage. "We can do both." Did I mention... that I... love Thrawn.