Wow. this story was an amazing read, all of the characters worked seemlessly together. and the plot was very well written. I loved all of the detail, and your Vong are worthy of the NJO series. I really like how you portrayed Thrawn's corner of the Empire, and how the Chiss and human's interacted. Drash was a fun character, and I love how you stuck Stent in there. :D

I'm thinking about having some Chiss in a story I'm writing, would you mind if I stole some of their culture, legends, swear words, ect from you? That would be great.

Oh, the story was finished, and just didn't say so. Well, I'm glad. :D I get to see what happens!

I read the last line, stood up, pumped my fist, and said, "Yeah!"

There is one other story that has managed to inspire that reaction from me (blank101's trilogy, if you'd like to know), and it's a reaction made up of equal parts awe and triumph, as if I was right there with Unity Fleet, right there with Vergere and Oin. Their victory was mine, and utter congratulations to you for inspiring that connection.

I also applaud your amazing parallels with the events in ROTJ - everything: the ground battle on Endor (including the seemingly defenseless natives), the face-off between a Jedi and an evil mastermind on a battle station, the space battle, with the tide turning after the 'ground team' defeats the planetary shield/tower... all the way to a direct quote: "So be it...Jedi." I got *chills* reading that, and such a powerful sense of a giant puzzle clicking together in sublime perfection.

This is an absolute masterpiece. I plan on rereading this at some point, just as I have with blank's trilogy and with a few beloved EU novels (a very few, as it turns out), and I suspect that, just as with those other stories, upon rereading this I will feel the same swell of triumph and amazement as I did the first go-around.

I cannot applaud this enough. *This* is what the EU should have been like. All the power and joy and darkness and victory of the movies, complete with action and adventure (and even, bizarrely, romance, which btw, 'wow' you made me interested in a Vong romantic pairing how-did-you-I-don't-even).

I also tip my hat to you on your amazing original characters. I was cheering for Drash and falling in love with Oin.

The main reason I looked this story up was because I was hungry for Thrawn stories, and there, too, you didn't disappoint. As with Part One of this fic, you wrote a Thrawn who wasn't some disconnected alien, a godlike being with impossible strategic brilliance - you made him identifiable. You gave him weaknesses. You gave him charisma. You made him more awesome than ever. And I want to thank you for tying the last bit in with Heir to the Empire, since that line never rang true with me: Thrawn is supposed to be this uber-culturally sensitive and civilized fellow, yet he reflects 'wistfully' on destroying an entire species? I felt Zahn mishandled certain aspects of his character, that being one example. But now I can read HTTE with a better understanding. You made it fit. Again, that beautiful puzzle clicking together.

I'm going to write a novel of my own if I continue rambling. So I'll leave it with this: Thank you for sharing this story. It is now one of my all-time favorites, which is saying a lot for someone who is a voracious reader of all genres.

And yes - it was *so* artistically done.

Putting aside the only thing I really didn't like much in this story, the status of women in the chiss society, I have to call this Clash of Fates duology a really amazing piece of work, for a fanfiction.

I would even call it worthy of being accepted canon...

I have already read most of Zahn's stories about Thrawn some time ago and I'm gradually reading through NJO recently and it really enthused me how thoroughly the whole thing was made, Thrawn's character having all that typical charisma and power he's so loved for, but also showing some more human (er... chiss ;D) or even really weak points of his life, that add some more depth to the character and finally lead to that great mysterious Grand Admiral from The Thrawn's Trilogy in a truly perfect way.

And that end quoting from the Trilogy itself... simply great!

Maybe just that lot of respect that Thrawn kept for the Emperor surprised me a little, I never expected him to be bound to Palpatine's authority very much, rather thinking more independently and simply using the Empire's resources as a means to secure the Unknown regions and his Homeworld.

But my respect, Bob. 8) One hell of a good story...

(btw I'm kinda curious what tould Zahn himself say about this fanfic...)

I very much enjoyed the Clash of Fates set of stories. It is very unusual to read anything set in the Empire of the Hand, and I have always felt it is underwritten. The characterization of Thrawn and Park is unusually good, and the social dynamics occurring in the interplay between the Chiss and humans are fascinating. Thank you for writing this.

However, there are a couple of things I'd like to mention that I would probably not have noticed in most fanfiction. Quarantine is spelt quarantine, and not "quarenteen"- this is somewhat jarring as it is Thrawn who said this word, and I can't picture him misspelling anything. The other thing is that there are html tags occasionally scattered around words, and I am not sure why they are there.

Keep up the good work.

very impressive story

I must say that was the most accurate portrayal of Grand Admiral Thrawn in a fanfic; slightly innovative with his charateristic background as well. Well done

This was one of the firsts fanfic I've ever read and I presume I wasn't prepared for something like that, I've read some of the NJO books before and wasn't impressed at all and I didn't expect I actually could be so frightened of Yuuzhan Vong, but I was. And I must admit the scene of Sang Anor destroying Csilla really teared me apart. But I very much appreciate that at least here they actually act against the Vong, not as in books where they usually just argued if they have the right to fight against them at all. Just one thing I feel it isn't right-well, I think Thrawn, and the Chiss in general, are somewhat out of character-but that is maybe because I think no one except Tim Zahn ever write them in-character. Still, if it helps, this story brought me really off balance for several days-my boss would certainly agree.

this is a very good adaptation of the characters that were created by timothy zahn, RA Salvatore and G Lucas.

however, giving Nom Anor such a position of prominence and grandeur as the son of the executor has been difficult for me to follow. the picture painted here of him is very different to that which is presented in the NJO novels.

but still a very good story. i liked the ending tying into the Zahn trilogy.

execellent. more of the same please

Love it! Please tell me you are going to write a sequel. If so I can't wait for it. Awesome story, one of the best I've read.

Good job! I read both soties (Clash of fates I and II) in less than two days I really like the way you characterized Thrawn. Keep on!

Oh my goodness. I just finished your duology and it is one of the best stories I have ever read. Your characterizations are excellent, you tie it in to the storyline very well, and, well, Thrawn's in it... ;) It is probably novel-length, and I think it is novel-quality, no matter what the folks at Bantam or whatever think.

Wow, this was really an epic of...epic proportions. I'm glad was able to pick up this gem that Bantam didn't see. Thanks for the tale!

Yay, it's finished! *g* Extremely well-written story and worthy of being published. Very nice job at tying up the loose ends and fitting them into the EU as the books tell us. I also couldn't help but see that you left several openings for a sequel although I suppose most of them depend on how the NJO books will turn out. Anyway, thank you for writing this, it's definately one the best stories here.

Bravo! Bravo! Splendidly well written and exciting! I even liked how you

merged parts from the Thrawn Trilogy into your story such as the sculpture

at the end. Anyway, you might have noticed that my site is now gone

but the fan fiction section is still up and is awaiting for the remaining files

for this wonderful story. grand_thrawn/fic_

My email address has changed to . Also, can we hope to

see some more stories from you involving Thrawn?

I don't know what to say - yes! or no!.

"Yes!" because you added the next chapters and my patience can finally rest. "No!" because the story is finished and I am truely sorry about that. Like I told you a few hundred times already, I grew more than fond of it. It is THE Thrawn story, if you understand what I mean and since there are not so many of them out there it is even more sad to see one end. Especially when I know that Thrawn will still die... I probably will send an E-mail, too, because I didn't grasp the whole story as of yet - it is far too complicated (in a most positive way). I certainly will read it again and again. Honestly, the ending was precisely as I had wished it to be (though I would like to know what became or becomes of Raine's child). What makes this story so wonderful is that it fits perfectly into the world of the Expanded Universe and that it is so believable. I wonder what Mr Zahn would say to it...