he needs an editor to make him tighten up the story and focus only on a few characters because he had like 50 in this and the only ones you care about are the ones who got actual character development in previous books (thalias and cheri. aralani would be there too but she gets like 5 minutes in this)

it was so so so so so so so so boring. it is easily the most boring book he's written in ages. none of the concepts are particularly terrible but you just have no personal attachment to the characters, especially the new ones

also

Spoiler

"oh thrawn's brother is dead blah blah" is he though. where's his body. unless mara jade steps on his arm bones he's still alive