I love how the heroes are always coming up with plans that are themselves difficult and clever, and unlike in just about any other book, even when they work, Thrawn is right there taking things in and making countermeasures. I don't think I ever see anything like that! It's usually villain does something, heroes scramble out of it, heroes counter, villain is defeated, at least for this engagement. But Thrawn... guh.
He's amazing in Outbound Flight. Vagaari, Seperatists, Jedi - a new language, a new piece of the galaxy, new species, new tech? Not a problem, he'll adapt to everything.