David's Review of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

5/5 Rancors - I expect that most readers of this book will have already seen the film and will be familiar with the plot. If not, I suggest you read the book first and then watch the movie to see the incredible cinematic interpretation by George Lucas. The plot picks up right where Labyrinth of Evil left off. Chancellor Palpatine has been captured by General Grievous, and our heroes Obi-Wan and Anakin are coming to the rescue. They succeed in finishing off Count Dooku and force Grievous to flee to Utapau. Obi-Wan goes to Utapau to deal with Grievous while Anakin stays in Coruscant trying to decide between a future with the Jedi or a future with Darth Sidious and the dark side. We all know how that comes out with the final result being the introduction of Darth Vader and the twins Luke and Leia.

In the book of Revenge of the Sith, Mr. Stover spends a lot of time with the internal struggle Anakin has with feeling underappreciated by the Jedi while at the same time trying to grasp the possibilities of the dark side. He is desperately attempting to learn enough about the Force to be able to keep his nightmare from coming true and to keep Padme alive. Darth Sidious is unbelievably smooth and persuasive as he continually massages Anakin's mind and ego and hastens the turn to the dark side. Rather than just telling the story of the film, the author gets us to understand the thought processes of the main characters. I think that will be invaluable as I prepare to watch the film yet again.

We are also privy to a number of conversations among the Jedi masters - Mace Windu, Yoda, and Obi-Wan. They are confused by the Clone Wars. They do not understand the Senate's agreements to give Chancellor Palpatine increasing powers. They don't know what to do with Anakin. He is the Chosen One, but he is also dangerous and unpredictable. The deterioration of the friendship between Obi-Wan and Anakin is heartbreaking, but Anakin's turn to the dark side is handled in such a way that it makes sense. All in all, Mr. Stover has done a remarkable job in helping us to understand more clearly the Clone Wars, the demise of the Jedi, and the takeover by the Sith.

Read the book and watch the movie.

Andrew's Review of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

5/5 Rancors - Matthew Stover, author of the excellent Mace Windu novel Shatterpoint, does not disappoint with his novelization of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Movie novelizations are often inconsequential by-products of a marketing push behind a big event picture, but in Stover's case, he strongly builds upon the film plot and adds meaningful substance to what was already a great story. Rather than give his readers a simple blow-by-blow recap of the screen action, he adds many sequences not in the film and cuts others entirely (fans of Yoda's visit to Kashyyyk will need to stick with the movie).

The novel spends significant time in the opening space battle, fleshing out the action sequences and delving into the participants' motivations. At first I found Stover's technique here slightly jarring. The story is clipping along and we are suddenly sidelined by a page or two that start something like this (for example): "This is how it feels to be Obi-Wan Kenobi." We then get a summary of who Obi-Wan is, what he's feeling, and what role he has played in the saga to date. However, as we read more of these entries, Stover's chance-taking really pays off: I found myself looking forward to the next one more and more, as the insights he provides illuminate certain story points brilliantly.

I especially enjoyed the time he spent taking us into Count Dooku's head. Dooku doesn't get much screen time in the saga; some choice moments at the end of Attack of the Clones and his duel at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith are about it. Why would this respected and powerful Jedi have any interest in sublimating himself to a Dark Lord of the Sith? Stover paints a realistic portrait of what Dooku hoped to get out of their twisted relationship and muses about what Dooku believed would be his role after the end of the Clone Wars. Of course, Dooku is sorely mistaken with his perception of his relationship with Darth Sidious.

Another place Stover excels is in subtly tinkering with some of the storylines to deepen both the motivations and the payoff. For instance, in the film, Anakin's lust to be elevated to Jedi Master and granted a seat on the Council is driven by his ego and inner demons. Stover adds an ingredient to the mix: Anakin also wants access to the Jedi Archives, which is only granted to Masters. He believes the Archives will contain Sith Holocrons with the forbidden knowledge Palpatine alluded to, including how to stop a person from dying. This small change greatly aids the believability of how furious Anakin is at being denied the Master rank when he claims his seat on the Council.

Near the end of the book there is a noticeable shift toward more economic storytelling, and the final duel on Mustafar is very similar to what we see in the film. This didn't bother me, as by this point events are rushing to their bitter climax and interjecting long character analyses wouldn't really work like it did early in the novel. The pacing of the book taken as a whole is spot-on and well considered.

Revenge of the Sith is a sweeping, dark, epic conclusion to the prequel trilogy, and Matthew Stover's novelization is more than worthy of the film. Kudos to him for not just cashing in a paycheck and writing a blow-by-blow account of the screenplay. He chose to take some chances and the results are quite rewarding.

David's Review of Labyrinth of Evil

5/5 Rancors - Labyrinth of Evil does an excellent job of laying the groundwork for Revenge of the Sith. At the end of this book, you can sense that the Clone Wars will not go on much longer and that the plans of Darth Sidious are about to come to fruition. As the book opens, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi are on Cato Neimoidia trying to capture the elite of the Trade Federation, including our old friend Viceroy Nute Gunray. Anakin is no longer a Padawan, and the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan appears to be stronger than ever. It is a real treat to listen to their repartee even as they fight their way out of perilous situations. They fail in their mission to capture Gunray, but they do manage to end up with his valuable mechno-chair that we all remember from The Phantom Menace. The chair is reverse-engineered by Republic technicians and important clues are found about the existence of Sidious. Anakin and Obi-Wan follow the trail of how the chair was constructed and discover leads which enable Mace Windu and other Jedi to focus on a warehouse in an area of Coruscant referred to as The Works. This apparently deserted site is where Sidious and Dooku have been meeting on Coruscant. The trail leads on from there to 500 Republica where Chancellor Palpatine and most of the other rich leaders live on Coruscant.

Sidious realizes that he no longer is as secure as he once was, so he initiates the major part of his plan to end the Clone Wars and establish complete control over the Republic by the Sith. Now General Grievous enters the picture as he leads a huge Separatist fleet through supposedly secret hyperspace lanes and attacks Coruscant. With a huge battle going on amidst mass confusion, Grievous gets to the Chancellor's quarters, wins an on-going fight with several Jedi atop a train, captures Palpatine, and takes him out to his cruiser Invisible Hand. The book ends with Anakin and Obi-Wan on their way to rescue the Chancellor. The next steps are shown in the beginning of Revenge of the Sith, and the rest is Star Wars history.

We continue in this book to get an excellent feel for Anakin's struggle with the temptations of the dark side, and you can't help but be amazed by the devious machinations of Darth Sidious as his plans unfold to win Anakin over to be his apprentice and learn the ways of the Sith. Sit down and read this book. Then watch Revenge of the Sith. Everything ties together beautifully. Mr. Luceno has done an outstanding job.

Andrew's Review of Labyrinth of Evil

5/5 Rancors - James Luceno wrote the first book we read in the Rancors Love to Read program, Cloak of Deception, and it was a wonderful five-rancor kickoff. His next book we're reading, Labyrinth of Evil, does not disappoint in any way. Revenge of the Sith is my second-favorite Star Wars movie behind The Empire Strikes Back, so reading an entire prequel devoted to setting up the thrilling action of the film itself is a real treat.

Revenge of the Sith starts in the middle of a gigantic space battle over Coruscant. The opening crawl summarizes why we are there and what has gone before, but there was so much story the movie didn't have time to cover. That's where Labyrinth of Evil comes in, letting us spend time with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker at the height of their friendship and their powers, before it all goes bad. After spending very little time with this duo during the Clone Wars books, it's almost a relief to get back to focusing on them and the other main film characters. This focus also makes the book very accessible, even to a casual Star Wars fan.

On the flip side, Luceno makes a grand effort to weave in tasty tidbits of the EU throughout the tale, so dedicated fans will not be disappointed. The comics, books, and cartoons all get their due at various points, and he reaches way back to before The Phantom Menace to pull together what feels like the last step before we pitch over the cliff and fall into the Dark Times.

The book starts with a long chase/action sequence on Cato Neimoidia, a planet we glimpsed during the Order 66 montage in Sith. This is an excellent example of how this book expands the scope of Episode III and kicks off some of the major plot threads of the film. Why did Darth Sidious choose that particular time to set his final plans in motion with the Separatist invasion of Coruscant? That question is abundantly answered in Labyrinth of Evil, and in a chilling scene, Intelligence officer Dyne gets to learn the full truth of exactly how high in the government the Sith influence goes. Good stuff.

This book also works to put to bed some lingering questions from Attack of the Clones. The tale of Sifo-Dyas and his friendship with Count Dooku is sketched out by Yoda, although I would have liked more substance here. The mystery of who erased Kamino from the Jedi Archives is also answered.

There is another source to examine in discovering what happened right before Episode III, and that's the superb Clone Wars cartoon. It tells a very similar story of the Separatist kidnapping of Chancellor Palpatine, although it differs in some key details. On the other hand, the book gives us an adventure with Anakin and Obi-Wan totally distinct from their trip to Nelvaan in the cartoon. Rather than try to forcibly reconcile the differences between the two, my inclination is to celebrate having both available and choosing which to consider your personal canon. In mythology, stories generally have the same nugget of truth at their core but can differ sharply in the surrounding details. If we're to buy into George Lucas' explanation of Star Wars as a modern-day myth, perhaps this phenomenon of two similar yet distinct stories is a manifestation of that identity.

The real strength of James Luceno in this galaxy far, far away is his ability to write a book that feels like a Star Wars film. Just like Cloak of Deception sets up The Phantom Menace so perfectly, exploring exactly the places that more insight was needed, Labyrinth of Evil fits hand-in-glove with Revenge of the Sith. I had more flat-out fun reading it than any book in the Rancors program to date.

David's Review of Republic Commando: Order 66

5/5 Rancors - Karen Traviss is one of the best. Her four books in the Republic Commando series are all extremely well written and tell great stories. You become attached to the characters and you meet a lot of new ones. No reliance here on our tried and true heroes to keep our interest.

Republic Commando: Hard Contact basically gets us to think about clone troopers in an entirely different way, i.e., as people rather than just cannon fodder. We learn about the importance of the teams, and we are introduced to Jedi Etain Tur-Mukan and to Gurlanin shapeshifters.

Republic Commando: Triple Zero, the second book, keeps us with Omega Squad and introduces us to Delta Squad plus the legendary Sergeant Kal Skirata and his boys, Null ARC Troopers Ordo and Mereel. Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Mukan is also back. Ms Traviss gets us to think about the lives of the clone troopers. What will happen to them when the war ends? Would it be possible for any of the troopers to adopt normal lifestyles with wives and families during their abbreviated life spans? Such questions are important in the series and they broke entirely new ground for me. I simply had never thought of clone troopers as real people who might like to live ordinary lives one day.

Republic Commando: True Colors, the third in the series, takes place during the Clone Wars with the Grand Army of the Republic fighting an ongoing war against the Separatists, a war that seems to make no sense. The clones themselves in the book gradually begin to entertain suspicions about strange troop buildups and exorbitant weapons expenditures that seem completely unnecessary based on the strength of the opposing forces.

Sadly, we then come to Republic Commando: Order 66, the fourth and last book in the series. I hate to see the series end. The author has outdone herself with this one. We all know what Order 66 is, so we read the book with a sense of impending doom without knowing when the hammer might fall. We have most of the same characters as in the first three books, and they are spread over the Universe doing various deeds. Kal is determined to establish a safe haven for his boys on Mandalore so they can lead as close to normal lives as possible. With the help of Walon Vau, Kal comes into vast resources that he can spend as necessary so he makes progress in his quest.

Scientific help is needed from geneticists to find a means of extending the life spans of the clones, so Kal and his squads go obtain the needed scientists. At the same time, a war is being fought against the Separatists that cannot be avoided. After all, the clones are soldiers. To further complicate matters, Etain and Darman have a baby son who must be cared for. Fi is wounded and must attempt to work his way back.

The ending of the book surprised me. Order 66 is issued but at an unexpected time. Everything is not tied up in a neat and tidy package. Ms Traviss is clearly leaving some questions unanswered for her next series Imperial Commando. I can't wait.

Andrew's Review of Republic Commando: Order 66

4/5 Rancors - Several years ago first-time Star Wars author Karen Traviss was tapped to pen a spinoff novel based on the videogame Republic Commando. Although there are an increasing number of games available featuring significantly strong storylines (Knights of the Old Republic comes to mind), Republic Commando was a fairly straightforward first-person shooter: a lot of fun to play, but not necessarily a deep source for a quality book. Defying my expectations, Traviss produced a gripping and distinctive tale with her book Hard Contact. By not adhering to the storyline of the game, she gave herself room to develop a compelling set of new characters, breathing life into the concept of clone soldiers.

Reactions to the first book, despite some fan concerns about its pro-Mandalorian, anti-Jedi overtones, were quite positive, and the sequel Triple Zero appeared not long thereafter. Triple Zero took its time in developing a richly detailed ensemble cast of mercenaries, soldiers, and disillusioned Jedi, and it became clear that Traviss was laying foundations for a bigger story. It turned out there were two more books coming, a third paperback named True Colors and the hardcover series finale, succinctly titled Order 66.

My anticipation for this climactic fourth novel was extremely high and overall I was not disappointed. As expected, Traviss takes all of the disparate threads and characters she has been developing and weaves together an action-packed portrait of the chaos surrounding Order 66 itself and the rise of the fledgling Empire. One element I did not expect is how much time is spent months earlier in the first half of the book. This makes sense, though: the war was three years long and there was a significant gap of roughly a year between the end of True Colors and Order 66.

I confess a bit of surprise on my part regarding the climactic events of Order 66. I had a picture in my head of the decisions Omega and Delta squads would be forced to make regarding their Jedi allies (primarily Etain Tur-Mukan and Bardan Jusik) but the actual story was quite different. I'm not going to spoil anything specific here, but I will say events weren't nearly as conclusive as I pictured, with the exception of one particular character's death (a very moving one). It has recently turned out that Traviss will be penning a sequel series, the aptly dubbed Imperial Commando, which sheds new light on her choice here to leave questions unanswered and even some new storylines barely addressed (such as the intriguing introduction of Callista, a Jedi character some readers may be familiar with from the Bantam novel era).

The viewpoint of this novel, much like the prior three but more amplified, has a very Mandalorian slant to it. The dialogue is liberally sprinkled with Mando terms, and the mercenaries are placed in heroic roles, those of noble warriors looking after their families and loved ones while doing what they "have to do" for a living. While I disagree with the vilification of the Jedi the book veers toward, I greatly appreciate the different point of view Traviss explores. Not everyone in the Star Wars galaxy should feel the same about things, and just looking briefly at any political discussion today ably depicts how completely differently people can view a particular subject or person. I've never seen clones the same way after reading this series, and it's interesting to examine the cues the new Clone Wars cartoon has picked up in humanizing the troops.

I'm reluctant to delve any further into the plot of this one. If you've read the first three books and enjoyed them, you'll certainly want to read this one, and if you haven't and you are interested, start with Hard Contact and see what you think. I highly recommend all four of these books for the fresh viewpoints and strong characterizations they present, and I look forward to reading Imperial Commando: 501st next.

David's Review of Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

5/5 Rancors - Yoda: Dark Rendezvous began a little slowly, but picked up speed quickly and was a hugely enjoyable tale by the end. The Clone Wars appear to be slipping away from the Republic. Count Dooku has established a new headquarters in the Chateau Malreaux on the planet Vjun, a place of constant rain and gloom and an unusually heavy concentration of the Force. He is ably assisted in all of his nefarious dealings by the deadly assassin Asajj Ventress. His plan in the book is to lure Yoda to Vjun, kill him, and destroy the will of the Republic to keep fighting. As one might expect, Yoda is equal to the challenge.

Yoda is truly a unique character - 800 years old but with unmatched skills and knowledge of the force, so far anyway. Count Dooku describes Yoda as "small and old and shriveled up like an evil green potato," but he still calls him Master even as he launches into a fierce lightsaber attack. In this story Yoda has the opportunity to exhibit a range of emotions - humor as he leaves Coruscant hidden inside an R2 unit, anger when a droid who is supposed to serve him a disgusting meal tries to serve him more normal food, and compassion as he leads the two young Padawans Whie and Scout on the journey to Vjun. You can't help but delight in Yoda's actions. Obi-Wan and Anakin also become involved at various points in the tale, and their presence is always welcome.

Much of the story is taken up by the influence of the dark side. Dooku has long been on that side, Padawan Whie is strongly tempted to turn through a variety of circumstances, and Yoda attempts to convince Dooku that he might even be interested in turning. All of this was entirely appropriate because we have reached a point in the Expanded Universe where we are very close to the Revenge of the Sith. We all know what happens very soon.

Do not miss Yoda: Dark Rendezvous.

Andrew's Review of Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

4/5 Rancors - Yoda is one of the most important and beloved characters in the Star Wars universe, yet most of the books and comics relegate him to a background role. In a book titled Yoda: Dark Rendezvous, one would expect to see a lot of Yoda action. The good news is Sean Stewart truly delivers. While Yoda is not featured constantly throughout the book, when he does appear his characterization is simply flawless and terrifically well done. Stewart captures all the varied sides of Yoda we first glimpsed in The Empire Strikes Back and masterfully depicts why this 900-year-old Jedi is held in such lofty regard and why he is so near and dear to our hearts as fans.

Count Dooku has extended an offer to Yoda to meet in person on the Dark Side-drenched planet of Vjun and possibly discuss a way to end the Clone Wars. Yoda knows this is probably a trap, but goes anyway. He cannot extinguish the hope in his heart that his fallen student will one day see the light and return to the Jedi Temple to try and set things right. Two new Jedi are introduced, Maks Leem and Jai Maruk, along with their Padawans Whie and Scout. Stewart builds these new characters skillfully and quickly, so by the time they get into a situation they may not all escape mid-book, there's true emotion invested in the story.

I very much liked how Scout and Whie embodied two different kinds of potential Jedi. Scout has to work like mad and constantly make mistakes to get anywhere in the Order, while Whie is strong in the Force and effortlessly glides through the training at the Temple. However, Scout's experience in scrapping her way through life serves her well once they are outside the tidy confines of their home on Coruscant.

Asajj Ventress displays a truly vicious streak in her nature. Her actions during the spaceport fight mid-book are deplorable, and yet her animal charisma still comes through in her interactions with Dooku. Her conversation with Dooku concerning his ultimate role in the schemes of Darth Sidious is fascinating; it's this sort of insight, which fills out what is only sketched in the films, that is one of the primary reasons I enjoy reading Star Wars novels so much (even if my personal views sometimes differ). Stewart lets us rattle around in Dooku's head on several occasions, and what we find there is a fully realized, powerful man who knows he may very well be on the wrong path but who can't bring himself to step off.

The book is quite funny for a Star Wars novel. Stewart is not afraid to drop humor in even the most dire of situations, and while I enjoyed the vast majority of it, at points it almost became too much. Overall, though, it was a welcome aspect and most of it worked fine. It certainly helped distinguish the good guys from the bad, as Dooku, Ventress, and the traitor Tac-Spec Footman droid were kept serious. I also gleaned that Stewart must be a birder (being one myself) by his references to Zeiss, his specific mentions of birds several times on Vjun and Coruscant, and most definitively by his citing Peterson's Guide to Droids of the Republic, Vol. VII (the Peterson's birds guides are arguably the most classic and successful line of modern birding books).

I found the climax of the book a bit lacking in the suspense department, as Dooku and Ventress essentially just run away and we know from the films that Dooku and Yoda are not going to come to terms about the war before Revenge of the Sith. The climax is satisfying psychologically but the story does not really end with much changed in the big picture.

As I mentioned above, it is in Stewart's characterization of Yoda that this book truly shines. We learn many details, such as Yoda's adoration of disgusting food, how he handles training the youngest of Padawans, how he feels about Count Dooku and the war, and what sort of R2 unit he would make. The conversation between Dooku and Yoda at the climax is terrifically interesting, and the image of Yoda standing on the Count's window ledge in the pouring rain tapping on the window and grinning like a gargoyle is one I'll take with me from this book for a long time. Yoda is depicted as a true Master and the inarguable spiritual center of the Order, but at the same time he is not portrayed as perfect. It is clear he has learned so much from making centuries of mistakes.

Yoda: Dark Rendezvous was a delightful, fast-paced read, and taking more chances with tone than the typical Star Wars novel really paid off. This is Sean Stewart's only Star Wars novel to date; I hope Del Rey plans to work with him again in the future.

David's Review Of The Clone Wars

4/5 Rancors - The actual Clone Wars, not the book, have come a long ways in the Star Wars universe. We originally learned of them from a mostly off-hand reference early in the films. Some of us may have wondered then what kind of fighting went on during the Clone Wars. When was it? Where was it fought? Exactly who was on each side?

Well, here we are down the road. We have a movie. We have an animated TV series, and we have a book by none other than Karen Traviss. Ms Traviss is noted particularly for her excellent Republic Commando series, and she has maintained her high standards with The Clone Wars. She is now one of the authors whose name alone on the front of a book can increase sales.

At the time of this book, the Clone Wars are raging across the galaxy. On one side we have the Separatists, led by the venerable Count Dooku, a onetime Jedi and current Sith Lord in secret. He manages a huge droid army. On the other side we have the Republic, publically led by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Nudge! Nudge! Wink! Wink!) and his army of clone troopers led by Jedi generals.

The story is fairly straightforward and includes a number of impressive action sequences (as you might expect since the story is based on the TV series). Jabba the Hutt’s infant son has been kidnapped, and both sides are trying to rescue him. The successful side is hoping to gain enough favor with Jabba to gain access to key routes through Hutt-controlled space. Basically we end up with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Won Kenobi with their clone troops fighting droid forces led by Asajj Ventress. We also are introduced to Anakin’s new Padawan Ahsoka, who turns out to be a breath of fresh air in all of the Clone Wars.

As the tale unfolds we are privy to much of the thinking of the clone soldiers. Ms Traviss seems to be specializing in this. We are also allowed in the mind of Palpatine to see what he is actually thinking. This was a great idea because there are some classic moments when Palpatine may not be thinking exactly what you expect.

All in all, The Clone Wars is a fun story to read. See the movie! Watch the TV series! Read the book! It’s all good.

Andrew's Review of The Clone Wars

4/5 Rancors - When plans were made late in the game to debut the upcoming television series The Clone Wars as a feature film, Lucasfilm and Del Rey turned to prolific author Karen Traviss to knock out the accompanying novelization. Traviss is responsible for the excellent series Republic Commando, originally based on a videogame, in which she takes a very fresh perspective on clones and Jedi and offers fast-paced storylines with a militaristic flavor. Her deep interest in the clones' lives and her exploration of the Mandalorian culture's impact on them, coupled with her extremely rapid writing pace, made her a natural choice for this book.

The novel offers a different perspective on events than the film. Whereas the film adopts a light, bouncy tone of adventure, Traviss explores some of the psychology behind the heroic tale and also adds some internal monologues which put the story in a somewhat different light. For instance, in the film Anakin cheerily plows through the droids to get to his objectives; Traviss tackles the rage that drives him in battle and reminds the reader of how Anakin's conflicted feelings about his mother, his marriage, and his attachments make for an unstable mix, especially when Anakin is placed in the middle of a major-scale war for three years.

The story is told from an interesting variety of perspectives, those of Anakin, Dooku, new character Captain Rex, Asajj Ventress, Jabba the Hutt, and even a couple of scenes from Palpatine's point of view. A particularly interesting point about the Palpatine scenes is this is the first book to give the reader some of his internal monologue as Darth Sidious. We are privy to his gloating as he sits in his office facing the Jedi, mouthing pieties and platitudes while plotting their downfall and the revenge of the Sith. Another interesting aspect of the perspectives selected is the focus on the villains. No scenes are told from Obi-Wan's or Yoda's viewpoints, for example. However, this mix works well. Anakin and Rex carry the heroic part of the story, and Rex serves as another way in which Traviss can explore the concept of a clone army and the conflict these men feel as creations bred entirely for war dealing with a chaotic outside world.

The story itself is quite simple: Jabba the Hutt's son Rotta has been kidnapped and both the Separatists and the Republic are trying to rescue him, thereby currying favor with Jabba and gaining access to routes through Hutt-controlled space. Of course, Dooku has plotted the kidnapping from the start, and the main question is whether the Jedi and clones can avoid his series of traps and get the baby back to Jabba alive and well. Being originally based on three half-hour cartoons, the story is heavily focused on action sequences, most notably an epic battle on the planet at Teth involving a vertical assault up steep cliffs and an extremely lengthy fight in a monastery's courtyard. The Battle of Teth also features Asajj Ventress, who is brought up from the world of comics, earlier cartoons and novels for her first feature film appearance. Traviss handles her motivations well and gives her a more menacing air than the movie.

The Clone Wars is a fun thrill-ride of a novel and a nice complement to the theatrical release. Traviss makes probably as much effort as she was allowed to place it in the existing continuity of novels, comics, and cartoons, with a few references to the Battle of Jabiim at least being a nod to where it falls in the timeline. It's a breezy, action-packed read and a welcome addition to the larger story of the Clone Wars.

David's Review of Jedi Trial

2/5 Rancors - In Jedi Trial we have an interesting mix of characters and events that could have been an excellent story, but the authors do not pull it off as well as one would like. The focus of the action is on the barren world of Praesitlyn where a crucial Republic communications center is under siege by a Separatist army. The defenders of the communications center are greatly outnumbered and outgunned even with the help of the mercenary Zozridor Slayke and his Sons and Daughters of Freedom. In response to a plea for help, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine agrees to send a small contingent of clones to help out. These clones are led by Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon and the young Padawan Anakin Skywalker.

Anakin is in command of half of the clones, and this is his trial - to experience command under extremely trying conditions and drive the Separatist droids away from the communications center. Most of the book takes place during battles or sieges, and the action is described fairly well even though the story jumps around a great deal and some of the characters do not seem to have much to do. The authors have trouble with dialogue. Much of it seemed stilted to me and just did not reflect my idea of how Jedi and clones would talk. Anakin comes through in fine form in the end, and we once again get a glimpse of the temptation and power of the dark side.

I cannot recommend spending much time with this book unless you are (as we are) in the process of reading all of the books in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

Andrew's Review of Jedi Trial

1/5 Rancors - Both Del Rey and Bantam Spectra before them have chosen a wide array of authors to drop a book or two into the Star Wars galaxy. This strategy can produce uneven results depending on how readily a particular author can integrate into the increasingly complex Expanded Universe. Some, such as Timothy Zahn and James Luceno, quickly adapt to what's needed for this space opera and are asked back multiple times for follow-up volumes. Others end up writing just one book, such as David Sherman and Dan Cragg, the authors of Jedi Trial.

The authors' military credentials covered in their bios are noteworthy and they have written a large number of books in their own series. Unfortunately, their writing style does not lend itself to a Star Wars novel. Jedi Trial is populated by rather cardboard characters who all tend to speak in the same tone and voice as the surrounding prose. We follow two troopers very closely throughout the book, Odie Subu and Erk H'arman, but they are more ciphers than fleshed-out people. They fall in love in what feels like minutes and we never get an organic feel for what drives them; rather, we are simply told how they feel and what they are thinking, as literally as possible.

This brings me to another concern; the book does not trust us as readers to be able to infer anything for ourselves. Every single point is both shown and told to us; no subtlety is employed with character motivations and thoughts or storylines. Every time we leave one scene for another and then return to where we were a page or two later, every characters' full name is used again as if we would have forgotten. For instance, we see the names Odie Subu and Erk H'arman dozens of times in the book, and I can't believe many readers would have been confused if they had just been referred to as Odie and Erk. We don't get a consistent point of view in scenes, as we are directly told what each character is thinking along with hearing them say it in their dialogue.

The story focuses on Anakin's efforts leading troops to save hostages in a Republic communications center on Praesitlyn. I enjoyed learning about Anakin's early steps to becoming a commander of soldiers rather than a Jedi doing his own thing, and I think this is a good step to illustrating the skills he would require as Darth Vader leading legions of clone troopers. Sherman and Cragg seem to have an excellent grasp of military life and tactics and are able to lay out battles and strategies with a vast amount of detail. However, one thing I love about Star Wars as an adventure tale is how it glosses over some of these finer points, as they are lost on readers like me who are more interested in characters than troop movements and logistics.

Despite the title of the book, there's not much focus on what exactly Anakin's trial is. Presumably the trial is his ability to command Republic forces in battle. He is tempted to kill the commander of the Separatist forces in a bunker at the end, but restrains himself in time. This doesn't seem any more significant than the hundreds of killing situations he's been exposed to already during the course of the war. My personal view of what sort of trial a Jedi would undergo is something more personal, and I believe Anakin faced something much more trying on Nelvaan in the Clone Wars cartoon than he does in this book.

Jedi Trial was a disappointing read. The writing style greatly hinders the book's flow and makes for a tedious experience. In another book cover discrepancy (similar to Dooku's appearance on The Cestus Deception), Asajj Ventress is featured on the jacket but only appears briefly as a hologram in the story. It's too hard to connect with the characters and the storyline in this book for it to make much of an impact.

David's Review of Medstar II: Jedi Healer

4/5 Rancors - Medstar II: Jedi Healer is the continued story of the Clone Wars MASH unit on the Planet Drongar. The Republic medical team of surgeons, nurses, and droids is still headed by Dr. Jos Vondar, but his close friend Dr. Zan Yant did not survive Medstar I. The wounded clone troopers continue to be brought in by medlift, and the doctors continue to exert every possible effort to save lives.

Much of this tale deals with the efforts of the Separatist spy to create chaos on Drongar and the efforts of the Black Sun operative to obtain as much of the miracle plant bota as possible. At the same time we are treated to the ongoing love affair between Dr. Vondar and his chief nurse Tolk le Trene as they try to overcome cultural prejudices stemming from Vondar's upbringing. The droid I-5 and the reported Den Dhur are still with us and have significant roles as the story unfolds.

Much of the book deals with Jedi Padawan Barris Offee and her experiences with the Force. She discovers that an injection of the miracle plant bota opens up areas of the Force that she never dreamed existed. She would be able to perform miraculous feats by using the bota. However, could this be a direct path to the power of the dark side? Offee struggles with this situation and finally manages to reach a conclusion.

This book, along with Medstar I: Battle Surgeons, gives us an extremely interesting look at the world of the medical teams serving in the Clone Wars.

Andrew's Review of Medstar II: Jedi Healer

3/5 Rancors - Medstar II: Jedi Healer picks up the story one week after the events of the first novel and brings the tale to a satisfying conclusion. I'm not clear why this story in particular was chosen to be split into two books, when a slightly edited version could have been condensed to a single volume, but this is a curiosity rather than a complaint. The extra breathing room permits a story that features some slices-of-life a tighter focus likely would have precluded.

Uli Divini, a barely out of school but highly skilled doctor, arrives at the Rimsoo early in this book to replace the main character lost at the end of book one. Uli adds youthful energy and naivete to the mix, as well as providing Barriss Offee with some insight on her personal inward journey to Jedi Knighthood. The other major new character, Admiral Erel Kersos, brings turmoil to our hero doctor Jos Vondar and complicates his burgeoning relationship with nurse Tolk Le Trene.

Den Dhur, the scrappy Sullustan reporter, is tiring of his nomadic life and faces temptation to abandon his career and settle down when an attractive entertainer is stranded on Drongar and makes him an unexpected offer. I-Five has continued his journey to reclaim his memories (wiped at the climax of Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter), as well as his exploration of self. Michael Reaves and Steve Perry have done a good job of interweaving many main characters' soul-searching explorations and logically connecting most of them together in believable and entertaining ways. Additionally, as authors they are strong with realistic and often funny dialogue, something some of the Star Wars EU can be a little weak on.

The unexpected weather change mid-book in the Rimsoo was a great idea, fleshing out the "force dome" concept and some of the possible side effects of shielding a facility in this way. I enjoyed the visit from the galactic entertainment troupe and the frequent visits to the cantina. Barriss Offee's path to Knighthood is continued well and the form her hardest trial takes, in the form of organically-fueled limitless power, is unexpected.

I'm still a bit cold on the Column/Lens spy story - it feels forced. Early in the first book, there's a sentence that uses a male pronoun for the spy, so the suspense of who it was when the candidates are reduced to two was non-existent for me. The reasons the spy has for his actions are solid, but the storyline could have been re-written to give you his point of view early on and then explored from a more engaging angle. Black Sun agent Kaird and his two henchmen are decent antagonists, but the real star of this show is the focus on the lives of the heroes and their incredible struggles against the nature of war itself, rather than any personal direct confrontations with the book's villains.

The two Medstar books were a fun read and I'd be delighted to link back up with Den Dhur and I-Five on Coruscant in a future novel.

David's Review of Medstar I: Battle Surgeons

4/5 Rancors - Medstar I: Battle Surgeons is our introduction to a Clone Wars MASH unit on the Planet Drongar, a pestilential quagmire of a world. The Republic medical team of surgeons, nurses, and droids is headed by Dr. Jos Vondar. Their primary function is to keep as many wounded clone troopers alive as possible. Their medical skills are impressive but the team is working under extremely difficult conditions and is having to treat a steady flow of injured troopers brought in by medlift.

Further complicating the situation is the presence of a Separatist spy and a Black Sun operative. Black Sun is particularly interested in a miracle plant called bota that is a cross between a mold and a fungus and has amazing medical uses. Bota grows only on Drongar and is immensely valuable.

As the book unfolds we come to understand the pressures of constantly trying to save lives while operating under huge pressure. We also are introduced again to Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee. We first met her in The Approaching Storm. We also meet once again the droid I-5, one of my favorite characters from Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter. Throw these characters in with the Sullustan reporter Den Dhur and Dr. Vondar's fellow surgeon and friend Zan Yant, and you get a volatile mix. The tale moves along at a good pace and gets the reader to think about the ethics of using clone troopers as cannon fodder. Also, Padawan Offee continues to struggle with the use of the Force and the appropriate ways for a Jedi to function. An entertaining tale that will be followed by Medstar II: Jedi Healer.

Andrew's Review of Medstar I: Battle Surgeons

3/5 Rancors - Much of the Star Wars Expanded Universe is heavily focused on the main characters as presented in the films. However, there are some definite exceptions to this rule, and what I find particularly interesting is how little of the Clone Wars literature follows that trend. This is the sixth book in chronological order telling the story of the war, and so far one has focused on Obi-Wan, one on Mace Windu, and three have not featured main film characters in any meaningful way. Anakin has had essentially a handful of paragraphs, while Padme has been non-existent.

Medstar I: Battle Surgeons is the tale of a medical unit desperately fighting to keep clone troopers alive on a hostile world. The story could be summarized as M.A.S.H. blended with Star Wars. Like in Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, Michael Reaves (with Steve Perry this time) shows a strong capability for writing likable characters and snappy dialogue. The book flows well and is a quick read. I was excited to see the return of I-Five, the protocol-droid-with-an-attitude from Shadow Hunter. His acerbic attitude fits perfectly with the survival-through-sarcasm approach of the Rimsoo (a medical unit) the book follows.

I-Five also is a tool for exploring the nature of droids and their standing in the order of the universe. Jos Vondar, the lead surgeon in this particular camp, has narrowed his worldview to exclude many possibilities. This keeps him able to make it through the daily horror of his wartime surgery post. However, this attitude prevents him from dating outside his culture, from keeping an open mind to the possibilities inherent in a developed artificial intelligence, and from gaining a deeper understanding of the hundreds of clone troopers passing by his operating table. I-Five's self-exploration, important to him after the climactic events of Shadow Hunter, pushes Jos to begin his own journey within.

Also, the encounters Jos has with a clone trooper, CT-914, stir within him a dawning awareness that these soldiers are not just simple mindless vat-grown automatons; they are fully functioning human beings, only limited by the environment they were raised in and the accelerated aging forced into their genes. This running theme in the EU has totally changed how I view the troops of the Star Wars universe, adding considerably more interest to their progression from servants of the Republic and the Jedi to enforcers of the Empire. In the three Republic Commando books, The Cestus Deception, and Battle Surgeons, this theme has gotten some serious play.

I was struck by the Jedi Master/Padawan pair of Luminara Unduli and Barriss Offee the very first time I saw them together in Attack of the Clones publicity photos, and it's cool to get Barriss as a main character for a second time (The Approaching Storm being the first). Keeping a Jedi in the character mix helps to firmly root this book in the Star Wars universe. The rest of the cast is a snappy group as well: Den Dhur the Sullustan reporter adds a non-combatant viewpoint to the war and the shadowy intrigues of several other characters look to be setting up a big payoff in Medstar II: Jedi Healer.

I wasn't hooked yet by the spy segment of this story: Column/Lens is written so vaguely as to be more frustrating than teasing. Generally my favorite stories focus very closely on following what the main characters know, and when knowledge is introduced that we as readers know but the heroes don't, I like to have some explanation. Otherwise I generally prefer to see these elements only come to light when the main characters discover them.

Overall, Medstar I: Battle Surgeons is an engaging and breezy tale, with strong characterization and solid if not completely gripping plotlines. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the duology.

David's Review of Republic Commando: True Colors

4/5 Rancors - Republic Commando: True Colors is the third in a series of four books by Karen Traviss with the first being Hard Contact and the second Triple Zero. The fourth book is Order 66. Ms Traviss is an excellent writer. She does a good job of developing characters, especially when those characters actually spend most of their time covered by helmets and suits of armor. You come to know some of these men, and you realize that even clones coming from Jango Fett have subtle differences when you get to know them. Her books are always fun to read, and she almost always forces the reader to stop and think while going through the book. That’s a good thing.

True Colors takes place during the Clone Wars with the Grand Army of the Republic fighting an ongoing war against the Separatists. Of course, those of us who are privy to the post-Clone Wars films and books understand that the war is ongoing because Emperor Palpatine wants it that way. His devious machinations that seem obvious after-the-fact are not so clear-cut when you face them for the first time. The clones themselves in the book gradually begin to entertain suspicions about strange troop buildups and exorbitant weapons expenditures that seem completely unnecessary based on the strength of the opposing forces.

Most of the characters in this book are familiar to us from the first two books. For example, we have Omega Squad, Delta Squad, Sergeant Kal Skirata, Null ARC Troopers, Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Mukan, Jedi Knight Bardan Jusik, and Treasury Agent Bessany Wessen. What we don’t have are the usual Star Wars heroes like Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie. That makes the Rebel Commando series very refreshing just on its own. We get to read about many of the characters we haven’t even known about before.

There are several key factors in the book. One is the father-son relationship that has developed over the years between Sergeant Kal and the clone troopers, especially the Null ARC Troopers. He considers them to be his boys, and he desperately wants to find a way to extend their life spans. He also wants for them to have a future. They were bred on Kamino to fight and die. That was it. No loves, no families, no normal activities – just an extremely structured existence for amazingly effective fighting machines. It is one of the interesting things you don’t think about when watching the films. Thinking seriously about the troopers as human beings under the armor is difficult.

A second factor and an extremely interesting one is the relationship between the troopers and the Jedi. Are the troopers just cannon fodder to the Jedi generals? Just part of the overall fighting force? Can male troopers and female Jedi be attracted to each other even though it’s not allowed? Well, of course they can, and the results are interesting.

The heart of the story raises questions that are well worth considering. What will happen to the clone troopers when the war ends? They are solely trained fighters and know no other lifestyle. Would it be possible for any of the troopers to adopt normal lifestyles with wives and families during their abbreviated life spans? Darman and Etain continue to develop their relationship, and questions of this type come front and center. Each character has a different way of dealing with the quandaries that come up. What happens to clones that are too severely wounded to go back to the battlefront? Do clone rehabilitation centers exist? What if a clone deserts? Should he be eliminated or left alone to seek out a more normal lifestyle. Questions like these are a strong point of the Karen Traviss Rebel Commando series, and I find it to be fascinating stuff. I cannot wait to get into Rebel Commando: Order 66.

Andrew's Review of Republic Commando: True Colors

4/5 Rancors - Republic Commando: True Colors is the third in the planned series of four novels by Karen Traviss. The first novel, Hard Contact, was published as a tie-in to the LucasArts videogame Republic Commando and exceeded all expectations for a videogame spinoff (unlike the disastrous Star Wars Galaxies: The Ruins of Dantooine, published around the same time). Traviss was able to take the ultimate in generic troop characters, the human clones of bounty hunter Jango Fett, and make them into fascinating and complete human beings. The rapid success of the first novel led to a sequel and then to a series to be concluded with a final novel simply named Order 66.

The greatest asset of this series is the ever-expanding group of clone characters and their allies that are central to the storyline. What does it mean to be an artificially-created soldier bred only for war and destruction? How does one wrap one's head around being given half the natural lifespan of the non-combatants around you? Just what is the Republic planning to do with these millions of men once the Clone Wars are over? The characters grapple with these questions on an ongoing basis and for men theoretically trained to be identical, come to some startlingly different conclusions.

The videogame was based on a group of four commandoes jointly named Delta Squad. Delta was unusual in that it has never experienced a personnel change. For the first novel, instead of using Delta, Traviss introduced a different squad, Omega, one with a far more tangled history and a stronger mixture of outside influences. Delta was added to the mix in the second book, Triple Zero, along with two father-figure Mandalorian instructors, the tough-but-lovable Kal Skirata and the tough-and-not-so-lovable Walon Vau. All of these characters, along with the various ARC troopers, the atypical Jedi Etain Tur-Mukan, Jedi and Mando-wannabe Bardan Jusik, and several other supporting characters all return in True Colors.

The thing I find most remarkable about that cast list is that Traviss has created a large and fully-realized set of compelling individuals without any reliance on film characters whatsoever. The closest thing to this achievement to date in the Star Wars Expanded Universe is the successful series of Rogue and Wraith Squadron novels by Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston, but even these still utilize the films somewhat for their dramatis personae. Many kudos to her for this accomplishment; I only wish this series wasn't scheduled to end in one more book after all the time spent developing these people and their stories.

True Colors focuses less on plot and sweeping action sequences than the typical Star Wars novel. There are numerous issues raised by the idea of an army of clone soldiers, forced into military servitude and completely unprepared for any realities of life outside of war. Why should these men blindly follow the orders of a Republic that has never given them any choices? Also, they are smart enough to have clued in on the government's lack of a "retirement" plan for them and are justifiably not pleased with their future prospects. One of the many storylines of the novel is the exploration by Kal Skirata and a couple of his Null ARCs into what the Republic's true plans are.

In their search for identity, many clones have turned to traditional Mandalorian ways. Traviss uses the Mando language prominently throughout her books, and while this may be an annoyance to some, I found it added color. It was not difficult to follow what the characters meant by context of the words around the Mandalorian terms. By exploring the impact of this cultural influence on the troops, Traviss has established clear distinctions and potential lines of division amongst the men in the army.

I give major points for the manner and place in which the actual text of Order 66 is revealed. A lot of this book feels like a setup for the concluding volume, but the execution of that is excellent. By the end of the story, the lines have been drawn for an extremely intense and emotional resolution. It seems obvious where each of the characters' loyalties will lie when Order 66 comes down the pike, but my bet is that Traviss will have a few surprises in store yet.

David's Review of Republic Commando: Triple Zero

4/5 Rancors - Republic Commando: Triple Zero is the follow-up to Republic Commando: Hard Contact. In my previous review of Hard Contact, I said that I couldn't wait to meet up with these guys again down the road. Well, here they are. Karen Traviss continues with further adventures of Omega Squad and introduces us to Delta Squad plus the legendary Sergeant Kal Skirata and his boys, Null ARC Troopers Ordo and Mereel. Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Mukan is also back.

Meeting Sergeant Kal is a real treat. He is a Mandalorian mercenary who was charged by Jango Fett with handling the training of the clones developed on Kamino a few years earlier. Kal is truly a unique character. His love for his troops, particularly the Null ARC Troopers who he virtually adopted on Kamino, is astonishing. He has trained these men and brought them to an early adulthood as amazing fighting machines. Now we get to watch as his guys mount an undercover operation in Coruscant to identify and eliminate Separatist infiltrators endeavoring to create chaos in the heart of the Republic. Needless to say, the efforts of the Clone Troopers are extremely interesting to watch, as they seem to be able to deal with any situation that arises.

Aside from the pure military adventures described in the book, the heart of the story raises questions that are well worth considering. What will happen to the clone troopers when the war ends? They are solely trained fighters and know no other lifestyle. Would it be possible for any of the troopers to adopt normal lifestyles with wives and families during their abbreviated life spans? Darman and Etain continue to develop their relationship, and questions of this type come front and center. Each character has a different way of dealing with the quandaries that come up.

My only reluctance in assigning five Rancors to the book was that I initially had trouble keeping everybody straight. The author obviously anticipated the problem because she includes a list of Dramatis Personae at the front of the book and a glossary at the end. I like the writing style of Karen Traviss, and I look forward to her future efforts in the Expanded Universe.

Andrew's Review of Republic Commando: Triple Zero

4/5 Rancors - Karen Traviss follows her excellent first Star Wars novel, Republic Commando: Hard Contact, with another winning entry in Republic Commando: Triple Zero. Omega Squad returns, along with a motley cast of a few favorites from the prior book and brand-new folks as well. Being a fan of the videogame this series was based on, I was pleased to see Delta Squad joining our heroes for the duration of this mission, and the inter-squad dynamics make for fascinating reading.

The most important and dominate character this book brings us is Kal Skirata, one of the Mandolorian mercenaries originally hired by Jango Fett to help instruct the young clones. Kal is a terrifically entertaining personality and I would have loved to see someone with his humor and mood swings in the prequel films themselves. Learning about what Kal found when he first arrived on Kamino and the strange turn his life took from there shed new light on the clone army concept, just like Traviss managed to do in her first book via Darman and his squad mates.

If I have any qualms about Kal, it's that he is practically omnipotent, sometimes stretching realism a bit. The other characters around him largely worship the ground he walks on, with the exception of Walon Vau, another mercenary hired to train clones. Largely I bought into the whole Kal-as-father concept, but at times I wanted to see people stand up to him more, especially Etain Tur-Mukan, the flawed Jedi we met in the last book. By the end of the story she feels so subservient to Kal, particularly in their last interaction, that I started to find it a bit frustrating. Surely a lifetime of Jedi training gives one a little more backbone than this! However, overall the good of reading about Kal far outweighs my quibbles and I certainly hope he appears in the next commando novel.

The story verges on being a character study rather than an action novel. Most of the book is occupied with watching the clones and Jedi interact as they go about getting to know each other and investigating a Separatist terror plot. Some might find the pace slow, but the large and engaging cast of characters kept it flowing for me. The Null ARC troopers further differentiate the faceless crew of clones presented in Episode II and increase the feel of the Grand Army of the Republic being a realistic and living army rather than a briefly-presented idea on a movie screen. Ordo enlivens every scene he's in, and Traviss masterfully portrays his intelligence and extreme unpredictability. Her dialogue is strong and tonally closer to the original trilogy vs. the more formal styles of the prequel trilogy.

This novel sets up a story arc about the clones' desire to hunt down Ko Sai, the Kaminoan scientist chiefly responsible for their creation, and squeeze her for information about their genetically accelerated life-spans. It also starts laying the foundations for the eventual depiction of Order 66 in the fourth book in the series. I remain amazed and pleased that books based on a videogame have turned out this well.

David's Review of The Hive

4/5 Rancors - The paperback version of The Cestus Deception contains the e-book version of The Hive. This short story takes us on an adventure with Obi-Wan and an X’Ting soldier named Jesson. Their goal is to find and penetrate a hidden vault that contains eggs of royal X’Ting. They need to go through various trials to obtain the eggs with the idea of maintaining the royal lineage for the X’Ting race. Jesson does not like Jedi and particularly not Obi-Wan Kenobi. Their efforts in this short story to get to the right place and find the eggs make entertaining reading. The ending of the story is excellent, having to do with a mythical visit from a Jedi Master in earlier times.

Andrew's Review of The Hive

2/5 Rancors - The Hive was originally published as an e-book supporting the release of The Cestus Deception and takes place right in the middle of that story. The X'Ting council decides to task Obi-Wan Kenobi with saving the hidden eggs of their royal heirs as a show of good faith. Or, possibly, simply to use him as a tool, since it's likely not every day they have a visiting Jedi willing to help them out in the interest of good relations. Either way, our noble Jedi naturally accepts the request and sets off immediately with his X'Ting guide First Rank Jesson Di Blinth.

The story takes place in a very brief span of a few hours. The X'Ting catacombs should be creepy and chilling, but like in The Cestus Deception, Steven Barnes' storytelling style is so straightforward and matter-of-fact that I felt a bit distanced from the action as it occurred. I had some trouble buying into the riddle mechanism used to protect the eggs: essentially it relies on the willingness of an X'Ting to continually fail at trying to save the eggs. It also seemed terribly convenient that the machine was bi-lingual, ensuring Obi-Wan didn't miss anything. I'm not sure what to make of the cameo in the last sentence; it feels kind of cool and kind of cheesy simultaneously, more like something I would expect from a young adult novel rather than one of the more serious authors.

I would have liked to see The Hive placed somewhere else in the story of The Cestus Deception. The service Obi-Wan performed for the X'Ting is so important I can't believe it wouldn't have come up when he is disgraced by subsequent events. Overall, The Hive is an OK but non-essential addition to the Clone Wars saga.

David's Review of The Cestus Deception

3/5 Rancors - The Cestus Deception is a story of Obi-Wan Kenobi's efforts on the planet of Ord Cestus to bring a halt to the manufacture of killer battle droids that are difficult for even Jedi to defeat. The story is rife with political machinations because the droid production has to be stopped without destroying the economy of Ord Cestus. Obi-Wan is joined in his efforts by fellow Jedi Master Kit Fisto and a team of ARC clone troopers led by A-98, otherwise known as Nate for most of the story. The efforts are also helped by Doolb Snoil, a brilliant barrister from the planet of Nal Hutta.

Obi-Wan focuses on negotiations with G'Mai Duris, the official ruler of Ord Cestus. As the story progresses we realize that true power on the planet is held by the Five Families, descendants of one-time business tycoons who were held in the penal colonies of Ord Cestus generations earlier. The Five Families are under the amazing control of Asajj Ventress, the representative of Count Dooku and a long-time enemy of Obi-Wan. Asajj works behind the scenes to counter all of the moves made by the Jedi and has a memorable battle with Obi-Wan near the end of the book.

The story in The Cestus Deception is interesting, and we are introduced to a number of new characters. That aspect of the book is fine. It lost favor with me due to an excessive amount of time introducing us to the feelings of Nate, the ARC trooper as he struggles to follow the rules of life by which he was brought up and balance that strict code of conduct against more human feelings that are encouraged in him by Sheeka Tull, a local pilot on Ord Cestus. That part of the story could have been edited. Nate is an admirable character and performs valiant deeds, but I ended up knowing more about his internal struggles than I cared to know. I also tired of all of the political maneuverings in the tale.

On the whole, the book is a good effort but not one of the highlights of the tales of the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

Andrew's Review of The Cestus Deception

3/5 Rancors - Taking place twelve months after the Battle of Geonosis, The Cestus Deception carries on the saga of the Clone Wars and follows Obi-Wan Kenobi on a diplomatic mission gone awry. Steven Barnes is a first-time Star Wars author, and he does a good job of weaving in disparate elements from across the Expanded Universe, including the comics, the Clone Wars cartoons, and other novels. His writing style is very descriptive but somewhat stilted and formal. The action scenes feel very tonally akin to the quieter dialogue passages and the book never really seems to kick into high gear.

Like Karen Traviss has done in the Republic Commando books, Barnes introduces an intriguing exploration of the clone psyche. His main clone character, A-98 or "Nate," is very well developed and fleshed-out. Nate seeks a deeper understanding of who he is and what his life could and should be about, rather than what has been forcibly instilled into him. Nate's relationship to Sheeka Tull, a slightly shady ex-associate of Jango Fett's, is sensitively and thoughtfully portrayed, although at times those chapters are a bit of a drag on the main thrust of the story.

Kit Fisto made a vivid impression in the seconds he spent onscreen in Attack of the Clones and I was excited to see him paired with Obi-Wan for a mission. This book invests Kit with a surprising amount of emotion and anger for a Jedi: it's unusual to read about one who hasn't entirely suppressed his feelings. I didn't care for the significant deception that Kit and Obi-Wan foist upon the X'Ting and the ruling Five Families midway through the book; my vision of the Jedi and especially Obi-Wan does not encompass this high level of deceit. Granted, Obi-Wan and Kit both briefly express misgivings about the road they've embarked on, but I don't believe they would have ever picked that path to begin with.

The cover of this book is deceptive, featuring Count Dooku prominently. Don't be fooled: he does not appear in the book at all. Rather it should have featured Asajj Ventress, Obi-Wan's nemesis and the central Separatist antagonist. She's my favorite villain to be introduced in the Clone Wars and it's great to see her appear in a novel. There's not a whole lot of depth added to her character, but Barnes' portrayal is strongly in line with how she was presented in the cartoons. Having her broadcast her dreams so strongly that Trillot is drawn into them while standing outside the door wide awake is a terrific and chilling touch; it also seems a very likely side effect of a powerful Force user's subconscious mind's sleep time activity.

Doolb Snoil, the snail-like barrister that accompanies Obi-Wan on his mission, adds a fun and light-hearted touch to the serious feel of the story. His name is Lion's Blood backwards, one of Barnes' non-Star Wars books (and the one plugged on the front cover of The Cestus Deception). Not sure what I think of that....

It's good to follow Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kit Fisto on a wartime diplomatic mission and learning more about the clone troopers has proven to be one of the best themes of the Clone Wars. However, The Cestus Deception is a fairly dry read for a Star Wars novel and doesn't add much terribly essential to the EU.