I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this entire series. Usually I'm not one for tie-ins (or movie novelizations), but the world and characters that Traviss creates is an amazing one. It almost feels like it is a bubble tucked away within the larger Star Wars universe, one that I would like to revisit again. ( )

I really enjoyed getting into these books. The author goes a bit further into making the clones real people with hopes and dreams. What does it feel like to learn that you are a clone? No retirement package. No rights as a human or citizen. But you are to put your life on the line for citizens so they don't have to leave their comfortable lives.

Love the whole delving onto the Mandolorian culture at play throughout the first four books in this series. The author has a goal of creating a whole language for the Mandolorians and I enjoyed picking up a few of them myself.

Having just finished reading The New Jedi Order series (19 books) I found these a nice break. The former started out strong and then lagged towards the middle and finally finished up a bit quickly. the four books that have been written on the Clone troopers by this author kept my rapt attention the whole way through. :) ( )

The premise: ganked from BN.com: As the Clone Wars rage, victory or defeat lies in the hands of elite squads that take on the toughest assignments in the galaxy–stone-cold soldiers who go where no one else would, to do what no one else could. . . .

On a mission to sabotage a chemical weapon research facility on a Separatist-held planet, four clone troopers operate under the very noses of their enemies. The commandos are outnumbered and outgunned, deep behind enemy lines with no backup–and working with strangers instead of trusted teammates. Matters don’t improve when Darman, the squad’s demolitions expert, gets separated from the others during planetfall. Even Darman’s apparent good luck in meeting an inexperienced Padawan vanishes once Etain admits to her woeful inexperience.

For the separated clone commandos and stranded Jedi, a long, dangerous journey lies ahead, through hostile territory brimming with Trandoshan slavers, Separatists, and suspicious natives. A single misstep could mean discovery . . . and death. It’s a virtual suicide mission for anyone–anyone except Republic Commandos.

My Rating: 5 - It's a Gamble

It's a low rating, sure, but it's not a bad book. It's just going to be a hit or miss for Star Wars readers. Traviss is a good writer, but you can tell she's getting her feet wet here, and since I've already read her Wess'Har series, I had higher expectations than normal. I'd hoped this would wow me, but it didn't. That being said, of all the Star Wars game adaptation books I've read, this is by far the best. Which is good, because this is the one with the most books, so I've got several ahead of me. I did enjoy the work Traviss did in creating distinctive personalities for her clones, and the way the Omega Squad was put together provided nice character-revealing moments and inner sources of conflict. So there's good arcs here, character-wise. I just kept zoning out during the more tactical/military stuff, which doesn't bog down the book, but it doesn't make me want to turn the pages any faster either.

That being said, for someone who wants to get into Star Wars books but wants to start with the prequel Era, and if they don't care about not having the Jedi as the focus, this would be a great place to start. My expectations were just a tick too high, but now that I know what to expect, I'm sure the next installment will be fine.

Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay. And I also want to point out: there will be spoilers, at any given moment, for the entire run of Star Wars books up until the date the current book was published. So if the Star Wars are something you want to get into, stop now and read THIS instead. I don't recommend anyone reading this review unless they've read the book I'm reviewing now, due to aforementioned spoilers, so stop now or -- if you have read the book -- carry on!

The full review may be found at my blog, and comments and discussion are always welcome. Just click the link below to go directly to the full review!

REVIEW: Karen Traviss' STAR WARS: REPUBLIC COMMANDO: HARD CONTACT

Happy Reading! ( )

Ever felt a little distant from the whole 'clone wars' thing? If you're a Star Wars fan, you know the problems associated with the clones, and the unfortunate amount of time we've spent asking questions about who they really are and why we should care. Well, the Republic Commando series seeks to answer those questions and, thank goodness, humanize the clone troopers.

Karen Traviss does an excellent job of putting human faces on the clones, giving us a glimpse behind the mask -- what the clones go through for training, their 'family' structures, their (*gasp*) personalities, and their perspectives on having shortened life expectancies and living with the exact same face as thousands upon thousands of other clones.

The story itself is your typical shoot 'em up space adventure, with most of the action taking place on a planet, rather than in a ship or in space. That said, Star Wars has typically focused more on the people involved than the space battles, so you'll find exactly what you're looking for if you're a Star Wars fan.

Admittedly, the Jedi trainee character in the book is a little annoying for the first half, but she does grow over the course of the story. I suspect that if she's in the sequels, she'll utilize her newfound confidence and strength very effectively.

This is honestly one of the best Star Wars novels I've read, and if Traviss is the one writing the sequels, you can bet I'll be picking them up soon. ( )

For a media tie-in, I thought this was entertaining and well-written, certainly better than some SW novels I've read. It's a nice bit of military SF set in the Star Wars universe. Not a life-changing book but a fun way to pass the time during my commute. ( )