Reviews Books The JC Lit Reviews Special: REPUBLIC COMMANDO: TRUE COLORS (Spoilers)

That All Time Lit Forum Rankings thread has all the scores as well.

 

Could be an idea.

 

I loved it, every second of it...well except for that part where we never got any backround information on the Mandalorians guarding Ko Sai's lab.

Gives it a 9.5/10

Weird how there weren't any obvious bad guys in this book, no? Thought I'd hate it more cause of that, but Karen's a great writer, good enough to make me not mind on this kinda thing that's usually so important in any kind of books I read.

 

Average score: 107.45/12 = 8.95

 

I liked it a, a lot. The characterization was deep, and for once there was a Jedi that I felt was an actual Jedi. I never thought I would ever cheer for a Jedi, but when Jusik gave that speech I was completely in awe of how much more of a Jedi he is than every other PT era Jedi we have ever seen. I liked the shades of gray with the Mandalorians, and how they are presented as both the good and the bad guys.

The negatives for me were Etain, she's just an idiot and this falls on Traviss who in her lust to discredit the Jedi has decided to pen her as the most idiotic person ever alive. While I may share Traviss' overall view of the Jedi once again her heavy handedness in presenting this viewpoint was not to my liking. There's such a thing as being subtle in your views, Traviss needs to look into that and quit being so heavy handed.

8/10

 

I never formed the idea that Order 66 was "hard-coded" into their DNA. As a matter of fact there's nothing stated anywhere in the universe that says genetic memory even exists. The clones all seemed to have learned things from flash learning and training over years. I do recall in Dark Lord I believe, that the clone commanders were recalled to Kamino to undergo retraining to be loyal to the Supreme Chancellor first and formost. After that training I don't find it much of a stretch that the commanders would have a problem executing a standing order. Whether or not I believe only a single squad would question it is more of a stretch. One would think after 3 years of serving with Jedi more than 4 clones would question such an order.

Also about the lost 20. I remember in Dark Rendevous that Jusik is definetly not the only Jedi to leave the order during the war. Jedi leaving the order is mentioned in that book as well. So I doubt there's some ongoing memorial to all the Jedi they lost that way.

Personally I don't understand why people say Karen hates Jedi. I find her portrayal of them to be pretty accurate if you assume that there are at least some and we know Anakin is one, Jedi that have trouble removing themselves from attachments. So Jusik and Etain form attachments to their troops I personally don't find that hard to believe. After that everything they do seems reasonable to me. But Etain does seem to be a pretty awful Jedi borderline dark Jedi many times.

Whatever I could ramble on and on regardless I really like this series and every Karen Traviss SW book I read.

 

I liked it. It kept me interested and I read it straight through.
It was great to see Dorumaa used, but that was brought down by calling the Cularin system "Sep friendly." (Anyone who played the Living Force campaign knows that wasn't true). So that balances out.

8/10

 

First, let me say that, for someone named Monosyllabic, that was a LONG post...


The info about the training (NOT the 'genetic coding) of the orders is listed in the Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic, by Karen Traviss and Ryan Kaufman (illustrations by Chris Trevas) in SW Insider #84. And, I might also mention, a lot of the clones served with the Jedi for the full 3 years of the war. They would have known the orders came from Palpatine, whether he was wearing a hood or not, because I'm pretty sure that message would have indicated who it was from (much like an e-mail does). This isn't shown on screen because, frankly, it's minor details that aren't important to the overall story...

 

Sorry, Havac, forgot to add my review/ranking...


This book really does advance the story quite well; the Nulls have the info they were looking for, folks are starting to realize there's something fishy about the war as a whole, and there's dissension in the ranks over how the war's being run (i.e. Jusik questioning the Jedi Order, Zey having no idea - or so it appears - what some of the special ops troops are doing). Overall a good book.

I have to knock of a little for the same reason I've seen a lot of people quote. This book is harder to stand up as a stand-alone book like the first two did. I know it was PLANNED that way, but even with movies, when you KNOW there's going to be a sequel, I prefer 'enclosed' stories. Even so, that's a minor thing, because it did succeed in leaving me wanting more...

Score: 8.75/10

 

Average score: 132.2/15 = 8.81

 

8/10.

Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of action in True Colors. This isn't a surprise. Out of the five SW novels that she has written, only Hard Contact and Sacrifice have had any degree of typical Star Wars action. Triple Zero, Bloodlines, and now True Colors are all about character and plot development.

I'm fine with this, but I would prefer more things going boom.

That said, the character development in TC was the best of any Star Wars novel to date. Hands down. The tight third-person style she's famous for is working extremely well, IMO. I was especially thrilled with how Sev and Vau were portrayed, seeing as how we haven't gotten their perspectives on things up to this point.

One thing is for certain. The last novel in this series is sure to be gut-wrenching. And given Sev and Boss' final words at the end of the book, it's apparent that Delta and Omega will be fighting one another when Order 66 goes out....

 

Average score: 140.2/16 = 8.76

 

9.5/10

Loved this book, Karen's a master at science fiction and is probably the best new Star Wars writer out there. This book's a fantastic addition to the Republic Commando series. Lots of good storylines compounded on, some great character development and storytelling. Can't wait for #4.

 

Average score: 149.7/17 = 8.81

 

9/10

I really enjoyed reading this book, despite the trouble of finding time to read it.

 

Average score: 158.7/18 = 8.82

 

This book and this series is just so awesome. Traviss makes the reader emotionally care about her characters so much, and even made me care about Mara in Sacrifice. Mara I never cared about until Sacrifice.

These characters are all so real. Really felt for Fi and Darman, and I really enjoyed Jusik in the book although a personally disagree with him leaving the Jedi to go play Mando. Really thought that Zey should have come up with a better arguement. The galaxy is under seige by Evil and Sith Lords and all kinds of Terror and Jusik has decided to hit the road because of how the clones are being treated. I feel like He should be working from within the Jedi Order to help them like Etain will be rather than removing his voice from the arguement. I believe his character is a very selfish one and I hope someone calls him on it in Order 66.
Rav Bralor was probably only included to sell her new action figure................why does she have a figure while Skirata and Vau don't? I'll complain in the collecting thread maybe.
And why do all these woman seem so eager to accept the Mando religion? Just for the love of their clone? I don't think they would be that eager but its a minor point. If Ordo and Besanny stay together I don't see any reason why they could not come to some middle ground on the whole moving to Mandalore and embracing Mando culture thing.......................
Kal and Etain are really making a mistake with Darman as well. They are doing on a smaller scale what the republic has done on a larger scale, taking away his rights. I know they think they are doing whats best, but Kal is not always right. Its nice to see Ordo and Mereel kind of outgrowing Kal, using their own heads to solve problems.
Lastly its nice to see how the RC Mando's are tying into the LOTF Mando's now. Can that really have been the original Jaing in Sacrifice? Its got me thinking. This is my favorite Star Wars novel series ever.

9.8/10

 

Average score: 168.5/19 = 8.87

 

9.5/10

I finally found time to finish this book, which is a good thing. One of the best Star Wars books I've read in a long time, I especially liked Jusik's character, and I really like the tight POV that Traviss uses. It really shows what different characters think of dfferent events.

 

Average score: 178/20 = 8.90

 

Time to retire good old pictures since Rogue1-and-a-half has created an amazing system I feel very honored to ripoff, though with odd quotes that I dare you the reader to find out why they are relevant to the content.

Republic Commando: True Colors by Karen Traviss.

I really like Cyndi Lauper's song so there is major connotations to avoid.

"A screaming comes across the sky. It has happened before, but there is nothing to compare it to now." - Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon.

Commandos trained since birth to kill really do cry a lot.

"They were built, not born."- Major Lee Adama.

An experienced Jedi Master is bullied by a crippled Mandalorian.

Karen Traviss is a former journalist and soldier.

Kal and the Mando'ade Clan are not executed immediately for disrupting actions at a Republic military hospital during a war considered by the majority of the populace to preserve the Republic from collapsing due to secession. No attempt is made at this act of treason committed by replaceable troopers.

That scene is edited and approved by the same brain trust that allowed Luke to congratulate his nephew on starting a genocidal war.

Almost every single page had an italic.

Overuse of the exclamation mark is generally considered poor writing, since it distracts the reader and reduces the mark's meaning.

"Bad things have been done to this person, and the story is a chronicle of how he's been wronged, with an implicit plea to feel bad for him." - The Writer Volume 121 Number 1.

"Much as it might offend their sense of perspective, not everything is about Babylon 5."- Alfred Bester.

Apparently lethal killers never have to kill anything higher than a red shirt.

"Let me ask you something, Jack. Why do you wanna leave the Island? What is it that you so desperately want to get back to? You have no one. Your father's dead, your wife left you, moved on with another man. Can you just not wait to get back to the hospital? Get back to fixing things? It's twenty seconds now. Just get me the phone, Jack."- Benjamin Linus.

A medical droid tells the commandos that Fi is a vegetable. Having a living breathing doctor, possibly even one of the characters from MedStar, would show the dehumanization of the Republic into the Empire more effectively. That however would require conflict.

Basically this is four hundred pages of putting the characters into position for Order 66 when it should exist as the first hundred and fifty to two hundred pages of that novel.

If the previous points make no sense to you, the reader, here is a quick abridgement. True Colors is a passive victim story. Throughout this and Triple Zero you are presented a cast of "me" characters, characters to whom things are done, compared to "I" characters, protagonists that do something. This does not generate very interesting fiction since it lacks the power of choice (an entire discussion for another time and place). Hundred of pages of characters whining does not create conflict or sympathy; annoyance comes to mind. No real information is given to the clones' desire to stop their aging and leave the GAR. Looknig at the psychological changes a person raised to live as one thing, the events that would lead the commandos to abandon their way of life for something they do not understand or comprehend is an amazing posibility. Traviss just does not have the chops. Training and an education focused on literature would have improved her writing ability more than a writing seminar (it's alright to use a technique not common in the EU or genre writing).

Much like her Wess'har Wars novels that degraded into the main character opining over her toilet the Republic Commando novels devolve into pseudointellectualism over the definition of human presented with inferior craftmanship. A true examination into more philosophical themes require a more implicit approach instead of Traviss' and Stover's sledgehammer. I give the novel a four out of ten. Traviss can write

 

Average score: 182/21 = 8.67

 

The Mando's in question who wish to leave the GAR have been trained since almost birth by Kal Skirata and influenced by him. They are often shown thinking about what a regular life would consist of. But Kal's commando's are the only clones who seem to want to leave, Vau's do not. The commen grunts do not. The story is about "Kals Clones" not the general clone members of the GAR. Kal wants to save them all but I don't think most of them would even want to be "saved".
It was Kal's friend in the Coruscant Police that helped Fi escape, but I do wonder how Bessany got away with that and returned to Coruscant...........
On Traviss's writing skills, I have no Lit degree but find her writing actually refreshing when compared to the other EU authors. I assume an education focused on literature would improve her writing skills to the point that I wouldn't want to read her work at all. Star Wars is basic pulp fiction type stuff. I don't think the general audience is looking for more than that.......
I'm trying to not come across as overly arguementitive here, I just disagree on a couple of points. Your reveiw is very good and your opinions are excellently presented(Cetainly much more well presented than I ever could). I just hope your not wanting Star Wars to become something its not. It's simple fiction for fan boys and girls and expecting it to be more will only leave you open to dissapointment. Your reveiw is amazinly written, keep up the good work .

 

Sniper's review is the sort I like reading. Opinions and actual thoughts, not what events just happened, or hopes to see. I assume the holiday period has delayed transnational shipping schedules, but I'm interested to see for myself in particular this Jedi degradation, which I'm looking forward to.

 

6/10

freakin sappy