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

Average score: 188/22 = 8.55

 

Not as good as HC, but I definitely liked it a lot more than 000. It definitely give an interesting perspective on the clones and their motivations. Up until now, I thought all basically shared Bly's view and that after the war, they'd just do what they're ordered to do. It didn't occur to me that many would question what would happen, particularly the independently trained ones. Like I said, interesting.

Unlike the last one, I didn't think we were hit over the head too much by any single ideas except one: the clones are fighting for their brothers. Seemed like that one was repeated throughout the story until close to the end. We get it. In fact, most that know something about war, especially in history, know that that guy in the trenches was often fighting for the man beside him. No need to slam it over our heads.

I have to say, I enjoyed Ordo's internal opinions of Etain: "She's just like Bard'ika, only not as confident and good at the job."

Regarding our starring Jedi, I was also pleased with Jusik's story and the choice he made at the end. It was the right decision for him, and I think that in the end it's the right decision for his men, too. As Sev and Kal both contemplate, Jusik was too close to his men to be an effective officer. It's a problem Etain has at times, though I'm not sure she knows it.

Etain, OTOH, I tend to be more disappointed with all the time. She should probably take Jusik's lead, because she's clearly not into the Jedi thing anymore. She's at the point where her "temper" is pushing her to justify torture, rather than just regarding such techniques as pragmatic as she did in the past (sounds a bit like "anger leading to hate", doesn't it?). I also found her thoughts of the Kaminoans thinking of the clones as nothing more than biological machines when that's how many throughout fiction and in the real world refer to what human beings in essence are.

Overall, a pretty good entry. IMO, a huge improvement over TZ, but still didn't quite get me to the enjoyment level that HC did. I think that has a lot to do with that story's simpler plot and more traditional, if less complex, structure. It does quite a bit to advance the Republic Commando stories and all of the characters we've come to know and love/hate. There are times, however, that it feels all too much like the middle chapter that it is.

8/10

 

Average score: 196/23 = 8.52

 

7/10

Not bad. Better than Triple Zero, but not quite as good as Hard Contact. It suffered a bit from seeming too much a filler book, and there didn't seem to be an overarching plot until much later in the book. It was interesting seeing divisions between the Mando clones and their average brothers.

 

Average score: 203/24 = 8.46

 

I think it did a very good job of moving the story arc along, and setting the stage for the inevitable next book.

 

Typical Traviss, which for me means some of the better Star Wars fiction written in the last couple of years. Her writing brings with it a level of substantiality that other SW authors often fail to duplicate due to their hesitancy to move into depth beyond movie-style action sequences. Traviss, though, takes time to weave setting, plot, and characterization in such a manner that achieves a brand of storytelling that's more thematically relevant than your average "space adventure" piece. Battle theaters such as Qiilura and Gaftikar served as microcosms for the Clone Wars at large in that each planet's indigenous conflicts were presented in an ambiguous manner, while the resort world and the trip to Mandalore captured the more day to day aspects of the GFFA that are small but still essential to developing a realistic foundation to this fictional universe. Action/combat scenes were used sparingly, and in turn elicited a sharper level of tension that often is lost in other works where authors saturate the story with page after template page of lightsaber/starfighter action. Indeed, when violence is used meaningfully, incredibly poignant scenes such as Fi finally discovering his cure for loneliness are made possible. In terms of tragic hopefulness, I?m not sure I can recall such a moment in the EU that matched Fi's injury and subsequent semi-recovery.

Other than this one especially brilliant moment, the book didn't veer too far from the formula established in Triple Zero. We saw Mandalorian-cultivated clone camaraderie, the cultural integration of outsiders who long for belonging, as well as a running commentary on the nature of war as it shapes and affects the government, civilian society, soldiers and objectors. Traviss is often accused of perpetuating an agenda with her work, but I find the Mandalorian counterpoint to be an extremely valid form of criticism to the plot logic that Lucas laid out in the prequels in terms of the problematic Jedi Order. Jusik's decision to leave the Jedi Order was more profoundly Jedi than a great many number of moments I've encountered in the EU recently, where all to often Jedi are defined more by hollow bouts of saber-swinging than inner instances of moral conviction. Traviss's work asks relevant questions, forces the reader to tackle issues that are capable of being ignored in favor of nostalgic absolutism. As a result, the EU is not only made more expansive, but more viable.

8.5/10

 

Average score: 211.5/25 = 8.46

 

I'll see your true colors shining through....

 

Her best SW work so far. The main plot develops really slowly, but the characterizations are so deep that it perfectly makes up for the nearly lack of plot. Seriously, her main characters have acquired a unique and different personality, something unusual with SW books, making them be among the best PT characters created. My only problem with the book is that I missed some more action scenes, but I guess we can't have everything in one book.
All in all, Traviss is the best SW writer alongside Stover and Denning.
I give it a 9.

 

Average score: 220.5/26 = 8.48