Star Wars: A Republic Commando Order 66.  By Karen Traviss

Rejorhaa'ruetiise meg'oyacyi jorcu mhi r'asham.
Tell the non-Mandalorians that they live because we died.
_Monument to the fallen Mandalorian Mercenaries, Kyimorut.

I love Star Wars (big surprise) but I also love the novels that do not deal with any of the main characters.  I think these side novels enrich the collective universe because the writer is not constrained about who lives, who dies, and how events affect the protagonists' personalities.

This novel focuses on the Clone Wars from a unique perspective, that of the Clones.  While being raised on Kamino, the clones received training from many Mandalorian mercenaries besides Jango Fett.  One of these was Kal Skirata, while maybe not a good man, a man capable of unconditional love.  And he loved his cloned charges, particularly his Null Arc troopers, Omega Squad and Delta Squad.

Mandalorians are not a race, but a culture.  One of their principle tenants is that of adoption (useful in a warrior society).  Anyone adopted by a Mandalorian is family, to the entire culture.  And Kal has adopted Ordo, Null ARC N-11.  Many of his brothers are defacto members of the family.

Being a clone is an odd business.  Everyone has the same face, no one has any family that is not a "brother" and they age twice as fast as the rest of the species.  Yet, they are not identical; there are vast differences in personality, and clones can tell each other apart by differences in stance, gait and carriage.  Differing training created differing skills and strengths, and the personalities of their drill instructors shape them to an inordinate degree.

The Null ARC troopers are the most independent of all clones, due to their training is stealth, sabotage, and covert operations.

Not to say that the others are cookie cutter soldiers; Darman, Omega Squad RC 1136 is dating Etain Tur-Mukan, his Jedi General.  Unknown to the Order, they have a son, Kad.

There are several things wrong with the situation in the galaxy; one, the Jedi, keepers of the peace, are now Generals.  Two, the command a clone army, millions and millions of the same soldier, bred and trained for war, artificially enhanced to age quickly, interchangeable, replaceable, expendable.  They are not droids, but they are often treated as such.

And that is what sticks in Kal Skirata's craw.  He knows that the Republic thinks of his boys as droids with Jango's face.  He knows they will become a horrible "inconvenience" once the war is over.  And he knows their retirement plan stinks.  Life expectancy, under forty years.

So Kal Skirata has plans.  Plans to get his boys out of the war, plans to correct the accelerated aging, plans to give them a normal life.  And the thing is Kal Skirata is a PLANNER, not a dreamer.  And he has the resources to make it happen.

The action is pretty intense through out the book; not only is the re a war going on, there is Kal'buir's (Daddy Kal's) covert desertion plans, and there is the conflict of the Jedi Order.  Etain is not the only Jedi in the family; Bardan Jusik left the Order to become a Mandalorian.  He too is part of Kal' Buir's family. There is the "liberation" of scientific information, and scientists who can help unravel the secrets of a normal lifespan for the clones. And there are the politics of Mandalore.

But much more important are the emotional stories.  The bonds of brotherhood among the clones, their adoption into Kal's family.  The romances, Darman and Etain,  Atin (Omega RC 3222) and his marriage to Laseema, a twi'lek female,  Cor (Omega RC 5108/8843) and every female who crosses his path.  The stories of loyalty, and the sacrifices that are made in the name of love.

When Palpatine issues General Order 66 and the world falls apart, can Kal Skirata get his massive disparate family to safety?  Kal'Buir always says where most people see trouble, he sees opportunity.

This novel is the fourth in a series, following Hard Contact, Triple Zero, and True Colours.  It is followed by Imperial Commando: 501st.    Karen Traviss has a fine writing style; it flows easily, is descriptive without being weighted down.  It has a good mix of action, and emotion, not letting either take over too long, but trading before surfeit is reached.

This book took me a while to finish, not for any kind flaw in the writing, but because this is what I read in the hospital room while Momma was sleeping.  The themes of family and mortality really rang a resonance with me.  After her passing, I had to lay it down for a while.

Star Wars novels are not great literature, but they can be great fun.  And this one is one of the best.

May The Force Be With You.

The New Frontier: Younglings.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season One
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season Two

Check out the other completely different Clone Wars cartoons.
Star Wars Clone Wars Volume One. and
Star Wars Clone Wars Volume Two.

Check out these Star Wars Novels:
Tatooine Ghost
Star Wars Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice
Star Wars Legacy of the Force: Invincible
The Cestus Deception.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor
Republic Commando Order 66

Check out these Star Wars Comics:
Tag and Bink Were Here
Jango Fett: Open Season.
Rites of Passage
Star Wars Rebellion: My Brother, My Enemy.

Check out my reviews on Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic.
Commencement
Flashpoint.
Days of Fear, Nights of Anger.

Check out the Future of Star Wars in Legacy:
Star Wars Legacy: Broken.
Star Wars Legacy: Shards
Star Wars Legacy: Claws of the Dragon
Star Wars Legacy: Alliance

The Star Wars Role Playing Game:
Star Wars Role Playing Game
Star Ships of the Galaxy
Threats of the Galaxy
Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide
Scum and Villainy
The Clone Wars Campaign Guide

Check out all the Star Wars Saga:
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

Recommended: Yes