Star Wars: Republic Commando – Triple Zero, book two in a series of Republic Commando novels, written by Karen Traviss. This Expanded Universe tale takes place during the Clone Wars in the Rise of the Empire era. Twenty-two years before the Battle of Yavin (ABY).
SUMMARY
Eight years before the Battle of Geonosis, friend of Jango Fett and fellow Mandalorian, Kal Skirata, arrives on Kamino. Upon leaning that six clones were scheduled for termination, as they did not meet the Kaminoan standards for the the Clone Troopers. These six defected clones were defiant and unruly. Skirata steps in and claims the six as his own. He raises them as unique ARC troopers, with an understating of their Mandalorian heritage.
Flashing forward a year after the Battle of Geonosis, Skirata is hired along with Omega Squad & Delta Squad and a few Jedi, to track down and terminate a Separatist terrorist/spy cell on Coruscant. The unit is fractured by conflict, the two squads just can’t get along. Etain reunites with Omega Squad to oversee the mission, during this time, her and Darman fall in love. Etain, then becomes pregnant, truly defying the Jedi Orders strict ways.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
This is where I loose people. Soon after I started this book I was already over it. My goodness, all that I enjoyed from book one was absent in this one. I was bored out of my mind with this story. I may not be the biggest fan of action, but when I turned page after page after page of mediocre dialogue. I’d have to stare at the cover of the novel to entertain myself.
I thought the character development was fantastic in the first book, Hard Contact. This one was lacking in that department, mostly, Kal Skirata was an interesting character, but he alone couldn’t save this story. Etain bugged me, she was constantly reassuring the troopers that they weren’t expendable – that they were all special, it’s almost as though she was saying it so much to remind herself of that.
We get more about the Mandalorian culture, which is neat,, but also weird at times. We learn that they think its okay to commit adultery when there’s some separation (as long as they raise the child that becomes of it) that’s stupid and random. Mandalorian define themselves by culture and behavior. I’m sorry but when some of the clones were doing a tribal type song and dance, I couldn’t help but chuckle… A war is going on and these outcast troops are breaking out into a musical.
This book is overloaded with acronyms and slang (in the Mando language), making it a little challenging to follow.
What I’m about to mention here contains a spoiler. The love story between Darman and Etain, fine whatever. Interesting choice though to have Etain keep such a massive secret from Darman; she’s pregnant and doesn’t tell Darman that he’s going to be a father! So much for these clones being something special, individually meaningful… if can’t even tell one that he’s going to have an heir!
I am looking forward to the next book in the series, my fingers are crossed with hope that I’ll appreciate it much more than this one.
Do I recommend this book? Nah, just look up spoilers and move on.
RATING
I give Star Wars: Republic Commando – Triple Zero, a C-.