Science news and science current events, research and discoveries.
Top science news articles and science current events stories from the past week.
Science Resources
Science RSS News Feeds
Earth, Life and Space Science RSS News Feeds.
|
 |
 |
 |
| View Larger Image | Triple Zero (Star Wars: Republic Commando)
by Karen Traviss
| | List Price: | $7.99 |  | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours | | | | | Sales Rank: | 18348 | | Studio: | Del Rey | | | Binding: | Mass Market Paperback | | Number Of Pages: | 448 | | Publication Date: | February 28, 2006 | | Publisher: | Del Rey |
| |
EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
Following the eruption of the bloody Clone Wars at the battle of Geonosis, both sides remain deadlocked in a stalemate that can be broken only by elite warrior teams like Omega Squad, clone commandos with terrifying combat skills and a lethal arsenal. . . .
For Omega Squad, deployed deep behind enemy lines, it’s the same old special ops grind: sabotage, espionage, ambush, and assassination. But when Omega Squad is rushed to Coruscant, the war’s most dangerous new hotspot, the commandos discover they’re not the only ones penetrating the heart of the enemy.
A surge in Separatist attacks has been traced to a network of Sep terror cells in the Republic’s capital, masterminded by a mole in Command Headquarters. To identify and destroy a Separatist spy and terror network in a city full of civilians will require special talents and skills. Not even the leadership of Jedi generals, along with the assistance of Delta squad and a certain notorious ARC trooper, can even the odds against the Republic Commandos. And while success may not bring victory in the Clone Wars, failure means certain defeat.
Also includes the bonus story Omega Squad: Targets by Karen Traviss! |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 48 reviews)
|
A big step down from 'Hard Contact' 
Before starting the Republic Commando series, I had been a fairly avid Star Wars fan, but had read none of the EU novels. I was pleasantly surprised by 'Hard Contact,' especially in terms of pace, characterization, and the realistic atmosphere Traviss created through her own military experiences and research. However, 'Triple Zero' maintains little of these qualities: it actually expanded on some nitpicky issues I had with the first, as well as adding a few more of its own.
My major issue with this novel is the writing, namely the tendency to tell instead of show thoughts and emotions, as well as the author's refusal to let her story carry her message, and instead insert her opinion into the narration itself. There is little question that the novel is meant to portray clones, and by extension Mandalorians, as noble people downtrodden by the bloated Republic and the ignorant "civvies." This idea is reiterated a few times every chapter, not just by characters, but by the narration itself. I found this jarring to the point of grating--Traviss's tight writing in 'Hard Contact' becomes unbearably preachy in this book, almost berating the reader for even considering that clones/Mandalorians are anything less than heroes of the galaxy. Kal Skirata, who intrigued me in the first book, is little more than a mouthpiece for this idea.
In terms of plot, one of the biggest disappointments of this book was the complete lack of pace in the romance between Etain and Darman--there is nothing but a couple lines of dialog leading up to "the big moment." Also, I certainly wouldn't expect an explicit sex scene in a YA book, but the fact that no true moment of intimacy between the two is ever shown caused me to care less about their relationship (which should be momentous).
I have other issues with the book as well, but these stood out most to me. Not to say the book is irredeemable, however--from what I hear, the RC series is leaps and bounds better than most EU novels, and if you are a fan of the clones or the Mandalorians (like I am), there's enough in here to keep you going.
July 15, 2008 | |
Excellent SW Special Forces story! 
I absolutely love this author's style of story telling when presenting the stories of the clone special forces. Her characters have depth and her unique professional experience reported in her bio really shows through when presenting the clones and Mando warriors as tight knit groups of professional soldiers living and fighting for each other. Her stories just have a realism to them that most authors who publish SW stories just don't have.
May 17, 2008 | |
Awesome book
I could barely put this book down. If I didn't have to work I probably would have finished it in one day. I finished it in two. I am now starting the next book.
March 12, 2008 | |
First you think "what's going on", five minutes later, you think "Why do I care"
I loved the first Republic commando book, it was fun, it was gritty, it was interesting. Unfortunately, I can't say any of those statments apply to this second book. The book is vague and confusing, halfway through the book you're still wondering what the point is, the entire thing was one dull, stupid spill of the authors uninteresting and overly repetetive thoughts.
Most of the book is taken up either worshipping the Mandolorians, hating the Jedi, or whining about 'the injustices' done to the clone army. The reason I have a problem with worshipping Mando's and hating Jedi is this. Mando's like to hide in their home planet and do tribal dances all their life, their existance is so utterly pointless to the Star Wars story, that it is basically impssible to be interested in the story. Yet at the same point the book hates on Jedi, why? Because they do not see the 'injustices' done to the main character's Mandolorian brothers, namely the clones. The entire book is one miniscule group whining about how the galaxy isn't paying attention to their problems. We're in the middle of a war here people, the last thing we need is a few whiny people screaming their uninteresting problems to the entire galaxy. The Mando's feel that the clones are being used, they have no rights or anything.
This is a Commando book, we don't want humane society complaints, we want the opposite, we want guns, explosions and shooting. I'm all for the value of human life, but why in a sci-fi "action" book (if you can call it that).
As I just hinted too, this book has a total of three action parts, not fifteen, like in the previous book, but three, three boring ones at that.
The book doesn't take place in a gritty jungle, it takes place in a nice clean city, where nothing interesting happens. All the characters do is, hang out in a bar, and complain about how the Jedi are 'evil'. The Jedi are trying to save everyone in the galaxy, you are trying to save, yourselves, and yourselves only. Which brings up another problem, everybody in this book is selfish, arrogant and emotional, I couldn't bring myself to like any of them, even the returning characters.
Overall, this entire book sucks, it sucks dog crud. If you liked the first book, don't read this one.
February 11, 2008 | |
Wannabe Tom Clancy doesn't work in the SW universe 
Her first novel, Hard Contact, was serviceable. This one was a mess. Like many others, at first I was merely annoyed at her constant need to insert modern military lingo into the story. So you were attached as a reporter with military units, so you hung out with a bunch of military types - we get it, so there's no need to hammer that point home every other page. I've got friends who were in the military and they do like their acronymns. However, how many other SW novels have a glossary in the back so you can figure out what a PWO (Principal Weapons Officer) is? Or PEP or SOCO or TIOPS or TIV or UXB. When have you ever heard any of these terms in any SW novel, movie, or comic? That's right, no where. She keeps appropriating MODERN military lingo and sticking into the SW universe and it just doesn't feel right.
Later I realized that all the military lingo wasn't just put in there to remind the reader of her experiences, they mask that this is just another poorly written SW book. For example, she starts a dialogue between characters on page 106. On page 112, she had to EXPLAIN what the reader was supposed to glean from the previous six pages. You've got to have a low opinion of your writing skills if you feel the need to reiterate/explain what you just wrote.
All the characters are the same cardboard variety, so it's hard to tell them apart. I read the first 100 pages and still didn't even reach the main "mole" plot yet. Indeed, you could easily skip entire chapters and not miss out on anything important - there's just that much filler in here. I've read a couple dozen SW novels and there were only two I could not stomach. This is one of them.
December 31, 2007 | |
SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
| |
|
|
|
|
