A litmus test for any author of calibre is to take someone else’s story and retell it in such a way that none of the original story is lost and at the same time mark it with their own individual style.
In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, New York Times bestselling author Karen Traviss has achieved this even though it is “loosely based” on the screenplay of the same name. This is because the screenplay contains material, both characters and situations, that Traviss excels in: namely military tactics and the attitudes of soldiers towards war. To this end, Traviss wastes no time in introducing characters the reader will be familiar with from any of the six Star Wars films: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Count Dooku, Chancellor Palpatine, Jabba the Hutt and Yoda. Instead Traviss concentrates on the emotions these characters have for each of the various situations they find themselves in. Thus right from the beginning we don’t need to be told that Jabba the Hutt is an enormous, grotesque slug-like creature, instead we gain a more precious insight into this notorious gangster’s attitudes to other species, particularly human, and why their rules and laws cannot apply to him and his son’s criminal empire. Similarly we are witness to the true dual personality of Chancellor Palpatine as both leader of the Republic and Sith Lord, since the reader will be fully aware of this following Revenge of the Sith’s revelation.
What makes this book a more interesting read than just another episode in the Star Wars universe is Traviss’s personal knowledge with the military aspects of the story, aspects that cannot be expressed in a PG rated movie. Just as in her previous three Republic Commando novels, Traviss has an excellent understanding of not just how battles are won (and lost), but more importantly, what motivates and drives a soldier. Time and time again throughout the story, we are given glimpses into what motivates a soldier –the comradeship of soldiering (brothers-in-arms); the ability to watch out for your comrades; the quality of leadership; to never leave a man behind. So when towards the end of the story and our heroes have their backs against the wall with the odds heavily against them we understand what soldiers fight for: it is neither for the glory nor a sense of loyalty to the cause but for the victory and for your brothers-in-arms.
In the movie we see why Anakin Skywalker is the great Jedi warrior as he leaps from spider droid to spider droid destroying each in turn with a swirl of his lightsaber, however, Traviss captures Anakin’s affinity to the soldiers he leads (as a General in the Clone Army) and the loyalty of every single clone under his command. Anakin is a leader of men by example, battle-hardened by at least a year of war, unwilling to risk lives unnecessarily, able to listen to advice, and trusts implicitly the ability of his men. But, Anakin is also a troubled young man: guilt for being unable to save his own mother; anger at the Jedi Council for not recognising his destiny as the Chosen One; rage towards anyone or anything who may harm his comrades – and it is this dichotomy of a troubled adolescent and a brilliant military leader that Traviss captures so well.
What threatens Anakin’s leadership of his troopers, and that of his relationship with his second-in-command, Captain Rex, is the introduction of his new padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Rex’s character is similar to Anakin’s, that of a good commander, who recognises that his duty is to the men who serve under him and to the General who leads him. The Anakin/Rex relationship is clearly defined not only by rank but also by the trust each has in the other. Traviss clearly indicates Anakin’s reluctance to accept Ahsoka as a padawan and also as a member of his regiment, but Rex understands that it is also his responsibility to bring the inexperienced padawan up to speed in a battle zone. There follows, as the story progresses, some nice insights by Traviss on how both Ahsoka and Rex learn to respect each others capabilities while at the same time, Anakin’s greatest concern is whether his padawan will uncover the dark secrets from his past.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars by Karen Traviss is an excellent addition to the Star Wars universe (many insider references add to her characterisations), however as the story progresses, the reader may find themselves empathizing too much with Jabba’s anguish. Certainly his son may be an innocent child, but lest we forget, Jabba the Hutt is the head of a powerful criminal organisation that endorses smuggling, slavery, torture and murder. His paternal anguish cannot right the wrongs he himself has committed.

(This is a fascimile of the review posted on my own website Star Wars Books [www.swbooks.co.uk])