501st (Star Wars - Imperial Commando - An Imperial Commando Novel

Unfortunately this storyline continues to meander and muddle around. Each chapter is repetitious to not only those who had read the series since the start, but also within the book itself. Each characters' thoughts are repeated over and over again. Yes, we understand that Dar is upset about losing his wife and unable to see his son, but how does the main storyline progress with the title of the Clone Commandos suppose to be part of Vader's own? Do they actually perform a mission with Vader?

Karen Traviss is an excellent writer who have created vibrant characters with their unique personalities, but unfortunately, this novel is not up to previous releases. The fleeing Jedi are suppose to be tough and dangerous, but are being hunted down by mere teams of four clone Commando teams. Interesting that in the Star Wars movies and cartoons, the Jedi are able to wipe out hordes of droids at one time, while the Clone troopers, Commandos included, have difficulty. Yet, when the Jedi are alone, a couple of the same Commandos can now easily hunt and kill the Jedi, including masters. Vader is also suppose to have hunted down the Jedi, if so, why isn't he included in the targeted raids with multiple Commando teams? This novel conflicts with the Star Wars mythos of the Jedi and the 501st being "Vader's Own".

Had the Clone Commandos sent multiple teams in and in direct missions with Vader, it would have matched the title more. Instead, the sub-plots of the Mandalorian clone trainers take the primary focus and meanders around to nowhere, again. For three novels the attempt to find a cure to the clone aging process continues, and it is simply boring for multiple chapters in each book repeat the ongoing attempt, along with trying to find safe haven for the 'retiring" clones.

The sub-plots could have been summarized in single chapters for each topic, with the new storyline, of being Vader's own hunting the Jedi, the primary focus. This would have added action and energy to the novel while continuing the continuity of the subplots and side characters. Perhaps future installments will focus on fewer characters to provide a better storyline and more uplifting action rather than bantering and dialogue between them.

Wish that had read this book at a library rather than having purchased it. The first two Clone Commando books are still the top of the series so far. If there was more action or main plot development, would have given a better review as Karen Traviss has written much more entertaining books. Have greater expectations from her.

First off, let me come clean: I am a die hard Star Trek fan who sneaks over to the other well known Sci Fi franchise to check out certain Warsie books, and the Republic Commando series by Karen Traviss is one such series.

It's always fun to hop on board an adventure with "Papa Kal" Skirata and his motley clan of commando clone troopers, mercenaries, former/current Jedi, etcetera. I've read Hard Contact and Triple Zero, bypassed True Colors and Order 66, and went with this current novel - the 501st.

Some readers might argue that missing two of the novels in a series is a detriment. I tend to agree, but thankfully, Ms. Traviss is the sort of author that a missed book here and there won't detract from the overall enjoyment of the Commando Series since she puts *magic* into these writings/books.

**General Spoilers**

- Pace: This book is slow.

If you are looking for BOOM-age, lightsabers VZZZMMMIING, and blaster fire zipping back and forth, 501st is not that kind of novel. It *is* a novel focusing on former clone soldiers, mercenaries, former Jedi, and others (both within the new Imperial government and without) who are attempting to pick up the pieces after the events of Order 66 and Palpatines rise to power.

- The Universe: Our heroes are all finding their way within this new universe, and the path will not be easy.

Personally, I think Darman and Sgt. Niner are both suffering from battle fatigue and just don't realize it yet. They both need to get their shebs with the rest of the family on the Mandalorian world.

- Say Whuh?: I got bogged down when Niner and Darman both decided to stay as undercover sort of double agents, and when Doc Mando (Mij) offed Dred Priest. Both events happened three quarters of the way through the novel, were a bit contrived (to me), and the Priest section was really rushed. And again, Niner and Darman need to move their shebs.

Overall, I recommend this current book in the Republic Commando/Imperial Commando series, (small) warts and all. Not the best, not the worst book, and it's always fun to ride with Skirata and Clan!

This book is the culmination of the Republic Commando series, which was cut short because the work of its author, Karen Traviss, was not what George Lucas wanted as he was preparing to change things - like the whole story and history of the Mandalorians - in his latest insult to intelligent Star Wars fans, the Clone Wars T.V. series. In the Republic Commando series, Karen Traviss does a wonderful job of creating rich, and deep characters who drive powerful story lines and uses action poignantly to add to the story, rather than just have action for the sake of action. Many Star Wars novels use the same familiar characters and there is little need, as well as little impetous, to develop the characters; so, you have a good many novels with dangerous situations and lots of action and you know that everything will end happily. Not so with the Republic Commandos.

Karen gets the freedom license, or she did for a time, to invent new characters and take them down whole new paths that integrated reality, and intelligence - and there was no certainty of a happy ending. Even if a person is not a Star Wars fan, and most especially if they are not a Clone Wars fan, this series of books is well worth reading. There are aspects of the series that may not be considered "canon", but what Karen has developed with the Clone soldiers, the Mandalors, and the Jedi is far better in this series is far better than that developed recently by Lucas. Karen is not afraid with her story writing to ask, "if we fancy ourselves so smart, then why are we doing something so stupid?" I refer to her Clone and Jedi characters who have the intelligence to see past the Clone Wars to the greater picture, and realize that a lot of wool has been pulled over everyones' eyes. And the Mandalors, she makes them into the tribes of Genghis Khan for the Star Wars universe.

Anyway, the story is rich, the characters real, and overall a much more intelligent read than a person would expect from Clone Wars material. Even if a person is not a fan, they might enjoy this grievously cut-short series.

Imperial Commando: 501st gives us a look into the early days of the Empire, just at the end of the Clone War, and not all is well across the galaxy. Several systems don't recognize Imperial Authority, and the Jedi Purge is underway. Instead of making those the plot, however, 501st makes those into somewhat background events, coming to forefront only when the impact the people we've come to know through the Republic Commando series. There's a great sense of everyone being adrift in the aftermath of the Clone War, from fugitive Jedi, deserting soldiers, to loyal commandos who are effectively behind enemy lines even in their own headquarters. The novel shows how the different individuals find something new to anchor themselves, even momentarily.

I have to admit, I was happy to see the return of one of the characters I'd liked best from a non-RC novel. Scout, a young Jedi Padawan survived the purge with two strikes against her in the Jedi Order: a weak talent for telekinesis, and a working mind. Mandalore lives up to it's promise of being a clean slate for people who adopt it's culture, and the collection of misfits under Kal Skirata certainly could all use one. While this story may feel short on action, it deals with the important issues of what happens when the shooting stops but the war isn't over, and how someone who's only known war adapts to an uneasy peace. There is no doubt the clones themselves are at the mental breaking point and an unexpected tragedy rings all too true with real-world veterans, even those of seemingly minor conflicts.

I really cannot wait for the next and final Imperial Commando book, and am very disappointed that there aren't going to be 7 or 8 more afterwards.

"That's how tyranny succeeds. When folks think it won't affect them. Until it eventually does."
This book was selected in my Star Wars book of the month club! Plus, a good friend of mine gave me the book, which meant I absolutely had to read it!
The Clone Wars has ended, and the Republic is now the Empire. Darman and Niner are stuck in Vader's 501st, Vader's Fist. Darman struggles with the events of the last book, and both long to be home on Kyrimorout with Kal Skirata, Atin, Fi, and the other rag-tags that have assembled there as a haven.
Please note, spoilers from Order 66 (Star Wars: Republic Commando) may follow.

I Liked:
To keep myself streamlined, I will split this up into three categories: writing, characters and plot.
Writing.
1.Karen Traviss' novels don't beat around the bush. They deal with big, universal themes, which this time are bigotry/prejudice, complacency, and fear.
a)Prejudice permeates most of the Mandalorian characters (and the Jedi, of course). Skirata can't accept Kina Ha for being a Kaminoan and Uthan for being a scientist trying to kill his clones. The Kaminoan clones ridicule the Spaarti clones for being inferior. The rising bias against the Jedi in the Empire, the rivalry between Mandalore and the rest of the galaxy...all are potraits of prejudice and intolerance. Ny, one of the least intolerant of the group, puts it this way to the Null clones when they ridicule the Spaarti clones (page 198): "How can you dismiss them all like that when you're the first to say you're more than your genes?" We also see, in her eyes, how ironic it is for Skirata to hate the Jedi, when he happens to adopt many of the practices he criticizes in them (see page 301 for a good quote).
b)Complacency is what keeps the people from revolting. Under the Empire, the galaxy has grown to not care about her galactic brothers and sisters...those on Kashyyyk, Gibad, Camaas...and many others. The quote for the review, said by Uthan on page 139, says this perfectly.
c)Fear: a quote by Jusik best relays this (page 290): "Fear kept beings in line. Fear...made you mistrust and suspect everyone...and divided people didn't form up into groups to rebel."
2.Once her novel starts to roll along (particularly with the Niner and Darman scenes), you thirst for more. How are Niner and Darman going to survive in the 501st? Will anyone find out about the chip Niner has? What about the new Spaarti clone in their squad? How will the Corellian trained Ennen cope with the death of his squadmate? It was hard to put down the book in these sections.
3.Traviss again provides other Expanded Universe references, such as Jax Pavan and the Whiplash movement and Callista and the Altis' sect.
Plot:
1.The story of Niner and Darman in the 501st, Vader's Fist, is definitely the highlight of the book. You get inside Vader's Fist, to see the differences between the Imperial and Republic management, the inclusion of the Spaarti clones, the distrust, and the underlying fear. Plus, they get to do a whole lot more missions, a whole lot more Jedi hunting, which means more of what made Hard Contact so amazing and what has been lacking from most of the Republic Commando books and less sitting around and bad-mouthing the Jedi.
2.Darman's personal battle of the death of Etain is particularly poignant. I feel Traviss did a good job conveying his detached self and his grieving self and I adored how Niner looked out for him.
3.This novel is set in the Imperial era, which is so undiscovered and unexplored. It's nice to see the forays out into it.
4.The fear and suspicion, mentioned in passing in the Jedi Twilight (Star Wars: Coruscant Nights I), is actually at work in Coruscant in this novel. In 501st, clone commandos can feel the growing fear, see how the Empire is coaxing people to tell on their neighbors (all I can think of is the movie, Brazil!), and basically keeping one eye open.
Characters:
1.My favorite characters now include Walon Vau, Niner (who gets a point of view!! YAY!), Ny (sometimes), Commander Roly Melusar, and Maze. I've mentioned why I've liked Walon Vau before (quintessential Mando, cold, hard, calculating) and Maze too (follows orders, perfect ARC), but I will detail on the others.
2.Niner is a particularly fascinating clone. He didn't want to desert like all the others. He felt it was his duty to stay in, to fight the good fight. Only when his other brothers were going to leave, leaving him alone, did he change his mind. Through his reasonable, cautious eyes, we see the growing hatred and distrust of Jedi, his care for his brother, Darman, and how he is growing to want a life outside, yet still fearing it.
3.Nyreen is one of the few female characters Traviss has written that I actually like. Although there are still parts of her that I am not fond of (like how quickly she wants to become Mando and such), I like how she was married before, around Kal's age, independent, not so vehemently against the Jedi, and just overall being different and unique ("a voice of reason"). Through her eyes and her eyes alone, we get a balance from the Mando-heavy prejudice from the book and see how much Jedi Kal is like, how what he does really isn't much different from them.
4.Lastly, my brand-new all-time favorite is Commander Roly Melusar. Man, I can't say enough how much I like him! Here we finally get an Imperial not out for power, prestige, money, whatever, but out there to get rid of Force-users and dissenters for a reason...because he believes in the ideals of the Empire.

I Didn't Like:
You knew this was coming, didn't you?
1.Mandos good, Jedi bad. Highly toned down from the Republic Commando books with the balancing view off Ny (too bad she remains mostly silent on the matter to the Mandos), but still prevalent none-the-less. I could go on and on about this point, but I don't really think I need to say more. The Jedi are most certainly not perfect, but neither are the Mandalorians.
2.Good Mando wife. It sickens me to see all the women of these commando books be stripped of anything of their own, their own culture, desires, loves, hopes, and dreams and adopt without question or hesitation the Mando way. Besany was a tax auditor...and she goes to being good Mando housewife in less than 18.2 seconds. Laseema, same thing. Jilka follows the same path as Besany and Laseema by falling for yet another of our clone boys, Corr, in a gag-worthy romance. Uthan is slipping and falling for Mij Gilamar, and Nyreen appears to doing the same with Kal. Why can't Traviss create strong women who don't feel the need to drop their own personality for one their husbands can take better? Other than Parja, none of the married women have jobs outside the home (Uthan not being Mando nor married to Mij), and the one woman who didn't follow the Mando way (Kal's wife) is treated with scorn and disdain for wanting her husband to be home (I was a military kid, I could go on about this topic for a while, but I'll spare you). It's an unfair way to paint women, that they are only good if they are A) married to Mandos, B) a good, stay-at-home "Mando wife", and/or C) accept their husband's Mando ways without a qualm or thought about their own heritage and traditions.
3.Repetition. Yet again, Traviss has a few things she must make sure she says at least a dozen times in her novel. How the Nulls were saved by Skirata (as if the last three books didn't repeat that enough). How much Scout reminds Kal of Etain, how Kal hates Kaminoans and Jedi and Uthan, how Atin and Laseema can't have biological kids (which shouldn't really matter in an adoptive society like Mandalore), how hypocritical the Jedi were, how bad artuesii are, how so-and-so can't believe how "easy and quickly" she (most often she) is accepting the Mando culture, how so-and-so was surprised that she (again, most often she) wouldn't be shocked or upset if he (aka insert your Mando here) killed someone, etc., etc., etc. While I understand that new readers may be unfamiliar with the characters and history, the constant repetitions won't help them "catch up". This is not a book for the uninitiated. I figure you cut out half the extraneous repetitions, you lose about 150 pages.
4.Least Favorite characters.
a)Besany, who is mostly shoved into the background (Yay!). However, there is one scene where she appears, just recently wakened and yet is said to look "glamorous". You ever see a woman just wake up? Her hair is everywhere!
b)Skirata, whom I really have never liked since he appeared in Triple Zero (Star Wars: Republic Commando, Book 2). I know he loves his boys (I've heard it a billion times in between the pages), but he is overly emotional, always bawling or pouting or yelling or something-ing.
c)The Nulls. All perfect Gary Stus, who can do no wrong. Plus, there are 6 interchangeable men. Maybe if it were only Ordo, I could stand them, but having six indistinguishable, perfect men is too much for me to handle.
5.Other quibbles:
a)Darman's sudden change to want to return home felt out of left field.
b)Kad acts way off-kilter for a toddler, even a Force sensitive one.
c)Jusik having no attachment to his master? Maybe I got spoiled with the Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan relationship from the Jedi Apprentice series.
d)Did you hear Palpatine is a Sith? Apparently everyone in this galaxy knows.
e)Too much time spent on Kyrimorout, aka "Walton's Mountain". In fact, in the beginning, I wanted to call the book "The Skiratas" after "The Waltons" because of all the time they spent at home doing homey things. Isn't this a Star Wars novel?
f)No Dramatis Personae. I've always had trouble figuring out who was what and this time it was even harder than usual.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Expect to confront the Mando curse word "fierfek". Other than that, not much.
Little to none. Other than perhaps Kad being the child of a liaison between Etain and Darman and that Altis' clan take lovers, not much is made in this regard.
People die in the novel, one by suicide (not to spoil too much, hopefully) and one when attacked by a Jedi. Niner and Darman see a lot of battle in this one.

Overall:
One hundred pages into it, I was going to throw in the towel. I just couldn't take the "At Home on Kyrimorout" any longer. This was a commando novel, where were the commandos doing something besides raising Star Wars chickens? Thankfully, the Niner and Darman story saved it and the Kyrimorout sections actually started to go somewhere besides to the barnyard.
Lots of good stuff happens in this book. We get an inside view of the Empire, see Jusik wonder about his Jedi heritage, see the prejudices of the characters through a mostly unbiased eye (Nyreen), and learn more of why the Empire lasted so long (fear and complacency). Plus, there are some good Jedi chases and fights.
But a lot of "filler" happens too. People talk endlessly about topics we've heard inside and out. More anti-Jedi bias. More silly Kyrimorout "happy family" scenes. And a LOT of characters (fortunately, most background).
Imperial Commando: 501st is a good novel, but I would not recommend reading it unless you have read the last four Republic Commando novels. I tried to start without reading Order 66 (Star Wars: Republic Commando), and it was confusing. And while it has its bumps, if you don't mind a highly Mando bias (I did), you should enjoy. I give it 4 stars (with a revised rating 3.5 star rating to Order 66).

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

I won't give away any plot details, but the book is pretty simple. Two clones are separated from their "family" and miss them terribly. Meanwhile their Mandalorian "family" sits at home and worries about them. This is how the book begins and how it ends. Between is a bunch of Mando slang that adds nothing to the book. All of the characters are useless.

This is a great read if you are familiar with Hard Contact (Star Wars: Republic Commando, Book 1) and the Star Wars Republic Commando series by the same author. If you haven't read the Republic Commando books you will be completely lost in this one. This story centers around several previously outline plots from the R/C series. It's a great look into The new Galactic Empire after order 66. The main story is what happens to the Clone Commandos and rouge Jedi. I hope the Author continues the series and brings the same technical detail and great story telling from her previous work. Karen Traviss moves the plot along and doesn't drag on and on. Her books always brings the characters to life. four stars in my opinion.

I got this book for free, so it is the first of the Republic Commando books I have read. While I generally love Star Wars novels, I would have written on this entire series based on this book. As it is, I know that this is basically a one-off in the series, based on the reviews of others.

To be honest, I only made it through about 1/3 of the book before I gave it. It was just too boring. In the first chapter, there are so many character names mentioned that, even 100 pages in, I still didn't really know who was whom and what their purposes were. It kind of got to the point where I would just skip over names because I didn't know who anyone was, nor did I care.

Granted, coming into the series this late means I didn't get a chance to connect to these people. But based on the title, I thought the book would be about the 501st unit, Vader's Fist. But it's really more about a bunch of clones who left the Empire after the Clone Wars and wanted to start a new life. Before I put the book away, there was only one action scene; the rest of it was simply a character-driven drama. While some people may like that, my experiences over the years with Star Wars books has led me to expect much more exciting things.

Another issue is the frequent use of Mandalorian language. There isn't a dictionary included in the book, so even if these words are explained in previous novels, the reader is confused, since some of the words are used to emphasize plot points. When you combine unknown words and a dozen or more names in the first chapter, without explaining what is going on, it just seems to be a recipe for discouragement.

If the author had included a preface that brought the reader up to speed with the series, highlighting who certain individuals were and why we should care, it would have gone a long way to make the book better. Readers familiar with the series could have simply skipped to the main story while new people would know what is going on.

While I would probably normally give this type of book only one star, I give it the benefit of the doubt since I never finished it. If it weren't for reviews about the rest of the series being good, I will simply skip the whole thing and pick something better. As it is, I will look at the earlier books and hope that I'm not as disappointed as I am with this.

I was surprised to discover this book - I thought the series was over after the last Republic Commando novel. As far as I'm concerned, this is the best one yet. Clan Skirata continues to thrive, and they haven't been found out (yet). Although I was extremely disappointed by the loss of Etain, at least Scout avoided the purge and I was genuinely pleased to see her alive and well. Niner did and awesome job as squad sergeant, especially when he stayed behind to support Darman (who was being a major dumba$$ at the time).

Some of the matchmaking was overkill, and I hope that Kal & Ny don't end up together because that would just be too convenient. The rest of the clones are doing fine, and it was nice to see Fi make a nearly full recovery. If Darman would have split when he had the chance, everything would be great. As it is, there is apparently more to tell and there is still the issue rapid aging to solve. That bit is wearing pretty thin at this point, so I hope it gets resolved soon - like before Imperial Intel gets wind of their activities and slags Kyrimorut.

Mando culture is fascinating. I would rather read about the Star Wars galaxy from the perspective of "fringe" characters such as these than any of the "primary" (Luke, Leia, Han, etc...) ones. Seriously. The state of galactic politics has little meaning for most beings. Let them battle it out for the illusion of dominance in the core where it belongs. Meanwhile, I prefer to hear about the lives of characters who are actually interesting while they go about trying to survive in a hostile and unforgiving universe.

I've been a big fan of the series ever since I played the game Republic Commando years ago. Once I got into the books, I was hooked on the story line. To be honest, the first two (Hard Contact and Triple Zero) have always been my favorite books. I loved them because they focused so much on...well just plain old being a commando! True Colors was decent and I liked Order 66, but Imperial Commando seemed short on actual commando type stuff.

The storyline itself isn't bad. The clones and Skirata's clan of deserters, criminals, and mercenaries are trying to find a niche in the post-Republic galaxy and two of their brothers (Darman and Niner) are still stuck in the new Imperial Army. But by the end of the novel, I felt like it was right where it started. The characters were all where they had started. No critical character's life had been overtly threatened (except for a short battle with a jedi or two).

But it bogs down a little with too much focus on Mandalore. An important part of the story sure, but I think the focus should have been more on the clones still in the Imperial Army.

The most fascinating character of the book was a new one named Roly Melusar; General Zey's replacement as Director of Special Operations. Known as "Holy Roly" to the Imperial commandos, he is an eccentric and fiery leader who is loved by the clones under his command. He has a fanatical hatred for force-users whether jedi or sith, and is easily the most intriguing guy of the story. I wish he would have been in it more.

Ultimately, this book, while still readable and difficult to put down, didn't live up to what it could have been. I like good dialogue and storyline, and thankfully, Karen Traviss has written excellent books that give a much more realistic, military angle to the Star Wars universe. But this book just needed a little more action. Surely the commandos still under the Empire could have done a little bit more skull-cracking. More rogue jedi, loyal Republicans who don't toe the Empire's line, die-hard Separatists, etc...

At any rate, I'm still going to look forward to the the sequel next year. I can't wait to read how it ends.

I was surprised that I did not love this book right out of the gate. I have been a big fan of the series but this book kind of let me down. I see other reviews where people certainly agree that not much happens with the plot. But I have to disagree that it is a character driven novel. Aside from the main cast, there is some development with what I would consider to auxiliary characters. However, dealing with the main cast made me cringe. The personally traits replay over and over again, with no real resolution or progressive. "Skirata loves his lads and would do anything for them" was a realization made by multiple characters throughout the book and even thrown in a few more times for good measure. There were also several times the conversations seemed very awkward. The Death Watch seemed liked it was forced into dialog where it didn't belong. Sometimes the conversation would change topics completely without preamble.

For me, the foundation was there, but rather than weave the story around action and detail, it seemed like filler was used.

As a reader who picked up the First Republic Commando book when I got my free copy with the game, I've been reading these novels continuesly with each release. With 501st I was waiting to enjoy the adventures of Clan Skirata yet again.

Unfortunetly Not much happens in this book. Karen Travis again proves she has a masterful handle on each characters individual voice, making it hard to remember most of these characters look next to identicle, But very little even happens in this book. Even one of the main goals which could easy have been reached in this tale is sidlined with a side story to solve a new problem.

Characters decide to stand still in the book moments from moving the story forward only to decide to move forward in the final pages.

Really I was very pleased with what I read, and finished the book faster than I have any previous entires, but after almost a year of waiting for this entry I feel like very little was added to the overall story, in fact people may be able to skip this book entirly and not be lost at all at the start of the next....

The epic conclusion to the Republic Commando series, this novel follows the members of Omega Squad as they are forced to choose between their loyalties to their orders and their loyalty to each other. A fitting ending that still leaves you wanting more.

I honestly thought there was more to the book when it ended. Never imagined a hole in a developing plot so large you could fit a star destroyer through it, but alas to use that analogy, it would need to be a black hole and as the captain of the ship was discussing whether they should go through the plot black hole, the story ended. Make sense? Neither did how this book ended.

What an awesome book. Hard to believe the Karen does not care about her characters and creation and that this is just a job like she said on her blog.

Great, great book. BUT, do not start the series by reading it. Do not read it 'solo'.

This book, to be appreciated, you will have to have read the rest of the series.

I love the characters and the take on the whole Empire vs. Jedi thing. Who is really controlling who? Is it okay to control other beings for the right cause? Sith-Libertarians-Republicans-Democrats-Nazis-Communism-Jedi, who is right? No wonder some Jedi-loving people did not like Karen, but I love her take, or the Mando's take I suppose.

I hope the next book will be just as good.

While I have never read any of the previous 'Commando' series book, I'm only a third into this book after two months, and I cannot bring myself to even pick it up and read it any more. I'll read almost anything science fiction or fantasy. This book, is that bad....

After 109 pages into this book, there's been only one action scene in which three of the newly formed 501st "Vader's Fist" commandos storm a building looking for their former Jedi General, who is now a dangerous wanted criminal. Outside of this short and poorly written fire fight scene, the remaining 105 pages focuses on the feelings and whining drivel of former Republic Commandos or troopers, and several of the newly formed, "Vader's Fist" 501st Legion. About a sum of ten pages was spent on a father, bemoaning his decision to leave behind his son on Mandolore while he stayed on with the Republic and the loss of his Jedi wife. That was an approximate sum of 10 pages, and I'm only 109 pages into the book, so almost 10% of the book so far is focused on this one constant -and annoying- theme!

The cover and title suggests that this book would be focused on action and combat, but instead, we get what really amounts to a bunch of grown men, sitting around a camp fire, beating on drums and sharing their feelings with each other. Beyond a few self-help books that I've flipped through for S&G's, I have never read more drivel about men whining and sharing their feelings, quite as much as I have in the first 109 pages in this book!

Ms. Karen Travis, SHAME ON YOU for releasing such garbage, and shame on me for giving my money to you for it! Your book is boring. It is a waste of trees, ink, our time, AND our money..

Do yourself a favor, keep this book in a galaxy, FAR FAR away from you!!

First, before reading this book I strongly recommend you read the Republic Commando series. Having said that, this was slightly less exciting than the commando books, and at times I got kind of disinterested. It is, however, a different type of story than the commando story that preceeds them, and I was basing my interest on those books. It was a good book don't get me wrong, but in my opinion it lacks the all encompassing action & suspense that the commmando books had. I also thought the plot wasn't as deep, and it seemed to focus alot on the emotions of the characters, especially Dar & Kal. Overall 4/5 good book.

I was kinda disappointed by this novel. Every other one in this series has been excellent. To me it just seemed like a place holder for the next novel. Very little action, and a whole lot of "Where do my loyalties lie?" type of philosophy that we read about in Order 66 and True Colors. A bit of a disappointment, hopefully the next novel is better. (And the last, I'd hate to see another "New Jedi Order" type of monstrosity)

Probably if you're following the storyline already established by previous books this is much easier to read. However, this book is very difficult to pick up and read from scratch, even if you're a fan of the Star Wars movies and an occasional watcher of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The writing is extremely good and you really do want to like the characters... but this, in my opinion, is not a "stand-alone" book. I might try to read it again if I hit some of the other books in the series first.

Liked.
- Its a star wars book
- At times someone fires a gun (almost never).

Didn't like

Skirata and his mandalorians are the most sensitive,chatty, whiny, emotional men I have ever come across.
This book could never be made into a film as people would not believe that men talk about their feelings for much.
Ordinary men don't share their feelings this much unless they're wasted, much less hardened killers.

Almost.......nothing.........happens
Is Rise of dark vader we get the invasion of Kashyyyk.
In Coruscant nights we face Darth Vader.
Here we have a 434 page book about almost nothing, a small scholastic book has more action then this.

Everyone is the same
Everyone on mandalore acts that same, all the clones are the same,
Even the names are so short and alike its hard to remember whos who.
The woman also act so alike they may as well be clones.

The constant dialog where nothing much is discussed and nothing much is resolved is very annoying.
In fact they cover the same ground so much its painful to read.

Darman is a complete idiot, his decision to stay on Coruscant was painful to read.

Constant mandalorian language takes you totally out of the book.
Are we really supposed to believe that clones in the imperial army are allowed to speak some
weird language of killers and subversives and no-one minds.

To summarise these mandos and clones can take on anything.......except their feelings.

The Emperor wants to hunt down and kill any remaining Jedi. But is there a sympathizer in the 501st? The remaining Jedi trickle in. There are safe places for them --or is there? Kal Skirata still searches for a cure for the rapidly aging Jedi, but there are obstacles in his way.

This is what I get for reading a non-Zahn Star Wars book.

Having just completed all of Zahn's SW work I was looking to branch out and try some other SW authors. The cover of 501st had everything I wanted: Stormtroopers, action, and memorable looking Star Wars characters. Unfortunately, what I got inside was none of the above.

I understand that this book is part of a series, but that's no excuse that it shouldn't be able to stand on it's own merits. This one doesn't even come close.

The reader is thrown into the middle of a slow paced, whiny drama full of countless forgettable characters that never get a proper introduction to establish their differences and make any of them stand out or relate to the reader. I actually wound up looking up each character on wookipedia so I could get a decent idea of who was who and why I should care. This shouldn't be necessary to follow story.

So, in the first 142 pages (that's all I could stomach before I finally gave up) there is a grand total of 1 action scene and it's not even that exciting. The rest of the time is spent following a bunch of Mandalores while they do amazing things like...bake cookies. Seriously.

As if the lack of any interesting characters or action was bad enough, the reader also has to put up with the monotonous and repetitive writing style of the author:

1- Describe boring task that character is doing ie. baking cookies
2- Follow up description with boring reason behind said boring task
3- Have character say 3-5 words to other characters
4- Follow up character quote with italicized paragraph of internal dialogue which contradicts what character actually said
5- Have characters mope and whine internally
6- Repeat ad nauseum

The pattern was so poorly predictable it began to hurt my brain.

6 chapters in I finally gave up. I probably should have stopped after 2. If you're looking for a good Star Wars read with stormtroopers, memorable characters, and action forget this novel. Aside from the cover it has none.

Another excellent book in the Star Wars universe by Karen Travis. It continues the story of clone soldiers and their Mandalore trainers from the Republic Commando series. She does an excellent job of giving each clone a unique personality that allows the reader to empathize with them. In this book she adds an interesting enigma in the character of Commander Melusar, the Imperial officer out in charge of the 501st. It is hard to tell if he is a true follower of the Emperor or is loyal to his soldiers first. The question is, Where is the sequel???? It has been two years and we were left hanging about what Dar intends to do. Please don't tell me she has moved on to bigger plans and is going to leave us in limbo.

I believe that, while possibilities for new books should be explored and places left open, if there aren't going to be any continuations to the series, there should not be cliffhangers. There are still loose end such as if the Empire firebombs Clan Skirata into oblivion, if Darman the Dumb@$$ and Niner make it out of Imperial City and to Mandalore alive, and what happens to with Dr. Uthan. Other than that it was a very good book and I wil be glad to see another sometime soon.

Another character driven book by Karen Traviss. I have to say that I expected more action based on her past books and the prospect of Vader's 501st Legion hunting down fugitive jedi and rogue clones. On the other hand I appreciate the authors willingness to develop a stong cast of characters. Perhaps in the next installment we will see more action. I think this series holds incredible promise. I like the references to plots from other books, it gives the story depth and credibility. Generally this book was slow but well worth the read. oya

I found this book to be completely opposite of its billing. When I first bought it I thought it was going to be about the exploits of the 501st with Darth Vader in the lead. Instead the book focused on two main themes: the fact that several clones wanted to escape from the army and return to Mandalore, and the structure and events pertaining to the clone families and friends on Mandalore. I have to say, I didn't finish this book so maybe I missed a terrific ending. But I own over 100 Star Wars books, so the fact that I couldn't finish this book and donated it to the local library says something. Only people who are extremely interested in Mandalorian language and daily life should read this. Anybody looking for the adventures of the 501st shouldn't waste their time.

This book is mostly about loss, the clones have lost focus with no clear defined enemy and the realizaton that life after the war has changed little for them.
Ninner fears Dahrman may be going mad with grief as they attempt mesh with the new order and new replacements.
On Mandalor Kal finds himself copeing with guilt and grief over those lost or left behind, also he and his adopted clone sons a allies can't seem to agree about how to cope not only with deserters from the Imperial Army but also Jedi futurtives that wind up on the doorstep.
The book is good just not great and i'll give you my 2 cents as to why. I think KT tried to cram too much into one novel so all the familiar chaacters were like shadows of themselves.
That said you'll meet some great new people like the IC commander, called Holy Roly by the commandos for his zeal in hunting Jedi, and a supprise appearance by someone thought to be dead! So if you enjoyed KT's Republic Commando novel this will be a must read.

If you've read and enjoyed the Republic Commando novels, you should enjoy this book as it continues the stories of most of our favorite characters. You should also know that Alpha Squad (from the Republic Commando games) plays almost no role in this novel at all. That's not really a big deal to me since they never had a large role in this series anyway.

If you have not read the Republic Commando novels, just skip this book. There is very little action and you will be lost trying to figure out who all the characters are.

While I really enjoyed the first 3 novels Im a little let down by Order 66 and 501st. 501st should have had some sort of closure so that in the event another couldn't written we wouldn't be left hanging. I don't like be left hanging, so I can't recommend the novel at all really.

The evil Jedi thing also bugs me and not because the Jedi are wonderful and glorious but because there hasn't been any evidence to support why these free-thinking men believe the Jedi are the greatest evil in the galaxy. Especially since Palps, whom they all know is a Sith, clearly demonstrates the difference by wiping out an entire planet's citizens. It seems genes, history, and gossip are enough to blur the line between Sith and Jedi. I would believe their views were justified if through out this series the Jedi treated the clones like crap, but this is far from the case. Let me be clear, its not what they believe but how they have come to believe it.

Another big gripe is Darman's transformation to Jedi killing machine. Little extreme since his late wife, Etain, was a Jedi and his son, Kad, is force sensitive. Again this is another case of believability and not whether I agree with hatred and bigotry. This is where the last books really lost me. I need to believe why this group, who has had great relations with all the Jedi they have encountered, can hate them so much. Its really an issue with the last 2 novels.

Beyond all that thought and despite liking the story overall, a story without closure is a fail. And if this is to be the last book then I would recommend stopping at Order 66 and forget 501st even exists.

I just wish she finished the series. I hate the cliff hanger. The series was really good though. Karen if you read this plz make a final book and let me know if you do. My email is [email protected].

Karen Traviss is at it again, back into Fandalorian land with Clan Skirata, Mando'ade, the clones, and what is supposedly a book about "Imperial commandos". I've been critical of Karen Traviss for sometime now, first for the utter disappointment that was TRIPLE ZERO, followed by the messy disaster of TRUE COLORS, and her inappropriate Mandalorian-fetish-ridden entries into one of the strongest pieces of Star Wars literature, the Legacy of the Force novel series. Here we have Ms. Traviss return to what she enjoys: her favorite band of trusty Mandalorians who can do anything and everything, and boo Jedi. Yeah, sounds childish, but that's about the sum of the logic. Throughout this novel series, from TRIPLE ZERO, through TRUE COLORS and ORDER 66, and now 501ST, we have Ms. Traviss use the backdrop of commandos and the military to advance her own fan-propaganda against the Jedi and in favor of her version of Mandalorians. This isn't to say her take on the Mandos isn't interesting and ultimately enriching to the Star Wars universe, it just messes with...well, everything, but continuity in particular. Being a self-proclaimed fan and supporter of the retcon, rather than taking the existing "history" and working with it or around it, Ms. Traviss simply chooses to ignore this and rewrites it to fit her own vision. We saw the first inklings of this in REVELATION when she hinted at rewriting Spar's history as Mandalore, only to have it reveal itself fully in ORDER 66, leaving Fenn Shysa's history and recollections a bigger and more tangled mess than what Lucas did with ATTACK OF THE CLONES. So, fine, Ms. Traviss delights in using the retcon - she certainly isn't the first (e.g. Lucas himself) - but what gets at me is the *way* she uses it. It's not about clearing up some points here or there, helping ease confusion over events or people, or out of necessity for a plot point; no, it's none of these things. It's done to blatantly advance her own point of view of what Mandalorians ought to be - no other reason, not to mention her view on the Jedi and Force-users in general. To this end she employs the character Kal Skirata, the huggable Mandalorian warrior who somehow isn't scared by his past and war, coming out without a scratch and very little PTSD to become the universe's number one father, with all of his hatred, anger, bitterness, and bigotry. What we have then is a character who epitomizes Traviss' view on the topic, reflecting every dislike about this or that, all justified because, hey, he's Kal'buir *AND* he's a Mando...so it's cool he hates people for who they are while all the while saying that Mandos don't judge people...despite the fact their word for "traitor" is the same for anyone who isn't a Mandalorian...

Without going into more gritty details about the nuisances the Mandalorians - once the epitome of warriors, now family men and women who live strange contradictory lives - this book is really divided into two parts. The first is just the wrapping up phase and legacy of TRIPLE ZERO and TRUE COLORS, as well as the more Fandalorian parts from ORDER 66: the Adventures of Kal Skirata & the Household of Misfits. This is clearly the part Ms. Traviss relishes, splurging over page after page of this Mando cultural tidbit or that bit of history - all quite interesting, but utterly useless. It truly drags the first half of the book done, making the forays into the Imperial Army and the 501st's Imperial commandos all the greater a relief, and this is the part Ms. Traviss ought to have worked on more, for therein lies the second phase of the book. This phase concentrates on Niner and Darman, trapped "behind enemy lines" within the new Special Operations Unit of the 501st Legion on Coruscant, doing their old jobs for the same people, just under a different name: Imperial commandos. Alas, Ms. Traviss doesn't take us back to that action-backed drama that was HARD CONTACT (her first foray into the Star Wars universe), with barley two moments of action and little to no character development. Here, like the Legacy novels, we see that one obsession has hurt her characters, so that the only character with any development is Darman, and that only comes near the conclusion of the novel. Niner is left in the role of babysitter, though with a bit of strength from previous roles, while anyone else they cross paths with come across us uncomplicated. Even the poor commando Ennen is left in the dust so that when his untimely end comes, it's not really a sad moment so much as a passing occurrence. Perhaps this was done purpose to emphasize the way Niner and Darman refused to connect with him the way they had with the rest of Omega Squad, but given Ms. Traviss' track record for sacrificing valuable page-time for Fandalorianland, it's hard to see that. In many ways, at the end we are left with characters who have only proceeded two literary steps in the span of an entire novel - hardly a great achievement considering all that can happen in a single novel (reference Troy Denning's TATOOINE GHOST for a great example of this).

All that aside, it appears the seeds of darkness Ms. Traviss planted in ORDER 66 are finally beginning to bear fruit, and it doesn't come without some internal conflict. Finally we see clones (smart, reliable clones) with personalities in conflict with Skirata's band, such as Maze the ARC trooper or Ennen and Bry, the Correlian-trained duo. Sadly, as mentioned before, they get little page-time aside from their necessary moments, in the same manner Spar and Sull were both shunned in the previous book. Dissenters in the ranks are clearly unwelcome in Fandalorianland, but maybe their appearance and ebbing importance is a sign of maturation in the writing and the author's vision. We might even venture to say that Ms. Traviss has got her fill of browbeating everyone with her logic ("Mandalorian good. Jedi bad.") and begun to recognize the contradictions and conflicts inherent in this sort of black-and-white world her characters live in, all the way acknowledging that a gray exists (even if they don't understand it). This comes in the character of Ny, Skirata's sudden romantic interest, who is thankfully not a repeat of Besany Warren or even Jilka, whose romances with the clones are written roughshod and without much logic, turning every female character into a barefoot housewife who, despite having been fiercely independent and capable in a past life, somehow doesn't object to being a homemaker, a mother-figure, and a wife, all at the same time. Rather than blindly giving in to the "charms" of Clan Skirata, Ny hesitates, though it's sadly not because of this dangerous and clearly topsy-turvy world they live in, but because of extraneous, mostly insignificant issues. In time, she develops as something of a counterweight to Kal Skirata's self-righteousness, though only with a great deal of hesitation and only in thought and behavior, not in voice or action. Still, the dissension in the ranks was a nice touch, even spreading to golden boy Ordo. Whether this will last is another matter entirely as the great juggernaut that is the Fandalorian world somehow draws increasing numbers of people into its orbit, even if its forced and not always (if ever) logical. Other counterweights exist, though, in the form of a Bardan Jusik who, as the novel progresses, comes to terms with a Jedi past despite his obsession with being a Mandalorian. We also have the character of Scout, the lost padawan, and Kina Ha who, despite playing a nearly insignificant role, puts into question all of Kal and Clan Skirata's preconceived notions, i.e. blatant and excused bigotry. Despite all this, it all suffers from the aforementioned Fandalorianland escapades so that in the end, even the "bad Mandalorians" don't come across as "bad" so much as misguided, and we can't help but feel a smug grin coming from the author throughout.

One final gripe comes from Ms. Traviss' decision to bring in last-minute major plot drivers OUT OF NOWHERE. Usually this happens with randomly-appearing characters, like Besany and Obrim in the earlier novels, Ko Sai and Mij Gilamar, the Nulls, or just about every single extraneous character who has, at this point in the series, become part of the background scenery (didn't see much of Corr, Yayax Squad, Rav Bralor, Levet, or even Fi and, even more so, Atin). So what now, the return of the Death Watch? Okay, so other bits of canon establish that they held out after the Mandalorian Civil War, but one just can't help see this as another ploy. Just one more thing to add to the list of matters Ms. Traviss has picked as being somehow "incomplete" or even "incorrect" in Star Wars continuity and thus is part of her great crusade to save it from the "others" - the aruetiise, if you will - in the franchise. Maybe this will pan out to be something useful, and maybe it won't, like most of the aforementioned (and unmentioned) characters and plot points. They don't create plot holes, but they do leave readers wondering, "Just what happened that [blank]?" Reference the way many people felt after TRIPLE ZERO after the coup performed by Kal'buir and his spoiled Null boys over Omega Squad. All I remember thinking and hearing echoed by other fans was, "What the hell happened to Niner? Bring Niner back!"

In end, though, I'll keep reading these books. If Karen Traviss is one thing, she's good at holding the reader's attention, painful as it at times (or all the time) may be. Her writing and characters having certainly matured since TRIPLE ZERO, giving one the impression that HARD CONTACT was much more a foray job into Star Wars than a devoted work. The characters surrounding Omega Squad are finally coming along, becoming characters unto themselves rather than [insert clone name here]. It's too bad that she doesn't make better use of the Omega Squad characters or of the IMPERIAL COMMANDO title to give us some insight into the workings of a military, but I suppose that this point, to ask for that would be to belabor the point. The series is almost over; in fact, 501ST is Ms. Traviss' second-to-last novel in the Star Wars universe, the final one being the follow-up to this one due out next November (that's 2010 for those of you reading this - HA! - in the later future). What will come from that? Who knows? I won't go so far as to say "Who cares?" like I would have (and did) after TRUE COLORS, but I won't say I'm as excited as I was while awaiting the release of TRIPLE ZERO. This is certainly the second-best novel in the series and I hope the next will usurp the title, but with all its flaws (i.e. the first phase/half of the book), it still only merits this book three, maybe three-and-a-half stars, a little above equal with ORDER 66, but nowhere near the full five stars for HARD CONTACT.

As a final note, if there is a single regret I have about seeing Ms. Traviss go (and there is only one), it's the fact she never had a chance to explore the Mandalorians she loves so much in a dedicated book series rather than in the midst of something else (as she did with the Legacy novels). I suppose that in the end, this series will be her legacy of Mandalorian and Fandalorian -ism, and though its title(s) are deceiving, they are nonetheless that series she seems to have always wanted to write. This far in, with any luck the next and final installment won't require all the history and back story and fan-propaganda that plagued most of the pages of this series and instead serve as a nice and pleasant good-bye.

Fans of a more realistically-portrayed Star Wars universe have learned to depend on solid, character-driven plotlines from Karen Traviss, and IC:501st delivers as expected. This book, like the Republic Commando series, is gritty, bloody and moving. However, the action scenes work to punctuate the raw emotion underlying the bulk of the novel, rather than serving as the main reason for the story as seems to be the case in too many Star Wars novels. It's a very rare reading experience to have a real, almost tangible sense of dread while reading certain chapters, but such is the payoff in stories that revolve more around the hopes and dreams of the men and women in the novel than how many space battles and lightsaber duels the writer can cram into it. Someone once said the best writers create people, not characters, and Traviss has accomplished that.

Traviss also has a refreshing, paradigm-changing view of jedi and clone troops that is not always appreciated by some of the more zealous fanboys.

Four out of five stars. Four and a half stars would be more accurate, as the half star is lost because I'm still a little angry that the series is being cut short due to asinine retcon issues raised by the otherwise excellent Clone Wars TV series. I would also liked to have seen a little bit more Vader in the story, as Traviss has shown a deep insight into Vader's psyche with her previous short stories about him. I am looking forward to seeing Skirata and Altis work together in the second, and hopefully last, Imperial Commando novel, at least with regard to Skirata and this particular group of clones, because the only thing worse than Traviss leaving the SW books would be having someone else finishing the storyline about Skirata and his sons.

All in all, an outstanding job.

ok we get it karen all jedi are evil, all murders for hire are good angels.have to agree with all the other 1 and 2 star reviews here Alejandro Diaz's among them.

Ive read all the rep commando books and liked all some more than others but i only got half way with this one and been trying to key myself up to finish it but just can not do it to myself lol.
As already stated before the book repeats itself it seems like dozens of times(keep in mind im half way through)and besides one or two nice surpises if you are up to date with the story there is nothing here at all.

I have purchased all the RC books atomaticly apon publication up to now but will not if there is a next book,ill review it well first.Also KAREN IF THIS IS ALL YOU HAVE LEFT FOR THIS SERIES THEN I HAVE A BIT OF FAN ADVICE FOR YOU.JUST PEASE KILL THE SKITARA CLAN OFF STOP FLOGGING A WELL DEAD HORSE AND END IT.

i think this is great book even though it is sad. i loved the way the jedi were portrayed because i never thought of them that way. i also like the deep feelings that clones conveyed arent really thought about. all in all this is a must read.

I'm getting tired of the Skirata clan and the author's bleeding heart regarding the clones. I actually want most of them to die. The book doesn't end, it leaves you hanging and I'm not sure I want to continue reading this series.

This book is pure enjoyment! A gripping page-turner with hundreds of twists and turns. The characters all receive greater depth to their convictions and motivations. A darn shame no more are being written due to contract disputes with Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)