Star Wars: No Prisoners - The Clone Wars, Book 3 | ||||||||
Karen Traviss | ||||||||
Narrated by Jeff Gurner, unabridged | ||||||||
Random House Audio, 7 hours | ||||||||
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A review by Sarah Trowbridge
For Captain Pellaeon has a thing or two in common with General Skywalker –- that is, he is also carrying on a secret
romance. The object of his affections is Hallena Devis, a Republic spy who has been dispatched to JanFathal, a
planet on the brink of revolution. Her mission: to aid the Republic-backed dictator, a cause whose validity she
increasingly questions, the more she sees of social conditions in the capital city of Athar. To complicate things
further, it turns out that the Separatist forces also have their eye on JanFathal, and their invasion of the planet
is imminent. As violence explodes around Hallena and her cover is compromised, her call for extraction reaches
Leveler. As Pellaeon gives orders to divert the ship to JanFathal, Rex contacts General Skywalker, who tears himself
away from his bride to assist in the mission.
Also drawn to the activity on JanFathal is the cargo vessel Wookiee Gunner and its crew of heretic Jedi Knights led
by master Djinn Altis. Among the group's unorthodox practices: members are allowed to form close personal attachments
to other beings (i.e. make marriage bonds and start families). Meeting up with these outsider Jedi is an eye-opening
and uncomfortable experience for young Ahsoka, who has never questioned the order's party line
against "attachment." Anakin's interest is also piqued by Master Altis's unconventional band of Jedi, as his own
personal stake in the "attachment" question is beginning to be the source of a great deal of inner conflict.
All of these personnel come together for a series of dramatic maneuvers to extract Agent Devis from a city rocked by
the chaos of simultaneous revolution and Separatist invasion. The costs are high, and ultimately all involved are led
to question their assumptions about right and wrong, and to reassess their places in the escalating conflict.
The Clone Wars titles penned by Karen Traviss, while not as openly subversive as her
Republic Commando/Imperial Commando series, or her superbly original (non-Star Wars)
Wess'har Wars series, still display the hallmarks of her ironclad moral sense and her commitment to
portraying conflict in all of its true shades of gray, rather than the stark black and white so beloved by Hollywood. Her
characterizations transcend "good guys" and "bad guys," cutting straight to the truth that everyone contains some of
each, and both heroes and villains have a price to pay for becoming who they are.
Jeff Gurner, the voice of all of the Clone Wars audiobooks so far, once again proves himself a master
at portraying the whole range of characters in the Star Wars universe. Star
Wars audiobook titles always include music
and sound effects, and the chirps, bleeps, and explosions help set and maintain the atmosphere, while the familiar,
anthemic strains of the Star Wars theme song stir the listener's anticipation for, and enjoyment of, the story.
Sarah Trowbridge reads (and listens) compulsively, chronically, and eclectically. She is a public librarian in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. |
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