Book Review: Order 66: A Republic Commando novel SPOILERS!

In 2008, veteran Star Wars author Karen Traviss returns with an epic finale for the Republic Commando novel series. Hardcover Synopsis: After the fierce combat of Hard Contact, Triple Zero, and True Colors comes the spectacular culmination of New York Times bestselling author Karen Traviss's gripping Republic Commando series. As a battle-scarred era nears its end, a shattering power play is about to stun the entire galaxy... and set in motion events that will alter destinies and resound throughout history. Even as the Clone Wars are about to reach an explosive climax, no one knows if victory will favor the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) or the Separatists. But no matter who wins, the stakes are highest for elite Special Ops clones like the Republic Commandos in Omega and Delta Squads―and the notorious renegade Advance Recon Commando clone troopers known as Null ARCs. With Republic forces stretched to the max and casualties mounting, the last thing these beleaguered warriors need to hear is the Chancellor Palpatine is keeping vast armies of secret clone troops in reserve. Sergeant Kal Skirata, a mentor to the clone commandos, has no intention of standing idly by while Palpatine sends them into battle like lambs to the slaughter. Skirata begins to plan the clones' escape from the GAR, but his heroic effort will be in vain unless he can reverse the clones' accelerated aging process. Caught in the treacherous dealings of their leaders, and locked in the battles of their lives, the disillusioned Null ARCs and Commandos nonetheless fight with everything they've got, determined to wrest victory from the Seps and save the galaxy. But even the deadliest weapons may not be powerful enough to defeat the real menace. And nothing will stop the apocalyptic horror unleashed when Palpatine utters the chilling words: The time has come. Execute Order 66. Translation: The Jedi have tried to stage a coup, and all must be shot on sight. With their faith in the Republic and their loyalty to their Jedi allies put to the ultimate test, how will the men of Omega and Delta squads react to the most infamous command in galactic history? All the breath taking action, suspense, and intrigue of Karen Traviss's Republic Commando series comes alive in Star Wars: Order 66.

The 432 page novel opens with a first person POV of Bardan Jusik, now a Mandalorian mercenary, debating ethics with a Jedi over using a slave army. Then it goes back 50 years before Attack of the Clones to show how a kid named Falin Mattran became the Mandalorian mercenary known as Kal Skirata. It then jumps back to 736 days after the Battle of Geonosis where Scorch, Sev, Kal, and Vau remember the fallen soldiers who didn't make it out of Geonosis alive and then those who've died since. It's the second anniversary of the outbreak of the Clone Wars. Scorch mentions rumors of clones being produced on Coruscant because Palpatine doesn't trust Kamino not to get trashed by the Separatists again. On day 737, Besany Wennen is being trailed by an intel agent. Ordo intercepts them and blows the agents ID and finds out just how paranoid Palpatine is about people looking into the clone scandal. Ordo kills the agent and, in the Mandalorian tradition, marries Besany. On Mandalore 937 days after Geonosis, Fi and Parja visit a cantina in Enceri and encounter Fenn Shysa who asks Fi to do his bit for Mandalore. Meanwhile Darman, Atin, Corr, and Niner assassinate a rebel leader on Haurgab and end up needing extraction via the 14th Infantry.

Meanwhile, Mij Gilamar and Kal Skirata have been asking around genetic labs if they can look at the Fett genome to see if the clones' rapid aging can be reversed. Jusik looks at busting Ovolot Qail Uthan out of a Republic Asylum. EtainTur-Mukan arrives at the Kragget to see her son, Venku “Kad”Skirata. Fenn Shysa wants either Fi, Sull, or Spar to be the reigning Mand'alor, leader of the Mandalorians and all three decline. Etain, on Republic Fleet Auxiliary support vessel Redeemer, talks Jedi Knight Commander Callista Masana about Jedi Master Djinn Altis and his sect of Jedi; Callista reveals that Altis' Jedi can get married and have kids, something that appeals to Etain. Tor and Ijaat Skirata call Kal and tell him their sister, Kal's daughter, is missing. Kal's adopted the Nulls as family according to the Mandalorian tradition. On Haurgab, Etain, leading Delta and Omega squads, hunt down a group of rebels still putting up a fight. They find them and Scorch goes ballistic after they try and bomb the Forward Operating Base. Scorch lets none of the rebels live. Jusik helps Fi heal while Zey suspects Kal of thieving from the Republic.

Etain tells Darman about Kad and he gets angry and demands answers from Kal. Zey asks Vau to spy on Kal in case he's working for the enemy and Vau promises to alert him if that is happening. Darman punches out Kal for deceiving him like this. 998 days after Battle of Geonosis, Delta Squad prepares to insert themselves onto Kashyyyk with Etain. General Grievous launches a surprise attack on Coruscant and certain units are recalled from the field. Five days of non-stop fighting on Coruscant results in Kal sending Jusik, Sull, Spar, and Fi to collect his daughter, Ruusaan and extract Dr. Uthan. Kenobi and Skywalker show up and the events of Revenge of the Sith are rushed over the next couple of days. Sev is left behind as Delta pulls out of Kashyyyk as seen in RepublicCommando. As the entire Skirata clan prepares to leave Coruscant, Palpatine sends out the call: Order 66. Jedi are hunted down and killed everywhere. Etain flees Kashyyyk and ends up on Coruscant. She is cut down by other Jedi on Shinarcan Bridge trying to get to Kal. Darman, in shock, stays behind to see that Niner gets medical help while the rest of the Skirata clan take off. Ny Vollen, a commercial pilot, brings Etain's body to Mandalore and Kal insists on giving her a cremation. Darman and Niner adjust to life being in the 501st Legion of ImperialCommandos while Ny asks Skirata if he would take in a couple of other Jedi: Tallisibeth “Scout” Enwandung-Esterhazy and Kina Ha. The novel ends with the Empire beginning to build a garrison on Mandalore. 

 A well crafted finish to the series with the left-over events beginning to wrap up in 501st: An Imperial Commando novel by Karen Traviss. Great prose, wonderful characters, great settings, believable situations make this novel worth reading.