Get your facts right about Karen Traviss

Karen Traviss: British author (that means she's from the UK. Alright) who used to be a Defense correspondent, penned many science fiction short stories and novels. She served in the Territorial Army and the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service, did her share of military talk as a reporter which is why some people even referred to her as a female Tom Clancy.

She didn't know much of Star Wars before she was asked to write a novel based on the video game Republic Commando and she even said "I should have taken notes when watching A New Hope at the theaters back in the 70's" at some point. Correct me if that's wrong. She was coached into becoming a successful Star Wars novelist by many people at Lucasfilm. At this day there is one complete series of Republic Commando novels, parts of Legacy of the Force and upcoming sequels under the name of Imperial Commando, due this fall.

Publish stuff that concern us:
Republic Commando: Hard Contact
Republic Commando: Triple Zero
Republic Commando: True Colors
Republic Commando: Order 66
Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines
Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice
Legacy of the Force: Revelation
Boba Fett: A Practical Man

Traviss and the Mandalorians: the "RepCom" series introduced some of the first elements of "modern culture" for Mandalorians after it was set by Jango Fett's story and the business at Galidraan. Things falling on top of each other we now have a very well-rounded society of people in the Star Wars universe, with their own language (Mando'a) and rather strict morals and ethics.

You may or may not like Traviss's work on the Mandalorian lore. There's a controversy about this since some "old school" fans still view Mandalorians loosely based on Boba Fett's character and the Bounty Hunter Wars series. Traviss brings quite a different perspective, making them seem more human and generally nicer than the fearsome man behind the black T-visor.

But (thankfully) Traviss isn't just good at writing Star Wars. She published sci-fi novels called the Wess'har series between 2004 and 2008. In the main lines, the story is set many hundreds of years in the future when human are sending colonies out to a habitable planet in the Cavanagh's Star system because Earth is basically screwed. What we don't know first-hand is that the planet and its moon are inhabitated by alien species that are at war against each other. The main character is Shan Frankland, ex-cop and eco-terrorist kind of woman who is not afraid to literally kick bureaucratic ass. Not to go too deep into detail, her characters are colorful and realistic. The way she writes this stories is (in my opinion) nothing like her Star Wars works. This is pure science fiction: she takes the familiar and places it in situations that are so alien, and so outside the way we usually think that it hooks the reader. I think I have completely changed the way I look at other species (animals, insects, and plants) since I started reading City of Pearl. So if you're looking for a healthy break from SW, this is definitely a great option and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys thinking outside the box.

Sources:
www.karentraviss.com
Wookiepedia
+ what I recall for various forums and interviews

Karen Traviss is a godsend for the Mandalorians. If other authors wrote about them, they'd most likely have them be killed off by Caedus.

She definitely has fleshed them out for the Empire/Legacy Era. It'd be interesting to see what she could do with the KOTOR era Mandalorians, when the Mandos were fanatical Crusaders and whatnot.

Douglas Fett wrote:

She definitely has fleshed them out for the Empire/Legacy Era. It'd be interesting to see what she could do with the KOTOR era Mandalorians, when the Mandos were fanatical Crusaders and whatnot.

Gathering from the notes on his website, John Jackson Miller actually cites her from time to time for her input on the Kotor era and translations and so on. Rohlan, Mandalore, Pulsie, Demagol etc all have Karen's hand in them. A lot is explained about the Crusaders in the Kotor campaign guide with KT's input. As a RPer you should definitely check it out.

TBH, I resent the representation of Mandos in the KOTOR comics (IE Rohlan being a traitor and being the main Mando character). As I've been playing a KOTOR era Mandalorian for several years now, I have it down pretty well, the culture and mindset of Mandos of that era. I take all my notes from Canderous anyway.

Douglas Fett wrote:

TBH, I resent the representation of Mandos in the KOTOR comics (IE Rohlan being a traitor and being the main Mando character). As I've been playing a KOTOR era Mandalorian for several years now, I have it down pretty well, the culture and mindset of Mandos of that era. I take all my notes from Canderous anyway.

Well, his reasons are sound for being a traitor anyway, since the Mandalore in the comic era is promoting an heretic (to the Crusaders) cult for his main forces. The Crusader mindset is that they are very independent and personal, customising everything from ships to weapons to armour while the Neo-Crusaders promote dependence on ranks and formations. So of course he does want to know why he should take up a uniform and betray his teachings.

Oh! Oh! Don't forget, she also writes the Gears of War novels! They're fantastic, and the third one is coming out later this year.

Gears of War titles:
Aspho Fields
Jacinto's Remnant
Anvil Gate (Due August)

Hplovecr wrote:

I just would like to know if any of you have any idea what happens to all the clones with there advanced aging I mean its one of the main themes in Traviss's books and now with this whole continuity thing she can't even finish it and fill in the loos ends I mean now I'm in libo never going to know what happens to omega and delta squads I know that omega defect to madalor and Darman is going to be with his son but what about the revesal of the there genes to give them a regular life span? Nothing is ever said in the later films nothing was ever said so I guess i'll never know...What are you thoughts???

In legacy it was shown that they had managed to reverse it seeing as at least one of the Nulls was still kicking in relatively good age. Now if it was spread to all the clones is up in the air but I'd assume its safe to say that Skitara's clan got it alright.

Yea, ok that's what I figured..

It was also confirmed by Sue Rostoni that Imperial Commando 2 will be written by a new author.

Yea but that's bullshit because the new author is not going to do it right. Are they going to tie up the loose ends I doubt it. Plus the general theme will be totally different I mean if they are a pacifist society everything that traviss wrote would not make sense in the new book. just because everything has to match up with the whole revamping of the mandalorians for their cartoon. I just don't get why they just would not let her do it not worry about how it affected the cartoon or whatever else.

Just to remind you that it was KT's decision to stop writing in the LFL franchise, that doesn't mean the new author will retcon her work. It's a series, they have to respect most of the continuity and its readers.

Hplovecraft05 wrote:

Yea but that's bullshit because the new author is not going to do it right. Are they going to tie up the loose ends I doubt it. Plus the general theme will be totally different I mean if they are a pacifist society everything that traviss wrote would not make sense in the new book. just because everything has to match up with the whole revamping of the mandalorians for their cartoon. I just don't get why they just would not let her do it not worry about how it affected the cartoon or whatever else.

How about instead of condemning it without even having read it, you wait patiently and actually give it a chance?

As much as I hate that KT left, the fact that they are considering NOT leaving the series to dangle for all eternity makes me feel better. In my opinion, some closure is better than no closure.

I'm being cautiously optimistic about a new author taking over the series. All we can do is just wait and see.

However, I couldn't find anything on Sue Rostoni other than she is the editor at LucasFilm for Expanded Universe comics and books. Does anyone know what else she's done?

Well, I guess if they do one more book I'll read it just so there is some closure but if they try to spin it into a whole new series I'm not interested. I'm too partial to Karen's work and how things should have gone.

Ms.MaraJade wrote:

I'm being cautiously optimistic about a new author taking over the series. All we can do is just wait and see.

However, I couldn't find anything on Sue Rostoni other than she is the editor at LucasFilm for Expanded Universe comics and books. Does anyone know what else she's done?

From what I understood of Bur'ika's post, Sue Rostoni confirmed the upcoming book. Not that she was going to write it (as I think you're taking it to mean). Sorry if I misunderstood what you meant, lol.

(Edit):

Just found this on TheForce.net:

http://www.theforce.net/latestnews/story/Sue_Rostoni_Book_Schedule_Updates_News_128738.asp

and:

http://www.theforce.net/latestnews/story/Sue_Rostoni_Speaks_On_Traviss_Quitting_SW_125567.asp

For those who like to have all the information, this is the (70-page 0_o) thread on StarWars.com concerning Karen leaving, and much later in the thread concerning what is to be done about the continuity of the series. Ms. Rostoni comments throughout. [link]

Well, then I just hope they *don't* get Karen Miller for Imperial Commando 2. She wrote "Clone Wars: Wild Space," and all she did was write sentence fragment after sentence fragment. It was one of the worst abuses of grammar I have ever read. While I understand that a lot of the narrative in "Wild Space" was character thoughts, there does come a time when real sentences would do the story justice, and that apparently is not her writing style.

As for any other authors who could take up the series, I've been partial to Timothy Zahn's works. He gave a squad of stormtroopers some real charm and personality in his novel "Allegiance."

My personal pic would be Matthew Stover for his gritty and realistic approach to writing war stories such as Shatterpoint.

I'm with both you guys on that one I love Zahn's work with Allegiance and Stover's work too.

Mesh'la Runi wrote:

From what I understood of Bur'ika's post, Sue Rostoni confirmed the upcoming book. Not that she was going to write it (as I think you're taking it to mean). Sorry if I misunderstood what you meant, lol.

(Edit):

Just found this on TheForce.net:

http://www.theforce.net/latestnews/story/Sue_Rostoni_Book_Schedule_Updates_News_128738.asp

and:

http://www.theforce.net/latestnews/story/Sue_Rostoni_Speaks_On_Traviss_Quitting_SW_125567.asp

For those who like to have all the information, this is the (70-page 0_o) thread on StarWars.com concerning Karen leaving, and much later in the thread concerning what is to be done about the continuity of the series. Ms. Rostoni comments throughout. [link]

I love how vague and non-committal those comments sounded to me!

Anyway guys, this is probably the best outcome that we'd hoped when it all went south. Keep believing!!!

I know for a fact that one of KT good friends and Mando junky has been looking to get approval to either finish her work or start his own. I dont know if hes officialy said anything or if it will happen so I wont name names but I think it would make us all happy.

Well, better than nothing. I feel a good author will be chosen to pick up where Karen left off. It already went sour with this whole Clone Wars TV show (all that for three episodes and some dar'manda duchess...right? geez louise. continuing on though), and it'd be wrong to kick a guy when he's down.

As an afterthought, I'd hate to be Leland Chee.

yea I think it's a bunch of crap the Cartoon really screwed up Karen's Books.