In No Prisoners, the third book in The Clone Wars series, Karen Traviss gives readers such an interesting and compelling story that it seems a real shame that so many will pass this story up given caveats either with the author or with the era that the story takes place in.

If you are ready for the full review of No Prisoners, then jump past the break!

No Prisoners follows Pellaeon and his newly outfitted ship, who have taken Rex, Ahsoka and a few other clone troopers from the 501^st for a little rest and relaxation while Anakin speeds off to be with Padme. Trouble arises, however, when Pellaeon’s love interest, a Republic spy named Hallena Devis, is captured by Separatists in a nearby system. To make matters worse, Pellaeon’s ship encounters several major problems that seriously impair his ship. As Anakin rushes to return to his squad and save them, Ahsoka and Rex receive help from an unlikely source: a group of Jedi who believe in having attachments. Together, they must all set aside their various differences and work together to save Hallena before she is interrogated and killed.

Obi-Wan does not appear at all in this book, and though Anakin receives a decent amount of focus as the book draws to a close, the story really relies on the strength of Ahsoka, Rex and the aforementioned EU characters. For me, this was very fresh and enjoyable. Although I always like a good Obi-Wan and Anakin story, I loved getting a closer look at Ahsoka and Rex, and generally being impressed that the entire story was able to work with such a reliance on new characters.

When comparing the work that Traviss has contributed to the Star Wars EU, most of it has been centered around the Clone Wars, making her a veritable expert on the era. Yet even this latest novel proves that she is no one-note bird, essentially introducing a point of view on the Jedi and using clones that contradicts the points of view found in the Republic Commando novels. It is a punch to the gut of readers who have been so overly critical of Traviss for her portrayal of Jedi who see all that is wrong with using clones and denouncing both the Jedi Order and the Republic.

You read that right. Traviss highlights brave clones who want to fight, and making even the seemingly stereotypical Traviss Jedi question their own beliefs about the war.

One of the major things I liked about this book was the introduction of a large splinter sect from the Jedi Order, led by Master Altis. This order believes in the inclusion of attachments to their lives, making them out to be the pariah of the Order. And that is the philosophical debate in this novel: rather than debate about using clones, it is the debate of attachment vs. obsession. It is all done quite well, building up to one of the ending scenes when Anakin Skywalker discusses this viewpoint with Altis. This Jedi sect is extremely interesting, and it raises questions about what other types of sects are out there. The surface has barely been scratched, but given the recent rise of these splinter groups mentioned between both the Jedi and Sith in novels over the past year, perhaps that will change. On the flip side, though, the group led by Altis is somewhat uninspired, though perhaps because Altis himself is rather uninspired. He obviously exists solely as a foil for Anakin in his progression to the dark side, and while it is nice that the subtle influences are there, there is really no other purpose for the group, or even Altis, to exist and the viewpoints flounder without Anakin’s inclusion. As interesting as it was to see Ahsoka’s reactions to these strange Jedi, the moments just do not carry the same weight as when they interact with Anakin, because we know what Anakin will become, whereas Ahsoka is much more of a blank canvas.

Of course, the inclusion of this Jedi sect does mean one particularly fun thing for experienced EU readers: the “return” of Callista! Many will remember Callista as a love interest for Luke Skywalker, who helped Luke while her essence was trapped in the computer systems of an Imperial ship. She was able to take over the body of a woman who had wanted to die, thus returning her to a human existence: but at a haunting cost. Her Force powers had disappeared, though she was still able to use dark side abilities. Frightened and confused, she left Luke, brokenhearted.

Callista’s future is foreshadowed heavily in No Prisoners, with several mentions to her particular affinity for computers and being able to feel them in the Force the way that others seemingly are not able to. At one point, in fact, she melds with a computer so fully that when she finally stops, she can barely sense the Force. It is a moment that fan squeals are made of!

One of the most interesting characters in the book, though, is Pellaeon. Usually portrayed as an aging, yet brilliant, Imperial leader, here he is somewhat of an upstart. It seems rather awkward at first, that such a character could have ever been young and capable of brash, stupid decisions like having to admit to his crew that the spy they are charged with rescuing is his lover. It seems both wholly unlike Pellaeon, yet entirely credible given his youth. Still, his sense of humor is clearly genetic, as he also says some of the funniest things in the book, particularly during his first exchance with Ahsoka when he tells her that there is no way she will board his ship wearing her ridiculous outfit and promptly gives her incredibly baggy clothes.

Hallena Devis was, for me, a mixed bag. At first, I really enjoyed her character. She was like a female James Bond, inserted behind enemy lines to spy on the enemy. Unfortunately, this is also the moment where she is deciding to question whether or not she is working on the right side. I found this to be utterly contrived and ridiculous, that a 15-year veteran would even consider that. It is something that a new agent might make, but not someone as apparently as seasoned as herself. Her whole subplot just became less and less interesting to me, in part because it was so obvious how it would end. I felt letdown, particularly because she seemed like such a sly and interesting character, and her scenes early in the book where she is undetected are some of the best “thriller” material that I’ve read in recent years. One interesting note, however, is that Traviss makes a few mentions that Hallena is black, which makes her love affair with Pellaeon an interracial one. I believe this is the first instance of an interracial couple in the Star Wars universe, and although it has absolutely no impact on my judgment of the book, it is interesting to note that this is the second time that Traviss has included an alternative to the typical relationships found in the Star Wars universe.

No Prisoners comes recommended from me. If you enjoy the television show or the Clone Wars era, you’re doing yourself a major disservice if you skip this one. It is a very engaging book, punctuated with perfect moments of humor and philosophy that would whet the appetite of any Star Wars fan. But if the characters or time period do not interest you, this book probably is not for you. Many might, however, want to read it simply because this book is one of the finest that Karen Traviss has written in the Star Wars EU.