Republic Commando Series

The Republic Commando series (based on the video game of the same name) follows a colorful assortment of clones of Jango Fett as they navigate the terrors and triumphs of the Clone Wars. Trained by a Mandalorian soldier named Kal Skirata, these elite squadrons show readers the human side of fighting in the Galactic Army of the Republic. Karen Traviss creates a complex Mandalorian warrior culture and tackles the themes of family and loyalty through the stories of the Mandos, clones, and their Jedi generals. Strictly speaking, the only media you need to have knowledge of are the Prequels! These books are essentially an alternative timeline to the Clone Wars as opposed to the animated series, with a different set of core characters. You don’t need to have read any other Star Wars books or have seen any of the Clone Wars animated show. Traviss’s Republic Commando series is beloved by many, and have a cult following of sorts. Traviss parted ways with Lucasfilm over creative differences regarding the direction of the Clone Wars and never finished her series. Between five full-length novels and a few short stories, there’s plenty of high-octane action and complex character development to be enjoyed. The Republic Commando books get into the down-and-dirty underbelly of the Wars part of Star Wars. It paints the Jedi in a less-than-glorious light and shows how the clones were caught up in a system of oppression and were used by the Republic. It’s complex and layered with levels of character development unlike any other series in Star Wars.