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"Karen Traviss continues her Republic Commando series with Triple Zero. After the very self-contained guerrilla warfare on Qiilura where Traviss explored the mentality of the clones, she raises her scope to the next level. On Coruscant (Triple Zero in the clones’ vernacular – derived from the three dimensional co-ordinates 0,0,0) the commandos engage in counter-terrorism operations led by their former training sergeant, Kal Skirata.
"This novel is much, much broader that Hard Contact despite still being set on only one planet for the majority of the story. The Dramatis Personae is vastly expanded and she explores not only Skirata, but also Delta squad (from the original computer game) and the Null ARC troopers. Traviss chooses to utilise different POVs from the previous novel, electing to continue only Etain. By doing so, she carries Omega Squad’s story forward and develops the character’s journey from discontented Padawan to a woman with definite purpose, albeit it still a naïve one. The other character’s she chooses allow her to look at a variety of different themes: Fi, who is vexed by everything that is denied him as a clone; Skirata, whose convictions are resolute and unyielding when it comes to the clones’ existences and futures; Ordo, who provides another interesting look at how one might develop mentally under such circumstances as existed on Kamino. Due to her choice of POVs, the text contains much more anti-Jedi sentiment than Hard Contact, with Skirata resenting them and Etain becoming more and more disenchanted with the Order and their philosophies. It also elevates Skirata himself firmly into the position of Alpha male, something which can become rather irksome if you don’t allow for the fact that three of the four POV characters revere the old Mandalorian and the fourth is the man himself. Traviss clearly has some very strong and rather negative feelings regarding Jedi and this, on occasion, grates slightly.
"But as a work of pure storytelling, Triple Zero is astonishing. The complexity of the machinations and the level of tension she maintains in spite of them are truly gripping. It is a very different kind of warfare from Hard Contact, with a very different field of engagement, yet the feel of the prose, with its intrinsically introspective nature, holds true to its predecessor. There is also a sense of over-arching purpose within the book, with Traviss showing that she has very firm ideas about where the characters are heading.
"With very few flaws, this book is a superb tangential addition to the EU."

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Review by RobB, USA, 2008:

"Triple Zero is the second book of Karen Traviss's Republic Commando series, which is an extension of the 2004 video game of the same name. The cast of characters in this sequel is greatly expanded from the first work, Hard Contact. Not only do we return to Omega Squad and recently knighted Jedi Etain, but we also see Delta Squad first direct appearance in the novel series. Delta Squad is the set of four protagonists of the Republic Commando video game. We are also introduced to Kal Skirata and Walon Vau, two Mandalorian mercenaries who were charged with training some of the elite forces of the clone army. Another new set of characters are the Null ARC troopers, who were initially rejected by the Kaminoans as unacceptable but saved from termination.
"The mission of this novel is an anti-terrorist covert operation. Kal Skirata leads the Omega and Delta Squads, the Null ARC Troopers, and two Jedi Knights in the extensive black ops mission. It is a longer, more involved story than Hard Contact with an interesting mix of personalities. It can be challenging at times keeping track of all the characters (the list of characters in the beginning of the book is useful in this regard!). There are sixteen significant characters in this story, yet Traviss does a good job keeping the story moving along smoothly without overwhelming the reader. The terrorist plot line is believable, at least for one without direct experience in covert military missions like me!
"This book also does a nice job of growing the characters, both from the first book and also within the duration of the current plot. It would have been easy to have the clone troopers become caricatures: the angry one, the jokester, the serious one, etc. While certain personality traits predominate each clone trooper, you are introduced to other emotions and attitudes that add a different dimension. This can be anticipated since this is their first assignment among civilians leading a "normal" life. Like the first book, Triple Zero touches on moral questions and dilemmas that apply to the real world we live in. I loved Hard Contact, and I would rate Triple Zero as the same, if not better than the first book."

Rating: 5 / 5

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