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Star Wars: A Clone Wars Novel #4
Star Wars: Battle Surgeons
A novel of healers in wartime, in which a unit of medics struggles against the worst possible circumstances to save lives as the Clone Wars rage around them. With a special appearance by Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee, who will gain her Knighthood in the course of this exciting duology. A little of M*A*S*H, a little of ER, a lot of Star Wars! A must-read for everyone who saw STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES and looks forward to seeing STAR WARS: EPISODE III!
309 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 29, 2004
96 people are currently reading
2702 people want to read
About the author
Michael Reaves
130 books212 followersMichael Reaves is an Emmy Award-winning television writer and screenwriter whose many credits include Star Trek: The Next Generation, Twilight Zone, Batman: The Animated Series, and Gargoyles. His novels include the New York Times bestseller STAR WARS: Darth Maul- Shadowhunter and STAR WARS: Death Star. He and Neil Gaiman cowrote Interworld. Reaves has also written short fiction, comic books, and background dialogue for a Megadeth video. He lives in California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
July 15, 2010
"You watch people in this kind of fire...and you see what they're really made of"
On the swampy world of Drongar, a fierce battle ensues between Republic and Separatists over bota, a plant that has amazing healing qualities for humans. On this outpost, a team of top doctors and nurses work to save the lives of soldiers and keep themselves alive as well.
I Liked:
The only "movie" character you will find in this book is the Jedi, Barris Offee. Now some people might be turned off by this fact. But given how well done these "every beings" are done, I think they more than deserve a second chance.
My particular favorite characters are Den Dhur, the Sullustan reporter, Barris Offee, the Jedi Padawan, and Zan, the Zabrak doctor who is also a music aficionado. I love how Den Dhur is so cynical, but at the very end, he goes out of his way to rescue Zan's beloved musical instrument, risking his own hide, something he said he would never do. I also love how he is not a sexy Twi'Lek, a stupid Weequay or a thieving Rodian, but a Sullustan (and not like Nien Nunb from Return of the Jedi, either). Barris has always been one of my favorites. Here, I love how childish she can come across, causing Phow Ji to trip and generally not liking him. It shows the Jedi have emotions and that she isn't perfect. Lastly, Zan. Zan is so tender-hearted, and while his affinity to music could be construed as a cliche, I can't help but like it.
Although these are my favorite characters, the other characters are pretty well written. Jos Vondar has this interesting debate within himself, whether to abandon his beliefs for his love of Tolk, or to reject her. His ultimate choice comes at a perfect time. We also see the reappearance of I-FYQ, the droid with humor, and my favorite from the first Coruscant Nights book, Kaird of Nediji.
In case you haven't heard this already, this book has the feel of M*A*S*H. I really liked this change of pace from your typical action/adventure/fluffy novel that has become the trademark of Star Wars. I appreciate the change in feel, in "genre" (almost) in this novel. It really stands out. And while it is not your "typical" action novel that many were/are complaining are missing from the Clone Wars era novels, I think it serves its purpose well, showing a small battle (aren't all the battles ultimately small, with Jedi stretched all over the galaxy?) on a dusty world in the midst of a medical camp.
I also thought it was an interesting move to have one of our "bad guys" end up being a "good guy", meaning that Admiral Bleyd was working with Filbar the Hutt to make money off stolen bota. It tends that if someone is on the Republic or Rebel's side, they are automatically painted as "good". This book avoids that stereotype nicely.
I Didn't Like:
I really don't have a lot to complain about. It was challenging keeping track of characters. What happened to Phow Ji was kinda confusing.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Star Wars invented (though I think I caught a "heck").
Jos considers a liaison with Tolk and recollects other previous liaisons.
A lot of scenes occur in an OR, so be wary for blood and guts. Also, there are battles, evacuations, and several characters die at the end.
Overall:
One word: Enjoyable! It's nice to read a niche story about characters we don't see in the movies. We have no idea what happens to them, so when it does, we are appropriately surprised, happy, sad, or angry. I also loved seeing recurring characters, such as I-Five and Kaird. I always appreciate this kind of continuity.
Of course, some people may bemoan the lack of Clone Wars action. It is good to keep that in mind when considering this novel. But if you like good characters and enjoyed watching M*A*S*H, then I suggest you read this book. You won't regret it.
On the swampy world of Drongar, a fierce battle ensues between Republic and Separatists over bota, a plant that has amazing healing qualities for humans. On this outpost, a team of top doctors and nurses work to save the lives of soldiers and keep themselves alive as well.
I Liked:
The only "movie" character you will find in this book is the Jedi, Barris Offee. Now some people might be turned off by this fact. But given how well done these "every beings" are done, I think they more than deserve a second chance.
My particular favorite characters are Den Dhur, the Sullustan reporter, Barris Offee, the Jedi Padawan, and Zan, the Zabrak doctor who is also a music aficionado. I love how Den Dhur is so cynical, but at the very end, he goes out of his way to rescue Zan's beloved musical instrument, risking his own hide, something he said he would never do. I also love how he is not a sexy Twi'Lek, a stupid Weequay or a thieving Rodian, but a Sullustan (and not like Nien Nunb from Return of the Jedi, either). Barris has always been one of my favorites. Here, I love how childish she can come across, causing Phow Ji to trip and generally not liking him. It shows the Jedi have emotions and that she isn't perfect. Lastly, Zan. Zan is so tender-hearted, and while his affinity to music could be construed as a cliche, I can't help but like it.
Although these are my favorite characters, the other characters are pretty well written. Jos Vondar has this interesting debate within himself, whether to abandon his beliefs for his love of Tolk, or to reject her. His ultimate choice comes at a perfect time. We also see the reappearance of I-FYQ, the droid with humor, and my favorite from the first Coruscant Nights book, Kaird of Nediji.
In case you haven't heard this already, this book has the feel of M*A*S*H. I really liked this change of pace from your typical action/adventure/fluffy novel that has become the trademark of Star Wars. I appreciate the change in feel, in "genre" (almost) in this novel. It really stands out. And while it is not your "typical" action novel that many were/are complaining are missing from the Clone Wars era novels, I think it serves its purpose well, showing a small battle (aren't all the battles ultimately small, with Jedi stretched all over the galaxy?) on a dusty world in the midst of a medical camp.
I also thought it was an interesting move to have one of our "bad guys" end up being a "good guy", meaning that Admiral Bleyd was working with Filbar the Hutt to make money off stolen bota. It tends that if someone is on the Republic or Rebel's side, they are automatically painted as "good". This book avoids that stereotype nicely.
I Didn't Like:
I really don't have a lot to complain about. It was challenging keeping track of characters. What happened to Phow Ji was kinda confusing.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Star Wars invented (though I think I caught a "heck").
Jos considers a liaison with Tolk and recollects other previous liaisons.
A lot of scenes occur in an OR, so be wary for blood and guts. Also, there are battles, evacuations, and several characters die at the end.
Overall:
One word: Enjoyable! It's nice to read a niche story about characters we don't see in the movies. We have no idea what happens to them, so when it does, we are appropriately surprised, happy, sad, or angry. I also loved seeing recurring characters, such as I-Five and Kaird. I always appreciate this kind of continuity.
Of course, some people may bemoan the lack of Clone Wars action. It is good to keep that in mind when considering this novel. But if you like good characters and enjoyed watching M*A*S*H, then I suggest you read this book. You won't regret it.
July 12, 2022
3.5 stars
For 2022, I decided to go back in time and reread all the Prequels Era novels published between 1999 and 2005, plus a smidgen of other novels (like Survivor's Quest and the Dark Nest trilogy) released during that time frame. This shakes out to 21 novels, four eBook novellas, and at least thirteen short stories.
This week’s focus: the first book in the MedStar duology by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry, MedStar I: Battle Surgeons
SOME HISTORY:
Michael Reaves had co-written novels with Steve Perry going all the way back to the 1980s, so they joined up forces again for the Medstar duology, part of the Clone Wars multimedia project that was released between 2002 and 2005. Perry was no stranger to Star Wars, having written the novelization of Shadows of the Empire, the inter-episode between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. If you look at Michael Reaves’s bibliography, you'll notice that he co-wrote a lot of novels. I think that he enjoyed the process of working collaboratively--but also because of his Parkinson's, he found the ability to type increasingly more difficult as his disease progressed.
MY RECOLLECTION OF THE BOOK:
I remember really enjoying the Medstar duology back in the day, particularly that it was a Star Wars pastiche of M*A*S*H, but I hadn't read it in years. I wasn't sure if it was going to hold up on this reread.
A BRIEF SUMMARY:
While the Clone Wars rage, the doctors, nurses, and Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee who are stationed on the jungle world of Drongar work very hard to keep the Army of the Republic alive during endless battles. But while they work tirelessly to save lives, others plot secretly to profit from this war—either by black market schemes, or by manipulating the events of the war itself.
TIMELINE DISCLAIMER:
Within the original chronology of the Clone Wars, before the 3D animated show rejiggered everything, the Medstar duology is meant to be set two years after the Battle of Geonosis.
THE CHARACTERS:
As the story begins, we meet the healers stationed on RMSU-7, this mobile medical unit on Drongar: we have two surgeons, Jos Vondar, a human from a very insular group on Corellia, as well as Zan Yant, a Zabrak from Talus (also from the Corellian system, hmmm); Tolk le Trene, a Lorrdian nurse—like Garik “Face” Loran from the Wraith Squadron books or Fiolla from Han Solo's Revenge, the Lorrdians are very good at reading body language; their Equati psychiatrist or “minder,” Klo Merit, who is very empathetic; Padawan Barriss Offee, who's been sent to Drongar both to help the surgeons in the Rimsoo but also to investigate what is happening with shipments of bota, a local plant that can be used to create antibiotics and other sorts of medicine; we have a Sullustan war correspondent named Den Dhur, who's trying to dig into all sorts of stories; and we have the return of I-Five, the droid from Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, who still doesn't remember all of his past but has been assigned to help the medical staff on Rimsoo Seven.
On the more villainous front, we have Admiral Bleyd, the overseeing officer for these medical units who has nefarious motives; his associate, Philba the Hutt, who’s ostensibly in charge of supplies on Rimsoo Seven but is the main one redirecting bota shipments to Black Sun; two Black Sun operatives with varying skill levels; and an unnamed agent who is working for both Black Sun and the separatists under two different code names. Reaves and Perry make it very clear that the identity of the spy is not going to be revealed in this book—we don't even know the gender of the spy, just what they have been up to thus far.
Battle Surgeons is basically a character study of all these different characters, the trauma and events they go through during the Clone Wars, and some of the realizations they come to along the way.
Unlike the other Clone Wars novels, which follow significant Jedi characters, our only Jedi here is Barriss. She was first introduced in The Approaching Storm, the prequel to Attack of the Clones, and her character is very different from her depiction in the Clone Wars 3D animated show! Barriss is on Drongar as a Jedi healer, but she's also here as an investigator. It doesn't feel like she does much investigating, though, because most of that is done by Den Dhur as part of his journalistic duties.
Instead, Barriss struggles with how to deal in a cool Jedi manner with one of the combat instructors on the Rimsoo. Phow Ji is not a very nice man; he hates the Jedi, and he views the Clone Wars as an opportunity to kill with impunity. In interacting with Phow Ji, Barriss has to learn how to balance her personal feelings against her demands as a Jedi. She really doesn’t like Ji, but she can’t take her anger out on him because that’s way too close to the Dark Side. She recognizes that while she may see his actions as outright murder, because these are times are war they’re basically condoned by the Powers That Be…and she’s not sure how she feels about that.
Barriss comes upon Phow Ji mortally wounded in the field, and she saves him using her Force abilities—only for Ji to turn around and throw his life away in a suicidal attack on more Separatist forces. The Clone Wars are forcing the Jedi to live through situations they would have never faced in times of peace, and since this is a duology, Barriss’s arc will continue into the second book as well.
The surgeon Jos Vondar is the character in Medstar with the closest analog to a character from M*A*S*H (which was a book, and then a film, and then a very long-running American TV show). I would say that Jos's analog in M*A*S*H is Hawkeye, because they both have a very sardonic, sarcastic quality to their characters, as well as being a bit of a skirt-chaser. (How that plays out is that like Corran Horn from the X-Wing books, Jos is constantly evaluating the attractiveness of the people around him.)
But at the same time, Jos comes from this very insular community on Corellia which is not keen on people pursuing relationships with others outside of that community. He has feelings for Tolk the Lorrdian nurse, but she's “ekster”--so a fair bit of his emotional journey is coming to terms with whether he thinks it's okay to pursue a relationship with someone not from his own background. He eventually decides that life is short, he likes Tolk, he wants to get to know her better, and if that means pursuing a relationship with her even though she's not from his community then that's something he's willing to do.
While we don't have a viewpoint character who's a clone like we did in The Cestus Deception, we do still have more of that philosophical questioning about the nature of clones. For his own mental well-being, Jos has subconsciously classed clones in with droids—they're all the same, they're pretty much interchangeable, they've been bred for war and they're not really human. But as he interacts with them, especially CT-914 who is grieving the loss of one of his brothers, he realizes that he can't group them all together like that. This clone trooper legitimately feels lost, and had a genuine connection with another clone trooper that he had spent his entire life with.
The introduction of I-Five into the group here also leads to Jos's realization that I-Five is unique. If I-Five is different from other droids, then surely none of the clone troopers are identical, and even though they've had similar training and they're genetically the same, their personalities can develop to be very different.
The second surgeon is Zan Yant, who comes from a wealthy background and is also a super talented musician. Throughout the story, he uses his musical ability as a way to escape and unwind. (Some aspects of Winchester from M*A*S*H here, although Zan is not an antagonist and is very much Jos’s closest friend.) Zan doesn't agree with the restriction on using bota on their patients—the Republic has them stationed on the only world that grows this life-saving antibiotic, yet they’re not able to use it on anyone in their care? Zan secretly uses bota to treat some of the worst cases, and Jos finds out. But Jos is willing to turn a blind eye to Zan’s clandestine treatments, because he honestly agrees with him.
I loved getting to see I-Five again—he's still trying to work out his missing memories from the events of Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter although he suspects that Lorn is dead. He’s such a unique character. He has a sense of humor! He plays sabacc! He’s great.
Den Dhur the little Sullustan journalist is sent to Drongar as a wartime correspondent, and he’s really keen on bringing down Philba the Hutt because of some past beef. But he begins to realize that the plot is much more tangled than he initially assumed—that Philba isn’t single-handedly selling supplies on the black market, but that there is an officer involved as well. He then tries to write an expose on Phow Ji, but his story gets twisted around to make Ji look like a hero.
He thinks that he doesn’t care about anyone or anything, but when the Rimsoo is being evacuated, he risks his life to save Zan’s quetarra. Despite his rationalizations, he recognizes that Zan needs his instrument to cope with what’s happening around him, and because Zan is an amazing artist, he’s willing to risk his life for his friend. Of course, the tragic bit comes in that Zan is killed while they’re evacuating. He knows that Den Dhur saved his instrument, he’s happy, and then he takes a piece of shrapnel to the brain and dies instantly. The book ends with Jos and the rest trying to cope with the loss of one of their comrades.
Of the bad guys, Philba is a typical Hutt who’s just trying to eke out some (illegal) profits, and gets killed for it. Admiral Bleyd the Sakiyan works with Philba to misdirect items—especially the bota—for his own personal gain. (This is one bit where I wish that we could have had pictures of these alien characters, because while I guessed from the name of his species that Klo Merit was an equine alien, without Wookieepedia I would have had no idea that Sakiyans are one of the alien species that appear in the Mos Eisley cantina.) Bleyd’s father lost their family honor, and he wants to regain it through lots and lots of (immoral, illegal) money. Two Black Sun operatives come to speak with Bleyd—the first is a human killed by Bleyd, and the second is a Nedij (avian-species alien) named Kaird who kills Bleyd and seems poised to become book's two baddie.
ISSUES:
Inconsistencies: I didn’t think Coruscant’s sun was called Coruscant Prime but Wookieepedia says otherwise; Drongar is described as having no moons and then later two moons?
My first issue with Battle Surgeons is that Reaves and Perry killed off almost all the villains in the first book. That really only leaves Kaird the Nedij and the unnamed spy to menace our heroes in book two. It’s an interesting choice, and I’m not sure it was the right one. There’s a lot of development given to Bleyd and Phow Ji, only for them to die before book two. And then I’m left wondering what book two will deal with: uncovering the identity of the spy, obviously, and then Kaird doing bad stuff?? But the black market schemes seem to have ended, and there won’t be any more confrontations with Ji, so I’m not sure if it was the right choice to wipe out so many of the bad guys halfway through the story.
I also felt like the M*A*S*H elements didn't always work with the character backgrounds that we've been given here, and I think that's especially the case with Jos. Making Jos the sardonic ladies man doesn't really fit with his background of being from this insular community on Corellia. He merely notes people’s attractiveness and doesn’t act on it, but I was surprised he would even note people considering his upbringing. Basically, the Hawkeye elements of his character didn't always mesh with the backstory that he'd been given.
I also think that some of the characters were more completely fleshed out than others. We spend a lot of time with Jos, Den Dhur, and Barriss, but as a result it felt like Zan and Tolk were less developed. Tolk is there for Jos’s emotional arc—she's beautiful and she's interested in him, but all we really get of Tolk is that she's Lorrdian and she's a very capable nurse. We're never in her viewpoint, so we don't get more of a deep dive into her character. With Zan, it felt like we always saw Zan through the eyes of other characters. He’s from a wealthy family, he could be a concert musician instead of a surgeon, yet he wants to help those around him. His death hurts, but since we were never in his head, I didn’t feel the same sense of loss that I would if Jos or especially Barriss died. (They’re the main characters, so I think readers would have been very upset if one of them died. It’s a tricky tightrope walk between making deaths have meaning and alienating the reader!)
With the spy plotline, I have absolutely no idea who the spy could be going into book two. The spy has to be one of these characters, but I’ll have to wait and see what happens because Reaves and Perry have provided no hints who the spy could be.
IN CONCLUSION:
I really enjoyed revisiting the first book in the Medstar duology. Yes, it’s a M*A*S*H pastiche set within the Clone Wars, but it’s an interesting character study of both Bariss and the non-Jedi healers that she works with. We get to see a side of the war that we haven’t seen thus far, as well as how morally sticky things become during times of war. I’m interested in continuing on to book two, and seeing whether the sequel also holds up to my memories.
Next up: the second book in the MedStar duology by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry, MedStar II: Jedi Healer
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/V_cnQpCMcNQ
For 2022, I decided to go back in time and reread all the Prequels Era novels published between 1999 and 2005, plus a smidgen of other novels (like Survivor's Quest and the Dark Nest trilogy) released during that time frame. This shakes out to 21 novels, four eBook novellas, and at least thirteen short stories.
This week’s focus: the first book in the MedStar duology by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry, MedStar I: Battle Surgeons
SOME HISTORY:
Michael Reaves had co-written novels with Steve Perry going all the way back to the 1980s, so they joined up forces again for the Medstar duology, part of the Clone Wars multimedia project that was released between 2002 and 2005. Perry was no stranger to Star Wars, having written the novelization of Shadows of the Empire, the inter-episode between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. If you look at Michael Reaves’s bibliography, you'll notice that he co-wrote a lot of novels. I think that he enjoyed the process of working collaboratively--but also because of his Parkinson's, he found the ability to type increasingly more difficult as his disease progressed.
MY RECOLLECTION OF THE BOOK:
I remember really enjoying the Medstar duology back in the day, particularly that it was a Star Wars pastiche of M*A*S*H, but I hadn't read it in years. I wasn't sure if it was going to hold up on this reread.
A BRIEF SUMMARY:
While the Clone Wars rage, the doctors, nurses, and Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee who are stationed on the jungle world of Drongar work very hard to keep the Army of the Republic alive during endless battles. But while they work tirelessly to save lives, others plot secretly to profit from this war—either by black market schemes, or by manipulating the events of the war itself.
TIMELINE DISCLAIMER:
Within the original chronology of the Clone Wars, before the 3D animated show rejiggered everything, the Medstar duology is meant to be set two years after the Battle of Geonosis.
THE CHARACTERS:
As the story begins, we meet the healers stationed on RMSU-7, this mobile medical unit on Drongar: we have two surgeons, Jos Vondar, a human from a very insular group on Corellia, as well as Zan Yant, a Zabrak from Talus (also from the Corellian system, hmmm); Tolk le Trene, a Lorrdian nurse—like Garik “Face” Loran from the Wraith Squadron books or Fiolla from Han Solo's Revenge, the Lorrdians are very good at reading body language; their Equati psychiatrist or “minder,” Klo Merit, who is very empathetic; Padawan Barriss Offee, who's been sent to Drongar both to help the surgeons in the Rimsoo but also to investigate what is happening with shipments of bota, a local plant that can be used to create antibiotics and other sorts of medicine; we have a Sullustan war correspondent named Den Dhur, who's trying to dig into all sorts of stories; and we have the return of I-Five, the droid from Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, who still doesn't remember all of his past but has been assigned to help the medical staff on Rimsoo Seven.
On the more villainous front, we have Admiral Bleyd, the overseeing officer for these medical units who has nefarious motives; his associate, Philba the Hutt, who’s ostensibly in charge of supplies on Rimsoo Seven but is the main one redirecting bota shipments to Black Sun; two Black Sun operatives with varying skill levels; and an unnamed agent who is working for both Black Sun and the separatists under two different code names. Reaves and Perry make it very clear that the identity of the spy is not going to be revealed in this book—we don't even know the gender of the spy, just what they have been up to thus far.
Battle Surgeons is basically a character study of all these different characters, the trauma and events they go through during the Clone Wars, and some of the realizations they come to along the way.
Unlike the other Clone Wars novels, which follow significant Jedi characters, our only Jedi here is Barriss. She was first introduced in The Approaching Storm, the prequel to Attack of the Clones, and her character is very different from her depiction in the Clone Wars 3D animated show! Barriss is on Drongar as a Jedi healer, but she's also here as an investigator. It doesn't feel like she does much investigating, though, because most of that is done by Den Dhur as part of his journalistic duties.
Instead, Barriss struggles with how to deal in a cool Jedi manner with one of the combat instructors on the Rimsoo. Phow Ji is not a very nice man; he hates the Jedi, and he views the Clone Wars as an opportunity to kill with impunity. In interacting with Phow Ji, Barriss has to learn how to balance her personal feelings against her demands as a Jedi. She really doesn’t like Ji, but she can’t take her anger out on him because that’s way too close to the Dark Side. She recognizes that while she may see his actions as outright murder, because these are times are war they’re basically condoned by the Powers That Be…and she’s not sure how she feels about that.
Barriss comes upon Phow Ji mortally wounded in the field, and she saves him using her Force abilities—only for Ji to turn around and throw his life away in a suicidal attack on more Separatist forces. The Clone Wars are forcing the Jedi to live through situations they would have never faced in times of peace, and since this is a duology, Barriss’s arc will continue into the second book as well.
The surgeon Jos Vondar is the character in Medstar with the closest analog to a character from M*A*S*H (which was a book, and then a film, and then a very long-running American TV show). I would say that Jos's analog in M*A*S*H is Hawkeye, because they both have a very sardonic, sarcastic quality to their characters, as well as being a bit of a skirt-chaser. (How that plays out is that like Corran Horn from the X-Wing books, Jos is constantly evaluating the attractiveness of the people around him.)
But at the same time, Jos comes from this very insular community on Corellia which is not keen on people pursuing relationships with others outside of that community. He has feelings for Tolk the Lorrdian nurse, but she's “ekster”--so a fair bit of his emotional journey is coming to terms with whether he thinks it's okay to pursue a relationship with someone not from his own background. He eventually decides that life is short, he likes Tolk, he wants to get to know her better, and if that means pursuing a relationship with her even though she's not from his community then that's something he's willing to do.
While we don't have a viewpoint character who's a clone like we did in The Cestus Deception, we do still have more of that philosophical questioning about the nature of clones. For his own mental well-being, Jos has subconsciously classed clones in with droids—they're all the same, they're pretty much interchangeable, they've been bred for war and they're not really human. But as he interacts with them, especially CT-914 who is grieving the loss of one of his brothers, he realizes that he can't group them all together like that. This clone trooper legitimately feels lost, and had a genuine connection with another clone trooper that he had spent his entire life with.
The introduction of I-Five into the group here also leads to Jos's realization that I-Five is unique. If I-Five is different from other droids, then surely none of the clone troopers are identical, and even though they've had similar training and they're genetically the same, their personalities can develop to be very different.
The second surgeon is Zan Yant, who comes from a wealthy background and is also a super talented musician. Throughout the story, he uses his musical ability as a way to escape and unwind. (Some aspects of Winchester from M*A*S*H here, although Zan is not an antagonist and is very much Jos’s closest friend.) Zan doesn't agree with the restriction on using bota on their patients—the Republic has them stationed on the only world that grows this life-saving antibiotic, yet they’re not able to use it on anyone in their care? Zan secretly uses bota to treat some of the worst cases, and Jos finds out. But Jos is willing to turn a blind eye to Zan’s clandestine treatments, because he honestly agrees with him.
I loved getting to see I-Five again—he's still trying to work out his missing memories from the events of Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter although he suspects that Lorn is dead. He’s such a unique character. He has a sense of humor! He plays sabacc! He’s great.
Den Dhur the little Sullustan journalist is sent to Drongar as a wartime correspondent, and he’s really keen on bringing down Philba the Hutt because of some past beef. But he begins to realize that the plot is much more tangled than he initially assumed—that Philba isn’t single-handedly selling supplies on the black market, but that there is an officer involved as well. He then tries to write an expose on Phow Ji, but his story gets twisted around to make Ji look like a hero.
He thinks that he doesn’t care about anyone or anything, but when the Rimsoo is being evacuated, he risks his life to save Zan’s quetarra. Despite his rationalizations, he recognizes that Zan needs his instrument to cope with what’s happening around him, and because Zan is an amazing artist, he’s willing to risk his life for his friend. Of course, the tragic bit comes in that Zan is killed while they’re evacuating. He knows that Den Dhur saved his instrument, he’s happy, and then he takes a piece of shrapnel to the brain and dies instantly. The book ends with Jos and the rest trying to cope with the loss of one of their comrades.
Of the bad guys, Philba is a typical Hutt who’s just trying to eke out some (illegal) profits, and gets killed for it. Admiral Bleyd the Sakiyan works with Philba to misdirect items—especially the bota—for his own personal gain. (This is one bit where I wish that we could have had pictures of these alien characters, because while I guessed from the name of his species that Klo Merit was an equine alien, without Wookieepedia I would have had no idea that Sakiyans are one of the alien species that appear in the Mos Eisley cantina.) Bleyd’s father lost their family honor, and he wants to regain it through lots and lots of (immoral, illegal) money. Two Black Sun operatives come to speak with Bleyd—the first is a human killed by Bleyd, and the second is a Nedij (avian-species alien) named Kaird who kills Bleyd and seems poised to become book's two baddie.
ISSUES:
Inconsistencies: I didn’t think Coruscant’s sun was called Coruscant Prime but Wookieepedia says otherwise; Drongar is described as having no moons and then later two moons?
My first issue with Battle Surgeons is that Reaves and Perry killed off almost all the villains in the first book. That really only leaves Kaird the Nedij and the unnamed spy to menace our heroes in book two. It’s an interesting choice, and I’m not sure it was the right one. There’s a lot of development given to Bleyd and Phow Ji, only for them to die before book two. And then I’m left wondering what book two will deal with: uncovering the identity of the spy, obviously, and then Kaird doing bad stuff?? But the black market schemes seem to have ended, and there won’t be any more confrontations with Ji, so I’m not sure if it was the right choice to wipe out so many of the bad guys halfway through the story.
I also felt like the M*A*S*H elements didn't always work with the character backgrounds that we've been given here, and I think that's especially the case with Jos. Making Jos the sardonic ladies man doesn't really fit with his background of being from this insular community on Corellia. He merely notes people’s attractiveness and doesn’t act on it, but I was surprised he would even note people considering his upbringing. Basically, the Hawkeye elements of his character didn't always mesh with the backstory that he'd been given.
I also think that some of the characters were more completely fleshed out than others. We spend a lot of time with Jos, Den Dhur, and Barriss, but as a result it felt like Zan and Tolk were less developed. Tolk is there for Jos’s emotional arc—she's beautiful and she's interested in him, but all we really get of Tolk is that she's Lorrdian and she's a very capable nurse. We're never in her viewpoint, so we don't get more of a deep dive into her character. With Zan, it felt like we always saw Zan through the eyes of other characters. He’s from a wealthy family, he could be a concert musician instead of a surgeon, yet he wants to help those around him. His death hurts, but since we were never in his head, I didn’t feel the same sense of loss that I would if Jos or especially Barriss died. (They’re the main characters, so I think readers would have been very upset if one of them died. It’s a tricky tightrope walk between making deaths have meaning and alienating the reader!)
With the spy plotline, I have absolutely no idea who the spy could be going into book two. The spy has to be one of these characters, but I’ll have to wait and see what happens because Reaves and Perry have provided no hints who the spy could be.
IN CONCLUSION:
I really enjoyed revisiting the first book in the Medstar duology. Yes, it’s a M*A*S*H pastiche set within the Clone Wars, but it’s an interesting character study of both Bariss and the non-Jedi healers that she works with. We get to see a side of the war that we haven’t seen thus far, as well as how morally sticky things become during times of war. I’m interested in continuing on to book two, and seeing whether the sequel also holds up to my memories.
Next up: the second book in the MedStar duology by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry, MedStar II: Jedi Healer
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/V_cnQpCMcNQ
January 9, 2016
"War, Jos thought. What was it good for? Certainly not the arts. He wondered how many other talents like Zan were being squandered in battles across the galaxy."
"I hate this war," he said. "I hate everything about it. What kind of people are we that such things can go on and nobody is outraged? What does that say about us?" Nobody had an answet to that.
"Power wants to be used. It must be kept under constant vigil, else it will seduce and corrupt you."
3.5 Stars. This is my first foray into the Expanded Universe and being on a high after having seen The Force Awakens, I asked my person of reference for a recommendation for a book with a female protagonist. He lent me the MedStar duology. I will say that it took me some googling and slow reading to a.) memorise all the names b.) making sense of all the unexplained abbreviations and c.) being able to picture all the different sentient beings that weren't described too much.
MILD SPOILERS:
Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee was great, I really enjoyed reading about her and the scene between her and Phow Ji was in my opinion very representative for feminism in general. I liked the main cast and its diversity and found almost all the storylines engaging and interesting. It was great to have a set of characters without political tasks or offices, the medical aspect was new and refreshing and showed a side of thr Clone Wars I wasn't familiar with. I appreciated the discussions about humanity in clones and droids, it's something that stays relevant throughout the entire saga. It was good to see the Clone Wars and war in general being criticized, having its ugly, brutal and senseless side exposed.
Now for the parts I didn't enjoy as much, which will be spoiler-laden:
- The so-called love story was awful. I don't like Jos Vondar in general, he seems very full of himself and egocentric. In addition to that, Tolk is such a terrible character. She's such an absolute stereotypical ~woman~. She's pretty and very sensible to the feelings of others. Other than that she has no function, except being enticing aka. objectified. I also hate the way Vondar is all 'I want a real relationship, nothing short-lived, etc.' Just so annoying and judgemental and ugh. And when he criticises Tolk for tormenting him... Yes, it'd not like she's an individual who can act on her own feelings, she's only doing it for his sake. So. Dumb.
- Other than Barriss Offee and Tolk le Trene - and if you like the mentioned Master Luminara Unduli - there's no female characters. And yes, I know the clones are obviously all male, but none of the bartenders, other staff, etc. are female.
However I liked the plots and I'll definitely read the second one, if only to find out who the spy is. A real shame that they killed off the most likeable character in the cast, though...
"I hate this war," he said. "I hate everything about it. What kind of people are we that such things can go on and nobody is outraged? What does that say about us?" Nobody had an answet to that.
"Power wants to be used. It must be kept under constant vigil, else it will seduce and corrupt you."
3.5 Stars. This is my first foray into the Expanded Universe and being on a high after having seen The Force Awakens, I asked my person of reference for a recommendation for a book with a female protagonist. He lent me the MedStar duology. I will say that it took me some googling and slow reading to a.) memorise all the names b.) making sense of all the unexplained abbreviations and c.) being able to picture all the different sentient beings that weren't described too much.
MILD SPOILERS:
Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee was great, I really enjoyed reading about her and the scene between her and Phow Ji was in my opinion very representative for feminism in general. I liked the main cast and its diversity and found almost all the storylines engaging and interesting. It was great to have a set of characters without political tasks or offices, the medical aspect was new and refreshing and showed a side of thr Clone Wars I wasn't familiar with. I appreciated the discussions about humanity in clones and droids, it's something that stays relevant throughout the entire saga. It was good to see the Clone Wars and war in general being criticized, having its ugly, brutal and senseless side exposed.
Now for the parts I didn't enjoy as much, which will be spoiler-laden:
- The so-called love story was awful. I don't like Jos Vondar in general, he seems very full of himself and egocentric. In addition to that, Tolk is such a terrible character. She's such an absolute stereotypical ~woman~. She's pretty and very sensible to the feelings of others. Other than that she has no function, except being enticing aka. objectified. I also hate the way Vondar is all 'I want a real relationship, nothing short-lived, etc.' Just so annoying and judgemental and ugh. And when he criticises Tolk for tormenting him... Yes, it'd not like she's an individual who can act on her own feelings, she's only doing it for his sake. So. Dumb.
- Other than Barriss Offee and Tolk le Trene - and if you like the mentioned Master Luminara Unduli - there's no female characters. And yes, I know the clones are obviously all male, but none of the bartenders, other staff, etc. are female.
However I liked the plots and I'll definitely read the second one, if only to find out who the spy is. A real shame that they killed off the most likeable character in the cast, though...
January 3, 2025
While I had friends hyping this book, it sadly did not work for me.
The book's plot is very paper-thin, and it lacks a sense of urgency throughout. That is really sad, considering I just read Michael Reaves' "Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter", which is the exact opposite of this book in that regard.
As such, a lot of time is spent with the surgeons and officers in the camp dealing with Injuries. You'd think with the investment with these characters, I'd be really connected with them. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I thought Jos and Den were ok, and I thought that Bleyd and Barris Offee each had some interesting moments, but I never connected with any of the characters.
What the book does alright is depict the difficulties of being a surgeon on a battlefield. In that regard I think the writers did a servicable job.
There is a murder mystery involved here, but its not near good enough to carry the book, and the whole spy plot likewise didn't work as well.
I did appreciate the references and connections to Shadow Hunter, sparse as they were.
Perhaps the second book will really turn things around, but I'm not sure if it will.
Overall, this book just didn't work for me, and I think that Reaves' "Shadow Hunter" is a vastly superior story. I'd even say that "Shadows of the Empire" is a superior story probably. This one gets a 4.5 out of 10.
The book's plot is very paper-thin, and it lacks a sense of urgency throughout. That is really sad, considering I just read Michael Reaves' "Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter", which is the exact opposite of this book in that regard.
As such, a lot of time is spent with the surgeons and officers in the camp dealing with Injuries. You'd think with the investment with these characters, I'd be really connected with them. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I thought Jos and Den were ok, and I thought that Bleyd and Barris Offee each had some interesting moments, but I never connected with any of the characters.
What the book does alright is depict the difficulties of being a surgeon on a battlefield. In that regard I think the writers did a servicable job.
There is a murder mystery involved here, but its not near good enough to carry the book, and the whole spy plot likewise didn't work as well.
I did appreciate the references and connections to Shadow Hunter, sparse as they were.
Perhaps the second book will really turn things around, but I'm not sure if it will.
Overall, this book just didn't work for me, and I think that Reaves' "Shadow Hunter" is a vastly superior story. I'd even say that "Shadows of the Empire" is a superior story probably. This one gets a 4.5 out of 10.
Read
February 23, 2017First off, I am glad that this book exists. That said, I was really hoping for more out of this novel, as someone who loves both Star Wars and M*A*S*H, but it failed to deliver any additional depth on either subject. Barris's healing powers are never deeply explored, and the subject of "war is bad, clones are people" is done much better in Republic Commando and the Clone Wars series. Barris's character was not particularly developed either, and the fact she is a padawan hoping to become a master feels tacked on rather than a part of who she was.
February 9, 2018
A different sort of Expanded Universe book...but different isn't always better.
May 15, 2020
Not as raw and gripping as Shatterpoint, nevertheless Battle Surgeons is – exactly as I remembered it – a solid entry into the Clone Wars. It too avoids glorification and highlights the gore and senselessness of war, and for me it is a positive that we see a Jedi taking on a mission on the medical posts rather than frontline. Some of the Clone Wars novels are dull as dishwater despite being thick with frontline action. I’m convinced this is because those novels think they can capture my attention with cool explosions and ass-kicking protagonists – but honestly, a story needs more than that in order for me to give a damn, and to be fair I think it much more realistic given the low numbers of Jedi that they’d take on support roles such as medical personnel or special expeditions as negotiators or scouts. Like I said, Battle Surgeons is not as brutal as Shatterpoint, although it has some medical gore and a couple of shocking, heart-wrenching deaths. This is counterbalanced by the feeling of community among the protagonists, and the moments of respite where they find laughter, love, quirkiness, and eccentricity.
I have to say I rather liked Tarnese Bleyd. I’m not a fan of simplistic villains who sit around doing nothing until they’re foiled by the good guys, and there are quite a few of those who do just that in the Clone Wars, only lifting their fingers to get on the holo and be threatened by Count Dooku before returning to doing absolutely zilch. Bleyd is actually fleshed out, and not just with stock stereotypes or one habit or mannerism repeated ad nauseam. There’s thought put into his backstory and origins, description of a homeworld and alien way of life that almost swaps villainy for raw instinctual behaviour that is much trickier to condemn. Plus, he’s written as actually competent. When obstacles get in his way, he’s not at the mercy of the writing. Rather, he cleverly executes his own course of action and is allowed to do so, allowed to deepen the complexity of the plot. Antagonists like this, that are proactive, smart, and competent, are much appreciated, not least because they upset the predictability of the plot, but also because it is much more enjoyable to read about a struggle between capable opponents than it is to read about some oblivious dummy who is patently doomed.
Amid the tension of shady dealings and the overwhelming, weary action scenes whenever the medical staff are confronted with the brutal realities of war, the book explores several intensely profound moments. Den Dhur’s description of child soldiers at war, though nothing to do with the current story, makes tears prick at the eyes at the sheer senseless waste of it as well as the poignancy of our better instincts. Barriss is also at the focal point of several moments of introspection and revelation, as she casts a pointed light on the definition of sapience and the ability of the clones to meet its requirements; which in turn expands one character’s horizons to go beyond and ask similar questions of droids too. This is one of the most fascinating and compelling questions that has existed in sci fi, across many books, and to be honest it ought to be explored in Star Wars books a lot more – but often the central action is focused elsewhere and what you would think would be quite fundamental existential questions in the Star Wars universe, such as the rights and sapience of droids, don’t get asked. It’s the better books that allow its characters to ponder on such subjects, and Battle Surgeons is one of those better books.
Continuing with Barriss’ philosophising, dropped in occasionally at just the right moments but never waffling on, or taking over the plot; her repeated condemnation of herself getting annoyed with Phow Ji may seem strange to some. He is, after all, not a very nice person, and I daresay neither readers nor Barriss’ colleagues would at all mind seeing her answer his provocations and take him down a peg or two. But the fact that she struggles against this impulse shows an intimate understanding and excellent portrayal of Jedi values on the part of the collaborating authors. Barriss clearly comprehends that Phow Ji wants her to meet him in confrontation, and it is always a good idea to think carefully before you do what a thoroughly nasty character wants you to do. She considers the possible outcomes and realises that giving him what he wants would be fruitless – if Barriss loses, his arrogance and bullying is reinforced; if she wins, he is likely to nurse a bitter grudge which will only continue his hostility more vehemently than before.
There’s a nice, smooth writing style throughout with both authors meshing well and it isn’t obvious where one begins and the other ends. It isn’t especially fantastic, aside from the aforementioned poignant moments, plus a handful of vivid descriptions – but the reading level is decent and consistent. Perhaps one might criticise the ending being rather abrupt, but as a duology it was almost a given that the authors would drop a cliffhanger on us and leave several threads for resolution in the second part.
All in all just as good – no better, no worse – than I remembered since reading on release.
8 out of 10
I have to say I rather liked Tarnese Bleyd. I’m not a fan of simplistic villains who sit around doing nothing until they’re foiled by the good guys, and there are quite a few of those who do just that in the Clone Wars, only lifting their fingers to get on the holo and be threatened by Count Dooku before returning to doing absolutely zilch. Bleyd is actually fleshed out, and not just with stock stereotypes or one habit or mannerism repeated ad nauseam. There’s thought put into his backstory and origins, description of a homeworld and alien way of life that almost swaps villainy for raw instinctual behaviour that is much trickier to condemn. Plus, he’s written as actually competent. When obstacles get in his way, he’s not at the mercy of the writing. Rather, he cleverly executes his own course of action and is allowed to do so, allowed to deepen the complexity of the plot. Antagonists like this, that are proactive, smart, and competent, are much appreciated, not least because they upset the predictability of the plot, but also because it is much more enjoyable to read about a struggle between capable opponents than it is to read about some oblivious dummy who is patently doomed.
Amid the tension of shady dealings and the overwhelming, weary action scenes whenever the medical staff are confronted with the brutal realities of war, the book explores several intensely profound moments. Den Dhur’s description of child soldiers at war, though nothing to do with the current story, makes tears prick at the eyes at the sheer senseless waste of it as well as the poignancy of our better instincts. Barriss is also at the focal point of several moments of introspection and revelation, as she casts a pointed light on the definition of sapience and the ability of the clones to meet its requirements; which in turn expands one character’s horizons to go beyond and ask similar questions of droids too. This is one of the most fascinating and compelling questions that has existed in sci fi, across many books, and to be honest it ought to be explored in Star Wars books a lot more – but often the central action is focused elsewhere and what you would think would be quite fundamental existential questions in the Star Wars universe, such as the rights and sapience of droids, don’t get asked. It’s the better books that allow its characters to ponder on such subjects, and Battle Surgeons is one of those better books.
Continuing with Barriss’ philosophising, dropped in occasionally at just the right moments but never waffling on, or taking over the plot; her repeated condemnation of herself getting annoyed with Phow Ji may seem strange to some. He is, after all, not a very nice person, and I daresay neither readers nor Barriss’ colleagues would at all mind seeing her answer his provocations and take him down a peg or two. But the fact that she struggles against this impulse shows an intimate understanding and excellent portrayal of Jedi values on the part of the collaborating authors. Barriss clearly comprehends that Phow Ji wants her to meet him in confrontation, and it is always a good idea to think carefully before you do what a thoroughly nasty character wants you to do. She considers the possible outcomes and realises that giving him what he wants would be fruitless – if Barriss loses, his arrogance and bullying is reinforced; if she wins, he is likely to nurse a bitter grudge which will only continue his hostility more vehemently than before.
There’s a nice, smooth writing style throughout with both authors meshing well and it isn’t obvious where one begins and the other ends. It isn’t especially fantastic, aside from the aforementioned poignant moments, plus a handful of vivid descriptions – but the reading level is decent and consistent. Perhaps one might criticise the ending being rather abrupt, but as a duology it was almost a given that the authors would drop a cliffhanger on us and leave several threads for resolution in the second part.
All in all just as good – no better, no worse – than I remembered since reading on release.
8 out of 10
February 21, 2020
This was, overall, a pretty mediocre book. It explored some lesser-seen aspects of the Clone Wars, but not nearly in the depth and detail that I would have liked.
The main character we know is Barriss Offee, Luminara Unduli's padawan and a Jedi Healer. First of all I love that we have books about her. My complaint is that they are barely about her, in any real sense. There's a host of OCs, mostly surgeons, a reporter, and an annoying corrupt admiral, that get just as much screen-time as Barriss does.
There are a few tantalizing explorations of Jedi healing techniques, but just like, two in what purports to be a whole book about them. Hopefully part 2 will have more of this. What we DO see a lot of is Star Wars medical tech in general, which I found very valuable in a universe that tends to fall on the fade-to-black or "Padme gets zero pre-natal checkups" side of medical details.
Some highlights:
The main character we know is Barriss Offee, Luminara Unduli's padawan and a Jedi Healer. First of all I love that we have books about her. My complaint is that they are barely about her, in any real sense. There's a host of OCs, mostly surgeons, a reporter, and an annoying corrupt admiral, that get just as much screen-time as Barriss does.
There are a few tantalizing explorations of Jedi healing techniques, but just like, two in what purports to be a whole book about them. Hopefully part 2 will have more of this. What we DO see a lot of is Star Wars medical tech in general, which I found very valuable in a universe that tends to fall on the fade-to-black or "Padme gets zero pre-natal checkups" side of medical details.
Some highlights:
• Barriss is so interesting and very different from the normal line of flashy superstars we get to focus on most of the time like Ahsoka and Anakin. She is a huge perfectionist and always beats herself up for her performance, no matter what it is.
• Apparently the Republic has a draft going on, in addition to manufacturing clones? All of these battle surgeons seem to have been conscripted into service, which is very interesting. I haven't heard much about a draft of normal Republic citizens in any other media.
• Barriss's feud with the weird martial arts master was... really odd. Really, that guy was just very odd. I'm not sure why they were all so disgusted with his off-the-books expeditions into enemy territory? The goal is LITERALLY to kill those same guys anyway, and it's not like oh, it was unfair, oh, they had no fighting chance because they only had giant guns and HE's a martial arts master... Like, that's ridiculous. This is war. Those were enemy combatants. I don't think it matters to them whether they were killed by a clone or by a renegade martial arts master. Maybe everyone is just pansies because they're doctors. I was also expecting more of a resolution, where Barriss and the guy would meet again after she resisted the Dark Side the first time, but I guess not.
• Annoying admiral is ANNOYING. It's amazing how much I don't care about him and his zany obsession with hunting.
• I think the spy is the empath minder. We'll see if I'm right in the next book.
• I also appreciate the minor, tiny scraps of detail we are able to glean about how the press works in the GFFA, but, as with most things, I need WAY MORE. Details, please!
• Crazy how clones are still being widely thought of as only technically sentient. This is 20 BBY! We've been fighting with these guys for two years! And yet it sure seems like the whole Republic just vaguely thinks of them as "sort of" people.
December 4, 2020
It feels like 2 stars is harsh for this book because I didn't hate it, I just can't find much good to say about it. I'm not sure what the point of the story is. It was nice having a Clone Wars era story that isn't just a Jedi carving through an entire army of droids.
The thing I liked the most was that some of the characters were pretty interesting.
One of the good characters, Phow Ji, had a lot of drama centered around him for reasons I can't understand.
The real problem with this book is the plot is just kind of a seemingly aimless slog. I wasn't incredibly bored, but normally there is some form of mission or action that moves the plot forward. This basically follows around some doctors while they treated clones with the occasional side story. It felt more like an episode of Grey's Anatomy than Star Wars. I guess I'm just surprised that someone proposed this plot to whomever was in charge of planning out the novels, and they approved it.
I liked that this book tackled the clones are people too problem without becoming a Jedi-hating rant like the Republic Commando series.
There is seriously the line, "War. What is it good for?" You just can't do that.
Ultimately, I'm left seriously questioning the decision of Reaves to . I can understand why some people like this book, but it won't be for everyone. My prediction (that I made partway through this book) is that the spy is .
The thing I liked the most was that some of the characters were pretty interesting.
One of the good characters, Phow Ji, had a lot of drama centered around him for reasons I can't understand.
The real problem with this book is the plot is just kind of a seemingly aimless slog. I wasn't incredibly bored, but normally there is some form of mission or action that moves the plot forward. This basically follows around some doctors while they treated clones with the occasional side story. It felt more like an episode of Grey's Anatomy than Star Wars. I guess I'm just surprised that someone proposed this plot to whomever was in charge of planning out the novels, and they approved it.
I liked that this book tackled the clones are people too problem without becoming a Jedi-hating rant like the Republic Commando series.
There is seriously the line, "War. What is it good for?" You just can't do that.
Ultimately, I'm left seriously questioning the decision of Reaves to . I can understand why some people like this book, but it won't be for everyone. My prediction (that I made partway through this book) is that the spy is .
January 24, 2024
Well...
I've got pretty mixed feelings about this book. First of all, it was pretty light on plot, focusing mostly on character exploration/development for the diverse cast of characters. That's not a bad thing and surprisingly - for Star Wars - it worked, mainly due to the cast being very interesting. Well-rounded, three dimensional and far from being stereotypical. From the greater SW canon we have only Barriss Offee (though I've heard that the hilarious droid I-Five, who quickly became one of my favourite characters also appeared in some comic) and she's great. Only now I can fully appreciate how TCW butchered her character.
Even the bad guy is pretty grounded and while it's hard to call him sympathetic, he's got understandable motivations and who he is proves an unique challenge to the protagonists, presenting them with an opponent that can't be simply sliced with a lightsaber.
And now we get to the disappointing part but since it concerns the ending...
I know that this is book 1 of a duology, but I believe these two deaths were a mistake and I don't see how volume 2 can fix it. A pity, since the ending spoiled this otherwise really good book for me.
I've got pretty mixed feelings about this book. First of all, it was pretty light on plot, focusing mostly on character exploration/development for the diverse cast of characters. That's not a bad thing and surprisingly - for Star Wars - it worked, mainly due to the cast being very interesting. Well-rounded, three dimensional and far from being stereotypical. From the greater SW canon we have only Barriss Offee (though I've heard that the hilarious droid I-Five, who quickly became one of my favourite characters also appeared in some comic) and she's great. Only now I can fully appreciate how TCW butchered her character.
Even the bad guy is pretty grounded and while it's hard to call him sympathetic, he's got understandable motivations and who he is proves an unique challenge to the protagonists, presenting them with an opponent that can't be simply sliced with a lightsaber.
And now we get to the disappointing part but since it concerns the ending...
I know that this is book 1 of a duology, but I believe these two deaths were a mistake and I don't see how volume 2 can fix it. A pity, since the ending spoiled this otherwise really good book for me.
June 25, 2024
Man this book is tough to rate!! It’s closer to 4 than 3 for sure. I don’t know who wrote what parts, but what I know of Reaves is he is a 10/10 storyteller and maybe a 7.5/10 on writing. Maybe I’m being too harsh—he is good. The stories he weaves are so fun to wade through. The dude knows how to concoct a fun ride. I would recommend this book to all those expanded universe fans like me who always just looked past it. I really enjoyed it and will be reading the second book in the series.
I’d heard it’s like Star Wars Mash, and that rang true throughout. I also really enjoyed the tie-ins to his Coruscant Nights series! If you’ve read those, read this. My favorite quote came within the last 3 chapters. “Blast this war! Blast the governments and the corporations and the military!” So clearly, Reaves understands how the military industrial complex comes together.
I’d heard it’s like Star Wars Mash, and that rang true throughout. I also really enjoyed the tie-ins to his Coruscant Nights series! If you’ve read those, read this. My favorite quote came within the last 3 chapters. “Blast this war! Blast the governments and the corporations and the military!” So clearly, Reaves understands how the military industrial complex comes together.
April 9, 2020
not very interesting. i came for barriss, but was left wanting more action.
November 22, 2018
Star Wars Legends Project #152
Background: Battle Surgeons was written by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry. It was published in June of 2004. Reaves has written or co-written 9 Star Wars novels (including one of my all-time favorite Star Wars books, Shadow Hunter, my review) and a smattering of other things. Perry co-wrote a few novels and a short story with Reaves, and also wrote Shadows of the Empire and the comic sequel.
Battle Surgeons is set 2 years after the Battle of Geonosis (20 years before the battle of Yavin). The main POV character is Republic army surgeon Jos Vondar, along with Barriss Offee and Den Dhur (and a few others), plus a major role for I-5.
Summary: Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee arrives on Drongar, assigned to join the medical staff at one of the Republic Mobile Surgical Units (RMSU or "Rimsoos"). The Republic and the Separatists are locked in combat over the planet's priceless supply of Bota, a plant with near-miraculous healing properties, and someone is siphoning the Republic's supply. As part of her trials before becoming a Jedi Knight, Barriss's mission is to find out who is responsible while maintaining the fiction that she is simply there as a healer.
Review: There is a lot going on in this novel and, at the same time, very little. My brief summary only scratches the surface and lays out the subplot most important to the larger Clone Wars narrative, but it doesn't have a whole lot to do with the action that takes up most of the book. I'm tempted to describe the novel as episodic, but the episodes aren't discrete. Just as Shatterpoint owes obvious inspiration to Apocalypse Now, this is openly inspired by M*A*S*H, and that probably has something to do with all the different subplots and shifting perspectives.
It's very well-written and the sizable cast is likable. Barriss almost feels like a minor character given how little impact she has on the overall narrative and her lack of perspective on it, even though she's the only major non-EU character. Also not a major character (but a welcome presence) is I-5, a favorite character from Reaves's Shadow Hunter. It was nice to see the wisecracking droid return, even though his role felt a bit unlikely and forced as a bridge to set up later appearances. Den Dhur, the cynical Sullustan journalist, is another solid recurring character (introduced for the first time here). I feel like I'm kind of avoiding getting to Jos Vondar because he's the least interesting of the main group. Maybe that's intentional, and maybe I'd feel more invested in him if it felt like he'd ever resurface in the larger narrative. In any case, while his perspective is probably a good choice for how much of the novel plays out, his main motivations and character arc are a bit tiresome.
Reaves and Perry do a pretty good job of world-building here, and a good job of creating and writing characters and their interactions. These are obvious strengths. I'm not sure which of them to blame the idiom issue on, but I suspect it's Perry . . . They get way too cute way too often with common earth metaphors and phrases nonsensically repurposed into Star-Wars-ese. It draws attention to itself and throws me out of the story almost every time because it feels like an inside joke to the audience. This isn't unique to these writers or these books, but it felt like they did it more than anyone else I've come across.
I also wish that the book had resolved a bit more by the end. It's a duology and there are going to be loose threads and things left for the next half, but it's almost like not only do the characters not figure out or accomplish anything related to the larger story, but little to nothing happens that makes this feel like a consequential story in its own right. I'm not sure how to explain, but it almost feels like you could skip this entire novel and just read the second half and not really have missed anything. I'm left feeling that this book is a good read, but also wondering what the point of it was.
B
Background: Battle Surgeons was written by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry. It was published in June of 2004. Reaves has written or co-written 9 Star Wars novels (including one of my all-time favorite Star Wars books, Shadow Hunter, my review) and a smattering of other things. Perry co-wrote a few novels and a short story with Reaves, and also wrote Shadows of the Empire and the comic sequel.
Battle Surgeons is set 2 years after the Battle of Geonosis (20 years before the battle of Yavin). The main POV character is Republic army surgeon Jos Vondar, along with Barriss Offee and Den Dhur (and a few others), plus a major role for I-5.
Summary: Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee arrives on Drongar, assigned to join the medical staff at one of the Republic Mobile Surgical Units (RMSU or "Rimsoos"). The Republic and the Separatists are locked in combat over the planet's priceless supply of Bota, a plant with near-miraculous healing properties, and someone is siphoning the Republic's supply. As part of her trials before becoming a Jedi Knight, Barriss's mission is to find out who is responsible while maintaining the fiction that she is simply there as a healer.
Review: There is a lot going on in this novel and, at the same time, very little. My brief summary only scratches the surface and lays out the subplot most important to the larger Clone Wars narrative, but it doesn't have a whole lot to do with the action that takes up most of the book. I'm tempted to describe the novel as episodic, but the episodes aren't discrete. Just as Shatterpoint owes obvious inspiration to Apocalypse Now, this is openly inspired by M*A*S*H, and that probably has something to do with all the different subplots and shifting perspectives.
It's very well-written and the sizable cast is likable. Barriss almost feels like a minor character given how little impact she has on the overall narrative and her lack of perspective on it, even though she's the only major non-EU character. Also not a major character (but a welcome presence) is I-5, a favorite character from Reaves's Shadow Hunter. It was nice to see the wisecracking droid return, even though his role felt a bit unlikely and forced as a bridge to set up later appearances. Den Dhur, the cynical Sullustan journalist, is another solid recurring character (introduced for the first time here). I feel like I'm kind of avoiding getting to Jos Vondar because he's the least interesting of the main group. Maybe that's intentional, and maybe I'd feel more invested in him if it felt like he'd ever resurface in the larger narrative. In any case, while his perspective is probably a good choice for how much of the novel plays out, his main motivations and character arc are a bit tiresome.
Reaves and Perry do a pretty good job of world-building here, and a good job of creating and writing characters and their interactions. These are obvious strengths. I'm not sure which of them to blame the idiom issue on, but I suspect it's Perry . . . They get way too cute way too often with common earth metaphors and phrases nonsensically repurposed into Star-Wars-ese. It draws attention to itself and throws me out of the story almost every time because it feels like an inside joke to the audience. This isn't unique to these writers or these books, but it felt like they did it more than anyone else I've come across.
I also wish that the book had resolved a bit more by the end. It's a duology and there are going to be loose threads and things left for the next half, but it's almost like not only do the characters not figure out or accomplish anything related to the larger story, but little to nothing happens that makes this feel like a consequential story in its own right. I'm not sure how to explain, but it almost feels like you could skip this entire novel and just read the second half and not really have missed anything. I'm left feeling that this book is a good read, but also wondering what the point of it was.
B
March 17, 2018
"The truth was always known but always hidden: that the past was frozen, the future unformed, and that, for everyone, eternity was in each heartbeat."
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I've been reading and reading and reading Star Wars books lately and when this one came up as a Goodreads suggestion I was intrigued. Part M*A*S*H, part ER, and a whole lot of Star Wars. How could you go wrong? Indeed!
The line I opened this review with is just one of so many insightful passages in this book. I loved the reflective lines exploring love, human nature, and relationships peppered throughout. Along with being a tightly plotted story, there is much food for thought, as well.
Reaves and Perry have crafted a thoughtful, entertaining, well-paced, and heartfelt Star Wars story. The medical drama mixes well with battlefield action, political intrigue, romance, and humor. This story has a little bit of everything. Star Wars- Battle Surgeons is one of the best Star Wars books I've read. I highly recommend it.
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I've been reading and reading and reading Star Wars books lately and when this one came up as a Goodreads suggestion I was intrigued. Part M*A*S*H, part ER, and a whole lot of Star Wars. How could you go wrong? Indeed!
The line I opened this review with is just one of so many insightful passages in this book. I loved the reflective lines exploring love, human nature, and relationships peppered throughout. Along with being a tightly plotted story, there is much food for thought, as well.
Reaves and Perry have crafted a thoughtful, entertaining, well-paced, and heartfelt Star Wars story. The medical drama mixes well with battlefield action, political intrigue, romance, and humor. This story has a little bit of everything. Star Wars- Battle Surgeons is one of the best Star Wars books I've read. I highly recommend it.
February 9, 2009
See? It can be done. Fan fiction can be engaging and fun to read.
Reaves and Perry had the advantage of not dealing with main SW icons, but they assembled a fun cast and told their story...complete with a MASH-consistent anti-war moral.
If anything my criticism would be that the the tension was not raised and sustained. The story was dotted with small crises, but not a crescendo of tension.
Maybe a 3.5.
Reaves and Perry had the advantage of not dealing with main SW icons, but they assembled a fun cast and told their story...complete with a MASH-consistent anti-war moral.
If anything my criticism would be that the the tension was not raised and sustained. The story was dotted with small crises, but not a crescendo of tension.
Maybe a 3.5.
January 23, 2021
M*A*S*H set in the Star Wars universe. A Jedi Padawan healer Barriss Offee and a group of surgeons stationed on the planet Drongar are trying to save as many lives as they can while a lot of other things is going on - a bota smuggling operation, the Black Sun involvement, Separatist spies, a couple of murders and one extremely nosy reporter. Not much action, still enjoyable. Deals with interesting questions like how clones are perceived by others or can droids be sentient.
“If I didn’t know better,” Jos said, “I’d say that he was upset.”
“And how is it that you know better? Wouldn’t you feel upset if it had been your brother?”
She half expected him to answer with a wisecrack—his standard response under circumstances like these. He didn’t, however. Instead, he frowned. “He’s a clone, Barriss. Those sorts of feelings are bred out of them.”
“Who told you that? True, they are standardized, trained, and toughened, but they are not mindless automata. They’re made from the same kind of flesh and mind as are you and I, Jos. They bleed when cut, they live and die, and they grieve at the loss of a brother. CT-Nine-one-four is in emotional pain. He covers it well enough, but such things can’t be hidden from the Force.”
Jos looked as if she had just slapped his face. “But—but—”
“The clones are bred for combat, Jos. It’s what they were designed to do, and they accept it without question. Were it not for war, they would not exist. A hard life as a soldier is better than no life at all. But even without the Force, you felt it,” she said, her voice gentle. “Stoic as he tried to be, it came out. Nine-one-four grieves. He suffers the loss of his comrade. His brother.”
Jos stood speechless. She felt emotion radiating from him as she had from CT-914.
“It never occurred to you before, did it?”
“I—it—of course, I …” He ran down. No. It hadn’t occurred to him, not like this. She could see that.
How blind those who did not know the Force were. How sad for them.
“Surgeons are notorious for their lack of bedside manners,” she said. “They tend to view and treat injuries without worrying about the whole patient, even with ‘real’ people. Most beings consider clones nothing more than blaster fodder—why should you be any different?”
“If I didn’t know better,” Jos said, “I’d say that he was upset.”
“And how is it that you know better? Wouldn’t you feel upset if it had been your brother?”
She half expected him to answer with a wisecrack—his standard response under circumstances like these. He didn’t, however. Instead, he frowned. “He’s a clone, Barriss. Those sorts of feelings are bred out of them.”
“Who told you that? True, they are standardized, trained, and toughened, but they are not mindless automata. They’re made from the same kind of flesh and mind as are you and I, Jos. They bleed when cut, they live and die, and they grieve at the loss of a brother. CT-Nine-one-four is in emotional pain. He covers it well enough, but such things can’t be hidden from the Force.”
Jos looked as if she had just slapped his face. “But—but—”
“The clones are bred for combat, Jos. It’s what they were designed to do, and they accept it without question. Were it not for war, they would not exist. A hard life as a soldier is better than no life at all. But even without the Force, you felt it,” she said, her voice gentle. “Stoic as he tried to be, it came out. Nine-one-four grieves. He suffers the loss of his comrade. His brother.”
Jos stood speechless. She felt emotion radiating from him as she had from CT-914.
“It never occurred to you before, did it?”
“I—it—of course, I …” He ran down. No. It hadn’t occurred to him, not like this. She could see that.
How blind those who did not know the Force were. How sad for them.
“Surgeons are notorious for their lack of bedside manners,” she said. “They tend to view and treat injuries without worrying about the whole patient, even with ‘real’ people. Most beings consider clones nothing more than blaster fodder—why should you be any different?”
March 26, 2025
I'd say the authors did a fine job of expressing the chaos of war, especially within the medical units. Although the clones are disposable, the medics do what they can to prolong and heal the injured.
This book starts off pretty gross with some surgical gore. The clones have a tough, dangerous job fighting on the front lines of a galactic war. Spare body parts/organs are grown from cells, so when a clone is in need of say, a spare lung, the surgical team may have one in a cooling tank.
The cast of characters is great, I enjoyed the bits with the villain of the story, Bleyd (silly name). He gets cocky, which leads to stupid decisions. I also enjoyed Barris Offee's role in the story. Some in the galaxy really have a distaste for the Jedi and the force.
The little link to some other EU tales with the arrive of I-5, Lorn Pavan's droid, Lorn was from the EU book I really enjoyed, Maul Shadow Hunter, which was also written by Michael Reeves. There were few sexual things that are unnecessary, I'm guessing that's Steve Perry's doing. A lady is trying to seduce Jos, but he want's to reserve himself.
While I thought the story was decent, it is much slower than I'd prefer. I'm not the biggest fan of the Clone Wars era (which I've said multiple times on the channel). Sometimes slower stories that focus on characters is much more enjoyable than constant - flashy action.
I will give Star Wars: Medstar I: Battle Surgeons, a B.
This book starts off pretty gross with some surgical gore. The clones have a tough, dangerous job fighting on the front lines of a galactic war. Spare body parts/organs are grown from cells, so when a clone is in need of say, a spare lung, the surgical team may have one in a cooling tank.
The cast of characters is great, I enjoyed the bits with the villain of the story, Bleyd (silly name). He gets cocky, which leads to stupid decisions. I also enjoyed Barris Offee's role in the story. Some in the galaxy really have a distaste for the Jedi and the force.
The little link to some other EU tales with the arrive of I-5, Lorn Pavan's droid, Lorn was from the EU book I really enjoyed, Maul Shadow Hunter, which was also written by Michael Reeves. There were few sexual things that are unnecessary, I'm guessing that's Steve Perry's doing. A lady is trying to seduce Jos, but he want's to reserve himself.
While I thought the story was decent, it is much slower than I'd prefer. I'm not the biggest fan of the Clone Wars era (which I've said multiple times on the channel). Sometimes slower stories that focus on characters is much more enjoyable than constant - flashy action.
I will give Star Wars: Medstar I: Battle Surgeons, a B.
April 18, 2022
I'm not sure I get this book. There's not really a plot, things just happen and the climax is a scenario that could've happened at anytime and is in no way tied into the characters. Problems just get solved before they become problems, everyone hates a character for killing his enemies in war, and a mustache twirling villain. I say villain but he's just a guy who exists, has his own neat side plot that barely interacts with the others.
The worst thing is that the author creates a new faction, the Silent. This faction is never mentioned in any other clone wars book, and it's just a lazy excuse to be able to have characters get around in disguise.
Speaking of characters it's just the usual boring stereotypes of; Padawan who is harsh on herself, surgeon who cracks wise to hide his inner introspection, guy who likes art, cynical reporter with a heart of gold, greedy Hutt, snarky robot, and girl who's just a love interest for the male lead
Overall it's got entertaining moments and some slightly interesting moral questions, but really no actual substance. It feels like a meandering tv show that was cancelled, forcing the creators to rush out an ending. At least it was short .
The worst thing is that the author creates a new faction, the Silent. This faction is never mentioned in any other clone wars book, and it's just a lazy excuse to be able to have characters get around in disguise.
Speaking of characters it's just the usual boring stereotypes of; Padawan who is harsh on herself, surgeon who cracks wise to hide his inner introspection, guy who likes art, cynical reporter with a heart of gold, greedy Hutt, snarky robot, and girl who's just a love interest for the male lead
Overall it's got entertaining moments and some slightly interesting moral questions, but really no actual substance. It feels like a meandering tv show that was cancelled, forcing the creators to rush out an ending. At least it was short .
July 17, 2024
This was a fun Star Wars EU adventure. Solid on a conceptual level, bringing in a unique perspective on the Clone Wars conflict, filled with decently fun characters and a very Star Wars-y core theme of unconditional love & the need to do good in this world. Not everything works well, and I'm genuinely surprised that one of the villains in particular does not seem to carry on to book 2 when he really exemplified the outer and inner conflict here. Though there *is* one wildcard element in the story that might just put a bow on everything in the sequel, still.
Interestingly, Barriss Offee herself is only the third, maybe even fourth most relevant character in here; it's the journalist Den Dhur who really steals the show. Barriss' characterization is by and large generically Jedi, though I like the focus on her medical ability. Going off of its name, I'm expecting *Jedi Healer* to delve deeper into her point of view in particular, and for that alone I'm looking forward to it.
Interestingly, Barriss Offee herself is only the third, maybe even fourth most relevant character in here; it's the journalist Den Dhur who really steals the show. Barriss' characterization is by and large generically Jedi, though I like the focus on her medical ability. Going off of its name, I'm expecting *Jedi Healer* to delve deeper into her point of view in particular, and for that alone I'm looking forward to it.
March 15, 2021
It starts off in intriguing fashion, as it introduces characters and situations in the context of a Star Wars-meets-M*A*S*H* fusion -- certainly a different take on the Clone Wars. However, it became more and more of a struggle to finish the story, as I found the characters of Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee & surgeon Jos Vondar to be the only ones that held my attention consistently, from start to finish. The rests slowly fell off to the side, nowhere near as interesting. Thanks to Offee & Vondar, and the continued exploration that the Clone troopers are individual beings with feelings and souls, this just about reaches a 3 star rating.
February 14, 2022
"I really liked it!" - 4 out of 5 star rating.
This was a very enjoyable and unique entry within the Clone Wars era line of books, which is quite refreshing as so many have the same theme/rinse and repeat design going on.
No Dooku, no Palplatine, no Obi, no Ani, no Padme... wow! What is presented instead is new very well rounded characters that are the farthest thing from flat and boring, clone trooper fun, and a very enjoying unique medical focused experience (think combat medic point of view) for the reader.
This was quite the pleasure to read and I am actually pretty excited that there is a part 2 to this. Really looking forward to checking that ASAP.
If you want a break from core characters and are looking for something a little different within the Clone Wars era of Star Wars, this book is perfect.
This was a very enjoyable and unique entry within the Clone Wars era line of books, which is quite refreshing as so many have the same theme/rinse and repeat design going on.
No Dooku, no Palplatine, no Obi, no Ani, no Padme... wow! What is presented instead is new very well rounded characters that are the farthest thing from flat and boring, clone trooper fun, and a very enjoying unique medical focused experience (think combat medic point of view) for the reader.
This was quite the pleasure to read and I am actually pretty excited that there is a part 2 to this. Really looking forward to checking that ASAP.
If you want a break from core characters and are looking for something a little different within the Clone Wars era of Star Wars, this book is perfect.
May 1, 2020
I was drawn to this series because of the character Bariss. She is one of the first woman of color jedi and She inspired me every since I saw her in Attack of the Clones. In this Legends story Bariss is sent to a remote planet to work with a medical team and as a potential spy. I was really drawn to the medical aspects of the story and the cast of characters.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
March 8, 2021
This feels like a fan of MASH wrote a star wars book. I enjoyed it. And plan to read the second one.
October 4, 2024
I just couldn’t make myself care about the characters in this one.
December 28, 2025
didn't spark my interest too much.
September 2, 2021
Eine Star Wars-Geschichte, die hauptsächlich für Fans interessant ist. Für Einsteiger und Neugierige ist das Buch leider zu schwach, um zu überzeugen.
Mir gefiel es, dass die Autoren Fragen stellen, wie z.B. wie human die Klone sind oder ob auch Roboter ein Ich-Bewusstsein haben. Leider bleiben sie dabei sehr stark an der Oberfläche und vertiefen die Thematik kaum. Wer sich wirklich mit diesen Themen auseinandersetzen will, ist z.B. bei Karen Traviss besser aufgehoben.
Auch der eigentliche Plot ist nicht wirklich stark, er zieht zu wenig. Die Figuren sind sympathisch und das Autoren-Duo gibt sich alle Mühe, ihnen Leben einzuhauchen. Aber so wirklich klappt es leider dann doch nicht.
Aus diesen Gründen sage ich, dass das Buch eine gute und kurzweilige Lektüre ist, man aber nichts verpasst, wenn man es sein lässt.
Mir gefiel es, dass die Autoren Fragen stellen, wie z.B. wie human die Klone sind oder ob auch Roboter ein Ich-Bewusstsein haben. Leider bleiben sie dabei sehr stark an der Oberfläche und vertiefen die Thematik kaum. Wer sich wirklich mit diesen Themen auseinandersetzen will, ist z.B. bei Karen Traviss besser aufgehoben.
Auch der eigentliche Plot ist nicht wirklich stark, er zieht zu wenig. Die Figuren sind sympathisch und das Autoren-Duo gibt sich alle Mühe, ihnen Leben einzuhauchen. Aber so wirklich klappt es leider dann doch nicht.
Aus diesen Gründen sage ich, dass das Buch eine gute und kurzweilige Lektüre ist, man aber nichts verpasst, wenn man es sein lässt.
July 1, 2025
star wars meets house md
December 7, 2025
I fully enjoy Reaves’s storytelling in SW, especially the ways he builds his own recurring cast of dynamic and interesting characters. Battle Surgeons is no exception: a tightly paced and feverishly action-oriented look at a battlefield medical unit in a hellish backwater. It’s got lots of humor — seemingly inspired by MASH — some earned heart, and more thoughtful philosophy about war and prejudice and capitalism than we usually get in more moralistically-minded titles. It helps, too, that the only Jedi is a Padawan (Barriss Offee) still learning about the nature of a Jedi’s path. Jos is an unpleasant protagonist, obsessed with sexualizing any woman he comes across (this is surely part of Steve Perry’s contribution), but I do like it when SW goes mature with its themes, and while there isn’t overt sex here, it’s more than hinted, along with some truly graphic gore that had me cringing. Admiral Bleyd is a cool enough character, though most of his subplot feels unnecessary; similarly to Phow Ji, these tough guys just don’t have much of consequence to do. Filba the Hutt and Den Dhur have a bit more substance than the creepy and horny Tolk and the enigmatic Kaird. Personally, I also think the spy’s identity (not revealed in this novel) is rather obvious, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s weird that this was a planned duology, yet this ends by killing almost all its own antagonists (and poor sweet Zan); I like it a lot, though!
January 21, 2021
MASH Star Wars Style, an Incredible Book
This book can be accurately described as the Star Wars version of MASH. Filled with wonderful, heroic surgeons adjusting to the horrors of war, a young Jedi Padawan on a secret mission, the criminal organization of Black Sun dealing with greedy members, a reporter searching for stories and finding more than he bargained for and the return of the brilliantly sarcastic droid I-Q5Y. How they deal with life is as important as how they deal with death and lead surgeon Jos Vondar is our Hawkeye. This is the second book by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry and like the first, I read, Death Star, I absolutely loved it. I found it hard to put down, the characters were vividly real, whether likeable or unlikable, they leave an impression. A thrilling, heartbreaking, thought provoking read. Do note that this is part of a series: Darth Maul Shadow Hunter is first, this book, then Jedi Healer and the Coruscant nights books. I'm looking forward to reading them all.
This book can be accurately described as the Star Wars version of MASH. Filled with wonderful, heroic surgeons adjusting to the horrors of war, a young Jedi Padawan on a secret mission, the criminal organization of Black Sun dealing with greedy members, a reporter searching for stories and finding more than he bargained for and the return of the brilliantly sarcastic droid I-Q5Y. How they deal with life is as important as how they deal with death and lead surgeon Jos Vondar is our Hawkeye. This is the second book by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry and like the first, I read, Death Star, I absolutely loved it. I found it hard to put down, the characters were vividly real, whether likeable or unlikable, they leave an impression. A thrilling, heartbreaking, thought provoking read. Do note that this is part of a series: Darth Maul Shadow Hunter is first, this book, then Jedi Healer and the Coruscant nights books. I'm looking forward to reading them all.
November 21, 2013
A novel that in the EU that takes place during the Clone Wars. Other reviews stated this was M*A*S*H in a Star Wars setting and they hit the nail on the head. For those who don't know M*A*S*H, this is about a group of people in a clinical setting that help the injured during a war campaign. This novel is not your typical Star Wars book. There are no lightsaber duels or battleship fights in outer space. This book deals with the side of war not seen and it also brings up moral questions. I enjoyed this book and I would recommend anyone to read it.
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