Heard: "No Prisoners" by Karen Traviss

Heard: No Prisoners by Karen Traviss, 2011, Overdrive download.

A Star Wars novel set during the Clone War.

Anakin Skywalker is married to Padme. Anakin sends his padawan Ahsoka to work with Rex the Clone Trooper. Rex and some new troops are voyaging on recently commissioned starship that is taking it's initial shakedown cruise to test and evaluate the systems and crew.

Meanwhile, Republic spy Hallena is undercover on a planet run by a despot. Hallena is infiltrating a group trying to overthrow the Republic aligned government and the rebels are turning to the Trade Federation for help.

When Hallena is captured she sends a distress signal. The only nearby ship is the new one carrying Ahsoka and Rex. The ship is captained by Pellaeon who just happens to be secretly romancing Hallena. The head to rescue. Off planet they meet-up with another ship, the Wookie Gunner, which houses a small Jedi sect, the Altisians, who broke off from the Jedi several years ago.

Rex, and Ahsoka team up with the Altisians to rescue Hallena.  Things happen. Shootouts, crashes, dead Troopers, grief and mourning, light sabers, self-evaluation, Jedi philosophy, battles on the planet, battles in space, malfunctioning equipment.

Comments:
1. These Star Wards novels almost always have a homogeneous planet. Most beings on the planet speak the same language, wear the same clothes, eat the same food. Each planet is a stand-in for a single city.
2. This is a sci-fi novel so it has philosophical lecturing. The Altisians think Jedi can marry and have families without those relationships causing trouble. The Troopers are raised to be soldiers and nothing else. A couple of Rex's new troopers die after only a handful of days as soldiers.
3. Short for a sci-fi novel.
4. I really enjoy the sound effects and background noise used in these Star Wars audios.