Republic Commando Series/YMMV


 * Alternate Character Interpretation: The very controversial one of the Jedi Order. Basically, the Jedi Knights have severed themselves from their families and made use of a slave army in order to protect a Republic that's obviously not worth protecting. As a result, they're individuals who deserve nothing but scorn and derision.
 * Amusingly, fans have a similiar view of the Mandalorians, treating them as essentially psychotic killers under the control of a Villain Protagonist.
 * ... which is a perfectly valid interpretation. Much as the attitudes of the Mandalorian POV characters might obscure it, Traviss shows them doing plenty of nasty things.
 * Skirata reflects on this in Order 66 and calls his motley crew his "syndicate." He thinks what they are doing is completely justified because they are saving millions of lives. He may be right, he may be wrong.
 * That is the entire point of the Republic Commando series. These are not Jedi seen through the eyes of Jedi, or Jedi seen through the eyes of normal civilians and the like; these are Jedi seen through the eyes of the MANDOLORIANS. Traviss' books are a viewpoint of how the Mandalorians see the Jedi Order, and those raised by Mandalorians.
 * Which was fine when Traviss was writing from Mandalorian and Mandalorian-trained Clone Troopers perspectives, except quite often she was guilty of having non-Mandalorian characters agree with or hold perspectives they absolutely shouldn't. Etain and Bardan were practically written so Traviss would have Jedi who agree with her incorrect assertions regarding the Order and its practices. In the twenty-plus thousand years the Jedi Order has been in existence it has always required parental permission to take children for Jedi training, and yet Etain, a trained Jedi, breaks down in the belief the Order will steal her child from her.
 * Broken Base: Oh so very much.Caused mainly by Traviss' alternate character interpretations of the Jedi and Mandalorians.
 * Complete Monster: The Kaminoans.
 * Crowning Music of Awesome: the sounds of LAAT/i gunships to the commandos. There's a sound clip here (from 5:19) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBivZBxAF0Q
 * The Mandalorian marching song Vode An
 * Drinking Game
 * Every time someone says shab take a sip
 * Every time Skirata calls someone son take a sip
 * Every time Ordo is Badass take a sip
 * You'll be dead less than halfway through Triple Zero
 * Every time Skirata is overemotional take a sip
 * You'll be buzzed after the first chapter of any book after Hard Contact.
 * Every time a couple is together and they're supposed to be madly in love but hardly act like it take a sip
 * Only a sip because there are plenty of these moments
 * When Niner starts to sound/act like Skirata, drink the bottle
 * When Skirata cries drink the bottle
 * When Vau has a Pet the Dog moment drink the entire case
 * When the Jedi are on the receiving end of unbalanced criticism... never mind, no one has that much booze.
 * Evil Is Sexy: Mentioned with the Falleen.
 * Fan Hater: Traviss is a notorious one of these towards the Jedi.
 * Marty Stu: Skirata. He is a father to his men and all of them love him. He is their patriarchal role model and he can do no wrong. He will do anything and everything to ensure his boys get the life that was taken away from them.
 * That said, Skirata does make some rather egregious errors of judgement, including the aforementioned . He is also a psychological mess; it is pointed out by several Jedi that Skirata is practically swimming in rage, guilt, and self-loathing.
 * Magnificent Bastard: Skirata acknowledges Palpatine to be one.
 * Squick: The clones are only 10-13 years old in the books. No matter how many times the book stresses they are men and mentally and physically twice their age, there is no changing the fact that the clones have only been in the galaxy for 10-13 standard years.
 * So what does that make their lovers?
 * Just try not to think about it too hard.
 * Unfortunate Implications: Lampshaded as a Take That to the rest of the Star Wars universe. The fandom was not pleased.
 * Also, neither were the other EU authors, since they weren't too concerned with Traviss not being included in writing the Fateofthe Jedi series and the subtle Take That moments against Mandalorians in said series.
 * Subtle?
 * The Woobie: Etain pulls this off surprisingly well. Actually, all of the clone troopers pull this off to some degree, especially Atin, who blames himself for his squads' death. He's the only survivor of his squad TWICE.