Looks like 501st will be the last Star Wars book from Karen Traviss after all: Apparently there have been some rumors about this flying around (news to me, but then, I haven’t been looking) and she has confirmed that the second Imperial Commando book is a no-go. The particulars and details – from Traviss’ perspective, anyway – are at the link. (via)
The book was tentatively scheduled for a November 2010 release, and appeared on Sue Rostoni’s schedule post in August, posted only days after Traviss announced she was leaving the franchise.
UPDATE: And Sue Rostoni says:
Karen’s blog was the first time I had heard that she was not going to write the second Imperial Commando book.
I don’t know if we will hire another author to finish the series. It’s rather up in the air at the moment.
Wow… UPDATE 2: Sue goes on to say, “This is really not an issue because Random House hires the Star Wars authors, not LFL,” so not quite as shocking as it first seemed. Still odd.
UPDATE 3: Traviss has a followup blog entry.
I feel bad for all of her fans, but I never agreed with her take on the GFFA, anyway.
I’m curious what they’ll do with that slot, though.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Her writing style wasn’t everyone’s favorite, but it was mine. The depth she goes in developing characters is wonderful. I’m very sad to see her leave before IC2 was made.
Wow. ::shakes head::
It takes a lot to make me speechless, but somehow Mandos always manage.
I’m disappointed. Not in Karen’s decision, but in the LucasFilm/LucasArts camp. They decided to change everything (including BTW the background that makes Jango) and change it up to fit someone’s ideas. If Mandalore was so pacifist, then how the *@#! did they get Jango and why would they have wanted him to be the basis for the clones? I’m just sorry we’ll never know what happens with Niner, Dar, and the rest now. :-(
I’m sad.. :(
I think all the RC fans are in actual physical pain over this. We all so looked forward to the series continuing, and IC 501st ends with you needing the next book to finish the story.
At least Order 66 had an open enough ending that you could use your imagination to connect how things ended up the way the did in LotF. Or have another author continue the story with their interpretation. It would be awfully hard for someone else to finish her story without detailed notes of what was supposed to happen.
Which hurts. I love the series, and I want to see it finished, even if now we have to hand it over to someone else. And while we’re groveling, let’s find out what happened to Sev, and could someone also please pick up the Boba Fett book?
@ Rachelle: Why does an entire civilization have to be warlike if it’s just about one guy? To me that’s a very strange notion. A little as if you are excused to commit the worst crimes possible just because your society thinks they’re okay. Not the case. In the end it comes down to you and to your decisions. Jango was a murderous jackass, which is why the Sith selected him. And I really prefer a universe where he’s alone in his killing ways to one where there’s an entire civilization of murderous jackasses. Which is exactly what Traviss turned the Mandalorians into.
Dooku/Sidious chose Jango because he was a well-trained killer with no morals which made him the perfect template for a future immoral army. And that’s the story. No reason to write a dozen books about it.
Yeah: I never got the fascination with those damn clones or their Mando friends. So to the whole Traviss situation I can only say: Good riddance.
Here here Aaron!
I feel bad for her. It would suck to be replaced by CGI troopers. But at the same time I really don’t care. Her military focus always seemed quite dull, especially since there are some very interesting things happening in the SW universe.
I’m glad that she isn’t leaving because of Mara, that would be unfortunate.
i cant believe there isn’t going to be a sequel! order 66 was one of the few books to make me acutely sad and 501st was one twist after another. this series is definitely my favorite and i hope she will consider.
Ok. this is probably going to sound controversial but here goes. Karen traviss’ work on republic/ imperial commando was a mazing, with great characters, fantastic storylines and was the most engaging book ive read in a long while. The mandalorians and clones are the most important bit and quite frankly a lot more interesting than preachy jedi. I am shocked a t the news there will be no IC2 and am gutted well never find out what happens to Omega Delta and the Mandos.
Though most of us here lean in a different direction from you, pretty much ANY opinion on Traviss is controversial.
It’s honestly just tiring at this point.
Disgusting!
Ive been waiting so long for this series to continue – it has been to the Prequels what the Rogue Squadron series was to the Originals….
Non-Jedi centric bad-asses in serious trouble overcoming the odds the old fashioned way, what ever it takes!
Karen, you’ll be missed.
I thought it was a great series of novels and was hoping for more. I thought it also addressed an idea which the movies and The Clone Wars animated series did not really address: which was obviously the morality in a republic and it’s defenders going along with the creation and exploitation of people to fight a war which they essentially had no stake and no future in after it was over. Good science-fiction is partially about addressing issues and Karen Travis did this very well in her Clone Trooper noverls.
I’m So depressed… this was DEFINITELY my favorite star wars series by far! Karen made me feel like I was a part of the Skirata clan, and now a part of me is missing…. I wish I’d looked this up sooner so that I could confront the pain…. :'( I’ll miss you guys!