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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Star Wars MASH Unit, August 19, 2004
"Battle Surgeons" is the first book in the Medstar duology. The action takes place two years after "Attack of the Clones." As can be guessed from the title of both the book and the duology, "Battle Surgeons" gives readers the first true look at a side of the Galaxy that has never been seen before. These battle surgeons are the ones who clean up the messes of all the wars and battles and try to save lives in the midst of a war. Think of it as the Star Wars version of M.A.S.H. and you will have a sense of exactly what "Battle Surgeons" is.
This story takes place on, and around, the planet Drongar. There is some backstory presented that there is a rare plant which can be used as something of a miracle drug for a variety of species throughout the galaxy and the Clone Wars have come to Drongar for the control of this plant/drug. This is the background, but it isn't terribly important because the story is really about the M.A.S.H. unit. The heart of "Battle Surgeons" lies in the interaction between the various surgeons: Jos Vondar, Zan Yant, Tolk le Trene, and the Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee sent to investigate the situation on Drongar. There is, of course, the love interest between Jos and Tolk, which is complicated by their cultural restrictions. But, added to the mix is also the protocol droid I-Five. Readers may remember I-Five from "Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter", which was also written by Michael Reaves. I-Five is a droid which has more human emotional characteristics than most droids, more so than some humans would think possible for a droid. He is also a much more interesting character (on the page) than C-3PO (not in this book). For example, we see I-Five gambling with the other surgeons, holding his own in both the game as well as in the give and take of conversation.
There is a main plot thread about smuggling the rare plant from Drongar, but what makes this story shine is the interactions within the M.A.S.H. unit (if I were more familiar with the show I would be able to extend the analogy to the characters). This is a much funnier book than many of the other Star Wars novels, and while they all use humor, the humor in "Battle Surgeons" felt appropriate and fitting for who the characters are and the situation they are dealing with. Then again, I was prepped for this novel by periodically watching M.A.S.H. reruns over the years. "Battle Surgeons" is an entertaining look into an overlooked part of the Star Wars universe, and one which also sets up the continuing story in "Medstar II: Healer". This volume was good enough that I am looking to read the second volume over many of the other Star Wars novels that have been published.
-Joe Sherry
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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A look beyond the Jedi point of view, June 25, 2004
For those expecting an action-adventure piece like the prior works of Michael Reaves (DARTH MAUL: SHADOW HUNTER) and Steve Perry (SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE), you're in for a surprise. I'm not sure how to describe its style; I'd say it's about three-quarters E.R., and one-quarter Aaron Allston's X-WING. There's not much action onscreen; instead, we mostly see characters dealing with its consequences. However, like both of their earlier books, we're treated to a cast of "normal" citizens of the universe, as opposed to hordes of Jedi. This gives us a perspective rarely seen, and (especially since the Clone Wars novels are supposed to deal more with perspectives and people than overall plot) is a welcome insight into the effects of the war glossed over by other media. More than a mere thousand Jedi and a million clones are involved in this conflict, both directly and not. The book does suffer from some minor continuity glitches; there were also references to things from the movies that the POV characters shouldn't have been aware of, even though the reader is. But in its favor, there were also some other unexpected nods to the Expanded Universe. Unlike almost every other multipart story, BATTLE SURGEONS accomplishes something unusual: it feels complete. There's really only one thread introduced during the novel that's left to be resolved in JEDI HEALER, but even that has a partial resolution which would be satisfactory without the forthcoming sequel. Overall, a highly recommended read for fans of character-based pieces or seeing beyond a certain point of view.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
New spin on the Star Wars universe, July 5, 2004
The Clone Wars have given the Star Wars universe new life. The Cestus Deception helped to transform the clones from drones to actual people, while Star Wars: Medstar 1: Battle Surgeons Medstar 1 by MICHAEL REAVES, STEVE PERRY, looks at the consequences of battle. Impressions received from other expanded universe books as well as from the movies hint that all medical treatment is given by droids, but Reaves and Perry prove that that is not the case here. Surgeons are the main characters in this book. Even the Jedi Barriss Offee, last seen in Foster's The Approaching Storm does much more healing than fighting. Life is not just compartmentalized and the idea that clones are real people is also pushed. Things are difficult and patients are lost all the time for the weary doctors drafted into a war about economics. Also interesting was the return of I-Five a droid from Reaves Shadow Hunter whose fate was left up for grabs in the previous book. Overall an interesting if not particularly complex read, Battle Surgeons is a welcome addition to the expanded universe.
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![Star Wars Books in Publication Order [November 1976-July 1998]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HzhOTNP-L._AA60_.jpg)
