Karen Traviss is a science fiction author and full-time novelist from Wiltshire, England. Originally from the Portsmouth area, Traviss worked as both a journalist and defence correspondent before turning her attention to writing fiction. She also served in both the Territorial Army and the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service. Traviss is a graduate of the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy workshop. Her first published novel, City of Pearl (2004) centered around the clash of several distinct alien civilizations, several hundred years in the future. She has since written five sequels to City of Pearl: Crossing the Line (2004), The World Before (2005), Matriarch (2006), Ally (2007), and Judge (2008).
In addition to creating her own fictional setting for City of Pearl, Traviss has written numerous novels using existing intellectual property...particularly in the Star Wars universe. Three of those Star Wars novels have been bestsellers: Hard Contact (2004), Triple Zero (2006) and Bloodlines. Hard Contact and Triple Zero begin the Republic Commando Series, which Traviss continued to write (True Colors is the third volume and Order 66 (2008) is the fourth). Her newest addition to the series, 501st, was released in October of 2009. In addition to the Republic Commando Series, Traviss was one of three authors retained by Lucasfilm and Del Rey to pen a nine novel series called Legacy of the Force (the other two authors were Aaron Allston and Troy Denning). Her three contributions to the series are: Bloodlines (2006), Sacrifice (2007) and Revelation (2008). Thematically, her work within the Star Wars universe has frequently centered on Mandalorians and their culture. In particular, her Republic Commando novels have explored themes of identity with regards to clone troopers, their Mandalorian heritage, and their interaction with Jedi leadership. Unfortunately, in (2009), much of Traviss' works in reference to the Mandalorians and their heritage was retconned in a series called The Clone Wars. The exact reason for the change in continuity remains unknown to this date, but it prompted the author to cancel a further three novels which were planned to release in late (2009), and early to mid (2010). Some speculation as to the change has been offered, with many sources pointing to a rant by the author on her personal blog where she compared Star Wars fans to terrorists, coining the term "Talifan", a direct take off of Taliban. Shortly after this statement, Traviss went on to deny ever making it, and further deleted the entire contents of her Star Wars.com blog. The controversy dealing with her statements and sudden withdrawal from the community has left many former Star Wars fans to boycott all works produced solely or collaborated with on her part.
In addition to Star Wars novels, Traviss also wrote a Gears of War prequel novel, Aspho Fields which was released on October 28, 2008. She was inspired to do so after watching a trailer for the game. She also wrote a sequel, Gears of War: Jacinto's Remnant, which was released on July 28, 2009. On April 13th, 2010 it was made official that Traviss had been signed as the lead writer for Epic Games' upcoming sequel, Gears of War 3.
On July 21, 2010, Traviss announced on her blog that she had signed a multi-book deal to write novels set in the Halo universe. The first book will be set after the events of Ghosts of Onyx, though it will not be a continuation of that story line. Explaining why she had agreed to write in the Halo universe, Traviss said that "there's an awkward and upsetting moral dilemma at the heart of the story, and if there's something I can't resist more than money, it's exploring moral dilemmas."
City of Pearl (March 2004) Book 1 of The Wess'har Wars
Crossing the Line (September 2004) Book 2 of The Wess'har Wars
The World Before (October 2005) Book 3 of The Wess'har Wars
Matriarch (October 2006) Book 4 of The Wess'har Wars
Ally (March 2007) Book 5 of The Wess'har Wars
Judge (March 2008) Book 6 of The Wess'har Wars
Star Wars novels
Republic Commando
Hard Contact (November 2004) Book 1 of the Republic Commando series
Triple Zero (February 2006) Book 2 of the Republic Commando series
True Colors (October 2007) Book 3 of the Republic Commando series
Order 66 (September 2008) Book 4 of the Republic Commando series
501st (October 2009) Book 5 of the Republic Commando series
The Clone Wars
The Clone Wars (July 2008) (Novelization of The Clone Wars film.)
No Prisoners (May 2009)
Legacy of the Force
Bloodlines (August 2006) Book 2 of Legacy of the Force (follows Betrayal; followed by Tempest)
Sacrifice (May 2007) Book 5 of Legacy of the Force (follows Exile; followed by Inferno)
Revelation (February 2008) Book 8 of Legacy of the Force (follows Fury; followed by Invincible)
Gears of War series
Aspho Fields (October 2008) Book 1 of the Gears of War novel series.
Jacinto's Remnant (July 2009) Book 2 of the Gears of War novel series.
Anvil Gate (September 2010) Book 3 of the Gears of War novel series.
Coalition's End (March 2011) Book 4 of the Gears of War novel series.
Gears of War 3 (Autumn 2011)
Halo novels
Untitled Ghosts of Onyx Sequel (TBA 2010)
Star Wars short stories
Targets, in Star Wars Insider 81 (Reprinted in Triple Zero)
In His Image, in The Ultimate Guide (reprinted in paperback edition of Legacy of the Force - Betrayal)
A Two-Edged Sword, sequel to In His Image, in Star Wars Insider 85 (reprinted in paperback edition of Legacy of the Force - Betrayal)
Odds in Star Wars Insider 87 (Reprinted in True Colors)
A Practical Man e-novella (2006) (Reprinted in paperback edition of Legacy of the Force - Sacrifice)
Other short stories
Strings, in Realms of Fantasy July 2002
A Slice at a Time, in Asimov's Science Fiction July 2002
Suitable for the Orient, in Asimov's Science Fiction February 2003
Return Stores, in Realms of Fantasy February 2003
The Man Who Did Nothing, in Realms of Fantasy June 2003
Does He Take Blood?, in Realms of Fantasy August 2003
Human Weakness, in Halo: Evolutions: Essential Tales of the Halo Universe (Tor Books, November 2009)
Essays
I Gotta Get Me One of Those, in the essay anthology, Navigating the Golden Compass: Religion, Science & Daemonology in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials (Smart Pop Series, BenBella Books, August 2005)
Driving GFFA 1: or How Star Wars Loosened My Corsets, in Star Wars on Trial : Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Debate the Most Popular Science Fiction Films of All Time (ed. David Brin, 2006).
Features
Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic in Star Wars Insider 84 (with co-author Ryan Kaufman)
The Mandalorians: People and Culture in Star Wars Insider 86
Sprinting the Marathon in Emerald City. Karen explains why she writes spin-off fiction.