Karen Traviss was noted during her time as a Star Wars author for her fascination with the Mandalorian culture along with her disdain for the Jedi. These traits fueled several exceptional stories in the Republic Commando novels but also started to become a bit of a distraction over time, especially as her stories became increasingly drenched in Mandalorian worship. It's an interesting choice to have her author a short story (originally an e-book) for the New Jedi Order, as beyond a nod in the final volume, Mandalorians are conspicuously absent. This story is very much like her full length Star Wars novels: Mandalorian focused, chapters starting with intriguing italicized quotes from various in-universe sources, and a very cinematic way of staging scenes and cutting between them.