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Starcraft II: Heaven’s Devils Review
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326 pages long and first printed by Gallery Books in April 2010, “Heaven’s Devils”, written by the talented William C. Dietz, is nothing short of an outstanding book. It details the entry of farmer James Raynor into the Terran Confederacy’s Marine Corps, and the beginning of his career as one of the most famous Terrans in history. Not but so attached to farm life and eager to do his part for family and country, James Raynor enlists in the CMC after a visit by a Marine Gunnery Sergeant, who arrives in the already-famous Goliath. He goes out to boot camp an idealist, and remains one even after he starts learning, more and more, that things are not how the Confederate propaganda machine makes them out to be and just how horribly corrupt the Terran Confederacy is. The book switches between characters and introduces many besides Raynor, however. Among the most prominent are Hank Harnack, pyromaniac and enemy-turned-friend to Raynor, Ryk Kydd, a rich Old Family boy who is kidnapped and enlisted into the CMC under a false name, and Tychus Findlay, with all his wits and might. Mostly might. But Tychus, though far from the naive idealist Raynor is at first, soon comes to respect and even like Raynor. Though certainly rough around the edges and not a man likely to ever indulge in the writing of poetry, Tychus holds many of the same beliefs Raynor does. He is courageous under fire, a loyal friend, and not at all a fan of the corrupt Confederate military and government. At one time, while serving a prison sentence for stealing and selling military equipment, Tychus arranges the death of a vastly unpopular lieutenant. He later assists in the demise of the monstrously corrupt Colonel Vanderspool, a callous and self-serving man who regards men such as Tychus and Raynor, who actually believe in, you know, doing the right thing more often than not, as disposable tools.
The neural resocialization process is discovered for the first time by Raynor, having been a mystery to even the more experienced Tychus, when he goes to a Kel-Morian base undercover in a prelude to the heroic raid that gave the 321st Colonial Rangers Battalion its name. The fat base commander, upon capturing Raynor, tells him of the resocializing the Confederacy forces on unrepentant criminals. He says little more than the name, and mentions his disgust that the Confederacy would do something so cruel. The raid commences, and Raynor is soon rescued, the prison camp evacuated, and the Kel-Morian counterattack crushed. The raid is a resounding success, and for a brief moment the newly-christened “Heaven’s Devils” are hailed as the heroes they are. But the war goes on, and rather than be decorated as they should be, the 321st are slated to be resocialized. During a massive push to drive the Kel-Morians from a war-torn city, Tychus, Raynor, and the rest of the unit discover just what resocs are. They are bland, near-mindless drones. Men who will follow orders no matter what, who will throw their lives away pointlessly simply because they were told to. I find this very disturbing- even the Waffen-SS were not so irretrievably damaged as that. Even the SS still had a choice, still thought independently. But these resocs? One says, “Our orders are always right.” and he means it. Confederate leaders, who can still think on their own, order these men into suicidal attacks over and over, carelessly allowing them to die at the hands of the Kel-Morian Combine. By the battle’s end, more than a few of Raynor’s friends have fallen, and he decides enough is enough. Cornering Colonel Vanderspool, the remaining Heaven’s Devils give him what he by now thoroughly deserves and go AWOL, ending their career as Confederate Marines.
Anyone who has played StarCraft will know beyond a doubt that the Terran Confederacy is a deeply corrupt, perhaps even evil nation that richly deserved the total destruction it suffered in the end. This book shows that evil in only slight detail, but enough that I was quite in agreement with the 321st when they deserted. A nation whose leaders throw away lives, murder that carelessly, are not at all worth serving. What’s sad is that their lies and carelessness cost many good people, armed and unarmed on both sides of the conflict, their homes, property, and lives. Good people get everything taken from them because of a few greedy, cold-hearted men like Colonel Vanderspool. The book does not depict any end to this, or to Raynor’s fight for justice. In fact, as of StarCraft II, it is still going on. But it does depict the end of the beginning.
This is an outstanding book, and a must-have for fans of the StarCraft games. I eagerly await the next StarCraft book written by this superb author.
Starcraft II: Heaven’s Devils Feature
- ISBN13: 9781416550846
- Condition: New
- Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Starcraft II: Heaven’s Devils Overview
For the poor, hardworking citizens of the Confederacy’s fringe worlds, the Guild Wars have exacted a huge toll. Swayed by the promise of financial rewards, a new batch of recruits joins the fight alongside a slew of mysteriously docile criminals — and a few dubious military leaders. Eighteen-year-old Jim Raynor, full of testosterone and eager to make things right at home, ships off to boot camp and finds his footing on the battlefield, but he soon discovers that the official mission is not what he’s really fighting for.
For the first time ever, StarCraft enthusiasts will learn the origins of the enduring friendship between the young upstart Jim Raynor and the streetwise soldier Tychus Findlay. Watch as they battle on the front lines of a fierce interplanetary war and bear witness to the Confederacy’s rank corruption — corruption so reprehensible that it rains immeasurable death and destruction upon the government’s own people.
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