The final excerpt from Heaven’s Devils is up on StarCraft II’s official website, and it can be considered arguably the best excerpt of them all. It’s a bit saddening to see the free chapters halt at this point, but it’s understandable considering that William C. Dietz probably doesn’t want to give away too much for free.
In past chapters, we’ve had a good bit action, some great character development, and tons of rich storytelling. This chapter doesn’t focus on hard-boiled action, nor does it emphasize character development (because at this point we all know Jim Raynor quite well). Instead, this chapter focuses on a mission that Jim Raynor has set out to accomplish.
We look into the mind of Raynor and almost hear what he is thinking. He’s nervous, he’s determined, and he’s ready. Throughout the chapter, Raynor’s memories of his parents and things his father has told him ring in his head, and those things make him both question what he is doing and drive him to continue all that the same time.
Chapter 22 is gripping because it makes you feel some level of nervousness for Raynor. The mission he sets out on can either result in victory for him and his crew, or it can result in Raynor’s death. And while reading this excerpt, you can’t help but cheer him on while simultaneously fearing for his failure.
I won’t spoil anything here, but suffice it to say that the ending of chapter 22 makes for some tooth-grinding, fist-clenching reactions, and one can’t help but hope that all goes well for Raynor. This is indeed the final Heaven’s Devils excerpt, and I couldn’t think of a better way for Dietz to whet our appetites and make us want to check out the full novel more than with this finale.
