Starfist: Wings of Hell

by Dan Cragg and David Sherman

Book Overview

Planet Haulover has been invaded by Skinks. Until now, the aliens' existence has been hushed up. But Force Recon's shocking report leaves the Confederation no choice but to mount a military campaign against these alien predators bent on human destruction. Meanwhile, back home, the Confederation's president is being denounced as a warmonger out to exterminate "harmless" aliens. If she loses the upcoming elections, the Confederation will have a lot...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345501004
• ISBN13: 9780345501004
• Release Date: December 2009
• Publisher: Del Rey Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

The Skink War

Wings of Hell (2008) is the thirteenth SF novel in the StarFIST series, following Firestorm. In the previous volume, the President of the Confederation announced the existence of the Skinks. Then she rescinded the quarantine on the personnel who have faced the Skinks in combat. This news slowly spread throughout the member worlds. The whole Confederacy was ordered to supply troops to the Aguinaldo Taskforce. The Coalition worlds were heavily tasked since they are within the region and their troops have recent combat experience. Of course, most worlds sent their worst troops. In this novel, Jak Daly is an Ensign in Force Recon for the Fourth Fleet Marine Force. He was sent to Haulover with two squads to solve some disappearances in the colony. They found Skinks causing the problems. Anders Aguinaldo is a General in the Confederation Marines, the only four star general in the Corps. He commands Task Force Aguinaldo, a joint command that was created in response to the Skinks. Alistair Cazombi is a Lieutenant General in the Confederation Marine Corps. He is also Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Patrice Carano is a Lieutenant General in the Confederation Army. Pat commands XVIII Corps. Theodosius Sturgeon is a Brigadier in the Confederation Marine Corps. Ted is commander of the 34th Fleet Initial Strike Team. Rene Raggel was a Colonel in the Coalition forces, an aide to General Davis Lyons. Now he has been preempted by Task Force Aguinaldo. He commands the Seventh Independent Military Police battalion. Charles Bass is an Ensign in the Confederation Marines. Charlie commands the Third Platoon, Lima Company, Infantry battalion of the Thirty-fourth FIST. Puella Queege is a senior sargeant in the Seventh MP Battalion. Puella works as clerk for Colonel Raggel. She may be the best shot in the Confederation forces. Moses is a young skink. He had been found in some bulrushs near the river, hence the name. He was taken from the Brattle family of New Salem on Kingdom by two scientists and never returned to his family. Zechariah Brattle writes a letter to Charlie Bass explaining the situation. In this story, the President of the Confederacy is being challenged in the upcoming elections. It looks very much like she will lose. Then her War Minister calls in a favor. Zechariah's letter reaches Charlie on Thorfinni. He is very concerned and takes it to his company commander. The letter travels up the chain of command to Cazombi. Then he takes it to the War Minister and thus to the President. The Attorney General starts a search for Moses and the two scientists. The 34th FIST gets orders to join the Aguinaldo Taskforce at Haulover. Before their departure, Brigadier Sturgeon promotes Charlie Bass to Lieutenant. Then the troopers store all excess baggage and prepare to leave. Corporal Dean gets an embarrassing surprise in the departure formation when Jenti runs out to intercepts him and express her love. The 34th leaves Thorfinn

Great reading

Get the entire series and plan on a longterm involvement with the characters in these books!

StarFist: Wings of Hell, great read but way Too short!

We left off in the StarFist universe in StarFist: Force Recon: Recoil, where Jack Delay and his Marine Force Recon company were unprepared to face the Skinks on the newly colonized world of Haulover. Reports sent back to Earth indicate an estimated 200,000 enemey presence. The Confederation now has no choice but to mount a enormus military campagin aganist the alien invaders. The 34th FIST and 26th FIST's are called into action once again to face the enemy. The 34th FIST has just gotten a breather in a previous war aganist rebels who wanted to seperate from the Confederation. The Skinks up until after the Civil War was a military secret. This also has created a political firestorm in which the Confederation President must answer as to why the Skinks were kept secret. A Corps, roughly 100,000 men consisting of Naval, Army, and Marine forces land on Haulover not quite sure of enemy strength. The Confederation military is suprised when a new kind of Skink weapon is presented on the battlefield and causes heavy losses on the military. Major General Aguinaldo shortly arrives on scene with another Corps to help the first Corps he had sent. The members of 34th FIST's Company L, Thrid Platoon also struggle aganist the Skinks, as this weapon is similar to a ground cannon peice the Skinks use. In this story, Claypoole, who was seen as a comidian in previous books is here the main character, who in the process of getting shipped out breakes up with his girlfriend. This causes him to become "edgy" on the battlefield. If StarFist: Wings of Hell had to be compared to any realistic war, it compares, at least to me, the pacific theatre of World War 2 aganist the Japanese. Where space is the ocean and the planets are the islands, one can clearly see historic facts through out the book, as well as the series. All in all, The book was full of action, suprises, saddness, and enjoyment. I thought it should of had a sequal, it was too short. This book is read after STARFIST: FORCE RECON: RECOIL. If any one loves a good read, then this is it. 5 stars cannot be enough for this novel. Sean "Skink" Booth Join StarFist HQ

Another great book

This is another great book from David Sherman and Dan Cragg about the 34 FIST. You should read Starfist: Force Recon Recoil first because the story starts in that book with Recon finding the aliens first. Lots of action as is normal in this series. I would reommend you read all the Starfist books. They are well worth your money.

superb military science fiction

The troops of the 34th FIST (Fleet Initial Strike Team) marines feel like A WORLD OF HURT after their latest battles with the alien Skinks (see FIRESTORM). Those who survived are mentally and physically tired and looking forward to R & R at their home station installation on the planet Thorsfinni's World. One thing the latest fight did do was to raise the consciousness level of the Confederation, which is no longer in denial, that the Skinks exist. However, some politicians running for office on earth strongly resent the marines trying to cause a war as they from their safe haven believe the aliens are not dangerous. Out in space light years away from the mother planet, the Skinks manage to establish a landing on Haulover. Rest, relaxation and healing are over as the 34th is deployed to repel the invaders from Haulover while other military components and economic and political interests especially the presidential election campaign interfere for differing reasons. WINGS OF HELL may be the best entry in this superb military science fiction saga. What makes this tale and the entire Starfist universe (see Force Recon series) excellent is the insightful look at the psychology of the individuals of a unit and the team building sociological aspects in which the squad supersedes the person. For instance outside events like politicians pandering for reelection especially harm the morale. Fans will enjoy this fabulous interstellar military science fiction that cleverly uses space like it is the Pacific Ocean and planets are islands where battles occur. Harriet Klausner