SF fans will love the cool technologies Medlin displays, like weapons that generate their own ammo, the shape-shifting War Devil, and the nigh-invulnerable Black Dog, whose self-healing augmentations steal the spotlight after a slew of rousing action sequences. Medlin’s straightforward plot is accentuated by character-centered detours, like Zecona looking for meds to treat his gravity sickness, or a promising early segment involving Black Dog and a girl named Nadia, who threatens to complicate Black Dog’s life. However, loosely jointed prose and a lack of focus across the board keep The War Devil’s intriguing constituent parts from wholly forming into a truly lethal read.
The War Devil is at its best when playing fast, loose, and cool, skimming over the more complex ideas and themes—like the racism faced by Zecona’s displaced people or a late-game reveal for Black Dog concerning identity and self—while staying firmly entrenched in Medlin’s dangerous world, where every day is a gamble and freedom is more of a slippery slope than an earnest vision. Conceptually gleaming but mechanically underdeveloped, this quick-fire debut still has the basic weapons needed to wage an exhilarating war on future-minded fans, and the main trio is endearing enough to keep attention buzzing for the next in the series.
Takeaway: Conceptually vibrant SF brimming with action-packed sequences.
Comparable Titles: Drew Avera’s Damaged, Incorporated, Richard K. Morgan’s Broken Angels.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: C
Marketing copy: B-
