Blue Devil Island

By Stephen Mark Rainey

The War That Never Ends Has Begun

AUTUMN, 1943: The beginning of the American offensive against the Japanese in the South Pacific. Just west of the Solomon Islands lies a remote, desert island called Conquest, where the U.S. Navy stations a new fighting squadron, led by Lieutenant Commander Drew McLachlan, an ace pilot and veteran of the Battle of Coral Sea.

With his group of air warriors, who call themselves the Blue Devils, McLachlan soars into frequent combat with the Japanese, inflicting serious casualties upon the enemy. However, on the squadron’s island home, signs appear that it may not be entirely alone, for in nearby volcanic caves, McLachlan finds evidence of habitation by unknown natives—natives that resemble no known living race, and that may yet exist in the mysterious subterranean catacombs. As the tension on the island mounts, McLachlan is forced to fight on two fronts: against their known enemy, the Japanese, and an unknown, predatory force that leaves mutilated victims as the only evidence of its presence.

As the Solomons campaign enters into its final skirmishes, the Japanese at last turn their attention to Conquest Island. In the final conflict, the Blue Devils find themselves the target of an overwhelming assault by the desperate Imperial Japanese forces—and McLachlan must face the reality that the key to his men’s survival lies deep in the dark and deadly caves of Conquest Island itself.

Praise for Blue Devil Island

“…An enjoyable World War II adventure with a science-fiction plot twist. Readers nostalgic for the era’s war movies and pulp fiction will enjoy the ride.”
—Publisher’s Weekly

“Rainey skillfully mixes military fiction with alien encounters to present a fast-paced tale of wartime heroics and unearthly terrors. Blue Devil Island is a good selection for large science-fiction or horror collections.”
—Library Journal

“Blue Devil Island is tailored with a pulp sensibility, but written with far more intelligence and attention to detail than most traditional pulp fiction… Fans of historical and supernatural fiction should find much to like here.”
—Robert Morrish, Twilight Ridge

“Blue Devil Island is by turns a war adventure, a buddy thriller, and a gripping horror throwback to the classics of the 40s. Filled with pulpy fun but written with a muscular prose that’ll shake you sideways until your back teeth rattle.”
—Tom Piccirilli, author of The Dead Letters and Headstone City

“Remember those weird-war comic books that usually opened up with Old Man Death garbed in the tatters of some military uniform, braced astride a battlefield, looking oddly cheerful? I must confess that I am a sucker for such a tale, and in Blue Devil Island, Stephen Mark Rainey lets us have it with both barrels. This book definitely represents balls-to-wall combat scenes; spine-tingling, old-school terror; and plain big fun.”
—Steve Vernon, Hellnotes

“Rainey has successfully written an original cross-genre story. It draws the reader into the story and establishes a feel for the time and place. The care he gives the storytelling makes the book a good gateway book for those who enjoy either war novels or horror fiction.”
—The Monster Librarian

“Blue Devil Island is like a vintage pulp action novel, only with a great science-fiction edge, and plenty of horrific scenes à la the author’s previous offering, The Nightmare Frontier. Rainey’s knowledge of airborne combat will leave the reader dizzy and whiplashed, and one scene toward the end is stand-up-and-cheer-level cool. This is easily one of the more exciting novels I’ve read in a very long time. Highly Recommended.”
—Nick Cato, The Horror Fiction Review

“Stephen Mark Rainey has crafted an exciting, compelling read. Combining genres can be a tricky maneuver, but Rainey does it here quite effectively. The writing is top-notch, and the action scenes drag you along by the throat. You’ll have to force yourself to breathe during some of the aerial fight scenes. You don’t need to be a World War II buff to enjoy Blue Devil Island, either; it appeals to anyone who enjoys thrilling reads. Pick it up, read it, then go out and find more of Mr. Rainey’s fiction. You will not be disappointed.”
—Ron Dickie, Horror World

“Mr. Rainey writes his aerial combat scenes with great attention to detail; the culture of military life in a far outpost is harsh, with little comfort and constant danger. I was reminded of the movie Bridge on the River Kwai in which soldiers held prisoner in a jungle ultimately triumph over their captors. Readers who enjoy a World War II setting with plenty of action and thrills should pick up Blue Devil Island.”
—Lisa Baca, Romance Reviews Today

“Rainey creates the sort of excitement that movie viewers only wish they’d seen in films like Flyboys. On the ground, he generates an atmosphere of suspense and dread. Blue Devil Island is a first-rate horror story, and a deftly told tale of soldiers in courageous combat in the South Pacific theater of the last great war.”
—Kilian Meloy, The Edge

“I haven’t had this much fun reading a book in a long time. I was right there on the edge of my chair during the flight missions, ducking and juking along with the pilots, and I was biting my nails as the more sinister elements of the island itself came into play. Adventure. Great humor. Undercurrents of unsettling suspense and wallops of terror. Blue Devil Island…had everything I wanted from it. And more.”
—Scott Falkner, The Daily Cave Reviews…

Back to Books