LitPick Review
As a novel of The Legion of the Damned series, When Duty Calls continues to trace the course of the Confederacy of Sentient Being's war with the brutal, alien Ramanthians. The plot commences with the arrival of Captain Antonio Santana and Alpha Company on Orion IV, which soon leads to a conflict between the newly arrived human bio-bods, they are cyborgs, and the Ramanthian base ending in human victory. It is revealed that both sides of the conflict (the CSB and the Ramanthians) are desperate for materials and planets, and that the momentum of victory is continually shifting but presently cemented for the Ramanthians. In order to gain an edge on the CSB, the Ramanthians initiate an attack on and capture Planet Gamma 014, an outpost of the neutral Clone Hegemony. Hopeful for a new, powerful, member, the CSB consent to a tenuous agreement with the Hegemony that gains them thousands of new troops at the expense of transferring control of the war effort to Clone General 435.
Opinion:
Overall, for Science Fiction and Military readers, "When Duty Calls" is a remarkably enthralling ride that rivals the best of Ludlum and Clancy in terms of sheer action, military knowledge, and suspense. At the beginning of the novel, the action is intense enough to draw in even the most hardened of readers, and Dietz's exceptional writing ensures that even readers unfamiliar with the Legion of the Damned series will understand the storyline and pursue it with a relish. The plot is absolutely threaded with action and engagements, complete with enough dramatic hairpins and turns to rival Nordschliefe. It is only Dietz's expertise that can bring together such a wide spectrum of topics and separate story lines into such a seamless whole. History buffs will appreciate the abundant references to World War II and other conflicts, while other readers will immerse themselves in the rich and saturated characters, as well as the highly developed storyline. One of the very few trivial flaws in the novel concerns Dietz's language and style. At times, when the action is tense, his prose retains the slightly detached quality that plagues many other science fiction writers, which can prove somewhat frustrating. Similarly, about one eighth of the way in, the book lost my interest partially. Luckily, within a few pages it was deeply absorbing again and necessitated a full afternoon put aside to read. However, these minor imperfections are nowhere near enough to sour the taste of this beautiful piece of science fiction, which couples the literary mastery and erudite military knowledge of William C. Dietz into a deeply engaging piece of literature. A must-read for all! Note: I had never read the Legion of the Damned before this one, but the book was written to allow me to understand virtually all the nuances of the plot.
