HELL'S EDEN: a novel of the Guadalcanal Campaign

by Craig DiLouie

The Marines called it Starvation Island. The Imperial Japanese Army called it the Island of Death. The battle for Guadalcanal, which began in August 1942 and took six months to complete, saw the 1st Marine Division effectively cut off and under constant siege with few supplies. Marked by hunger, disease, massed nighttime bayonet charges by the enemy, and constant shelling and bombing, the campaign proved a turning point in the war.

From Craig DiLouie, author of the highly acclaimed Crash Dive and Armor series and other popular WWII fiction, Hell’s Eden tells the story of Guadalcanal through the eyes of a Marine and his rifle squad. Well-trained and tough but always looking to game the system for a little comfort, they find themselves tangling not only with the Japanese but the brass.

Hell’s Eden offers a gritty, savage, and humorous portrait of this crucial campaign that saw America on offense against the seemingly invincible Japanese Empire—examining what keeps men fighting in the face of harrowing odds.

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 24, 2025

About the author

Craig DiLouie is an author of popular thriller, apocalyptic/horror, and sci-fi/fantasy fiction.

In hundreds of reviews, Craig’s novels have been praised for their strong characters, action, and gritty realism. Each book promises an exciting experience with people you’ll care about in a world that feels real.

These works have been nominated for major literary awards such as the Bram Stoker Award and Audie Award, translated into multiple languages, and optioned for film. He is a member of the HWA, International Thriller Writers, and IFWA.

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Past wars were face to face, sometimes in hand to hand combat. The wars today are largely missiles and drones so you don't see the faces of the people you've killed but either way, war is hell and it would be so nice if we didn't have any. This battle was horrifying to read about so you can just imagine how horrific it was for the soldiers involved. I enjoyed this book a lot as I love reading historical war stories. My Dad was a tail gunner in the Halifax Bomber during WWII, flew 21 sorties and never talked about what he went through.

[Charles James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished the book and it's another great installment in DiLouie's WWII fiction. The story itself is relatively straight-forward, following a squad of US Marines through the campaign on Guadalcanal. I thought the characters were likeable, and battle scenes were done very well, putting the reader right into the heat of the action. I'd give it a thumbs up on historical accuracy, though to be fair, I'm not an expert.

[Bill Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan

And avid reader of military/ WWII history, both fiction and non-fiction, I found myself totally absorbed in this story, and connecting with the characters. I primarily read pacific theater warfare and found the story very historically accurate. Great, great book, and I am hoping for more in the series.

[Andy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felt more like an actual history vs. fictional.

The characters were real. The context and
battle sequences felt realistic. Love the telling of the history of the Guadalcanal campaign through fictional eyes.

[Audrey Haugen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guadalcanal

The horrors of war spiced with an occasional bit of humor.I liked most everything in the book.looking for another of your books.