The Division: Hearts on Fire by K. C. Wayland
Released: July 15, 2021 | Genre: Action, Post-Apocalyptic, Gaming
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Melanie Hoskins, an experienced firefighter-paramedic, has been recruited by a very selective and secret organisation known as The Division. Their mission is to protect the populace and secure the continuation of the United States. The Division is only activated at times of dire need. This just so happens to be one of those times. Based in New York City, Hoskins is forced to leave her civilian life and those she loves behind, and join the front line to try to control the ‘dollar flu’ virus that has been spreading throughout the city.
Not everyone agrees with how this outbreak should be dealt with, and those who used to keep the city streets free of waste have taken matters into their own hands and formed ‘The Cleaners’. This group of sanitation workers, custodians and janitors, believe that the only true way to clean the city, is to burn away the infection, including those who still carry it. The mission is clear, until Hoskins discovers that one of The Cleaners’ newest recruits is someone she can’t bring herself to view as the enemy.
Based on the hit Ubisoft game Tom Clancy’s The Division and starring Katee Sackoff and Shannon Woodward, The Division: Hearts on Fire is an action packed drama that explores duty, love and the impossible situation of a woman trapped between the two.
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The irony of Hearts on Fire is that it was recorded during the pandemic, and is about a pandemic. K.C. Wayland said many aspects of the story also had to be taken into consideration in its own production.
REVIEW
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ☆
The extended universe The Division needs. ❤️🔥
If you’re hungry for more lore from The Division, Hearts on Fire is a must-listen. It delivers tantalizing glimpses into unanswered questions from the games while exploring perspectives we’ve never had before.
Behind the scenes. We’re taken deep into the inner workings of The Division: its recruiting process, training regimen, and the surprising diversity of its agents. These operatives aren’t just soldiers; they’re specialists, masters of unique skills who are later trained for combat.
A different perspective. While many games leave you wishing for missions or DLC that let you step into the villains’ shoes, Hearts on Fire pulls back the curtain on the Cleaners. We see who they were before the outbreak and the events that shaped them into the faction we know.
The conspiracy theorists. This part doesn’t so much answer questions as confirm long-held suspicions. In a chilling reflection of reality, we witness the rise of conspiracy-driven factions: those convinced the government was behind everything, eventually breaking away as rogue elements.
The first wave mystery. Perhaps the most tantalizing thread is a partial answer to one of the game’s biggest questions: What happened to the first wave? While we’re not given the full truth, we experience the chaos, paranoia, and impossible challenges they faced.
And I have to mention the performances, because they’re stellar. Katee Sackhoff and the cast deliver the story with such clarity and emotion that you forget there’s no narration, just pure dialogue. As a huge fan of GraphicAudio, I loved the immersive style this book went for. My only hope is that Hearts on Fire’s cinematic quality helps push The Division movie (currently stuck in development limbo) closer to reality (see blog post: The Abnormal Potential of The Division Movie).
