OVER 20,000 COPIES SOLD!

Louis Saillans, born to a French father and Irish mother, describes in vivid detail the grueling training he had to undergo to become a marine commando and then the various operations he led — whether flying in by helicopter to snatch an Islamist commander from his bed in a surprise nocturnal raid or a full-blown battle in the desert.

In this bestselling memoir, Saillans describes his experiences on the front line of the war on terror — but also poses deeper questions about what his country’s forces are actually trying to achieve in the apparently never- ending war in the Sahel, which commentators have warned risks turning into the “French Afghanistan”.

For nearly a decade, Saillans participated in missions in Africa and the Middle East to free hostages, capture jihadist leaders or neutralize terrorists.

He offers a rare insight that helps to better understand the work of those fighting in the shadows prepared to sacrifice their lives to save our own and to maintain peace.