Rogue Heroes

July 25, 2016
Macintyre (A Spy Among Friends), who specializes in writing about espionage and clandestine operations, describes the founding and operations of the British Army’s elite Special Air Service (SAS) regiment during WWII, in this well-written and comprehensive history. The SAS was born not from the staff work of military professionals but from the imagination of a very junior officer who was convalescing in a hospital. Macintyre uses unprecedented access to the SAS official records, along with memoirs, diaries, and interviews with the few surviving veterans, to chronicle the major operations, key personalities, successes, and failures of the regiment in WWII. He vividly captures the bravery and the sheer audaciousness of the SAS troopers and their leadership operating hundreds of miles behind enemy lines. Macintyre also illuminates their faults, including failed operations, lack of discipline, and drunkenness. He demonstrates that even in a global war, a few uniquely talented, imaginative, and bold individuals of relatively junior rank can have a major impact. Macintyre delivers a solid history and an enjoyable read that will appeal to those interested in military history as well as readers who enjoy real-life tales of adventure. Agent: Ed Victor, Ed Victor Ltd. (U.K.).

An "authorized" but not "official" or "comprehensive" history of Britain's swashbuckling Special Air Service.Times (London) writer at large Macintyre (A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal, 2014, etc.) was given full access to SAS archives and particularly the "War Diary," an invaluable compilation of original documents gathered in 1946. The author makes engaging use of those archives. In 1941, the war was not going well, especially in North Africa. As Macintyre clearly shows, the SAS fighters were rowdy, undisciplined, inspiring men who were more harnessed than controlled, and they were to function as a small, independent army inflicting damage out of all proportion to their size. They fought a new sort of war, one without rules, based on a concept of stealth and economy. Their founder, David Stirling, built a group of guerrillas who planned to get behind enemy lines for quick, effective attacks. Their initial setup included very little, so they just stole what they needed from a nearby New Zealand regiment away on maneuvers. During their first operation, they parachuted in, but after a disastrous failure, they looked for a better entry. Connecting with the Long Range Desert Group gave them their own "Libyan Taxi Service" run by men who knew the desert as well as any Bedouin. American Jeeps were the next piece, refitted to become all-terrain combat vehicles. The SAS stole into German airfields, attached their specially adapted bombs to planes, and were well away before the fireworks. After Winston Churchill's son reported on his time in the SAS, the prime minister summoned Stirling to dinner in Cairo, where he made a bold play to take full control of all of the special forces. These were incredibly courageous men who often seemed allergic to discipline but who fought hard and died throughout Africa and Europe. A rollicking tale of "unparalleled bravery and ingenuity, interspersed with moments of rank incompetence, raw brutality and touching human frailty." COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from September 1, 2016

While numerous titles have been written about clandestine operations and special forces in the past decade, Macintyre's latest (after A Spy Among Friends; Double Cross) adds a brilliant account to the genre with his detailing of Britain's Special Air Services (SAS). The SAS was the brainchild of British Army officer David Stirling, who believed that World War II could be fought behind enemy lines with disruptive sabotage. Chronicled is the formation of the SAS in 1941 and the organization's progress through the end of the conflict in 1945. The author offers vivid information on how these saboteurs harried German war efforts, effectively relating military failures and successes. The story will echo the voices of future generations of special forces heard in Marcus Luttrell's Lone Survivor and Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down. Macintyre's masterly storytelling highlights the bravery of these valiant men. VERDICT Highly recommended for students of military history and readers interested in a different perspective of World War II. [See Prepub Alert, 4/10/16.]--Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2016

A writer-at-large for the London Times who's had best-selling hits with books like Agent Zigzag, Macintyre chronicles the little-known Special Air Service (SAS), a secret organization during World War II that parachuted highly trained soldiers behind enemy lines to sabotage the German war effort. Resisted by some as a violation of the rules of war, the SAS was said to have changed the course of the war--and how wars are fought generally. Macintyre has been appointed its chief historian.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2016

While numerous titles have been written about clandestine operations and special forces in the past decade, Macintyre's latest (after A Spy Among Friends; Double Cross) adds a brilliant account to the genre with his detailing of Britain's Special Air Services (SAS). The SAS was the brainchild of British Army officer David Stirling, who believed that World War II could be fought behind enemy lines with disruptive sabotage. Chronicled is the formation of the SAS in 1941 and the organization's progress through the end of the conflict in 1945. The author offers vivid information on how these saboteurs harried German war efforts, effectively relating military failures and successes. The story will echo the voices of future generations of special forces heard in Marcus Luttrell's Lone Survivor and Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down. Macintyre's masterly storytelling highlights the bravery of these valiant men. VERDICT Highly recommended for students of military history and readers interested in a different perspective of World War II. [See Prepub Alert, 4/10/16.]--Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.