SAS: Rogue Heroes

The Authorised Wartime History

By: Ben Macintyre

Narrated by: Ben Macintyre

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE BOOK BEHIND THE HIT BBC SERIES SAS: ROGUE HEROES, STARRING CONNOR SWINDELLS, JACK O'CONNELL, ALFIE ALLEN AND DOMINIC WEST

In the summer of 1941, at the height of the war in the Western Desert, a bored and eccentric young officer, David Stirling, has a vision for a new kind of war: attacking the enemy where they least expect it - from behind their own lines.

Despite the intense opposition of many in British High Command, Winston Churchill personally gives Stirling permission to recruit the toughest, brightest and most ruthless soldiers he can find. And so begins the most celebrated and mysterious military organisation in the world: the SAS.

With unprecedented access to the SAS secret files, unseen footage and exclusive interviews with its founder members, SAS: Rogue Heroes tells the remarkable story behind an extraordinary fighting force, and the immense cost of making it a reality.

'A master at setting the pulse racing' Daily Mail

'Thorough and highly entertaining. It would be nigh on impossible to praise it too highly' Daily Express

'Impeccably researched, superbly told - by far the best book on the SAS in World War II' Antony Beevor

'Told with deceptive brilliance . . . one the finest books of its kind' Evening Standard

© Ben Macintyre 2016 (P) Penguin Audio 2016

Critic reviews

Such a well-written, but also just informative, deeply detailed account of all of these guys’ lives within the SAS during that time.

Impeccably researched, superbly told - by far the best book on the SAS in World War II (Antony Beevor)

Told with deceptive brilliance... one the finest books of its kind. Macintyre has a wonderful eye for eccentricity, and the narrative is peppered with extraordinary characters. At times there is more than a whiff of PG Wodehouse or Evelyn Waugh. The SAS are still about the best of their kind, and how they began to achieve this is an exotic saga indeed. No one will ever tell it better than this

Excellent... accessible yet authoritative. Delivers stories of tremendous adventure and derring-do, but also offers more than straightforward military history. This book has many strengths but perhaps its greatest is how thought-provoking it is (Laurence Rees)

The author has written about a fascinating subject in a way that would make any thriller writer proud. As a work of military history it is thorough and highly entertaining. It would be nigh on impossible to praise it too highly

Ben Macintyre's coverage of the SAS in north Africa and, later, Italy, France and Germany, is brilliant, blending gripping narratives of fighting with descriptions of the fears of individual soldiers before battle and their reactions to its horror... Britain's martial pantheon is full of outnumbered heroes who wouldn't throw in the sponge. Henry V's band of brothers at Agincourt, the redcoats at Waterloo, the defenders of Rorke's drift, and the paras who charged at Goose Green are part of the tradition that embraces the SAS. This book explains why

A master at setting the pulse racing, Macintyre relates stories of raw courage and daring by extraordinary men (Tony Rennell)

Meticulously researched, splendidly told, immensely entertaining and often very moving (John le Carré on 'Agent Zigzag')

Thrilling ... An extraordinary book (The Times Book of the Week on 'A Spy Among Friends')

Macintyre provides a riveting history of a revolutionary fighting force. Using unprecedented access to British Special Air Service regimental archives, Macintyre has gleaned fascinating material. A ripping good read

The origin story of a unit stepped in history

An excellent account of the creation and WW2 activities. Well told and not glorified. A good story.

Gut-lurching Selflessness

The incredible sacrifice made by men for all of humanity to be free of anti-human tyranny.

McIntyre narration and great narrator.

I am fascinated by The men who made a difference and won the War.
And these Roque heroes are real characters.
I have read all of Ben McIntyre's books.
This one is unique!

A must!

Any Slight interest in ww2? Then this book is a must read! As simple as that

Just wow!

Beautiful story and well read

Insights, sadness and a pertinent view of being British. A must read and I’ll crack in to read his other books.