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Bloody Heroes
"A must read for all Damien Lewis fans" Compass ---------------------------------------------------------The most explosive true war story of the 21st Century It is the winter of 2001. A terror ship is bound for Britain carrying a horrifying weapon. The British military sends a crack unit of SAS and SBS to assault the vessel before she reaches London. So begins a true story of explosive action as this band of elite warriors pursues the merchants of death from the high seas to the harsh wildlands of Afghanistan. The hunt culminates in the single greatest battle of the Afghan war, the brutal and bloody siege of an ancient mud-walled fortress crammed full of hundreds of Al-Qaeda and Taliban. Fighting against impossible odds and bitter betrayal, our handful of crack fighters battle to rescue their fellow soldiers trapped by a murderous, fanatical enemy. ---------------------------------------------------------"The most dramatic story of a secret wartime mission you will ever read" News of the World "The author has been given unprecedented access" Zoo "Gripping" Eye Spy
489 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
77 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Damien Lewis
82 books452 followersNot to be confused with the actor, Damian Lewis.
Damien Lewis became an author largely by accident, when a British publisher asked him if he'd be willing to turn a TV documentary he was working on into a book. That film was shot in the Sudan war zone, and told the story of how Arab tribes seized black African slaves in horrific slave raids. Lewis had been to the Sudan war zone dozens of times over the past decade, reporting on that conflict for the BBC, Channel 4 and US and European broadcasters.
His slavery documentary told the story of a young girl from the Nuba tribe, seized in a raid and sold into slavery in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city, and of her epic escape. The publisher asked Lewis if the Nuba girl would be willing to write her life story as a book, with his help as co-author. The book that they co-wrote was called 'Slave', and it was published to great acclaim, becoming a number one bestseller and being translated into some 30 lanc guages worldwide. It won several awards and has been made into a feature film.
Over the preceding fifteen years Lewis had reported from many war, conflict and disaster zones – including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Burma, Afghanistan and the Balkans (see Author's Gallery). He (and his film crew) traveled into such areas with aid workers, the British or allied military, UN forces or local military groups, or very much under their own steam. He reported on the horror and human impact of war, as well as the drama of conflict itself. Often, he worked alone. Often, he filmed his own material over extended periods of time living in the war or conflict zone.
During a decade spent reporting from around the world Lewis lived in deserts, rainforests, jungles and chaotic third world cities. In his work and travels he met and interviewed people smugglers, diamond miners, Catholic priests 'gone native', desert nomads, un-contacted tribes, aid workers, bush pilots, arms dealers, genocidal leaders, peacekeepers, game wardens, slum kids, world presidents, heroin traffickers, rebel warlords, child prostitutes, Islamist terrorists, Hindu holy men, mercenaries, bush doctors, soldiers, commanders and spies. He was injured, and was hospitalised with bizarre tropical diseases – including flesh-eating bacteria, worms that burrow through the skin and septicemia – but survived all that and continued to report.
It was only natural that having seen so much of global conflict he would be drawn to stories of war, terrorism, espionage and the often dark causes behind such conflicts when he started writing books. Having written a number of true stories, in 2006 he was chosen as one of the 'nation's 20 favourite authors' and wrote his first fiction, Desert Claw, for the British Government's Quick Read initiative. Desert Claw tells of a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers sent into Iraq to retrieve a looted Van Gogh painting, with a savage twist to the tale. That fiction was followed up by Cobra Gold, an equally compelling tale of global drama and intrigue and shadowy betrayal.
Damien Lewis's work, books and films have won the Index on Censorship (UK), CECRA (Spain), Project Censored (US), Commonwealth Relations (UK), Discovery-NHK BANFF (Canada), Rory Peck (UK), BBC One World (UK), BBC-WWF Wildscreen (UK), International Peace Prize (US), Elle Magazine Grande Prix (US), Victor Gollanz (Germany), and BBC One World (UK) Awards. He is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Damien Lewis became an author largely by accident, when a British publisher asked him if he'd be willing to turn a TV documentary he was working on into a book. That film was shot in the Sudan war zone, and told the story of how Arab tribes seized black African slaves in horrific slave raids. Lewis had been to the Sudan war zone dozens of times over the past decade, reporting on that conflict for the BBC, Channel 4 and US and European broadcasters.
His slavery documentary told the story of a young girl from the Nuba tribe, seized in a raid and sold into slavery in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city, and of her epic escape. The publisher asked Lewis if the Nuba girl would be willing to write her life story as a book, with his help as co-author. The book that they co-wrote was called 'Slave', and it was published to great acclaim, becoming a number one bestseller and being translated into some 30 lanc guages worldwide. It won several awards and has been made into a feature film.
Over the preceding fifteen years Lewis had reported from many war, conflict and disaster zones – including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Burma, Afghanistan and the Balkans (see Author's Gallery). He (and his film crew) traveled into such areas with aid workers, the British or allied military, UN forces or local military groups, or very much under their own steam. He reported on the horror and human impact of war, as well as the drama of conflict itself. Often, he worked alone. Often, he filmed his own material over extended periods of time living in the war or conflict zone.
During a decade spent reporting from around the world Lewis lived in deserts, rainforests, jungles and chaotic third world cities. In his work and travels he met and interviewed people smugglers, diamond miners, Catholic priests 'gone native', desert nomads, un-contacted tribes, aid workers, bush pilots, arms dealers, genocidal leaders, peacekeepers, game wardens, slum kids, world presidents, heroin traffickers, rebel warlords, child prostitutes, Islamist terrorists, Hindu holy men, mercenaries, bush doctors, soldiers, commanders and spies. He was injured, and was hospitalised with bizarre tropical diseases – including flesh-eating bacteria, worms that burrow through the skin and septicemia – but survived all that and continued to report.
It was only natural that having seen so much of global conflict he would be drawn to stories of war, terrorism, espionage and the often dark causes behind such conflicts when he started writing books. Having written a number of true stories, in 2006 he was chosen as one of the 'nation's 20 favourite authors' and wrote his first fiction, Desert Claw, for the British Government's Quick Read initiative. Desert Claw tells of a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers sent into Iraq to retrieve a looted Van Gogh painting, with a savage twist to the tale. That fiction was followed up by Cobra Gold, an equally compelling tale of global drama and intrigue and shadowy betrayal.
Damien Lewis's work, books and films have won the Index on Censorship (UK), CECRA (Spain), Project Censored (US), Commonwealth Relations (UK), Discovery-NHK BANFF (Canada), Rory Peck (UK), BBC One World (UK), BBC-WWF Wildscreen (UK), International Peace Prize (US), Elle Magazine Grande Prix (US), Victor Gollanz (Germany), and BBC One World (UK) Awards. He is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 4, 2025
I've enjoyed a few of Damian Lewis's books previously so bought this one just based on that. Whilst he's generally on the side of the special forces with whom he has aclose relationship in this book hes chosen to partially portray the Al Queada fighters on the other side; although he states that he could only rely on a few interviews with those who's statements seem to agree with the known facts.
There are three seperate parts details in the book; the NV Nissa boat boarding; the Nakar Valley Observation and Qala-I-Janghi Siege.
Some of the operational issues dealt with beggar belief, and can only be thought of as people sitting in meetings trying to second guess what should be happening. The SBS were trying to work out when to hit the Ship tbat intelligence has said is carrying chemical nerve agents. SBS had been practicing for the hour before dawn since the 80s but now that it's 2001 for the first ever operation the politicians wanted it in daytime to not scare the crew. The compromise of landing at nautical dawn (still dark) because the politicians didn't realise how it would be dark it would be. However issues would have been if they were diligent Muslims they would have been awake for morning prayer.
The Yomp into the forward observation post at Nakar Valley: No cooking as in the fresh mountain air even the smell of a cuppa soup would give away a position. Brazil nuts a near perfect food. High energy and protein and unbeatable weight for weight. (656 calories per 100g vs 715 for butter). Baby oil had a near mythical status in special forces as it protects exposed skin (in heat and cold) and prevents cracks and cracks becoming deeper which could stop an operator using a weapon. They took 1.5 litres per day (hoping to resupply) well below the 5 litres per day recommended. Dealing with Altitude mountain sickness. SBS SOPs suggest only 3-500yards (350m) per day but they'd climbed 12000ft (3500m) in less than 12 hours. One cure for AMS is to drink plenty of water 5L recommended but they'd only rationed 1.5L.
I really liked the way the book setup the Airstrikes incoming, with possible compromise of the group by a shephard and other common tropes (also present in some of the authors own work) which are paid off with the reveal that the "mother of all training camps" was infact some school PE and a funeral. 'CIA bob had received confirmation that bombing the Nakar valley had been "postponed indefinitely" these ment were soldiers first and foremost but to saves many lives was a mighty good feeling.' with more of a philosophical take on the duty of soldiers in war.
Choice Notes
A student from Afghanistan can only choose to aspire etot he glamour or afuence in the west whilst accepting the squalor at home, or he can fall to fanatical Islam. Destroying bin laden terrorist training camps had done nothing, and only rebuilding with a stable, democratic and accountable regime will allow for this.
There now seems little doubt that the forces that fought alongside the special forces were guilty of warcrimes. This is one problem with fighting proxy wars. Container deaths used as a method of mass murder.
Rather than attack the basement the Noethern Alliance had chosen to pipe diesel into it and threw WP in to set it alight.
It is not for the prophet that he should take prisoners or war until he has made a great slaughte rin the land. The northern alliance had made peace with the infidels and therefore deserved no mercy. After surrendering to the enemy their plan was to assault through a minefield to the enemy. This would be practically suicidal and therefore would not be expected of them. The lead runner would fire a Degtyaryov at 400 rounds per minute ahead of the runner so that they would detonate any mines in their path in a crazed path. They had been taught this in the training camp, this was a mujahadeen method of attack that had been used when attacking the red army. But it often went wrong.
Any intel about us? Let me think about that. Come to think of it they said there were 5 Brits and 2 Americans, but they said we were the SAS and were the SBS ain't we?
Did they not want to survive and fight the keffe and the Ummar? Or do you want to sit down and be hit by the first shell that comes along? If it was Allah's will then we will survive if not it is not Allah's will
Gobbler jumped on a quad bike saying he didn't need training because he grew up on a farm "ace quadbiker me" and immediately crashed it into a rock breaking both arms. This would be the end of his war and the quad bike was a write off. Had to be casevacd.
After taking the Ship the SBS heard both that it was a red herring and that chemical agents were found on board. The team didn't care as the operation itself was what mattered, not the success of the intelligence.
It wasn't a mortar round as there was no whistle there was a minefield. Why would the Afghans have mined inside their own fort, and then let them route their rescue efforts through it?
There are three seperate parts details in the book; the NV Nissa boat boarding; the Nakar Valley Observation and Qala-I-Janghi Siege.
Some of the operational issues dealt with beggar belief, and can only be thought of as people sitting in meetings trying to second guess what should be happening. The SBS were trying to work out when to hit the Ship tbat intelligence has said is carrying chemical nerve agents. SBS had been practicing for the hour before dawn since the 80s but now that it's 2001 for the first ever operation the politicians wanted it in daytime to not scare the crew. The compromise of landing at nautical dawn (still dark) because the politicians didn't realise how it would be dark it would be. However issues would have been if they were diligent Muslims they would have been awake for morning prayer.
The Yomp into the forward observation post at Nakar Valley: No cooking as in the fresh mountain air even the smell of a cuppa soup would give away a position. Brazil nuts a near perfect food. High energy and protein and unbeatable weight for weight. (656 calories per 100g vs 715 for butter). Baby oil had a near mythical status in special forces as it protects exposed skin (in heat and cold) and prevents cracks and cracks becoming deeper which could stop an operator using a weapon. They took 1.5 litres per day (hoping to resupply) well below the 5 litres per day recommended. Dealing with Altitude mountain sickness. SBS SOPs suggest only 3-500yards (350m) per day but they'd climbed 12000ft (3500m) in less than 12 hours. One cure for AMS is to drink plenty of water 5L recommended but they'd only rationed 1.5L.
I really liked the way the book setup the Airstrikes incoming, with possible compromise of the group by a shephard and other common tropes (also present in some of the authors own work) which are paid off with the reveal that the "mother of all training camps" was infact some school PE and a funeral. 'CIA bob had received confirmation that bombing the Nakar valley had been "postponed indefinitely" these ment were soldiers first and foremost but to saves many lives was a mighty good feeling.' with more of a philosophical take on the duty of soldiers in war.
Choice Notes
A student from Afghanistan can only choose to aspire etot he glamour or afuence in the west whilst accepting the squalor at home, or he can fall to fanatical Islam. Destroying bin laden terrorist training camps had done nothing, and only rebuilding with a stable, democratic and accountable regime will allow for this.
There now seems little doubt that the forces that fought alongside the special forces were guilty of warcrimes. This is one problem with fighting proxy wars. Container deaths used as a method of mass murder.
Rather than attack the basement the Noethern Alliance had chosen to pipe diesel into it and threw WP in to set it alight.
It is not for the prophet that he should take prisoners or war until he has made a great slaughte rin the land. The northern alliance had made peace with the infidels and therefore deserved no mercy. After surrendering to the enemy their plan was to assault through a minefield to the enemy. This would be practically suicidal and therefore would not be expected of them. The lead runner would fire a Degtyaryov at 400 rounds per minute ahead of the runner so that they would detonate any mines in their path in a crazed path. They had been taught this in the training camp, this was a mujahadeen method of attack that had been used when attacking the red army. But it often went wrong.
Any intel about us? Let me think about that. Come to think of it they said there were 5 Brits and 2 Americans, but they said we were the SAS and were the SBS ain't we?
Did they not want to survive and fight the keffe and the Ummar? Or do you want to sit down and be hit by the first shell that comes along? If it was Allah's will then we will survive if not it is not Allah's will
Gobbler jumped on a quad bike saying he didn't need training because he grew up on a farm "ace quadbiker me" and immediately crashed it into a rock breaking both arms. This would be the end of his war and the quad bike was a write off. Had to be casevacd.
After taking the Ship the SBS heard both that it was a red herring and that chemical agents were found on board. The team didn't care as the operation itself was what mattered, not the success of the intelligence.
It wasn't a mortar round as there was no whistle there was a minefield. Why would the Afghans have mined inside their own fort, and then let them route their rescue efforts through it?
February 25, 2024
SBS - the lesser known SF force
Damien Lewis turns the spotlight on more recent Special Forces action addressing the SBS and their activities in Afghanistan.
The book takes the reader through a few smaller skirmishes before going into a well-publicised battle in which a smaller number of UK soldiers, together with local Afghani fighters, try to recapture a fort taken by treachery.
It does not sensationalise the troopers, nor make them supermen, but it does give an insight into what a well trained professional body of men can do when faced with overwhelming odds.
It feels like an action adventure rather than historical “fact-ion” and succeeds in enthralling the reader.
Damien Lewis turns the spotlight on more recent Special Forces action addressing the SBS and their activities in Afghanistan.
The book takes the reader through a few smaller skirmishes before going into a well-publicised battle in which a smaller number of UK soldiers, together with local Afghani fighters, try to recapture a fort taken by treachery.
It does not sensationalise the troopers, nor make them supermen, but it does give an insight into what a well trained professional body of men can do when faced with overwhelming odds.
It feels like an action adventure rather than historical “fact-ion” and succeeds in enthralling the reader.
May 20, 2024
This book describes US and British special forces in the prison rising of the early Afghanistan war, events which led to the death of CIA officer Johnny Michael Spann. Lewis does a good job of making the combat experience of the SEAL and SBS operators come alive, though the narrative and dialogue of the book had some significant weak spots. Not Lewis' best, but no detracting from the soldiers he describes.
May 11, 2023
Lewis strikes again, a great read from start to finish. I have read many US accounts from this chapter in history, BUT was great to learn it from a the SBS / British perspective. A captivating reading from start to finish, was left wanting to know more of the characters mentioned and their exploits.
May 13, 2020
A Good Thriller
Don't rely on this book as history (no source notes). The dialogue leaves a lot to be desired, obviously a lot is made up. Taliban dialogue definitely fiction as they were mostly dead. But an enjoyable read
Don't rely on this book as history (no source notes). The dialogue leaves a lot to be desired, obviously a lot is made up. Taliban dialogue definitely fiction as they were mostly dead. But an enjoyable read
July 8, 2018
Excellent. Puts you on the ground with the lads. Really enjoyed it.
January 1, 2022
Interesting story but the dialogue.... If I hear the words "buddy" or "mate" again I'm going to puke.
August 26, 2022
Not his best work
May 6, 2025
Intense and incredible story of a special services military operation!!!
June 19, 2025
Addictive read woohoo
August 27, 2020
Damien Lewis in Bloody Heroes has written an interesting account of the controversial Battle of Qala-i-Jangi between Taliban/Al-Qaeda prisoners being held captive there and the Northern Alliance fighters assisted by British and American Forces following an uprising. With input from some of those present it gives a first hand account of events that resulted in a long and bloody battle resulting in hundreds of deaths.
Whilst I found it an interesting read the added dialogue grated. The repeated use of 'mate' 'buddy' and 'bro' may have helped identify which side of those involved the speaker represented its overuse became annoying.
An interesting read if you can put aside the dodgy dialogue and overuse of stereotypes.
Whilst I found it an interesting read the added dialogue grated. The repeated use of 'mate' 'buddy' and 'bro' may have helped identify which side of those involved the speaker represented its overuse became annoying.
An interesting read if you can put aside the dodgy dialogue and overuse of stereotypes.
December 6, 2013
An interesting look at some quite obscure special forces operations in Afghanistan during the opening phase of the war on terror. The most interesting being the seige of Qala I Jangi when thousands of foreign fighters rebelled against their Afghan and CIA captors. Naturally this being Afghanistan, the fort was loaded with weapons and the special forces (SBS and Delta force) were lucky to contain them before they got out to cause mayhem.
June 22, 2012
I would have given 4 but for the way the speech went
every sentence finishing with Buddy or Mate
If they spoke like this all the time would n=be surprised
But one of the better special forces books I have read
every sentence finishing with Buddy or Mate
If they spoke like this all the time would n=be surprised
But one of the better special forces books I have read
July 31, 2009
A good book for anybody with an interest in Special Forces. It's very relevant as it's fact and about Afghanistan. Enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews