Legion of the Damned: The iconic anti-war novel about the Russian Front

· Hachette UK
4.8
72 reviews
Ebook
256
Pages
Eligible
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About this ebook

Sven Hassel's iconic war novel about the Russian Front.

'An extraordinary book, which has captured the attention of all of Europe' - NEW YORK TIMES

'LEGION OF THE DAMNED is an incredible picture of totalitarianism, of stupefying injustice ... He is graphic, at times brilliantly so, but never brutal or bitter. He is, too, a first-rate storyteller' - WASHINGTON POST

Convicted of deserting the German army, Sven Hassel is sent to a penal regiment on the Russian Front. He and his comrades are regarded as expendable, cannon fodder in the battle against the implacable Red Army. Outnumbered and outgunned, they fight their way across the frozen steppe...

This iconic anti-war novel is a testament to the atrocities suffered by the lone soldier in the fight for survival.

Sven Hassel's unflinching narrative is based on his own experiences in the German Army. He began writing his first novel, LEGION OF THE DAMNED in a prisoner of war camp at the end of the Second World War.

Ratings and reviews

4.8
72 reviews
Robert Baket
January 1, 2015
Gripping - haunting - mesmerising - an utterly shocking and brutal, yet truthful account of one man's war experiences and memories - I cried and thank God I may never have to endure such experiences in my life. Parts will stay with me forever. I am a changed man after reading this.
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stephen thomas
October 22, 2015
I read this hole series many years ago its a fantastice story about horror of war how troops went through the war suffering .how people at top had little regaurds for wefare of troops.
2 people found this review helpful
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Phil Janssen
February 16, 2015
Tad to pricey this book. I already have them but it's too dear to pay so much
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About the author

Born in 1917 in Fredensborg, Denmark, Sven Hassel joined the merchant navy at the age of 14. He did his compulsory year's military service in the Danish forces in 1936 and then, facing unemployment, joined the German army. He served throughout the Second World War on all fronts except North Africa. When the war ended in 1945 he was transferred between Russian, American and French prison camps, and upon returning to Denmark, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for treason. He began writing LEGION OF THE DAMNED during his time as a prisoner of war. His 14 Second World War books, which draw on his own encounters and experiences as a soldier, have sold over 53 million copies worldwide and have been published in more than 50 countries. He peacefully passed away in Barcelona in 2012, where he had resided since 1964.

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