My thanks go to NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for the review copy of Band of Brothers, the history of one unit of Churchill’s Special Forces during World War II. This book is for sale now.

I was initially attracted to this nonfiction work by Lewis’s reputation—a list of awards as long as your arm—and the fact that I knew nothing about the Special Forces. I enjoy military history and although I can’t learn about every aspect of the history of everything during my lifetime, I like to at least skim the surface of noteworthy people, organizations and events that affected contemporary history in some meaningful way. In short, I came to this book to shore up a gap in my education.

Had I been a bit more cautious, I would have noted the bit of the promotional blurb that says I will learn about “one close-knit band of warriors.” Sadly, I didn’t.

Lewis is a solid researcher, and I don’t doubt that any fact within these pages will fail to pass the sniff test. He knows his stuff. I became impatient, however, because I genuinely didn’t—and don’t—care about the personal lives of the men that served in this unit; their families; their interests; nor their camaraderie with one another. Perhaps it is just as well, since there are too many people introduced up front for me to keep track of using an audiobook. However, I came to this story in search of hardcore military history, and so I found myself chafing every time the action paused to detail some personal tidbit about one of these men or another.

Ultimately, it comes down to the author’s purpose. I’ve had this happen before, where there’s so much personal information about a service member that I wonder whether the book was commissioned by a family member. I don’t think that’s the case here, but it’s a problem I have run across more than once, where I want more of a documentary vibe than what I have found. And of course, there may be many others out there that enjoy this book, including its format and extensive personal references. But I can only tell you what one reader has experienced, and that reader is me, and so as much as I respect the abilities of this author, I can’t recommend this book to those that love military history. If you choose to read it, I recommend getting it free or cheap. Don’t spend big bucks on this one.

This is a very interesting story and history lesson that kept me engaged the whole time. It was well written and well put together. Plenty of research and time went into this and it was greatly appreciated. I am excited to dive into other Damien Lewis books.


I may not recommend this on my social media account but I can't stop recommending this to friends as family.

This book was good. I have done interviews with veterans and have veterans in my family. If you enjoy war themed books I suggest this one!

Thanks to Netgalley for this eARC audiobook.

Brothers in Arms by Damien Lewis is a gripping and thrilling account of the origins and exploits of the legendary SAS, the special forces unit that changed the course of World War II. Based on new archival sources and firsthand testimonies, Lewis tells the story of the visionary leader David Stirling, the fierce warrior Blair 'Paddy' Mayne, and the band of mavericks and misfits who followed them into the most daring and dangerous missions behind enemy lines. From the deserts of North Africa to the mountains of Italy, the SAS fought with courage, skill, and audacity, striking fear into the hearts of the Axis forces and turning the tide of the war in the Allies' favor.

Lewis is a master storyteller who brings to life the personalities, the battles, and the heroism of the SAS with vivid detail and dramatic flair. He also explores the complex and controversial aspects of their unconventional warfare, such as the ruthless logic of killing enemy pilots, the use of stool pigeons and traitors, and the psychological toll of their actions. The audiobook is narrated by John Sackville, who delivers a captivating and compelling performance, capturing the accents, the emotions, and the intensity of the SAS saga. Brothers in Arms is a must-listen for anyone interested in military history, adventure, and the human spirit.

In the book Brothers In Arms, author Damien Lewis follows a group of men that started Churchill’s call for volunteer Special Service. The now legendary SAS. Going behind enemy lines to wreak havoc on the enemy, this small band of special forces type warriors overcame impossible conditions and insurmountable odds to accomplish their mission – to stop the Nazi’s. These men sacrificed their health and lives to defeat the evil Nazi empire. This was an incredible book with information and stories I had never heard of before. I would highly recommend this book! I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you're a history buff, you will enjoy this account of how the British version of Special Forces began. It was an honest, brutal account of the sacrifices made to help stop the German Reich.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Damien Lewis for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Brothers in Arms coming out January 30, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own..

I love historical nonfiction and books about WWII, so I was definitely excited to check out this book. I enjoyed the narrator. I thought the story flowed well, listening to it. I love listening to stories about what the soldiers went through and how they formed a band of brothers. I’ve studied a lot about WWII, but there was still new information to learn. I think the book was well-researched and informative. I loved it!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys WWII historical nonfiction!

Brothers in Arms: Churchill's Special Forces During WWII's Darkest Hour
By Damien Lewis, narrated by Peter Noble

With the fine narration of Peter Noble, the accomplishments, disappointments, and unrivaled esprit de corps of the Special Air Service (SAS) focuses on British officer David Stirling, Irish officer Paddy Mayne, and the men willing to follow them to the ends of the earth. Formed in 1941, the SAS suffered numerous trials of even getting off the ground. Conceived as a commando force to operate behind enemy lines in the North African Campaign not only did Stirling and Mayne have to fight the Axis but also their own superiors as it seems that there were always those who wanted the entire operations shut down. To do their jobs, Stirling, Mayne, and their men needed to be able think and act quickly and didn't work well on the tight rein of usual military operations.

In fact, most of the men who volunteered for the SAS during the time this book covers, 1941-1943, were unlikely to thrive under normal military life. Their job, much of the time, was to hit right at the heart of Rommel's troops, get in quick, do the most damage, and then get out quick when getting out quick meant dangerous days in the desert, with little food, water, or other supplies, trying to avoid capture while German and Italian forces searched for them after their latest foray onto enemy bases and camps.

Stirling and Mayne, two very different warriors and personalities, complemented each other in their approaches to how to conduct wrecking havoc in enemy territory. Both strong headed men were willing to put themselves in the line of fire, more often leading from the front than from behind, and Mayne especially would do anything to not leave a man behind. He's the man who gets the most focus here and after reading more about him as I was listening to this book, I appreciate that this book shows him in a light that truly exhibits his personality and values over past works that were quick to label him a mere thug.

It's clear that we are learning events from those that were there. Through letters, diaries, documents, photos, and interviews with survivors and their families, the hardships and disappointments come through clearly. What also comes through is how deeply the loss of each man scarred Mayne, how he felt like it was his responsibility to make the right decision for each person under his command, and how he could not let go of each loss. As is mentioned in the book, especially in medic Malcolm Pleydell's reminisces, this very strange and focused life the men lived in the desert, dedicated to destroying enemy equipment and the killing that went with that work, meant that these men would never be able to truly leave this time behind them.

The book ends with the SAS entering a new chapter in its history and I look forward to the next book, as Mayne takes the SAS to a new field of action after finishing its work in North Africa. I spent most of the time I was listening to this audiobook, in front of my computer, searching for names that are mentioned and looking at all the pictures that are available online. These men lived for months with little sleep, little water, little food and always, sand, everywhere sand, and the pictures shows them ragged, bearded, dirty and battered. Yet they would go out again, following the orders of leaders that fought among them, trusting both Stirling and Mayne to know what was best.

Thank you to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

This nonfiction history book reads like a novel. History isn’t short of drama and exciting stories. History is short of good storytellers. This book shares the story of Churchill’s Special Services, commonly known as the SAS, in Italy and Africa. The SAS were a group of men who were close-knit and famous for what they could do. This was thanks to their leaders. Rommel was looking for these men…he hunted them down like on Safari. A few times, I expected to look up to find myself in a jeep speeding across the African desert, avoiding an attack from the Axis troops. I am so glad Damien Lewis shared their story with us.

Thank you, Net Galley and HighBridge Audio, for the advanced copy.