by John Green
First published 2023
John Green marches with the 68th Durham Regiment as Napoleon's armies sweep across Europe. The young private faces his first taste of combat during the catastrophic Walcheren Expedition, then endures years of brutal fighting in the Peninsular campaigns. Bullets fly past his ears as comrades fall in the muck beside him. Each battle tears away another piece of his innocent beliefs about warfare and honor. Terror grips him daily while death surrounds him constantly. Green struggles to maintain his moral compass as violence becomes his daily reality. The camaraderie he builds with fellow soldiers becomes his lifeline through the darkest moments of conflict. These friendships provide the strength he needs to continue when all hope seems lost. His military service stretches across nine grueling years of warfare that will determine Europe's destiny.
Genres: historical-fiction, war, military-fiction, adventure, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
Setting: Durham, Peninsular, Walcheren
Period: 1806-1815
192 pages · Paperback · Leonaur Ltd
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence, war