Two soldiers: one a celebrated military hero and the other a broken veteran living in the gutters of London. Their paths last crossed nearly twenty years ago. Now, amidst a hostage crisis in the Middle East, their lives are about to collide again. And the Strike Back is about to begin.
John Porter was involved in a hostage raid in Lebanon in 1989. The raid went disastrously wrong; several Regiment men died. John spared the life of a Lebanese fighter and blames himself for the deaths. Struggling to come to terms with the past, John has hit the bottle and is sleeping rough.
Colonel Peregrine Collinson was involved in the same raid. Unbeknownst to his colleagues, it was Peregrines fault that the mission went wrong. He was awarded a Military Cross and is heralded as a military hero for something he didnt do.
After the disastrous raid, the lives of the two men couldnt have been further apart. Until now. A hostage crisis in the Middle East draws the enemies back together again. Who will be the hero this time?
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Dive into the heart-pounding action and gripping suspense of Chris Ryan's *Strike Back*, a military thriller that will leave you breathless. This reprint edition, published by Arrow in mass market paperback, is your ticket to a world of covert operations, shattered loyalties, and the brutal realities of modern warfare. *Strike Back* plunges you into the lives of two men irrevocably linked by a disastrous hostage rescue mission in Lebanon nearly two decades prior. John Porter, a former Special Forces soldier haunted by the ghosts of that fateful night, now languishes in the shadows, battling his demons and the bottle on the unforgiving streets of London. He carries the heavy burden of responsibility, believing his actions led to the deaths of his comrades. On the other side of the spectrum stands Colonel Peregrine Collinson, a celebrated military hero decorated for his (alleged) bravery during the same mission. Unbeknownst to the public and his peers, Collinson harbors a dark secret: he was the one responsible for the mission's catastrophic failure. He built his career on a foundation of lies and deceit, basking in the glory he doesn't deserve. When a new hostage crisis erupts in the volatile Middle East, the paths of Porter and Collinson are destined to collide once more. The past refuses to stay buried, and the stakes are higher than ever. This time, however, the line between hero and villain blurs as secrets unravel and hidden agendas are exposed. Porter, given a chance at redemption, must confront his past and his former colleague, while Collinson fights tooth and nail to protect his fabricated reputation and maintain his position of power. Chris Ryan, a former Special Air Service (SAS) operative himself, infuses *Strike Back* with unparalleled authenticity and visceral realism. Drawing from his own experiences in the world's most elite special forces unit, Ryan paints a vivid and unflinching portrait of the physical and psychological toll of combat. The reader is transported to the dangerous world of covert operations, feeling the adrenaline rush of each mission, and the heavy weight of moral ambiguity. More than just an action-packed thriller, *Strike Back* delves into the complexities of human nature, exploring themes of guilt, redemption, betrayal, and the corrosive effects of lies and secrets. The characters are flawed and compelling, driven by their own motivations and haunted by their pasts. As the tension mounts and the body count rises, the reader is left questioning who to trust and what it truly means to be a hero. This mass market paperback edition of *Strike Back* is perfect for fans of military thrillers, espionage novels, and anyone who enjoys a gripping and suspenseful read. With 384 pages of non-stop action, authentic detail, and complex characters, this is a novel you won't be able to put down. Experience the explosive beginning of the *Strike Back* series and discover why Chris Ryan is considered one of the masters of the genre.