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Eastern Front #2-6
The Eastern Front Series: Books 2-6
Five action-packed military thrillers set on the Eastern Front told in unflinching detail.
MEET SERGEANT ROLF KESSLER
Kessler is a reluctant fighter in Hitler’s Wehrmacht. He’d enlisted to escape the horror of his family home, where his alcoholic father beat his mother. But faced with the nightmarish reality of the Russian front, he's beginning to realise that Hitler’s promises mean nothing. Kessler’s daily reality is pointless death and endless mud.
His incompetent commanders sit miles behind the front lines, studying maps and sipping schnapps while sacrificing his men on hopeless missions.
Yet, Kessler has managed to gain the affection of his own men — they would follow him into hell — and his superiors know it.
He is put in charge of Assault Section Sledgehammer — a 15-man band of hardened soldiers directed to strike where conventional forces cannot. Their covert guerrilla operations could turn the tide on the Eastern Front and lead to Germany’s victory — or leave them all dead, deep in enemy territory.
In this box set:
BOOK 1: SLEDGEHAMMER
Summer 1941. Operation Barbarossa has begun. A secret mission takes Kessler’s Assault Section Sledgehammer deep behind enemy lines to destroy a vital Soviet railhead. Their commander, the cold-blooded Captain Weiss, will sacrifice anyone to complete his mission. Kessler soon realises the deadliest threat is not the ruthless Soviet partisans, but his own command.
BOOK 2: KESSLER’S RAID
Winter 1941. A German general demands priceless artwork from behind enemy lines. Assault Section Sledgehammer is sent three hundred miles into Russian territory to retrieve it. In the blood-stained snow of the Eastern Front, Kessler will discover just how far he'll go for survival — and for revenge.
BOOK 3: CONVOY OF STEEL
Winter 1942. Kessler’s men are sent on their deadliest mission yet. They must escort an armoured train carrying eighty Tiger tanks to the German front line. The final destination is a bridge that may already be wired to explode. The icy Russian landscape turns red with blood and only one thing is certain — many who board this train will never reach the end of the line.
BOOK 4: SLAUGHTERHOUSE
1942. A disastrous night attack leaves Assault Section Sledgehammer stranded twenty-five miles behind Russian lines. Kessler faces an impossible decision — he’s discovered a massive Soviet armaments factory, but attacking it with his small unit would be suicide. He must decide whether to follow orders and return his battle-weary men to safety or risk everything to strike a devastating blow on the enemy.
BOOK 5: MEN OF BLOOD
Spring 1943. The once-mighty Wehrmacht is in full retreat. Kessler is demoted to private when he refuses to lie for a superior. He is now under the command of the inexperienced and cowardly Sergeant Schrodek.
MEET SERGEANT ROLF KESSLER
Kessler is a reluctant fighter in Hitler’s Wehrmacht. He’d enlisted to escape the horror of his family home, where his alcoholic father beat his mother. But faced with the nightmarish reality of the Russian front, he's beginning to realise that Hitler’s promises mean nothing. Kessler’s daily reality is pointless death and endless mud.
His incompetent commanders sit miles behind the front lines, studying maps and sipping schnapps while sacrificing his men on hopeless missions.
Yet, Kessler has managed to gain the affection of his own men — they would follow him into hell — and his superiors know it.
He is put in charge of Assault Section Sledgehammer — a 15-man band of hardened soldiers directed to strike where conventional forces cannot. Their covert guerrilla operations could turn the tide on the Eastern Front and lead to Germany’s victory — or leave them all dead, deep in enemy territory.
In this box set:
BOOK 1: SLEDGEHAMMER
Summer 1941. Operation Barbarossa has begun. A secret mission takes Kessler’s Assault Section Sledgehammer deep behind enemy lines to destroy a vital Soviet railhead. Their commander, the cold-blooded Captain Weiss, will sacrifice anyone to complete his mission. Kessler soon realises the deadliest threat is not the ruthless Soviet partisans, but his own command.
BOOK 2: KESSLER’S RAID
Winter 1941. A German general demands priceless artwork from behind enemy lines. Assault Section Sledgehammer is sent three hundred miles into Russian territory to retrieve it. In the blood-stained snow of the Eastern Front, Kessler will discover just how far he'll go for survival — and for revenge.
BOOK 3: CONVOY OF STEEL
Winter 1942. Kessler’s men are sent on their deadliest mission yet. They must escort an armoured train carrying eighty Tiger tanks to the German front line. The final destination is a bridge that may already be wired to explode. The icy Russian landscape turns red with blood and only one thing is certain — many who board this train will never reach the end of the line.
BOOK 4: SLAUGHTERHOUSE
1942. A disastrous night attack leaves Assault Section Sledgehammer stranded twenty-five miles behind Russian lines. Kessler faces an impossible decision — he’s discovered a massive Soviet armaments factory, but attacking it with his small unit would be suicide. He must decide whether to follow orders and return his battle-weary men to safety or risk everything to strike a devastating blow on the enemy.
BOOK 5: MEN OF BLOOD
Spring 1943. The once-mighty Wehrmacht is in full retreat. Kessler is demoted to private when he refuses to lie for a superior. He is now under the command of the inexperienced and cowardly Sergeant Schrodek.
823 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2025
232 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Shaun Hutson
115 books537 followersBritish horror novelist, including horror and urban thriller novels.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
His novella Slugs was made into a movie, although Hutson didn't like the movie. He also appeared in two horror movies himself.
Hutson is a Liverpool F.C. fan.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 20, 2025
Brilliant
I really enjoyed the excellently written series. Hoping there will more more books to come in the very near future.
I really enjoyed the excellently written series. Hoping there will more more books to come in the very near future.
June 14, 2025
Excellent read. On a par with the books written by Sven Hassel and those by Leo Kessler.
Nice to read books from the German soldiers perspective.
Nice to read books from the German soldiers perspective.
July 19, 2025
Worth reading
Exceptional book with much violence as in any war would be the characters are well defined, and before you know it, you can see them in your minds eye
Exceptional book with much violence as in any war would be the characters are well defined, and before you know it, you can see them in your minds eye
January 18, 2026
Eastern front series
Loved the books, full of action didn't want them to end ,would enjoy to see what kessler does next well worth a read.
Loved the books, full of action didn't want them to end ,would enjoy to see what kessler does next well worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews