What do you think?
Rate this book
The Seventh Circle - A former Australian soldier's extraordinary story of surviving seven years in Afghanistan's most notorious prison
I was arrested on Thursday 9th July 2009. On Wednesday I'd quit my job, killed a man and set his body on fire. I was sentenced to death. I'm not a good man, but I am an honest one. This is my story. Rob Langdon served in the Australian Army for almost fifteen years, before becoming a security contractor working in Iraq and Afghanistan. In July 2009 Rob was protecting a convoy when he shot and killed an Afghan guard during a heated argument after the guard drew a pistol on him. Rob's claim of self-defence was dismissed by a court in Kabul that refused to hear any of his evidence or call any of his witnesses, and he was sentenced to death in a matter of minutes. Rob's death sentence was later changed to 20 years in jail, to be served in Afghanistan's most notorious prison, Pol-e-Charkhi, described as the world's worst place to be a westerner. Rob was there for seven years, and every one of those two thousand five hundred days was an act of survival in a jail run from the inside by the Taliban and filled with some of Afghanistan's most dangerous extremists and criminals. In 2016 Rob was pardoned and released. The Seventh Circle is his extraordinary account of what it took to stay alive and sane in almost unimaginable circumstances.
- GenresAudiobookWarNonfiction
293 pages, Paperback
Published October 11, 2017
36 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 13, 2024
The Seventh Circle - A former Australian soldier's extraordinary story of surviving seven years in Afghanistan's most notorious prison by Rob Langdon is a tough read. Here's the intro:
'I was arrested on Thursday 9th July 2009. On Wednesday I'd quit my job, killed a man and set his body on fire. I was sentenced to death. I'm not a good man, but I am an honest one. This is my story.'
It was hard to read about Rob Langdon's incarceration, and while his resilience is an inspiration, he was fucked over in so many ways that this reader was more often than not furious while reading it. Working as a security contractor in Afghanistan, his former employer deserted him and the number of people who took advantage of the situation - or stole his stuff, thinking he was as good as dead - was exasperating. What scum! Originally sentenced to death and then to a term of 20 years, Rob experiences the full gamut of emotions, but there were a few rays of light in those who stuck by him, helped him stay sane and eventually secured his freedom.
The following quote from Page 16 encapsulates his seven year ordeal better than I can:
"The prison was a hell on earth, as I will attempt to show in these pages, but I'm afraid my words will never be up to the task of conveying the filth, the danger, the uncertainty, the noise, the stench, the hopelessness, the barbarity, the cheapness of life, the random violence, the anguish, and the sheer fucking boredom that I had to wade through day after day, more than two thousand days and nights, in what should have been my prime."
I'm not sure this is a book I would recommend to another reader. It's the kind of memoir you discover on your own given the content and it's definitely a personal reading choice. You'll need a strong stomach for a start and it may suit readers with an interest in the military and the conflict in Afghanistan.
It's always hard to give a rating to this kind of memoir. It's about human endurance and survival, but also about the politics of Afghanistan which many readers will find shocking and abhorrent. Having said that, I'm glad I read The Seventh Circle by Rob Langdon and admire the resilience of this Australian.
* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin *
'I was arrested on Thursday 9th July 2009. On Wednesday I'd quit my job, killed a man and set his body on fire. I was sentenced to death. I'm not a good man, but I am an honest one. This is my story.'
It was hard to read about Rob Langdon's incarceration, and while his resilience is an inspiration, he was fucked over in so many ways that this reader was more often than not furious while reading it. Working as a security contractor in Afghanistan, his former employer deserted him and the number of people who took advantage of the situation - or stole his stuff, thinking he was as good as dead - was exasperating. What scum! Originally sentenced to death and then to a term of 20 years, Rob experiences the full gamut of emotions, but there were a few rays of light in those who stuck by him, helped him stay sane and eventually secured his freedom.
The following quote from Page 16 encapsulates his seven year ordeal better than I can:
"The prison was a hell on earth, as I will attempt to show in these pages, but I'm afraid my words will never be up to the task of conveying the filth, the danger, the uncertainty, the noise, the stench, the hopelessness, the barbarity, the cheapness of life, the random violence, the anguish, and the sheer fucking boredom that I had to wade through day after day, more than two thousand days and nights, in what should have been my prime."
I'm not sure this is a book I would recommend to another reader. It's the kind of memoir you discover on your own given the content and it's definitely a personal reading choice. You'll need a strong stomach for a start and it may suit readers with an interest in the military and the conflict in Afghanistan.
It's always hard to give a rating to this kind of memoir. It's about human endurance and survival, but also about the politics of Afghanistan which many readers will find shocking and abhorrent. Having said that, I'm glad I read The Seventh Circle by Rob Langdon and admire the resilience of this Australian.
* Copy courtesy of Allen & Unwin *
January 4, 2018
You get what you are. I thought this was not a good book at all, an aggressive man with an anger management problem who thinks that authority was for other people. He only survived in the army by his size and aggressiveness. I put him into the same category of the type that end up being the aggressor in a one punch attack. But with saying that he was badly done by and I give him credit for the survival of his time in prison. The country in the book is not a place to take lightly, its feudal with independant tribes always fighting each other and anyone else who happens to be there, its rules are who pays what to whom. Its justice system is still in the dark ages. I did not enjoy this book I found it fragmented and continual ravings of a person thought badly done by. I was a little ashamed to be of the same nationality and served the same country in the armed forces. It is interesting to see that he did fail the SAS intake. Just as well for with his explosive temper he would not have lasted long in the corp.
March 9, 2020
I felt that this was quite a poor book and didn’t deliver “what it said on the tin”.
The author is very much an “agree with me or you’re wrong” type who makes no apologies for the carnage he leaves in his wake.
There’s very little detail about the prison and a lot of detail about how great the author is.
The author is very much an “agree with me or you’re wrong” type who makes no apologies for the carnage he leaves in his wake.
There’s very little detail about the prison and a lot of detail about how great the author is.
July 17, 2020
Rob Langdon worked in Afghanistan as a security contractor. His work was hard and extremely dangerous. By corruption and mismanagement in the security company he worked for, by the brutal nature of the work he did, and by bad decisions he made himself, he ended up killing a man. He was thrown into a notorious prison in Kabul and kept there for seven years.
The book is a non-fiction auto-biographic report dealing with mostly two things. Number one, the story of how Rob Langdon ended up in prison. Number two a report about how he survived the time in prison and eventually was able to return home.
What I liked:
The interesting description about the broken system in Afghanistan. The brutality, the bribes, the naivety of decision makers, the effect of vast amounts of money on the character of people. The permanent danger of getting killed, the number of people actually getting killed. These things are hard to imagine for a person living in the shelter of a western democracy like myself. The narration seems honest and authentic, the author frequently emphasises on how he is not a bullshitter. Naïve or not, reading the book I came to believe he describes the things exactly as he sees them.
The description of how Rob Langdon survived the seven years in prison speaks of great resilience, I enjoyed the stories of the alliances he forged inside prison as well as the ones about the training of his mind. The stoic distinction between things he could influence and things he couldn't. The establishment of a daily routine to keep sanity. The concentration on the daily struggles and chances instead of sinking into self pity and giving up.
The writing style. Rob Langdon got mixed reviews about that in the different goodreads reviews, and I want to take side with the people who actually enjoyed it. The story is told with a good pace, I was never bored, the pages turned easily. The tone is very "matter of fact", which seems in good agreement with the actions of Rob Langdon in the book, consistency which makes the whole story very believable to me.
What I didn't like:
Rob Langdon has a tendency of seeing himself as a very honest and straightforward guy, and other people as a bunch of liars. In case of people he knows well that might be fair enough, but in case of people or organisations he barely knows that seems shallow.
There is a black and white, good and evil narrative which is a little bit too simple for me. For instance the different Afghan tribes, good and evil. Unfortunately I can't excuse that with the author being stupid, because in other parts of the book, especially dealing with the different interest groups and their influence on each other in Afghanistan he seems well capable of differentiation and a detailed view.
Total lack of reflection. This is actually the worst point for me. Inability to see his own fault in things happened to him. There is this company, corrupt, involved in killing people by stupidity and neglect and corruption. Was it maybe wrong to work for them? Was it wrong to work in this whole system? At no point empathy or guilt for killing a man. I get it, this man was a dirtbag, he probably killed people before himself, he was waving a gun around, so it was kind of self defence. The whole environment is about kill or get killed. However, threatening other people pointing weapons at them is a business Rob Langdon was in himself, intimidating people and forcing them to do what he wants them to do. There were two people with weapons trying to impress each other in a super charged and dangerous environment, one of them gets killed. He has a family, they want to see the man who killed him in prison or hanged, they want revenge. In the end they settle for a bribe. Rob Langdon can't see two sides in that, unfortunately for me that clashes with the intelligent and differentiated analysis he did in other parts of the book.
The book is a non-fiction auto-biographic report dealing with mostly two things. Number one, the story of how Rob Langdon ended up in prison. Number two a report about how he survived the time in prison and eventually was able to return home.
What I liked:
The interesting description about the broken system in Afghanistan. The brutality, the bribes, the naivety of decision makers, the effect of vast amounts of money on the character of people. The permanent danger of getting killed, the number of people actually getting killed. These things are hard to imagine for a person living in the shelter of a western democracy like myself. The narration seems honest and authentic, the author frequently emphasises on how he is not a bullshitter. Naïve or not, reading the book I came to believe he describes the things exactly as he sees them.
The description of how Rob Langdon survived the seven years in prison speaks of great resilience, I enjoyed the stories of the alliances he forged inside prison as well as the ones about the training of his mind. The stoic distinction between things he could influence and things he couldn't. The establishment of a daily routine to keep sanity. The concentration on the daily struggles and chances instead of sinking into self pity and giving up.
The writing style. Rob Langdon got mixed reviews about that in the different goodreads reviews, and I want to take side with the people who actually enjoyed it. The story is told with a good pace, I was never bored, the pages turned easily. The tone is very "matter of fact", which seems in good agreement with the actions of Rob Langdon in the book, consistency which makes the whole story very believable to me.
What I didn't like:
Rob Langdon has a tendency of seeing himself as a very honest and straightforward guy, and other people as a bunch of liars. In case of people he knows well that might be fair enough, but in case of people or organisations he barely knows that seems shallow.
There is a black and white, good and evil narrative which is a little bit too simple for me. For instance the different Afghan tribes, good and evil. Unfortunately I can't excuse that with the author being stupid, because in other parts of the book, especially dealing with the different interest groups and their influence on each other in Afghanistan he seems well capable of differentiation and a detailed view.
Total lack of reflection. This is actually the worst point for me. Inability to see his own fault in things happened to him. There is this company, corrupt, involved in killing people by stupidity and neglect and corruption. Was it maybe wrong to work for them? Was it wrong to work in this whole system? At no point empathy or guilt for killing a man. I get it, this man was a dirtbag, he probably killed people before himself, he was waving a gun around, so it was kind of self defence. The whole environment is about kill or get killed. However, threatening other people pointing weapons at them is a business Rob Langdon was in himself, intimidating people and forcing them to do what he wants them to do. There were two people with weapons trying to impress each other in a super charged and dangerous environment, one of them gets killed. He has a family, they want to see the man who killed him in prison or hanged, they want revenge. In the end they settle for a bribe. Rob Langdon can't see two sides in that, unfortunately for me that clashes with the intelligent and differentiated analysis he did in other parts of the book.
March 9, 2020
Some bad decisions resulting in terrible experiences. Unless you are in the situation and understand the exact circumstances, I believe no judgement is possible. The automatic reaction could be, what else do you expect in a country like Afganistan? I am from Southern Africa, so have thought this time and time again when people complain about what has happened to them, when the risks constantly stare at you in the face. It can also be difficult for those who have not lived through a war, as I have, though as a civilian, to understand why young men say and behave as they do, as a way to keep their sanity and to survive. The Four Horse Man story is not unique, though I can understand expectation that more loyalty would have been present - the same happens and continues to happen all over Africa. I was particularly interested in the mechanics of routine and daily timed tasks that helped keep sanity - how important this is to keep focus on just to keep going. The prison was just awful, so as much as someone such as another reviewer stated that the author's temper got the better of him, the consequences were completely unjust. I could relate to the days spent out in the bush, resulting in strong independance - many brought up in southern Africa were the same, so it's easy to understand how the author felt at home in South Africa.
April 25, 2020
2.5 stars rounded up
Rob Langdon works as a security contractor in Afghanistan 2009. Rob is imprisoned in Pol-e-Charki and sentenced to death after killing an Afghan Guard, he claims in self-defence, who was working on the same security team. In 2016 Rob is eventually pardoned and released.
This was not an easy or enjoyable read. Rob states himself he is angry and this anger is palpable. I was tempted to stop reading (and I have stopped reading other autobiographies before) but something kept me turning the pages, albeit slowly. Rob is very intent on getting his side of the story out there and in the process dismisses other accounts out of hand - it's difficult to know where the truth lies.
I really struggled to understand why anyone would choose to do this type of work - moving convoys of supplies whilst either being shot at/killed or killing others. In a country dictated to by warlords where murder, drugs, lies and bribes are accepted as normal it would be naive to think a criminal justice system could exist. Regardless of why people are incarcerated though no one deserves to be treated in such a dehumanising way in such abhorrent conditions.
Rob Langdon works as a security contractor in Afghanistan 2009. Rob is imprisoned in Pol-e-Charki and sentenced to death after killing an Afghan Guard, he claims in self-defence, who was working on the same security team. In 2016 Rob is eventually pardoned and released.
This was not an easy or enjoyable read. Rob states himself he is angry and this anger is palpable. I was tempted to stop reading (and I have stopped reading other autobiographies before) but something kept me turning the pages, albeit slowly. Rob is very intent on getting his side of the story out there and in the process dismisses other accounts out of hand - it's difficult to know where the truth lies.
I really struggled to understand why anyone would choose to do this type of work - moving convoys of supplies whilst either being shot at/killed or killing others. In a country dictated to by warlords where murder, drugs, lies and bribes are accepted as normal it would be naive to think a criminal justice system could exist. Regardless of why people are incarcerated though no one deserves to be treated in such a dehumanising way in such abhorrent conditions.
December 22, 2017
These true-life stories of being imprisoned, or "my time in Afghanistan" are legion, and I generally avoid them. But I was genuinely curious about what it would be like in an Afghani prison, and what it would take to survive it. Langdon's book is very readable, and at least half of it is about the lead up to his imprisonment , fascinating in itself. I think (like any of these stories) it is a bit self-serving, and would be interesting to read some of the other books referenced here and see how those authors perceived Langdon - but he claims to have worked hard to come out with the unvarnished truth as he saw it, and is quite convincing in his don't give a sh1t attitude. Interesting read - and a hell of a story to tell your kids.
April 14, 2020
Honestly, this has been on my reading list for a while, yet I picked it up as I took a break from another book over Easter 2020. Once I picked it up however, if was hard to put down
The title of the book gives you the premise in itself. So without spoilers it is rather engaging and one believes that whilst there was a LOT more to be told, the author has chosen to share some aspects of his life’s journey from an NCO in the Australian Infantry, to private security contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan to finding himself convicted and incarcerated in Afghanistan.
Engaging, open and honest to a degree chosen by the author. A follow up or supplementary work telling more would be of interest
3.5 rounded to 4 stars
The title of the book gives you the premise in itself. So without spoilers it is rather engaging and one believes that whilst there was a LOT more to be told, the author has chosen to share some aspects of his life’s journey from an NCO in the Australian Infantry, to private security contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan to finding himself convicted and incarcerated in Afghanistan.
Engaging, open and honest to a degree chosen by the author. A follow up or supplementary work telling more would be of interest
3.5 rounded to 4 stars
March 12, 2019
Bloody ripper!
Perfect. I await the follow up. So easy to throw in a book of short stories similar to James Ellroy. Short story, snap...before you have a chance to digest snap.... next story, hard and fast.
I hope to read the sequel . Personally I would like to see more information and in-depth stories about the body in the mind whilst being in these places. However I recognise that that would kind of suck having to reiterate a pretty shit situation. I certainly don't have the mental training for surviving that.... did like the finish at the airport. Very descriptive. Perfect ending.
Perfect. I await the follow up. So easy to throw in a book of short stories similar to James Ellroy. Short story, snap...before you have a chance to digest snap.... next story, hard and fast.
I hope to read the sequel . Personally I would like to see more information and in-depth stories about the body in the mind whilst being in these places. However I recognise that that would kind of suck having to reiterate a pretty shit situation. I certainly don't have the mental training for surviving that.... did like the finish at the airport. Very descriptive. Perfect ending.
January 26, 2018
How you rate this anything but 5 star, I do not understand. This is written by a guy who has experienced something that no westerners have experienced. Say what you will, this book is honest, scary, and very real. It's not a literary fiction masterpiece, it's a non-fiction account written by a guy that has survived hell on earth. His self reflection about not being a good man is as honest as it gets, and his reasoning and justifications for his actions could be questioned... but damn, who else would you want guarding your convoy driving through hell?
June 26, 2022
I cannot recommend this book enough!!!
The book Im currently reading The Seventh Circle by Rob Langdon, this biography is about my father's childhood friend and it is heart breaking. Just wow.
I really enjoyed it because it tells a story without the embellishments or hype, it's the raw story of the shitty events that happened and that made it a really pleasant change from what I normally read.
So, if you want to visit these places without going through the sheer horror of actually being there and if you want to have a read that leaves you gasping and shaking your head - this is it.
The book Im currently reading The Seventh Circle by Rob Langdon, this biography is about my father's childhood friend and it is heart breaking. Just wow.
I really enjoyed it because it tells a story without the embellishments or hype, it's the raw story of the shitty events that happened and that made it a really pleasant change from what I normally read.
So, if you want to visit these places without going through the sheer horror of actually being there and if you want to have a read that leaves you gasping and shaking your head - this is it.
August 1, 2025
Raw, Powerful, and Unforgettable
The Seventh Circle is a gripping memoir by Australian soldier Rob Langdon, offering an unflinching look into his years of imprisonment in Afghanistan. Honest and intense, it’s a story of sheer courage, survival, and mental resilience. Langdon provides eye-opening insights into Afghan politics, the justice system, and the role of foreign military forces. A must-read for fans of true survival stories and military memoirs.
The Seventh Circle is a gripping memoir by Australian soldier Rob Langdon, offering an unflinching look into his years of imprisonment in Afghanistan. Honest and intense, it’s a story of sheer courage, survival, and mental resilience. Langdon provides eye-opening insights into Afghan politics, the justice system, and the role of foreign military forces. A must-read for fans of true survival stories and military memoirs.
October 30, 2019
Leadership, bravery and resilience. A great true story with a lot of interesting mini stories along the way. I have so much respect for this man and all he has been through, and also the way that he conducted himself so that it didn't sacrifice his own personal morals and beliefs. It was also inspiring to listen to how he disciplined himself to keep fit and stay in a routine to survive.
July 19, 2023
A haunting tale of survival
Rob's story of survival during 7 years in an Afghanistan prison is riveting and took me completely by surprise. It is impossible to imagine the circumstances, and even more so, the resilience that is required to stay sane. I hope I can bring Rob on as a guest on my show MY STEPS TO SOBRIETY. There is so much we can learn from this author.
Rob's story of survival during 7 years in an Afghanistan prison is riveting and took me completely by surprise. It is impossible to imagine the circumstances, and even more so, the resilience that is required to stay sane. I hope I can bring Rob on as a guest on my show MY STEPS TO SOBRIETY. There is so much we can learn from this author.
September 17, 2024
Less about the prison and more about the author talking about how good he was and how evil everyone he worked for was. In-between this and him saying how he really considered himself a bad person made it hard to take the little details at face value. A very spiteful book which is understandable given the circumstances but not really about what the book advertised.
January 19, 2018
A brutal and dramatic insight into war, and the life of soldiers and mercenaries in Afghanistan.
June 28, 2018
3.5. An easy read and a great story about corruption, war and staying resilient in the face of hopelessness
October 20, 2018
Raw and honest. No flag waving, no posturing or politics. Just Langdon's story as he saw it and lived it.
November 23, 2021
What a fantastic book. Well written and easy to read. I really felt for Rob especially after all the betrail by people he thought he could trust. I hope he's out living a happy life now
December 25, 2021
Good shit! 🔥
June 24, 2022
Helluva story
June 3, 2025
4.0 ⭐️
October 6, 2021
True story regarding contractor/mercenary who was wrongly condemned of murder, went through a farce of a trial and was sentenced to prison in a notorious Afghan jail.
May 21, 2022
Great read
Brilliant read brutal reality of life in a war torn land. Was gripped from start to finish. Is a must read
Brilliant read brutal reality of life in a war torn land. Was gripped from start to finish. Is a must read
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews