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Death or Glory #1
The Last Commando
IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE YOU HAVE A CHOICE: DEATH OR GLORY . . .
Libya, 1942 – Rommel’s Africa Korps is sweeping across the desert. Ragged Allied forces are being torn apart in brutal fire-fights on the scorched sands. A desperate message to the Prime Minister is entrusted to First Officer Madeleine Rose, WRNS. Her codename: Runefish.
When GHQ hears that Runefish’s plane has been shot down behind enemy lines, they send for battle-hardened Sergeant Tom Caine. Caine is a first-class soldier who nearly always does what he’s told. He will lead a squad of specialist commandos into the heart of enemy territory and either rescue or execute Runefish. If he refuses to take this near-suicide mission, he faces court martial. Now the outcome of the war depends on his following orders.
Death or glory beckons . . .
Praise for Michael Asher…
‘Breathtaking, astonishing, terrific’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
‘Absolutely enthralling’ SCOTSMAN
Michael Asher served in the Parachute Regiment and SAS. A fluent Arab speaker, he has lived for years among the Bedouin peoples. He has made expeditions in many countries, always preferring to travel on foot or with animal transport. He is also the author of Shoot to Kill: From 2 Para to the SAS.
Libya, 1942 – Rommel’s Africa Korps is sweeping across the desert. Ragged Allied forces are being torn apart in brutal fire-fights on the scorched sands. A desperate message to the Prime Minister is entrusted to First Officer Madeleine Rose, WRNS. Her codename: Runefish.
When GHQ hears that Runefish’s plane has been shot down behind enemy lines, they send for battle-hardened Sergeant Tom Caine. Caine is a first-class soldier who nearly always does what he’s told. He will lead a squad of specialist commandos into the heart of enemy territory and either rescue or execute Runefish. If he refuses to take this near-suicide mission, he faces court martial. Now the outcome of the war depends on his following orders.
Death or glory beckons . . .
Praise for Michael Asher…
‘Breathtaking, astonishing, terrific’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
‘Absolutely enthralling’ SCOTSMAN
Michael Asher served in the Parachute Regiment and SAS. A fluent Arab speaker, he has lived for years among the Bedouin peoples. He has made expeditions in many countries, always preferring to travel on foot or with animal transport. He is also the author of Shoot to Kill: From 2 Para to the SAS.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2009
101 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Michael Asher
55 books63 followersMichael Asher is an author, historian, deep ecologist, and notable desert explorer who has covered more than 30,000 miles on foot and camel. He spent three years living with a traditional nomadic tribe in Sudan.
Michael Asher was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, in 1953, and attended Stamford School. At 18 he enlisted in the 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, and saw active service in Northern Ireland during The Troubles there in the 1970s.
He studied English Language & Linguistics at the University of Leeds. at the same time serving in B Squadron, 23rd SAS Regiment. He also studied at Carnegie College, Leeds, where he qualified as a teacher of physical education and English.
In 1978-9, he worked for the RUC Special Patrol Group anti-terrorist patrols, but left after less than a year. He took a job as a volunteer English teacher in the Sudan in 1979.
The author of twenty-one published books, and presenter/director of six TV documentaries, Asher has lived in Africa for much of his life, and speaks Arabic and Swahili. He is married to Arabist and photographer Mariantonietta Peru, with whom he has a son and a daughter, Burton and Jade. He currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya.
Michael Asher was born in Stamford, Lincolnshire, in 1953, and attended Stamford School. At 18 he enlisted in the 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, and saw active service in Northern Ireland during The Troubles there in the 1970s.
He studied English Language & Linguistics at the University of Leeds. at the same time serving in B Squadron, 23rd SAS Regiment. He also studied at Carnegie College, Leeds, where he qualified as a teacher of physical education and English.
In 1978-9, he worked for the RUC Special Patrol Group anti-terrorist patrols, but left after less than a year. He took a job as a volunteer English teacher in the Sudan in 1979.
The author of twenty-one published books, and presenter/director of six TV documentaries, Asher has lived in Africa for much of his life, and speaks Arabic and Swahili. He is married to Arabist and photographer Mariantonietta Peru, with whom he has a son and a daughter, Burton and Jade. He currently lives in Nairobi, Kenya.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 17, 2013
A meaty thump of a book.
Reading Death Or Glory I: The Last Commando is like being run over by a stampeding bull. The description is so real, so visceral, so very in your face that it evokes the very heart of (what I imagine to be) combat. Scenes in some books are described so poorly that the experience of reading is gruel-thin; not so this book. Each scene is a rich soupy smorgasbord of experience. The senses are fully engaged here - the sights, sounds, smells and the feels fully and realistically call to the senses and awaken them to the detailed action in such a way that the body becomes emeshed and engaged. This is a book that is not just read - it is vividly lived.
So, yeah, you could say I kinda enjoyed it.
Don't read it while you're eating though. ;)
Reading Death Or Glory I: The Last Commando is like being run over by a stampeding bull. The description is so real, so visceral, so very in your face that it evokes the very heart of (what I imagine to be) combat. Scenes in some books are described so poorly that the experience of reading is gruel-thin; not so this book. Each scene is a rich soupy smorgasbord of experience. The senses are fully engaged here - the sights, sounds, smells and the feels fully and realistically call to the senses and awaken them to the detailed action in such a way that the body becomes emeshed and engaged. This is a book that is not just read - it is vividly lived.
So, yeah, you could say I kinda enjoyed it.
Don't read it while you're eating though. ;)
September 9, 2014
An enjoyable blood and guts story from the Western Desert in WW2. Decent if predictable storyline with some good if rather black and white characters. If you like all action war books read this but not on a full stomach if you are in any way squeamish!
May 16, 2015
The sort of book that you get totally immersed in Real escapism in a blood and guts environment.
January 25, 2025
I was slightly worried by the first chapter, which was a bit too ‘Hollywood’. Fortunately the story soon became less frantic, however by halfway I found myself predicting the next cliché the author was going to come up with, it seemed like he was pillaging every war film I’d ever seen.
I carried on hoping it wasn’t going to get any worse and it was just the author trying too hard to pack in every possible incident he could think of, even though some were so outlandishly contrived, they became unbelievable.
It didn’t help that the whole ’Runefish’ operation was obviously a poor ‘setup’ right from the start, even the codename was ’fishy’.
At one point in the story I would have considered giving three stars, by the end I I was struggling to give more than one, it really wasn’t very convincing. When I was young I used to read ’Commando’ comic books, they were more credible than this. If possible I would have given 1.5 stars
I carried on hoping it wasn’t going to get any worse and it was just the author trying too hard to pack in every possible incident he could think of, even though some were so outlandishly contrived, they became unbelievable.
It didn’t help that the whole ’Runefish’ operation was obviously a poor ‘setup’ right from the start, even the codename was ’fishy’.
At one point in the story I would have considered giving three stars, by the end I I was struggling to give more than one, it really wasn’t very convincing. When I was young I used to read ’Commando’ comic books, they were more credible than this. If possible I would have given 1.5 stars
June 23, 2022
A war story set during the 2nd World war, gripping, excellent war strategies and confrontations, battles well written.
Sergeant Tom Caine is sent on a suicide mission to try and rescue a courier sent with a critical message for Churchill. He has to rescue the courier codename runefish or kill the courier so that the message doesn't get to the enemy.
The plot starts slowly with the team formed and starts towards the desert. It slowly grows as each encounter is described as of we are watching a movie. The story gains momentum as the story progresses and the suspense is kept till the end.
It is my first full war story and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Well written and keeps the reader engaged.
Sergeant Tom Caine is sent on a suicide mission to try and rescue a courier sent with a critical message for Churchill. He has to rescue the courier codename runefish or kill the courier so that the message doesn't get to the enemy.
The plot starts slowly with the team formed and starts towards the desert. It slowly grows as each encounter is described as of we are watching a movie. The story gains momentum as the story progresses and the suspense is kept till the end.
It is my first full war story and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Well written and keeps the reader engaged.
February 17, 2024
Fascinating war story but brutal.
This book deals with an operation behind enemy lines in the period of the defeat at ancestral from Tobruk in World War Two. It's a very cleverly written plot with some surprises, and is basically a very good story, well told.
However the battle scenes are extremely gruesome with exceedingly graphic descriptions of the injuries incurred by those involved. As such it is not for The faint hearted or those of a sensitive nature. This realism is enhanced by the inclusion of some real life characters so that the whole thing prompts the idea that at least some of the time the author is describing actual events.
This book deals with an operation behind enemy lines in the period of the defeat at ancestral from Tobruk in World War Two. It's a very cleverly written plot with some surprises, and is basically a very good story, well told.
However the battle scenes are extremely gruesome with exceedingly graphic descriptions of the injuries incurred by those involved. As such it is not for The faint hearted or those of a sensitive nature. This realism is enhanced by the inclusion of some real life characters so that the whole thing prompts the idea that at least some of the time the author is describing actual events.
February 9, 2022
What a cracking romp….
I am a big fan of Michael Asher and throughly enjoyed this book.
It was reminiscent of the derringer-do boys own stories I read as a boy, blended with a Jack Higgins style thriller. It is well researched, had great character development and lots of military trivia (I’d never heard of a commando ‘fanny’ before!)
I am looking forward to the next in the series.
I am a big fan of Michael Asher and throughly enjoyed this book.
It was reminiscent of the derringer-do boys own stories I read as a boy, blended with a Jack Higgins style thriller. It is well researched, had great character development and lots of military trivia (I’d never heard of a commando ‘fanny’ before!)
I am looking forward to the next in the series.
April 19, 2019
really enjoyed this book, believe it or not i had already read the book about 18 months ago, enjoyed it then, but reading it for the second i remembered the beginning and the middle and part of the end, so the gaps i missed the first time was enlightened the second time, so i am now reading the second Book in the series, and i am enjoying it.
June 22, 2018
Corking Boys Own / Marvel 2ww comics come to mind, shimmering deserts overrun by Rommel's Panzers (dash for Egypt) with a handful of Tommy's rescuing a female spy crashed landed behind enemy lines, lots of action, deceit, spying and subterfuge. Nice start to the series.
Read
November 16, 2021Rollicking yarn based on careful research. That said, the many factual accounts of the Desert Campaign are more engaging and no less remarkable - many histories and personal accounts of the SAS, LRDG and Popskis' Army .
July 10, 2022
Hard to Put down
From Cairo to Tobruk and across the Sahara this book moves fast paced. With Commandos And spies, Intelligence offices, Bedouins and bandits It moves back and forth with lots of action.
From Cairo to Tobruk and across the Sahara this book moves fast paced. With Commandos And spies, Intelligence offices, Bedouins and bandits It moves back and forth with lots of action.
May 30, 2025
the last cammando
This was Avery interesting book. I could not under stand some of the terminology of some weapons or desert terms, but the over all story was great. The beginning of the SAS.
Waiting to read more.
This was Avery interesting book. I could not under stand some of the terminology of some weapons or desert terms, but the over all story was great. The beginning of the SAS.
Waiting to read more.
September 20, 2019
Way too slow, the desert sands were moving faster than this story.
April 15, 2024
An entertaining read despite a predictable plot and several historical inaccuracies like having a 44 magnum pistol in a WW II story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2025
A bit ‘hung ho’, with a fast paced story and characters we come to know before they leave the story.
First in a four book series, looking forward to the second.
First in a four book series, looking forward to the second.
August 30, 2025
Nothing but action.
June 21, 2023
Michael Asher https://themichaelasher.com is the author of more than 20 books. The Last Commando was published in 2018 and is the first book in the author’s Death or Glory series. It is the 32nd book I completed reading in 2023.
Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, mature language, and mature situations, I categorize this novel as R. It is 1942, and Rommel’s Africa Corps is steadily pushing the British into Egypt. First Officer Madeleine Rose WRNS is entrusted with a secret message. She is to reveal only to Prime Minister Winston Churchill. But her plane is downed behind German lines on its way to England.
Veteran British soldier Sergeant Tom Caine is tasked with the dangerous mission of leading a squad of commandos in search of the missing woman. They must bring her out or insure she cannot reveal the message.
The small troop finds themselves in one scrape after another as they search for Rose. Several men are lost in encounters with the German forces.
In Egypt the German spy Johann Eisner hears of Rose going down. Then he begins to discover details that make him question the story. He ruthlessly pursues the truth.
I enjoyed the 12.5 hours I spent reading this 367-page WWII-era historical fiction novel. This is a very enjoyable thriller. The plot contains combat, intrigue, and suspense. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.4 (rounded to 4) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, mature language, and mature situations, I categorize this novel as R. It is 1942, and Rommel’s Africa Corps is steadily pushing the British into Egypt. First Officer Madeleine Rose WRNS is entrusted with a secret message. She is to reveal only to Prime Minister Winston Churchill. But her plane is downed behind German lines on its way to England.
Veteran British soldier Sergeant Tom Caine is tasked with the dangerous mission of leading a squad of commandos in search of the missing woman. They must bring her out or insure she cannot reveal the message.
The small troop finds themselves in one scrape after another as they search for Rose. Several men are lost in encounters with the German forces.
In Egypt the German spy Johann Eisner hears of Rose going down. Then he begins to discover details that make him question the story. He ruthlessly pursues the truth.
I enjoyed the 12.5 hours I spent reading this 367-page WWII-era historical fiction novel. This is a very enjoyable thriller. The plot contains combat, intrigue, and suspense. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a rating of 4.4 (rounded to 4) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
June 12, 2013
Absolutely fantastic book. I can't explain in just 20,000 characters how well-researched every minute little detail is in all of Asher's work. The size of the guns, to the geography of the desert, to the exact sizes of the engines in the military vehicles - Asher is flawless with information! This book will keep you right on the edge of your seat (metaphorically, some people like to read in bed), I encourage everyone to read it at some point in their lifetime, if you like a bit of hammering the hun, beating the bosch kind of stuff.
October 2, 2013
I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. I would give it 3.5 stars if there was the option. I don't know much about the Africa campaign, and this has made me want to learn more about it. Growing up on WWII movies it's great to see that there are books out there that tap into those boyhood memories. Tough guys with Tommy guns, tough guys with knives, and tough guys who like dames. A guilty pleasure for the boys.
April 2, 2012
Cracking good read. Fast paced, lots of action, ambiguous ending. This book was a totally entertaining escapist read despite the likelihood of the hero and heroine surviving never being in doubt, nor the actual reason for the mission being difficult to work out.
March 11, 2016
A jolly good show of a book in which our brave chaps take on the evil cricket hating jerries in North Africa ! Most entertaining, but be prepared for " Saving Private Ryan " level descriptions of combat. Not to be read on a full stomach.
June 4, 2011
good story line keeped me intersted .
March 8, 2013
A very enjoyable read. But, as some one very interested in wwii military hardware some of the minor technical inaccuracies relay bugged me
October 22, 2013
Great book to read and it gives you that feeling you are in the desert with Tom and everyone else. Just hope a new one comes out soon.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews