Les Prétoriens

by Jean Lartéguy

Jean Lartéguy's unflinching sequel to The Centurions, a searing novel of modern warfare admired by military experts, with a foreword by General Stanley McChrystal

Based on the events of May 1958 in France and Algeria, The Praetorians picks up in the footsteps of The Centurions, which was called “a stunning reflection of modern war” by Stanley McChrystal. After turning to tactics of guerilla warfare, a group of French paratroopers serving in the Algerian War is called to answer for actions they consider necessary, however immoral. Fearing another loss of French honor, they plot a coup that results in the return to power of Charles de Gaulle and the death of one of their own. With resonance to modern conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, The Praetorians further develops some of Lartéguy’s most persistent and pertinent counterinsurgency, the ugly, morally conflicted nature of modern war, and the seemingly unbridgeable gulf between the experiences of soldiers and of the civilians they serve.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Genres: Fiction, Military Fiction, Historical Fiction, War, Africa, Algeria, France

325 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Lartéguy was born into what he called "one of those families of poor mountain peasants whose names are found inscribed on war memorials, but not in history books." Both his father and uncle had served in the First World War. With his country conquered by the Germans, Lartéguy escaped from France into Spain in March 1942. He remained there for nine months and spent time in a Francoist jail before joining the Free French Forces as an officer in the 1st Commando Group (1er groupe de commandos). During the war, he fought in Italy; Vosges and Belfort, France; and Germany. He remained on active duty for seven years until becoming a captain in the reserves in order to enter the field of journalism. Lartéguy received numerous military awards, to include: Légion d'honneur, Croix de guerre 1939-1945, and the Croix de guerre T.O.E.

After his military service, Lartéguy worked as a war correspondent, particularly for the magazine Paris Match. He covered conflicts in Azerbaijan, Korea, Palestine, Indochina, Algeria, and Vietnam. In pursuit of a story at the start of the Korean War, Lartéguy volunteered for the French Battalion and was wounded by an enemy hand grenade during the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge. In Latin America, he reported on various revolutions and insurgencies, and in 1967 encountered Che Guevara shortly before his capture and execution. In the July 1967 issue of Paris Match, Lartéguy wrote a major article entitled "Les Guerilleros", where he wrote: "At a time when Cuban revolutionaries want to create Vietnam's all over the world, the Americans run the risk of finding their own Algeria in Latin America."

In 1955, he received the Albert Londres Prize for journalism

His experiences as a soldier and war correspondent influenced his writing. Some of the most emphasized topics in his writing are decolonization, nationalism, the expansion of Communism, the state of post-war French society, and the unglamorous nature of war. His novel Les chimères noires evokes the role played by Roger Trinquier during the Katanga Crisis. Published in 1963 it portrays vividly the chaos of civil war in the Congo after the murder of Patrice Lumumba and the conflict between Moise Tshombe secessionist government and the United Nations Forces. The novel is very critical of Belgian colonialism and is also a reliable expression of European views of Central Africa after independence. Several of his book titles were translated into English, with the most successful being his Algerian War series: The Centurions and The Praetorians. The former was adapted into a major motion picture in 1966, entitled Lost Command and starred Anthony Quinn.

Also, with his novel The Centurions, Lartéguy is credited with being the first to envision the 'ticking time bomb' scenario, which has regained relevance in recent debates on the use of torture in a counter-terrorism role. His novels have been read by military professionals, including General David Petraeus, in the new context of modern terrorism.

Reviews

[Liam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only read this in translation (despite the fact that the only copy I own is the original French-language first edition), as my French is limited at best... I hope to change that at some point (hopefully sooner rather than later) so I can not only read this in the original language, but also several of M. Lartéguy's other books which have never been translated. That having been said, this book, along with the one before it (Les Centurions), of which it is a continuation, form what is generally considered to be Jean Lartéguy's masterwork. Although my personal favorite among his books is Yellow Fever (Le Mal Jaune), I would have to agree with that verdict. Lartéguy's depiction of soldiers engaged in a prolonged counterinsurgency campaign, and the effects it has on them both as men and as soldiers, has no equal of which I am aware. Given the current political/military situation in the world, it would not surprise me, even taking into account the fact that so few people read these days, to see these books come back into both print and fashion, as so many classic non-fiction works on counterinsurgency recently have done.

[Corto · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never made it through this book. I was lacking too much context. I think this book requires an in-depth knowledge of French-Algerian politics of the time. It was difficult to stay with. I do recommend Larteguy’s “The Centurions” though.

[Tim Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 10th Colonial Parachute Regiment found itself suddenly transplanted from the steamy jungles of Vietnam to the violent streets of Algiers back in the late 50s. The story is about the lives and actions of these French soldiers and mainly focuses on three strong personalities: Major Philippe Esclavier, Colonel Noel Pierre Raspéguy and Captain Julienne Boisfeuras. Told in the third person, most of the story focuses on Esclavier and his time back in France, recovering from wounds sustained in Algeria. He is conflicted by his dedication to the Army and his complete disdain for the French civil government’s lack of support. The French in Algeria is a tragedy that history and the media have glossed over with time. The sad note here is that the world has forgotten the is the success that the French Army achieved in neutralizing an insurrection and DeGaulle’s ostensible betrayal of his Army. In the end, Esclavier resigns in disgust, Raspéguy is relieved for accomplishing his mission with minimal losses and the heroic death of Boisfeuras. For what did these brave men fight? Why did France cast them out instead of welcoming them as heroes? A bit of a philosopher, as probably all true soldiers are, Boisfeuras’ dying words epitomize the French paratroopers actions in this fight between French and Algerian: “Victory is his who dares the most.”

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the Centurions for a book club recently and unexpectedly really liked it. So I picked up this sequel. The short review is that I enjoyed it, but not as much as Centurions.

Centurions told the story of a squad of French paratroopers taken captive in the Indo-China war, their resistance to communist indoctrination, and their later role fighting in the Algerian war. It dealt with themes of Western Civilization vs. communism, imperialism, and the complexity of insurgent wars.

Praetorians starts a year or two after the events of Centurions, but most of the book is a flash back to fill in the events that happened since the end of Centurions. The story covers the military-initiated coup that brought Charles de Gaulle back to power in France. The book focuses thematically on the tension between the military and politics (the title, Praetorians, refers to the elite Roman military unit that made and unmade emperors).

As a narrative, the book was interesting but a bit hard to follow. There are a lot of characters, and they are inconsistently referred to only by one of their first name, last name, or rank ("the major"), which can be confusing. That was true in Centurions, but in that book, most of the side characters were not critical to the plot. Here, on the other hand, the cast of characters is not only large, but the plot hinges on a lot of complex political intrigue and double-/triple-crossing.

Thematically, the subject matter was also interesting, but it was tied into a lot of history that I am not familiar with (the return to power of Charles de Gaulle and the internal French political tension that lead to it). So it was tougher to connect to than the more obvious, e.g., western civ v. communism themes of Centurions.

I still enjoyed the book, and it was interesting to read the rest of the story of Raspeguy, Esclavier, et al. But I just did not like it quite as much as Centurions.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The only thing he could not bear was being alone, finding himself face to face with the inspiring or sordid but invariably gory past, and being obliged to say. ‘All this for nothing.'“

Overall this book is an excellent trip into French Politics and military affairs of the Algerian War. I got a little bit lost on the political end, and personally favor Les Centurions over this book, but overall I loved reading it and it builds well to complete the trilogy.

Mess from some of my notes:

Les Centurions, were those soldiers, hardened warriors who were all that stood between the weak and the hordes of savage at the gates of the empire. These men who after shedding blood and their soul in war, were demonized upon return to home, while the bastards who slit Legionnaire's throats and those of women and children and old men in the night were martyred.

There is a deep exhibition of the self-pitying and hatred presented by the French Left who sought to sabotage France's history and send her strongest sons to burn in Algeria for their sense of Sin.
“The progressivists were even worse [Than Communists]. All they wanted was to infect us with their own disease, guilty conscience.”

And the end result of this brash sacrifice of France's best men, would be to open her up to the blazing fire, not of revolution, but annihilation. A fate (Foreshadowed in 1961) that is all to obvious to us now.

“There’s nothing left in front of you, neither police nor political parties, nothing but a huge inertia. The fellaghas will soon be able to come and camp under the tower of Notre Dame, and the people will bring them lollipops.” (99)

The only men who dared, to prevent this were Les Prætorians. Weathered warriors who no longer saw the weak as worthy of dictating their future-and believed that only a strong leaders, a military lord of their choosing could save France from the degeneracy that was consuming the once legendary empire. Unfortunately, the Prætorians, honorable, and naive in that sense, trusted De Gaulle as the Spanish trusted Franco, to guarantee victory them victory in Algeria, but also for a future to be proud of.

The unfortunate end, was that The Ancien Military Class, De Gaulle, the old conservatives were not equipped nor visionary, of a real modern future, only a foolhardy return to a past that no longer was possible.

The soldiers who fought in Algeria, the French colonists in Algeria, were abandoned. Only the beginning of a chain of Postcolonial disasters and betrayals, it is truly heartbreaking to see the best of our Blood to be spilled fruitlessly while the tides of effeminacy and disease are allowed to grow.

Everything in the past is forgotten or betrayed, everything is lie, everyone is a liar, it seems. Thus, a great blade has separated the men of honor and blood with their counterparts.
“I no longer believe in anything else but friendship—the friendship of men. Out of our incoherent life, out of all our useless fighting in Indo-China and Algeria, all we have left is friendship.

Build a brotherhood, that is all that will survive.

P.s
I am literally Boisefuras.
"Life, what an idiotic dream!"

[Alexander Asay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping and morally complex narrative, "The Praetorians" serves as a compelling sequel to "The Centurions," further exploring the turbulent world of French paratroopers during the Algerian War. Larteguy, drawing from his own experiences as a war correspondent, crafts a story that resonates with the intricacies of counterinsurgency and the ethical dilemmas of modern warfare.

Set against the backdrop of the political upheaval in May 1958, the novel delves into the lives of soldiers caught between duty and morality. The paratroopers, facing the end of colonial rule in Algeria, are pushed to their limits as they navigate through guerilla warfare and the harsh realities of their actions. The plot thickens with a coup that sees Charles de Gaulle return to power, highlighting the tension between military honor and political machinations.

Larteguy’s portrayal of these soldiers is nuanced; they are neither heroes nor villains but men shaped by the brutalities of war. The narrative oscillates between the battlefield and the political arena, offering a stark look at the disconnect between soldiers and the civilian population they are ostensibly defending. Xan Fielding's translation captures the raw emotion and complex language of the original text, preserving the depth and intensity of Larteguy's storytelling.

"The Praetorians" does not shy away from the ugly realities of war, presenting a poignant examination of the human cost of conflict. It questions the nature of honor, duty, and the often blurred lines between right and wrong in times of chaos. The book's resonance with modern conflicts underscores its timelessness, making it a significant read for those interested in military history and the psychological impact of war.

This novel stands as a testament to Larteguy's ability to merge historical accuracy with literary prowess, ensuring that "The Praetorians" remains a vital piece of war literature, admired by military experts and historians alike.

[Dan Nuxoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could be considered a sequel to The Centurions by the same author. Although the book has the same cast of characters as the Centurions, it is not necessary to read the earlier book to understand this one.

The book focuses on the revolt in Algeria by the French Army that occurred in May 1958. That revolt was in the midst of the Algerian War that eventually resulted in Algerian independence; the revolt itself brought down the Fourth Republic in France and brought Charles DeGaulle to power. This novel focuses on a fictional group of paratroop officers, leaders of the elite fighting units within the French army, although it makes frequent reference to historical events and characters. As near as I can tell, the novel is true to the history.

The novel pictures the events of May 1958 as a brief period of hope. Near the end of the novel, one of the officers characterizes the attitude that pervades the novel: "For us, the captains in these wars which we could only lose, the hated defenders of a bourgeois order which indulges in the luxury of a clean conscience while obliging us to protect its privileges, there was nothing left but to die or disappear, for we had ceased being useful and were becoming dangerous." Despite this cynicism, the novel tells how these officers are loyal to each other and to their ideals.

This novel should be read to understand the challenges that our military and our police officers face every day.

[Quinn O’Loane · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sequel. Larteguy leaves us with all of our ‘heroes’ broken mentally, physically, spiritually, or just dead. One of the most depressing books I’ve ever read. Told from dear old Esclavier’s perspective after the coup which led to de Gaulle’s return to power and his subsequent “betrayal” of the Army, even the most inspiring and hopeful section of the book are informed by the fact that Esclavier is telling it from his lonely retirement. Some recurring themes:
-the sense of shame and self-disgust felt by officers after they give their words that they won’t leave—I remember Captain R talking about this at the Academy, and how he struggles to live with himself after “betraying” the people of Afghanistan
-the army has no cause worth defending. This isn’t much of a surprise, since they are the colonialists and are fighting against freedom and independence—but the dream they shared with French and Algerians alike, for just a few days, was enough to stir the entire population of Algiers and Oran and the countryside to their support and led to the overthrow of a government.
-The book suggests that it wasn’t their coup that was the problem, it was that they didn’t know what to do when they found themselves in control, and didn’t go far enough. “I took you for men, and you’re nothing but good soldiers.”

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written book. Many of us forgot that the world leaped into Cold War very quickly in post WWII. Many characters in the right had fought Nazism and Fascism, now they had to defend their county's sphere of influence, territories and colonies. When one departs from questioning the right or the wrong of colonialism or the nature of France's rule in North Africa, then one can understand both sides' points of view. Then independence becomes not the only alternative, but the evolutionary choice upon which communities arrive after every other option has failed. For long we amused ourselves by believing the stories written to glorify the masses, however the true story has been different. This is a good book to experience the hopelessness of a lost cause and those who try to defend it when France has lost her self esteem.

[Brasukra Sudjana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sequel to the Centurions, this book takes the 10th CPR deep into political intrigues of Algiers and desert warfare throughout Algeria. But this is no mere war novel. This book and the Centurions are standard readings at US military College (I read the Penguin version with introduction by Gen. Stanley McChrystal). But there are no easy lessons here. Larteguy provides more questions than answers. No victories, no strategies or tactics to adopt. The paratroopers took a key lesson from the Vietminh, mass control and manipulation (psyc warfare), and tried to fight a revolutionary war they knew they would lose. At the end they had more in common with their enemy combatants than with the generals in Paris and Algiers or the French Algerians trying to hang on to their privileges.

[Christopher Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had mixed feelings around this book. I find the topic quite compelling, the French army in Algeria and its willingness to engineer a military coup in order to keep the country from going independent, the advocacy of full integration with France by some of its officers, its sense of betrayal towards Charles de Gaulle and its hopeless slide towards inevitable failure. A couple of things bothered me though. The treatment of women in this book - they serve merely as temporary playthings to use and discard, they are virtually interchangeable you never get a sense of character development. I found myself having to block it out in order to concentrate on the more interesting parts of the story. Also there are so many names I challenge anyone to comprehend everything that's going on.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good sequel to The Centurions. Col Raspeguy and his officers of the 10th paratroop regiment return for more intrigue and fighting in French Algeria. Aside from the FLN, the Army faces an internal enemy in the French government which leads to a coup de tat. Not knowing anything about the May 10th revolt. I had to do some additional reading to understand much of what was happening in the book. Afterwards I gained an appreciation for the events and experiences of the book's characters. As in the author's previous book, most of the action occurs in the dialog among the characters. And what fine dialog it is.

[Jim Stout · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent sequel to THE CENTURIONS! Detailed forum of (ab)uses of politics, conventional and unconventional warfare, comradery. Questionable (but, given the occupations and motivations of those involved, not impossible) speed of female/male relationships. De Glatigny's behavior is true to his type of military officer, unfortunately. So similar to American experiences with social/cultural, economic, political, and military interactions in the post-WWII era, including Afghanistan and Iraq. No wonder my father and other veterans of interaction with de Gaulle hated him so.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointment. An ordeal to finish. I’m thinking if I were French I’d have understood it better. I’d read the previous book, The Centurions, so I was familiar with the characters but this was a total mishmash. Confusing and shifting allegiances and goals as well as a muddle between past and present in the narrative. Had to do independent research on persons and history of the period to comprehend what really happened. I guess I should read Alistair Horne’s book that I picked up over forty years ago and have still not read - A Savage War of Peace.

[Jc · Rating 3 out of 5]

La première partie qui relate le coup d’état à Alger du 13 mai 1958 est trop longue. Toutefois c’était peut-être nécessaire pour faire comprendre la vision de ces militaires qui œuvraient pour une Algérie indépendante mais faisant partie de la France. L’amertume et la déception est palpable dans la deuxième partie ; le sentiment d’avoir été trahis par de Gaulle est un sentiment qui est d’ailleurs toujours présent chez tous ceux qui aimaient l’Algérie d’avant ’58.

[Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sequel to Centurions is still beautifully written but much weaker overall in comparison to its predecessor.

The first half of the book is difficult to follow and takes place in Algiers but also jumps around to other locations. It can be difficult to follow as it seems it was written for a very select few that the author had in mind.

The second half of the book is back to the brilliance of Centurions and makes it worth the read.

[Eduardo Fort · Rating 4 out of 5]

Autor políticamente incorrecto y -por eso mismo- casi inaccesible hoy en día, Jean Lartéguy (1920-2011) debería figurar en cualquier lista de autores necesarios para comprender los conflictos armados del siglo XX. Este título (junto a otros como Los centuriones o Los mercenarios) dibujan una semblanza perfecta de los hombres que intervinieron en las diversas guerras que asolaron África.

[Robert Muir · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's very well written and I'm sure that I don't know enough about the situation there then to fully appreciate the novel. I imagine that one better versed or informed about the events of that time and place in history would give it five stars.

[Richard Groon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book carries on well from "The Centurions." While this book focuses much more on the politics of French Algeria and the plot carried out by the characters, it was still able to keep my interest.

[P M E · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you loved The Centurions ... Keep your memories where they are and don't read this.

[David Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great books on the French experience in indochina and north africa.

[ErnstG · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'optimisme de Les Centurions s'effondre à la fin de l'Algérie française.

Philippe et Irène se sont-ils remis ensemble ?

[Logan Kedzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's like Catch-22 but played straight.

[Giuseppe Galbiati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro molto particolare,la cui filosofia è talvolta incomprensibile

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Here we are, turned into Praetorians for having wished too strongly to be soldiers of the people, and into boogeymen for having wanted to be loved."

I didn't enjoy this one as much The Centurions mostly because it dove too deeply into the nitty-gritty of colonial Algerian politics. The feelings of betrayal, the lost cause, and all the other stuff I mentioned in my other review still exist, just watered down. The criticisms are the same as well, the women are horrendously written, perhaps even worse than the first book.

[AG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that I have been thinking about this for a few months (lol my bad) I have finally put some thoughts in order. First, I get why my brother prefers this novel to its predecessor, but I still prefer The Centurions. The Centurions felt like a story about tragic ideological destruction--sacrifice of the self in service of one's country. The Praetorians feels much more political. The officers in this novel become entrenched in France's politics, and it is their meddling that becomes their downfall. While perhaps even more painfully realistic than The Centurions, it was awfully depressing. Vendettas and vindictiveness control their fates rather than themselves. While the self-destruction in the first book was truly tragic, here it just feels all the more out of their own control, which is sad to have to believe in. The most painful and amazing part of this novel comes right at the end, Boisfeuras' letter to his father. The dream of the city in moral ruins and the soldiers who weigh the value of protecting it... it's all too real. And further, Boisfeuras' decision to go on protecting it not for its own sake, but because of the men to his left and to his right... it was cutting. Brilliant and philosophic just like the last one. But terrible, too.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suddenly coup d'État are back in the news and relevant again. That makes for perfect timing to re-release this classic novel of the Algerian War of Independence. While not as popular as Lartéguy's The Centurions, this novel follows the same paratroop officers of the fictional 10th Parachute Regiment after the Battle of Algiers and the unraveling of the French national will to continue the pursuit of Algérie Française, and the attempted officer putsch of 13 May 1958. The novel lacks the punch of The Centurions because Lartéguy tries to weave in too many real-life personalities and an ambitious narrative that attempts to touch on too much of the incredible and interesting facets of the actual conclusion of the war and the return of Charles de Gaulle. I still highly recommend it and it is best read directly on the heels of The Centurions.

[Bryan]

A difficult read at times, though it flows quite nicely. The parallels with Iraq are startling. Asks the age old question - do our actions destroy what we are trying to defend?

[Gary Letham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The direct sequel to The Centurions carries the story on. Told in flashback and finally a diary entry we discover the fates of Raspeguy & Esclavier. This book can be a little stodgy in the middle, and it helps if you acquaint yourself with the history behind it. It covers the excesses of the French in their attempt to hold Algeria in the late fifties and early sixties and the extent to which the paratroop regiments became king makers or Praetorians from their original perceived role as Centurions protecting the edge of empire. The barbarity of their actions is tempered with a political naivety which allows the May 13th uprising and the subsequent installation of De Gaulle to be railroaded by other factions and fellow travellers and morphed into something they had not intended as in the integration of a moslem and christian state as an integral part of the French state. It makes the brief rise of the OAS seem all but inevitable.