Masterly ... a vivid account -- Robert Service Independent A dramatic and exciting tale ... His set-piece descriptions of such visions of Hell as Stalingrad, the 900-day siege of Leningrad and the crucial battle of Kursk are as fascinating as they are horrifying -- Alan Judd Sunday Times Overy is a first-class military historian ... He writes concisely and says what he means to say ... Now, we have an authoritative British account that understands both sides, without illusions -- Norman Stone Spectator Excellent ... Overy tackles this huge, complex and multifaceted story with the vital gifts of clarity and brevity -- Antony Beevor Literary Review