Brilliant. A rollercoaster of blistering action, survival and behind-the-lines daring

Gripping, fast moving and completely authentic. A brilliant piece of work. Better than Bravo Two Zero

A gripping untold story of heroism, hardship and sacrifice within the SAS

Brings alive the hardships, fear and bravery of the elite soldier . . . A great tale, loaded with comradeship

One of my favourite historians

This is a brilliantly clear, and fair, account of one of the most notorious and destructive raids in the history aerial warfare. From planning to execution, the story is told by crucial participants - and the victims who suffered so cruelly on the ground from the attack itself and its aftermath

McKay's rich narrative and descriptive gifts provide us with an elegant yet unflinching account of that terrible night . . . a very readable and finely crafted addition to the literature on one of modern history's most morally fraught military operations

Masterful

Along with much affecting human detail, I particularly like the way it contextualises the city's obliteration with scenes from Dresden's rich history

Extraordinary . . . a remarkably faithful account

Painstakingly researched and fascinating

Lucid, well-researched and rich in detail

Fascinating, riveting, unsettling, and wonderfully rich in period detail

McKay brings that time vividly alive but he's also alive to the moral ambiguities

McKay recounts the story of Dresden's destruction through the recollections of those who miraculously survived, creating a kaleidoscope of experience . . . His prose, even when describing gruesome destruction, is often breathtakingly beautiful. This superbly rendered story allows the reader entry into the soul of an extraordinary city

A carefully researched, finely written and moving account of one of the great tragedies of 20th-century history

There have been many books on the bombing of Dresden (not least Kurt Vonnegut's novel, "Slaughterhouse Five"), but Sinclair McKay's account is a worthy addition. McKay's purpose is neither to condemn nor condone, but to record what happened and why. Above all, he rejoices in the modern city's resurrection

Accomplished

Rich and colourful . . . [there is] a vividness and poignancy that other accounts have lacked

McKay's book is better than narrative history. It is biography, but of place, rather than person. He makes Dresden come alive, before, during, and after the infernal 13th

A passionate and original account of the Allied bombing of Dresden in 1945, one of the most controversial evens of the Second World War

A weighty and considered investigation of events . . . an excellent book . . . providing a reliable, engaging, informative and, above all, sober narrative of events. The book will enable readers to make up their own minds - should they so desire - on the rights and wrongs of the matter. It is highly recommended

This minute-by-minute retelling tackles the big questions, but also - by drawing on the letters and diaries from the Dresden City Archive - never loosed sight of the experiences of people who witnessed, and suffered, the attach first-hand

It's a wonderful book, so absorbing, thoughtful and thought provoking, I didn't want it to end

The story of the Allied bombing of Dresden in 1945 is well known, but McKay's searing account is in a league of its own. His research is first-class, his writing elegant and emotive. He is brilliant at portraying the city's prewar beauty, grimly powerful on the horror of the firestorm, and moving and thoughtful about Dresden's rise from the ashes. By the end, I was itching to jump on a flight to Germany. That tells you about the skill and spirit of this terrific book