Sergeant Steele is thrust into the carnage of World War One with the French Foreign Legion, moving from North Africa's desert outposts to the mud and blood of Europe's trenches. At Verdun, the seasoned veterans fight a desperate battle, blending historical fact with gripping fiction. Steele must face both the German enemy and his nemesis, Jean, who has allied with the Imperial German Army and mentors an ambitious Austrian corporal. Jean's promise of unlimited power to the young corporal and his own thirst for blood set the stage for a harrowing clash.

In vivid detail, the novel portrays the brutal realities of trench warfare and the Legion's incredible advance through heavily defended German positions. Steele, along with 8000 Legionnaires who arrived in Europe in 1914, faces unimaginable horrors. By the war's end, fewer than 200 survive to return to Africa, and Steele is among them. This tale of courage, betrayal, and relentless conflict captures the essence of the Legion's sacrifice and glory in World War One.