This novel is the first in a trilogy following two characters through the wars of the Blair/Brown period of government. Paul Illingworth, an ambitious young army officer at the threshold of life's great adventure, is confronted by the realities of military command. In order to win the trust of an experienced and uncompromising platoon he must choose between his childhood love and a path that lures him onwards. Set against the collapse of the IRA ceasefire in the mid 1990s, this is a compelling story of leadership written with precision and authenticity. As Paul grows in confidence, mirroring the rise of New Labour, the novel creates a beautiful allusion of Tony Blair coming to power.