Empire of Fear ― Inside the Islamic State

In June 2014 Islamic State launched an astonishing blitzkrieg which saw them seize control of an area in the Middle East the size of Britain. The news was soon filled with their relentless acts of savagery, yet nobody seemed to know who they were or where they'd come from.

Now BBC reporter Andrew Hosken delivers the inside story on Islamic State. Through extensive first-hand reporting, Hosken builds a comprehensive picture of IS, their brutal ideology and exterminationist methods. Equally compelling and horrifying, Empire of Fear reveals how Islamic State came to be, explores how they might be defeated and asks a frightening question – if they were brought down, could we stop another group emerging to replace them?

‘Carefully crafted… Hosken steps judiciously between the victims, between the car bomb wrecks and among the major players of an organisation that has an astonishingly simple purpose… persuasive… meticulous… Hosken's conclusions are measured but however quietly spoken they retain a frightening resonance' - Hugh MacDonald Sunday Herald

‘Hosken does an excellent job of sorting out the American reaction, the failure of the Iraqi leadership in the form of Nouri al-Maliki and others, and how IS has becomes the richest terrorist group in the world. A tremendously useful, insightful study of the frightening spread of a culture of death.' - Kirkus, starred review

‘Of all the recent crop of books about the Islamic State, this is the best. It is well-written and superbly researched by someone who knows his subject intimately; if you want an authoritative, well-researched but above all readable account of this foul but for many all too appealing organisation, look no further –Empire of Fearis that book.' - Frank Ledwidge, author of Losing Small Wars and Investment in Blood

‘Andy Hosken is a brilliant investigative reporter with an unerring eye for a story. The rise of the Islamic State is an event as seismic as it is widely misunderstood, and Empire of Fear is an essential contribution to fathoming the truth of what is currently happening in the Middle East.' - Tom Holland, author of Persian Fire and In the Shadow of the Sword

Andrew Hosken is one of the BBC’s most respected senior correspondents. He reported the 9/11 attacks from New York and the 7/11 attacks from London and has covered numerous Middle Eastern conflicts including the Arab Spring, the fall of Gaddafi, and the rise of the Islamic State. He lives in London.