The year is 1899, and Boer forces have surrounded the small South African town of Ladysmith. As shells and shrapnel rain down, British soldiers and townsfolk dig themselves in, waiting for rescue. But General Buller's relief column can't break through...Giles Foden's acclaimed second novel brings the drama and action of the three-month siege to life. Inspired by the letters of the author's grandfather, a British trooper, this is a powerful fictional recreation of the first modern war.