Legion of the Lost

Legion of the Lost is a autobiographical novel by American writer Jaime Salazar. It was published in the United States by Berkley Books, an imprint of Penguin Group, on August 2nd, 2005. The novel is based on Salazar's own experiences as an American in the French Foreign Legion.^[1]

Plot

It tells the story of Jaime, a bored and self-described corporate cog. In a quest to seek solace from his corporate existence, he joined the French Foreign Legion, reputed to be the world’s toughest army. He experiences brutality, adventure, and an uncompromising camaraderie. This is the story of his life in the "Army of Strangers". In a 2008 Note addition on the book’s website, Salazar puts into perspective his reckless weekend behavior, notably that with women, into the context of a typical young man’s military life. He claims not to condone such libertine, amorous behavior then or now. He also claims that some of the characters mentioned were morphed from multiple people. Salazar admits to describing a few incidents that were actually second hand accounts. He claims artistic license was taken for purposes of clarity and succinctness.

Reception

New York Times reviewer William Grimes described the novel as an "improbable, very funny tale." "Salazar," Grimes wrote, "has a sly, sardonic sense of humor and a gift for understatement."

References

External links

• Official website
• Article from The Houston Chronicle