The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek

 

The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek.

Published 11th September 2025 by Open Borders Press.

From the cover of the book:

November, 1939. A conscription officer arrives in the peaceful farming village of Rautjärvi. The Soviet Union has invaded, and for the first time in its history as an independent country, Finland is at war.

Setting off into the depths of winter to face the Red Army, the small group of childhood friends recruited from Rautjärvi have no idea whether any of them will ever return home. But their unit has a secret weapon: the young sniper Simo Häyhä, whose lethal skill in the snow-bound forests of the front line will earn him the nickname ‘The White Death’.

Drawing on the real-life figures and battles of the Finnish-Soviet Winter War, The Winter Warriors is a riveting, heart-pounding, utterly epic historical thriller from one of Europe’s most acclaimed crime writers.

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In the winter of 1939, Finland withstood the might of Soviet Russia in a conflict that became known as the Winter War. It is a part of World War II history that has been largely eclipsed by other events, and Olivier Norek's engaging book makes the ideal vehicle to shine a light on what happened and why.

Blending detailed fact and real characters with superbly compelling fiction, Norek begins by exploring the motives and machinations that led to the Winter War, flipping between both sides of the border to show how Stalin's paranoia kicked off the conflict in an act of shocking deception. He continues throughout to examine all aspects of political wrangling, military strategy (and bungling), and the lessons history teaches, from actions on both sides of the conflict, which gives a fascinating glimpse of what it was like to live in Stalin's Russia.

But the meat of the story lies in the Finnish people this book is about - the brave and determined citizens of a newly independent country. Through the eyes of the small group of childhood friends recruited from Rautjärvi, and those they stand shoulder to shoulder with in bitter winter weather, the history really comes alive. These are characters who live moment to moment, knowing they may not make it home to the small towns and villages of their birth as they face the superior military force of the Red Army - amongst them young sniper Simo Häyhä, whose renown earned him the nickname ‘The White Death’.

There is no way to do this story justice in a short review. Norek has clearly researched his subject well. The way he effortlessly pulls you into this incredible story, and the ease with which he stirs your emotions with his words are impressive. I had no idea how significant this conflict was in terms of death toll, legacy, and how it came to shape Finland as a nation, and I was deeply moved by what is, in essence, a tribute to the men and women who lived and died in defence of their sovereignty. 

Ambitious in scale and full of insight, this book pulls no punches when it comes to the human cost of war, but it also celebrates the strength of the human spirit. Nick Caistor's translation is excellent too, maintaining pace and suffusing the text with emotional impact. If you are interested in 20th century world history then I cannot recommend this book highly enough. 

The Winter Warriors is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats. You can support indie publishing by buying direct from Open Borders Press HERE

Thank you to Orenda Books/Open Borders Press for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and to Random Things Tours for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Olivier Norek was born in Toulouse in 1975. After eighteen years in the French police force, where he rose to the rank of capitaine in the Seine-Saint-Denis Police Judiciare, he turned to crime writing. Norek’s books have sold millions of copies and won many prizes. The Winter Warriors is his first historical novel.