"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, top BBC reporter Andrew Hosken delivers the inside story on Islamic State. Through extensive first-hand reporting, he 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 their goals and asks how they might be defeated"--From back cover.