Empire of fear : inside the Islamic State / Andrew Hosken.

"First published in North America, Great Britain and Australia by Oneworld Publications, 2015"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 259-312) and index.

The face that launched a thousand hits -- Seven steps -- Chaos theory and fact -- The management of savagery -- 632 and all that -- The forgotten caliph -- Wake-up call -- Savagery under new management -- Shia folly -- Scourge of Syria -- The furnace of war -- Car bombs and other expenses -- "Long live death!": inside the caliphate -- Killing the caliphate.

"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, [the book] reveals how Islamic State came to be, explores their goals and asks how they might be defeated"--Back cover.