Paradise Afire Bundle: Volumes 1-4

Exclusive Bundle Deal: 40% Off

Discover the epic and harrowing story of one of South Asia’s most enduring and complex modern conflicts in this four-volume series, Paradise Afire. Drawing on a wealth of first-hand accounts, official military documentation, and rare publications from both the Sri Lankan government and insurgent forces, historian Adrien Fontanellaz offers a comprehensive and uncompromising examination of the Sri Lankan Civil War from its origins in 1971 through to the early 2000s.

Volume 1 chronicles the island’s descent from post-independence optimism into violent upheaval. Beginning with the JVP-led Maoist insurrection in 1971 and ending with India’s peacekeeping intervention in 1987, this volume explores the eruption of ethnic tensions, the rise of Tamil militancy, and the government's struggle to respond with an underprepared military.

Volume 2 picks up in 1987 as India’s attempt to broker peace turns into a bloody occupation. The Indian Peace Keeping Force quickly finds itself at war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), while Sri Lanka’s south descends into chaos amid a second JVP uprising. This period of dual insurgencies is explored through detailed battle analysis and over 120 illustrations.

Volume 3 follows the resurgence of hostilities in 1990, known as Eelam War II. This phase saw the LTTE evolve into a disciplined, innovative force with its own naval wing—the Sea Tigers—while Sri Lanka’s military launched increasingly ambitious, if flawed, counteroffensives. With more than 80 photographs and maps, this volume captures a war escalating in both scale and sophistication.

Volume 4 covers the brutal years of Eelam War III (1995–2002), a period marked by full-scale conventional warfare, shifting frontlines, and staggering casualties. Through rare LTTE documents, Sri Lankan military records, and personal testimonies, Fontanellaz reconstructs decisive operations such as the battle for Jaffna and the siege of Elephant Pass. Air strikes, suicide raids, and urban combat are examined alongside political dimensions, offering a nuanced portrait of both sides in a conflict that redefined modern insurgency.

Richly illustrated and meticulously researched, Paradise Afire is essential reading for anyone interested in asymmetric warfare, modern South Asian history, or the human cost of prolonged civil strife