Action, war and conflict junkies are probably more than familiar with the pseudonym of Andy McNab. He's the ex-British SAS operative-turned-author whose most famous novel, Bravo Two-Zero, tracked his plight as leader of an SAS patrol who infamously failed their objective during an operation behind enemy lines in the Iraq War in the early 90s.

Despite much controversy surrounding his account of the events, and many accusations of lying and embellishment from fellow operatives who were a part of both his patrol and the operation, McNab has prospered as a writer of both fiction and non-fiction books, selling more than 30 million worldwide, with many making their way to the big screen.

This is likely the reason he's been brought on board by EA and DICE with co-author, Peter Grimsdale, to co-write a companion novel to the events of the main narrative in Battlefield 3 called "The Russian", that follows the expanded story of Dmitri "Dima" Mayakovsky, a character you actually play some of the game with.

"It is impossible for any single medium to fully capture the emotion and intensity of war," said McNab via press release. "The Battlefield 3: The Russian novel is one window into the experience, and the game is another. They complement each other perfectly. Working with DICE has been a fantastic ride. Battlefield 3 is going to surprise people this autumn. The story, the characters, the world and the intense action come together to create a resonant, memorable experience."