Soldados de Salamina

The novel incorporates real historical figures and events from the Spanish Civil War, particularly focusing on the fate of Rafael Sánchez Mazas, a Falangist writer who was nearly executed. While the narrative blends fact with fiction, the core incident involving Sánchez Mazas's survival is rooted in historical accounts.

The novel was adapted into a Spanish film directed by David Trueba, released in 2003. The film closely follows the book's narrative structure, exploring the journalist's investigation into the historical incident.

Soldados de Salamina is often considered a foundational work in Cercas's exploration of memory, history, and the nature of truth in storytelling, themes that recur throughout his later novels. It established his distinctive blend of journalistic inquiry and fictional narrative.