On 31st January 2010, Trooper Corie Mapp of The Life Guards was driving his armoured vehicle on combat operations in Afghanistan when it ran over an IED. The explosion that followed caused him massive injuries. But this was not the end of his active life but rather the beginning. The next thing Corie remembers was waking in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Selly Oak, Birmingham, not realising that he was a double amputee. Two months later, and having made an almost miraculous against-the-odds recovery, Corie was back with his regiment in Windsor, and continued to serve until 2013. Sport was an important part of Corie's life before the explosion and a vital one after. In rehabilitation, he rediscovered his sporting skills, and competed successful in disabled cricket at a national level, and was a member of Team GB for sitting volley ball and athletics at the Warrior and the Invictus Games. However, when he was offered the chance to bobsleigh, his horizons widened considerably. After just one year of training, in 2014 Corie won gold in the inaugural Para Bobsleigh World Cup competition in St Moritz, was second overall in the World Cup 2014/15 season and became the overall World Cup champion in 2018. In the 2021-22 season, he will continue to train and compete at the highest levels in North America and Europe. On the international bobsleigh circuit he is affectionately known 'Black Ice'. This book is Corie Mapp's remarkable story of triumph over adversity.

"No matter what obstacles have come his way in life, he will never give up until he overcomes them. With sheer determination, strength and courage, Corie has proved to be top of whatever sport he has taken on at an elite level. The incredible list of his personal and professional accomplishments just keeps growing." Les Ferdinand MBE Director of Football, Queens Park Rangers Football Club;

CORIE MAPP was born in Bridgetown, Barbados, and followed his dream to serve in the British Army. He travelled to the UK, joined The Life Guards and, to his initial horror, as he had never sat on a horse before, his first regimental duty was to undergo riding instruction. Corie was the first black Barbadian to ride on Trooping the Colour, and to perform other ceremonial duties in London. In 2008, he was posted to the Household Cavalry's armoured regiment, where he served with Prince Harry. This was followed at the end of 2009 by a tour in Afghanistan where, the armoured car that he was driving ran over an IED. Being a double amputee has not deterred Corie from becoming a remarkable sportsman including participating in the Invictus Games, and then winning numerous international para bobsleigh world titles. Whilst Corie continues to compete in para bobsleigh at the highest levels, he joined the Wilshire Police in 2020. He lives in Swindon with his wife and three daughters. Black Ice was written in conjunction with CHRISTOPHER JOLL during the COVID-19 lockdown without the co-authors ever meeting. Christopher is a former officer in The Life Guards, and is the author of fifteen work of historical fiction and four non-fiction books. He is currently working on a book about Napoleonic relics and memorabilia - The Imperial Impresario - which is due to be published in autumns 2021.