HarperCollins Leadership
Darkhorse
Harnessing Hidden Potential in War and Life
By AJ Pasciuti with Neil McGinness
May 19, 2026 · Memorial Day Week
HarperCollins Leadership
Darkhorse
Harnessing Hidden Potential in War and Life
By AJ Pasciuti with Neil McGinness
May 19, 2026 · Memorial Day Week
One book. Dozens of stories. Every one of them real.
Darkhorse
Harnessing Hidden Potential in War and Life
Available May 19, 2026
The Author
AJ Pasciuti
AJ Pasciuti spent twenty-one years as a Marine, including seven deployments as a Force Recon Scout Sniper and Infantry Weapons Officer. He served with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines — the unit whose call sign gives this book its name — and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion. He holds master's degrees from USC and the University of San Francisco and is a PhD candidate at the University of San Diego.
He is the host of Combat Story, one of the top military podcasts in the world with over 232 episodes and 46 million downloads. Darkhorse is his first book.
AJ did not write this book because he had all the answers. He wrote it because he lived the question: what happens when someone who was never supposed to make it refuses to stop?
Co-Author
Neil McGinness
Neil McGinness is a New York Times bestselling author and collaborator of James Patterson on THE SHADOW series. His ability to bring powerful stories to life on the page made him the ideal partner for Darkhorse.
Neil worked alongside AJ to shape the raw, unfiltered experiences of combat and leadership into a narrative that honors every person in the story.
Praise for Darkhorse
What People Are Saying
"Darkhorse isn't just about combat. It's about leading from the front, learning from failure, and showing up every day to be useful. If you want an example of true strength, read this."
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Actor, Former Governor of California
"This is a once-in-a-generation story. After 200+ Combat Story interviews, AJ's is the first with the force to spark a positive leadership movement. It doesn't just inspire; it calls you to be better and do more."
Ryan Fugit
CIA Specialized Skills Officer, Podcast Host
"Dark Horse didn’t just change how I think about leadership; it changed how I show up for people. It pushed me to lead with intention, humility, and purpose, and reminded me that true leadership is about building others, not just leading them. As a Chief of Staff, that shift has shaped how I lead, mentor, and decide, always putting people at the center. The lesson that will stay with me is that leadership isn’t what you do, it’s what you leave in others."
Lam Nguyen
Chief of Staff, San Jose City Council
Hear the stories in the voice of the man who lived them.
AJ Pasciuti narrates every word of Darkhorse. You hear it in the weight of the words when he talks about the men he lost. In the silence between sentences. In the moments where the voice changes and you realize this is not someone reading a story, But a man sitting across from you remembering it.
Where to Buy
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