Immediate Action by Andy McNab Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Immediate Action
Book Review: Well written, but lacks political context
Summary: 4 Stars
While an excellent introduction to the SAS and the life of a professional soldier, I found it somewhat annoying that McNab totally ignores the political context of his tours in Northern Ireland: it's as simple as "us vs. them". But perhaps that is a major point of the book: when you're a soldier, you're given orders from above, and you do the best you can to meet your mission objectives and get home safely. What I really liked about this book was how McNab contrasted his failing family life and marriages with his need to be totally dedicated to the SAS. Being in a family with military ties, I totally related. Save for the lack of political context, "Immediate Action" was a great read. I'm currently reading "Bravo Two Zero" (there's a BBC movie starring Sean Bean of this out by the way) and look forward to "Remote Control".Book Review: Why can't I give four-and-a-half stars?
Summary: 4 Stars
Immediate Action is the follow up to Andy McNab's incredible Bravo Two Zero, the story of a British SAS patrol in Iraq during the Gulf Conflict. The British Government did their damndest to block the publication of Bravo Two Zero. They tried even harder to block Immediate Action. In this book, Andy McNab recounts many of the 'secrets' of the training and operation of the SAS. Not that he places any lives at risk by doing so, he is careful to only release information that could not cause damage to current members of the regiment.Immediate Action starts with young McNab's desire to join the elite force. It details the boot camps, the beatings, the life or death training. Then it moves on through several operations in which McNab was involved, including a raid on a jungle drugs operation in Belize (where the SAS helps to 'train' local forces). As the book ends, Andy McNab is the most decorated serving soldier in Britain - and still something of a rebel. Maybe that's what interested me - the mentality of the men of the SAS. McNab was no exception. The black humour (as in his torture in Iraq when, after a particularly vicious beating, he observes to his friend, 'Ah well, at least they can't make me pregnant!') It's spirit like McNab's that has made the SAS the world's number one elite fighting force. The motto - 'Who dares wins' says it all.
My only reason for a deduction of half a star is because, in places, Immediate Action seems disjointed. It would have benefited from a few link paragraphs here and there. Otherwise, an exception book from an exceptional man.