Immediate Action

After hearing about "Bravo Two Zero" and increasing interest in the SAS, I decided to get a McNab book. I would encourage new McNab readers to read "Immediate Action" action, as it details his youth, how he got into the SAS, and so on up until present. One of the things you may notice, as I did, was that McNab doesn't write like other English authors. Instead, his narrative is very street-wise, and it takes a while to get used to it. Sometimes I was lost reading, because there wasn't enough of an explanation in standard English to translate his jargon. Other than that, the book is a great read. McNab tells how he rose from his humble beginnings and joined the Green Jackets, a regular infantry unit. In hindsight, it seems like if he hadn't joined the army, he would've probably ended up at working at a factory or some other dead end job. Whether it was fate or luck, he is where he is today. While in the GJs, he recounts his brush with death fighting the IRA. When he entered Selection for the SAS, he details the misery and hardships a candidate had to endure and the fact that several men have died during SAS training, because it involves long humps (hikes in other words) with at least 50 kg in a bergen, or backpack alone traveling in the wild. Selection phase is just that, it tests the mental and physical capabilities of potential SAS recruits. Those who make it go on to further their training and eventually become SAS operators. There were several intense SAS stories in McNab's career, and his accounts of all the things he's done around the world to fight terrorism is gripping. The American military has been exposed to unconventional warfare on an open scale just recently, but Britain has had to deal with it for a long time. It is also interesting to note that operators in the SAS or regular soldiers in Britain don't have that elitist attitude nor do they take themselves too seriously as compared to American special operations personnel. It is a job for them and they don't make a big deal out of it. Again, a great read into the lives and minds of those "Who Dares Wins".

When I read the blurb i thought this sounds good. I read the firt page it was great, i've now finished the book and it was amazing. The book is a real life account of a boy who had a hard childhood. His family was evicted and they were moved into council houses. He joins the army and becomes a greenjacket. This wasn't enough for Andy he worked very hard and joined the SAS. This book is full of humour and ALL the details that went with daily life and all the grueling work that went into becoming the best. It's up to you to find out the rest for yourself so give the book a go!

Thank you to the men who keep us free. Though I will never be an SAS soldier, I very much enjoy knowing that the U.K. are such great allies and that they can really stand their ground. A couple of good books about U.S. special operations are "Blawk Hawk Down" by Mark Bowden, and "Danger Close" by Mike Yon.Thank you for keeping us free!

Andy McNab, the elite warrior of the most "special" military unit in the world swept me through half his military career in just a few days. This included breaking and entry at the age of 15-16, service with his parent regiment The Royal Green Jackets, selection to the Regiment, training missions in the middle-east, covert operations in Northern Ireland,counter terrorist duties with the Quick Reaction Force and also one failing marriage after another. His attention to detail overwhelmed me, I got glued to the book. Never in my life have I read a book at such speed. What also makes this book (and of course his three others) so exhilirating is the fact that this is a documentary, this is real. It all actually happened to this man. What it gave me besides pure reading pleasure was an overwhelming urge to leave Norway, apply for British citizenship, join the BA and eventually go for selection. Too bad Norway is not a commonwealth country. Sincerely: Experience this book! I also highly recommend: Andy McNab - "Bravo Two Zero", "Remote Control" and is latest work of "fiction" "Crisis Four", Cameron Spence - "Saber Squadron" and "All Necessary Measures", Gaz Hunter - "The Shooting Gallery", Chris Ryan - "The One That Got Away" and his "Gordie Sharp"-novels.