Worth Eight Stars
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I bought this book in an airport and one 11 hour flight later I finished it. It was the shortest 11 hours on a plane I ever had to endure. The book is gripping, honest and thought provoking. I could continue to fire superlatives at it but suffices to say I recommend to you highly.
Chris Hunter displays such bravery you would think he has an important part of his brain missing. Yet he does it defending the lives of fellow servicemen and ordinary Iraqis. What's more staggering is that he often tackles IED and manually disarms them rather than just exploding them at a safe distance so that he can gather forensic evidence to prosecute the guilty fairly.
This book also covers his observations of some barbaric treatment of women and casual regard for life he saw around him while in Iraq that will really make you gasp. He does not attempt to answer the problems of Iraq, but his account should almost be required reading for anyone attempting to express an opinion on Iraq today.
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These stories must be told
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Due to the current climate, there is alot of material coming from operational theatres and the quality seems to range from really good to truly excellent (Pete 'Walt' Mercer, hang your head in shame). All these stories, whether personal memoires (Sniper One,Eight Lives Down)or battlegroup actions (Condor Blues,Dusty Warriors)couldnt be as affectively written as fiction due to truth is always being more gripping, knowing these guys are real and what is described actually happened.
Major Chris Hunter has one serious set of cahoonas, and has been duly recognised for them. He did his job on the ground under immense pressure on himself as an operator and leader and he and his team came through the other side with their head held high, not just for him, his team and unit but his stormy personal life left back home. Success and tragedy however often meander side by side, as the audience will see.
I loved this book cos not only does it give an insight to the brilliant job the boys are doing under terrible restrictions imposed on them,its also true to (army)life with the humourous passages that run through it. If you've never served or known anyone who has served you will find it funny. If you have, you'll outwardly laugh whilst agreeing with everything you read - from the description of orange and green screech to the guide to leaving the army. The British Army soldier's sense of humour is unrivaled.
Read this book, learn and understand why the British Army soldier is worth so many more of the soldiers of other countries we stand alongside. Chris, I'd buy you and your guys a pint anyday.
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A human soldier's story
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this story is another great one for those who want to keep up with the real events in iraq. This time the story focuses on a bomb disposal expert, whoi against the wishes of his family manages to get an iraq posting, and demonsstrates not only the danger of the job, but the human triumph this man had to achieve to juggle his job with his family life, one of few soldier accounts to do this. Only reason it gets 4 stars is its got few exciting firefights in, such as sniper one
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Eight Lives Down - Major Chris Hunter
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What a phenomenal read this was. A mind bending roller coaster of a book that gets you in to the head of an ATO on duty in the middle east. From his moments of elation, to the dark fear that he experiences, every page is an eyeopener to exactly what goes on in the forces in this part of the world. It will be getting read again.
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So disappointing
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I have read and thoroughly enjoyed many books of this genre. So, I settled down to read this one, full of anticipation. Within the first paragraph, I was irritated. Within the first page I had become annoyed, and before the end of the second page, I had thrown it down.
Why?
The whole thing had for some inexplicable reason, been written in the present tense. Why, why why? Was it an attempt to make it more exciting? If so, it doesn't work. Was it an attempt to be clever? Didn't work. Was it an attempt to be different? It certainly succeeded there.
It is an unnatural way to write and to read. It reminded me of the 'Janet and John' method that many people were exposed to as children.
I feel cheated. This should have been a thumping good read, but it wasn't. Even though I tried to go back to it a couple of times. Tomorrow, it will be donated to a charity shop --- along with some good books.
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