2008-07-18 Fantastic

I just finished this book. I haven't reviewed a book on amazon before but felt compelled to do so here.

Sgt Dan Mills captures the essence and mood of his men and Iraq perfectly. It is neither a scathing attack on the MOD nor a gritty tale of life as a sniper and what they endure. He just tells the story how it was.

Sgt Mills and the British Army in my opinion are regularly and routinely forgotten for what they are for the United Kingdom, the best in the world with the crap they are given. He expertly describes life as it was and how the soldiers all just got on with it with good old fashioned British spirit rather than bemoaning the MOD or his superior officers. When he does moan he looks at both sides of the coin and gives, in my opinion, one of the most balanced and true reflections on life in the now media forgotten front lines. Regularly we hear of death tolls in Iraq and Afghanistan and here we see the effect it has on the front lines, and the boys and girls that knew them.

If the MOD did try to ban this book, I am disgusted and it should be a wake up call to all the people who send our boys there and forget about them until the next election. I am sure Sgt Mills had more to say but it is a credit to his professionalism and integrity he told the story the way he did and still made it so gripping and honest. I guess that is more about the situation they were all put in.

All in all if you are interested in Snipers and life in Iraq this is a book you wont put down. It is funny, emotive and most of all honest as well as being fair to everyone involved.

Squaddies and the Army are always labelled thugs in the UK but for me this book labelled them for what they are. The British backbone which no-one will break and I am proud to have protecting me. Worth every penny of my taxes and the price of the book. I hope it makes him millions, unlike Andy McNab & Chris Ryan!