Immediate Action - Andy McNab (Andy McNab in general)

Member Name: mickm9

Product:	Andy McNab in general
Date:	04/03/01 (160 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Full of detail

Disadvantages: Bit slow at times

This is a very good attempt at an autobiography by a man who has been shot to fame by the success of his previous novel Bravo Two Zero. As we know this detailed McNabs leading of the ill fated patrol of the same name, this time however McNab takes us all the way back to his early days as an out of control youth who, after tangling with the law, was left with the choice of joining the army and finding an outlet for his aggression or spending the rest of his life ducking and diving as a petty villain.

McNab soon found that life in the Royal Green Jackets was not enough for him and subsequently tried for selection to the SAS, he failed in his first attempt but displaying the same mental toughness that was to serve him well in the years ahead he reapplied and succeeded in getting badged.

This was the true beginning of this tale as he goes on to describe the training and techniques used by the SAS as he served with them on 5 continents over a period of 9 years. He also recounts some of his own experiences from tours of Northern Ireland where he saw at first hand some of the atrocities carried out, not to mention being involved in several incidents himself.

It is not only the action scenes that McNab describes, in fact he goes to great lengths to stress that the SAS is not just about shooting and killing, and this view he gets over very well.

He also goes on to describe the effect that his profession had on his personal life with what seems like numerous failed relationships caused by his single minded determination to push himself to the limit.

He does show a "gentler" side to his character with the portrayal of his daughters birth and his anquish at not being there ……. he had been called away on a mission.

All in all this is a very interesting read in which the mentality and strength required by the SAS is graphically shown. I do prefer his "non-fiction" more though but as I mentioned
above reading these first does give you an insight into the way these guys minds work and actually helps you to picture the scenes better in his ensuing novels.

Summary: