Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as Black hawk Down.
Review: After reading Black Hawk Down in its original form (a Philadelphia Inquirer serial), I was mesmerized by Mark Bowden's meticulous accounting of special ops and events spinning out of control.I was expecting more of the same from Killing Pablo, but I came away a little disappointed. Perhaps it was the implication that much of it would cover U.S. special forces involved in the hunt and killing. However, it focuses much more on Pablo Escobar's rise and gradual downfall, which was interesting, yet not near as interesting as Black Hawk Down. In all, it's a good story and worth a try. Just don't expect the edge-of-your-seat kind of story that was Black Hawk Down.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Black Hawk Down
Review: Mark Bowden has certainly leveraged his contacts from Black Hawk Down to gain an insight not afforded to most, regarding the operations of US Special Forces. If you are looking for the fast paced action of Black Hawk Down, I don't think Killing Pablo is at the same level. Despite this, it is an extremely interesting read. I thought more could have been developed regarding some of the non-Delta players, particularly the other intel operators and how they fit into the operation (Centra Spike, CIA, etc...) But for documenting a very elusive and fascinating subject, Bowden has hit the mark once again.
Rating: 
Summary: Awesome
Review: Great ground level view of the lengthy effort to bring Pablo to justice. Also confirms how important luck is in military endeavours.
Rating:
Summary: You can't beat supply and demand
Review: Mark Bowden's Killing Pablo tells the appalling tale of Columbian druglord, Pablo Escobar, the infamies he perpetrated on the Columbian government, and his rise and fall from power. Escobar and his soulless sicarios killed hundreds of government officials, police, soldiers and innocent civilians with assassination and bombing campaigns. Perhaps his biggest crime of all was his pride and egocentrism. Escobar had fully convinced himself and those in his employ that he was a hero of the people, using a great deal of his drug money to support Colombia's impoverished masses in an effort to subvert the government. The United States became involved in the effort to remove Escobar and his ilk during the 1980s. Killing Pablo also tells the story of Centra Spike, the CIA, Delta Force, the DEA and other U.S. agencies that took part in the manhunt and the dangerous line they tread to maintain the depth of their involvement. You can't help but admire the bravery of the Columbian citizens who stood up against Escobar despite the daily threats on their lives: President Gaviria, Eduardo Mendoza, Col. Hugo Martinez, and many other intractable Columbians who wouldn't sell their souls to the narco kings. Despite their victory over Escobar, you can't help but feel that little has changed in Columbia. Just the faces are different. The export of cocaine was little affected by the removal of the narcos who took power in the 70s and made billions selling cocaine to insatiable American narcotics consumers. While I found the narcos themselves to be barbaric and reprehensible, I feel shame that so many Americans make it possible for this type of criminal to exist because of their addiction to illegal drugs. Killing Pablo is an eye opener. That a fragile democracy like Colombia's was able to survive the ordeal that Escobar and the other narcos put it through is a testament to democracy and the resiliency of the Colombian government. In the end, they got their man, but as many of Bowden's interviewees observed, you have to wonder how much of the country's soul was sold to get the job done. Mark Bowden is an excellent investigative reporter and writes a terrific narrative. His Black Hawk Down, just recently made into a movie, was even better but both books are amazing journalistic works, showing us a side of the world that's unpleasant, but hard to look away from, too.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating tour into the big money world of the Columbian
Review: This is a well researched work and revealing look at the multi-billion dollar drug industry. The power, ruthlessness and machinations of Pablo are almost beyond belief. The story of his hunt a rollercoaster. My only (small) complaint is I felt is should have been a larger book... some of the events seemed to have been sped over. Still, an excellent read.
Rating:
Summary: continuous carnage
Review: Killing Pablo seems more like fiction than fact. The number of people who died during the hunt for Pablo Escobar was nothing short of insanity. By the time the book is over, even the maid has been killed. While so much death seems too depressing to keep a reader interested, the way in which Escobar manipulated goverment leaders and even the Catholic Church is what really drives the story. It seems a perfect fit for a Oliver Stone three hour epic.
Rating:
Summary: Contradictions.
Review: What I found fascinating about this book - apart from the story itself, which is fascinating - is Bowden's ability to tell the story in such a way that at times I actually sympathized for Pablo, and other times hated him. His telling of a story that is somewhat farcical and unreal at times (i.e. shutting down all usage of cell phones in Medellin, or the unending killing of so many innocent people) was very real. It's a page turner, and makes me want to learn more about how the demand for drugs will always inspire supply, which boggles my mind as to why the US is spending so much money attacking supply. The problem is at home.
Rating:
Summary: A not so long ago history lesson
Review: This is a great book for anyone interested in history, our government, or the rich and famous. Its fascinating to see how much power Pablo had during his life. Its also equally fascianting to see how many resources the U.S. government was willing to commit to the manhunt for him. This book is very well written and easy to follow.
Rating:
Summary: Keeps you in the chase!
Review: The hunt and eventual "capture" of the world's greatest outlaw would necessarily make for some great reading, and this book did not disappoint. I have no doubt that Mark Bowden had meant for this to be an exciting and quick read, and that was exactly what I was looking for. Keep in mind that this operation involved many different agencies from different countries, and spanned years. There were innumerable failures and frustrations, and many of those years were without any sort of mentionable progress at all. Somehow, Mr. Bowden has managed to piece together the most exciting highlights of this chase and made it into a coherent and high-adrenaline account that reads like a thrilling novel. The only people who would be disappointed with this book are those who are looking for research material and minute historical details. I appreciated the fact that Mr. Bowden tells the story from both the Colombian and American agencies involved in the hunt, for both parties were just as crucial as the other in its eventual success. If this book had been written by one of the American Delta Force or CIA members involved in this operation, it would probably have lacked the fairness in giving credit to the Colombian efforts. Sometimes it takes an outsider to give a better overall picture. This is going to be a quick and entertaining read. Having read this as well as "Black Hawk Down", I can't wait to see what topic Mr. Bowden decides to tackle next!
Rating:
Summary: Just Ok
Review: Bowden's 1999 book, "Black Hawk Down", was a brilliant account of the battle in Somalia that killed eighteen American soldiers. He followed that book with this one, the story of the hunt for mega-narco-trafficker Pablo Escobar. "Killing Pablo" fails to measure up to the previous book. Pablo Escobar was the leader of Colombia's Medellin drug cartel, brutal and uncultured, he was responsible for literally thousands of murders including senior Colombian politicians, judges, and hundreds of police officers. He ordered a commercial airliner blown out of the air and an armed assault on the Supreme Court. There was no crime he would not commit. Bowden's book tracks his rise to power, his casual and ham-fisted use of violence and terror, even where more subtle means would have been more effective, and his bloody demise. The problem is, at bottom, Escobar is a scuzzy little murdering drug pusher. He's not an interesting man, and after just a few pages the awful spectacle of his cocaine empire begins to seem squalid and boring. Bowden does a fair job of putting the reader in Medellin during the final hunt for Escobar in 1993, when a vigilante group called "Los Pepes", perhaps supported by the U.S. slaughtered hundreds of Escobar's people. We see Colombian police and U.S. officials track Escobar to his final hideout. But there is none of the minute-to-minute drama of "Black Hawk Down" that grabbed the reader by the throat. This is just a story of a police operation, larger than most, but ultimately it's about cops and criminals, diverting but not particularly interesting or enlightening.
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