Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read
Review: Black Hawk Down is one of my favorite movies--I've seen it a number of times--but I felt that I was doing it an injustice without having read the book. The book is obviously more accurate and offers more information. While reading the book, I was surprised to find myself thinking how poorly the mission seemed to have been planned (for contingencies, anyway) and the lack of discipline on the part of some of the Rangers. I was also surprised that I thought how cowardly some of the Rangers seemed to be. I always scoff when somebody says that the Rangers--or even Airborne--are the Army's elite soldiers (after all, my dad was a Special Forces Green Beret and the Army also has the Delta Force), but I was shocked at some of the actions (or inactions) of some of the Rangers. (The Rangers, Special Forces, and Delta all are unique in their own right and serve vastly different functions within the Army; I'm not saying that the Rangers are not an elite unit. However, I do not consider them the Army's preeminent elite unit.) Then again, war is a terrible thing and since I've never been in a firefight, I suspect that at times soldiers--even those as disciplined as Rangers--are apt to do things which at times may seem cowardly or irrational. I'm in no position to judge. My thoughts do not diminish, however, the immense courage that these men--Delta Force, Rangers, Navy SEALs, Night Stalkers, and Air Force PJs and CCTs--showed in the heat of battle. Men who serve our country with distinction and honor. I salute them and offer my thanks. With all that said, I came away with an even deeper appreciation and respect (which was already quite high) for the Rangers than I had prior to reading the book. The book also reinforced my already high esteem of Delta Force operators. Mark Bowden seems to have painstakingly put together as accurate a depiction of battle as you will ever read. The accounts in the book come first hand from recorded audio and video from the battle as well as numerous interviews of the combatants--US soldiers and Somalians. The book offers a surprisingly human aspect to war and shows that brave men do not necessarily have to be fearless. This book is required reading at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas and has received several honors from the US Marine Corps. Many within the Pentagon and US military have praised Bowden for writing the book. Mark Bowden wrote a terrific book and I'm glad that I read it. Do yourself a favor and read it too.
Rating: 
Summary: Real Life which Reads as Easily as Fiction
Review: I think the biggest question which needs to be answered when reviewing Black Hawk Down is, "Why read the book if you've seen the movie?" And to tell you the truth, it's a good question. The movie does a wonderful job at portraying with accuracy the narrative which is so meticulously documented in print. Those with only a passing interest in the subject matter will not shortchange themselves by skipping the book and proceeding directly to the movie. It is not that the movie is better than the book or vice versa; both are done extremely well. So what's the difference between the two? The book is the meticulously researched minute-by-minute account of a battle gone horribly wrong. October 3, 1993. Army Rangers and Delta Force operators descend into the urban labyrinth of Mogadishu, Somalia. Their task is to surprise a meeting of Habr Gidr clan members, led by warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid, and to arrest two of his top lieutenants. The mission turns sour when the initial entry is plagued by a series of mishaps; locals prove to be heavily armed; and Blackhawk helicopters begin taking hits from rocket propelled grenades. Ultimately, a dangerous rescue operation is mounted. The rest is history. Both the movie and the book document all of this, but two and a half hours of film leave a lot of details on the cutting room floor. If you watched the movie exclusively, you would miss subtleties such as leadership tensions between Rangers and Delta Force operators, conflict history, the importance of specific equipment in combat operations, and background information on individual soldiers which brings added significance to their survival (or demise) in battle. Most importantly, however, the book provides greater insight into the private thought lives of the soldiers, their interpersonal relationships, and the characteristics each one of them brought to an extraordinarily difficult situation. These details have also been document through personal interviews, but the thought life and the depth of unspoken emotion are notoriously difficult to capture on film. First I read the book; then I saw the film. You can't go wrong either way, as both will leave you asking difficult questions. But if you're keen on having more answers, read the book.
Rating: 
Summary: One big fight scene that doesn't work as a book or movie
Review: The hype that the movie Black Hawk Down received prior to its release encouraged me to read the book: a fatal mistake. The book is as groan inducing as the movie and this is mainly because it spends so little time with character development that it's hard to care about the outcome and feel sorrow at the deaths of the soldiers. Action buffs who enjoyed the movie often criticize me by saying that this is a true account of an actual event, but even so this does not make the book any more exciting for me to read. If you are interested in knowing of what happened in Mogadishu, read the book, otherwise, steer clear of it as you would any other mindless action book/movie.
Rating:
Summary: Tiring Read
Review: A client gave me this book to read and I was, therefore, obliged to finish it. It was not easy. I am just amazed how many 5-star reviews this book received. Has anyone read any other military books? Because, I've got to tell you, this is just not that good. In fact, its not very good at all. It is just one of those gung-ho, America the greatest books. First of all, it was boring--as in hard not to fall asleep while reading it. I like a book to build, become intensely gripping and fall off gently. This book, unfortunately, goes right into nausiating detail on the layout of the streets and courtyard where the battle took place, but one can hardly understand it without a drawing it would seem. Talk about filling up pages of a book. If you take out these lengthy, unnecessary descriptions, the book would be a third lighter, at least. Secondly, it is one-sided. It never explains why the Somolians hate the US Military, which I was curious over. I had thought I had read somewhere that the US had commited some sort of atrocity prior to the incident, which angered the Somolians but, again, no mention of it. The book seems to be trying to convey an impression that these third world countries just hate the US for no good reason. It tries to give some perspective from the viewpoint of the Somolians but I don't think more than a half dozen pages were devoted to this out of over 300 pages. Even the writing style is weak. Sentences are too long and often written in the passive style. Here and there, parts are repeated. I hate that. I guess I was expecting too much. I was looking for something to open my eyes or give me a new insight. All this book did was make me tired. The main thing I learned about modern warfare is that when something called an RPG hits something, which happens over and over again in this book, its pretty bad. I only found out what an RPG is when I read it in someone else's review. It may have been on one of the pages when my eyes were beginning to close. There was also a description of a type of gun they were using, which just shoots a hole through someone without necessarily dropping them, whereas, it would have been better to use the type of gun that drops a man on one round. I've heard that description every time someone argues the merits of a shotgun for self defense--as if its a good thing to take a chunk out of a man's back when the bullet leaves. This ideais oft repeated but is really getting stale. Yet, here it is, in Black Hawk Down. I borrowed the movie to see if it is any better than the book. It couldn't be much worse. Or could it. Hey, I'm as patriotic as the next guy but I know a poorly written book when I read one.
Rating:
Summary: Hoo-ah!@Mogadishu.World
Review: I am Turning 13 in 5 days, so this book is in no way too difficult for 13 year olds and under. I found the was story fascinating, and Mark Bowden to be a great author. While this book is one of the best I have read, due to the nature of the book (Being a war documentary) I do not reccomend this book to kids younger than 12, those weak to graphic violence, or those that would be offended by objectionable language. Once again, GREAT narrative, a true story of American strength, sacrifice, courage, and honor! God Bless America-Andrew Joyce, 12 +360
Rating:
Summary: Narrow-Minded and Dreadfully Boring
Review: This is one of few books that I have ever started, read half of, and did not bother to finish. The 150 or so pages I read-- consisting entirely of stale, straightforward plot description -- were some of the most mind-numbing I have ever encountered. I was hoping for some insight into the Somalia conflict or the American Armed Forces or US foreign policy or even the psychology of warfare. Instead, it's a kiddie book about a single mission and the story is alienated from any larger social, political or historical context. I can see how military buffs -- especially those who already know the background on Somalia -- would be impressed by the intricacy and apparant authoritativeness of the narrative, but I found it empty and dull.
Rating:
Summary: Even Better Than The Movie
Review: Read this book for the riveting story or for the lessons it presents: in either case it will be delicious. The story moves fast and furious and reveals important lessons that are powerful and engaging. It is significant that Black Hawk Down has gained acceptance by the US Army Command and General Staff College as a graduate level resource. Mr. Bowden's description of the Mogadishu battle, his treatment of the paticipants, and his general conclusions are thorough, balanced and surprisingly discerning. Too bad all journalists aren't as objective. He reveals some of the new complexities of modern urban warfare. Newly developed sensors, weapons, and elite forces and tactics are now part of the American arsenal. Their employment in densely populated cities is a challenging frontier of both military art and science. Engagements in Mogadishu revealed a number of tactical, operational, and cultural challenges confronting American commanders and troops in the urban battlespace. The Somali side of the conflict is also explored, with detailed accounts of Somali participants, their adaptive tactics and their motivations. Mr. Bowden's journalistic objectivity cannot, however, fully conceal his contempt for Clinton/Albright geopolitical incompetence -- a perspective which remains a powerful undercurrent in the American military.
Rating:
Summary: a testament to the spirirt of the fighting man...
Review: The battle of the Black Sea, took place on my 9th birthday. What got me interested in the book was seeing a documentary on it a while ago on the History channel. I saw the movie and then decided to see how the book compared and it was amazing. After reading war documenteries such as "Band of Brothers," i had very high hopes for what Black Hawk Down should be and it meet everyone of them. Bowden gives a good spectrum of views whether it be from Rangers, D-Boys, or Somali Teenagers grabbing their AK-47's to join the fight. I stayed up many nights just to read a few more pages. Another thing that i liked about the book was the way that it was broken up into many subchapters. This allowed the reader to pick it up for a few minutes, put it down, and not feel the need to re-read. When someone reviews this book they need to realize that the author did not fabricate the story for the enjoyment of the reader. Black Hawk Down is in tribute to the actions of the United State's finest on october 4rd, 1993. Especially touching is the passage from Shakespear's Henry V that is read during the memorial service. If you liked the movie, read the book. If you are any sort of fan of history, read it. If you have no idea what "the battle of the Black Sea" is, read it twice.
Rating:
Summary: No doubt about it,one of the best war books I have ever read
Review: Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down gives an extremely detailed picture of the whole battle in Mogadishu. From the first time the Rangers and Delta hit the Hawks, untill the last shot was fired, I was glued to my chair, like one might be glued to the couch watching a good T.V. show. Extremely detailed withought any confussion, it makes you feel like Bowden made all this up. Wich is the truly amazing thing, every word is true. The book is much better than the movie and should definetly be read by anyone who even remotley liked the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: An extremely good book. The story is interesting, as are the various characters Bowden uses to tell the story. There is always an anecdote or some bit of information that makes you either feel like you know them or know somebody like them. The prose is pitch-perfect for the story...it moves it along, you understand the descriptions without getting bogged down in the useless details, sort of everyman prose. You feel what they feel, you hope and you worry and you fret that it will turn out right in the end. It also gives you a relative idea of the logic behind the civil war and the US involvement, all while being neither a political novel nor a commentary on all that's wrong in the world. The book does not take sides, it gives multiple points of view, and gives the bad with the good. It is everything a nonfiction account should be with the excitement of good fiction. Reading this book also makes the movie infinitely more enjoyable, as you understand motives and characters after you read it.
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