Rating: 
Summary: A must read book
Review: Chris Ryan was a member of the legendary SAS Bravo Two Zero patrol that got trapped behind enemy lines during the Gulf War. This is the story of his trek back to Syria. It is an amazing first hand account of courage and endurance against extreme odds. It is also a very human story as he recounts his fears and doubts and the mental impact of being on the run for 7 days with almost no food or water. I was so engrossed by his story that I read the book straight through. I also really enjoyed the brief flashbacks to other times in his life. Perhaps the biggest shocker for me was that the whole Bravo 2 Zero compromise was really the result of poor planning at the highest levels - improper understanding of the extreme weather conditions, out dated maps, inaccurate emergency radio frequencies and no real cover at the insertion point. You also get the impression that Chris Ryan is not a big fan of Andy McNab (squad leader and author of "Bravo Two Zero"). It is what he doesn't say that is most telling. A must read book.
Rating: 
Summary: Escape and Evasion at its finest.
Review: I read this book right after reading Bravo Two Zero by Andy Mcnab. Both books are a tale of survival, all be it in different ways. Chris Ryan sure has a good story to tell, he was the only member of the Bravo Two Zero patrol to escape Iraq. He evaded capture for many days on very little food or water. He battled fatigue, extreme weather and many many Iraqis. He also battled himself, he didn't let his body give in while his mind was still working, he fought for every step and his story is truly one of courage and self determination. The book does focus alot on Ryan's own 'heroism', he obviously feels he should have been the commander of the patrol and expresses this many times through the book, in the end this gets a bit tired and old. He seems to think that the problems the patrol encountered would have been just fine if he was in command, it seems a bit pretentious as it continues. There are alot of inconsistencies between the books and it is upto the reader who he should choose to believe. I personally think this book was written to ride on the success of the first book by raising questions that will never be answered. However it is a must read for any one with an interest in the SAS, 2 Stars
Rating: 
Summary: The real professionals.
Review: Whith all respects to Chris Ryan and the SAS whom both I admire, I beleive that Chris Ryan story is the valid one based on actual experience in special ops, Andy Mc Nab's story comes out of a comic book compared to Ryan account, I understand Ryan attacks on Mc Nab and I beleive he is right, What amazed me more in this whole story is that while the coalition was fighting this war in the Gulf not far away from them similar commando's where going with their secret wars for more than 10 years. I mean guys with more than 100 missions behind enemy lines and the worst of them, the ones the free world is fighting now, Guys who have real kills that counts in hundreds in one mission, guys who where mutilated in prisons and came back fighting, not writing books and living a trauma after 8 days of E&E. Those real secret warriors who will remain in secrecy with their stories and amazing experience, are the ones I call the real professionals.
Rating:
Summary: Evading the enemy behind enemy lines in Iraq - Incredible!
Review: I have read two books by Andy McNabb, the patrol leader in this book, one of which, Bravo Two Zero, was about the same action. I also served 10 years in the US Army Special Forces as a communications specialist. I enjoyed both books. I saw no serious conflict of information between the two accounts what happened during this patrol. One person said Ryan was blaming everyone but himself. Baloney! He did blame himself for not tying Vince to him so he couldn't fall behind and get lost! That's just one thing that disturbed him. Secondly, how could he assume responsiblity for poor or complete lack of intelligence on the enemy, the weather and the terrain? How could he be responsible for being given the wrong radio frequencies and the wrong effective range of the emergency radios? These things are what caused the patrol to suffer such problems. Poor planning was the problem and all Ryan is guilty of is pointing it out so hopefully it won't happen to his buddies. I did not read one word against McNabb in this book. The worst Ryan said about McNabb was tht he seemed to have a problem socializing with the members of the regiment afterwards and especially with Ryan. This is an incredible story about survival and evasion behind enemy lines by three, then two, and finally just one very lonely brave soldier.
Rating:
Summary: Chilling story, but contrasts to other accounts.
Review: "The One That Got Away" once again tells the amazing story of the SAS patrol Bravo Two Zero, and it is a chilling read. However it suffers slightly from the fact that Ryan makes McNab out to be the main one at fault for the failed mission, and emphasises his own heroics. This maybe true, but it may be some time before the real truth comes out about the mission without someone trying to sensationalise their role. Despite this Ryan keeps you on the edge of your seat, and his personal journey across the desert escaping from the Iraqi forces is something that few could dream of experiencing. This book shows the high level of training that the SAS undertake, and the high risk operations that they go on. This is war in its reality, not the war where soldiers sleep in their 11x11 tents and have cooked meals every night as well as running water. These men are true soldiers, and Ryan has portrayed this very well.
Rating: 
Summary: Fiction perporting to be fact
Review: This book together with Bravo Two Zero, both written under pseudonyms are spiffing yarns and deserve a high scoring for that. However they misrepresent themselves as fact which they are not. Both stories are in the literal sense incredible. They have been thoughroughly debunked as highly embellished accounts of the actual events by a number of reliable sources, including Peter Ratcliffe the Regimental Sergeant Major of 22 SAS at the time of the war. In Ratcliffe's book 'The Eye of The Storm' written under his own name he points out a number of 'issues' with both books and the fact that neither concurr in a number of important areas with the very detailed de-brief of the men after the operation. If you want fact not fiction buy Radcliff's book as well as 'SAS Operation Oman' by Colonel Tony Jeapes former SAS Commanding Officer during the Oman campaign of the early to mid 1970s.
Rating:
Summary: a truly amazing story of triumph over extreme adversity
Review: Those who are interested in military operations and war history should not miss The One That Got Away. Chris Ryan's escape from Iraq is without a doubt one of the most notable events of the Gulf War. Even people who are not particularly interested in military matters will be touched and inspired by Ryan's account of his harrowing trek through the desert. The ultimate theme that TOTGA leaves with readers is that with strength of spirit, steadfast endurance, and sheer determination a person can overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. It is a lesson that people from all walks of life can benefit from. Chris Ryan survived a hopeless battle against enemy forces. He walked through the desert for over a week, covering 180 miles in a region full of people who would kill him. And he did it in freezing cold weather, going without food or water for many days. After he made it out, he still had to contend with the trauma of his ordeal and the deep feelings of guilt over certain decisions he had to make. Although he never explicitly states it, one might get the impression that Ryan feels a great deal of personal responsibility for the death of Vince Phillips, a fellow member of the Bravo Two Zero patrol who Ryan was forced to leave behind. Certain issues have been raised regarding the authenticity of the accounts of the Bravo Two Zero mission that have been presented by Chris Ryan and patrol leader Andy McNab (who presented his account in his book, Bravo Two Zero). A comparison of the two accounts reveal a number of inconsistencies. There have been accusations of exaggeration and distortion of the facts made against McNab and Ryan. Those interested in an outside opinion of what truly happened might want to pick up a book entitled "The Real Bravo Two Zero", written by Michael Asher (an ex-SAS member/expert in Arab culture) who went to Iraq years after the war to research the Bravo Two Zero mission on location. Although his research is very thorough, he seems much too willing to accept the accounts of Iraqi witnesses as completely honest while holding McNab and Ryan's accounts in constant suspicion. It is interesting to note that the evidence he uncovered does debunk some aspects of Andy McNab's account. One example is McNab's farfetched claim that Bravo Two Zero managed to kill between 200 and 250 enemy soldiers throughout the ordeal. Chris Ryan never makes such an outrageous assumption in his book, and even Michael Asher has to lend more credibility to Ryan's account at the end of the day. In all fairness, those who were not there can only speculate to a certain extent. There's really no use further arguing about it unless someone out there is capable of reading the minds of the surviving members of Bravo Two Zero. My curiosity was caught by all the sensationalism surrounding the BTZ mission, and in my personal opinion, the truth probably lies somewhere between Chris Ryan's account and Michael Asher's conclusions (leaning closer to Chris Ryan). Whatever the truth of Bravo Two Zero is, Chris Ryan's amazing feat of survival and escape cannot be disputed. The fact remains that he walked through hostile territory in horrible conditions (that caused two other members of his team to die from exposure) for 7 days and 8 nights, and he managed to survive enemy attack, hypothermia, exhaustion, and starvation. These cold hard facts alone make an amazing story even without any of the small details that are in dispute. Chris Ryan is a man of amazing will, and his accomplishment should be forever remembered in the history of military special operations.
Rating:
Summary: Half-true and half-written: 2 and a half stars
Review: I'll make this brief: you'll read the book in a day or two and you'll be amazed at the fact that someone could make themselves sound so fantastic while writing so badly. I wasn't expecting Shakespeare, but Mr. Ryan should have been edited a little more thoroughly. It is, however, a truly amazing story. And I'm impressed and happy that Mr. Ryan survived his ordeal; but he should have stuck with the whole truth, warts and all, instead of engaging in that truth-twisting style that we all used with our parents when were 13 or 14: you leave out the bits that make you sound bad and you expand on the bits that make you sound good. At the end of the day reading this book is like meeting Mr. Ryan in a pub at 1 in the morning: he doesn't express himself very clearly, he slurs every now and then and he exagerates like a fisherman telling the tale of the "one that got away." How appropriate!
Rating:
Summary: Courage and determination Personified
Review: Chris Ryan's book is an inspirational piece about survival. The detractors can say what they wish, the bottom line is that this man evaded Iraqi patrols and walked across the desert into Syria with no food, little water but with the skill, courage and determination that has made the UK into a great nation. While his writing may not be the caliber of Hemmingway, Shakespeare, etc; it rings with the truth that only a memoir can have. The only book that tries to debunk it is written by an Islamic British exile who takes the word of Baathists and shepherds over decorated SAS Soldiers. Ignore the detractors, although they are few in number. Some folks can only make themselves feel big by tearing down others.
I gather the majority of those writing negative reviews lack the ability to do what Chris did, let alone the equiptment! Read this book, it's an inspiration. There were many times when I was a Marine and found myself going through a rough spot and I'd draw on the knowledge that someone else had gone through what I was going through, and worse...and they made it, so could I! This book will provide that for future generations. I'd call it required reading for anyone considering a career in Spec ops! Semper Fi!
Rating:
Summary: Full of exaggerations, half-truths, and distortions
Review: I have two friends in the Royal Marines and SAS respectively, and both say that Andy McNab and to a lesser extent Chris Ryan are pretty goddam unpopular with their former colleagues for the stuff they came out with in these two books. Most war stories are embellished by combatants to make themselves look good, and these two are no exception - but where these books really make me angry is their disgraceful slandering of the reputation of Vince Phillips. To blame a dead comrade, through twisting of the truth and quite possibly bare-faced lies, for something that was not his fault is a dishonour and a disgrace - all the more so because it was done solely to earn some dirty money in the form of book royalties. Read "The Real Bravo Two Zero" for a more accurate version of what actually happened - you'll then see what kind of "heroes" we are talking about here. As for the 4 and 5 star reviewers here, all I can say is "Don't believe everything you read". For God's sake, use some basic intelligence - how can a mission when 8 went out and only 1 came back be described as anything other than a complete farce? Look at the numerous mistakes made, it is a classic example of oxymoronic military "intelligence" and poor planning. I have no doubt that both soldiers displayed bravery in the field - Ryan's exploits, whilst exaggerated, were still very impressive. What a shame then that he could not tell the truth, and felt the need to embellish his story, deceiving the public and dishonouring his fellow soldiers in the British Army. David Sterling and Paddy Mayne must be turning in their graves.
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