Rating: 
Summary: Hmmm...
Review: It is kind of hard to say which parts of THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY are fact or fiction. There isn't anybody but Cpl. Ryan himself to verify if this story is the 100% authentic link sausage. Still, it's an action packed page-turner that you could probably read in a day. Pretty good to read on a short plane trip.
Rating: 
Summary: Great story about "Do or Die" courage
Review: This is a great book that goes hand-in-hand with Andy McNab's "Bravo Two Zero", where SAS soldiers were captured and tortured by Iraqi's during the Gulf War. Chris Ryan was the only one in the group that did not get captured or killed and he describes in detail the arduous journey he had to make against incredible odds. The odds were definitely stacked against him (the weather, the enemy on his tail, lack of food and water for a week) and all he relied on was his will power to push forward when giving up could have been a lot easier. The book is short read but it definitely packs a lot of power interms of the depths of human determination to live.
Rating:
Summary: Man, those SAS guys are tough! But...
Review: This is a great tale of evasion and escape in a hostile environment when the real God of War(Murphy, not Mars or Sun Tzu!)catches up to this SAS team. It tells the rest of the "Bravo Two Zero" story and fills in the details after the unit inadvertently split-up. Ryan's trek out of Iraq to Syria in the worst weather, over difficult terrain and with enemies all around, is a true epic and a testament to the courage and fortitude of the SAS, and to Chris Ryan in particular. That being said, this book is a textbook of how NOT to plan and execute a strategic reconnaisance/sabotage mission! The mission was thrown together with poor intell, poorly planned and thought out, and even more poorly supported(no pistols, inadequate maps/photos, not enough ammo!) Prior to insertion, Ryan notes that they left their tentage and warm clothing behind because, well, Iraq is a desert, and of course, deserts are hot! Don't these guys know what the temperature does at night, in the winter, in the desert? Even Ryan acknowledges that leaving their vehicles was a mistake(they were the only team to elect to walk in from their insertion point, carrying 265 lbs of gear each!) Of all the British SAS and American Special Forces teams inserted into Iraq, the ones on foot were in the greatest peril once they were discovered. And these guys had planned to sabotage a fiber optic link with explosives--so not only would they be on foot, deep in enemy territory, they were going to announce their presence to the Iraqis! Nowadays, with the world population continuing to explode, the ability of a group of commandos to sneak around without discovery becomes more and more difficult. There are just too many people and dogs! Stealth is fine but you need good communications and a SPEEDY(ground vehicle or air) exfiltration plan(that your headquarters knows about--the rescue teams were looking in the wrong direction for this team!). To top it off, Bravo-2-0 was not a true "team." Though then men knew each other, they had not trained together as a small unit prior to being assembled for this mission.
With regard to communications, the radio failure of this team is inexcusable. They were given the wrong frequencies by their HQ! What an ammateurish mistake! Over half a century ago, the British 1st Airborne jumped into Holland for Operation Market-Garden, with the wrong radio crystals--guess what--no commo! Don't these SAS guys read any history? And speaking of history, I also have to take exception to Ryan's statement that Schwarzkopf didn't like elite units because the US Army Special Forces made "a hash of things in Vietnam..." The Green Berets were actually one of the few positives during the Vietnam war--their individual and collective successes at fighting a guerilla war are the stuff of legend. Schwarzkopf and other conventional soldiers have always resented elite organizations, for a variety of reasons, some practical, but mostly political, personal, and emmotional. Corporal Chris Ryan's endurance, bravery, physical strength, and military skill were demonstrated by his being the only member of the team to avoid capture or death. I just hope that both British and U.S. Special Operations personnel can use the entire experience to prevent similar circumstances occuring in the future. And, if you couldn't guess, I am retired US Army Special Forces.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring but questionable
Review: I just finished reading Chris' book and I have seen Andy's movie (although I didn't read his book). There is some conflicting information between the two accounts. I believe the source of the conflict is ego. Chris admits that Andy was the commander of the patrol, but then writes as if he (Chris) was the patrol's real leader. It appeared to me that Chris was trying to overstate his role, therefore I found Andy's account more believable, even though Andy tended to portray Chris as a whiner. However, they are all top rate soldiers and are to be commended for their work. Additionally, the book is very gripping and a good read. Its just questionable how accurate the information is. There are only 8 people who know for sure and only 5 are still with us. Thus, if you are looking for inspiration, buy it. If you're looking for historical accuracy, you might want to think twice.
Rating:
Summary: Every Soldier A Story
Review: I have heard that this author and the more famous other one that wrote Bravo Two Zero have both be accused of making their stories a bit more thrilling with a bit more bravado then actually took place. I do not know if that is correct, what I do know is that this story is thrilling. The book details a mission of British SAS troops during the Gulf War that are sent behind enemy lines to locate and call in air strikes on scud missiles. Unfortunately, they are found out by the Iraqi military and are separated into two groups. This book details one of those groups, which started with two solders. Overall the book really is interesting and fun. The author describes a story that keeps you interested and on the edge of your seat the whole time. There is real suspense which is difficult in a book about a war where there just is not that much battle for the character. It is just like a car chase without the cars. This is a fun book that reads like a novel.
Rating:
Summary: A Chinese Fire Drill
Review: This mission failed due to the lack of Basic soldering. No E&E plan, NO proper radio frequencies to communicate with. NO maps or Intell worth anything. The one redeeming virtue of this team was its NO lack of personal courage. The author sets off on a mission behind the lines on foot wearing the same pair of socks he has had on for 5 days. I just don't get that. Not as well written as Andy's book but, a decent read never the less.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible Story about a SAS Operator with great poise!
Review: As a former paratrooper from the 82nd, I never quite made it to the elite force status like SAS, SF, ect. But, one thing I know is that what kept this man alive more than anything else was ability to NOT PANIC! This guy must have faced sure death at least a dozen times during the E&E out of Iraq, but he used his training, his physical conditioning, and his poise to get out alive. Chris Ryan is living proof that Special Ops soldiers are indeed the best of the best. I doubt I would have made in out given his situation. God Bless him and all those that get in (...)the Middle East. These units are critical to the success of future operations post 9/11.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding personal strength
Review: An amazing account of one man's courage and perseverance to overcome such a tragic curcumstance. The story is told in fact and does not leave out many of the fatal errors that occurred throughout his journey. Sometimes human endurance is a testimony to our very own humanity. This is a great read and one which will stay with you for years to come.
Rating: 
Summary: Pick up "Bravo Two Zero" instead
Review: Several other reviewers have noted that Chris Ryan's version of the events surrounding the compromise of the Gulf War SAS patrol Bravo Two Zero differ substantially from those of the patrol leader, Andy McNab, as chronicled in his book "Bravo Two Zero." Of course, when it's one man's word against another's, it is impossible to say which is closer to the truth, but I found Ryan's constant, if understated, assumption that his course was always the right course, to be a bit presumptuous and off-putting. Purely as a stylistic concern, I was much more attracted to McNab's low-key, unassuming re-telling of the events. He comes off as a real guy with an unusual job who knows what he's doing, but gets the short end of the stick sometimes nevertheless. Ryan portrays himself as a superman who is only foiled in his single-handed defeat of Iraq by his bumbling compatriots. I have some difficulty believing that such a distinguished unit as the 22nd SAS would enlist such blithering idiots as Ryan makes his comrades out to be, while still accomplishing as many incredible things as it has. I've heard that this book was ghost-written and it certainly makes sense... it seems as though the internal conflict has been toned up and the realities of the situation slightly tuned down--a fiction writer's eye has gone over the story. It's a thrilling tale, to be sure, but I found myself thinking that it couldn't have happened to a snottier guy. I enjoyed McNab's re-telling of Ryan's part of the story more compelling than Ryan's entire book.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating...
Review: Chris Ryan's escape tale is a book anyone can love. This is a masterpiece that makes other adventure literature like "Into Thin Air" by John Krakauer look pale and contrived. When you finish Ryan's book you simply have to sit there for a long while contemplating the enormity of his ordeal. If it was fiction, it would be unbelievable.
|
