Rating: 
Summary: Interesting book
Review: The falling season is a tough book to review, since I am involved in SAR work, not in Colorado though. First off the author is an excellent writer and keeps the book moving along. He gets into the personalities of the team members and when you do SAR work you realize that it is the interrelationships of the team personal that make or breaks your team. I think Mr. Clifford does a good job in detailing the day to day nuances of the characters in the book.I also think that he portrays a realistic look at the tensions that arise between the NEEDED paramilitary Sheriffs department and the free-spirited rescuers. The facts are that the SAR Teams are going to become more and more under the direct aegis of the Sheriff departments. That means more liability issues will be raised and in turn more Certifications will be needed to be a member of any SAR team. While this may be a noble objective it also had the direct dilemma of ostracizing the competent members on any SAR team. I have seen it happen, so sometimes the net result is a SAR team will lose some competent people only to be replaced by individuals that have passed the minimum sheriffs department certifications. While technically these individuals are qualified to perform a rescue they are as inept as any mountain neophyte is and in most cases a liability to the team. But this is the wave of the future and a reason why the author sees SAR teams being staffed only by paid people. One caveat for the any Non SAR person. This book does glamorize the work and makes it seem as non-stop action. I understand that the book has to do this otherwise it would be a bore to read. But real SAR work can be tedious and hard, no limelight, many days spent traipsing through buckthorn or on the side of some rattlesnake-infested ridge. You will come home on many days, dirty and tired, with fresh scrapes on your hands and faces oozing blood, just wondering just why you were assigned to search that area? But in the end it's always worth it.
Rating: 
Summary: The Soap Opera
Review: This book starts with a great, well painted rescue. Most of the remainder of the book then focuses on the egos and personal conflicts of the team and sheriff. "He said this and she said that and I said this." As a member of a busy SAR team, I was amazed at (and saddened by) how poorly the team and Sheriff got along. I also question the pseudo-conclusion that rescue teams will become paid services. If you are looking for insight into the personal relationships the make up a rescue community, you will like this book.
Rating:
Summary: The Soap Opera
Review: This book starts with a great, well painted rescue. Most of the remainder of the book then focuses on the egos and personal conflicts of the team and sheriff. "He said this and she said that and I said this." As a member of a busy SAR team, I was amazed at (and saddened by) how poorly the team and Sheriff got along. I also question the pseudo-conclusion that rescue teams will become paid services. If you are looking for insight into the personal relationships the make up a rescue community, you will like this book.
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