Anyone read Sniper One by Dan Mills?
Anyone read Sniper One by Dan Mills?
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Asterix

Original Poster:

24,438 posts

259 months

Tuesday 5th August 2008
quotequote all
Did a search and couldn't find anything so I hope it's not a repost.

Anyway - Sniper One. Superb!

As an ex Squaddie, I felt he completely captured the attitude of the blokes and how the British Army conducts itself when the chips are down. The recounting of the major contacts are excellent as well.

I would highly recommend it.

schmalex

13,616 posts

237 months

Tuesday 5th August 2008
quotequote all
Yes. Very good book.

I am currently reading 8 Lives Down by Major Chris Hunter. A very gripping read about his experiences leading a bomb disposal team in Iraq.

Fume troll

4,389 posts

243 months

Tuesday 5th August 2008
quotequote all
Yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Bought it in Sainsburys, read in while sailing in Turkey, then sold it on Amazon for a small profit!

Cheers,

FT.

Asterix

Original Poster:

24,438 posts

259 months

Tuesday 5th August 2008
quotequote all
schmalex said:
Yes. Very good book.

I am currently reading 8 Lives Down by Major Chris Hunter. A very gripping read about his experiences leading a bomb disposal team in Iraq.
I'll look into that.

Also reading 'Soldier' by General Sir Mike Jackson. There's a great bit in it where he gets christened as 'The Prince of Darkness' by his blokes and he can't work out why - nothing to do with looking like Bella Lugosi's more sinister brother then biggrin

Sciroccology

29,908 posts

261 months

Tuesday 5th August 2008
quotequote all
I've just finished "3 Para" by Patrick Bishop (very, very good) and was looking for my next read.

Is this a recent release?

MX-Si

351 posts

249 months

Tuesday 5th August 2008
quotequote all
Oh yes, I couldn't put it down. I've since told everyone I know about it and they've come back with the same response, a 'kin good read!

Asterix

Original Poster:

24,438 posts

259 months

Tuesday 5th August 2008
quotequote all
Sciroccology said:
I've just finished "3 Para" by Patrick Bishop (very, very good) and was looking for my next read.

Is this a recent release?
Relatively - in Paperback now.

I read it in two days straight - was waiting a boozer last night for a mate who I was lending it to (who then proceeded to forgot it - thankfully they staff picked it up and knew it was mine!). He was half an hour late so I started reading it again and didn't want to hand it over.

Go for it.

schmalex

13,616 posts

237 months

Tuesday 5th August 2008
quotequote all
Asterix said:
Sciroccology said:
I've just finished "3 Para" by Patrick Bishop (very, very good) and was looking for my next read.

Is this a recent release?
Relatively - in Paperback now.

I read it in two days straight - was waiting a boozer last night for a mate who I was lending it to (who then proceeded to forgot it - thankfully they staff picked it up and knew it was mine!). He was half an hour late so I started reading it again and didn't want to hand it over.

Go for it.
Bought this at the weekend as well. Planning to read it once I've finished 8 Lives Down.

ninja-lewis

5,494 posts

221 months

Tuesday 5th August 2008
quotequote all
Read it the other week. Thought it was an excellent and very enjoyable read. Also read Richard Holmes's Dusty Warriors, which covers the wider PWRR battlegroup during the same period. I'd also recommend Rory Stewart's "Occupational Hazards: a year in Iraq" - he was the deputy governor of Maysan prior to the arrival of the PWRR.

jollygreen

21,562 posts

233 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
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Yep, great book. Bought it in costco for about £5.

DeadMeat_UK

3,058 posts

313 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
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I think all 3 books are on sale at amazon at the moment. 3 quid something for sniper one.

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

259 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
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Read Sniper One about a year ago, got it in hardback so much more expensive!!

Halfway through 3 Para.

Read 8 lives down about 4 months ago, also very good.

Have also read Highway to hell (I think its called that) and another book by a bloke called James Ashcroft. These are accounts of private military contractors in Iraq, both worth a read too!

Taita

8,016 posts

234 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
quotequote all
funkyrobot said:
Read Sniper One about a year ago, got it in hardback so much more expensive!!

Halfway through 3 Para.

Read 8 lives down about 4 months ago, also very good.

Have also read Highway to hell (I think its called that) and another book by a bloke called James Ashcroft. These are accounts of private military contractors in Iraq, both worth a read too!
Think its called Making a Killing. Just ordered it.

Battenburg Bob

8,853 posts

223 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
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Reading Sniper One now, excellent book. Eight lives down also worth a look.

Sadly none of this was ever reported on the news. It really is amazing that battles on this scale can take place without a mention.

bga

8,134 posts

282 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
quotequote all
I read it a while back, interesting book & shows what balls the lads have I'm appauling conditions.

What I don't particularly like & is typical of the genre is the random throwing in of pseudo-blokey phrases (not particularly used by any squaddies I know) and what appears to be fantastic word-for-word recall of long conversations. 8 Lives Down is better in this respect IMO.

Burnham

3,668 posts

290 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
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3 Para and Sniper 1 are both really good page turners, Making a Killing maybe not so much.

I had a call from my cousin last week, he was calling on a sat-phone from Musa Quala. I forgot to tell him to keep a diary, he'll get more for him memoirs than the government will ever pay him!

SirTainly

904 posts

242 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
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Sniper One - cracking read.

collateral

7,238 posts

249 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
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I've got 8 Lives Down waiting to be read thumbup

cannondale

210 posts

223 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
quotequote all
Sniper 1 is a cracker.

Also similar style of book is Dusty Warriors. Again a great read.

Just about to start on Eight Lives Down.

omohat

361 posts

261 months

Wednesday 6th August 2008
quotequote all
Read Sniper 1 a few months ago - brilliant. Really made you feel like you were there dodging the bullets with the author. Slightly rough and ready style of writing but no less compelling for it.

I read 3 Para directly afterwards and for me it didn't compare well with Sniper 1. While it was certainly interesting, it felt very "dry" and slightly sanitised after the blood and thunder of Sniper 1.