Bloody Andy McNabb

[davido140]

SAS hero or fulltime bullstter, who knows..

I do like his Nick Stone novels though, however just had the last one "Brute Force" spoiled for me, He's driving an Audi Q7 through the desert, extolling the virtues of the Automatic Gearbox when stopped at a checkpoint, it'd make for an easier getaway apparently.

Chapter or two later, he's busy describing a J-Turn and describes stomping his boot on the clutch!!!

con-ti-nu-i-ty Andy.... Continuity.

Grrrr.

That is all.

Edited by davido140 on Friday 2nd January 15:26

[andy400]

In a similar vein, I read a Chris Ryan book recently. It was my first, and will be my last! Full of errors like the one you describe - one that springs to mind is where the hero is being taken to the terrorist hideout and he's blindfolded so he won't know where it is, then on the next page, it tells us all the things he notices, being a switched on ex-SAS hardman who is constantly revising his plan.

Eh? I know the SAS are good, but can they really see through blindfolds?

Very badly wriiten books for people who don't read books IMO.

[hairykrishna]

His first few novels, where he seemed to be describing stuff he had actually done, were good. The later ones where he has to rely on his imagination are bks.

[MonkeyVR6]

Andy McNabb, real name Steve Mitchell (as I'm led to believe), seems to have had a brilliant career spinning bullst. I did the obvious and read Bravo Two Zero, but as for his other books...I found them a bit boring and very hard to get into. There are much better fiction books out there chaps, just beware they're not too Super Army Soldiers. The majority of people that claim to be 22 SAS, are in fact, not.

[Centurion07]

hairykrishna said:

His first few novels, where he seemed to rely on his imagination were good. The later ones where he has to rely on his imagination are bks.

EFA

[Nic Jones]

MonkeyVR6 said:

The majority of people that claim to be 22 SAS, are in fact, not.

It's quite laughable the number of people who claim to be ex SAS. The real ex SAS/SBS etc guys don't tend to shout from the rooftops about what they've done. But the stories they come out with occasionally are truly chilling.

[Pesty]

Never liked any of his fiction stuff,

For those of you who liked Bravo two zero and the like can I recomend this

First into Action by Duncan Falkoner.

Its the stroy of a bloke who joined the SBS from training up until leaving. I found it to be the best of the bunch that came out at the time.

Edited by Pesty on Friday 2nd January 15:54

[Racingdude009]

Did he not go on TV and say he was never in the SAS or something ?

[Nic Jones]

Racingdude009 said:

Did he not go on TV and say he was never in the SAS or something ?

I think it's pretty widely accepted that he was in the SAS, what's debateable is the truth of his 'true' story Bravo Two Zero. (Regardless, I reckon it's a fairly good read)

[Swilly]

Racingdude009 said:

Did he not go on TV and say he was never in the SAS or something ?

That would be his counter-intelligence training coming to the fore.....

[Simpo Two]

I was watching the Heroes of Telemark yesterday and was half expecting the cast of Guns of Navarone to come past the other way... 'Hey, you're in the wrong film!' 'Oops, sorry - thought it was a bit cold!'

[smithsi]

Why does Chris Ryan appear on TV with his face clearly recongnisable whereas Andy McNab either has his face blacked out or not shown at all?

I would imagine the argument that there are bad people out there would hold true for both Messrs McNab and Ryan.

Read both books and plus 'The Real Bravo Two Zero' and it would appear that the truth is somewhere in the middle. Didn't seem that McNab and Ryan are best friends.

[donutsina911]

A pretty handy soldier by all accounts who has morphed into a git of monumental proportions with a dubious moral compass.

[Aubrey]

Changing course slightly, anyone read the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child? just reading his latest, very good.

[Bushmaster]

MonkeyVR6 said:

Andy McNabb, real name Grant Mitchell (as I'm led to believe), seems to have had a brilliant career spinning bullst.

EFA

[Sciroccology]

smithsi said:

Read both books and plus 'The Real Bravo Two Zero' and it would appear that the truth is somewhere in the middle. Didn't seem that McNab and Ryan are best friends.

I've read most of the SAS books, both fiction and non-fiction (and "fiction but based on non-fiction") and certainly get the impression that there's no love lost between McNab and Ryan. Also, as you say, by piecing together (often contradictory) bits from all of the B2-0 books, you can get more of an accurate picture of what happened.

[MonkeyVR6]

Ok, thats twice now. What the hell does 'EFA' mean?

[Bushmaster]

MonkeyVR6 said:

Ok, thats twice now. What the hell does 'EFA' mean?

Only ex-SAS men know what it means.

Here is a pic of your man, by the way:

[Sciroccology]

Bushmaster said:

MonkeyVR6 said:

Ok, thats twice now. What the hell does 'EFA' mean?

Only ex-SAS men know what it means.

True. We could tell you, but then we'd have to kill slot you.

EFA.

Edited by Sciroccology on Friday 2nd January 16:14

[Jasandjules]

All the fictional books written by both men are dubious in terms of accuracy and continuity etc.. BUT for switching off the brain whilst on the train, they are acceptable.

If you liked Bravo Two Zero, read Immediate Action as well..