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massmann
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Posted: 5/24/2012 6:24:06 AM

THE IMAGE ABOVE IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT
Just finished it... Actually, the more accurate description for it just started AND finished, picked it up and couldn't put it down till it was over...

The things that stuck with me the most is that SEALS are not "angels", as Chris describes in their bar fights and troubles... Also, he shed some light on some aspects of BUD/S that Ive never heard/seen before, which was very interesting...

STRONGLY reccomend this book...

Now, to "The Lone Survivor"....

suprmatch
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Posted: 5/31/2012 6:41:59 PM
Next on my reading list. The wife got me that because I have about 40 books on sniping so now I have 41. Some reason I've always found sniping interesting.
RDS_FSU
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Posted: 5/31/2012 7:07:28 PM
Originally Posted By suprmatch:
Next on my reading list. The wife got me that because I have about 40 books on sniping so now I have 41. Some reason I've always found sniping interesting.


Do you have any MUST reads on your "sniping book" list that you recommend?
RDS_FSU

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Bhart89
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Posted: 5/31/2012 7:13:18 PM
I started it last weekend. I'll finish it this weekend. Very quick read.
KJ4MZE
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Posted: 6/9/2012 9:04:33 AM
Reading this book now, very informative. I like the lack of fluff and sugar coating.
Gone_Shootin
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Posted: 6/9/2012 9:57:34 AM
I bought it after reading the excerpt in Soldier of Fortune. I havent reat it yet though, since I'm working my way through Ameritopia, and still havent finished When Money Dies yet.

Thanks for the review.
ftw13
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Posted: 6/11/2012 3:18:40 AM
started reading it today,he's in BUD/S right now where i'm at. can't wait for the good stuff
Warhawk
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Posted: 6/11/2012 3:25:20 AM
Marcus Luttrell has a second book out, SERVICE.

It has a couple of stories about Chris Kyle in it.

Another must read book.
I've tried to see things from the liberal point of view ... but I'm just not flexible enough to get my head up my ass.
FDrifting
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Posted: 6/16/2012 8:20:27 PM
Great book so far. Never knew the Poles were such badasses. Love the part where they tell Kyle "you're a lion led by dogs".
bssrf4
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Posted: 7/27/2012 5:58:59 PM
I just started it today. The Preface or whatever is super blow-hardy and he contradicts his thoughts about 3 times in 3 pages.

Don't get me wrong, I respect the author, some people just weren't cut out for writing

I hope it smooths out.
lc_allen28
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Posted: 7/27/2012 6:08:24 PM
What I found most interesting was he was not just sniping, but he took to the streets to help units that were not very well versed in street combat.

As a former soldier (1989-1993) I know we (combat engineers) NEVER did any urban training. We were always in the forested areas. If we were faced with urban operations, we would have been chopped up like dog meat.

Of course we did have one huge war in the open desert. No reason to train people how to fight in cities right? (Somolia was only a few months after I left to attend college)
wombat25
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Posted: 7/27/2012 6:19:15 PM
Honestly, it's just an okay book. It really could have benefited from a co-author who could have provided a little more context to the setting and events.

As it is, it's a lot of "we went here, we shot a bunch of guys, then we cleared some houses, and we left."

It's a memoir, I get that, and I certainly couldn't do any better in terms of remembering and then putting down those experiences on paper, but the book really would have been much better if there was more substance to truly understand what's going on, and the magnitude of Chris Kyle's accomplishments.

My $.02.
bssrf4
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Posted: 7/27/2012 6:38:16 PM
Originally Posted By wombat25:
Honestly, it's just an okay book. It really could have benefited from a co-author who could have provided a little more context to the setting and events.

As it is, it's a lot of "we went here, we shot a bunch of guys, then we cleared some houses, and we left."

It's a memoir, I get that, and I certainly couldn't do any better in terms of remembering and then putting down those experiences on paper, but the book really would have been much better if there was more substance to truly understand what's going on, and the magnitude of Chris Kyle's accomplishments.

My $.02.


There were co-authors. The cover says "with Scott McEwan and Jim DeFelice."
wombat25
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Posted: 7/27/2012 9:38:07 PM
[Last Edit: 7/27/2012 9:39:52 PM by wombat25]
I know. Maybe I should have said "it could have benefitted from better co-authors."
bssrf4
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Posted: 7/27/2012 9:42:20 PM
Ha...fair enough!
cfbigdaddy
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Posted: 7/27/2012 9:49:29 PM
It is a pretty good read, but not nearly as good as Lone Survivor.

I'm two thirds through Service, it is good as well.
"The two most important things in life are good friends and a strong bullpen."- Bob Lemon


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bearman71
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Posted: 12/7/2012 1:34:33 AM
I enjoyed that book
azmp5
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Posted: 12/7/2012 1:44:13 AM
I really like the book. as far as The Lone Survivor, I got to chapter 5 and said fuck it. to damn boring so i gave up on it. a few people at work who read it said i should skip a few chapters cause "it really got good" but i am reading something different now... the red circle? i think thats it. its pretty decent so far.
JustaGunNut
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Posted: 12/7/2012 6:09:56 AM
I think No Easy day is about 10x better. I don't know what it was about Chris Kyle, but I didn't dig his book very much.
Dlfleetw
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Posted: 12/7/2012 3:58:29 PM
I would read in this order. The red circle, Lone Survivor, Service and when your bored read American Sniper.
rbblrwsr
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Posted: 12/7/2012 4:13:54 PM
All of these books need to be taken for what they are. The guys that wrote them were trained, for years, to be very good at being a SEAL. They weren't trained to be writers nor did they spend the thousands of hours writing that a professional writer will spend honing his or her craft.

I wouldn't expect a professional writer to suddenly become an expert in CQB or long range shooting, but they might be able to obtain a level of proficiency given time and quality training.

With that in mind, books of this genre are interesting to varying degrees and shed a sliver of light on an otherwise dark world. I read them on the back porch or on a plane and it will usually hold my attention.

Also, the details that some might yearn to see won't be there for obvious reasons.

YMMV
Overtorque
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Posted: 12/7/2012 8:17:19 PM
Well said.

Originally Posted By rbblrwsr:
All of these books need to be taken for what they are. The guys that wrote them were trained, for years, to be very good at being a SEAL. They weren't trained to be writers nor did they spend the thousands of hours writing that a professional writer will spend honing his or her craft.

I wouldn't expect a professional writer to suddenly become an expert in CQB or long range shooting, but they might be able to obtain a level of proficiency given time and quality training.

With that in mind, books of this genre are interesting to varying degrees and shed a sliver of light on an otherwise dark world. I read them on the back porch or on a plane and it will usually hold my attention.

Also, the details that some might yearn to see won't be there for obvious reasons.

YMMV


ZeroZero
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Posted: 12/8/2012 11:23:33 PM
Originally Posted By wombat25:
I know. Maybe I should have said "it could have benefitted from better co-authors."


I agree. I was underwhelmed by it.
elderboy02
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Posted: 12/15/2012 9:55:56 AM
I loved the story about him shooting the beach balls with the insurgents on them
4v50
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Posted: 12/16/2012 12:49:26 PM
Originally Posted By elderboy02:
I loved the story about him shooting the beach balls with the insurgents on them


Agree. One shot, five drowned.
AKIOTY10
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Posted: 12/27/2012 3:44:21 PM
To me it starts off really slow and gets a little better. There some really good parts but they are few and far between. A co Arthur may have been exactly what he needed but his job was killing bad guys which he is dam good at , not writing a book. Overall I appreciate him doing it because it does give you a better idea of how life was over there .
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