Product Description

An astonishing first book, 'Apache' is a story of courage, comradeship, technology and tragedy, during the ongoing war in Afghanistan. 'Apache' is the first book to come from the cockpit of the most sophisticated fighting helicopter the world has ever known. Designed in the mid 1980s to take on the Soviets, these machines have proven themselves as the perfect tool for combat in Afghanistan. Ed Macy's account of the incredibly hard Apache selection process, tougher than that of the SAS, combined with his description of the sheer difficulty of flying one of these helicopters, provides a fascinating insight into the relationship between man and machine fighting in the toughest conditions imaginable. The climactic build-up to the rescue mission at Jugroom Fort is both dramatic and deeply moving. The rescue of Lance Corporal Mathew Ford has been hailed as one of the most remarkable and daring rescues of modern wartime and Ed's bravery on the ground at Jugroom Fort led to him being awarded the Military Cross -- one of the first in the Army Air Corps' history. Taking the reader right to the heart of the war in Afghanistan, 'Apache' offers an unprecedented degree of proximity to the action and horror that troops in the region are faced with on a daily basis. Gripping from the first page to the last, it is utterly compelling and impossible to put down.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1979 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Ross Kemp
'An honest account of exceptional bravery.'

Review
'Macy is the real deal...A fantastic, totally exhilarating rollercoaster read.'

From the Author
APACHE is the culmination of a year's preparation and two years writing. To get to the level of detail required without baffling you I have studied, flown, fired and fought in combat on the Apache AH Mk1 helicopter for six years. It is a unique insight into what I can only describe as an unbelievable profession.

It was my intention to allow you to feel as if you had stepped into the Apache helicopter yourself, to take off and fight the battles as if you were me. It will allow you to follow through the missions and routine reaching the critical decisions with me; do you fire or don't you, are you justified in killing the man running or not. If I have done my job correctly, by the time you are just over half way through the book you will understand the incredibly complex world-leading weapons-platform that is the Apache. You will know how to fire its cannon, rockets and Hellfire missiles with deadly accuracy. In a nutshell you will have the beast at your fingertips ready for two of the most amazing groundbreaking attacks in modern warfare as you fly on Operation Glacier 1 and 2.

Apache should rush through all of you emotions leaving you in no doubt that the war in Afghanistan is fast, fierce, cruel and extremely dangerous. It turns boys to men and bonds those comrades together in eternal friendships.

I sincerely hope you enjoy reading the book Apache as much as I had writing it.

Ed Macy

Attack Pilot and Author

Customer Reviews

Apache is a girl's book...
Apache is a girl's book! Ok, ok, so it's really a boys book but don't be fooled by the stereotypically masculine cover and the macho hard hitting words, it really is a girl's book too.

How did I end up reading it? 3 grown men in my family have read it and they've all had big crocodile tears rolling down their faces, I swear. I've seen them punch the air in triumph, explode in raucous hilarity and then sit giggling for hours as they read on. I even had to endure the constant "you're never going to believe this", "this is incredible" and after catching them try to hide their damp cheeks "you're going to have to read this". If that wasn't bad enough I was then shown the footage online. "Yeah alright, I get the point; it's a true story..." I thought my hubby was arguably sad for sitting up until 3am in the morning reading and finally when he'd finished it I was a happy lady.
Apache was sat on the kitchen table waiting to be loaned out (yet again) and whilst waiting for a cake to bake (sorry, they don't all come from the supermarket!) I had a peek at the pictures. By pure accident I started reading the text next to the pictures on page 102. I burst out laughing and found myself engrossed in no time (a girl Apache pilot, never!). For the next 2 days I couldn't pull myself way from it. I tried, I really couldn't and he had to put up with the bedroom lamp on until 3 in the morning for once.

I took it to book club and all the ladies reluctantly purchased it and began reading. Remarkably they ended up sitting up until all hours too and it's the first time we've all completed a book in the same week. The comments were unanimous. We all experienced every emotion possible and couldn't quite believe we would like a book about a current war. This isn't for the faint hearted either. If you have a family member serving in Afghanistan and don't want to know the very scary truth, give it a wide berth; it will suck you in and before you know it you will be crying with worry. I've never felt so compelled to write a book review before, despite being an ardent reader. Pleasingly it doesn't go into politics or question what we are doing in Afghanistan in the first place. It just tells the story of what it's like to fight in the world's most hostile country. It's a firsthand account of what it's like to do the job so many of us wish would never have to be done in the first place. You will really feel like you're in the helicopter and that you're making Ed Macy's decisions for him. It's surreal to be that immersed and absorbed in another world. In fact, so bizarre I found my heart racing and often worried if I would make it out alive - 'IT'S JUST A BOOK' for Christ's sake! Whether you're for or against the armed forces, or the war in Afghanistan, or of a need to fight instead of talking, you will have no doubt after you finish Apache that this is simply a book about what our young men and women have to put up with everyday. Rightly or wrongly, they're our children getting paid to do a job, that's all. If there's one thing I've learned (and I learned a lot reading Apache) it's that our troops are compassionate and care for the Afghans. There is no macho attitude or killing spree going on. The Apaches are governed by very strict rules when it comes to shooting and the pilots always think about the effect they will have - often choosing not to shoot rather than risk hitting a house (just in case there's someone at home in the warzone/greenzone!)
Afterwards I felt like I could fly an Apache but then I pinched myself and decided to stick to cakes. It's a real rollercoaster of a ride so don't say I didn't warn you.
Kitchen Diva

PS. I'm new to reviewing so I hope I haven't gone on too much. Oh, have a box of tissues ready when they go into the fort (men included) and don't put a cake in the oven....

Wow - What a read...... Awesome...! !
Having only retired from the British Army in Jan 2008 the author has already produced this awesome book. I'm not going to review the "plot" as that information is readily available elsewhere on this page. The book is a totally unputdownable true story, focusing on the rescue of a captured lone marine. You are put into the heart of the action, feel the adrenaline and what must have been terror at what really goes on out there. definatley an eye-opener in terms of giving you a taste of life on this particualr front line, and not the carefully edited version we are all fed by the BBC and Sky news....

Illustrated with detailed diagrams and a good selection of photographs I finished this book the same day - which I hate doing as I always feel I haven't had my money's worth !! But without a doubt - it will be being read again....

I really can't recommend this book highly enough. If you want a damned good thrilling factual read then this is for you.

Does what it says on the tin
I'm not usually that into these military autobiographies but being a bit of a technophile i fancied reading about the much-lauded Apache chopper and its capabilities. It was purely an impulse purchase and i hadn't read any reviews, so i had relatively low expectations.

Wow. I loved this book and i'm going to be recommending it to friends. The first half is full of great technical detail about the Apache, the intense traning required to fly it and the difficulties the British Army face in Afghanistan. There's still plenty of action, but just after half way through you realise that the author had been setting the scene and building up to an almighty finale....a gripping account of the infamous 'Jugroom Fort' raid against the Taliban in 2007. If you haven't heard the story yet then you'll be amazed at what these guys did.

I read the final third of this book in one go, finishing at about 2am. I was that gripped by the story that i literally could not put the book down and go to sleep!

This book's greatest strength is that it is written in a straightforward, honest style. The author, who by the sound of it has led a very interesting and eventful life in the military, spares us from excessive detail about his personal life and family, focussing on the pilots, the helo and the action.

Loads of great info on the Apache, action-packed, amazing story....it therefore does exactly 'what it says on the tin'.