Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #311 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Christina Lamb, Sunday Times
'Wonderfully compelling...a fast-paced story of incredible bravery that at times reads like a thriller.'

The Observer
'The best reporting I have read on the war in Afghanistan is in Bishop's 3 Para.'

Daily Mail
'The frenzy of close-quarters combat...is captured particularly vividly...Fast-paced and absorbing.'

Customer Reviews

Sober and sensible, despite the cover
Patrick Bishop has now written several accounts of specific units or services in wartime, including the excellent "Fighter Boys" and "Bomber Boys", both about WW2 British fliers.

At first glance, this foray into contemporary conflict doesn't look promising; the paperback version is decorated with tawdry tabloid marketing blurb (and the statutory McNab/Ryan rave review) which makes it seem like another of the sensationalist glorifying accounts of recent conflicts that now seem to be cluttering the bookshelves of the nation.

Fortunately, Bishop is a better writer than that, so I persisted and was rewarded with a fascinating account of the British Army in Afghanistan, which focuses on the detail of day to day fire-fights without being the cheap tat that the cover suggests. Bishop remains sober and sensible throughout.

Don't expect balance from Bishop however - that's not what he does. As with this WW2 books, he starts from the assumption that the subjects of his research are the good guys, generally heroic, and that the enemy are pretty much invisible in human terms. Whilst he is clearly partial, it should be noted that he appears to be entirely objective in his reporting of the other side - he's not writing for The Sun and seems to ensure that accounts are factual and honest. As he makes no pretence of approaching the book in any other way, that's fine. As with previous books, he pulls together primarily first hand accounts and some other sources to draw a picture of the fighting from the sharp end, almost entirely from the viewpoint of the guys doing the shooting. The result is a down to earth narrative, that feels real and honest, and as accurate as first-hand accounts ever can be within the wider battle.

3 Para are painted as tough, straightforward and generally decent guys, if rough and ready below the familiarly standard British officer class (Sandhurst training must be pretty effective - they all look and sound/read the same!).

General conclusions on the war in Afghanistan: probably an understandable mission to begin with, but as usual, nobody learned the lessons of history, and are now therefore repeating the mistakes of same. Don't pick a fight with the Afghans - you'll never entirely win.

A view of the fighting from the other side would be fascinating, although due to the nature of that opposition it may be unlikely to ever surface.

Overall an excellent book, another well-written and clear-minded contribution from the author.

Not first hand..
I bought this book and like many others who had read 'Sniper One', 'Eight Lives Down' and other similar books, found this quite disapointing.
I expected it to be a first hand account where you feel like you are there with the actual soldiers, but this is nothing like that at all.
It is all a sort of mix up of whats going on in different places at different times, and is altogether quite confusing to be honest.
It seems as though the author has got loads of information of what happened from people who were there and decided to make a book out of it, but quite frankly it would have been one hundred times better if it was written by one of the soldiers themselves.
If you want a good military read then I advise buying the books mentioned above.

A truly moving account instilling patriotism
I was doubtful about purchasing this book as I have never really been into war books, but I am so glad I did. This book is written in an excellent manner giving a direct and truthful account of the bravery, courage, discipline and honour of our British professional troops. At one point reading this on the train commute into London I had to put the book down because I was welling up and any book that can do that to me is a worth read. I was saddened but not surprised to see on TV last night that Colnel Tootal has retired from his command, but to be honest not surprised when you read how difficult it was for him in 3 Para. I can't rate this book highly enough and I would just like to say this is one British citizen who fully supports our lads in Afganistan.