Review: An excellent first-hand account of events.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 29, 2012
This is fiction based on real events, but it is more than a just another journal type story. It really makes you feel you knew what went on, on the ground, and in the heads of the military men (and women) in the story. I would have liked a glossary for the unfamiliar terms but got by with a dictionary and a bit of imagination.The internal politics and rivalries in the military ranks were well told and the story moved at a fast pace. There was an accurate history of Somalia included, from 1969 to 1991 which helped put some background to the events of 1992.I found it interesting that the rules could be bent in certain situations like the time when some women were being attacked and raped by gang members and there were no regrets or comebacks, and when a patrol of `Project feed Somalia' was not disarmed as they were on a mission of mercy. This ended badly but not through any fault of the patrol involved.Gunnery Thomson is a likable character who values his friendships and does everything he can to help his mate Ramirez in his career advancement. He spends time with the interpreters and shows them respect and also has his eye on one attractive female Somali interpreter.The writer is able, very concisely, to paint word pictures to describe his colleagues and superiors with wit and humour, which gives the story reality. I hope there is another book in the pipeline as I would like to know if Thompson ever gets together with the girl, and would like to know about his family. For me, he has done what good writers do, he leaves you wanting more