18 Hours: The True Story of an SAS War Hero

If only the female author of this book had just written the factual account of the battle and not tried to write this to appeal to Hollywood. I managed to only read a quarter of the book before her style and writing drove me nuts and I had to stop.

COURAGEOUS SOLDIER BUT LET DOWN HIS VANITY (1/1 people found this helpful)

The operation this soldier was on and his contribution to it is without rebuke. I truly admire his and the soldiers he served with; their courage. However, reading this book, I did feel a bit of vanity being demonstrated by the story-teller, which you do not get in other SAS-type books, particularly ones written by British SAS personnel.
Simply-put, he is trying a bit too hard to be a "soldier's soldier" and in my opinion does not do a very good job. If he had just kept it factual and to the point regarding the heroic operation he was involved in, this book would have been a much better read.

Poor (1/1 people found this helpful)

This is the first review I have submitted, felt compelled to as the writing style is atrocious and gives no flavour of the heroism.

A good story wasted (1/1 people found this helpful)

This is a badly written account of what was quite obviously a dramatic event in the "war on terror". Sandra Lee seems to be writing for a 15 year old, or is actually 15 years old. She covers up the fact the Americans obviously cocked the operation up badly and her gushing praise for the Australian SAS gets a little tiresome.
Shame Mark Bowden of "Black Hawk Down" fame didn't get the chance to write this one up with an examination of why this was nearly another US disaster.
If you are 15 years old it's a good read. If not borrow a copy or go down the library. It's not worth the money.

18 Hours (6/6 people found this helpful)

This has to be one of the best contemporary books I have read regarding the current war on terror. The author does a sterling job of describing what it is like in the middle of an ambush and intense fire fight.

Operation Anaconda was doomed to fail once the US planners ignored the advice of UK special forces. The British SBS had identified a cave complex with unusually heavy protection. After extended surveillance the SBS identified and confirmed the presence of Osama Bin Laden and several other high value individuals.

With that in mind the SBS mapped out ideal landing sites for chopper insertion that would provide covert routes into the valley. They passed the information and plan to British Command who declined the mission due to lack of resources and feeling that the US should be the guys to capture/eliminate bin Laden.

The US forces took three days to act on the intelligence. But when they did what a fubar! they inserted troops directly into the valley eliminating all chance of surprise!

The book tells the story of a team dropped into the centre of a valley were they fell into an ambush. The whole valley was mapped out with pre-ranged mortars, artillery and excellent fields of fire.

In summary, an excellent telling of one of the largest US battles since Vietnam.

18 Hours: The True Story of an SAS War Hero

Sandra Lee

Reader Reviews:

18 Hours (0/0 people found this helpful)

COURAGEOUS SOLDIER BUT LET DOWN HIS VANITY (1/1 people found this helpful)

Poor (1/1 people found this helpful)

A good story wasted (1/1 people found this helpful)

18 Hours (6/6 people found this helpful)

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