Rating: 
Summary: A good story about the type of people behind Special Ops
Review: It takes special people to do special things. This book gives great insight into what makes those people tick and how they are molded into the soldiers they are. Also check out his other book Bravo Two Zero. Also recommend Bob Mayer's series of books on special forces. They're fiction but as a retired special forces soldier I can tell you they are much closer to reality than the fantasies written by Tom Clancy and others who never 'humped a ruck.'
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: MacNab's book "Bravo Two Zero" was outstanding in its' own right, however "Immediate Action" is in a class by itself. Being a former infantry soldier in the U.S. Army and having trained with the British army, I can entirely relate to MacNab's early experiences of pomp and circumstance and general work for work sake in the armies of the world. (Seems like all armies have something in common.) However, as far as the special forces go, these men are the quintessential professional soldier. I developed a respect for the british soldier and their professionalism at the lower level, and I now have an even higher respect for the SAS. I entirely related to the long marches with heavy gear and time constraints MacNab had to pass in order to be allowed to go to the next phase. For those people who have never done even a fraction of what all Special Forces candidates go through, try it. Put on a 60 pound rucksack, army fatigues and combat boots and try to move cross country for 12 miles in under three hours. I would recommend this book to anyone thinking about trying out for special forces. MacNab gives excellent advice and strategies for passing requirements. I can understand why the British government was not too keen about letting this book released to the general public. There is plenty of information available for those unfriendly to the U.K. to utilize against them. However I'm glad the book was published. Finally thanks to Amazon for selling this book online, because I could not find a copy of this book in regular book stores here in the U.S.
Rating:
Summary: An awsome look at getting into the S.A.S.
Review: McNab modestly describes the rigors of becoming a member of Britain's elite Special Air Service - the black clad figures you see in the movies who rescue the hostages, while making short work of the terrorists. He's not about machismo. McNab is a class act all the way. It's not like the movies, but it is exciting to read about. Although "Immediate Action" was written after "Bravo Two Zero", its events occur earlier chronologically, so you should read "Immediate Action" first. Both books are very well written and captivating. The cliche "I couldn't put it down" actually applied to my experience with these books. NOTE: If/When you read "Bravo Two Zero," don't look at the pictures if you don't want to know who dies! Get a friend to cover them up or something. I found that in the back of my mind I kept waiting to see how/when they would die.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Life Stories
Review: My first encounter with Mr. McNab was with "Bravo Two Zero" about being imprisoned by Iraq during the Gulf War. This is a great follow up book that looks into his entire life from childhood through his service with the SAS. The book as a whole is very entertaining because of the tone Mr. McNab takes (dry British humor). He talks in great length about 'selection' in the SAS and his battles with the IRA and also how he ended up on the path to a military career. Mr. McNab has great life experiences and he does not dissappoint in delivering them to the reader in this book. This is a must-read for those interested in reading about the personalities and individual experiences of those in elite fighting forces.
Rating:
Summary: Good Life Stories
Review: My first encounter with Mr. McNab was with "Bravo Two Zero" about being imprisoned by Iraq during the Gulf War. This is a great follow up book that looks into his entire life from childhood through his service with the SAS. The book as a whole is very entertaining because of the tone Mr. McNab takes (dry British humor). He talks in great length about 'selection' in the SAS and his battles with the IRA and also how he ended up on the path to a military career. Mr. McNab has great life experiences and he does not dissappoint in delivering them to the reader in this book. This is a must-read for those interested in reading about the personalities and individual experiences of those in elite fighting forces.
Rating:
Summary: Personable
Review: Of all of the ex-SAS squaddies-come-authors, Andy's the guy you want to know. He's the one you want to have a beer with. While some of the other guys tend to write like propped-up ponces, Andy is a cool guy and a lot of fun to read about. It's easy to relate to him via his personal stories and so it's easy to tap into his regular-guy-as-hero message. Having read almost all of the accounts of the SAS action in Iraq, it was fun to read Andy's more personable recollections of events. Or maybe I just dug his musical taste..
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: Read this book! If you like it you should read Jan Guillou's Coq Rouge books, they are great!
Rating:
Summary: A "Thank You" to the Men
Review: Thank you to the men who keep us free. Though I will never be an SAS soldier, I very much enjoy knowing that the U.K. are such great allies and that they can really stand their ground. A couple of good books about U.S. special operations are "Blawk Hawk Down" by Mark Bowden, and "Danger Close" by Mike Yon. Thank you for keeping us free!
Rating: 
Summary: Much of this novel fell 500 feet in front of me
Review: The beginning of this novel is terrific. It gives clear insight into both SAS "Selection" as well as the sort of candidate that this grueling training attracts. Furthermore, Andy McNab does a wonderful job of explaining the strains the army places on his marriages. However, aside from this, Immediate Action becomes almost incoherent. I often found myself scratching my head because of the confusing British phrases as well as the absence of any understandable background on his real world missions. Andy graduates from SAS training and then all of a sudden is chasing 3 men in a van. Then, there's something about a bomb scare and he rushes to a hotel only to get shot at...or maybe he's the one doing the firing. If this is incoherent, then you're getting a good feel for the novel itself. Read Bravo Two Zero, it's much clearer a novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Immediate Action
Review: There's no doubt that McNab has a story to tell. Unfortunately, he comes across as foul-mouthed (and I'm no prude - with 20 yrs in Brit/Canadian infantry units), self-centered, and only semi-literate, which is quite distracting. His editor should be strung up! There are more errors in that book (including type errors, horrible grammar, syntax, verb usage) you name it, than I care to remember. Reasonable story. Horrible read! There are far better books about the SAS out there; most notably, "Soldier I, SAS".
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