Customer Reviews: Read 26 more reviews...
 Shocking, but I know its True January 15, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book, was, I think, a very brave book to write as I don't know of anybody who has wrote this side of the story before. The author was an extremely violent person, but maybe because of his violent reception at his first commando unit. I personally would have left the military at that point, but this guy seemed to learn and draw from it. It looked to me like he was never going to let that happen again. Undoubtedly he was bullied in the beginning and then later became a man of few words and a person who didn't tollerate fools easily!! However, at times I'm sure he was somewhat out of control. He did seem to get violent after drinking huge amounts of beer. Bloomin heck, I can hardly stand up after a few beers never mind stand ready to do conflict with someone like some sort of fighting machine. However, that said, if I put myself in his shoes, I think I can understand it better. This was a shocking story and it does state this on the front of the book. I think it could have been written better, but all in all, a full on version of an account from someone who joined the marines and became one crazy unforgiving person.
I guess "full on" books like this only come along every once in a while, and are undoubtedly not for the feint hearted!
Chopra
 Around the pubs in 80 brawls January 15, 2008
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
Not a good book at all. I lost any respect for the author early on in the book as he seemed a bully who gets drunk and headbutts at least one person in every chapter. The book shares similar characteristics with the ones written by football hooligans or Hells Angels who have their 'own' corners in pubs and think everyone respects and admires them , when in fact, everyone sees them as losers. It was ironic that the author continually mentions 'controlled aggression' and 'discipline' yet has a few pints and can't keep out of trouble. The descriptions in the book are rudimentary 'He was from Liverpool so we called him Scouse' and the chapters repetitive. I'm sorry but an idiot in a green beret is still an idiot and probably more so as they should know better.
 Warts 'N' All - Book July 18, 2007
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
I enjoyed reading this. It brought back some humerous memories. It is a wart's 'n' all story, but that's how it needed to be told.
I knew the author, albeit a long time ago now. He did what he wrote and undoubtedly a hell of a lot more. There were many others, of similar character around that era, but this guy definately had a hell of a story to tell. He is also the one who had the ability and the balls to put it into writing.
Looking back, all these years on. It was work hard, train hard and play hard. He He. The start of the book states that things are very different today. That's good to know because back in the 80's we were a little wild at times!!!!!!!!!!!
MDM
 Inconsistent July 13, 2007
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
I picked this up while waiting for a plane a few months back.Some of the stories are quite funny but most of the content is exactly that, fictional stories. Nothing really adds up due to the time scales involved, anyone who served in the corps will agree that this book has been padded out with other peoples experiences.If you want a collection of some of the events that no doubt happened during this time period in the Royal Marines then this book may prove interesting,however there is no way this all happened to one person.
Good for laughs April 2, 2007
5 out of 11 found this review helpful
This is the worst book I have ever read. The content is vile, the style is... words fail me. It's not stylish.
The author cannot be trusted - the book is riddled with inconsistencies, evasions and outright lies. One incident that he describes as occurring circa 1983 seemed oddly familiar to me - because I'd read it as an after-dinner story in a book published circa 1965.
Nonetheless, for truly delightful misuse of the English language this book cannot be beaten. e.g. "After three months in Norway I was in need of a woman, so I LITERALLY took the bull by the horns." Preece's powers of description would shame a six year old. He describes a 'good friend': "Zac was a Geordie and had a centre parting." That's all you ever find out about him.
It's awful. The most plausible explanation I can find for it's ever seeing the light of day is that it is written by some publisher in an all-out attempt to make the Marines look bad. I've got a few mates in the Corps - I'd sue for libel if I was them.
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