Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

An Excellent and Disturbing Account of Modern Africa, 10 Oct 2008
The rules in Africa are different. When faced with the degree of corruption, greed, cruelty and homicidal mania prevalent in some parts of the continent it takes a more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons in UN blue berets to impose control. Thanks to the mercenaries, the war dogs, the paid security professionals - not a rag tag bunch of adventurers but a highly trained, disciplined and vastly experienced combat unit capable of routing the rebels and imposing some law and order. This is not fiction - it is told as it actually happened and the truth will astound and horrify some of us soft, spoilt Westeners. What a great book! Highly Recommended!

The Way Of The Warrior, 01 Jun 2008
Al Venter made his name with books like CHOPPER BOYS which were essentially photographic collections for rotorheads with some text. In WAR DOG he starts to deliver the sort of text that makes for a more rounded book. Venter is never going to be producing works of political and military analysis (there are plenty of academics doing this) but he does produce exciting accounts of military operations and within these some gems of analysis.

This book centres on three areas of "mercenary" involvement (Sierra Leone, Angola and the DRC) and on a review of how the mercenary world has altered since Les Affreux were in the Belgian Congo to the world of Blackwater in Iraq. The main theme is a tight band of Venter's South African chums who served in the Border War and now fight across Africa. Sierra Leone takes the biggest page count as Venter warms to three themes; firstly, the ineffective performance of UN forces, secondly, the effectiveness of Executive Outcomes (the then South African company), and thirdly, the derring-do of Neal Ellis, the South African pilot of a Mi-24 Hind who acts as a force multiplier for the local forces. This is good well-paced adventure writing, except that it is also what actually happened.

Venter's heart has always been with his South African and Rhodesian friends, but he is perfectly happy to compliment some UNITA units, and to give due weight to the views of the black (as against white) Africans who make up the majority of these mercenary forces (and even the Hizbullah supporting door gunner).

The events covered by Venter are often incredibly savage, savage not because of an inherent African brutality but because of the tactics of a few men whose skill is terror. You may have doubts about whether mercenary armies are the best way forward (Venter has some solid arguments for you to consider) but there can be no-one in favour of the slaughter that has struck so many African nations from the new resource-based insurgent movements.

Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

An Excellent and Disturbing Account of Modern Africa, 10 Oct 2008
The rules in Africa are different. When faced with the degree of corruption, greed, cruelty and homicidal mania prevalent in some parts of the continent it takes a more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons in UN blue berets to impose control. Thanks to the mercenaries, the war dogs, the paid security professionals - not a rag tag bunch of adventurers but a highly trained, disciplined and vastly experienced combat unit capable of routing the rebels and imposing some law and order. This is not fiction - it is told as it actually happened and the truth will astound and horrify some of us soft, spoilt Westeners. What a great book! Highly Recommended!

The Way Of The Warrior, 01 Jun 2008
Al Venter made his name with books like CHOPPER BOYS which were essentially photographic collections for rotorheads with some text. In WAR DOG he starts to deliver the sort of text that makes for a more rounded book. Venter is never going to be producing works of political and military analysis (there are plenty of academics doing this) but he does produce exciting accounts of military operations and within these some gems of analysis.

This book centres on three areas of "mercenary" involvement (Sierra Leone, Angola and the DRC) and on a review of how the mercenary world has altered since Les Affreux were in the Belgian Congo to the world of Blackwater in Iraq. The main theme is a tight band of Venter's South African chums who served in the Border War and now fight across Africa. Sierra Leone takes the biggest page count as Venter warms to three themes; firstly, the ineffective performance of UN forces, secondly, the effectiveness of Executive Outcomes (the then South African company), and thirdly, the derring-do of Neal Ellis, the South African pilot of a Mi-24 Hind who acts as a force multiplier for the local forces. This is good well-paced adventure writing, except that it is also what actually happened.

Venter's heart has always been with his South African and Rhodesian friends, but he is perfectly happy to compliment some UNITA units, and to give due weight to the views of the black (as against white) Africans who make up the majority of these mercenary forces (and even the Hizbullah supporting door gunner).

The events covered by Venter are often incredibly savage, savage not because of an inherent African brutality but because of the tactics of a few men whose skill is terror. You may have doubts about whether mercenary armies are the best way forward (Venter has some solid arguments for you to consider) but there can be no-one in favour of the slaughter that has struck so many African nations from the new resource-based insurgent movements.

a fascinating insight, 15 Aug 2008
This book has changed the way I see warfare. It is a strikingly well researched investigation into modern warfare. I would whole heartedly recommend it.

War gets privatised, 08 Jul 2008
Since pretty much everything else has been privatised in the West, it was only a matter of time before war itself got sold to the highest bidder. In this clearly written, meticulously researched investigation on the modern day equivalent of the mercenary the private security contractor, Stephen Armstrong goes deep into the world of former SAS men, foreign legionnaires and underpaid foot soldiers who discover the benefits of being paid $10,000 a month to spy on pesky environmenalists, fight off pirates and, most of all, protect oil fields from Iraqi insurgents. This is frequently shocking material - Donald Rumsfeld suggesting replacing the Ministry Of Defence with the Private Sector 24 hours before 9/11, for example -- and essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the reality of war and "security" in a free market economy.

Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

An Excellent and Disturbing Account of Modern Africa, 10 Oct 2008
The rules in Africa are different. When faced with the degree of corruption, greed, cruelty and homicidal mania prevalent in some parts of the continent it takes a more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons in UN blue berets to impose control. Thanks to the mercenaries, the war dogs, the paid security professionals - not a rag tag bunch of adventurers but a highly trained, disciplined and vastly experienced combat unit capable of routing the rebels and imposing some law and order. This is not fiction - it is told as it actually happened and the truth will astound and horrify some of us soft, spoilt Westeners. What a great book! Highly Recommended!

The Way Of The Warrior, 01 Jun 2008
Al Venter made his name with books like CHOPPER BOYS which were essentially photographic collections for rotorheads with some text. In WAR DOG he starts to deliver the sort of text that makes for a more rounded book. Venter is never going to be producing works of political and military analysis (there are plenty of academics doing this) but he does produce exciting accounts of military operations and within these some gems of analysis.

This book centres on three areas of "mercenary" involvement (Sierra Leone, Angola and the DRC) and on a review of how the mercenary world has altered since Les Affreux were in the Belgian Congo to the world of Blackwater in Iraq. The main theme is a tight band of Venter's South African chums who served in the Border War and now fight across Africa. Sierra Leone takes the biggest page count as Venter warms to three themes; firstly, the ineffective performance of UN forces, secondly, the effectiveness of Executive Outcomes (the then South African company), and thirdly, the derring-do of Neal Ellis, the South African pilot of a Mi-24 Hind who acts as a force multiplier for the local forces. This is good well-paced adventure writing, except that it is also what actually happened.

Venter's heart has always been with his South African and Rhodesian friends, but he is perfectly happy to compliment some UNITA units, and to give due weight to the views of the black (as against white) Africans who make up the majority of these mercenary forces (and even the Hizbullah supporting door gunner).

The events covered by Venter are often incredibly savage, savage not because of an inherent African brutality but because of the tactics of a few men whose skill is terror. You may have doubts about whether mercenary armies are the best way forward (Venter has some solid arguments for you to consider) but there can be no-one in favour of the slaughter that has struck so many African nations from the new resource-based insurgent movements.

a fascinating insight, 15 Aug 2008
This book has changed the way I see warfare. It is a strikingly well researched investigation into modern warfare. I would whole heartedly recommend it.

War gets privatised, 08 Jul 2008
Since pretty much everything else has been privatised in the West, it was only a matter of time before war itself got sold to the highest bidder. In this clearly written, meticulously researched investigation on the modern day equivalent of the mercenary the private security contractor, Stephen Armstrong goes deep into the world of former SAS men, foreign legionnaires and underpaid foot soldiers who discover the benefits of being paid $10,000 a month to spy on pesky environmenalists, fight off pirates and, most of all, protect oil fields from Iraqi insurgents. This is frequently shocking material - Donald Rumsfeld suggesting replacing the Ministry Of Defence with the Private Sector 24 hours before 9/11, for example -- and essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the reality of war and "security" in a free market economy.

A good and instructive review of the horizon, 25 Sep 2005
This book is a timely review of an increasingly prickly subject. Written in a style that the is neither too academic nor too populist the book strikes the right sober and dispassionate note in reviewing the entirety of the subject -- from messy little wars propping up dictators; to wars that the major states will not or cannot fight ("We don't do mountain warfare" as I believe a spokesman for the US forces is reported to have said in Afghanistan) to the preservation of life and the protection of humanitarian aid agencies. Throughout the entire text, Singer is objective and even-handed.

Much of the commercial information contained in the book is highly detailed and supported by extensive footnotes. The details of the commercial deals struck between client and mercenaries and the historical background -- both the near history and the far -- make fascinating reading.

My criticisms are that the book becomes slightly repetitive in driving points home. Better editing would have prevented that -- as it would some of the egregious errors of syntax, grammar and vocabulary that Mr Singer occasionally commits. But overall this is a very useful book for students in any of the disciplines of world affairs, international relations, business and management or ethics. It deserves a wide readership.

Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

An Excellent and Disturbing Account of Modern Africa, 10 Oct 2008
The rules in Africa are different. When faced with the degree of corruption, greed, cruelty and homicidal mania prevalent in some parts of the continent it takes a more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons in UN blue berets to impose control. Thanks to the mercenaries, the war dogs, the paid security professionals - not a rag tag bunch of adventurers but a highly trained, disciplined and vastly experienced combat unit capable of routing the rebels and imposing some law and order. This is not fiction - it is told as it actually happened and the truth will astound and horrify some of us soft, spoilt Westeners. What a great book! Highly Recommended!

The Way Of The Warrior, 01 Jun 2008
Al Venter made his name with books like CHOPPER BOYS which were essentially photographic collections for rotorheads with some text. In WAR DOG he starts to deliver the sort of text that makes for a more rounded book. Venter is never going to be producing works of political and military analysis (there are plenty of academics doing this) but he does produce exciting accounts of military operations and within these some gems of analysis.

This book centres on three areas of "mercenary" involvement (Sierra Leone, Angola and the DRC) and on a review of how the mercenary world has altered since Les Affreux were in the Belgian Congo to the world of Blackwater in Iraq. The main theme is a tight band of Venter's South African chums who served in the Border War and now fight across Africa. Sierra Leone takes the biggest page count as Venter warms to three themes; firstly, the ineffective performance of UN forces, secondly, the effectiveness of Executive Outcomes (the then South African company), and thirdly, the derring-do of Neal Ellis, the South African pilot of a Mi-24 Hind who acts as a force multiplier for the local forces. This is good well-paced adventure writing, except that it is also what actually happened.

Venter's heart has always been with his South African and Rhodesian friends, but he is perfectly happy to compliment some UNITA units, and to give due weight to the views of the black (as against white) Africans who make up the majority of these mercenary forces (and even the Hizbullah supporting door gunner).

The events covered by Venter are often incredibly savage, savage not because of an inherent African brutality but because of the tactics of a few men whose skill is terror. You may have doubts about whether mercenary armies are the best way forward (Venter has some solid arguments for you to consider) but there can be no-one in favour of the slaughter that has struck so many African nations from the new resource-based insurgent movements.

a fascinating insight, 15 Aug 2008
This book has changed the way I see warfare. It is a strikingly well researched investigation into modern warfare. I would whole heartedly recommend it.

War gets privatised, 08 Jul 2008
Since pretty much everything else has been privatised in the West, it was only a matter of time before war itself got sold to the highest bidder. In this clearly written, meticulously researched investigation on the modern day equivalent of the mercenary the private security contractor, Stephen Armstrong goes deep into the world of former SAS men, foreign legionnaires and underpaid foot soldiers who discover the benefits of being paid $10,000 a month to spy on pesky environmenalists, fight off pirates and, most of all, protect oil fields from Iraqi insurgents. This is frequently shocking material - Donald Rumsfeld suggesting replacing the Ministry Of Defence with the Private Sector 24 hours before 9/11, for example -- and essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the reality of war and "security" in a free market economy.

A good and instructive review of the horizon, 25 Sep 2005
This book is a timely review of an increasingly prickly subject. Written in a style that the is neither too academic nor too populist the book strikes the right sober and dispassionate note in reviewing the entirety of the subject -- from messy little wars propping up dictators; to wars that the major states will not or cannot fight ("We don't do mountain warfare" as I believe a spokesman for the US forces is reported to have said in Afghanistan) to the preservation of life and the protection of humanitarian aid agencies. Throughout the entire text, Singer is objective and even-handed.

Much of the commercial information contained in the book is highly detailed and supported by extensive footnotes. The details of the commercial deals struck between client and mercenaries and the historical background -- both the near history and the far -- make fascinating reading.

My criticisms are that the book becomes slightly repetitive in driving points home. Better editing would have prevented that -- as it would some of the egregious errors of syntax, grammar and vocabulary that Mr Singer occasionally commits. But overall this is a very useful book for students in any of the disciplines of world affairs, international relations, business and management or ethics. It deserves a wide readership.

A brilliant book out of many unfinished stories in the author's life., 08 Dec 2008
This is a very interesting book. In fact this is rather a collection of stories and things that happened to the author. Amazingly - all he does is unfinished., but put it all together and it makes sense and first of all brings you a great book.

Recommended - good for anyone. I was unable to put it down.

Excellent honest and raw, 29 Nov 2008
This is a fantastically honest book from a very level headed guy. Im in the Military myself and this book is a must for ant military enthusiasts and those just interested in a good honest read. If your looking for a detailed account of the legions training you may be a little disappointed . However if your looking to find an excellent account of a soldiers life, attitude, and mental change this is the book for you. In general a great read!

A great read, 11 Oct 2008
Always a bit of a wild child Padraig o keefe left his native Cork at the age of twenty one to fulfill his dream of becoming a soldier.His destination the almost mythical French Foreign Legion,this bold move set him on an extremely dangerous life path.Padraig tells it like it is from Bosnia to Cambodia to a near fatal ambush in Iraq the reader will not be spared the gory details.We see what life is like behind the closed doors of the Legion and the death row like existence of a private security operative in Fallujah.This sometimes graphic always gripping book is a must read but beware the faint hearted!!

Hidden Soldier, 19 Mar 2008
It was great to read an outstanding book, that you can put down. Very hard to find a book like that, these days.

A review, 09 Oct 2007
Great read start to finish, almost felt as though i was there in parts... Highly recommended...

Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

An Excellent and Disturbing Account of Modern Africa, 10 Oct 2008
The rules in Africa are different. When faced with the degree of corruption, greed, cruelty and homicidal mania prevalent in some parts of the continent it takes a more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons in UN blue berets to impose control. Thanks to the mercenaries, the war dogs, the paid security professionals - not a rag tag bunch of adventurers but a highly trained, disciplined and vastly experienced combat unit capable of routing the rebels and imposing some law and order. This is not fiction - it is told as it actually happened and the truth will astound and horrify some of us soft, spoilt Westeners. What a great book! Highly Recommended!

The Way Of The Warrior, 01 Jun 2008
Al Venter made his name with books like CHOPPER BOYS which were essentially photographic collections for rotorheads with some text. In WAR DOG he starts to deliver the sort of text that makes for a more rounded book. Venter is never going to be producing works of political and military analysis (there are plenty of academics doing this) but he does produce exciting accounts of military operations and within these some gems of analysis.

This book centres on three areas of "mercenary" involvement (Sierra Leone, Angola and the DRC) and on a review of how the mercenary world has altered since Les Affreux were in the Belgian Congo to the world of Blackwater in Iraq. The main theme is a tight band of Venter's South African chums who served in the Border War and now fight across Africa. Sierra Leone takes the biggest page count as Venter warms to three themes; firstly, the ineffective performance of UN forces, secondly, the effectiveness of Executive Outcomes (the then South African company), and thirdly, the derring-do of Neal Ellis, the South African pilot of a Mi-24 Hind who acts as a force multiplier for the local forces. This is good well-paced adventure writing, except that it is also what actually happened.

Venter's heart has always been with his South African and Rhodesian friends, but he is perfectly happy to compliment some UNITA units, and to give due weight to the views of the black (as against white) Africans who make up the majority of these mercenary forces (and even the Hizbullah supporting door gunner).

The events covered by Venter are often incredibly savage, savage not because of an inherent African brutality but because of the tactics of a few men whose skill is terror. You may have doubts about whether mercenary armies are the best way forward (Venter has some solid arguments for you to consider) but there can be no-one in favour of the slaughter that has struck so many African nations from the new resource-based insurgent movements.

a fascinating insight, 15 Aug 2008
This book has changed the way I see warfare. It is a strikingly well researched investigation into modern warfare. I would whole heartedly recommend it.

War gets privatised, 08 Jul 2008
Since pretty much everything else has been privatised in the West, it was only a matter of time before war itself got sold to the highest bidder. In this clearly written, meticulously researched investigation on the modern day equivalent of the mercenary the private security contractor, Stephen Armstrong goes deep into the world of former SAS men, foreign legionnaires and underpaid foot soldiers who discover the benefits of being paid $10,000 a month to spy on pesky environmenalists, fight off pirates and, most of all, protect oil fields from Iraqi insurgents. This is frequently shocking material - Donald Rumsfeld suggesting replacing the Ministry Of Defence with the Private Sector 24 hours before 9/11, for example -- and essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the reality of war and "security" in a free market economy.

A good and instructive review of the horizon, 25 Sep 2005
This book is a timely review of an increasingly prickly subject. Written in a style that the is neither too academic nor too populist the book strikes the right sober and dispassionate note in reviewing the entirety of the subject -- from messy little wars propping up dictators; to wars that the major states will not or cannot fight ("We don't do mountain warfare" as I believe a spokesman for the US forces is reported to have said in Afghanistan) to the preservation of life and the protection of humanitarian aid agencies. Throughout the entire text, Singer is objective and even-handed.

Much of the commercial information contained in the book is highly detailed and supported by extensive footnotes. The details of the commercial deals struck between client and mercenaries and the historical background -- both the near history and the far -- make fascinating reading.

My criticisms are that the book becomes slightly repetitive in driving points home. Better editing would have prevented that -- as it would some of the egregious errors of syntax, grammar and vocabulary that Mr Singer occasionally commits. But overall this is a very useful book for students in any of the disciplines of world affairs, international relations, business and management or ethics. It deserves a wide readership.

A brilliant book out of many unfinished stories in the author's life., 08 Dec 2008
This is a very interesting book. In fact this is rather a collection of stories and things that happened to the author. Amazingly - all he does is unfinished., but put it all together and it makes sense and first of all brings you a great book.

Recommended - good for anyone. I was unable to put it down.

Excellent honest and raw, 29 Nov 2008
This is a fantastically honest book from a very level headed guy. Im in the Military myself and this book is a must for ant military enthusiasts and those just interested in a good honest read. If your looking for a detailed account of the legions training you may be a little disappointed . However if your looking to find an excellent account of a soldiers life, attitude, and mental change this is the book for you. In general a great read!

A great read, 11 Oct 2008
Always a bit of a wild child Padraig o keefe left his native Cork at the age of twenty one to fulfill his dream of becoming a soldier.His destination the almost mythical French Foreign Legion,this bold move set him on an extremely dangerous life path.Padraig tells it like it is from Bosnia to Cambodia to a near fatal ambush in Iraq the reader will not be spared the gory details.We see what life is like behind the closed doors of the Legion and the death row like existence of a private security operative in Fallujah.This sometimes graphic always gripping book is a must read but beware the faint hearted!!

Hidden Soldier, 19 Mar 2008
It was great to read an outstanding book, that you can put down. Very hard to find a book like that, these days.

A review, 09 Oct 2007
Great read start to finish, almost felt as though i was there in parts... Highly recommended...

Scots-Irish Warriors, 14 May 2007
Marsden provides an excellent guide to the rise of West Highland and Hebridean mercenaries into powerful Irish warrior clans, and their eventual fall. Revealing reading for anyone interested in the historical links between Scotland and Ireland, and a must for late medieval and renaissance warfare enthusiasts.

Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

An Excellent and Disturbing Account of Modern Africa, 10 Oct 2008
The rules in Africa are different. When faced with the degree of corruption, greed, cruelty and homicidal mania prevalent in some parts of the continent it takes a more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons in UN blue berets to impose control. Thanks to the mercenaries, the war dogs, the paid security professionals - not a rag tag bunch of adventurers but a highly trained, disciplined and vastly experienced combat unit capable of routing the rebels and imposing some law and order. This is not fiction - it is told as it actually happened and the truth will astound and horrify some of us soft, spoilt Westeners. What a great book! Highly Recommended!

The Way Of The Warrior, 01 Jun 2008
Al Venter made his name with books like CHOPPER BOYS which were essentially photographic collections for rotorheads with some text. In WAR DOG he starts to deliver the sort of text that makes for a more rounded book. Venter is never going to be producing works of political and military analysis (there are plenty of academics doing this) but he does produce exciting accounts of military operations and within these some gems of analysis.

This book centres on three areas of "mercenary" involvement (Sierra Leone, Angola and the DRC) and on a review of how the mercenary world has altered since Les Affreux were in the Belgian Congo to the world of Blackwater in Iraq. The main theme is a tight band of Venter's South African chums who served in the Border War and now fight across Africa. Sierra Leone takes the biggest page count as Venter warms to three themes; firstly, the ineffective performance of UN forces, secondly, the effectiveness of Executive Outcomes (the then South African company), and thirdly, the derring-do of Neal Ellis, the South African pilot of a Mi-24 Hind who acts as a force multiplier for the local forces. This is good well-paced adventure writing, except that it is also what actually happened.

Venter's heart has always been with his South African and Rhodesian friends, but he is perfectly happy to compliment some UNITA units, and to give due weight to the views of the black (as against white) Africans who make up the majority of these mercenary forces (and even the Hizbullah supporting door gunner).

The events covered by Venter are often incredibly savage, savage not because of an inherent African brutality but because of the tactics of a few men whose skill is terror. You may have doubts about whether mercenary armies are the best way forward (Venter has some solid arguments for you to consider) but there can be no-one in favour of the slaughter that has struck so many African nations from the new resource-based insurgent movements.

a fascinating insight, 15 Aug 2008
This book has changed the way I see warfare. It is a strikingly well researched investigation into modern warfare. I would whole heartedly recommend it.

War gets privatised, 08 Jul 2008
Since pretty much everything else has been privatised in the West, it was only a matter of time before war itself got sold to the highest bidder. In this clearly written, meticulously researched investigation on the modern day equivalent of the mercenary the private security contractor, Stephen Armstrong goes deep into the world of former SAS men, foreign legionnaires and underpaid foot soldiers who discover the benefits of being paid $10,000 a month to spy on pesky environmenalists, fight off pirates and, most of all, protect oil fields from Iraqi insurgents. This is frequently shocking material - Donald Rumsfeld suggesting replacing the Ministry Of Defence with the Private Sector 24 hours before 9/11, for example -- and essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the reality of war and "security" in a free market economy.

A good and instructive review of the horizon, 25 Sep 2005
This book is a timely review of an increasingly prickly subject. Written in a style that the is neither too academic nor too populist the book strikes the right sober and dispassionate note in reviewing the entirety of the subject -- from messy little wars propping up dictators; to wars that the major states will not or cannot fight ("We don't do mountain warfare" as I believe a spokesman for the US forces is reported to have said in Afghanistan) to the preservation of life and the protection of humanitarian aid agencies. Throughout the entire text, Singer is objective and even-handed.

Much of the commercial information contained in the book is highly detailed and supported by extensive footnotes. The details of the commercial deals struck between client and mercenaries and the historical background -- both the near history and the far -- make fascinating reading.

My criticisms are that the book becomes slightly repetitive in driving points home. Better editing would have prevented that -- as it would some of the egregious errors of syntax, grammar and vocabulary that Mr Singer occasionally commits. But overall this is a very useful book for students in any of the disciplines of world affairs, international relations, business and management or ethics. It deserves a wide readership.

A brilliant book out of many unfinished stories in the author's life., 08 Dec 2008
This is a very interesting book. In fact this is rather a collection of stories and things that happened to the author. Amazingly - all he does is unfinished., but put it all together and it makes sense and first of all brings you a great book.

Recommended - good for anyone. I was unable to put it down.

Excellent honest and raw, 29 Nov 2008
This is a fantastically honest book from a very level headed guy. Im in the Military myself and this book is a must for ant military enthusiasts and those just interested in a good honest read. If your looking for a detailed account of the legions training you may be a little disappointed . However if your looking to find an excellent account of a soldiers life, attitude, and mental change this is the book for you. In general a great read!

A great read, 11 Oct 2008
Always a bit of a wild child Padraig o keefe left his native Cork at the age of twenty one to fulfill his dream of becoming a soldier.His destination the almost mythical French Foreign Legion,this bold move set him on an extremely dangerous life path.Padraig tells it like it is from Bosnia to Cambodia to a near fatal ambush in Iraq the reader will not be spared the gory details.We see what life is like behind the closed doors of the Legion and the death row like existence of a private security operative in Fallujah.This sometimes graphic always gripping book is a must read but beware the faint hearted!!

Hidden Soldier, 19 Mar 2008
It was great to read an outstanding book, that you can put down. Very hard to find a book like that, these days.

A review, 09 Oct 2007
Great read start to finish, almost felt as though i was there in parts... Highly recommended...

Scots-Irish Warriors, 14 May 2007
Marsden provides an excellent guide to the rise of West Highland and Hebridean mercenaries into powerful Irish warrior clans, and their eventual fall. Revealing reading for anyone interested in the historical links between Scotland and Ireland, and a must for late medieval and renaissance warfare enthusiasts.

Fly on the wall style of writing Keeps you on the edge, 02 Mar 2006
Conned into flying combat missions when he thought he was there to give just training, the author has a fast paced and detailed story to tell.

One of the best in the genre.

An insight from the author, 27 Nov 2002
The Reluctant Mercenary is entirely factual. It is so honest and direct that it's easy to believe that such things really do happen.
Written several years ago publication has been held back whilst considering the sense in bringing it into the public domain, a book that may well bring the wrath of many of the main characters down upon the head of the author.
The Reluctant Mercenary is, as the jacket says, an indictment of the small, dirty wars that go on around the world, one small stone tossed at a government that indirectly supports them whilst hiding behind a firewall of grey suits in the corridors of power.

Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

An Excellent and Disturbing Account of Modern Africa, 10 Oct 2008
The rules in Africa are different. When faced with the degree of corruption, greed, cruelty and homicidal mania prevalent in some parts of the continent it takes a more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons in UN blue berets to impose control. Thanks to the mercenaries, the war dogs, the paid security professionals - not a rag tag bunch of adventurers but a highly trained, disciplined and vastly experienced combat unit capable of routing the rebels and imposing some law and order. This is not fiction - it is told as it actually happened and the truth will astound and horrify some of us soft, spoilt Westeners. What a great book! Highly Recommended!

The Way Of The Warrior, 01 Jun 2008
Al Venter made his name with books like CHOPPER BOYS which were essentially photographic collections for rotorheads with some text. In WAR DOG he starts to deliver the sort of text that makes for a more rounded book. Venter is never going to be producing works of political and military analysis (there are plenty of academics doing this) but he does produce exciting accounts of military operations and within these some gems of analysis.

This book centres on three areas of "mercenary" involvement (Sierra Leone, Angola and the DRC) and on a review of how the mercenary world has altered since Les Affreux were in the Belgian Congo to the world of Blackwater in Iraq. The main theme is a tight band of Venter's South African chums who served in the Border War and now fight across Africa. Sierra Leone takes the biggest page count as Venter warms to three themes; firstly, the ineffective performance of UN forces, secondly, the effectiveness of Executive Outcomes (the then South African company), and thirdly, the derring-do of Neal Ellis, the South African pilot of a Mi-24 Hind who acts as a force multiplier for the local forces. This is good well-paced adventure writing, except that it is also what actually happened.

Venter's heart has always been with his South African and Rhodesian friends, but he is perfectly happy to compliment some UNITA units, and to give due weight to the views of the black (as against white) Africans who make up the majority of these mercenary forces (and even the Hizbullah supporting door gunner).

The events covered by Venter are often incredibly savage, savage not because of an inherent African brutality but because of the tactics of a few men whose skill is terror. You may have doubts about whether mercenary armies are the best way forward (Venter has some solid arguments for you to consider) but there can be no-one in favour of the slaughter that has struck so many African nations from the new resource-based insurgent movements.

a fascinating insight, 15 Aug 2008
This book has changed the way I see warfare. It is a strikingly well researched investigation into modern warfare. I would whole heartedly recommend it.

War gets privatised, 08 Jul 2008
Since pretty much everything else has been privatised in the West, it was only a matter of time before war itself got sold to the highest bidder. In this clearly written, meticulously researched investigation on the modern day equivalent of the mercenary the private security contractor, Stephen Armstrong goes deep into the world of former SAS men, foreign legionnaires and underpaid foot soldiers who discover the benefits of being paid $10,000 a month to spy on pesky environmenalists, fight off pirates and, most of all, protect oil fields from Iraqi insurgents. This is frequently shocking material - Donald Rumsfeld suggesting replacing the Ministry Of Defence with the Private Sector 24 hours before 9/11, for example -- and essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the reality of war and "security" in a free market economy.

A good and instructive review of the horizon, 25 Sep 2005
This book is a timely review of an increasingly prickly subject. Written in a style that the is neither too academic nor too populist the book strikes the right sober and dispassionate note in reviewing the entirety of the subject -- from messy little wars propping up dictators; to wars that the major states will not or cannot fight ("We don't do mountain warfare" as I believe a spokesman for the US forces is reported to have said in Afghanistan) to the preservation of life and the protection of humanitarian aid agencies. Throughout the entire text, Singer is objective and even-handed.

Much of the commercial information contained in the book is highly detailed and supported by extensive footnotes. The details of the commercial deals struck between client and mercenaries and the historical background -- both the near history and the far -- make fascinating reading.

My criticisms are that the book becomes slightly repetitive in driving points home. Better editing would have prevented that -- as it would some of the egregious errors of syntax, grammar and vocabulary that Mr Singer occasionally commits. But overall this is a very useful book for students in any of the disciplines of world affairs, international relations, business and management or ethics. It deserves a wide readership.

A brilliant book out of many unfinished stories in the author's life., 08 Dec 2008
This is a very interesting book. In fact this is rather a collection of stories and things that happened to the author. Amazingly - all he does is unfinished., but put it all together and it makes sense and first of all brings you a great book.

Recommended - good for anyone. I was unable to put it down.

Excellent honest and raw, 29 Nov 2008
This is a fantastically honest book from a very level headed guy. Im in the Military myself and this book is a must for ant military enthusiasts and those just interested in a good honest read. If your looking for a detailed account of the legions training you may be a little disappointed . However if your looking to find an excellent account of a soldiers life, attitude, and mental change this is the book for you. In general a great read!

A great read, 11 Oct 2008
Always a bit of a wild child Padraig o keefe left his native Cork at the age of twenty one to fulfill his dream of becoming a soldier.His destination the almost mythical French Foreign Legion,this bold move set him on an extremely dangerous life path.Padraig tells it like it is from Bosnia to Cambodia to a near fatal ambush in Iraq the reader will not be spared the gory details.We see what life is like behind the closed doors of the Legion and the death row like existence of a private security operative in Fallujah.This sometimes graphic always gripping book is a must read but beware the faint hearted!!

Hidden Soldier, 19 Mar 2008
It was great to read an outstanding book, that you can put down. Very hard to find a book like that, these days.

A review, 09 Oct 2007
Great read start to finish, almost felt as though i was there in parts... Highly recommended...

Scots-Irish Warriors, 14 May 2007
Marsden provides an excellent guide to the rise of West Highland and Hebridean mercenaries into powerful Irish warrior clans, and their eventual fall. Revealing reading for anyone interested in the historical links between Scotland and Ireland, and a must for late medieval and renaissance warfare enthusiasts.

Fly on the wall style of writing Keeps you on the edge, 02 Mar 2006
Conned into flying combat missions when he thought he was there to give just training, the author has a fast paced and detailed story to tell.

One of the best in the genre.

An insight from the author, 27 Nov 2002
The Reluctant Mercenary is entirely factual. It is so honest and direct that it's easy to believe that such things really do happen.
Written several years ago publication has been held back whilst considering the sense in bringing it into the public domain, a book that may well bring the wrath of many of the main characters down upon the head of the author.
The Reluctant Mercenary is, as the jacket says, an indictment of the small, dirty wars that go on around the world, one small stone tossed at a government that indirectly supports them whilst hiding behind a firewall of grey suits in the corridors of power.

Action packed 'true story', 25 Jul 2005
Thoroughly enjoyed this book.....

A true story about 'Mercenaries', that is very exciting!

Difficult to put down, and after you read this I'm sure you'll be interested to read other books involving military true stories, depicting people's true life experiences e.g. Legionnaire: The Real Life Story of an Englishman in the French Foreign Legion By Simon Murray..

Buy it !!!

Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

An Excellent and Disturbing Account of Modern Africa, 10 Oct 2008
The rules in Africa are different. When faced with the degree of corruption, greed, cruelty and homicidal mania prevalent in some parts of the continent it takes a more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons in UN blue berets to impose control. Thanks to the mercenaries, the war dogs, the paid security professionals - not a rag tag bunch of adventurers but a highly trained, disciplined and vastly experienced combat unit capable of routing the rebels and imposing some law and order. This is not fiction - it is told as it actually happened and the truth will astound and horrify some of us soft, spoilt Westeners. What a great book! Highly Recommended!

The Way Of The Warrior, 01 Jun 2008
Al Venter made his name with books like CHOPPER BOYS which were essentially photographic collections for rotorheads with some text. In WAR DOG he starts to deliver the sort of text that makes for a more rounded book. Venter is never going to be producing works of political and military analysis (there are plenty of academics doing this) but he does produce exciting accounts of military operations and within these some gems of analysis.

This book centres on three areas of "mercenary" involvement (Sierra Leone, Angola and the DRC) and on a review of how the mercenary world has altered since Les Affreux were in the Belgian Congo to the world of Blackwater in Iraq. The main theme is a tight band of Venter's South African chums who served in the Border War and now fight across Africa. Sierra Leone takes the biggest page count as Venter warms to three themes; firstly, the ineffective performance of UN forces, secondly, the effectiveness of Executive Outcomes (the then South African company), and thirdly, the derring-do of Neal Ellis, the South African pilot of a Mi-24 Hind who acts as a force multiplier for the local forces. This is good well-paced adventure writing, except that it is also what actually happened.

Venter's heart has always been with his South African and Rhodesian friends, but he is perfectly happy to compliment some UNITA units, and to give due weight to the views of the black (as against white) Africans who make up the majority of these mercenary forces (and even the Hizbullah supporting door gunner).

The events covered by Venter are often incredibly savage, savage not because of an inherent African brutality but because of the tactics of a few men whose skill is terror. You may have doubts about whether mercenary armies are the best way forward (Venter has some solid arguments for you to consider) but there can be no-one in favour of the slaughter that has struck so many African nations from the new resource-based insurgent movements.

a fascinating insight, 15 Aug 2008
This book has changed the way I see warfare. It is a strikingly well researched investigation into modern warfare. I would whole heartedly recommend it.

War gets privatised, 08 Jul 2008
Since pretty much everything else has been privatised in the West, it was only a matter of time before war itself got sold to the highest bidder. In this clearly written, meticulously researched investigation on the modern day equivalent of the mercenary the private security contractor, Stephen Armstrong goes deep into the world of former SAS men, foreign legionnaires and underpaid foot soldiers who discover the benefits of being paid $10,000 a month to spy on pesky environmenalists, fight off pirates and, most of all, protect oil fields from Iraqi insurgents. This is frequently shocking material - Donald Rumsfeld suggesting replacing the Ministry Of Defence with the Private Sector 24 hours before 9/11, for example -- and essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the reality of war and "security" in a free market economy.

A good and instructive review of the horizon, 25 Sep 2005
This book is a timely review of an increasingly prickly subject. Written in a style that the is neither too academic nor too populist the book strikes the right sober and dispassionate note in reviewing the entirety of the subject -- from messy little wars propping up dictators; to wars that the major states will not or cannot fight ("We don't do mountain warfare" as I believe a spokesman for the US forces is reported to have said in Afghanistan) to the preservation of life and the protection of humanitarian aid agencies. Throughout the entire text, Singer is objective and even-handed.

Much of the commercial information contained in the book is highly detailed and supported by extensive footnotes. The details of the commercial deals struck between client and mercenaries and the historical background -- both the near history and the far -- make fascinating reading.

My criticisms are that the book becomes slightly repetitive in driving points home. Better editing would have prevented that -- as it would some of the egregious errors of syntax, grammar and vocabulary that Mr Singer occasionally commits. But overall this is a very useful book for students in any of the disciplines of world affairs, international relations, business and management or ethics. It deserves a wide readership.

A brilliant book out of many unfinished stories in the author's life., 08 Dec 2008
This is a very interesting book. In fact this is rather a collection of stories and things that happened to the author. Amazingly - all he does is unfinished., but put it all together and it makes sense and first of all brings you a great book.

Recommended - good for anyone. I was unable to put it down.

Excellent honest and raw, 29 Nov 2008
This is a fantastically honest book from a very level headed guy. Im in the Military myself and this book is a must for ant military enthusiasts and those just interested in a good honest read. If your looking for a detailed account of the legions training you may be a little disappointed . However if your looking to find an excellent account of a soldiers life, attitude, and mental change this is the book for you. In general a great read!

A great read, 11 Oct 2008
Always a bit of a wild child Padraig o keefe left his native Cork at the age of twenty one to fulfill his dream of becoming a soldier.His destination the almost mythical French Foreign Legion,this bold move set him on an extremely dangerous life path.Padraig tells it like it is from Bosnia to Cambodia to a near fatal ambush in Iraq the reader will not be spared the gory details.We see what life is like behind the closed doors of the Legion and the death row like existence of a private security operative in Fallujah.This sometimes graphic always gripping book is a must read but beware the faint hearted!!

Hidden Soldier, 19 Mar 2008
It was great to read an outstanding book, that you can put down. Very hard to find a book like that, these days.

A review, 09 Oct 2007
Great read start to finish, almost felt as though i was there in parts... Highly recommended...

Scots-Irish Warriors, 14 May 2007
Marsden provides an excellent guide to the rise of West Highland and Hebridean mercenaries into powerful Irish warrior clans, and their eventual fall. Revealing reading for anyone interested in the historical links between Scotland and Ireland, and a must for late medieval and renaissance warfare enthusiasts.

Fly on the wall style of writing Keeps you on the edge, 02 Mar 2006
Conned into flying combat missions when he thought he was there to give just training, the author has a fast paced and detailed story to tell.

One of the best in the genre.

An insight from the author, 27 Nov 2002
The Reluctant Mercenary is entirely factual. It is so honest and direct that it's easy to believe that such things really do happen.
Written several years ago publication has been held back whilst considering the sense in bringing it into the public domain, a book that may well bring the wrath of many of the main characters down upon the head of the author.
The Reluctant Mercenary is, as the jacket says, an indictment of the small, dirty wars that go on around the world, one small stone tossed at a government that indirectly supports them whilst hiding behind a firewall of grey suits in the corridors of power.

Action packed 'true story', 25 Jul 2005
Thoroughly enjoyed this book.....

A true story about 'Mercenaries', that is very exciting!

Difficult to put down, and after you read this I'm sure you'll be interested to read other books involving military true stories, depicting people's true life experiences e.g. Legionnaire: The Real Life Story of an Englishman in the French Foreign Legion By Simon Murray..

Buy it !!!

Disappointing, 31 Jan 2007
Covers a lot of ground, but canters over it far too superficially. Urban seems more interested in later attitudes to mercenaries (not that he says anything very profound about those) than in trivial details like who they were, how they were recruited, paid, fought. For example, he gives more space to a precis of Conan Doyle's "White Company" than to the deeds of the historical White Company. If that's what you want, fine; if not, look elsewhere.

Classic Account of Mercenary Warfare, 24 Mar 2005
This must be one of the most famous accounts of mercenary warfare, written by Colonel "Mad Mike" Hoare, the ex-British officer asked to raise what became 5 Commando in the ex-Belgian Congo. The background will probably be unfamiliar to many people and should be explained.

The Congo circa 1900 had been the personal property of King Leopold of the Belgians. The overseers of the slaving Africans were wont to whip and even mutilate their charges, the excesses being exposed by the later-hanged Roger Casement. Things improved: missionaries, settlers, Albert Schweitzer and colonial administrators gave the Congo order, hygiene and an economy. That all changed after 1960. Pressured to give "independence" to their colony, Belgium withdrew. Chaos gathered. The political leader Moise Tshombe realized he needed reliable troops. Hence 5 Commando. Until that time, the only mercenaries had been the dirty and bearded mostly Belgian and French barflies known as Les Affreux ("the Frightful").

Meanwhile, in Katanga and Orientale, the mineral-rich provinces remote from the capital, Soviet-trained agitators whipped up a savage rebellion. The Simbas ("Lions"), high on ganja and witchcraft, tortured, mutilated and killed nuns, Europeans generally and any educated Africans who opposed their misrule. 5 Commando fought through to Stanleyville (now, Kisangani) and rescued many whom the politically correct of the day (eg, in London, the journalistic know-all Bernard Levin) would have left to die.

Hoare's account of his time with 5 Commando is gripping, authoritative, upsetting at times (noting the atrocities of the rebels). He does not shrink from telling how rough his own men could be too: one rapes a young black rebel woman and, as punishment, is ordered by Hoare to have a finger shot off (I suppose it could have been harsher...). Overall, though, the beneficial nature and discipline of 5 Commando is stressed.

Anyone who wants to understand the continuing chaos in much of Africa should read this eyewitness account.

An Excellent and Disturbing Account of Modern Africa, 10 Oct 2008
The rules in Africa are different. When faced with the degree of corruption, greed, cruelty and homicidal mania prevalent in some parts of the continent it takes a more than a bunch of incompetent buffoons in UN blue berets to impose control. Thanks to the mercenaries, the war dogs, the paid security professionals - not a rag tag bunch of adventurers but a highly trained, disciplined and vastly experienced combat unit capable of routing the rebels and imposing some law and order. This is not fiction - it is told as it actually happened and the truth will astound and horrify some of us soft, spoilt Westeners. What a great book! Highly Recommended!

The Way Of The Warrior, 01 Jun 2008
Al Venter made his name with books like CHOPPER BOYS which were essentially photographic collections for rotorheads with some text. In WAR DOG he starts to deliver the sort of text that makes for a more rounded book. Venter is never going to be producing works of political and military analysis (there are plenty of academics doing this)