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jacki_f's review against another edition
4.0
This is a non-fiction account of the tour of duty of a British bomb disposal operator in Iraq in 2004. The title is a reference to the fact that the bomb disposal squad in Northern Ireland were called "Felix" (meaning that they have nine lives, like a cat). It's an amazing story, so packed with action and danger that it would seem unbelievable if it were fiction. The first half in particular is so tense, so fast-paced that you find yourself longing for the occasional brief interludes of downtime just so that you can catch a breath! The book was very reminiscent for me of the Jamie Foxx/Jennifer Garner movie "The Kingdom" - and it made me realize that the film was more realistic than I had previously thought.
Chris Hunter is a very likeable narrator who is also extremely brave and passionate about what he does. He doesn't just bring the action scenes alive, but also manages to convey what it is that soldiers love about what they do, even when it puts them in extreme danger. He also talks a lot about his family back in the UK and the strains that his army career put on his marriage. This fleshes his character out and makes it a far more interesting book than if it were just about the action on the ground.
I did feel that parts of this book got a little hard to follow due to the military jargon, but that probably more a reflection on the fact that this is an unusual choice of book for me rather than on the book itself. I was engrossed in Eight Lives Down and I highly recommend it.
Chris Hunter is a very likeable narrator who is also extremely brave and passionate about what he does. He doesn't just bring the action scenes alive, but also manages to convey what it is that soldiers love about what they do, even when it puts them in extreme danger. He also talks a lot about his family back in the UK and the strains that his army career put on his marriage. This fleshes his character out and makes it a far more interesting book than if it were just about the action on the ground.
I did feel that parts of this book got a little hard to follow due to the military jargon, but that probably more a reflection on the fact that this is an unusual choice of book for me rather than on the book itself. I was engrossed in Eight Lives Down and I highly recommend it.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
2.0
Chris Hunter is an expert at dismantling bombs for the British Army. He has served tours in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Iraq. This memoir focuses on the most recent war in Iraq. His writing leans towards the technical side, but thankfully there is a glossary available. I think this wasn't emotional and therefore lacked a certain dimension for me.
sleepyboi2988's review against another edition
5.0
An honest memoir by a British Bomb Disposal squad leader. Its not all pretty, nor is it all horrible. Chris does a great job of conveying the give and take of the job, the moments of sheer excitement, absurdity, danger, boredom, and touching moments. The author and his team were called out to 48 disposals in 2 months time before he got promoted and put to a desk job to try and take the bomber cells out.
Whats also interesting is the natural drama of life he chose to include throughout the book, he also writes about his family and how he came very close to losing his wife and kids because of his promises to them that he broke. He accepts responsibility for his actions and knows how close he came to losing it all. During his time in Iraq he also had a bounty put on his head by the terrorists and was specifically watched and targeted repeatedly. An excellent look at the war in Iraq through the eyes of a foreign participant (In my case that is, Im American the author is English).
Whats also interesting is the natural drama of life he chose to include throughout the book, he also writes about his family and how he came very close to losing his wife and kids because of his promises to them that he broke. He accepts responsibility for his actions and knows how close he came to losing it all. During his time in Iraq he also had a bounty put on his head by the terrorists and was specifically watched and targeted repeatedly. An excellent look at the war in Iraq through the eyes of a foreign participant (In my case that is, Im American the author is English).
sarahlisbeth84's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent Iraq memoir, written by a British soldier in IED.
tashabye's review
3.0
An interesting read. This guy is a daredevil who knows his s%#*t about defusing some scary stuff, not afraid to confront some dangerous things.. I enjoyed the story, felt my heart racing in places, laughed at his sense of humor and loved the slang used throughout. The writing just didn't grip me like a 4 star read would but it was an interesting read nonetheless. 3.5 stars.
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