Boy Soldier [Import] [Paperback]

Andy McNab (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE CHILDRE; New Ed edition (May 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0552552216
• ISBN-13: 978-0552552219
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,491,757 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Andy McNab was probably the technical advisor, December 14, 2005

By 

H. S. Wedekind "Mr. Weekend" (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Boy Soldier (Hardcover)

Having read all of Andy McNab's "Nick Stone" novels, I thought I'd try this YA book and ordered it from amazon.co.uk. I didn't see it in the bookstores here (though the third book in the series TRAITOR is on sale).

The story surrounds 17-yr-old Danny Watts's tracking down of his grandfather, Fergus Watts, whom he has never seen. Both of Danny's parents were killed in a car accident, so he was sent from foster home to foster home thinking he had no living relatives to take him in and care for him. When Danny tries to enlist in the army, he is denied acceptance. He learns his grandfather was a member of the elite SAS and a war hero, who turned traitor for drug money when he was serving in Columbia training their military, was shot and imprisoned, and then escaped to no one knows where. Full of anger, Danny is determined to find him. He is helped along the way by his computer wiz friend Elena who also lives at Foxcroft, a London home for orphans. Danny sets out to find Fergus, not knowing that he is being followed by some very dangerous people who also want to find Fergus and kill him. He meets his grandfather for the first time and that's when the action begins.

I think the book was mostly written by co-author Robert Rigby with technical assistance and name recognition from Andy McNab. If you've read any of McNab's other books, you'll know that they are full of military terms and "letters," as is this one. By that I mean, there are abbreviations for many things and they are used a lot: ERV = emergency rendezvous; FOB = forward operating base; Recce = reconnaissance, etc. This, I think, is where McNab came in. Fortunately, there is a glossary at the beginning of the book to help the reader understand what's being said by the characters.

I don't agree with the previous reviewer. It is still a good story in the vein of McNab's adult thrillers, but toned down for the YA audience. For those who are looking for another Alex Rider type of action/techno-gizmo yarn, you'll be disappointed. There are chases and shootings and bloody parts, but nothing like the James Bond special effects books about Alex Rider, though I do like Horowitz's novels.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Boy Soldier/Traitor, October 17, 2005

By 

Generalpanzertruppen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boy Soldier (Hardcover)

They are the same books under different names (and I bought both!). It is obvious that Mcnab did not really 'write' this one as there are some obvious mistakes such as describing an MP5 as an 'automatic machine gun', which irritates the hell out of me. One does not find the usual high quality material that is associated with the 'Nick Stone' series. Most of the SAS MO is old had have been seen elsewhere. The plot is somwwhat anemic and it appears that Danny manages to screw up just so that there is some shooting. I am personally quite dissapointed with this new series.

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting, fast, and intresting, February 27, 2011

By 

J. Nordahl (Norway) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Boy Soldier (Hardcover)

This was a good book. Action from page 2 (and I am an adult!) a treal page turner. With a lot of information on how to do survilance in towns, how to pick a observation post, spot if you are under survelilance (and who amonge the younger teenagers do not what to know...?). Maybe a littel bit on the techical side and to littel on the content side, but then I have never seen this kinde of information in a book before. I recomed this book for youngsters you like to read action books like Alex Rider but would like more information, and less action.