Customer Reviews

Desperate Lands: The War on Terror Through the Eyes of a Special Forces Soldier

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Think you're having a bad day, a bad week, a bad year?

This story gives the reader a glimpse of all the difficulties, obstacles and annoyances of what it is to serve as a special forces soldier in a war where the enemy wears the same uniform as the civilian, and another army (Pakistani soldiers) are less than cooperative.

Master Sergeant Zapata takes you on a journey from the U.S. to different outposts of the War on Terror, from Africa to Afghanistan. It is a journey of uncertainty, and constant change, of always having to deal with the unexpected, and never knowing what the road ahead will be. Along with fighting, there is the task of having to establish relations with warlords, and everyday citizens, to gain their trust, and their help.

This is no easy war to fight, and Sergeant Zapata's story provides an explanation as to why.

My humble respect goes to him and all those like him. We are in good hands.

A great book to read if you have ever wondered what is really happening over there with the war on terror. Zapata gives us all insight as to what these soldiers go through day by day. Brings heightened respect to those who are there. Detailed information on what these soldiers face and the little time that they have to react to any situation. I picked up this book and couldnt put it down, how refreshing to have the truth.

I bought this book because of the ratings it got on amazon but like another reader above i am wondering if they were describing the same book as i just read. While there is no doubting the bravery of the man in question i quite frankly found this book very hard to read. I actually found the writing to be nothing short of 'strange' - at times it feels like the text was written by a robot or someone who does not have a good command of the english language - with lots of repetition and this is suddenly dispersed with the odd curse which seems like it was just put in there to liven things up - in short it feels uncomfortable to read and i think that the author wrote this book and then someone came along and 'dubbed it' ! Apart from all of that the book is extremely boring - dealing with the day to day medial tasks these guys took on and very little action which i think is what most readers/buyers of these types of books expect. Overall one of the worst special forces books i ever read because quite simply i had to 'fight' myself to keep reading it to the finish.

MSgt Zapata's book is a great addition to the professional's tactical library and a great read for the general public as well. It gives an inside look at the workings of Special Forces in hostile territory through the eyes of a senior SF NCO. The book is a fast read. The prose is compact and to the point and the text is well illustrated with excellent photos.

I loved this book! It was a real story, written by a real special forces soldier. It was compelling, and had me hooked. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in what the war is like from a soldiers perspective.

This is a compelling first-hand account of what our soldiers are facing in the War on Terror. It is both entertaining and emotional. The book is written from the heart and is a must-read for anyone hoping to gain a better of what it is like for our troops.

To read this book is to live the life of a special forces soldier in today's army. It isn't all glamour and guns but hard work and thought that makes the special forces soldier the tip of the spear in America's war on terror. You'll find the honest truth in what you read, and come to appreciate the people in uniform who do so much for our country day in and day out more and more.

I'd recommend this book to any reader interested in military current events and the special forces.

Having served with MSG Zapata, either on the same team or side by side in the same company for almost 15 years, I know this book to be the whole truth and nothing but the truth. As I read each page, knowing Reggie as I do, it was as if he was sitting down next to me with a Tecate and telling me the story himself, it is written how he speaks.
This read is plain fact(s) and is a must read for anyone wanting to know what it's really like, not only in a war zone, but 28 years in the Army. Thanks Reggie!

This isn't the glorified portrayel of war you're used to. No, it isn't Hollywood script full of exposions, non-stop action, or romance. This book is best seen as a social history instead of a thriller. The detail given to the smaller details that most of us will (thankfully) never experience is a nice change of pace. It was refreshing to see what it's like being a soldier having to go into situations where they really don't know what to expect. I recommend it to anyone wanting to get a "real" account of being a soldier in the twenty-first century.

During the first decade of the 21st Century, Master Sergeant Regulo Zapata was a Special Forces soldier assigned to the Horn of Africa, and then Afghanistan, to fight the War on Terror.

His book, "Desperate Lands," is a first-hand account of the United States' military structure and operations in those theaters, told from the viewpoint of a member of the American armed forces on the ground.

Zapata delivers with the devastating power of a .50 caliber machine gun. Moreover, he provides meticulous details only someone truly in the fight could possibly know. You will go on sorties with the US Special Forces and their allies, the Afghan Army-in-training. And you will come under the guns of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and Afghani warlords, all seen through the eyes and minds of US military personnel on the front line.

"Desperate Lands" is a story you'll never get on "60-Minutes," CNN, or the nightly news. The reason? Those reports come from journalists.

Zapata's is a soldier's story, recounted in the blunt language of a modern day warrior.