Ronin: A Marine Scout/Sniper Platoon in Iraq [Hardcover]

Mike Tucker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 10, 2008

In this raw and provocative new book, readers wear desert camouflage, climb to rooftops, and get behind the rifle with a platoon of elite Marine snipers and scouts in Iraq. Author Mike Tucker embedded with the unit for its entire combat tour in 2005 06 to tell this exclusive from-the-frontlines story. Ronin captures true-grit Marines at war as they reconnoiter Iraqi villages, track terrorist targets, grapple with unrealistic rules of engagement, and get the kill. It also contains the only firsthand accounts of such previously unreported actions as an Al Qaeda attack on a police station and the winter of the sniper when terrorist gunmen plagued Coalition forces in Fallujah.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Mike Tucker has more street cred with American warriors in Iraq than any other writer. --Salt Lake Tribune

About the Author

Mike Tucker is a Marine infantry veteran who has reported on guerrilla warfare and terrorism from hot spots around the globe, including Thailand, Burma, Spain, and Iraq. He holds bachelor s and master s degrees from James Madison University, where he was a visiting scholar on counterterrorism in 2006. Tucker is also the author of The Long Patrol (978-9-7483-03796-), Hell Is Over (978-1-5922-8885-4), and Among Warriors in Iraq (978-1-5922-8732-1).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books (January 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811703185
• ISBN-13: 978-0811703185
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #787,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mike Tucker, the only author under fire with DEVGRU US NAVY SEALS (SEAL TEAM 6)after September 11th, journeyed to the mountains of the Karen, Black Lahu and Hmong hill tribes in northern Thailand in the winter of 1992-93 to research SPARTACUS DID THE RIGHT THING, his second novel and most recent book. A Visiting Lecturer at the Center for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the US Naval Academy, Mike Tucker has been hailed for his work as an independent counterterrorism specialist by American and British special operations; he journeyed to Kurdistan and Western Iraq for his first two books on the Iraq War, HELL IS OVER and AMONG WARRIORS IN IRAQ and returned to Western Iraq with Marine scout/snipers for a full seven month combat tour, to write the only book in American history on an entire Marine scout/sniper platoon in combat: RONIN. His third novel, 1931, a riveting Great Depression saga born of a legend he heard in his youth in Annapolis, Maryland, will be released in fall 2012. He lives in the Near East, northern Thailand and the Straits of Malacca.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Half Truths, January 23, 2008

By 

A. Maas (Quantico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ronin: A Marine Scout/Sniper Platoon in Iraq (Hardcover)

I served with Ronin and Mike Tucker during the deployment that this book talks about. I was excited to learn that Tucker's book was going to be released, but after reading it I can only say that I am disappointed in what I read. He writes from Ronin's point of view, never giving the "other side" of the story from the Marines that served along side them in the companies. From what I saw and heard, Ronin 3 and parts of 4 never really understood what their missions were about. Scout snipers are employed how the commander sees fit, whether it's at the battalion, company or platoon level. A scout sniper team doesn't get to pick the sexy missions to go on; they serve the commander, not themselves. It's their job to advise the commander as to how they can best serve the operation, but ultimately it comes down to how the commander sees fit to employ them. Good or bad, plain and simple.
I believe that Ronin's actions on the deployment were embarrassing not only to themselves, but to the other 2/6 scout sniper teams, and the Marines in the companies that had to hear them whine and complain about how bad they had it and how they were employed wrong and other such complaints. Ronin's tactics, skills, and ethics were questioned more often than not by their commanders and it's disappointing to see them get undo and sensationalized attention by a journalist who wanted to tell the "whole" story.
Mike Tucker on the other hand, is the type of journalist that should be kept out of Marines and Soldiers way. Initially this book was supposed to be about Company G, 2/6. He interviewed Marines every day and I give him credit for the number of patrols and convoys he went on. He was "part" of the team, but his "I'll make you famous" interviews and mentality towards the Marines earned him a reputation that he was more of a pain to have around than what it was worth. It was about half way through the deployment that he had an exchange of words with the command of company G were he decided that he would "punish" them by not writing their story and instead went to any scout sniper team that would have him. Some of the facts and relationships he makes are dead wrong and misconstrued in order for him to write a better story. His one sided work of fiction that was published in "Ronin" is truly disappointing and I regret putting the money into his pockets. But what is even more disappointing is that Ronin's story of complaints and how things went wrong in Iraq diminishes the vast accomplishments that 2/6 made while deployed in Al Anbar. Marines died and were wounded for a war they volunteered to go to, for something they believed in and the journalist Mike Tucker does a disservice to his fellow Marines for the story he told.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Poorly written, May 30, 2008

By 

Edward "ED" (Scottsdale, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ronin: A Marine Scout/Sniper Platoon in Iraq (Hardcover)

This book is more about the author than the "grunts". It is an attempt to tell the story of a unit in combat and does not come close to filling this goal. I don't doubt the author is brave, but he never really let's the men talk in detail in a coordinated manner. Totally disjointed writing.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not well written and really nothing more than complaining, October 9, 2008

By 

USMC Retired "windage is the Key" (Jackson Ms) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ronin: A Marine Scout/Sniper Platoon in Iraq (Hardcover)

I ordered this book as I was a Hog in the early 70's. I was interested in how the men of today were handling combat. When I see what our troops have become it saddens me too some degree. Although I'm fully aware of errors that commanders make after a short while reading this that seemed to be the entire jest of the book. Proud of all the men serving.
I just had to put the book down before I even got into it very far as it just seemed to go on and on without merit. When you get one side of the story and it is preached time and again you just have to say enough.

My suggestion is to find another book to read.