Customer Reviews

Spooky 8: The Final Mission

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

Hey "Chance", long time no see. Ladies and Gentlmen, I know this guy and I've heard all these stories before. This is a "never made it there" Private with too much barstool time. It's what you get when you cross the fiction of Rambo with the reality of Norm and Cliff at "Cheers." "Chance", I know where you drink Corona (or are you back to Stoli in a Chimney?), and if you make money off of this, I'll come slap you off that barstool and take my money back.

Unsophisticated devotees of military based stories and Walter Mitty clones will like this book for it's rather tedious plot and tired prose. Listing this particular book as a work of nonfiction does a egregious disservice to authors who have actually done the research or have faithfully recounted their own experiences. Had it been published earlier, this is one of those works that would have been listed in the book "Stolen Valor" as prime example of unmitigated (and unwarranted) self glorification.

I could only get through the first 3 chapters before I gave up on this book. Poorly researched and written, it's even bad fiction, but touted as the truth... it's just plain sad. From the Rambo-esque photo on the back to the mistakes regarding equipment nomeclature and far fetched story. Tom Clancy writes better pieces of work (Rainbow Six, Clear and Present Danger, and Without Remorse). Stick w/ the real deal like Bob Mayer and Dick Couch (Both Spec Ops veterans who write awesome fiction based on fact). I'm donating my copy to the local thrift store.

I served with the 5th Special Forces in Vietnam. I was interested in this book made an inquiry into it through my current Special Forces contacts. I found that nobody ever heard of this man. The Special Operations Association will be held from September 27 through October 1, 2000 at the Plaza hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. If anybody is interested in knowing if this book is fact or fiction there will be 800 current and former Special Ops Veterans there. The Special Forces and Special Ops community is small and tight and when speaking to each other they will have either know somebody or heard of them. I have yet heard any of them to state that this book is anything but fiction.

The author is quite literally a fruitcake. The book is the work of a mentally ill person. He has never been near anyone working for the CIA and can't even do the research needed to make his phony adventures pass a basic smell test. Others have noted he is a candidate for a future "Stolen Valor" type book but this guy is too ill and too pitiful to pick on. I feel sorry for anyone over 16 who takes this poor buggers' book seriously. I note that quite a few of the previous reviewers gave the book five stars but this book is their only review. I assume that is the poor sick author appearing in different guises. Another sad indication of the author's fragile state of mind.

Those who have a military background, intelligence experience or a strong command of the English language will be dissappointed with this book. Those without the above may be thrilled by this story. The author demostrates a general understanding of operational concepts as he rambles in pseudo-jargon. He reveals a tragic misunderstanding of the details and principles of tactical operations in the way he attempts to negotiate the obstacles in his tall tale. His syntax while using military radios is clearly not that of a person with an extensive military background. He would also have his reader believe that as a new recruit in Vietnam, he was commanding a team and had a seven year veteran as his "number two man." His approach to locating the conspirators that led to Spooky 8s demise is sophmoric at best. The 1970s "Rockford Files" PI show had a more sophisticated approach to surveillance and investigation. Good fiction generally requires the reader to accept few departures from reality. The number of departures here are too frequent to list. One taste: the men who accepted this dangerous mission did so because they were all broke. Yet, they have multiple girlfriends around the world who readily part with thousands of dollars whenever their favorite commando drops by. Presumably the editor's eyes also glazed over mid-way through. A middle chapter opens with "[T]he Saudi security trip was over before I knew it." No where in the previous pages is there any mention of Saudis. Grammatical errors also assault the reader throughout the final third of the book. Readers taken with this tale would do well to make "Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam generation was robbed of its Heroes and its History" their next read.

In King's defensive review dated 9/18/99 he writes "...Spooky8 was never intended to be a published book..." Hogwash- King's new website is evidence that this book was intended to be a cash cow for him. King's big mistake in trying to defend this book as non-fiction is that he is protesting a bit too much. Stick with Mack Bolan books if you want more authenticity.

It was somewhat entertaining to read but it seemed to lack great storytelling. The book had kind of a monotone feel to it. Granted, if these stories are true, many details would have been purposely left out but the author could have easily added in more vivid accounts and feeling into the stories. I had a lot of expectations for the book but many went unmet. I am sure the stories are there but I think Mr. King needs help getting them out. I hope he does, because there are probably some good ones.

My husband read the book and couldn't stop telling me about it so I decided to read it. I thought I wouldn't like it but to my surprise, I loved it. It was easy and fast to read. I'll be looking forward to more of King's books.

I read this book for a school project, after reading the back cover it sound like it was going to be a good action book, which it was for the most part. After getting done reading the whole book it left me wanting more there was simply put no conclusion, and the dialog between characters was ridiculous, it was some of the worst writing I have ever read. I will give him props for the action scenes that is when the authors writing was truly superb. King says this book is based on true accounts of his own experiences, which I do not believe, mainly because the whole plot of the book was unbelieveable, especially the part about the far seers.