Publishers Weekly
11/03/2014
Irving, a former Army Ranger, and Brozek, who has cowritten many books, add to the sniper memoir genre a breathless, tension-filled account of the day-to-day combat experiences of a sniper in Afghanistan. A child of a military family, Irving knew he wanted to be a Navy SEAL from a young age and was on his way to reaching that goal when a routine test revealed that he is color blind. A sympathetic Army nurse helped him fudge a vision test, so he became a Ranger instead, honing a natural affinity for sharpshooting. Brozek gives Irving’s story shape, heart, and context as he helps convey Irving’s mixed emotions about his role in combat. But the real craft is in the book’s the artful depictions of battle. Readers are brought into the heat of the fight with white-knuckle anxiety, as troops edge their way toward IED-laden targets, chaotic firefights, and suicide bombers. The story culminates with the takedown of a massive arms depot while Irving was battling a wrenching gastrointestinal infection. It’s tough stuff, but Irving is a humble and humane narrator. What could have come across as a shallow exercise in chest-thumping is much more. Hawks and doves alike would do well to spend time with Irving to learn what it’s like to be a soldier in today’s military. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
A gripping account from a man whose lethal aim took out 33 Taliban fighters on one deployment, a record.” —New York Daily News
“Gripping…. Irving's book is a focused, fast-paced tale that, like Irving, never loses sense of its mission.” —San Diego Union Tribune
“This gritty, unapologetic look into the life of a special operations soldier recounts both harrowing and heartfelt tales from the on-the-job experiences of Irving…This account is perhaps not for the faint of heart, but it is sure to be intriguing for those who are made of less squeamish stuff.” —Library Journal
“Gung-ho account of a sniper's time in Afghanistan….Irving…is adept at discussing the uncompromising minutiae of weapons, tactics and battle staging, the lifeblood of the elite sniper fraternity.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A breathless, tension-filled account of the day-to-day combat experiences of a sniper in Afghanistan.... Brozek gives Irving's story shape, heart, and context as he helps convey Irving's mixed emotions about his role in combat. But the real craft is in the book's the artful depictions of battle. Readers are brought into the heat of the fight with white-knuckle anxiety, as troops edge their way toward IED-laden targets, chaotic firefights, and suicide bombers.” —Publishers Weekly
“Nick Irving has a story to tell that every American should hear. This captivating journey is about much more than just getting your hands dirty for Uncle Sam... It's about what it means to be an American in this necessary battle against fundamental terrorism.” —Mike Ritland, New York Times bestselling author of Trident K9 Warriors and Navy SEAL Dogs
“Nick Irving's story is proof that the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment is carrying their share of the load in the fight against global terrorism. He's also one of the most accomplished snipers in the US military. If you want to see the war through the precision of a sniper's scope then read The Reaper.” —Brandon Webb, former Navy SEAL sniper, author of The Red Circle, and editor for SOFREP.com
“If Navy SEAL Chris Kyle - America's deadliest sniper ever - was the Killer Man, Army Ranger Nick "Reaper" Irving was the Killer Man's Son, doing the killing with Dirty Diana till the killer man comes. The Reaper is raw, unforgiving, and unapologetic, placing the reader inside the sniper hide, trigger slacked, and cross hairs steady, capturing the moments before the body count reached thirty-three.” —Dalton Fury, former Delta Force Commander and New York Times bestselling author of Full Assault Mode and Kill Bin Laden
“I am amazed by the parallels between Nick's life and my own. I am also deeply humbled and appreciative that we still produce men like this. I would be on his team any day. The Reaper is the kind of book that you have to live to write—and it's more exciting than any thriller could be.” —Howard Wasdin, Navy SEAL and New York Times bestselling author of SEAL Team Six
“A great look through the scope of what it's like to be a sniper in battle and home. The Reaper is a hell of a book.” —Marine Sniper Sgt. Jack Coughlin, New York Times bestselling author of Shooter
Library Journal
11/15/2014
This gritty, unapologetic look into the life of a special operations soldier recounts both harrowing and heartfelt tales from the on-the-job experiences of Irving (owner of HardShoot, a training facility for long-range shooting). A former U.S. Army Ranger who amassed a confirmed 33 kills in his six-year military career, the author was given the titular nickname by his teammates after a particularly active deployment, which he chronicles in this easy-to-read book. This account is perhaps not for the faint of heart, but it is sure to be intriguing for those who are made of less squeamish stuff. VERDICT Those who pick up a book about a sniper are probably aware of what they are getting themselves into. While sometimes veering into military shop talk and never really offering much of a glimpse into the emotions and personal reflections that are sure to come with the act of killing, the book should nevertheless be a hit with those interested in military matters and warfare, or anyone curious about this unconventional line of work.—Laura Marcus, Odenton, MD
Kirkus Reviews
2014-11-02
Gung-ho account of a sniper's time in Afghanistan, focused on "the thrill, the rush, the smell of gunpowder in combat."Raised in a military family, Irving felt destined for service at a high level, becoming an Army Ranger at age 22. His perspective is unabashedly adolescent, portraying combat like a giant video game and entranced by the rituals and comradeship of men under arms. As with other recent books, Irving—writing with Brozek (co-author: The Hurt Artist: My Journey From Suicidal Junkie to Ironman, 2014, etc.)—is adept at discussing the uncompromising minutiae of weapons, tactics and battle staging, the lifeblood of the elite sniper fraternity. He portrays several action-packed missions during a 2009 deployment to Afghanistan, pursuing suicide-vest makers and other high-value Taliban targets in both rural and urban environments. During one grueling daylong firefight, Irving killed so many Taliban that his awed comrades bestowed upon him the titular nickname. Irving would ultimately claim 33 confirmed kills, evoking jealousy in his fellow snipers, described as having been "itching for some trigger time." Given that the snipers are essentially tasked with shooting any armed military-age males they encounter, this pervasive machismo gives the narrative an unsavory (albeit unsurprising) subtext, especially since Irving rarely considers the larger political narrative of counterterrorism and the Afghanistan War. Despite his enthusiasm, by the end of the deployment, "all I could think of was that I wanted to get the hell out of that country and go home." Though flattered by his formidable reputation as "this ‘little guy' who was on a crazy roll racking up kills," the hostility of Afghan civilians and the injuries suffered by his friends led him "to question why we were putting in so much blood, sweat, and tears in a place where people didn't seem to want our help." A generic addition to the crowded shelf of post-9/11 special-ops memoirs.
