Thank you so much to the publisher, via Bookish First, for the advanced copy of SAS: Red Notice in exchange for an honest review!
I have been hit or miss on military themed thrillers but overally enjoyed this one for the characters, plot line, and action!
Quick Facts:
- Title: SAS: Red Notice
- Series: SAS (Tom Buckingham)#1
- Author: Andy McNab
- Publisher & Release: Welbeck Publishing, 4/06/21 re-release
- Length: 400 pg
- Rate & Recommend: ⭐⭐⭐✨ for fans of military ops and thrillers
Here is the synopsis:
Soon to be a major motion picture.
Deep beneath the English Channel, a small army of vicious terrorists has seized control of the Eurostar to Paris, taken 400 hostages at gunpoint – and declared war on a government that has more than its own fair share of secrets to keep.
One man stands in their way. An off-duty SAS soldier is hiding somewhere inside the train. Alone and injured, he’s the only chance the passengers and crew have of getting out alive. Meet Andy McNab’s explosive new creation, Sergeant Tom Buckingham, as he unleashes a whirlwind of intrigue and retribution in his attempt to stop the terrorists and save everyone on board – including Delphine, the beautiful woman he loves.
Hurtling us at breakneck speed between the Regiment’s crack assault teams, Whitehall’s corridors of power and the heart of the Eurotunnel action, RED NOTICE is McNab at his devastatingly authentic, pulse pounding best.
Plot & action: The book opens with the terrorists using a flame thrower on a small village, so I can definitely say that the book started – and stayed fairly exciting throughout. Tom Buckingham and the SAS are chasing a terrorist cell with an enigmatic leader and a devastating plan.
There is action throughout as they run multiple ops against this group, and the book got even more exciting once the train was hijacked. Some of the intricacies of the international intrigue were lost on me as we learn who the terrorists are and why they were acting, but it created an interesting race against time. There is an inside man at SAS helping the terrorists as well, so the book definitely wasn’t boring
The Characters: Tom Buckingham is the main character, the SAS agent, and I liked him. He’s a bit career/boys club oriented but I think most soldiers are. His girlfriend, Delphine, incidentally ends up on the train with the terrorists which is why Tom was also on the train. When not in action, the book spends time developing Delphine’s character and her struggles building a life with a soldier who obviously prioritizes his job and buddies over her.
I liked the other soldiers too though and even the head terrorist is an interesting character! One thing I didn’t like though was all the names and extras thrown into the COBRA meetings, I ended up confusing names and departments.
Others: McNab spent his career with the military and I think there’s a lot of authenticity there. The operations were well described and fairly interesting, although sometimes the military lingo and abbreviations lost me. Most were explained and not terribly relevant to the story to understand the action. One thing I did like was all the technology used, like the sniper coordinator!
Overall: definitely recommend for military ops and thriller fans. Plenty of explosions and gunfire and daring escapes for all readers, and short chapters keep the pages flipping.
I am interested in the movie adaptation!
Do you like military op books/movies?
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