Gerald Seymor - holding the zero

[kato13]

kcdusk 11-19-2005, 03:24 PM Anyone read this book? Its about a guy who goes deep into Afgahastan to shoot someone, helped by some rebels?


Great read.

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Rainbow Six 11-19-2005, 03:47 PM I started it, but never finished it...I'll need to try and find my copy and put it in my bag next time I go on holiday...I've read a few Seymour books, and my reaction has always been quite mixed...some I've not been able to put down, others I've struggled to get in to...

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kcdusk 11-19-2005, 04:05 PM Just browsing through mine again this morning, looking for some ideas (I have some PCs in Afgahastan).


Its Iraq, not afgah he goes to in the book.


And he takes a AWM .338 Lapua Magnum. Hehe. Helecopters beware ... mmm, helecopters .... *idea forming*

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kcdusk 11-19-2005, 04:43 PM "Gus Peake has wisely purchased the most complete sniper rifle on the market.


The AWM has greater range and hitting power than the standard AW using 7.62n, and is more manoeuverable and covert than the heavier AW50 version.


The armour piercing rounds, the green spot ball, gives the AWM a versatility not present with more conventional sniper rifles. It has the penatrive power using FMJ rounds to be used successfully against a variety of targets - ammunition dumps, grounded aircraft, radar installations, bunkers and armoured vehilces.


The AWM creates COMBAT POWER. It can degrade key equipment and gain psychological battlefield advantage."


Sold me ...

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ReHerakhte 11-19-2005, 05:20 PM I started it, but never finished it...I'll need to try and find my copy and put it in my bag next time I go on holiday...I've read a few Seymour books, and my reaction has always been quite mixed...some I've not been able to put down, others I've struggled to get in to...

I think I know what you mean, I started reading Seymour's books way back in the 1980s, the first one I read, 'Fields Of Blood' I think it was called sold me on the writer because the hero of the piece didn't survive and I found that a refreshing change compared to many other writers where the hero always lives.


After reading that one I started looking around for some of the others and would pretty much buy them on sight and read them within days of purchasing and then one day I bought 'Holding The Zero' and started on it and thought, 'This is like one of his earlier novels'.

From that point on I've never read another and although he is generally a very good writer and I like his 'shades of grey' writing style (rather than everything being black or white), I just haven't felt any desire to read more if he is just going to recycle older storylines.


Bear in mind that I may be completely wrong about 'Holding The Zero' as I never did read it, but it left me with the impression that he was just recycling the storyline from an earlier novel called 'At Close Quarters'. A pity really because he was one of the few writers that would have me buying his latest novel automatically.


Anyways, enough teary-eyed sentimentality!

Cheers,

Kevin

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Rainbow Six 11-19-2005, 07:36 PM I think I know what you mean, I started reading Seymour's books way back in the 1980s, the first one I read, 'Fields Of Blood' I think it was called sold me on the writer because the hero of the piece didn't survive and I found that a refreshing change compared to many other writers where the hero always lives.




Kevin, would have to agree with you about Fields of Blood. In my opinion, Seymour's best works have been the ones set in Northern Ireland (Harry's Game, which was made in to a TV series in the UK, Fields of Blood, and the Journeyman Tailor - there may have been others, but those are the ones that I've read). Fields of Blood is undoubtedly the best - it's about the only book I can think of that I purchased a new copy of when I loaned my first copy to someone else only to never see it again.



You're spot on about the mortality of the characters...I wont go in to detail for the benefit of those who haven't read it, but Harry's Game in particular has a great twist in the end...but I found the more of Seymour's work I read, that I began to feel a certain sameness about the heroes...invariably they are all either loners with some chip on their shoulder against society / the establishment, etc, etc or young and naive.

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kcdusk 11-19-2005, 07:57 PM I only own Holding the Zero, will see if i can find more of his work at the library or a 2nd hand book store i think.

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ReHerakhte 11-20-2005, 12:20 AM kc, if you're lookng to find out what Seymour has written, go to Gerald Seymour, Amazon lists (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/se...980842-7304838)


I would personally recommend 'Red Fox', 'Harry's Game', 'Field Of Blood', 'The Fighting Man', 'In Honour Bound', 'At Close Quarters', 'A Song In The Morning', 'The Journeyman Tailor' and 'Archangel'

Not surprisingly, most of these are older novels.


Rainbow Six, yeah I know what you mean about the 'lone hero' etc. aspect of his characterizations and yes, I enjoyed the novels set in NI immensely. The end of Harry's Game was a real stunner!


Cheers,

Kevin

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TiggerCCW UK 11-20-2005, 06:48 AM Harrys Game is fantastic! It was the first of his novels I read. As usual, not 100% accurate as a portrayal of life here in Belfast, but not bad overall. Have any of you seen the TV version of it? I have it on VHS, but I don't know if it ever made it onto DVD. I'll try and make sure you get a look at it when you're up this way Kevin.

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kcdusk 01-05-2006, 06:03 PM Finished Harrys game, loved it, reminded me a little of holding hte zero which is one of his latest books but the first one of his i read.


Oh, and 2/3's through At Close quarters - and your right, reminds me of Holding hte zero, whish is one of his latest books but the first one i read.


So i can understand his type of story can be a bit repetative. But much like the simpsons, if its that good then there is nothing wrong with repetitivness.


Cannot remember the title at the momnent but the next one of his i hope to pick up from 2nd hand book store is one where the character (SAS) goes to afgahasstant to take on russion helecopters.

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