The Specialist : Gayle Rivers

[TiggerCCW UK]

Picked this up in a charity shop a while back. Is it worth a read? Read the fly leaf and it sounds a bit dodgy to me, regarding where he's worked and what he's done.

[pmulcahy11b]

Didn't they make a movie based on that book with Sylvester Stallone? I always thought that was a fiction book...

[Canadian Army]

The Book is actually called The Specialist: Revelations of Counterterrorist (or at least that is what it was called when it was printed in hardcover, books sometimes change titles when they are reprinted in paperback); is about many operations by Gayle Rivers has conducted. While the movie of the same name is about a woman (Sharon Stone) entices a mercenary bomb expert (Sylvester Stallone) into destroying the mafia that killed her family, similar theme, but no connection.

Also I did some research on Gayle Rivers. Gayle Rivers is a pseudonym for a mercenary, who has since the Vietnam War, and has conducted assassinations, abductions, car-bombings, and truck hijacks. He has also authored two non-fiction books: The Five Fingers; which is still regarded as one of the premier accounts in the spec-war genre; and The War Against the Terrorists: How to Win It. As well as authoring the fiction books Hunter's Run and The Killing House.

[Caradhras]

I just ordered the Five Fingers on this recommendation and doing a bit of research

[TiggerCCW UK]

I read the first couple of chapters last night, and while its reasonably well written I'm not sure about the idea of US Special Forces being led and commanded on assassination and kidnap missions by a civilian contractor. I'll judge it more when I get to the chapters when he's running assassination ops against the IRA on behalf of MI6 here in Northern Ireland.. Might all be true, but just sounds a bit fantastical to me.

[JimmyRay73]

I read "The Five Fingers" a long time ago (high school days) and thought it was OK, but not great.

[Caradhras]

I have read the Five Fingers now and found it hard to put down. It is not that well written, but still had me pretty engrossed.

The authenticity is not for me to judge with no real military training but it read like much of it could really have happened to the layman. I dont think it did though.

Seeing as it cost me only £2.76 second hand delivered from Amazon and a few hours relaxing - was well worth it. And those of you with interest and experience in military matters even more so. I would love to hear your takes on some of the events in the book.

Going to order a couple more I think. Certainly gives also some ideas I could use in GMing T2k.

[jester]

I read all of them over 20 years ago...damn, did I say that?

Of the three, 5 Fingers in my opinion is the best. As for the whole true actual account, I doubt it some things just sound a bit far fetched but hey I am sure it helped sell, and sadly fuel some conspiracy nuts too.

However,

I have often toyed with the idea of running the 5 Fingers as a T2K campaign.

[Caradhras]

Almost finished The Specialist now, and makes interesting reading. Written as if real and could be I guess but, like others have said, seems too sensational at times yet they say truth is stranger than fiction.

Anyone interested in mercenaries and counter-terrorism would enjoy it imo, if it is not for real he certainly has done his research. I'll try any others left he has written I can get my hands on.