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Fascinating

From the moment I started to read this book to the moment I finished it I was hooked. Every page lets you feel the tension, pressure, and anguish. I’ve often wondered what goes through the mind of a bomb disposal expert and Chris Hunter managed to provide an insight that allowed me to see just that. At times I was excited, anticipating the next event, worried for the safety of team, concerned about the emotional strain on the family and frustrated with those who were not helping him achieve his goals. Sometimes the acronyms get a little frustrating, but I can certainly let this go. Overall I think the book is an intelligently written insight into the life of a bomb disposal officer operating in a hostile environment. I went through many emotions when reading the book and often either had a tear in my eyes or a lump in my throat. Respect goes to all in the book, especially those now having to adjust to new lives after being injured. We tend to forget the sacrifice all service men and women make when serving their country.

Reviews:

Eight lives down is a revealing insight into what has to be one of the most dangerous jobs on earth: working for the bomb disposal unit of the British Army. The book follows the tour of Chris Hunter, a seasoned expert in bomb disposal having had tours in Northern Island and stints training Colombian troops in the art to help the combat the IRA trained cocaine cartels and combat the war on drugs. The book is written in a fast and lively diary style which suits the subject matter and setting and makes it quick and easy to read. Each chapter is headed with little nuggets or wisdom, extracts, and quotes from famous quotes, speeches and people which sum up the upcoming chapter in the eyes of the author. These I quite liked.

What I found most revealing about the book was what the actual role entailed. I never realised the complexity and the depth of these people’s work until now, having thought they just used diffuse all manner of bombs and IEDs with a snip of a few wires… I couldn’t have been more wrong. The role goes far beyond mere (if that’s the right word?!) bomb disposal with the ATO teams becoming detectives, using every means possible to hunt down the bomb makers. They gather forensic evidence, build psychological profiles, examine patterns, and search for signatures – all in an attempt to stay one step ahead of the bombing teams.

Chris Hunter was so affective in his role at disrupting the the IED teams in Iraq, he actually ended up being actively targeted by the bomb makers who went out of their way to try and set traps with secondary devices specifically planted to try and take him out. Add to this the inclusion of personal pressures at home caused by his role, and Hunter’s very stressful tour helps to show how hard a job in the armed forces can be, and the toll it takes on those left at home as well as the troops on the ground. I would have liked the book to go into more depth about the forensic techniques, the detective work, and how Chris went about building a case against the bombers, but I understand why its important to keep these things secret. All in all, though the book makes for an interesting read and is very different to most war memoirs I’ve read.