Remote Control
by Andy McNab

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Book Reviews of Remote Control

Book Review: On Remote Control and Straining Credulity
Summary: 5 Stars

The book started off with a believeable surveil and pop of some the Boyos in Gibraltar. A true action, and characteristic of many of the ops that go on all the time. But then, Andy, you have the main character trying to E&E from the baddies whilst carrying an 8-year old girl as baggage. At that point, your book became a coffee-table ornament suitable for the occasional disciplining of one's pets.

The tradecraft was sparse, but credible. Dialog was in character. For those who are offended by obscenities and potty-mouth, please understand that the "F" and "S" words are conversational staples of the Regiment. For a squaddie to not potty-mouth is similar to tying one's hands and not being able to speak or communicate. As for me, I'd have slapped a strip of tape across Kelly's mouth. No words or comments are needed from you, my Miss. In reality, Kelly wasnt' a true form character anyway. Andy, you know Kelly would have been either ditched or become baggage that eats and does things at inopportune times.

"Remote Control" was a good show for the first time attempt at a novel. Still, it went on remote and cruise control with a relatively predictable ending. Andy, you know that one's friends are often one's most dangerous enemies, that people are "used up," that there's always a shiny Ned-the-New-Lad to replace you and any day that you can see the sunrise is a bonus. Write what you know - the truth will scare the public. There are plenty of great stories, with unbelievable twists and turns, triumphs and absolute betrayals whilst on a soggy lay-up in the "Bandit Country" of South Armagh or dealing with the Boyos of Tyrone acting up in Germany or Spain. Stay with what you know and the only thing left is to write the deposit slip.

Summary of Remote Control

Remote Control is the fictional story of an SAS agent named Nick Stone, who is on the case of two Irish terrorists. He follows them across the Atlantic to Washington, D.C., but is suddenly ordered back home on the next available flight. His old mate Kevin Brown, now with the Drug Enforcement Agency, lives near the airport, so Nick decides to drop in. He finds a slaughterhouse: Kev, his wife, and youngest daughter have been battered to death, but daughter Kelly has survived in a special hideout. Prying information from the shocked child, Nick links the killers to either the CIA, the DEA, or his own organization--which means that he and Kelly are virtually on their own. As Nick trundles the spunky youngster from one seedy motel to another, stuffs her with junk food, and teaches her the rudiments of spy craft, he also begins to piece together a picture of why Kevin and his family were killed. There is a connection between a terrorist bomb scare in Gibraltar in 1988, the Colombian drug cartel, and high-level intelligence-agency skullduggery. McNab keeps dropping those shiny nuggets of believability along the trail and winds up holding our attention until the predictable but satisfying end. --Dick Adler

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