This book is based on a true story of the American Rangers and Delta Force's attempt in October 1993 to abduct two top lieutenants of a Somali warlord from the heart of Mogadishu, Somalia. There is also an award winning movie of the same name. This book is not for the faint hearted and if it was a book of fiction you would feel it has gone over the top. However, it is a book of fact and was written with the full cooperation of those involved (although it does feel as though it is a fictional novel). The whole of the situation was filmed and recorded by a US spy plane and the writer has had access to all these recordings. It is not an easy book to read simply because a lot of the book is descriptive and it is very difficult to remember who is where within the town in relation to each other (and remember all the characters involved). However, the book leaves nothing to the imagination. Some of the situations, horrors and injuries described can almost be felt and you can almost taste the blood. The book succeeds in viewing the situation through the eyes of the people involved and the pure fright, frustrations and determination. Also, this is not a book from a US viewpoint where the good guys win through in the end (although technically the operation was a success as it achieved the goals set out). It is a warts and all view of what happened. This book is harrowing. You will either love it or hate it but one thing's for certain - you will feel it.

I bought this book on a whim, I have not seen the film but after reading about the incident on the internet wanted to learn more. I could not put this book down. The narrative is insightful, well written if on the graphic side but the book is about the horrors of war, which are portrayed in a sensitive and thoughtful manner. Well done to the author Mark Bowden who brought this incident to the public view with the acknowledgement of the actual people involved and did not just tow the party line.

Black Hawk Down is a gripping war account by Mark Bowden which describes an American war in Mogadishu, Somalia. The book has a lot of accurate facts, the author going to extreme measures to ensure that they are well researched. Since the book is so accurate it draws the reader in; it makes you feel like you’re actually in the battle fighting it yourself. What makes this book different from so many other war books is that it doesn’t just capture the soldiers in action; it explores the psyche further into everyone involved like the pilots, generals and even goes as far as to tell the story from the Somali’s point of view. However Bowden doesn’t stop with the war itself, he elucidates the American public’s view on the war and their reaction to what is happening in the war. Nonetheless, the thing that sets this book aside from so many others and what makes this book so first-rate is that it unfolds the mission and analyzes it to decipher why it went so wrong; how the American defences were broken by the Somalis. Black Hawk Down is one of the best war accounts in literature. Mark Bowden offers numerous perspectives and extensive detail to engage the reader into the battle. The emotions of the battle are well represented and the reader feels and attachment to the characters. From a journalist standpoint, Bowden’s book is a classic example for future war correspondents to look at. He puts himself in danger to deliver the whole story; there is no bias or anti-war agenda. Bowden purely presents facts and tells the story.