Book Description
The best-selling Stealing the Network series reaches its climactic conclusion as law enforcement and organized crime form a high-tech web in an attempt to bring down the shadowy hacker-villain known as Knuth in the most technically sophisticated Stealing book yet.
Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow is the final book in Syngress ground breaking, best-selling, Stealing the Network series. As with previous title, How to Own a Shadow is a fictional story that demonstrates accurate, highly detailed scenarios of computer intrusions and counter-strikes. In How to Own a Thief, Knuth, the master-mind, shadowy figure from previous books, is tracked across the world and the Web by cyber adversaries with skill to match his own. Readers will be amazed at how Knuth, Law Enforcement, and Organized crime twist and torque everything from game stations, printers and fax machines to service provider class switches and routers steal, deceive, and obfuscate. From physical security to open source information gathering, Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow will entertain and educate the reader on every page. The books companion Web site will also provide special, behind-the-scenes details and hacks for the reader to join in the chase for Knuth.
· The final book in the Stealing the Network series will be a must read for the 50,000 readers worldwide of the first three titles
· The companion Web site to the book will provide challenging scenarios from the book to allow the reader to track down Knuth
· Law enforcement and security professionals will gain practical, technical knowledge for apprehending the most supplicated cyber-adversaries
Customer Reviews:
The SQL Injection Adventures of Pawn.......2007-06-14
Did you enjoy the previous three Stealing the Network books? Are you looking for more? Then move along now, nothing to see here.
The prior books were interesting because they introduced the reader to new ideas or new angles on old ideas, then moved on without belaboring them. If you wanted more details, there were often URLs provided. The last two tied the stories together with the intriguing Knuth character. But the folks running the project chose to switch to a new format, with fewer characters and stories, not to mention fewer authors, and fewer ways to split the profits.
After three books with the same (proven) formula, it's understandable the authors would want to try something new. Alas, it's a disaster.
Welcome to "How to Own a Shadow," aka "The SQL Injection Adventures of Pawn." Pawn is one of the new characters in this volume, and is the first StN character I hoped would get shot to death by the cops in a mini-mall parking lot. Yes, he's that irritating. Particularly after reading 40 pages about his childhood as a high-functioning autistic (or something like that), and around 100 pages of him performing SQL injection attacks. Most of which is totally unrelated to Knuth. Note to the authors: SQL injection is interesting, but if you want to write a book about it, just write a book about it. I even gave you a title, what more do you want? You can even recycle much of this book, like you recycled part of the last one here.
Oh, you noticed the real subtitle of the book, "The Chase for Knuth." First, one chases _after_ fugitives, and hunts or searches _for_ them. Not that it matters, because there's not much chasing or hunting going on in this book. There isn't much Knuth, either. We see him in the first hundred pages, which is mostly about his son analyzing poker software. That's the last we see of either of them. Because, really, this is "The Biography of Pawn." We do get 50 pages of Knuth at the end of the book, but don't get excited: it's all from the last book, added as obvious filler.
Speaking of filler, there's a 17 page advertorial thrown in for BiDiBLAH, which is commercial software by SensePost. Oddly enough, they're listed as technical advisors for the book. I'm sure it's a fine app, but the authors have forgotten about Knuth again, since it has nothing to do with the story. If it had been relevant, it might have been a less obnoxious addition.
Not everything is bad. There's a brief bit about RFID, which of course turns into how to use RFID for SQL attacks. We get to meet Knuth's supposedly dead wife, and a charming shrew she is. All in all, though, this book isn't worth reading unless you're a truly devoted fan of the series, or SQL. I'm still a fan of the previous books, and I hope the authors can recapture what made them so intriguing for their next book. I won't be buying that one until I'm sure it's not Book Two of the Pawn Saga, however.
Author "review".......2007-04-13
Let me first say that I am one of the authors on this book. I don't think authors can objectively review their own work in a forum such as this, so I won't. This won't stop me from rating it five stars to help reinforce the law of averages. ;-)
I will, however, address a few reviews posted here. First and foremost, I am a huge fan of the Stealing series, and the authors that worked on each of the three previous books. But based on customer reviews and our own feelings on the matter, the authors unanimously agreed that boosting the story value of the book was a priority. After all, even security geeks deserve a good plot and decent characters if they take the time to read technical fiction. Books of this genre should also teach. By all fair reviews, this book does both. If you're interested in straight fiction, or straight tech, you'll find this book to only be half-good. If you're willing to be entertained, and are looking to learn something cool about hackers and how they operate, this is the book for you. And there I go, drifting into a review.
So let me address one other complaint: the lack of a "real" ending. Well, that's our fault. There's more to the series, and we know how it's going to end, but we adamantly refused to slip another deadline, so the book went to print with a cliffhanger ending. Now we're not out to sell more books or make your life miserable by leaving you hanging, but this book had to either wrap up where it did, or it would have been scrapped by the publisher, who had no real choice in the matter. As authors, we missed our deadlines, but we did it in order to improve the final product. I'm personally proud of the end result, and the reviews show that we have good reason to be proud.
So to long-time Stealing readers, this book is different because we grew in our craft, and our EXTREMELY capable story editor (Scott Pinzon) held us to the standard of mainstream fiction. Will we make the New York Times best-seller list because of our efforts? No. But this book isn't for those readers. It's for those in and around technology that have read one to many straight technical books.
So we would love to hear what you think. Post a review if you'd like, or if you just want to chat about the book, head over to the "book talk" section of my web site's forums (you know where to find it- Google is your friend). I'd love to hear from you.
j0hnny
One of the better installments when it comes to plot and pacing..........2007-04-05
It's nice when recreational reading overlaps with technical material, and the Stealing The Network series qualifies for that designation. The latest installment is Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow - The Chase For Knuth by Johnny Long, Timothy Mullen, Ryan Russell, and Scott Pinzon, and it's an enjoyable read that is heavy on the technical how-to while maintaining a decent plotline.
There's basically two story-lines here... The first involves Robert Knoll Jr. and his father, and is a continuation from the last book. All the police surveillance and investigations are taking a toll on Junior's life, so he decides to act on his father's cryptic message to head down to Mexico with nothing much more than the clothes on his back (and a large amount of cash). He is contacted by people who work for his father, and is taken down to Costa Rica where Senior runs an on-line poker site. Everything that Junior wants is provided (top of the line, too), and he starts doing some programming and network intel for his father. But he really doesn't have a clue as to what Senior is really up to...
The second story-line involves an autistic kid by the name of Paul Wilson. As he grows up, he starts gaining an interest in computer hacking and solving puzzles involving gaining access to various network sites. He's befriended by an on-line entity known as Rafa who is amazed at how Paul can pick up concepts almost immediately. It helps that he has a photographic memory and is wired such that these types of problems engage him. Rafa starts paying him for "research assignments", and Paul is thinking that he's actually doing legit security work. That, coupled with his intense interest in the martial arts, pretty much absorbs all his time. But he starts to understand a bit of what's really going on when he starts to hack a mysterious local business in order to help out a woman in his dojo. She has an ulterior motive for wanting to use his phenomenal hacking skills, but it may get them both arrested or killed.
From a plot pacing standpoint, I was pleasantly surprised. The other books tended to be a bit more "vignette" in nature, so the overall story suffered. At least here, the plot and technology actually supported each other. Again, it's not New York Times best-seller action-adventure, but it works for this type of approach. Paul seemed to be a bit over-the-top in his skills, but that element was supported by his autism. It stretched credibility at times, but not so much that you started to laugh (or at least I didn't). My biggest disappointment is that there was no plot resolution to either story-line, so it's a given that you'll need to read the next one to see how it turns out. The plotlines are converging, and the next book *should* be pretty good. Still, I would have liked a bit more payoff at the end.
Regardless, this is an interesting book about hacking techniques (complete with code) all wrapped up in an action/adventure plot. I'll be interested to see how they merge the story and carry it on in the next installment...
Entertaining way to learn.......2007-04-05
This book was excellent for someone interested in technology but has a hard time reading dull technical books. I have been interested in digital security for a while, but until recently hadn't played around with SQL injections. I was interested in learning more about them and pleased to see that this book offered an excellent primer on SQL injections in the form of a story, which held my interest. In addition there was a cool primer on RFID hacking which I really enjoyed. The supporting story was intriguing and kept me reading to find out what happened next.
There was a cliffhanger ending, and now I'm really looking forward to the next one.
Best One Yet.......2007-03-14
You can definately see the influence of the infamous Johny Long in the writing of this one. The book is incredible i was 150 pgs into it before I could take a bathroom break. :D get it and the rest.
Book Description
Special forces units around the world have played a critical, though often secretive, role since war was declared on global terrorism following the September 11 attacks on the United States.
Now, through compelling narrative and explosive photos, "Shadow Wars" reveals how these units are leading the fight.
From the rugged mountains of Afghanistan to the vast deserts of Iraq, "Shadow Wars" details operations by U.S. Army Green Berets and Delta Force, U.S. Navy SEALs, Air Force and CIA special operations troops, along with Australia's Special Air Service, the British SAS and SBS, Poland's GROM, and Canada's JTF2. Also recounted is the highly-controversial raid by Russia's Alpha Group to rescue hostages held by Chechen terrorists in Moscow in the fall of 2002.
For the first time, "Shadow Wars" brings together more than 80 photos of special forces in action in the war against terrorism, some never before made public.
Author David Pugliese uncovered the inner workings of the Canadian military's Joint Task Force Two, and once again offers a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the world of covert warfare.
Customer Reviews:
Good Read.......2005-10-26
This book is a good read. It does an excellent job of comparing SOFs from several countries, particularly the U.S., Canada, and Australia, including discussing differences in their equipment and operating philosophies. It told me several things about SOF operations in Afghanistan and Iraq that I had not read about elsewhere, and did a better job of describing a couple I knew about than I have read elsewhere.
Concise and timely- Your Situation Report on Special Ops........2004-10-09
David Pugliese gives you the P.D.B. (Presidential Daily Briefing) digest of Special Operations in the recent campaign aginst terror. While the closing chapters are peppered with his political commentary on America's incursion into Iraq, his reporting on operations conducted by the elite forces of the world is a nice, tiddy historical record. The photos are interesting and it is an entertaining read for the history, military and special operations enthusiast. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it- a fine addition to your military library.
Not bad.......2004-06-07
As an overview of foreign forces, not bad. So far, I have yet to read a better written and narrated book than Erick Haney's Delta Force and Warrior Soul by Chuck Pfarrer.
Cool Book on Special Forces JTF2 Delta Force SAS et al.......2004-06-04
Lots of information on SOF units in Iraq and Afghanistan, this book reads well and is jammed with pretty interesting photos. It includes almost 100 images including never before seen photos of Canada's Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2) in Afghanistan (which for me as a Canadian was worth the price of the book). Also included are pics of JTF2 Hummers and mountain operations,descriptions of their operations as well as Navy SEALs, Grom and a large chapter on the Aussie SAS (who come across really well as no-nonsense professionals.) There is also a good blow by blow account of the Moscow raid against Chechen terrorists in 2002. Up to date and worth the price.
Book Description
No American military unit can claim as colorful and volatile a history as the 75th Ranger Regiment. From the French and Indian War of the 18th century when its guiding principles were first written down by Robert Rogers, to the most recent combat operations in Iraq, Rangers have led the way in America's wars for well over 300 years. Today's Army Rangers combine the rugged individualism of American frontiersmen with the finely-honed ability to operate as a close-knit team, wreaking havoc amongst enemy forces wherever they are deployed. This book portrays some of the most fearsome warriors of the most powerful army in the world.
The book has three parts: The Rise of the Rangers - Their origins through Vietnam; America's Small Wars - The modern Rangers in Iran, Grenada, Panama, Iraq and Somalia; The Global War on Terrorism - Afghanistan and Iraq. The post-Vietnam era occupies 75% of the narrative, which contains many dramatic first hand accounts of combat with fascinating supporting detail on doctrine, training, tactics and equipment. Appendices supply further information on regimental lineage, honors and citations, organization and equipment, medals awarded, regimental commanders, NCO roles and Ranger doctrine.
From the Ranger Creed
Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move further, faster and fight harder than any other Soldier.... Never shall I fail my comrades. I will keep myself mentally alert, physically strong and morally straight; I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one hundred percent, and then some more.
From the reminiscences of the first commander of the modern 1st Battalion, 75th Regiment
'The things I remember; it'll be the Gold Medal Infantry of the world; they'll be able to do more with their hands and weapons than any other infantry unit in the world. Wherever they go they'll be recognised for their superior excellence. There will be no hooligans or bums in that organization... There will be a creed that they will develop, live by, train by, and fight by.'
From the Military Book Club
'From the first battles fought by Robert Rogers' Rangers in the mountains and swamps of upstate New York, to fierce battles in the blistering desert towns of Iraq, Shadow Warriors takes you for a 250-year tour with the Army Rangers. And what a tour it is!
...Honor the men who lead the way with this informative illustrated history.'
Customer Reviews:
Poorly written.......2007-09-26
As a former 2/75 Ranger I basically bought the book to find out about more recent missions and activities of the Regiment. I found the book to not be a history as much as a personal opinion of political decisions, the Regiment and the Army. Time and time again he uses his opinion as part of the history and uses "his experience" to speculate what might have happened. I expected a history but that is not what this is. I wish I hadn't of spent the money on this book.
If you are interested in the 75th Ranger Regiment, avoid this book.......2007-05-31
I am a Ranger currently serving in 2nd Batt at Ft. Lewis. This book is very poorly written, and is interjected with the political views of the auther (someone who could have used a ghost-writer). I appreciate Mir's service, but I wasted money on this book on my last deployment, introducing it to the burn pile rather than lugging it back home. It did do well on the fire, so if you want to shell out your money for bonfire fuel, be my guest. If you want accurate and well-written information on my beloved regiment, look elsewhere!
Very let down............2006-05-15
If you wanna learn about ranger history after 1974, there is a lot of basic info in here. If you wanna learn about anything before 1974 - go somewhere else. The history of the ranger up to 1974 is compressed into 100 pages and I found one MAJOR mistake - the author claims that the 2nd ranger bn was not the first unit on top of point du hoc, he claims that the 116th reg of the 29th infantry was there first. He even quotes a section of stephen ambrose's "D-day" to back it up, only he quotes from the chapter about the 5th rangers and the 116th at Omaha. If he made a simple mistake like that one, how do I know that the rest of the book isnt filled them? All in all, I'm glad I got this book as a gift, because it isnt worth the money.....
Poorly Written.......2005-12-29
As someone who will read anything about Rangers I knew I was in trouble a few pages into the book and I didn't think I wanted to finish it. This book seems to be a poorly thrown together collection of anecdotes, unnecessary appendices and the authors own political viewpoints. The anecdotes/oral history content was both the best and worst of the book. The good ones (such as the Ranger Battalion Surgeon) I found to be extremely interesting however, most were expletive laced blog type content that held no historical value for me whatsoever. It's a good looking (and extremely heavy) book but I recommend looking elsewhere.
A hard-hitting history which is a 'must' for any serious military bookshelf.......2005-12-03
Mir Bahmanyar's Shadow Warriors: A History Of The US Army Rangers (184176860X, $29.95) provides a vivid and in-depth history of the US Army Rangers, a colorful military unit which has served as a key part of American warfare for over 300 years. This history of the Rangers begins during the French and Indian War of the 18th century and continues to modern times, describing their experiences and history, actions, and operations both past and in the present war on terrorism. Add black and white and color photos and illustrations throughout and you have a hard-hitting history which is a 'must' for any serious military bookshelf.
Customer Reviews:
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Freud.......2003-03-14
Mercy me, Dr. Bar-Levav; I had no idea we humans were such a contemptible lot! How far we have to go before we can live up the the rigid ideals of your orthodox Freudianism! Seriously, folks, this book might be useful to someone looking for historical perspective on the old, macho psychotherapy that blamed everything on the patient or the patient's Mommy, and did so little good for anyone. Don't recommend it otherwise. If you want some perspective on Dr. Bar-Levav, find a copy of "The Power Tactics of Jesus Christ" by disillusioned psychotherapist Jack Haley - ignore the title essay and read "The Art of Psychotherapy." If you came here looking for self-help, you'll find more relief in "Taming Your Gremlin" by Richard D. Carson - much shorter, much simpler, much more practical, and MUCH, MUCH less judgemental. ...
Human Motivation Writ Small , Writ Large.......2000-07-18
Dr. Reuven Bar-Levav was , in addition to being the most distinguished , dedicated and accomplished healer in the history of medical psychiatry , a leading theoretician of human motivation and the effects of human motivation on the character and disposition of societies. Thinking in the Shadow of Feelings , Dr. Bar-Levav's first book , is an astounding heuristic accomplishment linking the implications of the seven basic human emotions on a grand scale to a unified theory of human behavior ; a theory encompassing the broader constructs and effects of human political and social organization throughout modern history. It stands as capstone to Dr. Bar-Levav's legacy , a coda to what a difference one man made in the lives of countless individuals in the course of his profesional practice.
Fear - Anger-Hurt-Hate-Happiness-Sadness-Love the prime matter of human motivation are the building blocks of Dr. Bar-Levav's thesis. These basic components of human motivation are offset starkly against the human capacity to reason as a touchstone in the analysis of man's historic struggle for self possession and attainable satisfaction and fulfillment.
Thus it is that Dr. Bar-Levav takes us along the path of tension between the elements of human emotion and the human capacity for reasoning ; a sometimes harrowing , sometimes poignant , always riveting journey which perforce entreats the reader to examine the state of his/her own mental capacities and functioning abilities ( and the critical limitations thereof ) in ways which are , at once , eye-opening and life expanding. And in ways which relate the same tension and what dilemmas are posed with it to the disposition of social and political forces both at large and within history.
Dr. Bar-Levav was an extraordinary individual who graced - and in some cases literally saved - the lives of many good people who were entrusted to his care. His work lives on as a condign expression of that legacy in all its richness and texture.
Unusual. Dense. Ahead of its time........1999-06-06
This book is one that must be read slowly and thought about each step of the way. It is not difficult. A sensitive 6th grader can understand it. But an intellectualizing Ph.D may be too thick-headed to see the personal and societal implications of this work. It is a completely different understanding of what motivates humankind. Its range of application is from emotional illness to societal disputes. I cannot believe that this book is out of print, except that it is ahead of its time.
Book Description
Published fifty years after America's first clash with communism, this highly readable book presents the most authoritative and comprehensive recounting to date of the secret UN war fought deep behind communist lines. Making extensive use of documents declassified from Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency archives exclusively for this book, as well as interviews with veterans of the savage air-land-sea campaign in North Korea and Manchuria, Michael Haas takes the reader into a world still unknown to most historians. It is a disturbing account by any standard, replete with tragedy, heroism, and scandal. Equally disturbing are the author's revelations of the bitter bureaucratic feuding that occurred between senior U.S. Army officers and CIA station chiefs in Japan, feuding that squandered the sacrifices made by Korean partisans and their American advisers as well as British commandos, U.S. Navy frogmen, and CIA field operatives.
Crisply written, prodigiously researched, and unrivaled in scope, this work will fascinate readers with its detailed descriptions of classified operations never before made known to the public. As a veteran special operations officer and respected author, Haas is uniquely qualified to analyze the subject and its importance to the development of the modern-day U.S. Special Operations Command. His book is certain to be regarded as the best-documented and most realistic account yet published of UN efforts behind enemy lines.
Customer Reviews:
Informative and Well Written Account of Little Known Aspect.......2003-10-04
of the Korean War. As Mr. Haas notes in his review of his book, the book deals with the operations of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and CIA. Mr. Haas has done his research and, just as importantly, provided us with a well written book on a subject that has only recently been written about extensively. Along with Dark Moon and White Tigers, this book is a must for Korean War and Korean history fans as wells as those interested in special ops. Highly recommended.
I met the author Col (ret) Michael Haas.......2000-08-02
Had an opportunity to listen to a briefing from Col Haas just yesterday. All I can say is he was absolutely fascinating. I have not had the pleasure of reading In the Devil's Shadow, but I am reading another book by Col Haas titled, Apollo's Warriors, a history of Air Force Special Operations during the Cold War. Col Haas is the real deal and loves writing about his special operations brothers. If the Devil's Shadow is a reflection of the author or his other works, then I would recommend it fully.
Information long hidden.......2000-04-15
This work is a must for those interested in Military History, especially the history of American Special Operations or in the Korean War. Col. Haas has written an easy to read, exceedinly well researched, well documented book which details the success and failure of special and partisan operations during the Korean War including those of the Central Intelligence Agency. The list of CIA documents alone, which Col. Haas obtained against all odds, makes this book worth obtaining. Without a doubt, it is the best book on Korean War special operations ever published.
Book Description
Nicknamed "the truck killer," the AC-119K gunship and its counterpart, the AC-119G, were developed in the late 1960s in response to the needs of the U.S. military in Vietnam. This important book examines the evolution of these aircraft and their role within Vietnam, military policy, and geopolitical realities.
Drawing on unpublished studies and a host of primary materials, William Head discusses the events that led to the birth of the AC-119, the planning and modification processes that followed, and its operational history. The G model, or "Shadow," focused on air support and anti-personnel missions. "Stinger," the K model, which could carry more cargo for longer distances, was suited for destruction of enemy vehicles.
Though the AC-119 was only an interim asset, its descendants--the AC-130E, H, and U--have played an active role in the recent conflict in Iraq.
A narrative of the crews and pilots who executed the missions and the engineers, designers, and the politicians responsible for the aircraft, Shadow and Stinger will be of interest to Vietnam veterans, historians, and scholars, as well as aviation enthusiasts.
Customer Reviews:
To The People Who Walk In Beauty!!!.......2006-07-13
When the geeky bilagaana woman Reagan Wilson winds up on a Navajo Reservation in search of her father who has mysteriously disappeared, she has no idea what awaits her. A sudden attack of killer bees leads to her rescue by FBI Agent Kody Long a member of the brotherhood. Kody knows the attack was personal and caused by the evil doers but he senses this woman is holding back information and her presence could bring trouble to the dine. Something about her father's disappearance just doesn't add up. Is it possible he has sold out his country? As Kody helps this damsel in distress search for the missing commander they are forced to face many threatening challenges by ever changing evil presences that seek to take control over the reservation. Pain and death are inflicted upon The People and it is the brotherhoods duty to protect their clan. But the evil ones need the woman genius and when they use their mind control techniques to secretly turn the heat up between Kody and Reagan will they be strong enough to beat the heat and resist the passion? Or does Kody give in to his inexplicable lust and desire, jeopardizing his promise to his navajo brothers putting all in further danger? Can Kody find the inner strength needed to overcome his past before losing Reagan? Or will his bad actions once again lead to devastating consequences?And even if he does somehow manage to pull through he couldn't expect Reagan to put her life aside to take up residence with him on the reservation. Find out if this misfit but well paired duo survive the many faces of evil or if the wolf and snake target their weaknesses till death do they part. The wise knowledge and lifetime principles of the Navajo as well as their ancient traditions and religiousness create a well rounded balance of emotions that add the perfect touch to this riveting story!
Amazon.com
Shadow Warriors is the third of Tom Clancy's commander books, and this time around Clancy teams up with General Carl Stiner, retired, to recount the recent history of U.S. Special Forces. Clancy notes that while Special Forces played important roles in World War II and Vietnam, the U.S. military has always been uncomfortable with "elites" and their unconventional methods and thus tended to view them primarily as a "sideshow." However, in 1980 when 53 Americans became hostages in Tehran, it became painfully clear that the conventional military tactics of the day, aimed at countering the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe, simply could not deal with this new kind of threat. Most of the book revolves around Stiner's military career: its beginning in the late '50s, his tour in Vietnam as a Green Beret, various assignments in the Middle East, and his final stint as commander of SOCOM (U.S. Special Operations Command). Particularly interesting are Stiner's firsthand accounts of the Achille Lauro hostage rescue, the invasion of Panama, and operations in Desert Storm. Clancy fills in and adds context to Stiner's career and to the Special Forces themselves, including short stories of the Jedburgh teams in World War II and the formation of the Green Berets in the early '60s. Though at times disjointed, the result is a fascinating and timely glimpse into the evolution of U.S. Special Forces. --Harry C. Edwards
Book Description
The war in Afghanistan has given the public an unprecedented look at what America's special forces can do--their extraordinary skill and stamina and the sacrifices they are willing to make. Now, Tom Clancy and Carl Stiner--the second commander of SOCOM, the U.S. Special Operations Command--take readers deep inside the history, training, resourcefulness, and creativity of the Special Forces soldier.
These are first-hand accounts of soldiers fighting outside the lines: counterterrorism, raids, hostage rescues, reconnaissance, counter-insurgency, and psychological operations-from Vietnam and Laos to Lebanon, from Panama to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq, to the new wars of today...
Customer Reviews:
Boring!.......2005-12-18
I labored through about half of this book, anticipating that it would begin to relate in some way to its title. The first part about the origin of SF was interesting. But it went downhill once it commenced with the biography of a former Green Beret without any special ops combat experience, and with only a very short time spent in that community. Stiner's command experience in the spec-ops world seems overstated in this book. None of the other numerous historical books I've read on spec-ops - many by the operators themselves - ever mention Stiner. Clancy seems to know what a good story is, but somehow completely missed it on this one.
This book is a joke!.......2005-09-01
The book is boring. Stiner is a joke. Clancy is a joke. Clancy has no military background so why is it that he writes so much about the military? Get a life Clancy. We don't want to read boring stories about pencil pushers like Stiner.
insight of new troop.......2005-06-29
Why this book? You can understand why they are called special forces not only commando.
Not Tom's best.......2005-02-07
Some of the events mentioned in the book were not detailed enough for the reader to reach to the same conclusions that the author did. Maybe because I know these events and I some what disagree with him. But I can't talk on behalf of the people that are not aware of these events.
I would like to stress that I did not rate 3 stars because I disagree with the author, a lot of other topics I think that he was spot on and could not agree more with him. The reason I gave him 3 because The author lost my attention in the middle of the book and because it is not TOM's best work.
Make believe to the max.......2004-10-24
Another fictional tale by Clancy passed off as the truth. Those who know the truth behind the Special Forces and Stiner are laughing their heads off. Well, after they wake up from reading this boring fabrication. It's a boring waste of time and money. Whats next for Clancy? Is he going to write a bio about the "Men in Black" and try to get the readers to believe that crap too? Maybe Stiner should try to write his own book without riding on Clancy's name. He could call it "How a four star general survives in the military without any leadership skills." Now thats a book we could all believe.
Book Description
Written by the first American ninjutsu teacher, this book covers the history of ninjutsu, philosophy, fighting, the mind as a tool of the spirit, active meditation, extended realities and the art of understanding. Fully illustrated techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions. New four-color cover.
Customer Reviews:
First Rate.......2006-04-24
I really enjoyed this book! The depth of knowledge that Stephen Hayes teaches in this whole series is amazing, I recommed all of this series to anyone whishing to see the "whole picture" that this ancient warrior art teaches...Oh by the way to the reviewer calling Mr. Hayes a liar etc...going to most of Mr. Hayes books and saying some of the same things makes you look jealous not scholar like in your reviews. Just a thought
Memories of Youth.......2005-11-10
I never could understand those people so insistant that you can't learn martial arts from books ... perhaps, you can't master martial arts from books is more accurate. I remember using this book and a couple of other ninja books from his master as a foundation of my progressive martial arts training in my late teens.
Personally, who cares if he is or is not the first American ninja, or that he is not practicing tooth-and-nail to the tee authentic traditional ninjitsu. Actually, most martial arts have grown to a point were they are no longer traditional to merge with the times. So if you are one of those cry-baby traditionalists then take your ball, and go to the house this book is probably not for you. People grow, or they are suppost to at least.
Ninja: Spirit of the Shadow Warrior is a excellent read, and I give it the thumbs up.
The first book from the man that revived ninjitsu.......2004-08-17
From the table of contents:
1. Historical perspectives
2. Building blocks of the universe
3. Fighting
4. The Sixth Center
5. Active Meditation
6. Extended realities
7. The art of understanding
Written by the first American ninjutsu teacher, this book covers the history of ninjutsu, philosophy, fighting, the mind as a tool of the spirit, active meditation, extended realities and the art of understanding. Fully illustrated techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions.
Um.........2003-09-24
This book is mostly filled with bad atempts at trying to teach taijutsu, something you shouldn't learning from a book in the first place. Stephen K. Hayes is a liar and wrote these books when he did not fully understand Ninpo. He uses an innaccurate straight blade square guard sword, is innaccurate in his use of the elements, and he is also innaccurate on his history of ninjutsu evolving from buddhist monks who were supressed for practicing their religion. Stephen hayes also lied about being the first westerner to ever train in ninjutsu (Quinten Chambers or Doron Navon anybody??). I wouldn't buy this book if I were you. The rest of the series is just as horrible. Go purchase some books from Soke Hatsumi. It's best to get things staright from the source.
An unusually thoughtful work........2003-03-19
Stephen K. Hayes's SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is an unusual sort of book. First published in 1980, Hayes's volume has undergone twenty-six printings(!) as of 2001, but still retains the feel of a very specific era in American culture: the Ninja Era. During the Ninja Era, which endured through a large chunk of the 1980s, the national obsession with everything ninja knew practically no bounds. There were ninja movies, ninja games, ninja in comics, ninja weapons and, of course, ninja books. SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is the first of five "how to" volumes by Hayes that exploded onto the eager stage of the Ninja Era.
SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is unusual in that it's not a book specifically about anything. A quick flip-through reveals the step-by-step photo panels of combat that typify many books on martial arts, but that's only part of the total package. Other chapters in the book include history, philosophical discussion, meditation techniques, and even a series of exercises meant to expand an individual's awareness of what can only be described as ESP. This is a lot of ground to cover, perhaps too much. Weighing in at a slender 143 pages, Hayes's ninja volume scarcely has time to dwell on anything in depth, giving a reader the sense of rapid skimming even during a careful read. While this keeps a reader from growing bored (there's hardly time), it also leaves a vague sense of dissatisfaction when the last page has turned. There doesn't seem to be enough meat on this bone.
This is not to suggest that SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is not worth a read. Author Hayes is, according to his bio, the first non-Japanese to be awarded the highest honor in the "Togakure Ryu ninjutsu tradition." He parlayed this achievement into a number of books beyond this series and enjoyed some measure of popularity during the Ninja Era, but faded into relative obscurity shortly thereafter. His writing style in SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR is quiet and deeply metaphorical. Bits of his poetry appear scattered throughout the book's pages. For those expecting a muscular, testosterone-heavy exploration of action-movie ninja, Hayes's book will be a genuine surprise. Even those with no interest in shuriken-tossing, sword-swinging ninja can find lots of useful material in the philosophy and meditation chapters, the ones that veer so far away from the stereotypical ninja material of the Ninja Era as to be almost unrecognizable.
The text isn't the only thing that sometimes seems out of place. Hayes appears throughout the book in black-and-white photographs, a bearded guru in black garments. Like his soft-toned, almost contemplative writing style, he seems too darned nice to be mixing it up with edged weapons, or creeping around on rooftops on assassination missions. But it's this peculiarity in the book that eventually makes it worthwhile. While SPIRIT OF THE SHADOW WARRIOR would not even exist were it not for the Ninja Era, its refusal to fit neatly into the mold of popular culture lends Hayes's writing relevance it might not otherwise have had.
Book Description
Special Operations Forces (SOF) have never been an integral element of Canada's military capability. Although units have existed periodically throughout the country's history, they have always been in the shadows. However, the terrorist attack in the United States on September 11, 2001, changed that. In the aftermath of 9/11, SOF became the force of choice. Casting Light on the Shadows consists of a series of essays on SOF-related issues written by individuals with specialized knowledge and expertise in the field. As well as providing a solid foundation for SOF theory, historical background, and evolution, the book also highlights ongoing developments in SOF.
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