Battlefield 3: The Russian. by Peter Grimsdale, Andy McNab

by Andy McNab

Spetsnaz was once a name to strike fear into the hearts of Mother Russia's enemies. But what was there left to fight now the country had gone to the dogs? Dima Mayakovsky - once a revered figure inside the elite Special Forces unit - wanted no part of it any more. But when a dangerous fugitive surfaces in Tehran, Dima is the man Kremlin wants to bring him in. The target has something Dima's political masters want back. And they have made sure that they do not have to take no for an answer. There is no option: the ex-Spetsnaz legend must lead his hand-picked team of highly-trained, battle-hardened operatives into explosive combat. But that wasn't the sort of thing you could hide from the US recce satellites that circled the skies above. That meant Dima and his men became Marine Sergeant Henry Blackburn's problem. Sent across the border into Iran to search for a missing patrol, Black's men weren't looking for trouble, but they found it. In spades. And as Iran descends into chaos, Dima and Black are forced to question everything they believed in, and to fight to survive, for their comrades, their honour and the lives of millions. They're on their own. And the clocks are ticking ...Bringing his trademark authenticity and insight to BATTLEFIELD 3: THE RUSSIAN is SAS hero and bestselling author Andy McNab at the top of his game, delivering pulse-pounding entertainment and awe-inspiring, widescreen action.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Military Fiction, Games, War, Novels, Action

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Andy McNab joined the infantry in 1976 as a boy soldier. In 1984 he was badged as a member of 22 SAS Regiment. He served in B Squadron 22 SAS for ten years and worked on both covert and overt special operations worldwide, including anti-terrorist and anti-drug operations in the Middle and Far East, South and Central America and Northern Ireland.

Trained as a specialist in counter terrorism, prime target elimination, demolitions, weapons and tactics, covert surveillance and information gathering in hostile environments, and VIP protection, McNab worked on cooperative operations with police forces, prison services, anti-drug forces and western backed guerrilla movements as well as on conventional special operations. In Northern Ireland he spent two years working as an undercover operator with 14th Intelligence Group, going on to become an instructor.

McNab also worked as an instructor on the SAS selection and training team and instructed foreign special forces in counter terrorism, hostage rescue and survival training.

Andy McNab has written about his experiences in the SAS in two bestselling books, Bravo Two Zero (1993) and Immediate Action (1995). Bravo Two Zero is the highest selling war book of all time and has sold over 1.7 million copies in the UK. To date it has been published in 17 countries and translated into 16 languages. The CD spoken word version of Bravo Two Zero, narrated by McNab, sold over 60,000 copies and earned a silver disc. The BBC's film of Bravo Two Zero, starring Sean Bean, was shown on primetime BBC 1 television in 1999 and released on DVD in 2000.

Immediate Action, McNab's autobiography, spent 18 weeks at the top of the bestseller lists following the lifting on an ex-parte injunction granted to the Ministry of Defence in September 1995. To date, Immediate Action has now sold over 1.4 million copies in the UK.

McNab is the author of seven fast action thrillers, highly acclaimed for their authenticity and all Sunday Times bestsellers. Published in 1997, Remote Control was hailed as the most authentic thriller ever written and has sold over half a million copies in the UK. McNab's subsequent thrillers, Crisis Four, Firewall, Last Light , Liberation Day , Dark Winter , Deep Black and Aggressor have all gone on to sell equally well. The central character in all the books is Nick Stone, a tough ex-SAS operative working as a 'K' on deniable operations for British Intelligence.

McNab's fiction draws extensively on his experiences and knowledge of Special Forces soldiering. He has been officially registered by Neilsen Bookscan as the bestselling British thriller writer of the last year.

Reviews

[Maristela Rezende · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for those who like espionage, war and lots of action. I read the book in a day and a half, because I love reading this kind of literature. I do not know the game, but should be very good, if we base the book.
Dima is a Russian soldier who does not always work that may appear. Already a veteran and is always solving the issues, not the conventional side, but its way. Resolve to get away, but the bosses want to get rid of him and put him behind a negotiator for nuclear weapons. Actually, he did not want to die and get nothing when trying to complete the task.
Blackburn is a fusileiro American who is on assignment in Iran and that twist of fate faced with Mila and ends up saving the life of another and exchange information. Unfortunately, the superiors do not accept it and they both end up being hunted. Blackburn vai Mila is arrested and accused of terrorism. The rest, just reading to learn the outcome.

[Stephen Marco · Rating 4 out of 5]

One look at this book and I knew I must have it. It really looks badass because of the cover. And also if you didn't know, this is a famous game a few years back. Honestly, I haven't played the game before. All I know is this is one heck of a game, so why not try the book. If the story line is not that good, I'll still have a pretty good looking book in my shelf.
For a book that has a lot of action scenes and guns blazing, it is really relaxing to read, or maybe its just me. The book is about Dima, a Russian ex-Spetsnaz trying to stop a man from using portable nuclear bombs to blow up major cities around the world. The said man is a former student of Dima, an intimidating one that he thinks is better than him.
All in all, this is a good book. A very quick read, even though I am not fond od soldier books ar movies.
Recommending it to other old gamers like me, but ranked second compared to Call of Duty : Modern Warfare.

Favorite Line:
You are always you, no matter who or what they try to make you be.

[Erin Pallott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something strange has happened... Me and my Grandad now have an author in common. I have long been aware of Andy McNab's work but I haven't been inspired to start reading any of his books... Until now of course.

I picked this up firstly because it's a novel based on a videogame that I enjoyed and secondly because I recognised the author. I haven't played the actual game in quite a few months, but after reading the book I can remember the story quite clearly.

The very first and most important point I wish to make is that I ENJOYED THE BOOK MORE THAN THE GAME! Andy McNab injected so much more emotion into the story than the game ever could (not that I'm dissing the game as I thought it was excellent). Through the book I was able to clearly understand the character's thoughts and feelings which is of course necessary for a reader to be hooked into a story and want to follow the character's emotions.

I really enjoyed reading about the two sides that are aiming for the same thing. In the game we focus more of Sergeant Blackburn's story but in the book we looked more at Dima Mayakovsky's side of things. My favourite thing is definately when their paths entwine.

This novel has so many qualities. It's gripping: I continued reading without any questions. It's emotional: I felt for the characters and at times I was touched.

This book could possibly be enjoyed by any fans of authors like Andy McNab and not just people who have played Battlefield 3. I might now consider raiding my grandfather's bookshelf because if this an advert for McNab's other books then I might just have to pick them up. It would be great to have a real conversational topic to share with my grandad.

[Jason Hoffmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether you are a history buff or a hard core gamer this book is the one for you! Battlefield 3 by Andy McNab is based off of the popular game battlefield 3. The story follows the campaign of the game so great it is like the book is just feeding you more background knowledge to the game. Whether or not you have played the game, you will find yourself in chapter one already in action! The real world events fit into this book so well you will feel like this is a true story. Although the book is only written in one perspective, whereas the game it is in two, you don't feel robbed of that second angle. Andy does a real great job tell the whole story through the eye of the ex-Spetsnaz soldier. This book can stand as a story of its own. The game is for the player’s amusement. Without that pressure to make an action backed, heart pounding game, the book can really focus on the story itself. Some parts of the book do seem a little rushed and hazy. This is because it is hard to write a book when certain scenes give you very limited information. He has to build on it with as little information as possible. Because of this, it is really amazing to see how the book progresses. I really recommend playing the game and reading it. The book comes to life, and i believe that is what Andy McNab was trying to do. The story is great. With or without the game the book will take you on a great adventure!

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Battlefield 3: The Russian is about a man named Dima Mayakovsky who teams up with U.S. Marine Sergeant Blackburn to stop and take out a highly ranked fugitive. The Kremlin wants Dima to bring this man in at all cost and they wont let him fail. As Blackburn and his men go into Iran they are going into extreme chaos!
Over all this book is great, If you play the video game Battlefield 3 you'll love this book. Its similar to the campaign but it has a twist. If you havent played the game, but your a thrill seeker and a action lover then this book is a great pick. This book does have its slow parts but it does pick up after a while. So if your thinking about this book go ahead I highly recommend it.

[Chris Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOLIER ALERT IF READING


I have not played the game but I did recognise the cover as video game related. I thought this book was very good but ultimately let down at the end with what seemed like a rushed finale into the final 2 pages. I also felt there was too many characters which made it at times confusing, so much so that I didn't realise until flicking through the book after finishing it that Soloman was with Dima in the opening episode. Story was intersting and they built Soloman up to be a right bad ass who decapitated people, was smart and even when approached by Dima at the end had crushing strength yet the finale you get a few lines on how he was chased in the subway and eliminated. such an anti climax I thought to what had been a very enjoable read.

[Oscar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Battlefield 3 :The Russian is based on the game Battlefield 3. The basic story line follows 2 different people. The first being the American Special Operations team. The second being the Russian "criminals" that hold the WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
I think this book is really good because its for a start written by Andy McNab who has a big military background so he knows what hes talking about for a start. The second reason is since he has this military backing he can describe what it feels like since he has been in that situation.

[HARRY Cullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iraq, Iran, Russia, Paris, New York: the chase to thwart the detonation of 3 suitcases nukes.
A rogue Marine working with a rogue Russian agent, who can be trusted.

[Sean M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've played plenty of Battlefield in my time certainly. I couldn't tell you how many hours I've spent playing Battlefield 2: Modern Combat on the PS2 (somewhere in the ballpark of 950+ hours! Seriously!) and I never once considered the idea of a books based on the games. I mean, the action plays out straightforward enough in the game, what need is there for a novelization of it, right? Let's find out in this review if that's still the case, or if this book does a great job standing on it's own merits instead.

The Russian was very fun to read first and foremost. I had a great time reading through most of the book. Most of the story unfolded very quickly and there was always some sort of page turning action going on at every turn that made you want to keep up with the breakneck pace the book sets at times. It was an entertaining ride for sure and I think for the most part it did a great job of providing fun for me.

The locations in the novel were pretty standard for this genre I believe. The Middle East was the main showcase for most of the book. I wasn't a huge fan of it to be honest, but I don't know how else the author could have made it pop, so I wouldn't say it's a huge detractor. Later on you get a change of scenery and travel to Paris and New York. More fairly standard settings that don't really stand on their own.

The action was great. Lots of beat downs, gun fights, and explosions kept the action dial turned up to the max throughout the book which I was very pleased with. There was always something happening during the book. One minute a character is assaulting an enemy compound, the next they are attacking a secret WWII bunker hidden in the side of the mountain. Very fun moments to be sure and I think they were all pretty cool. I never thought the set pieces were dull at any point and in fact I believe they were well done throughout the entire adventure.

My biggest problem with this book is that it's divided between 2 different perspectives. One, Sgt.Blackburn is the tale of an American soldier fighting to keep his unit and his sanity alive. During the beginning of the book I was never looking forward to his parts because they were so dryly written. Maybe it was the nature of his character, but, I never found myself engrossed in his world. During the back end of the story, Blackburn becomes a bit more interesting but I don't know that I ever truly cared about him. If you didn't include any of his story, the book would have been better.

The other character is Dima Mayakovsky. He is the star of this novel and boy does he take that role very seriously. An ex-Spetsnaz badass who doesn't take shit from anyone and is very serious in dishing out his brand of justice. I was so fascinated by Dima throughout the entire book because he was always evolving. Sure he was a hardass and sometimes very volatile, but he did it with a certain flair that made you appreciate his history as a Spetsnaz. He used his brawn and his brain to tackle the sometimes insurmountable (LIKE STOPPING NUKES!) challenges thrown at him and I was glued to the pages. Every moment was either high-octane and energizing or cool and calculated but Dima always did it with a style I seriously appreciated. I'd love to see more of him as a future standalone character.

What this book did was give me a preview of what to expect when I get around to playing the game at some point in the near future because I still have some of the action sequences floating around in my head. I think if you're into action, or military style action movies this is definitely something you'd want to check out. If you're a fan of Battlefield 3, this will be a great complement to the game.

[Chris The Lizard from Planet X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Battlefield 3: The Russian is Military Thiller novel by Author Andy McNab based off EA’s 2011 Battlefield game. The story follows the main two characters U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Henry ‘Black’ Blackburn and a Russian GRU operative Dimitri “Dima” Mayakovsky.

The book starts with the two characters – ordered by their respective bosses to find and locate stolen Russian nuclear devices which are being transported to foreign locations by an hostile militia called the PLR. The reason why the PLR are hostile is not very clear as no explanation is offered in both the book and the game. Both Black and Dima initially have their own separate experiences and agendas to locating the nuclear devices with the story regularly changing between the two, sometimes as short as one or two pages, as the story evolves and intertwines.

Side-by-side, The Russian and Battlefield 3 the game share the same plot, but they do have some differences and it is here where the book shows its strengths over the game. The book details the events that both characters and their comrades experience. You also learn about each characters history in more detail, in particular Dima who I felt was almost unknown in the game. The game offered little about the characters history and also often changed the events which I would guess was to keep the games cut scenes short and it lacked because of it. I read the book before playing the game and the book gave the best overall story which was expected.

I found the weakness of the book lies in the description of the action scenes. They felt a little short and did not go in to extensive detail when compared with the rest of the story which builds up and sometimes falls flat when the action starts. The story was also occasionally confusing due to the book often changing between the characters, it made it hard to keep up with the timeline of events. The story seemed to end abruptly and I felt that an extra chapter or two describing the final events would have better completed the story.

Having played the campaign and read the book I would recommend reading The Russian if you felt the game was rushed and did not provide enough story. Do be prepared for some changes to the story if you read the book after playing the game, but they are all for the better.

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I put off reading Battlefield 3: The Russian for years. I thought there was no way a novelization of a Battlefield game could be any good. But I was wrong.

It's been a long time since I played through the story of Battlefield 3, but I fondly remember it as one of the very best of the series. I don't think it was some mind-blowing, norm-breaking tale that people will talk about for generations, but it was a well-made modern military thriller that I found more entertaining than some of the other recent Battlefields or Call of Dutys. As the name of the novel suggests, The Russian focuses on one of the two primary protagonists, Russian agent Dima Mayakovsky, with occasional time spent on U.S. Marine Henry Blackburn to help tie the story together and remind players of where they spent more time in the game.

I've read a lot of bad game novelizations, and in those stories it's like you're reading a play-by-play someone wrote while they were watching a video walkthrough. The Russian is nothing like that -- it stands almost completely on its own as an entertaining story that has enough dialogue and calm scenes to balance out the non-stop action that players experienced in the game.

There are really only two outstanding flaws, and they didn't ruin the story by any means for me. First, there are so many secondary characters as squadmates of Blackburn and Dima that it's hard to keep track of them or give them all their moments to shine. The story would probably have been better told by rolling some of these characters together. Second, the ending resolves Dima's story but only briefly alludes to the events of the game where Blackburn actually stops the main bad guy. Honestly not a big deal since I played the game, but I imagine it would feel like a bit of a cheap move that would hurt enjoyment for people who've only read the book.

While I'm not sure why exactly someone would pick this novel up (I don't think most folks play Battlefield for the story, and there are probably lots of military thrillers out there that would better appeal to people who don't play video games), you might be pleasantly surprised like I was if you give it a shot.

[Noel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was so-so.
This was the first book I have read by Andy McNab and judging by the low quality of this book it will be the last. Instead of reading this below average novel you would be better off playing the computer game instead.

[Ryan Hornish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve played the battlefield franchise since I was a kid but never expected to be reading a book about it. Maybe I’m biased from the memories of the game but the novel was gripping through and through, I couldn’t put it down.

[ALAN MARKHAM · Rating 3 out of 5]

Became boring

It is a while since I read McNab and always liked him. This l found started and continued well enough but as it progressed started to become slightly less appealing and in the end was glad to finish it.

[황별이 · Rating 5 out of 5]

O livro conseguiu ser melhor que o jogo, porque o Dima é um protagonista melhor, mais carismático e fodão.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's solid. A decent read and well written.

[Keith Symes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping story right to almost the end but the last chapter felt like it was incomplete and rushed. Other than that it was thoroughly enjoyable.

[Frlobe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so amazing.

[Jalen the Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The nostalgia of middle school me playing Battlefield and COD while listening to Drake and Jay-Z coursed through my veins while reading this.

[S.B. Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Russian - Battlefield 3 is a book tie in with one of the hottest gaming properties on the market. As befits the kind of money thrown behind the multimedia & merchandising campaign that such a release requires, publishers Swordfish have gone with a high calibre author as the front runner on the book.

There are precious few authors that can bring the sort of credibility to military adventure stories that McNab does and he’s backed up by Peter Grimsdale an award winning television producer who’s turned his hand to writing.

So how does this one fly?

I haven’t played the game so its difficult to tell how restricted by the game narrative this story is.  Even with the gamer demographic aging, video game narratives are really only secondary to gameplay, something that aids immersion.  From other reviews I have read, it appears to stick fairly close.

The Story

In some ways it’s standard modern military adventure.  The mission, though difficult seems pretty straightforward until SNAFU happens. The novel dances around real world conflicts – the majority of the action is set in Iran, but it’s an Iran that is crumbling from within.  The Russians are trying to recapture lost suitcase nukes from a defector who is willing to back Iranian extremists. The Americans perched on the border in Iraq roll in to stabilise the country after an earth quake and a sniff of a nuclear threat.  The Russian hierarchy are portrayed as self serving, the American's as locked in post 9-11 thinking with obstructive and counter productive security.

There’s some originality in the main character being a Russian and a good guy and the secondary character in Marine Sergeant Henry Blackburn being the thinking man’s soldier and a true patriot.

The Verdict

Truthfully, it was entertaining, I found myself rushing to the end to find out what happens.  Ultimately though I wanted to invest myself more in the characters and with it being a tie in to a game there was this thought at the edge of my consciousness that kept me from from becoming too immersed.  It was the knowledge that these characters which I had grown to like were going to be gone after this novel. That they were fluff or padding for the main show (being the game).  Is this fair? I’m not sure.

I also felt that  the ending was a bit clipped.  Our protagonist saves the world but the antagonist gets his comeuppance off screen. I’d recommend it for military fiction lovers and those who don’t want to get caught up in reading a series. The setting and action is plausible and realistic.

This book was provided to me by the publisher at no cost

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Per motivi personali di scarsa concentrazione mi son perso varie volte il filo del discorso nella prima metà del libro. E dire che il videogioco lo reputo super e McNab è uno dei miei preferiti. Si nota il suo stile ironico, preciso, duro e crudo. Molta azione e trama scorrevole fino al gran finale

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As bullets whiz by, walls crumble, and explosions throw you to the ground, the battlefield feels more alive and interactive than ever before. In Battlefield 3, players step into the role of the elite U.S. Marines where they will experience heart-pounding missions across diverse locations including Paris, Tehran and New York ... Since 2002, EA's series of Battlefield games have set the standard for realism and ambition. And in Autumn 2011, with the global release of the hotly anticipated Battlefield 3, they're raising the bar even higher. Battlefield 3 will the most authentic, vivid, all-action first person shooter ever. To be published alongside the game, Battlefield 3: The Russian is also best in class - the first time that a games publisher has worked so closely with an internationally bestselling author. Never before has a tie-in book benefitted from this level of collaboration from the creative team behind the game itself. Nor has it been written by a thriller writer with such a strong track record and reputation. Displaying all of McNab's trademark grit, authenticity and insight, Battlefield 3: The Russian is a scorching top-of-the-line military thriller and a heart-stopping race against time Prepare to be blown away ...

[Cody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the dead tree version (because it was cheaper than the e-book, what are you thinking, book publishers?). It wasn't bad. It follows the campaign of the game pretty closely, which I usually don't like but I didn't mind so much this time because I didn't play the campaign (after about an hour I realized I wasn't having fun and would rather be playing multiplayer). There was plenty of action, and I enjoyed the writing for the most part, but the ending seemed majorly rushed and there were several "wtf? really? come on!" moments throughout the book. The major showdown with the villian happens off screen! Still, it was entertaining and fast paced and had lots of guns and explosions. If you like cheesy video game novels (and I certainly do) then you'll probably enjoy this one.

[Michael Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novelization of the Battlefield 3 video game is enjoyable because it tells the other side of the story. The game tells it's story from 2 perspectives. Sergeant Henry Blackburn of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Dmitiri Mayakovsky, and ex-Spetsnaz Russian soldier. The game focuses primarily on Blackburn's story, with a few missions dedicated to Mayakovsky to change things up. This book focuses mainly on Mayakovsky's story, and it's cool to see all the stuff that was going on behind the scenes, and only hinted at in the game. As far as video game adaptations go, it's one of the better ones.

[mookie kong · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is much more satisfying and entertaining than the story that is presented in the game. The book follows the same basic storyline, because as I understand, Andy McNab came up with the premise. But, the book has more character and charm than the game -- the characters can be related to and there is a slight sense of humor that runs throughout the book. I was sorely disappointed by the game's single-player story and was thinking the worse for the book. I am very pleasantly surprised by how much better the book is. The ending for the book is also different than the game and I like the book ending a lot more.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book on a whim because I had enjoyed the videogame. This book was a pleasant surprise. The story was well paced and regarded the joint story between an American marine and an ex Soviet black ops agent. Both men find that the have a common enemy in a terrorist knows as Solomon. Very interesting and kept me going all the way through to the end. Plenty of action, which is just the kind of story I enjoy. I don't know whether Peter Grimsdale or Andy McNabb wrote it 50:50 or not but the only other Andy McNabb book I've read was Bravo Two Zero and this was very different. It is more of a enjoyable quick read, sort of pulp fiction.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undoubtably this us a Great book for any keen Battlefield 3 fan. Andy McNab does a brilliant job at breathing a whole new level of emotion into the often simple and bland game characters by giving them history and a reason for the readers to understand them. With equal amounts of heart racing action and intriguing mystery, this book has to be one of my all time favourites. I recommend to both gamers and anyone who enjoys a good military thriller.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast pace, great action, good story with endearing characters. Not the intelligence of Clancy or Ludlum, but plenty more raw action than the usual McNab/Nick Stone thriller. A gripping novel with an intense, though possibly too short, ending. Highly recommend it and hope for more, similar collaborations.

[Donpedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was my very first McNab book, and i quite enjoyed it. Although i needed some time to get used to McNab's style. The story itself was not the most brilliant i've ever read, but it was good. If only DICE would have used the entire book for the actual story of Battlefield 3, and not a cut, heavily modified version...

[Lee Hardy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally managed to get around to reading this book. Not as good as the Nick Stone books but a good read with a tie in to the video game. You have a USA marine, a Russian special ops & a dangerous fugitive who wants to set of a nuclear device. Lots of action & explosions & government cover ups. Not a bad read all in all.