Osama: The first casualty of war is the truth, the second is your soul

by Chris Ryan

Alternate Cover Edition can be found here

Despatches from the secret world behind the headlines. Former SAS legend Chris Ryan brings you his seventeenth novel, filled with his trademark action, thrills and inside knowledge. Osama Bin Laden is dead.
The President of the United States knows it. The world knows it. And SAS hero Joe Mansfield knows it. He was on the ground in Pakistan when it happened. He saw Seal Team 6 go in, and he saw them extract with their grisly cargo. He was in the right place at the right time.
Or maybe, the wrong place at the wrong time.
Because now, somebody wants Joe dead, and they're willing to do anything to make it happen. His world is violently dismantled. His family is targeted, his reputation destroyed. And as a mysterious and ruthless enemy plans a devastating terror attack on both sides of the Atlantic, Joe knows this: his only chance of survival is to find out what happened in Bin Laden's compound the night the Americans went in.
But an unseen, menacing power has footprints it needs to cover. And it will stop at nothing to prevent him uncovering the sinister truth...

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Military Fiction, Action

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 14, 2012

About the author

Colin Armstrong (b. 1961), usually known by the pen-name Chris Ryan, is a British author, television presenter, security consultant and former Special Air Service sergeant.
After the publication of fellow patrol member Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero in 1993, Ryan published his own account of his experiences during the Bravo Two Zero mission in 1995, entitled The One That Got Away. Since retiring from the British Army Ryan has published several fiction and non-fiction books, including Strike Back, which was subsequently adapted into a television series for Sky 1, and co-created the ITV action series Ultimate Force. He has also presented or appeared in numerous television documentaries connected to the military or law enforcement.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was sent to me as my Articles For the Blind audiobook selection for this month and it probably wouldn't have been a book I'd've picked up myself, to be honest. That being said, I did quite enjoy it.

It was a fast-paced thriller written with a mostly engaging prose style and certainly wasn't short on action. There was plenty of blood and guts (literally) so it's not for the squeamish.

To be honest, I'd be giving this 4 stars if it weren't for two things:

1. The whole Osama Bin Laden conspiracy theory is more than a little ridiculous, and

2. There's some homophobia in here. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against homophobic characters in fiction (particularly if they get their comeuppance) but this was more of a case of a homophobic author, unfortunately. The only two gay characters were both bad guys and, worse than that, they were both pretty stereotypical, too.

My next book: Daredevil vol. 5: Truth/Dare

[Val Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Ryan is the pen name of a former member of the British special forces, turned novelist, Colin Armstrong. He came to public prominence for being the only member of the eight-man SAS mission Bravo Two Zero to escape, during the First Gulf War 1991. Ryan has subsequently written many books covering both fiction and non-fiction. His books include The One That Got Away, One Good Turn, The Kill Zone, Killing for the Company as well as Osama.

I found the book Osama in my local library. i was attracted by the title. It is Ryan’s 17th novel and is filled with action, thrills and inside knowledge. It starts at the time of Osama Bin Laden’s death. So, Osama Bin Laden is dead. The President of the United States knows it. The world knows it. SAS hero Joe Mansfield also knows it. He was there, in Pakistan, when it happened. He saw Seal Team 6 go in, and he saw them extract with their grisly cargo. He was in the right place at the right time: or maybe, the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, it seems, somebody wants Joe dead, and they are willing to do anything to make it happen. His world is violently dismantled. His family is targeted, his reputation destroyed. Then, as a mysterious and ruthless enemy plans a devastating terror attack on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, Joe knows this: his only chance of survival is to find out what happened in Bin Laden’s compound the night the Americans went in. However, an unseen, menacing power has footprints it needs to cover. It will stop at nothing to prevent him uncovering the sinister truth.

Throughout Osama, Ryan gives a good account of the military detail. This draws on his own personal experience, and gives the story greater texture than the majority of books in the genre. Osama has a good plot. Much good thriller fiction is based on a conspiracy theory and the author appears to have taken that to heart.

The novel kicks off on the fateful night outside Islamabad. Joe Mansfield is part of a SAS team whose responsibilities are solely to hold the perimeter while DEVGRU swoops in and blows away their man. A helicopter crashes, as did happen in real life and Mansfield’s partner disobeys orders, break perimeter and see how the SEALS are getting on. The SAS see not one, but two, body bags being transferred and only just make it back to their positions before being detected. However, they mistakenly believe they are in the clear. The CIA officer overseeing the operation spots them with some nifty facial recognition software after reviewing the after action footage and initiates a series of events.

Firstly, Mansfield’s partner is killed when an IED blows him up on a routine mission. This causes Mansfield to have serious mental health issues. He leaves the SAS and is driven to drink. Later, he is nearly run over by a Range Rover and is then ambushed by mysterious men who frame him for the premeditated murder of his wife. Meanwhile, on a housing estate, a group of jihadists, led by a man who wishes to fill the power vacuum in Al Qaeda, is gearing up for a simple, yet devastating terrorist attack. These threads converge in a tangle of betrayal, insanity and soul crushing despair as Mansfield escapes and learns that the men who ruined him may be on the verge of killing thousands.

Although I really did not like any of the characters in this book, The interesting alterations to real life events are clever. Ryan makes a solid conspiracy out of the historical event.The research done by the author was a great highlight of this novel. The book gives us some insights on how modern British law enforcement works from the prisons to how Scotland Yard tracks suspects. The setting is also successful. From the prison Mansfield gets incarcerated in, the broken housing estates where the Jihadists congregate and the rusted, rain swept playground where events come to a climax, the author is able to create a depressing and soul crushing atmosphere, perhaps too well.

This is the first Chris Ryan novel that I have read, but I am sure it will not be the last. Osama is not for the faint of heart. However, if you enjoy thrillers with a real life background, this is a most interesting novel and I recommend it.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

After what I considered a slow start the action really grabs you by the beret and pretty much doesn’t let go till a paramedic sticks the air mask on you.
Violent, harrowing and emotional with tension dripping from the pages.
I like Ryans’ books, I think this is the toughest one yet and I loved it so much I forgive the start.
If you like his style then grab a copy now.

[Nick Brett · Rating 1 out of 5]

During the raid and capture/killing of Osama Bin Laden an SAS team has overwatch. Unfortunately they see something they shouldn’t and almost immediately find themselves targets.
SAS sergeant Joe Mansfield finds himself and his family in danger by the most ruthless of enemies....
An interesting premise turns into a dreadful novel. Mansfield is hard to like throughout the book, making poor or unbelievable decisions. You constantly find yourself mumbling “but why don’t you just.......” but of course he doesn’t. The plot morphs into a mess that lacks logic and utterly fails to draw you in. Possibly the worst of the Ryan books and thoroughly NOT recommended.

[Jim Whitefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never had anything but praise for Chris Ryan's books, both fiction and non-fiction. All I will say about 'Obama' (rather than spoil a single thing) is that Ryan is still at his very best. This is as ever, thoroughly gripping and thrilling from start to finish. It also, as ever, throws you through every emotional turmoil imaginable as you live the story of our SAS hero - Joe Mansfield. In such cases as this all I can say as ever is - just read the book. It is the SAS ride you always hoped for.

[Freya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting book that made me understand the type of genre I am interested in.

[Alun Harries · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really my type of book but I enjoyed it on the whole, the finish was disappointing though.

[Joey Mestrow · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I truly admire the work of Chris Ryan, a real life SAS war hero, that manages to bring forth his wealth of information and life experience to the page, I feel this book was a let down. It felt like a recycled version of his 2011 novel "kill zone". The characters' range of emotion does not carry well and our would be hero masquerades acts of honor and justice over his inner needs of self preservation. Chris Ryan though is not a hack writer. He's still a hero in my eyes and I have faith his next book will be much more thought provoking.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Egész jó kis könyv volt ez, pedig majdnem nem olvastam el (köszi Qqc). Aki szereti a konspirációkat (és ki ne szeretné), annak gyanús volt az Oszama ügy. Biztos elhiszem h csak úgy fejbe lőtték... Ebből szőtt egy jó kis pörgős sztorit a volt SAS katona szerző. Külön jó pont, hogy nagyon jól érzékelteti milyen pzsichológiai nehézségekkel szembesül az aki harctérről próbál visszailleszekdni. Látszik, hogy saját bőrén tapasztalta. A könyv ugyan nem erről szól (mégiscsak egy Ulpius kiadvány), de nem is baj. Nagyon jó kikapcsolódás, és tényleg nehéz letenni.

[Jamie Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this, I don't read a huge amount of Chris Ryan and I'm told it's not one of his better books but it seemed ok to me. The violence is pretty graphic, but it's about terrorism and the SAS so you already knew that.

Some parts felt a bit rushed and pointless, but it's basically a good story. I found the ending interesting but I do like a plausible conspiracy theory. It does feel like there might be a follow up which I would probably read

[Jane Plumridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book that I couldn't put down very easily. Fast moving plot, characters that are well developed and you care about. Really interesting subject matter too, based around America's assault and killing of Bin Laden in Pakistan. Makes for an intriguing plot. A must read for Chris Ryan fans or people who like books of this genre.

[Waltham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it took me just a night to finish that book. Not because there were too few pages, but because it's an amazing page turner.
If you like that style, you have to read it.

[Mikemodelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read in a long time. Plausible plot, realistic detail and a great ending.

[Kris Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it, gripping from start to finish, so easy to become engrossed in

[Bojana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put this book down last night! It is about a fugitive SAS soldier who witnessed something he wasn't supposed to during the mission intended to capture Osama bin Laden.

[Danny Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Another great read from Chris Ryan. A rollercoaster of a ride from start to finish. Recommended read . you won't be disappointed.

[christine scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I like a book that makes it hard to put down this is one. Good one to take on holiday

[Samuel · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Worst Thriller I’ve read in 2013.
Most of the time, I review thrillers which I find excellent and believe others will enjoy. However, I recently picked this up on a holiday in Australia, read it on the flight back home at the start of this year and found it utterly ghastly. It is without doubt, the worse thriller I’ve read in 2013. Anyone who reads this book should only do so as a case study on HOW NOT TO WRITE A GOOD THRILLER. This is because of its horrible characterization, poor execution of plot twists and its generally depressing and soul crushing tone.

“Osama” is the first Chris Ryan book I’ve read. Most of the time, I’ve been reading his former colleague Andy Mcnab’s Nick Stone series which I’ve found to be well researched and have gradually gotten much better over the years. In contrast, “Osama” is destroyed by its cast of vile characters, poorly executed plot that had so much promise wasted, and its attempts at grittiness left me at one point hoping the antagonists would win. Now to the review, what happens if there were a few alterations in the plan to kill Osama Bin Laden…..

The novel kicks off on that faithful night outside Islamabad. We are introduced to the main character Joe Mansfield, part of a SAS team whose responsibilities are solely to hold the perimeter while DEVGRU swoops in and blows away their man. A helicopter crashes, like what happened in real life and for some inexplicable reason, Mansfield’s partner decides to disobey orders, break perimeter and see how the SEALS are faring. They see not one but two body bags being transferred and barely make it back to their positions before a K9 unit detects them. Mistakenly believing they’re in the clear, the CIA officer overseeing the operation spots them with some nifty facial recognition software after reviewing the after action footage. Believing they’ve seen something they should not have, the officer initiates a series of unfortunate events. Firstly, Mansfield’s partner conveniently buys it when an IED blows him away on a routine mission. This causes Mansfield to have serious mental health issues; he leaves the SAS and is driven to drink. One day, he’s nearly run over by a Range Rover and in a convoluted struggle, is ambushed by mysterious men who frame him for the premeditated murder of his wife. Meanwhile, on a housing estate, a group of jihadists led by a man who wishes to fill the power vacuum in Al Qaeda is gearing up for a simple, yet devastating terrorist attack. All these threads converge in a tangle of betrayal, insanity and soul crushing despair as Mansfield escapes and learns that the men who ruined him may be on the verge of killing thousands.

Plot wise, “Osama” is okay. Most good fiction is based on a conspiracy theory and the author appears to have taken it to heart. The interesting alterations to real life events are pretty nifty and the author does make a solid conspiracy out of the historical event. The setting is also mostly successful. From the prison Mansfield gets incarcerated in, the broken housing estates where the Jihadists congregate and the rusted, rain swept playground where events come to a climax, the author is able to create a depressing and soul crushing atmosphere, perhaps too well. The research done by the author was also one of the few highlights to this novel. The book gives us some insights on how modern British law enforcement works from the prisons to how Scotland Yard tracks suspects. It's the research and the settings are the two things which made me give this book one star.

Normally, at this point I would be analyzing the characters which I liked. Not today however. This train-wreck of a military thriller was dragged down four stars by its main characters none who are sympathetic. Take Joe Mansfield for example, a prime case on how to craft a unsympathetic protagonist. At the start of the book, he initially appeared to be level-headed, calling out his idiotic partner on breaking the perimeter during the Bin Laden operation. However, when the book notes that he didn’t take the medics advice to some sleep to keep stable, that was the point where he rapidly degenerated into a sadistic, masochistic jackass. He’s a failure as a husband and father, his wife being a weak, defenseless 2-d cardboard cut-out while his son is an anti-social video gamer, perhaps the only noble character in this train wreck. Did I mention he’s also deranged? Due to the untreated PTSD he suffers, Mansfield does some pretty crazy and implausible things. For example, at one point in the book, he hides a straight edged razor in his mouth in an completely idiotic attempt to conceal it. (Come to think of it now, the author may have created him as a cautionary example of how soldiers who don’t get help for their PTSD may suffer as a result along with the people they hold dear.) The other characters aren’t much better. The CIA officer who ruins Mansfield from the comfort of his office back in Langley Virginia started out quite promising but became into a non-entity at the very end. The author may have tried to channel that anti-American sentiment that John LeCarre currently does but unfortunately like LeCarre, ends up with a mere caricature of an evil CIA spy that is more fit for a 1970’s action film. In contrast, the jihadist while still vile was the only villain with a touch of personality in this book. Devious and one step ahead of everybody, at one point, I was hoping he would kill Mansfield and save me the trouble from reading the final 100 pages (alas it was not to be). Finally, the two women characters are prime examples of that dying tradition in the genre of having weak, idiotic women who need to be defended by men like Mansfield. By the end of “Osama”, they’re also quite dead, something which other reviewers on this site and Amazon have found to be a Chris Ryan trademark. Finally, there were some plot twists which I found rather poorly executed. For starters the escape attempt Mansfield conducts when breaking out of his prison, was hilariously implausible despite the authors best efforts and would require divine intervention if it were to actually work. Secondly, the main threat of the novel which involved bombs in air plane food carts seemed superficially innovative but in the end, lacked originality.

Overall, Chris Ryan’s “Osama” is the worst thriller I’ve read in 2013. The characterization is ghastly, the tone is utterly depressing to an unacceptable degree and the plot twists are so badly executed, they actually can brighten up a reading of this book by causing you to laugh. I may go back to read Chris Ryan’s old books which might be better than this but if this is the state of his current selection of thrillers, I’m never going to read another of his future books. For much better military thrillers to enjoy, there’s Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, Ben Coes, Bob Mayer’s Green Beret series with much more imaginative plot twists, Brad Taylor’s Pike Logan series with some of the best characterization in the genre I’ve seen in a while and finally, Andy Mcnab’s Nick Stone series. Instead of making standalone novels like Mr Ryan, Mcnab has taken a different approach and slowly honed his writing and the character development of Nick Stone to such an extent, he’s a protagonist that’s highly sympathetic and likable. Therefore, only read “Osama” if you wish to learn how not to repeat the mistakes it made in the event you decide to become a thriller writer.
WARNING. NOT RECOMMENDED AT ALL.

[Gordon Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joe Mansfield is among group of SAS soldiers who assist in the killing of Bin Laden by American troops. but something seems wrong ...

Mansfield returns to the UK and is set up for the murder of his partner. After assaults in jail he escapes and his son is kidnapped. He joins with a former girlfriend, a Met detective, to track down the mysterious Mr Ashe who appears to be behind things. Meanwhile a senior CIA officer is playing some sort of game.

The narrative behind Mansfield's story is interesting, and based loosely on the real story. The main story line is the usual lone man, wrongly accused, taking in the establishment. It is well written and fast paced, although a little cliched and ultimately relying on the protagonist leaving vital information lying on view in his safe house.

[Abdullah Samir]

up to now th reading is very engaging . the plot is rich and scenes are bloody and vivid .writing skills are superp although I beleive the hero shall has more depth and colorful details espicially when it is shown he has a bacgrund with his parents .
For me , the prison thing was a bad option . Why to put ht ehero iin the prison if he is not spending no more than 48 hours . The author tried his best to make the prison escape convincing but nevertheless I see he had no success there so it was better to skip this part and keep the hero as a fugitive .
the pace is super super fast but maybe it was better to provide the hero some space for rest so he could recove and the reader also could take a breath . there was even no time for us to comprehent the basis the conspiracy and the motives of the conspitaors .

[Wes F · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Chris Ryan book, I believe. Not bad. I give it a 3-1/2 in my Reading Log. Good action, plot, twists, and story that did a relatively good job, I thought, of mimicking the realities in the world of terrorists & counter-terrorists. Interesting theory on Osama's demise...and maybe not far off the mark. I think the treasure trove recovered at his Abbottabad residence sufficed for clues...Listened to on my iPhone; bought from chirp.com.

[David Telky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Glad I found by accident this author his first book was great and the standard goes up each time
New areas of interest written in a strong gritty style with inside knowledge and hard realistic dialogue
Look forward to reading all by this author who also gives great value for money
Read- you won't be disappointed!!

[andy miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incendiary

An explosive twist , the war on terror culminates in a personal battle for survival. Another cracking thriller from Mr Ryan. Careful how you turn the pages , pain is just around the corner.
Enjoy.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with Ryan's typical gritty and real storyline.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn’t really get going. Not for me.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, highly recommend

[Paul Ingrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great engaging read from start to finish, storyline progression throughout and very cinematic. Definate good page turner read.

[Kelly Hine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gripping plot - couldn’t get enough of it. I’m sad that I’ve burned through all of Ryan’s fiction now…. Onto the non fiction I guess

[Andrea Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fast paced thriller with good plot premise based on facts and incorporating military knowledge to the readers advantage.

[Barrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took this on holiday with me and couldn’t put it down! A twist I thought was coming, turned out not quite what I thought would be which kept it new and exciting. Ends with potential for sequel.