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The Killing School: Inside the World's Deadliest Sniper Program
As a SEAL sniper and combat veteran, Webb was tapped to revamp the U.S. Naval Special Warfare (SEAL) Scout/Sniper School, incorporating the latest advances in technology and ballistics software to create an entirely new course that continues to test the skills and even the best warriors. In this revealing new book, Webb takes readers through every aspect of this training, describing how Spec Ops snipers are taught each dimension of their art. Trainees learn to utilize every edge possible to make their shot--from studying crosswinds, barometric pressure, latitude, and even the rotation of the Earth to becoming ballistic experts. But marksmanship is only one aspect of the training. Each SEAL's endurance, stealth and mental and physical stamina are tested and pushed to the breaking point.
Webb also shows how this training plays out in combat, using real-life exploits of the world's top snipers, including Jason Delgado, who led a Marine platoon in the Battle of Husaybah and made some of the most remarkable kill shots in the Iraq War; Nicholas Irving, the U.S. Army Ranger credited with thirty-three kills in a single three-month tour in Afghanistan; and Rob Furlong, who during Operation Anaconda delivered the then-longest kill shot in history.
During Webb's sniper school tenure, the course graduated some of the deadliest and most skilled snipers of this generation, including Marcus Luttrell (Lone Survivor), Adam Brown (Fearless), and Chris Kyle (American Sniper). From recon and stalk, to complex last minute adjustments, and finally the moment of taking the shot, The Killing School demonstrates how today's sniper is trained to function as an entire military operation rolled into a single individual--an army of one.
Webb also shows how this training plays out in combat, using real-life exploits of the world's top snipers, including Jason Delgado, who led a Marine platoon in the Battle of Husaybah and made some of the most remarkable kill shots in the Iraq War; Nicholas Irving, the U.S. Army Ranger credited with thirty-three kills in a single three-month tour in Afghanistan; and Rob Furlong, who during Operation Anaconda delivered the then-longest kill shot in history.
During Webb's sniper school tenure, the course graduated some of the deadliest and most skilled snipers of this generation, including Marcus Luttrell (Lone Survivor), Adam Brown (Fearless), and Chris Kyle (American Sniper). From recon and stalk, to complex last minute adjustments, and finally the moment of taking the shot, The Killing School demonstrates how today's sniper is trained to function as an entire military operation rolled into a single individual--an army of one.
346 pages, Hardcover
First published May 24, 2016
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1027 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
March 23, 2018
The book is split into two parts. The first part is about sniper programs, both the training and the psychology of the people who train others to kill and those who want to kill. It doesn't offer any insights into this desire to kill, but follows the regular line, patriot, defending country, part of the job. Sebastian Junger's War is far more interesting on motivation.
The second part is about the experiences of four snipers. I could never keep them straight. It was a fault of the writing that the characters were so undifferentiated that when their stories jumped around I had no idea which person was having the experience. Worse, I didn't care either.
Two and a half stars rounded up because it was a competent book not awful but not very good either.
The second part is about the experiences of four snipers. I could never keep them straight. It was a fault of the writing that the characters were so undifferentiated that when their stories jumped around I had no idea which person was having the experience. Worse, I didn't care either.
Two and a half stars rounded up because it was a competent book not awful but not very good either.
July 13, 2017
I have to admit that I went into reading anything from Brandon Webb with some hesitation for personal reasons. However I was extremely interested to see his take on “the world’s deadliest sniper program”.
I will start off with what I feel present as challenges to this book. First and foremost, don’t let the title mislead you. This isn’t 344 pages of a SEAL’s experience in sniper school; its also not 344 pages of Webb’s personal experience with the program, but rather the story of four snipers and stories from their military experiences. It’s not even four SEAL’s – there is an Army Ranger, a Canadian soldier, a Marine and a SEAL who never attended Webb’s course. Of course there is some mentioning of Webb’s involvement in the development of the SEAL’s sniper school, but that’s not what the book is based upon as the title leads you to believe.
Additionally, as the book unfolds each of the men’s stories are told in fragments, jumping from one to the next and then back again. It’s a little challenging to follow and I can certainly see how some would become frustrated trying to follow along. The one part of writing in this style that I did like, is that the author always left you wanting to see what happened next and ended each snippet with a decent cliffhanger.
The last annoying part of the book that I found was the poor editorial process. I am the first to admit that my spelling and grammar is horrendous, but I would hope that the editor would correct that before going to print. If I can find errors in the text, then someone wasn’t doing their job.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read and I often found trouble putting it down. It really takes the time to highlight the four individuals and each of their experiences as a sniper. It also gives you some insight as to what type of individual you have to be to in order to be accepted and succeed in the sniper program and what it take to move from PIG to HOG.
On a personal level the book brought me back some memories, some good, some bad and it made me think a little about the man I am today vs. the man I could have been (but that’s a different story). Also on a personal level I really liked the respect that Webb showed to the other branches of the military. We all know the chip that SEAL’s can carry for having earned their title, but this book didn’t portray the “we’re better than you attitude” that you can sometimes find in a book about SEAL’s, in fact it was the opposite in that there wasn’t any of that at all.
In the end, even though the title is a little misleading, I would certainly recommend reading this book.
I will start off with what I feel present as challenges to this book. First and foremost, don’t let the title mislead you. This isn’t 344 pages of a SEAL’s experience in sniper school; its also not 344 pages of Webb’s personal experience with the program, but rather the story of four snipers and stories from their military experiences. It’s not even four SEAL’s – there is an Army Ranger, a Canadian soldier, a Marine and a SEAL who never attended Webb’s course. Of course there is some mentioning of Webb’s involvement in the development of the SEAL’s sniper school, but that’s not what the book is based upon as the title leads you to believe.
Additionally, as the book unfolds each of the men’s stories are told in fragments, jumping from one to the next and then back again. It’s a little challenging to follow and I can certainly see how some would become frustrated trying to follow along. The one part of writing in this style that I did like, is that the author always left you wanting to see what happened next and ended each snippet with a decent cliffhanger.
The last annoying part of the book that I found was the poor editorial process. I am the first to admit that my spelling and grammar is horrendous, but I would hope that the editor would correct that before going to print. If I can find errors in the text, then someone wasn’t doing their job.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read and I often found trouble putting it down. It really takes the time to highlight the four individuals and each of their experiences as a sniper. It also gives you some insight as to what type of individual you have to be to in order to be accepted and succeed in the sniper program and what it take to move from PIG to HOG.
On a personal level the book brought me back some memories, some good, some bad and it made me think a little about the man I am today vs. the man I could have been (but that’s a different story). Also on a personal level I really liked the respect that Webb showed to the other branches of the military. We all know the chip that SEAL’s can carry for having earned their title, but this book didn’t portray the “we’re better than you attitude” that you can sometimes find in a book about SEAL’s, in fact it was the opposite in that there wasn’t any of that at all.
In the end, even though the title is a little misleading, I would certainly recommend reading this book.
August 12, 2020
Somewhat self-aggrandizing in a way that isn't seen in comparable books...
The publication of this book comes at a time when SEAL/Special Operations books are on the cusp of jumping the shark (the book does state that it took over a year for DoD clearance, so it's not all the author's fault).
There are plenty of captivating stories within that play out in a somewhat predictable fashion and there's not much in the way of new details or information regarding the topic at large (namely foreign conflict, military training, military operations/logistics/tactics, etc).
Would probably be a ~3.5 star book for those who aren't well-read within the genre. Otherwise it's a bit stale, but not too bad.
The publication of this book comes at a time when SEAL/Special Operations books are on the cusp of jumping the shark (the book does state that it took over a year for DoD clearance, so it's not all the author's fault).
There are plenty of captivating stories within that play out in a somewhat predictable fashion and there's not much in the way of new details or information regarding the topic at large (namely foreign conflict, military training, military operations/logistics/tactics, etc).
Would probably be a ~3.5 star book for those who aren't well-read within the genre. Otherwise it's a bit stale, but not too bad.
August 9, 2017
The first half of the book introduced the training and mindset of snipers and the schools that train them, which was the most interesting part of the book. The second half followed the 4 snipers after their training and into combat. This is where the book does get intense telling the stories about the missions. I don't normally read books of this nature and I was very impressed with the writing and the handling of the stories. Worth the read.
June 7, 2017
Excellent read. Brandon Webb has shown us the mindset of the some of the spec-ops sniper. What it takes to be one and survive on the battlefield. This is the second book I have read by this author. Both have been excellent! Damn fine work.
June 30, 2017
Amazing detail... Great read
Loved the book. If you like reading about the military Z this is for you. Only negative is the fact that it jumps from story to story, sometimes making it hard to keep track of all the details.
Loved the book. If you like reading about the military Z this is for you. Only negative is the fact that it jumps from story to story, sometimes making it hard to keep track of all the details.
August 1, 2019
Very in depth, a little dry but pretty solid informative read .
January 16, 2023
Wow, one of the best military, combat books I have read about the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. I even learned some new things about Operation Anaconda I did not know.
I both loved and hated how Brandon would stop the stories of each sniper in mid-battle and leave the reader wanting to know the rest of the story only to begin another adrenaline rush with the next sniper and kept doing it throughout.
I was on a competition rifle team while in the NJROTC in High School and the training of breathe, breathe, breathe, squeeze and I can still picture sighting the target perfectly in the reticle in offhand position and squeezing the trigger for a perfect 10, of course I never had to contend with the wind.
The part about Dirty Diana was hysterical and I have added that song to my favorites list.
I highly recommend this book.
I both loved and hated how Brandon would stop the stories of each sniper in mid-battle and leave the reader wanting to know the rest of the story only to begin another adrenaline rush with the next sniper and kept doing it throughout.
I was on a competition rifle team while in the NJROTC in High School and the training of breathe, breathe, breathe, squeeze and I can still picture sighting the target perfectly in the reticle in offhand position and squeezing the trigger for a perfect 10, of course I never had to contend with the wind.
The part about Dirty Diana was hysterical and I have added that song to my favorites list.
I highly recommend this book.
October 20, 2024
I'd be lying if I said I haven't been training for Armegeddon since the medical tyranny began in 2020. It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to know the parasitical class of self proclaimed elites are making billions off never ending boosters of inefficacious, experimental mRNA spike protein gene editing therapies sourly mislabeled vaccines after pushing depopulation and phony man made climate change hoaxes my entire life. Although in the 70's their fear tactics included overpopulation, another ice age and the swine flu. These same parasites are also funding the invasion force of Highly Incentivized Replacement Migration Hoards in Europe and North America. A few quotes come to mind like, "We will find a cause or something, a pandemic targeting certain people, a real economic crisis, a virus affecting the elderly, it doesn't matter, the weak and fearful will succumb to it. The stupid will believe in it and ask to be treated. The selection of idiots will therefore be done by itself; they will go to the slaughterhouse alone." -Jacques Attali circa 1981. Or how about Aldous Huxley, "In the end they [the people] will lay their freedom at our [the controller's] feet and say to us 'make us your slaves, but feed us." Then there is this classic by Barbara Marx Hubbard, "One-fourth of humanity must be eliminated from the social body. We are in charge of God's selection process for planet Earth. He selects, we destroy. We are the riders of the pale horse, Death." Whether you like it or not, whether you have read the Technocratic dystopian plans of the likes of Klaus Schwab and Zbigniew Brzezinski or not, we are living the prequel to a Brave New World, They Live and 1984. Your denial will only get you a case of myocarditis, turbo cancer or dying suddenly before the Cyborg Wars and Ai Apocalypse even begins. My goal is to last as long as possible, document as much as possible and train both my mind and body for the battles to come. This book inspired me to train harder and practice more on my long rifles. I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention I cried like I did at Old Yeller, Life is Beautiful and the Notebook when I read Ben Kopp died saving those warriors. Really I was crying for all the soldiers I personally know who have died or are dying because they decided against my well researched Pfacts to be Pfascist Pfizer Compliant. Like Jerry Garcia sang, "Though I could not caution all, I still might warn a few."
July 5, 2019
Very interesting book with compelling, readable narrative. It follows the lives of several snipers, a Canadian Army sniper, a US Marine, a US Navy SEAL, a US Army Ranger and, ironically, to a lesser extent, the Navy SEAL who wrote the book. It's a fascinating look into the training and mindset of a sniper and a very human look as well. The highly technical aspects of calibrating the perfect shot were just enough to inform without making non-technical people want to close the book. A great read.
My one criticism would be that when the authors jump to each different sniper's story, they make it clearer in the beginning of each section who we have moved to.
My one criticism would be that when the authors jump to each different sniper's story, they make it clearer in the beginning of each section who we have moved to.
November 27, 2017
This is a great overview of how modern-day snipers are trained and operate from an author that knows his business. The latter half of the book jumps around a bit in switching settings, but it's used to cover multiple subjects.
August 3, 2018
"Snajper ma skomponować, zaaranżować i wykonać utwór o nazwie śmierć."
W Szkole zabójców Brandon Webb chce przybliżyć Czytelnikom nie tylko program szkoleniowy oddziałów SEALs ale i konkretne misje, w których uczestniczyli znani na całym świecie żołnierze uczestniczący w misjach w Iraku i Afganistanie. Doskonałym przykładem jest Chris Kyle, którego historia została opisana, ale i sfilmowana. Bohaterami są także osławieni Nicholas Irving, Jason Delgado oraz Rob Furlong, a także Alex Morrison. Książka zawiera nie tylko fragmenty opisów z ich dzieciństwa i wczesnej młodości, które miały decydujący wpływ na późniejszy los, ale i opisy treningów pełnych krwi, potu i głodówek, które wychowały i zahartowały tak znakomitych żołnierzy.
W niewielu książkach o SEALs, czy snajperach jest możliwość poznania przebiegu treningu i metod działania komandosów, jednak autor nam to zapewnił. Nie wspomniane zostały jednak specyficzne metody i zachowania tych żołnierzy, a książka została w całości zatwierdzona w Departamencie Obrony. Mimo wszystko zawiera mnóstwo naprawdę ciekawych informacji, które mogą przydać się osobom wiążącym swoją przyszłość z wojskiem, ale i zaabsorbować osoby, które nie planują mieć z tym styczności, jak ja.
W książce zwrócono uwagę nie tylko na stronę fizyczną treningów sił specjalnych, ale i na psychiczną, która jest równie ważna. W trakcie wojny nikt nie może sobie pozwolić na to, by snajper po oddaniu strzału się załamał lub też zaczął strzelać do kogo popadnie, dlatego kursanci przechodzą mnóstwo testów psychologicznych, zanim dostaną zielone światło na wyjazd na front. Wielu te testy oblewa, bo nie wszędzie wystarczą mięśnie i chęć strzelania, o czym należy pamiętać! Siła psychiczna to połowa sukcesu dobrego żołnierza.
"Misją snajpera jest dawać życie, odbierając je innym."
Czytanie historii tych kilku żołnierzy było dla mnie trudne, tak jak dla autora z pewnością było pisanie. Brandon Webb starał się w swojej książce przemycić jak najwięcej faktów. Udało mu się ciekawie opisać treningi i obserwacje snajperskie, by każdy wiedział z czym muszą się liczyć przyszli żołnierze, ale jednocześnie zadziałał na emocje. Wspomnienia trudnego dzieciństwa dla tych mężczyzn często nie były przyjemne, ale opisywanie pierwszego postrzału, pierwszego zabójstwa... Nie było to łatwe w odbiorze, ale wydaje mi się, że nie odczułam tego nawet w minimalnym stopniu jak wspomniani wyżej snajperzy, którzy opowiadali o tym, jak te pierwsze ofiary pamiętają do dziś.
Autor zwrócił uwagę na coś bardzo ważnego, co zazwyczaj się pomija (!), a mianowicie: na wojnie żołnierze giną od nakierowanych na nich, ale i przypadkowych kul, zabija się po to, by wyeliminować wroga i zapobiec dalszemu rozwojowi wojny. W przypadku snajpera odległość (i najczęściej wysokość) robią swoje, więc żaden strzał nie może być przypadkowy. Snajperzy przed wystrzeleniem najczęściej przed godziny, a nawet dni obserwują swoją przyszłą ofiarę, niekiedy widząc ją z rodziną. Muszą się jednak liczyć z tym, że jeśli nie oni wydadzą pierwszy strzał, zginąć może ich oddział. To na nich spoczywa wielka odpowiedzialność i należy to docenić niekoniecznie kwiatami, i transparentami, a pamięcią o tak dzielnych osobach.
Jest to bez wątpienia warta uwagi pozycja, nie tylko o snajperach, treningach i strzelance, ale i o psychice człowieka, poświęceniu dla kraju i wielkiej odwadze.
Oczywiście należy pamiętać także o rodzinie poległych, która po nagłej śmierci syna/męża/brata często zostaje sama z kosztami pochówku. W tym celu autor założył Fundację, która wspiera finansowo takie rodziny, a kwoty zbiera dzięki datkom, które zdaniem Brandona są przekazem, że poświęcenie żołnierzy nie zostanie zapomniane. Fundacja Brandona Webba zajmuje się także szkoleniem dzieci poległych żołnierzy. Poczytać o niej, a także ją wesprzeć można pod tym linkiem: redcirclefoundation.org
December 10, 2025
THE KILLING SCHOOL
🚀 Il #libro in 3 Frasi
* Hunting isn't shooting. Hunting is, more than anything else, the art of the stalk.
* We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training.—Archilochus, ancient Greek soldier and poet
* The essence of war is violence, and moderation in war is imbecility.—Admiral John "Jacky" Fisher
🎨 Impressioni
Libro molto interssante sulla formazione dei cecchini americani e canadesi.
👤 Chi dovrebbe leggerlo?
Chi fosse interssato alle forze armate ed alle prestazione di picco.
☘️ Come il libro mi ha cambiato?
Mi ha infuso un ulteriore voglia di allenare le mia capacità migliorando la mia arte.
✍🏻 Le mie tre frasi preferite
* We have an expression: You train harder than you fight. And another: The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in combat. Only that one isn't the whole truth. Sometimes you bleed in training, too.
* War is improvisation.
* If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today—as of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.—Thomas Watson, founder of IBM
📒 Sommario + Note
Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Epigraph
Author's Note
Maps
Prologue: Living with Death
I. THE MISSION
1. Warrior, Assassin, Spy
2. Born to Shoot
3. Hell
II. THE CRAFT
4. Sniper School
5. The Platinum Standard
6. Zen Mind, Lethal Mind
7. The Reality of War
8. The Art and Science of the Shot
II. THE STALK
9. Welcome to the Jungle
10. Outside the Box
11. The Long Night
IV. THE SHOT
12. Ambush
13. Impact
14. Deliverance
V. THE KILL
15. Taking Life
Epilogue: Alive
Photographs
Afterword: A Spec Ops Sniper in Civilian Life
Acknowledgments
Also by Brandon Webb and John David Mann
About the Authors
Copyright
#libri
🚀 Il #libro in 3 Frasi
* Hunting isn't shooting. Hunting is, more than anything else, the art of the stalk.
* We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training.—Archilochus, ancient Greek soldier and poet
* The essence of war is violence, and moderation in war is imbecility.—Admiral John "Jacky" Fisher
🎨 Impressioni
Libro molto interssante sulla formazione dei cecchini americani e canadesi.
👤 Chi dovrebbe leggerlo?
Chi fosse interssato alle forze armate ed alle prestazione di picco.
☘️ Come il libro mi ha cambiato?
Mi ha infuso un ulteriore voglia di allenare le mia capacità migliorando la mia arte.
✍🏻 Le mie tre frasi preferite
* We have an expression: You train harder than you fight. And another: The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in combat. Only that one isn't the whole truth. Sometimes you bleed in training, too.
* War is improvisation.
* If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today—as of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.—Thomas Watson, founder of IBM
📒 Sommario + Note
Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Epigraph
Author's Note
Maps
Prologue: Living with Death
I. THE MISSION
1. Warrior, Assassin, Spy
2. Born to Shoot
3. Hell
II. THE CRAFT
4. Sniper School
5. The Platinum Standard
6. Zen Mind, Lethal Mind
7. The Reality of War
8. The Art and Science of the Shot
II. THE STALK
9. Welcome to the Jungle
10. Outside the Box
11. The Long Night
IV. THE SHOT
12. Ambush
13. Impact
14. Deliverance
V. THE KILL
15. Taking Life
Epilogue: Alive
Photographs
Afterword: A Spec Ops Sniper in Civilian Life
Acknowledgments
Also by Brandon Webb and John David Mann
About the Authors
Copyright
#libri
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
This book is a little misleading in the title because it is not really about the sniper program that the author helped to develop. The book follows 4 servicemen, each from different facets of military service, through some of their education experiences in their respective sniper and military training programs and through some of their service experiences overseas.
Their stories were all very interesting and each had a unique experience to be shared. I found the book hard to follow on timeline and on which person was the topic of the moment. I listened to the audio book and the reader does not have a good grasp on the value of a pause. He wasn’t monotone, but also just kept reading straight from one person’s perspective to the next with no pause or other indication that the narrative was switching gears. It got a little better further into the book, but I think I would have been able to follow it better if I had read the hard copy.
I’ve listened to a couple of other books from the author that were more focused on personal development and I really enjoyed those and the reader of the audio books was better for those. I will continue exploring this author’s books because I enjoy his perspective and learning about his life and what the SEAL program was like. This one was overall good but left some to be desired in the experience.
Their stories were all very interesting and each had a unique experience to be shared. I found the book hard to follow on timeline and on which person was the topic of the moment. I listened to the audio book and the reader does not have a good grasp on the value of a pause. He wasn’t monotone, but also just kept reading straight from one person’s perspective to the next with no pause or other indication that the narrative was switching gears. It got a little better further into the book, but I think I would have been able to follow it better if I had read the hard copy.
I’ve listened to a couple of other books from the author that were more focused on personal development and I really enjoyed those and the reader of the audio books was better for those. I will continue exploring this author’s books because I enjoy his perspective and learning about his life and what the SEAL program was like. This one was overall good but left some to be desired in the experience.
January 8, 2024
I received this book a couple years ago and it’s just sat on the shelf as it’s “not really my thing”.
I tend to have a hard time with anything recent war related (books, movies, podcasts, shows) and how memorable 9/11 was for my generation, many whom enlisted right away and many that didn’t make it back. My husband served his 20 years, being in Afghanistan once, Africa once or twice in his career and I work very closely with the military community now in a rehabilitation type of setting. I found myself asking his opinions on several things mentioned throughout the book and things we hadn’t spoken about previously made for interesting conversations.
I picked this book up under the 2024 reading challenge prompt “a book in a genre you avoid”. I will say I did enjoy it. I had to keep putting it away and coming back to it. The first review on the back cover that states it reads like a screenplay is definitely accurate. I could visualize and put myself there. I connected the most with the 2004 and 2009 stories as I was in high school and college then writing letters back and forth with loved ones deployed.
Will this stay with me? Yes. Will I recommend it? Yes. Will I read more like this? Most likely not.
I appreciate these men and the shit they’ve gone through.
I tend to have a hard time with anything recent war related (books, movies, podcasts, shows) and how memorable 9/11 was for my generation, many whom enlisted right away and many that didn’t make it back. My husband served his 20 years, being in Afghanistan once, Africa once or twice in his career and I work very closely with the military community now in a rehabilitation type of setting. I found myself asking his opinions on several things mentioned throughout the book and things we hadn’t spoken about previously made for interesting conversations.
I picked this book up under the 2024 reading challenge prompt “a book in a genre you avoid”. I will say I did enjoy it. I had to keep putting it away and coming back to it. The first review on the back cover that states it reads like a screenplay is definitely accurate. I could visualize and put myself there. I connected the most with the 2004 and 2009 stories as I was in high school and college then writing letters back and forth with loved ones deployed.
Will this stay with me? Yes. Will I recommend it? Yes. Will I read more like this? Most likely not.
I appreciate these men and the shit they’ve gone through.
July 17, 2017
Elite Snipers Aren’t All About Shooting …
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free copy of the book.
There are a lot of books about elite military units and their roles/exploits in a variety of modern conflicts, but few explain the core detail the nature of their talent and training. THE KILLING SCHOOL provides selective insight into the training of the world’s best snipers and how they transform their lethal skills so effectively on the battlefield.
Brandon Webb, a “former” SEAL sniper who headed an elite sniper training school that included Chris Kyle as one of his students gives readers an inside view of the making of an elite sniper. For those who think Webb may be providing the elite sniper playbook for the world to see, the answer is no. Webb states up-front that while he gives us a peek into the elite sniping school, his book has been cleared by the military hierarchy.
What I liked about this book is that Webb keeps things interesting from beginning to end. Rather than simply outlining a “we did this” and “then do that” format, readers get snippets of the progression from talented, but raw, sniper trainee to the select few talented enough to make it through the program (a micro-percentage of those who try). While detailing the training aspects, Webb incorporates the stories of four elite snipers who’ve utilized lessons-learned in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The four snipers detailed are an Army Ranger, a SEAL, a Canadian Special Forces Operator and a US Marine … a varied group of extremely talented men exhibiting their skill-set in a variety of hair-raising situations. Webb weaves the exploits of these four men in an effective manner that keeps readers on the edge all the way until the end. Each of the four men get equal time in the book and the segments detailing their combat experiences always end in a cliff-hanger scenario that makes you look forward to reading what happens next, but you have to go through cliff-hanging moments of the other three men first. Webb does this all the way through, so there is a continuous teasing effect that keeps the entire book exciting.
I found the training tactics section interesting as well. While the end result of the school is geared towards producing expert shooters, the school is more about mastering mental and physical skills that don’t even involve a rifle. It’s hard not to imagine putting yourself through the training as you read and quickly realizing why so few make it through the course … some of the training seems almost impossible to get through (I especially enjoyed the section on stalking). What readers come to realize is that the school doesn’t produce a killing robot, each successful candidate has the ability to maximize individual talents and minimize weakness to become a balanced warrior that can function at both the highest physical and mental level. These individual skills are illustrated by the storylines of the four individuals as they are all put in unique situations that capitalize on their varied proficiencies. Most of the survival instincts exhibited by these men involved the ability to apply logic, math, physics and all senses-at-once in order to get through certain scenarios. In other words, an elite sniper’s assets include brains as much as brawn and bravery.
I loved this book because it gave me more insight on how truly elite these snipers really are and we are given tangible results with the four individual storylines. Webb reveals himself to be an excellent storyteller with an ability to detail and keep things exciting. I found some of the mental training information explained in the book to be applicable for civilians (I even managed to incorporate the practice of “eliminating the focus on negative aspects” to help my daughter overcome a mental-block involving a difficult gymnastics skill … outside of her training gym, no less). An informative and thrilling read.
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free copy of the book.
There are a lot of books about elite military units and their roles/exploits in a variety of modern conflicts, but few explain the core detail the nature of their talent and training. THE KILLING SCHOOL provides selective insight into the training of the world’s best snipers and how they transform their lethal skills so effectively on the battlefield.
Brandon Webb, a “former” SEAL sniper who headed an elite sniper training school that included Chris Kyle as one of his students gives readers an inside view of the making of an elite sniper. For those who think Webb may be providing the elite sniper playbook for the world to see, the answer is no. Webb states up-front that while he gives us a peek into the elite sniping school, his book has been cleared by the military hierarchy.
What I liked about this book is that Webb keeps things interesting from beginning to end. Rather than simply outlining a “we did this” and “then do that” format, readers get snippets of the progression from talented, but raw, sniper trainee to the select few talented enough to make it through the program (a micro-percentage of those who try). While detailing the training aspects, Webb incorporates the stories of four elite snipers who’ve utilized lessons-learned in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The four snipers detailed are an Army Ranger, a SEAL, a Canadian Special Forces Operator and a US Marine … a varied group of extremely talented men exhibiting their skill-set in a variety of hair-raising situations. Webb weaves the exploits of these four men in an effective manner that keeps readers on the edge all the way until the end. Each of the four men get equal time in the book and the segments detailing their combat experiences always end in a cliff-hanger scenario that makes you look forward to reading what happens next, but you have to go through cliff-hanging moments of the other three men first. Webb does this all the way through, so there is a continuous teasing effect that keeps the entire book exciting.
I found the training tactics section interesting as well. While the end result of the school is geared towards producing expert shooters, the school is more about mastering mental and physical skills that don’t even involve a rifle. It’s hard not to imagine putting yourself through the training as you read and quickly realizing why so few make it through the course … some of the training seems almost impossible to get through (I especially enjoyed the section on stalking). What readers come to realize is that the school doesn’t produce a killing robot, each successful candidate has the ability to maximize individual talents and minimize weakness to become a balanced warrior that can function at both the highest physical and mental level. These individual skills are illustrated by the storylines of the four individuals as they are all put in unique situations that capitalize on their varied proficiencies. Most of the survival instincts exhibited by these men involved the ability to apply logic, math, physics and all senses-at-once in order to get through certain scenarios. In other words, an elite sniper’s assets include brains as much as brawn and bravery.
I loved this book because it gave me more insight on how truly elite these snipers really are and we are given tangible results with the four individual storylines. Webb reveals himself to be an excellent storyteller with an ability to detail and keep things exciting. I found some of the mental training information explained in the book to be applicable for civilians (I even managed to incorporate the practice of “eliminating the focus on negative aspects” to help my daughter overcome a mental-block involving a difficult gymnastics skill … outside of her training gym, no less). An informative and thrilling read.
March 8, 2021
I have the utmost respect for the sniper crews I worked with throughout the sand box. For five years I served as an ISR eye in the sky for the guys on the ground throughout the garden spots in and around the Helmond Province, Kandahar, Kabul, Bagram, Parwan Province, Jbad, Mazar-i-Sharif, Husaybah, Bagdad, Balad and many many more. I watched from above as the boys dealt with mountains in Afghanistan that make the Rockies look like foothills. My hat is off for all their efforts and Brandon's book brings back many memories.
May 31, 2018
Other reviews would say the choppiness at the end of the book is bad. I liked it because it made me want to keep reading. I thought it was an engaging book with interesting details. As an educator, I appreciated Mr. Webb's desire to be a great educator and learn how to write curriculum. This has caused me to be more engaged with the work that I do and to be more intentional about teaching towards objectives.
August 23, 2021
Although a better editor would have been a help, as would more careful audiobook proofing, and despite the kind of odd chronological jump-arounds, I enjoyed this book and found it to contain some interesting anecdotes and data - enough to differentiate it from or at least earn its place among other books on this topic (for example, Nicholas Irving’s own book, meaning no disrespect to that book). 3.5 stars, available at this writing on scribd as an audiobook.
October 26, 2024
Interesting content made unnecessarily difficult to follow due to the narrative repeatedly switching between the stories of four snipers. You'll get readers' whiplash as the story switches back and forth between Mogadishu (1995), Operation Anaconda (2002), Husaybah, Iraq (2004), and Helmand Province (2009). I would have enjoyed this read much more if it presented the story of each sniper as a separate section of the book.
October 15, 2017
The sniper course is the interesting part of the book. But it's hard to follow the stories of 4 snipers.
I am impressed with the way they have developed mental training during the course at SEAL. Also, the danger of friendly fire (blue on blue), not the threat from enemies, seems to be the most frightening in the gun fight.
I am impressed with the way they have developed mental training during the course at SEAL. Also, the danger of friendly fire (blue on blue), not the threat from enemies, seems to be the most frightening in the gun fight.
October 28, 2019
Webb paints such a vivid picture of what this program must be like. The book covers so many aspects of what a sniper goes through in both training, combat and also how they overcome their many failures. A good element of suspense throughout the book tied in with storytelling about what sometimes must be hell on earth
July 6, 2017
Great read
I really like the look at sniper programs over time and how they compare to each other. It's interesting how similar they are and the vast differences in the approach to the material.
I really like the look at sniper programs over time and how they compare to each other. It's interesting how similar they are and the vast differences in the approach to the material.
November 4, 2017
The real story behind the making of spec ops warrior.
They are the best ! Great book and inside look at our genuine heroes. A good view of the different service branches differences and unique quality of true professionals.
They are the best ! Great book and inside look at our genuine heroes. A good view of the different service branches differences and unique quality of true professionals.
June 15, 2018
Excellent book. The only negative was the confusing presentation or organization of the four stories of the snipers he details in the book. Overall, a fascinating look into a world that most will not see or experience.
May 29, 2019
Great read. I know that some may not like the writing style, with stories broken into "pieces", but I think that it actually helps drive home the underlying points of the narrative. A definite recommended read!
December 19, 2025
very detailed book on everything sniper. it jumps around with about 6 different guys. sometimes annoying as you get in the middle of a story and changes people then comes back when they have done the same thing for each snippet
June 9, 2017
Didn't read most of it, only interested in part 2 - which was brilliant. 4.25!
June 30, 2017
Good book but the action jumped between 4 snipers and it took some getting used to.
July 6, 2017
Start to finish, a great read!
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