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ON THE ROCK
This is the call he is always ready for Theyve had word of a planned attack Thats why hes back here opposite some suit whos trying to tell him what he needs to do But he knows exactly whats required Four men Plain clothes Eyes peeled Three targets Two cases One car Gibraltar isnt an ideal location Too many people Too many blind alleys But then again hes not the terrorist Who knows what goes through their minds Well he will soon If everything goes to plan
96 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2016
About the author
Andy McNab
191 books1,205 followersAndy 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 17, 2018
Firstly, I want to thank Andy McNab for his continuing support of Quick Reads.
Those older readers will remember the incident on Gibraltar many years ago when an IRA type cell were taken out. We had a famous new documentary afterwards entitled ‘Death on the Rock.’ Thames Television 1988.
The implication being that an SAS team had taken out an IRA unit with no unambiguous evidence of any terrorist activity.
I’m sure this is the background to this short story which set in later times had a terrorist group of new recently recruited group of white Islamists converging on a square to blow themselves up.
Having learned of the plot and the suspects involved ‘The Firm’ enlist s grey group of agents drawn from ex-service personnel to thwart the bomb attack, catch them alive and learn about their radical group and new recruits.
It is a tense tale of real time surveillance where the laws of the Wild West are on the operatives’ minds. Who can draw their gun quicker! But in the gift of the suicide bomber it is far simpler still with a mobile phone ring to detonate it all they need to do is press the speed dial on their phones to set the bombs off.
I like the sense of having these agents outside there of law giving the U.K. government some distance and deniability. The moments waiting to have control was very well written and ratcheted up the tension.
As a bonus the copy I read had an introduction into another remarkable story by this niche writer who is perhaps the best in this area of literature today.
Those older readers will remember the incident on Gibraltar many years ago when an IRA type cell were taken out. We had a famous new documentary afterwards entitled ‘Death on the Rock.’ Thames Television 1988.
The implication being that an SAS team had taken out an IRA unit with no unambiguous evidence of any terrorist activity.
I’m sure this is the background to this short story which set in later times had a terrorist group of new recently recruited group of white Islamists converging on a square to blow themselves up.
Having learned of the plot and the suspects involved ‘The Firm’ enlist s grey group of agents drawn from ex-service personnel to thwart the bomb attack, catch them alive and learn about their radical group and new recruits.
It is a tense tale of real time surveillance where the laws of the Wild West are on the operatives’ minds. Who can draw their gun quicker! But in the gift of the suicide bomber it is far simpler still with a mobile phone ring to detonate it all they need to do is press the speed dial on their phones to set the bombs off.
I like the sense of having these agents outside there of law giving the U.K. government some distance and deniability. The moments waiting to have control was very well written and ratcheted up the tension.
As a bonus the copy I read had an introduction into another remarkable story by this niche writer who is perhaps the best in this area of literature today.
February 25, 2018
Gutted, I'm normally a big fan of McNab's books, especially the Nick Stone novels, but I didn't really get the point of this one, at all? It directly borrows key bits from many of his previous books and kind of just glues them together in a short story, similar in all respects to the start of Remote Control, and then, when it seems to just be getting started...ends!
January 1, 2023
They have no names, they are there to do a job and this time the job is taking them to Gibraltar to ensure a plot can be stopped but can they do it with as little fuss as possible?
This quick read story sees Andy McNab bringing us a story of agents travelling to Gibraltar to stop a terrorist attack and is a well worked story but the fact it is put in the shorter story format means it may not have the depth of his other works (I haven't read any but I would believe this is the case based on what I've heard of his work previously) and for me whilst the story worked well, the ending felt like it came about as a bit of a stop straight away rather than a gradual slow down.
This quick read story sees Andy McNab bringing us a story of agents travelling to Gibraltar to stop a terrorist attack and is a well worked story but the fact it is put in the shorter story format means it may not have the depth of his other works (I haven't read any but I would believe this is the case based on what I've heard of his work previously) and for me whilst the story worked well, the ending felt like it came about as a bit of a stop straight away rather than a gradual slow down.
August 2, 2019
Once again, a great read. I always enjoy his writing whether I’m reading a ‘Quick Read’ or a novel.
August 14, 2025
Possibly my first introduction to Mcnab, and sadly it fell well below par. It was trying to be a much bigger book than it was, it was a big plot for a little book, and I can tell the author is used to writing bigger books, I guess this was quite a challenge.
December 3, 2021
A very quick read which could have done with another 100 more pages to really get into grips with it
May 8, 2016
Nice little read and another author that I will look at again has its the first one I have read if his
April 9, 2019
I'll admit that I was expecting a fast-paced gore fest, heavy on the militaristic jargon. In truth McNab provides much more and better than that.
On the Rock has very readable prose, descriptions that were rich in detail and explanations of military protocol that proved clear and informative. Also the subject of Islam was respectfully treated by the soldier protagonist though it was obvious that he had seen a lot of fundamentalist hostility come from that particular religion.
Maybe it's the red-blooded action fan in me that enjoyed the tactical precision and visceral response but these were both conveyed well too.
I'm not planning on grabbing every book that McNab writes and has written but I may just well pick up one of his longer titles, provided the premise appeals.
I recommend this to those intrigued by military co-ordination and the language of modern warfare.
On the Rock has very readable prose, descriptions that were rich in detail and explanations of military protocol that proved clear and informative. Also the subject of Islam was respectfully treated by the soldier protagonist though it was obvious that he had seen a lot of fundamentalist hostility come from that particular religion.
Maybe it's the red-blooded action fan in me that enjoyed the tactical precision and visceral response but these were both conveyed well too.
I'm not planning on grabbing every book that McNab writes and has written but I may just well pick up one of his longer titles, provided the premise appeals.
I recommend this to those intrigued by military co-ordination and the language of modern warfare.
September 1, 2018
This is the second Quick Read I've bought and in this case, I didn't already know the author (or better, I've never read anything written by him before this short novel).
I've found this counter-terrorism book intriguing, but I didn't like too much the pace - I mean, this is a story that needed a much more large setting to be four or five stars. And comparing his style in this short novel to the one he used in the free sample of one of his books at the end, I'm sure he could have done a better job, with more space available.
Anyway, this has been a nice way to discover a good author - and to confirm to me how good is this Quick Read collection.
I've found this counter-terrorism book intriguing, but I didn't like too much the pace - I mean, this is a story that needed a much more large setting to be four or five stars. And comparing his style in this short novel to the one he used in the free sample of one of his books at the end, I'm sure he could have done a better job, with more space available.
Anyway, this has been a nice way to discover a good author - and to confirm to me how good is this Quick Read collection.
February 28, 2018
Uncomplicated, quick and easy read. Very current hot topic plot. A terror plot has been hatched and is about to be implemented. Can an unofficial shady 4-man crew (working for the British Government - of course), try and prevent disaster befalling the innocent by standers? Only one way to find out - read the book! Hahaha. It is very obviously set up for a sequel, which I hope the author delivers (soon please). I would be very interested to read more from McNab.
January 12, 2019
A decent short story. Well written, quick and entertaining. Not huge plot or character development, but this is to be expected when the story itself is just over 60 pages (the rest is a sneak peak from McNab's other work. I also appreciate how Mcnab has personal experience in the army and SAS and find it clever that the main character's code name is "golf" (which I'm guessing is named after the Gulf war, when he led the Brave Two Zero patrol).
March 21, 2017
Easy, very quick read. Fast paced and simple. Read in half an hour. Nice intro to another book Red notice which takes up quite a few pages at the back of the book so you think the book is longer than it is. This book is only 69 pages long. It seems to have bene left 'open' so there is scope for a sequel.
December 30, 2017
This was fast pased with just the right amount of information that you needed to know. You don't need much information on the characters which you didn't get as just their name and job clarified everything you needed to know
March 23, 2018
AWFUL. DO NOT RECOMMEND TO ANYONE.
April 9, 2019
Could be the start of a very good story
Not a bad start, hopefully the follow-up will be good. It's certainly started very well it's up to Andy Mcnab to deliver
Not a bad start, hopefully the follow-up will be good. It's certainly started very well it's up to Andy Mcnab to deliver
November 29, 2019
Terrorists and British agents battle in Gibraltar - something and nothing.
November 7, 2020
Another enjoyable short story but it ended on cliffhanger. Now want to read bravo zero
March 15, 2022
Met my expectations, which weren't high.
June 24, 2022
This book was good! Not much happened , I don’t really like any of the characters but it was fine!
January 12, 2023
I appreciate this is a quick reads book but felt like there needed to be a little bit more. It just ended so abruptly
April 26, 2023
Good fast-paced story
August 11, 2023
Another new author. Really disappointed this was a short read - would have loved another 150 pages. Fast paced with a good plot. Will definitely read more by this author.
July 8, 2024
Quick easy read
October 21, 2024
My introduction to Andy McNab. Good action, characters feel very real. Will be reading more from him.
September 7, 2025
This felt more like an introduction to a longer story/series rather than a complete story.
I did enjoy it and would definitely read more but as a short story it's a bit random and unfinished.
I did enjoy it and would definitely read more but as a short story it's a bit random and unfinished.
November 2, 2016
Hard to put down
My first Andy mcnab book
Great short book for those who want to try his books but aren't sure if they'd like them
I really liked the book some of the army jargon was hard to keep up with but as you keep reading it, it all makes sense.
The story is about terrorists and these secret agents who have to stalk them and find them before the terrorists kill innocent people.
I've never read anything like this before but it was actually really interesting and felt real.
My first Andy mcnab book
Great short book for those who want to try his books but aren't sure if they'd like them
I really liked the book some of the army jargon was hard to keep up with but as you keep reading it, it all makes sense.
The story is about terrorists and these secret agents who have to stalk them and find them before the terrorists kill innocent people.
I've never read anything like this before but it was actually really interesting and felt real.
March 29, 2016
Readable but not great. Mcnab writes with little finesse and limited vocabulary which he tries to enhance by the extensive use of expletives. It reads like a book written by a squaddie ( no surprise there) so if violence and course dialogue is your thing then you will enjoy it. Picture a Jason Statham movie and you will get the idea.
December 15, 2025
Not bad but not as good as authors longer length books. I found it too rushed and a bit cobbled together.
February 5, 2016
Great quick read. Great writer. Recommend this short fast paced thriller.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews