Against All Odds: Escape from Sierra Leone

By Phil Ashby

In West Africa's War-Ravaged Sierra Leone No On e Was Getting Out Alive. It Took the Courage of One Man to Change the Odds. By 1990, Sierra Leone, once hailed as the 'Athens of West Africa', had degenerated into a savage battlefield, overtaken by rebel forces in a devastating civil war. Assigned to spearhead the mission as UN peacekeeper was Major Phil Ashby. But by 2000, the rebel occupation he had worked so diligently to disarm rose again to control an astounding two-thirds of the country. The enemy's mission: get rid of the outside opposition first. A number of Ashby's colleagues were tortured and finally butchered, and more than 500 were taken as hostages. Among the hostages was Phil Ashby. Miles from civilization, with no rescue in sight, Ashby and three of his men knew that their fate was up to them alone. Lost deep inside the rebels' heartland, unarmed, and outnumbered 20-to-1, Ashby devised a plan to escape from the hostile jungles that would test fate and challenge all reason. They should have been doomed. Against All Odds is the incredible true story of that escape-and of the heart-pounding courage of Major Phil Ashby who defeated the rebel forces of Sierra Leone and became a living testament to the power of the human spirit and the sheer determination to survive.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312989210
• ISBN13: 9780312989217
• Release Date: August 2003
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.4" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

A gem of a Special Forces biography...

I stumbled upon this one used, seeing as how it is no longer in print, and knew absolutely nothing about it. In fact I hadn't ever heard of the conflict in Sierra Leone. But wow, this one turned out to be an absolute gem of a find and on so many different levels. The first and most important level was the writing itself because you could have the best story but if you don't know how to tell/write it than you'll be hard pressed to find people who will enjoy reading it. Ashby is an intelligent man and this comes across throughout his book. The writing is fluid and succinct, yet still descriptive enough to bring the story to life. Add to that an extra dose of the history behind Sierra Leone and the book is an all around read. The second level is the depth that he goes into about the selection and training process behind becoming a Royal Marine Commando, which is about the equivalent of becoming a Navy SEAL (just as SAS is equivalent to Delta Force). This to me is one of the most important aspects of bios and memoirs written by Special Forces soldiers. We want to see what they went through in selection, what they had to endure, and then again what they did for training that has made them such lethal and effective soldiers. Ashby goes in to great depth with these two steps of the process and we have a clear picture of both aspects. I must say that it is interesting to see that British special forces undergo a form of torture as they simulate being captured (minus the actual physical violence, but after what they are put through it is very close to the real thing, according to other experts in the field). The final level was the peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone itself. I generally like to read more about the missions that they go on, and in this case Ashby only describes this one mission throughout the book, but he describes it with enough history and detail that I quickly forgot and didn't really care that he was only on the one mission (that being said, he could have been on some that are still classified). He tells us in detail about the atrocities committed by the RUF, what the citizens had to endure and go through. I was appalled to read such a first hand account of the effects of a war torn third world country. I can't say enough about Ashby's biography. Not only the above mentioned but we are treated to a truly fun read about his extracurricular activities before, during and after his E & E in Sierra Leone. In some cases it can be boring to read about their lives before joining the army or marines, but Ashby's account is enjoyable and interesting. This rates up there as one of my top military history/special forces biographies, and I would most certainly recommend. 5 stars.

A MUST READ!!

"Against All Odds" is really two books in one. The first half of the book focuses on John Ashby's personal adventures and training as a Royal Marine Commando. The second half of the book takes place in Sierra Leonne, where John's UN peace-keeping mission takes a horrible turn for the worse.Since I (and presumably most readers) know nothing about Royal Marine Commando training or the civil war in Sierra Leonne, you will find this fighting Brit and his experiences very interesting and suspenseful. You really get to know "John Ashby" well...in spirit as well as skill. John does a good job of "setting the stage" for the reader, by describing the different warring factions and the horrible atrocities performed in Sierra Leonne. This is a true story by the way.John's writing style isn't as eloquent as let's say... Stephen King, but his limitations in writing give the book a more personal and realistic feel.

Modern Day Adventure Story

This book is very interesting and enveloping. The book isn't good because it captures the reader's imagination through exquisite detail of events and scenes;instead you get to know the main character "Phil Ashby" very well and the interesting adventures he's been through. The first half of the book covers Phil's adventures and Marine Commando training. The second half of the book takes place in Sierra Leonne where Phil is assigned as a UN Peacekeeper. Phil does a good job at getting the reader "oriented" about the civil war in Sierra Leonne and the unthinkable brutality of the combatants. The book all comes together as this Marine has to use all his skills and bravery to escape a nightmarish turn of events in Sierra Leonne. A must read!!