Sharkman Six

By Owen West

Book Overview

When Lieutenant Gavin Kelly's recon platoon swims ashore a Mogadishu beach under the glare of hundreds of news camera lights, it is an appropriately surreal beginning to Operation Restore Hope. This modern war is vastly different from the battles Kelly's father and grandfather fought and from the young lieutenant's own experience during Operation Desert Storm. Minutes after the Marines' celebrated landing, one of Kelly's men kills an armed Somali bodyguard. The circumstances of the killing are unclear and Kelly finds himself in the center of a maelstrom. He must act quickly to deflect a vociferous outcry from members of the international press corps, censure by his Marine superiors, and the possibility of losing the loyalty of his men -- particularly two enlisted leaders in the platoon who have vouched for the necessity of the kill.

Thus begins Sharkman Six, a stinging morality tale in which Kelly is torn between his men, his confusing mission, and the international rules of engagement he has sworn to uphold. As his platoon descends into the lawless, violent underbelly of Somalia, Lieutenant Kelly must determine his own values -- and allegiances -- in a country where murders are commonplace and constant.

With heart-pounding, intricate military detail, rapier wit, and stunning verisimilitude, Sharkman Six speaks to the violent urges lurking in us all and the lengths to which we will go to control them. In Gavin Kelly, West has created an authentic, sympathetic, and wholly compromised young officer of war who will put you in mind of the best of military heroes and antiheroes.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 141657865X
• ISBN13: 9781416578659
• Release Date: September 2007
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Story...well written.

I never served over in Somalia so I will not even try to comment on the accuracy in that respect. Being a fiction novel however, not everything is going to be as it REALLY was. I can tell you this though. I read this book while I was stationed on Schwab with 3rd Recon Battalion and this book is right on in the Marine Corps aspect. The way they talk and interact and everything is great and very accurate. Everyone has their own life and issues and all the mannerisms are there. Owen West tells a good story here, so sit back, K-bar clutched tightly in your hand and enjoy the read. Semper Fi.

Sharkman Six--great realistic novel

I'm unsure of the reasoning behind the claim to a lack of reality by other reviewers. I served as a Marine in Somalia, and this represents my experience much more than does Blackhawk Down (which I also enjoyed!) Owen West has hit the nail on the head, and supplies us with entertainment as well as a look at the qualities that the Corps holds most dear.

Sharkman rules

A mantra taught to aspiring writers is to write what you know. Former Marines Corps Captain Owen West has done just that in Sharkman Six. Part John Grisham and part Harvard Kennedy School of Government Case Study, Sharkman has a fast cadence, good wit and the combat is believable. More than a coming of age story, the book is a metaphor for waging modern war. What foreign policy goals were the Marines sent to Somilia to accomplish? How is victory defined? Why limit the rules of engagement? That the military is perplexed by these questions is not all its fault; the civilian leadership, as West argues, has no answers either.And it is to Sharkman's credit that its ending is not black and white, but like past experience, a shade of gray.

Honest story by a guy who's been there and done that

As a former marine grunt, I found the book to be realistic, genuine, and real. From the initial beach insertion to the firefight toward the end of book, I experienced a wide range of emotion from laugh, frustration, sadness, adrenaline rush, and rage. And it reminded me once again about the reality of combat faced by the guys on the ground who have to reach down, grab a hole and suck it up as best as humanly possible against the enemies, politics, media, chain of command, and their own fear of combat. This is a smart and intelligent book. I couldn't put it down and had to finish it. Thank you, Mr. Owens and Semper Fi.

Never leave the friggin boat

Bravo. If your looking for some military action combined with page flipping suspense you have come to the right place. In the technical prose of Tom Clancy with a splash of Stephen Ambrose reality, Owen West does a superb job at nailing his first novel head on. Without the usual bravado, Mr. West shows the strengths and weaknesses of today's heroes. The author's own experiences, ...make this novel all so believible and interesting. I'm looking foward to his next book.