Most candidates are required to serve some time in a Commando unit before applying, however Duncan was given an exception. As events spiral disastrously out of control, Stratton must face up to his biggest and most treacherous challenge yet. Most of the plotline are semi-biographical accounts of his actions in the Special Boat Services and in the 14 Intelligence Detachment. The SBS was first into battle a month before the SAS in the Falklands War and again in the Gulf War, yet hitherto it is the SAS that has had by far the higher profile. I enjoyed Stratton very much and with the success of Jack Reacher, The Terminal List, and Jack Ryan, I don’t see a reason as to not do it.

The Protector by Duncan Falconer | Goodreads The Protector by Duncan Falconer | Goodreads

At 19 years of age, he attended SBS selection in Poole Dorset and was one of nine Marines to successfully complete the course out of 147 men. In the past few years, Falconer has operated at length and often alone in places such as Afghanistan, the Nigerian Delta, Palestine, Liberia and throughout Iraq, sometimes writing his books while bullets shower the compound he is staying in. A versatile player who was comfortable at either inside-forward, wing-half or centre-half, the strongly-built youngster was said to have been attracting the attention of Motherwell before Hibs manager Hugh Shaw stepped in to secure his signature. Although he has written a few standalone works, Falconer is best known for his military thrillers featuring John Stratton.In just over five seasons at Easter Road, Falconer would make 63 appearances in all competitions for the first team. First into Action also depicted the rivalry and history between the Special Boat Services unit and the Special Air Service unit.

Elite Special Boat Service soldier who wrote new spy movie

I never felt as if I was being disloyal by writing it because none of the stories were younger than 19 years old by the time the book was published. This was due to many SBS operatives leaving to instead work as deep sea divers in the North Sea for the lucrative salaries. Duncan penned the scene after his own “sixth sense” saved his life during a stake-out in Northern Ireland.Maybe if I had read his stand alone novels first I would have enjoyed this book more, and maybe it would have been a four star instead of a three star.

Books by Duncan Falconer (Author of First Into Action)

To read more about the site or if you want a graphic to link to us, see the about page for more details. In war-torn Iraq, Stratton’s closest friend is killed whilst on operation, leaving behind a grieving wife and child – Stratton’s godson. What they didn’t like was that it also appeared to threaten to control what work people could or could not do once they left the service. Formed in 1863, we are a pub retailer and brewer with over 160 years of hospitality and brewing expertise. When the friend vanishes, Stratton is drawn into a desperate race to secure a missing nuclear warhead that has been stolen from the Pakistan military.

This novel was followed by more adventure based chronicles: Undersea Prison (2008), Traitor (2010), and Assassin (2013).