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The Elite

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About this listen

Five thousand years of military history. The best elite unites that have fought across the globe. Their story told by acclaimed adventurer and ex-SAS officer Ranulph Fiennes.

Throughout human history the art of warfare has evolved into many forms across numerous theatres, gradually becoming more sophisticated and strategised as the centuries have progressed. From the Spartans of ancient Greece with their code of valour fighting to the last man to the US Navy SEALs who operate using the latest technology of the 21st century.

Across the vast array of military campaigns and battles one can see that the majority of organised armies have been comprised of enlisted men who would have their basic training. As time progressed all countries saw the need to also have units that were the 'best of the best', that would be fit and strong and enjoy the best training and weaponry available. These elite units would be deployed to achieve extremely tough objectives, to guard a valuable fortification or person or to act as a barrier in a crisis. The term 'elite' is the ultimate accolade and one to which only the toughest would try to aspire to: undergoing intensive and harsh physical training and ultimately sacrificing themselves for the given objective.

Ranulph Fiennes himself served in Britain's toughest formation, the SAS. Since his military days he has won acclaim as an extraordinary brave and resourceful Arctic adventurer. It is fitting that he now looks back across 5,000 years of military history to pinpoint and celebrate the best elite units that served and fought across the globe.

©2019 Ranulph Fiennes (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd Military War
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enjoyed this book from start to finish would recommend this even if you don't like the military.

excellent book

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Felt almost like a compilation of Wikipedia pages about some of history's better known crack soldiers (Wikipedia level is great for initial level but felt this book would offer more).

Continual references to "I myself know what this was like" is an attempt to provide authenticity from the definitely hugely impressive life of the author but it just came across to me as bragging... The reader while excellent for this just made it sound all the more smug if you don't like it!

Lots of the units didn't really feel like special forces in the way the SAS or SEALs do, so much as a standard army unit (E.g. The Mongol hordes - different to European counterparts but not specialist units within Genghis Khan's ranks and the Battle of Britain was just the author waxing about a moment of national pride). The choice of forces also felt Anglo centric making it hard to claim the book is objectively a history of special forces. Most are firmly British, American, or those glorified in British British popular culture. The author is a figure of the British establishment so this isn't exactly surprising, it just makes the book read less as an analytical history and more as "here's a bunch of types of soldiers across time that I really wanted to be part of growing up".

But I listened to the whole book and did find the history interesting, so it's clearly got something to it and it's easy to do a hatchet job on someone else's work. I myself have just done one.

Somewhat interesting but feels like bragging

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Taking us from early historical times through to the 21st century, this fascinating book, embellished with personal anecdotes, outlines the way special forces have developed through the requirements of particular circumstances for a small, highly trained unit to perform specific operations. Well read and engaging!

Great overview of a fascinating subject!

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It seems that Ranulph Fiennes is incapable of writing a dull book; this account of elite forces is another gem. Fiennes examines the history of each unit, and gives details of one key engagement (for example, the Iranian embassy hostage crisis in the chapter on the SAS). Fiennes combines historical sources with his own personal experiences of operating under similar circumstances. While some of his personal anecdotes can seem a little tangential, they are a valuable first-person addition to the book. Peter Noble's narration is unobtrusive, if sometime stilted (though not enough to lose his performance a star). Most chapters are around 25 minutes long, which makes for comfortable listening. Highly recommended for military history fans or general admirers of derring-do.

Another winner from Sir Ranulph Fiennes

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Was ok but he Shoehorns his own stories into literally every single chapter. I know you had to pull a 450lb sled In the arctic , you already told me 2 chapters ago. If I wanted to read that I’d have bought one of his other books .

Meh

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