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Battleground: Code Red
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Product Description
Book Description
Some authors just write about it. Chris Ryan has been there, done it and lived to tell the tale. This is the brand-new action-packed, electrifying sixth CODE RED adventure by our real-life SAS hero.
Product Description
You wake up in a dark room with no idea where you are. You are gagged and forced into a waiting truck. You have done nothing wrong. What would you do?
Fourteen-year-old Ben travels to Pakistan on a school exchange programme. Ben and his Pakistani host, Aaarya, find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. They see something they're not supposed to and are kidnapped by some strange men. Caught up in a terrifying planned terrorist attack that could destroy Southern Afghanistan, killing thousands, Ben and Aarya are dragged through the most terrifying battleground in the world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ben Tracy is on a school trip to Pakistan with his classmates and his environmental activist mother. While he is busy absorbing the culture and lifestyle of his new surroundings his mum will be crossing the border into Afghanistan, where she will be busy instructing tribespeople in modern farming. On his first day things go very wrong for Ben when he and a girl called Aarya are kidnapped by the Taliban after they witness the transportation of a secret weapon. Trussed up and thrown in the back of a van, the two are carried into war torn Afghanistan where their captors will use a nuclear bomb to destroy a huge dam, aiming to kill thousands. The SAS are already out searching for the Taliban after hearing of a secret plan. When Ben escapes he must tell them all he knows if they will have any chance of saving all those people in time as well as Aarya, who is still held prisoner. It's a race against time as Ben and four crack troops hurry to find one lone terrorist before it is too late. To make matters worse Ben receives word that his mum is trapped inside an army base under siege with no way of getting out and all reinforcements directed towards the nuclear threat.
This is an interesting novel as it focuses on the war in Afghanistan and will give young readers a view into the harsh realities of warfare and the problems faced not only by the soldiers on the front line but also by the local population. There is a particular emphasis on the lives led by women under the Taliban regime as Aarya tells of the hardships her aunt has suffered. Letting young people know of the difficulties outside the borders of our own relatively safe country is very much worthwhile, especially with so many seeing friends and family leave to fight in Afghanistan. The army receives a glowing tribute with individual bravery particularly highlighted. There is also mention of many of the problems faced by the troops such a the lack of equipment, especially helicopters.
All these things however do not make up for the story itself. Strangely it is not the nuclear bomb threat that makes the plot unbelievable, but Ben's involvement in the action. He is not a character you can find any affection for and his big mouth and arrogance not only land him in trouble in the first place but also sink him ever deeper. Despite this he still makes a series of badly judged escape attempts while constantly striving to outsmart his opponents. He isn't resourceful and clever like Alex Rider or as suave and dangerous as the young James Bond. He is barely involved in any action and his main method of investigation is to trick the main evil villain into bragging about his plans. This works over and over and over again. Another problem is that the Taliban are portrayed as incredibly stupid, two dimensional enemies, capable of being outwitted by a mere fourteen year old boy with no skills, brains or the usual high tech gadgets! It's not until the involvement of the SAS that things begin to get a bit more exciting as they ruthlessly eliminate the enemy to hunt down the bomb. Cue a terrifying drive through a mine field and a last second race to diffuse the nuke.
Chris Ryan obviously has a wealth of knowledge of warfare which he uses to good effect. Grisly fight scenes, detailed weapon descriptions and army slang help to create a believable world where boys little older than the target age range for this book are immersed in a fight for their lives. It's just a shame that awful characters and a weak plot stops the reader suspending their disbelief and diving into a promising story.
This is an interesting novel as it focuses on the war in Afghanistan and will give young readers a view into the harsh realities of warfare and the problems faced not only by the soldiers on the front line but also by the local population. There is a particular emphasis on the lives led by women under the Taliban regime as Aarya tells of the hardships her aunt has suffered. Letting young people know of the difficulties outside the borders of our own relatively safe country is very much worthwhile, especially with so many seeing friends and family leave to fight in Afghanistan. The army receives a glowing tribute with individual bravery particularly highlighted. There is also mention of many of the problems faced by the troops such a the lack of equipment, especially helicopters.
All these things however do not make up for the story itself. Strangely it is not the nuclear bomb threat that makes the plot unbelievable, but Ben's involvement in the action. He is not a character you can find any affection for and his big mouth and arrogance not only land him in trouble in the first place but also sink him ever deeper. Despite this he still makes a series of badly judged escape attempts while constantly striving to outsmart his opponents. He isn't resourceful and clever like Alex Rider or as suave and dangerous as the young James Bond. He is barely involved in any action and his main method of investigation is to trick the main evil villain into bragging about his plans. This works over and over and over again. Another problem is that the Taliban are portrayed as incredibly stupid, two dimensional enemies, capable of being outwitted by a mere fourteen year old boy with no skills, brains or the usual high tech gadgets! It's not until the involvement of the SAS that things begin to get a bit more exciting as they ruthlessly eliminate the enemy to hunt down the bomb. Cue a terrifying drive through a mine field and a last second race to diffuse the nuke.
Chris Ryan obviously has a wealth of knowledge of warfare which he uses to good effect. Grisly fight scenes, detailed weapon descriptions and army slang help to create a believable world where boys little older than the target age range for this book are immersed in a fight for their lives. It's just a shame that awful characters and a weak plot stops the reader suspending their disbelief and diving into a promising story.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
I absolutley loved this book. couldn't put it down for a second, and every time you do you are eager to pick it back up again and turn the page, waiting for more brilliance from Chris Ryan ;-)
Jack Walsh, age twelve from Northern Ireland
Jack Walsh, age twelve from Northern Ireland
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
A really good read - typical fighting Chris Ryan -- very good - worth the trouble. It's one of many I have collected.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Weak
Just finished this book with a sense of regret for both the time and money spent. The plot is weak and unrealistic, and execution is poor. Read more
Published 11 months ago by GreyMan
Battleground Code Red
My 13 year old son has read the previous Code Red books and enjoyed them immensely - this one was not a disappointment.
Published 19 months ago
Battleground (Code Red)
Battleground (Code Red)I bought this as a gift, so I have not read it, but the person who it was bought for was very pleased with it, so really this is all I can say about it
Published on 21 Jan 2010 by Mr. P. J. Ponsford
Battleground - Chris Ryan
We bought this book, Battleground (Code Red) - Chris Ryan, as a Christmas Present for the son-in-law.
It was at the top of his 'wish-list', so we decided to buy it. Read more
It was at the top of his 'wish-list', so we decided to buy it. Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2009 by Mr. S. Spurgeon
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