Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Reaper: Autobiography of One of the Deadliest Special Ops Snipers” as Want to Read:
Enlarge cover
Rate this book
Clear rating
Open Preview

The Reaper: Autobiography of One of the Deadliest Special Ops Snipers

by
3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 447 ratings · 68 reviews
Groundbreaking, thrilling and revealing, The Reaper is the astonishing memoir of Special Operations Direct Action Sniper Nicholas Irving, the 3rd Ranger Battalion's deadliest sniper with 33 confirmed kills, though his remarkable career total, including probables, is unknown.

In the bestselling tradition of American Sniper and Shooter, Irving shares the true story of his ext
...more
Hardcover , 320 pages
Published January 27th 2015 by St. Martin's Press
more details... edit details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Reaper , please sign up .

Popular Answered Questions

Adam Many publishers release what are known as "ARCs" (Advance Reader Copy, Advance Review Copy) to get the word out about the book and get reviews flowing …more Many publishers release what are known as "ARCs" (Advance Reader Copy, Advance Review Copy) to get the word out about the book and get reviews flowing prior to publication.

Also, some Goodreads users don't understand the concept of reviews and rate books based upon their apparent excitement to read it as opposed to their opinion of the book after reading it. (less)

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,107)
filter | sort : default (?) | rating details
Sammy Loves Books
What an Amazing Adventure as you enter the mind of one of the Deadliest Ranger Snipers!!


poaster


What an interesting, fast paced read this turned out to be. We follow Nicholas Irving from his youth as an unruled wild child, and watch him grow into a disciplined Army Ranger Sniper. I loved his flashbacks to how mom and dad were so influential in helping him develop and mature.


bookcover


There was never a dull moment as I enjoyed hearing about his struggles as a newly enlisted peon in the US Army.

The book advances qu
...more
Dan Curnutt
Very interesting first person story of the life of an Army Ranger Sniper and is time in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nicholas Irving will give you a view of his young life and his desire to join the Military. He will not reveal any major earth shattering secrets, but he will give you a good look at the mindset of a young man who grows up to become one of the deadliest snipers the U.S. Military has trained.

What I found so interesting was the honesty of Irving. He shares some of his deep fears, things th
...more
Keith
This book will make some people very uncomfortable. And rightly so - it contains graphic depictions of people being killed and wounded, and several other very unpleasant and difficult situations.

It also is a description of someone who is charged with killing people, and who takes a certain amount of pride in how well he does that job.

I've read a fairly good amount of military books, war biographies and memoirs. Some of them are very very good, like the works of Robert Leckie and Eugene Sledge. M
...more
Conny
I was a First Read Winner of this book, and I was deeply touched by the book. I had no idea what it would be like for our young men and women to be off at war other than what I have seen on the news or read in the paper, but with this book the author gave a glimpse of what a sniper faced during his deployment. With all the danger and death that Irving faced every day it is easy to forget that all this happened before he even turned 24. I know this book will stay with me for a long time and I won ...more
Krystal
I am giving this book 4 stars, even though I could not relate to this book for the first 6 chapters so I don't really have much to say about it before that point. The one thing that changed it all around was this quote "Lots of people think of war as being between armies and governments or between this platoon & that unit, but really it does sometimes come down to one guy with a gun and another guy with a gun." I like how Irving goes on to explain "I'd been the deliverer of death, the Reaper ...more
Rex Fuller
Very enjoyable. Straight from the gut “this is what happened,” in soldier’s language. Army Ranger Nicholas Irving served as a sniper in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The book focuses on the Afghan tour where he collected more kills protecting fellow Rangers in a shorter period than anyone, earning from them the nickname “Reaper.” He gives you a clear picture of just what it was like, without preaching or agendizing. The effort, pain, anxiety, stench, joy, heartbreak, adrenaline, exhaustion, and cam ...more
L-D
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I seldom read autobiographies, but this book caught my eye on Netgalley and I was intrigued by the description. Nick Irving is much younger throughout this retelling than I would think from someone with his record which I found interesting. I enjoyed the way he portrayed his relationships with his spotter/partner as well as with the other members of the unit. I didn't really know what to expect
...more
Justin Harrison
Outstanding book. Nick does a great job of humanizing his profession in the sense that they aren't a bunch of savages out to collect a body count. He's introspective about his path, and it shows in his work, both in this book and as a sniper in the Ranger's sniper section. His writing comes off as very personal (which, I KNOW it has to be), and his story strikes a close chord with me. In '97, I was sitting in a Navy recruiter's office with the same dream spawned from the same movie - Navy SEALS ...more
Cassidy Queerface
The book felt very authentic. Even with a co-writer, it still felt like it was totally in Irving's voice. I hadn't read many autobiographies of soldiers, and any stories tended to focus on all the negative sides. It was revelatory to me how he compartmentalized his being a soldier and him being a man. Like a different personality.
People called him the Reaper because of how many kills he made, but from the story, it sounds like he saved a lot of lives thru the ones he took. It's an intensely inte
...more
Susan Olesen
Not thrilling or amazing, it was somewhat dull. I read the book as research for a book I was writing that had a character who was a sniper, so what better to read than a book about one of the deadliest? I didn't learn much. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. I realize Irving isn't going to be Faulkner or even Patterson, but the book rambles along like you're sitting next to him in a bus station and talking to him while you wait. There's one good section where he's pin ...more
Jonathon Voss
The Reaper, by Nicholas Irving will take you into the heart of Afghanistan right in the middle of the fight. It will show you a real account of a special ops sniper and what it is really like out on the frontlines. The great and horrific things taking place there will make your appreciation of these soldiers far greater. Throughout his deployments Nicholas Irving does what it really takes to stop the threat of global terrorism and keep all of us safe. He is a true american hero.

This book had a
...more
Kyle Sheppard
Nicholas Irving's, The Reaper, was written to inform the reader what it is like to be a sniper in the Special Ops. Irving's purpose was to teach people about what it is like to live in the Special Ops and to teach people how to be successful in life. Throughout the book he describes all the qualities for becoming a Special Ops soldier.

Throughout this book, Irving develops the theme of perseverance. He tells about his life as a sniper and what it was like leading up to where he got. He showed
...more
P.e.
I found this to be a good book about Nichols Irving and his time being a U.S. Army Ranger Sniper and his last deployment in Afghanistan where he got the nick name the reaper by having 33 kills. I know to some people that may not seem like a lot with other people in the news but this was only one tour and the other men were snipers for multiple tours so they add up. The men that Irving was with were grateful he and the other snipers were there. I found this book to be a different read than some o ...more
James
This is the account of a US Army Ranger sniper, apparently one of the most successful in the war in Afghanistan. It’s a good book in part because it successfully avoids many of the pitfalls of the military biography.

A lot of these books go on and on about the training, so much so that the reader is like, “Yeah, I get it, it was tough, can you get to the part I want to read about please? Like, what was it like in Afghanistan?” Thankfully, this account gets it just right, the author detailing his
...more
Michelle
I loved that this book didn't do what so many other military memoirs do, which is focus on how difficult the training is, and therefore, how awesome the soldier is. I think if you like reading this genre, you already know that, and it doesn't need to be repeated in every new book that gets published. Yes, these guys are amazing, but what we want to hear is their story and their voice--that's what you get with this book. It's a well-told, detailed, and engaging story.
Randy Daugherty
Nicholas Irving was a member of the 3rd Ranger Battalion , deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan as a sniper, Irving"Irv" as he was called also had another far more sinister name, the "Reaper" with a confirm kill count of 33, though he was not so much into numbers.
Irving joined the Navy only to be disqualified due to color blindness, but the Army was more than willing to snatch him up and a good thing.
From his wild youth, mainly just normal stupidity to the Middle East and a war torn desert, Irv
...more
Dustin Gaughran
This was a solid book. It covers Sgt. Irving's last deployment, in Afghanistan, during the summer of 2009. What made it so interesting was how much action he saw as a sniper in that three month period, and how intense/weird much of it was. What really rounds this book out, and makes it a little more complete, is that Irving is very honest about himself, and how his chosen profession impacted him. Definitely recommend it.
Peter
The Reaper is the ghost-written autobiography of Nicholas Irving (“Irv”), a sergeant in the Army Rangers. Irv says he was one of the most productive Ranger “Special Ops” snipers in Afghanistan, with 33 kills. For those interested in body counts, this is well below the 150 confirmed kills for Chris Kyle, a SEAL sniper in Iraq and the author of American Sniper . My respect for snipers has little to do with body count and much to do with their remarkable skills: long-range marksmanship, incredible p ...more
Daniel Flores
Excellent read! If you want to know what its like to be on the SOF frontline in Afghanistan, this is it.
Book flows very well from beginning to end. For me to read what it was like on the ground was especially intriguing as I remember getting called into to help out our guys involved in a TIC (troops in contact) while flying the Apache. I would only be given the bare minimum information to respond ie. location, frequency and call sign. Nick's accounts fill in what I could only imagine what was ha
...more
Alex
This is an interesting story about a sniper. We get a bit of an idea who he was before the army and why he wanted to join. We get hints of his character development but it's more about where he was and what he did. "Irv" is alert and has a good eye for detail. Theres some "how " but not much "why" to the story. We get to know him as a soldier but not much as a man.
It's a riveting story though and it gives a good feeling of what it was like to be in his shoes.
I liked the fact it didn't have poli
...more
Colin Bracken
The Reaper by Nicholas Irving is the mind blowing tale of fighting to survive during the war in Afghanistan.

The author Nicholas Irving shares his stories of success with 33 confirmed sniper kills. This made him the most successful sniper in Army Rangers third battalion history. But with his success he also chronicles his struggles through his deployments. He tells stories of how anything and everything can happen during war. Nicholas Irving proves this in his edge of the seat biography The Reap
...more
Gill's Great Book Escapes
Irving gives a good account of being an Army Ranger Sniper to someone who has little idea what that is and there is just the right mix of personal and professional accounts to make this a good read.
“Lots of people think of war as being between armies and governments or between this platoon and that unit, but it really does sometimes come down to one guy with a gun and another guy with a gun.”

I liked the fact he gave us his thoughts about what he was doing and how he coped with them and was ple
...more
Benjamin Taylor
Irving took me through his tours.

What an incredible read. In the best way possible, the Reaper himself, described his life and routine as an Army Ranger Sniper. All the great of and bad that come with that before, during, and after deployment. This seemed real and not embellished. I'm glad I can see what's been going on in the middle east with our country's men through books like this. It helps me appreciate more the freedoms I enjoy.
Thank you Nicholas Irving.
Branden
This book is real. By that I mean the author opens up about his hopes, fears, etc without beating his chest in the way typical of many special ops autobiographies. Times have sure changed in sniper section, and in Ranger Battalion in general (I was 1/75 in the 90s) but reading this book, much appears to have stayed the same. All I can say is "thank you." For your service, for sharing your story, and for bringing back the best (and worst) times of my life. Well done.
Nona
Nicholas Irving gives his account of his career as a Special Operations Direct Action Sniper focusing on his deployment to Afghanistan in the summer of 2009. Thought it deals with killing the enemy, it is not gory. The author does a good job of explaining the military jargon. I appreciated the eluding to, but not written out vulgar language. I thing young men that are interested in the military will enjoy this book.
Joseph
You know I thought it was OK and really not much more then that. His description of his missions were good for the most part, but outside of that that it wasn't so interesting. Another thing that probably took it down a notch was the narrative person seemed to also take a deep breath in between long sentence or paragraphs... It was like he was out of breath or something. It became a distraction.
Matt
I liked this read. It is well written and flows well with a good combination of personal experience, action, and reflection. Gives a good picture of the life of a special ops sniper.

Nicholas Irving is a good sniper, not necessarily a legendary sniper. Does not dig to far into the downside of war and the damage it does to your mind and body.

Again, good read.

Glad I picked it up.
Kevin Rood
Fairly easy reading. In my opinion the author bounced around too much in trying to get his story told. With only 33 bonified kills; his claim to be "one of the deadliest snipers ", falls way short of the many snipers that have hundreds of bonified kills.
Though he is still a hero for his service in protecting his fellow servicemen and the USA.
Adam
Meh. Kind of read as a stream-of-consciousness telling. I was surprised there was a second author because it sure didn't read like anything of a professional writer's caliber. Interesting details and stories, but could have used a better editor to put it in chronological order or at least keep a thread going throughout the narrative as opposed to bouncing all over.
Larry H.
Great autobiography. Even though Mr. Irving talks about his combat experience as the first Afro-American sniper the 3rd Battalion Rangers unit, it is mostly a tribute to his mates. He is down-to-earth, modest, and a straight shooter (pun probably intended). Great book.
  • Legend: A Harrowing Story from the Vietnam War of One Green Beret's Heroic Mission to Rescue a Special Forces Team Caught Behind Enemy Lines
  • Code Name: Johnny Walker: The Extraordinary Story of the Iraqi Who Risked Everything to Fight with the U.S. Navy SEALs
  • Roughneck Nine-One: The Extraordinary Story of a Special Forces A-team at War
  • Under Fire: A Night of Terror and Courage in Benghazi
  • One Million Steps: A Marine Platoon at War
  • Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior
  • Level Zero Heroes: The Story of U.S. Marine Special Operations in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan
  • Among Heroes: A U.S. Navy SEAL's True Story of Friendship, Heroism, and the Ultimate Sacrifice
  • The Trident: The Forging and Reforging of a Navy SEAL Leader
  • The Night Stalkers
  • No Hero: The Evolution of a Navy SEAL
  • Outlaw Platoon: Heroes, Renegades, Infidels, and the Brotherhood of War in Afghanistan
  • Lions of Kandahar: The Story of a Fight Against All Odds
  • The Darkest Summer: Pusan and Inchon 1950: The Battles That Saved South Korea--and the Marines--from Extinction
  • Sua Sponte: The Forging of a Modern American Ranger
  • Battle Ready: Memoir of a SEAL Warrior Medic
  • Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts: The American Military in the Air, at Sea, and on the Ground
  • Thunder Run: The Armored Strike to Capture Baghdad
Team Reaper: 3rd Ranger Battalion's Deadliest Sniper Team Precision Rifle B.I.B.L.E Way of the Reaper: My Greatest Untold Missions and the Art of Being a Sniper Precision Rifle B.I.B.L.E Volume 2 The Reaper: Autobiography of One of the Deadliest Special Ops Snipers

Share This Book

“is a weird feeling, especially at night. It’s like your” 0 likes
More quotes…