Customer Reviews
How things change! - By: Filbert Fox, 06 Oct 2008 
I was looking forward to reading this book as I have served with a couple of lads from both 2 & 3 Para who foughtin the Falklands & have worked with many other Parasin more recent years.
The book started off pretty dull about his life at school but soon got on track once he decided to join the Army, the story of lifein the Army, his trip down south & what happened on his return was excellent, but then it went back to being dull again, why he chose to write about his trip to Belize is beyond me & didnt add anything to the book, I nearly stopped reading there, but then it picked up again at the end.
His attitude towards the rest of the Army is now very dated, & although there is still inter Regiment rivalry the whole whole way that we view each other has changed since his day, due to the conflictsin Iraq & Afghanstan where all capbadges are working & fighting together there is a lot more mutual respect & quite rightly too, check out the number of gallantry awards awarded to all Regts & Corps of the British Army.
Mark, like all who have been involvedin armed conflict went through a lot both mentally & physically & I salute all who have done so, but as you read the latter part of the book, he is stillin the mindset that everyone who isnt airborne is a hat & the Paras hate them, on that issue he is very much a dinosaur & out of touch.
10 out of 10. Read this Book! - By: Tony Groom, 08 Sep 2008 
I devoured "Sod that"in just three sittings, & that doesn't often happen to me. During the Falklands battles I was lostin the pages, until my wife told me to turn the bloody light out. I looked across & it was four o'clockin the morning!
I thought it was brilliantly & truthfully written from the heart. Mark has not tried to big himself or his buddies up, he told it like it wasin every gory & moving detail, & that's what makes this account so much more readable.
Buy it. Read it, then if you have never served under fire, you may just get a hint of what it's like. You may then begin to understand why so many men struggle when they come back from war.
This doesn't apply just to the lads from 1982. Try to imagine what hundreds or maybe even thousands of very young men are going through when they come back from Afghanistan, or Iraq.
A lot though, like many of Marks friends, don't come back. This will remind you that they are not just numbers you hear on the evening news. They are people, young men with families, wives & children, someone's son. This book should put thingsin perspective,in order of importancein your life.
Tony
Sod that, real story-real life. - By: Ed the Hat, 13 Feb 2008 I feel i have to writein a retort to Jayetee's reveiw. The comments about the authour being rude & abusive, although being his/her personnel opinion should not stand.
I have recently laid the book down after what i can describe as one of the most moving accounts that i have ever digested.
Mark Eyles-Thomas served with the Parachute Regiment, calling all other members of the armed forces who did not earn the Maroon beret as HATS, is what is best described as banter, mickey taking & having a massive sense of self pride. What the Paras & other elite units do is not normal, these people are close, because of what they are asked to do; by people satin their living rooms & cosy offices. Is the reviewer so naive as to think those HATS do not have their own colourful language to describe those who call them HATS?
I can give this informed statement, as i served as a Hat for nearly ten years, i am immensley proud of my military sevice, like Mark i joined the Army as a sixteen year old, & also lost a friend during operationsin Bosnia.
People should not be put off from reading this book because of Marks description of non Paras, Mark tells it like it is, sometimes people tell you the truth can hurt, read the book & understand that this is about normal young men asked to do a very abnormal job, its consequences & what makes our British Army the best on the planet.
You will not be disapointed
Excellent - By: spear, 22 Jan 2008 Excellent read.
Forget the history books,this book brings home the true reality of the Falklands War as experienced by the young soldiers of 3 Para.
It brings home the true horrors & emotions of warfare.
A must read for all.
Thanks Mark for telling your story & helping us remember those who gave thier lives & those who still suffer today.
Sod That For A Game Of Soldiers - By: M. Taylor, 13 Jan 2008 
I found this author to be rude & abusive to any other person who was not a Para. Not at all amusing hearing other Military & civilian personel being slagged off.
