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Although I lack military experience, I must say that this novel is perhaps one of the greatest military biographies I have read. Perhaps the reason this novel is so enjoyable, is because you have absolutely no idea what story will be told next. Furthermore, if you are like me, you possbily never even heard the name Carlos Hathcock before.

This biography was very enjoyable, because it kept me on the edge of my seat. The personal stories of Hathcock, and eyewitness accounts are amazing. I can't fathom an individual who can shoot a gun accurately at 2,000 yards. But this novel gets you in close and personal with a person who lived by the motto, "one shot, one kill" at a distance of over 1,000 yards.

Henderson, the author, does a great job of describing Hathcock, and his missions by using expert witnesses and documents. Merely page through the bibliography to see the amount of research that Henderson did for this novel, and you will realize that this book must be pretty close to the absolute truth.

Overall, this book is fantastic, due to the missions that are explained in here. Henderson makes you feel right at home with this legend, and creates a lively image on each mission. As a result, this novel is easy to read, because it is a page-turner. Henderson also does an excellent job as to explain the mentality of Hathcock towards the Marines and towards the art of sniping. I never realized that a person who is a sniper must have a unique mentality in order to do this job. And Henderson shows that sniping is not for everyone.

The novel also immortalizes Hathcock as a hero and a leader.....as it should. Hathcock was at the top of his field, and literally designed the manual for this new class in the military. But his ideas have found there way into SWAT teams, and police forces through the world. Hathcock was a hero, who ultimately paid the price for his bravery in the Vietnam war. This novel is a must read for all individuals, not just the military type person!

Written by two fellow Marines, one of whom served as Hathcock's commanding officer, this tale chronicles the life of the most notorious sniper in Vietnam. Marine Sniper touches on the issues that faced wounded vets upon returning home, the grim conditions snipers dealt with in the field, and the role that Hathcock played in establishing the Corps' scout sniper program.
Another apsect that this book deals with is the stigma that haunts snipers throughout the service in the military and beyond. Having personally served with them, I know they are routinely looked down upon as cold-blooded killers and mercenaries. Ironically, it is often artillery and air units that house the most disdain for snipers, while their bombs and shells indiscriminately kill more than the sniper's selective rounds ever could. Henderson approaches this from the frustated pov of the sniper and how they dealt with monikers like "murder, inc." and similar slurs.
Also, check out the sequel, Silent Warrior, which tells the same story from different points of view. A must read for Marines and all service members alike.

Marine Sniper by Charles Henderson is one of the most gripping books I have ever read. It is the story of Carlos Hatchcock, the forefather of the Marine Sniper program. This book tells of his epic adventures in the jungles of Vietnam. His deadly accuracy and stealth abilities earned him 93 confirmed kills. It tells of his struggles and bravery in the field of battle. It relates account after account of how Carlos stalked the enemy for days on end and used his excellent marksmanship skills to deliver deadly shot after deadly shot. Charles Henderson's purpose in writing this book is to tell the forgotten story of Carlos Hathcock. Once you start this book, you won't be able to put it down; it puts you on the front line with the brave snipers who gave their all. Marine Sniper gives true testament to the struggles and triumphs of the snipers of Vietnam.