“Eight Lives Down,” by Chris Hunter, is the reality version of “The Hurt Locker,” the 2009 Oscar winning film. The subtitle says, “The Story of the World’s Most Dangerous Job in the World’s Most Dangerous Place.”

The author, a British major, spent four months in Iraq in 2004 as a bomb tech–or, more correctly, an ATO: Ammunition Technical Officer. He was already an expert in this field, having served previously in the Balkans, Northern Ireland, Columbia, and elsewhere. When there was an IED or a car bomb, he was called out to diffuse it. The title alludes to the 9 lives of a cat. Considering his ultra-dangerous work, Hunter figures he had one life left.

In two months’ time, Hunter responded to 45 bomb incidents. He was so good at his job that the insurgents put a price on his head, and began designing bombs with the sole purpose of killing him when he responded. For that reason, his superiors pulled him from field duty and gave him a job looking for the bomb makers, using forensic and other evidence. Before he left Iraq, the two main bomb-making groups in Basra had been eliminated.

Hunter tells a number of stories of diffusing bombs. The bombs keep growing in sophistication, thanks to the Iranians. Early on, he and his squad of seven other men were caught in a terrible ambush and fought their way out of it. Hunter is good at making you feel like you’re there.

I’ve read several books about our current two wars, but this is the first one from a non-American perspective. It was interesting seeing how British troops behave and interact with each other–not much different from American troops, except perhaps a bit more straight-laced. They are certainly highly trained warriors.

And what a sense of humor! Here are some quotes from the book:

• “When you make something idiot proof, someone just makes a better idiot.”
• From helicopter gunship operators: “You can run, but you’ll just die tired.”
• “Those who live by the sword get shot by guns.”

It was also fun wading through all the British jargon: beezer, bollocks, judder, bumf, gobsmacked, biff, blokes, recce. Notice how many of them start with the letter “b.” Either the British like “b” words, or we Americans just don’t like incorporating “b” words from other languages.

Here’s a story. Hunter and three Americans are watching a live feed from an unmanned drone. About five persons are preparing what looks to be a car bomb. Suddenly there’s a flash, and when the picture returns, there’s only a black cloud where the car once stood. “They got love from above,” said one American.

While in Baghdad, heading to the airport, Hunter watches a car pull out of traffic, barrel through street-side shops and pedestrians, and then blow up–a horrific car bomb. The dead and maimed are everywhere. Hunter watches a young woman retrieve her father’s severed hand from atop a vehicle.

They learn that the Iraqi police had captured two bomb-makers. Hunter and Lisa, a British captain, march into the Basra police headquarters, where prisoners are being openly tortured. They barge into a room where the two bombers are being tortured and demand custody of them. The police chief objects, but the woman puts the guy in his place. In that society, the police chief probable had to go kill some prisoners to restore his honor. They walk out of the headquarters with their two prisoners, who then divulge everything they know.

A number of superb books are being written about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. “Eight Lives Down” is among them, a most fascinating book. It’s not in the league of “Joker One” or “The Forever War” or “Moment of Truth in Iraq,” but it does give two unique perspectives–the British, and the harrowing role of bomb techs.