ecology

Tom Brown's new book was long awaited, finally it is here. His fans might have hoped to see it published already when the movie 'the hunted' (whose technical advisor Tom Brown was and which is even based on a story in this book) hit the cinemas, but due to reasons only the publisher know it arrived half a year later. For the reading audience this does not make any difference at all. The 'case files' which Brown presents in this book do not need a film as a support, they will come alive on their own and - compared to the rather dull movie - the material conveyed in the book is 100% true Tom Brown stuff. People who know Tom Brown will be surprised how deep he goes this time: He is not only sharing his great abilities as a tracker, but also all the intense personal and intimate emotions he experiences being on a tracking case. And a big tracking adventure - in Brown`s perspective - is the whole life, because as a tracker tracking never stops. And it's not a mystic knowledge limited to few chosen ones but an art and science open to anybody who is willing to show passion and invest long hours of 'dirt time' - just as Master Tracker Tom Brown did over decades.
All of his stories are exciting to read (some like 'My Frankenstein' are a little bit too macho-style in my opinion), most have a sad ending in common but at the same time they are very rich when it comes to universal messages beyond the physical evidence. Tracking as the art of seeing, feeling and knowing.
So it is a great book to read which talks to us at the same time on different and very subtle levels.

There are 2 types of people who will read this book. Those who are obsessed with Tom Brown Jr. and those who are skeptical. Other reviews of this book reflect that skepticism.

I too was skeptical of Tom's claims about his super-human abilities of stalking and tracking at first. After all, his stories read like a hollywood-script. In reality, movies like the Hunted (which is based on the first tracking case detailed in this book) had to rewrite the story to make it more believable than reality. Tom's story, the true story of what really occurred, is unbelievable to anyone who hasn't become an obsessed follower of and believer in Tom Brown Jr.

Either category of reader should be thrilled with this book. Tom gives more details and insight into several tracking cases he participated in. Including a search for an escaped Tiger in New Jersey, Tom tracking down one of his own trained CIA assassins gone bad (the basis of the movie "the Hunted") and other searches for lost children with both tragic and heroic endings.

Most of all, Tom Brown is a gifted story teller. Each chapter carries you along an emotional roller coaster experienced through the eyes of the master tracker, the best in the world at what he does.

Those who are skeptical and who read this book, will want to read more. Eventually after reading and learning the skills that Tom teaches, perhaps even taking one of his classes, they will become obsessed with Tom like I have become.

Those who are believers and admirers of Tom (often to a fault), who have become obsessed with his abilities and wisdom, will find in this book details of stories we have been waiting for years to hear from him. In the dedication of the book, Tom mentions that this is the first of a trilogy. Wonderful news, I waited for over 1 year of delays for this book to be publised. No delay is too long to wait for the next 2!

While Tom Brown in an interesting man, and his skills and experiences are interesting subjects, i found this book to be terribly written, and quite uninformative. Its not all bad, as some of the stories are entertaining in themselves, but Mr Brown has an awful tendacy to repeat himslef over, and over, AND OVER! "the hunted always has the advantage" appears about 12 times in the first chapter, and many phrases like it repeat themselves endlessly throught...quite honestly, it got to the point where i would just scan through it....

I have Mr Browns feild manuals of various types and find them useful, and well written. Mr Brown is after all, a teacher. I think he would be better served to stick with it.

Ill also admit that i find the idea of Tom Brown taking out 34 special forces soldiers with "a tap of a stick" in a training excercise, and never being seen by anyone in 7 acres of land to be highlt unbeleivable....But, like any good tracker/scout, ...i tend not to doubt anyone. especially this crafy soul .