Killing Rage

This book has rightly been called the best book about the troubles and their is no denying the truth of this statement. Having read several other books on the Troubles such as Voices From the Grave, and Rebel Hearts, this book is the best one yet. It tells the story of Eamon Collins who joins the Provisional IRA and becomes an intelligence officer in the Newry area of Northern Ireland, before finally becoming disenchanted with the IRA and leaving the movement. While Collins does not commit any killings or bombings personally he becomes responsible for identifying and conducting surveillance on potential targets who are often members of the RUC or reserve members of the UDR. Collins ability to set up and target people who he often interacted with and respected on a personal level shows the frightening polarization of the Troubles and its us vs them mentality. Collins comes off as very well educated and intelligent in his writing, and often offers insightful views into the work of the IRA and Sinn Fein .His assertion that Sinn Fein and Gerry Adams had basically decided that the armed struggle was not viable by the 1980s and had decided to pursue political means is interesting considering the violence still dragged on into the 1990s. While Collins did walk away from the IRA after a disillusioned period as a temporary informer or 'grass' and a spell in prison the IRA obviously did not walk away from him. The publication of this book along with his defiance of the local IRA probably spelled his doom and he was brutally murdered in 1999. Apparently beaten and stabbed so badly it took awhile to identify him. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Troubles and the use of political violence. The book requires a thorough knowledge of the troubles to understand and for this reason I do not recommend that it be the first book read by readers unfamiliar with this subject.

KILLING RAGE, by Eamon Collins quickly becomes one of those rare books you can't put down! No matter how slowly you may read, you won't quit until the last page is turned.Collins takes the reader far away from the safety of home hearth, and drops him/her into the vicious jaws of the IRA and then, deeper into the dark abyss of his own tortured guilt-ridden soul.Throughout the book, the author insistently tries to convince himself (and the reader), that the decisions he chose to make were correct. Despite his confessed acts of criminality, conspiracy to murder, terrorism, and deceit, he makes a good and..."Almost" convincing defense for his actions and misguided devotions.Collins gives the reader the most unique and realistic peek into the political and religious imbroglios of Ireland, than any other author I have ever read. His writing and descriptions of events will chill your blood and raise the hair on your neck more than any Banshee ever could!A superb book...a gargantuan human tragedy!

Eamon Collins memoir is the emotional Odyssey of how one young, intelligent, educated Catholic man from northern Ireland, with a good job, was filled with such a killing rage that he became a ruthless IRA operative and the epiphany that he experienced which ultimately led him to renounce all paramilitary violence. I believe his recollections to be the most important volume of the troubles written by a former paramilitary specifically because it let's us into his inner emotional world. Sadly, in 1999, Eamon's former comrades exacted a terrible revenge for his outspokenness by assassinating him in what one hardened detective described as 'one of the most gruesome murders of the entire Troubles'.

Great product!

The cover should tell you right away: "Killing Rage" is not for the faint of heart. Eamon Collins gives a detailed account of his time with the Irish Republican Army, but his book stands out from any other book on the Troubles I've ever read. Unlike many other young men, who serve as mindless cannon fodder and join simply for the chance to kill, negative encounters with the British military throughout his early years encouraged an ideology which teaches violence as the only retaliation. However, Mr. Collins includes his moral discrepancies with the IRA's beliefs. He includes specific instances where head IRA officials knew of potential problems and unnecessary civilian deaths, and continued with their operations.Another Note: A couple of years after this book was published, the IRA beat and stabbed Eamon Collins to death while he was walking his dogs in a quiet suburb. If it was worth killing for, you know it's touching.R.I.P. Mr. Collins, God bless you.

Intense Read !!!!!!! Maybe the most hair-raising book I have ever read. Author goes into great detail with regard to inner-workings of the IRA and his / their plots to assassinate their "enemies" . Best book I have ever read on the struggle. Killings and bombings aside, the author does a good job conveying the underlying reasons for his , and his cohorts , attitudes and actions.

I rated this book as high as possible because it a well-done book,and very interesting and educating issue for the people interested in this theme

This is a great book for the casual reader looking for a good, true story. Eamon is very honest, and shows the human side to the IRA. Eamon holds nothing back and exposes his true thoughts on what the IRA really is, and why they are. Great read from someone on the inside. However, if you are an IRA supporter, you will be disappointed by Eamons final take on the system he lived for.

I read the reviews before I ordered this book and when I had read it I went back and read them again just to be sure I had bought the right book. I found it to be a very mundane read. In fact you could probably read better stories for free on the internet in news articles from those terrible dark days. I expected a hard hitting spine chilling realistic story of close up murder and ISIS type brutality straight from a terrorists mouth. Instead it was just a ramble of a few incidents described in no great detail and a lot of writing about friends and family including taking his wife on shopping trips and about studying for an open university degree. I couldn’t recommend this book to anyone as an insight into a terrorists mind or a ruthless terrorist organisation. Far better reads on the ‘Troubles' out there.

Great book, unputdownable. Read it in one day, reminded me of Ellroy's 'My Dark Places' it is that good. Written by an intellectual who begins to discover his emotional side aided and abetted by a stirring conscience that comes with increasing self-honesty. It's this personal struggle that takes hold of the story. The cleverer one is the greater the capacity for rationalising and justifying behaviour. Collins' fight is primarily with himself. His insight into the changing strategy of the war made me think of the Daniel Day-Lewis film 'The Boxer'. The scene in the death-house is memorable. Collins details his heightened sense of awareness as he waits for the Nutting Squad to arrive. I was impressed by the figure of Gerry Adams. The killing of Hanna was very hard to read. After this book I don't feel the need to dwell anymore on 'The Troubles'. Really the last word for me.

A good book on the Troubles in Northern Ireland by a former IRA operative who became a supergrass and renounced violence. Sadly, Collins is no longer here; he was brutally murdered sm years ago. The book offers good insights into the minds of PIRA members and some herat-rending accounts of the "ideological" murders of friends and colleagues who happen to be expendable. Collins also offers some hearsay information on the murder of Captain Robert Nairac, which may or may not be correct. This is not history, but the raw material of history; a primary source.

This put's you right in thick of the action, in all it's graphic gruesome details, some of it is disturbing so not for the faint hearted. It is an incredible account of what was happening at that time in the world written eruditely without any sentimental or sympathetic overtones for what he did.

A fascinating account of the IRA