The Dark Side

Real Life Accounts of an NHS Paramedic: The Good, the Bad and the Downright Ugly

By: Andy Thompson

Narrated by: Pete Nottage

Andy Thompson's true-to-life, graphic, and gripping account of his work as an NHS paramedic in Britain's Accident and Emergency Ambulance Service will shock you, sadden you, entertain you, and perhaps inspire you. You'll smile at some of Andy's real patient encounters, while others will cause you to wipe a tear.

Using official NHS documentation recorded at the time to give precise details of each incident, Andy has held firm to the real-life accounts, even in keeping the dialogue as close as his memory allows to what was really said at the time. It's as if you're there next to him, struggling with the effects of adrenaline and fighting to save life. This is a rare work of medical nonfiction delivered in a way that is factual, informative, but at the same time naturally entertaining and moving, written with candour and humour. And if you have ever thought what it takes to become a paramedic - or any other of the specialist vocations - and that you could never achieve it yourself, Andy's inspiring story of how he went from postman to frontline healthcare professional, fulfilling his dream, will make you think again that anything is possible if you have the desire.

Andy says there are no heroics in the book and that he simply did his job, but we are sure The Dark Side will leave you convinced there are true heroes on our streets right here, right now. Saving lives every day, every night and often against all the odds. It might even change your whole perspective on life.

©2014 Andy Thompson (P)2015 Andy Thompson

Great EMS stories

Good Listen, good stories! Recommend to anyone, even if not in the field of Emergency Medical Care

Instruction Manual for future or new EMTs

What did you love best about The Dark Side?

The energy of the narrator, and the compassion of the author.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dark Side?

The 4 month old baby. It felt so shocking as I didn't expect it to be so raw.

What about Pete Nottage’s performance did you like?

His energy.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Instructions for EMTs

Any additional comments?

I can do without the long explanations however, this was really interesting.

Great book

Excellent narration by the author, and I thoroughly enjoy the very real life encounters as a working paramedic. As a medic myself I am able to relate to these calls. Will recommend this book to my fellow workers, and student preceptors.

Ehhhh....not bad

The medicine seems sound, the stories interesting, and the narration is strong. The writing itself seems weak. If you can get past that - and there were points where I struggled - it’s worth a listen.....maybe.

Loved this book!

Great stories. Well written. Laughs and sadness. Just love the British accent. Looking forward to his second book.

Editor...

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The stories were padded out wth clumsy descriptions, a bit like an essay written in school. It needed a good editor.

What was most disappointing about Andy Thompson’s story?

The awful, tabloid-style language. I should have known by 'the downright ugly' in the title - made me cringe.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I'm not sure if the narrator was reading the grammatical mistakes from the book, or if they were used to authenticate his performance. It was a bit odd.

Raunchy and undesireable

I tried to listen to these, I really did. But I do NOT find them humorous in the least, but rather disturbing and disgusting. I would demand refund, but they were granted for free. They are certainly not worth anyone's time.