Interesting that there's a book on how to play airsoft. Google is always your best friend when searching for airsoft information, and getting information on how to improve on playing airsoft is always what any serious airsoft player would do. The book "How To Airsoft" by the HowExpert Press came up at Google Books. It's available for £9.65/US$10.15 and also found out that it's also at Amazon for the same price. I wonder if at that price, which is expensive than some books in the New York Times Bestseller list, the book is worth the money. This book is an eBook and I haven't found any print version being sold online

This is what the Publisher/Author describes the book:

• In this step-by-step guide, you will discover the best airsoft tips and secrets.
• You will learn strategies and techniques to improve your airsoft skills.
• You will amaze and shock your friends as being the best airsoft player.
• Your airsoft team will respect and look up to you as an airsoft leader.
• Discover how to gear up for before the airsoft battle the right way.
• How to play in an airsoft team and win.
• Tips on how to avoid getting hit.
• Speedball tricks
• How to move without being seen
• How to stock up on ammo the correct way.
• How to airsoft like a pro.

I was ROTFL before I even finished reading the description.

The first thing that any rational buyer of books does is to find reviews which can help guide the reader if the buy button should be clicked based on reader feedback. At Amazon, there were three reviews, getting two 1 stars and one 5-star. The 5-star review is very suspect though as he has given 5-star reviews on the books put out by HowExpert Press and nothing else and accused by some Amazon customers to be working for the company. Amazon allows you to take a peek inside the book, but you only a copyright notice is to be seen. Google Books have sample pages of this book and here’s a screenshot:

Obviously, it's a 42-page eBook written in large fonts that you might just breeze through the pages in under an hour. If this is only for beginners, then I must say it must have been written for a 5-year old and they should have have been a picture book instead to help in what the author is describing about. Even the history of airsoft is not discussed in depth and selecting an airsoft gun is not even helpful at all. But if you're a noob (and a 5-year old), be my guest and go on buy the book and read it.

I wonder if the author is an actual airsoft player or just some writer tasked to make a "quickie book" and browsed the web to find information about airsoft and write about it. I suspect that the author is not as there's no introduction to terms used in airsoft at all. Even terms such as AEGs and GBBs are nowhere to be found in the first section which is supposed to orientate the reader to the basics of airsoft.

Since this is about my sneak peek into the book with limited page samples, I always referred to the Table of Contents and you can find there an entry "How to Pick a Rank" which made my eyes wide as airsoft, although it's a hobby for military and gun enthusiasts, ranks are not an important part of playing the game, unless a role playing game strictly requires such ranks. Nevertheless, I rarely encounter ranking systems among airsoft teams, and airsoft teams sometimes rotate team leaders. There were attempts to impose a ranking system in some airsoft groups, but fizzled out. Only in airsoft forums do you see some ranking, but that is based on the number of posts a member has made, rather than about playing experience. Overall, the airsoft community is egalitarian and not some military organisation. Unless the author meant "How to Pick a Role", then he might have some helpful tips.

Another entry of Section I is "Tips on Getting Hit", which again is such a question that is answering a wrong a objective. Would you rather read about "Tips on NOT GETTING HIT?" during airsoft games?

In Section II, the book gives its 7 Secrets To Succeed At Airsoft which do not really answer on how one can succeed in airsoft. These are mainly tips while being out there in the airsoft field. Succeeding in airsoft is about skills, proper equipment, team play, and planning. Being a sportsman is an attitude, and again you spot something: "Be A Sport" which for me is rather odd than explain airsoft is an honour game which any airsoft player learns immediately before starting to play the game. We always say "Be Honourable" rather than "Be A Sport".

I can drone on to point the problems with the book, but I will have to buy it to continue. Just the sample pages will already show you the flaws, unless you are really naïve.

Now for the 10 dollar/quid question: Is it worth the money?

NO.

Better save your money and rely on Google or whatever search engine you prefer to use. There are lots of better information and resources to find online on playing airsoft than spending your money on this eBook. Even the Wikipedia entry on Airsoft is much better than this book.

The best way to really know how to play airsoft is go to an airsoft field and start asking questions. You can get more information from the players there in less than a day, see airsoft in action and be guided by veterans.

If this were a printed book, I wouldn't even touch it with a 10-foot pole.