If you are already a big Maiden or Bruce fan most of the outline of Bruce's story is well known; the 'greatest hits' so to speak, the best stories you already kind of know are all present and correct, and entertainingly told. Where previous biographies or interviews have not really shed a lot of light on is Bruce's very early life and circumstances, with absentee young parents off hawking a traveling dog show [yes, really] brought up by grandparents, and his subsequent strange and eventful life when his parents do come back and claim him at age five. Once he leaves school and joins bands etc the music, the hustling, the fencing, the piloting and jaunting around on the rickety old roller-coaster of success all get their due space in this autobiography, which is, as you might expect from a book Bruce himself admits was written down t 'pub is like being told a tale by an ole salty sea dog, or rather more appropriately a be-grizzled Airline captain on his day off. Where it really shines is perhaps not surprisingly in the life and death situations, such as when Bruce and his Skunkworks cohorts dodged the shells raining on Sarajevo in the mid nineties to play to a gig, or most revealingly when he retells his cancer diagnosis and fight in a typical forensic and matter-of-fact way. A good read yes, but if looking for scandal, sex, drugs and rock n'roll tales of excess you may be disappointed.

He just doesn't stop. His sentences have the tempo of the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, they clank as much as Hallowed Be Thy Name, and are as fast-paced as Purgatory. No wonder heavy metal isn't enough for him: he's the only man who can multi-task! I felt pretty inadequate reading about all the things he packs into his day, and into his writing style.

Full of musical anecdotes, this chronicle sheds light on the key events of Dickinson's life, the evolution of his musical style and ability and his diverse and varied career. Rarely short on confidence, his ego does not get in the way of the story and the reader is frequented surprised by the image of singer behind the controls of large passenger jets as a jobbing pilot between Iron Maiden gigs. The most interesting episode for me was the visits to perform in Sarajevo before and after the Balkan War. Most likely to appeal to Iron Maiden fans.

But maybe should be purchased by fans of both IRON MAIDEN and BD.