Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

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Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

4.3 of 5 stars 4.30 · rating details · 14,501 ratings · 2,491 reviews

Four US Navy SEALS departed one clear night in early July, 2005 for the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border for a reconnaissance mission. Their task was to document the activity of an al Qaeda leader rumored to be very close to Bin Laden with a small army in a Taliban stronghold. Five days later, only one of those Navy SEALS made it out alive.

This is the story of the o...more

Paperback, 416 pages

Published May 1st 2008 by Back Bay Books (first published 2007)

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Apr 26, 2008 Kristin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was our book club pick for this month. All I can say is THANK YOU KARIANN!! This book should be required reading for every American. It was life changing. I loved it. I have since scoured the Internet trying to learn as much as I can about Operation Redwing and it's heroes.

This is not the kind of book I would normally pick up and read. In fact, I had it on the counter and when Tyler came home and he thanked me for picking him out a great book from the library. He couldn't believe we were re...more

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Oct 25, 2008 Taylor rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: war, memoir, non-fiction, survival

I REALLY wanted to like Lone Survivor. I mean, it's theoretically about a guy who survives an ambush by the Taliban when his teammates do not, goes on to receive shelter and protection from a brave Afghan village, and then writes about the bravery of his teammates who fought to their deaths.

But... the book is essentially Marcus Luttrell patting himself on the back. For more than 100 pages, he writes about training to become a Navy SEAL and how tough he is. I'm not saying that it is a small thing...more I REALLY wanted to like Lone Survivor. I mean, it's theoretically about a guy who survives an ambush by the Taliban when his teammates do not, goes on to receive shelter and protection from a brave Afghan village, and then writes about the bravery of his teammates who fought to their deaths.

But... the book is essentially Marcus Luttrell patting himself on the back. For more than 100 pages, he writes about training to become a Navy SEAL and how tough he is. I'm not saying that it is a small thing to get through that. I could never ever ever be that tough. But these anecdotes are only about him, not the mettle shown by the rest of his SEAL class. And anyway, the book is supposed to be about the bravery of his lost teammates.

About 100 pages are eventually dedicated to his interaction with the team. And he does laud their bravery and determination in the face of horrific injuries. However, it seemed like most of his recollections are of the teammates making bad decisions when Marcus knew better, or of Marcus doing heroic things. And I'm sure he did. I'm not making light of his service to his country, his willingness to risk his life for his country. But again, he himself says the book is supposed to be about the bravery of his teammates.

The rest of the book is about Marcus bravely evading capture - barely mentioning his friends, until he comes to the end where he talks about how he very graciously tours the country comforting the families of his lost teammates. Again, it's an admirable thing to do, but it seems like he's pointing out the fact that it was an admirable thing to do.

And while he bravely evaded his trackers for one night, he is also taken in by an incredibly brave Afghan village, who protect him from the Taliban forces in the face of terrifying threats. He acknowledges the risk this village has taken, but more than anything, he complains that they gave him a dirty water bottle and that the goat's milk tasted bad. And that there was a rooster crowing outside his room.

The book is interspersed with diatribes about "the liberal media" and the liberal lies they perpetrate. He says the liberal media seeks to make Americans hate US troops. This alone seems incredibly wrong to me. It is my perception that criticism of the military by the media is nearly always directed at: a) incredible atrocities, like Haditha or Abu Ghraib or b) poor military decisions by the higher ups. Instead, Marcus also says something to the effect of, The Geneva Convention is a bunch of liberal bullshit made up by liberal politicians who have never experienced war; it's also something the liberal media uses to incriminate US troops. He says, If you don't want to see the loss of innocent life, don't go to war. By association, he thinks the "liberal media" has no right to criticize, or even report, innocent loss of life in war due to US activities.

I can see where he's coming from, to a degree. The havoc that was wreaked on his teammates spawned primarily from a decision to extend mercy to a few unarmed goatherds who happened upon the SEAL's position. The goatherds reported that position to the Taliban, who sent hundreds of men to attack the group of 4 Navy SEALs. In hindsight, it's understandable that Marcus would regret that seemingly humane decision. However, this does not mean that unarmed civilians should generally be killed. The US is not supposed to be ruthless.

Again, I really do not wish to criticize the service Marcus dedicated to his country. In fact, his valor is real. Despite his injuries, he turned around and asked to complete his deployment. His family and his country should be proud of his service. However, it just doesn't sit well with me that he is billing this book as a tribute to his brave teammates, when they really seem to be minor supporting characters to Marcus' lead man, providing a sympathetic plotline to enhance the like-ability of the main character. I believe that his intentions were probably good, but his severe lack of humility prevents Lone Survivor from being the tribute his team deserves.

Note: other Goodreads users have notified me that Marcus is contributing the profits from the sale of this book to a trust benefitting troops and their families. While this does not alleviate my concerns that the book does not do justice to his teammates, I think he is honoring their legacy and their service by refusing to profit from the book.

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Apr 10, 2008 Abby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You would not think I would love this book so much, since basically it is 100% about guys in military training, shooting, dead guys, blood, outdoor survival, guns, etc... I mean seriously, there is ZERO kissing in this book. But surprisingly, I was amazingly addicted to this book. Marcus Luttrel (the author, who the story is about) is AMAZING. I actually decided I wanted to be a Navy SEAL after reading this book, plus I wanted to go hunt Taliban guys. That is the way I judge a book as good. If i...more

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Jul 14, 2009 Travis rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really wanted to like this book. Half a dozen of my immediate family members are currently serving or have served in the military, and I have nothing but respect for our brave men and women in uniform. And Operation Redwing, the 2005 mission that led to the largest loss of life in SEAL history, is the famous incident at the heart of this book. How could an account of that operation and SEAL team 10 turn out to be anything less than absolutely gripping? Well, Marcus Luttrell and his co-author m...more I really wanted to like this book. Half a dozen of my immediate family members are currently serving or have served in the military, and I have nothing but respect for our brave men and women in uniform. And Operation Redwing, the 2005 mission that led to the largest loss of life in SEAL history, is the famous incident at the heart of this book. How could an account of that operation and SEAL team 10 turn out to be anything less than absolutely gripping? Well, Marcus Luttrell and his co-author managed to find a way. Except for the last part of the book, the part that details the actual operation and its heartbreaking aftermath, Luttrell's "Lone Survivor" manages to turn what should have been a fascinating account of Navy SEAL training and operations into one of the most annoying, propagandistic and sleep-inducing chronicles of push-ups and special ops ever written.

The first 80 pages are an autobiographical rant, wherein Luttrell's sole apparent purpose is to convince us that a liberal press is to blame for all our nation's woes, that no soldiers ever to enter combat were/are better than SEALs, and that no Navy SEAL is better than Luttrell himself.

The second 80 pages recount in mind-numbing detail his every splash in the cold Pacific, his every roll in the sand, his every push-up and lung-bursting run across the beach, his every victory over other SEAL wannabes. And no one does it better than Luttrell, of course, who manages a stab at self-promotion even when he's ostensibly praising others. Most war memoirs draw you into the life of the storyteller, but you plod your way through the first two-thirds of this book thinking, "enough already—let’s hear about the mission!"
Perhaps some of the blame should go to Patrick Robinson, a mediocre war novelist who apparently did most of the actual writing. But whomever is to blame, if you want to know what happened to SEAL team 10 (and if you think you can actually trust this politically slanted account), then check the book out from your local library and skip straight to the last third. Don't waste your money buying it. Better yet, read Dick Winters' "Beyond Band of Brothers," a war memoir by an intelligent and self-effacing war hero. Or if an Iraq War special ops memoir is specifically what you're looking for, read SAS Andy McNab's "Bravo Two Zero," which does everything Luttrell's book wanted to do but does it far, far better.

While I have no doubt Luttrell is a tough and well-intentioned soldier, his writing skills and extremist opinions leave something to be desired.
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Dec 30, 2007 Janet rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: All Americans

This is one of those powerful life-changing books that will speak to generations of Americans forever. I’ve tried to write this review so many times since I first read Lone Survivor back in September and again after reading it for the second time in November….. I simply cannot find the words (unusual for me). I had friends lining up to borrow this book but until now, could not put it down, could not let it go. At last I felt ready to walk away from the friendships forged and battles fought withi...more

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Aug 24, 2007 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An interesting book dealing with the training of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, his deployment in Afghanistan, his ordeal as the lone survivor of a combat mission, and how he is taken in by an Afghani village that stands up to the Taliban. The fight scene is riveting and agonizing, and the scenes where his Texas community rallies around his family pulls at your heart. The book is marred by numerous sprinklings of gratuitous references to the liberal media and how the liberals hate the army and are h...more

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Jan 30, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, military-nf, non-fiction

UNBELIEVABLE! I always thought those movies where the heroes get shot five times and fall off a cliff, but just keep getting up shooting were so unrealistic...apparently NOT! The second half of this book was impossible to put down - I was so caught up in the description of Operation Redwing. It was truly amazing and I will never think about our military in the same way again, even though I've always had a high opinion of the men and women fighting for our country. There was some slower reading i...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

The words to describe my feelings towards this book are very hard to express. Though, other than my grandfathers who both served in WWII, I have no immediate family members who are in the military, but I was raised to love my country and respect and honor those who protect it. I've always held these values very close to my heart. With that part said my pride and respect for Marcus Luttrell and his fellow SEALs can never be expressed with mere words.

Lone Survivor is not my normal reading genre....more The words to describe my feelings towards this book are very hard to express. Though, other than my grandfathers who both served in WWII, I have no immediate family members who are in the military, but I was raised to love my country and respect and honor those who protect it. I've always held these values very close to my heart. With that part said my pride and respect for Marcus Luttrell and his fellow SEALs can never be expressed with mere words.

Lone Survivor is not my normal reading genre. In fact other than the common reading of things like The Diary of Anne Frank as a kid and maybe Confessions by Madonna, I've had had little to no interest in any kind of biography or Non-fiction books, ever. My friend gave me Lone Survivor, and because she had suffered through reading the fluffy romance books I've given her in the past I gave it a shot. It smacked me in the face, hard.

Like a lot, and I hesitate to say most Americans, I live in my own little world. I expect things like being able to go to the grocery store to buy a gallon of milk, being able to purchase for $7.99 a paperback book which contains things like sex, religion, and fuzzy bunnies. And I expect to be able to form my own opinions on those things. I can say anything I want about the President of the United States, Oprah Winfrey and the US Military, as this is my right as an American. I don't fight for these rights, they are mine by birth and nationality. I go to work, I pay taxes, I deserve these things. But with all my naivety, way deep down in there somewhere, I know there is or was a soldier somewhere on a line, with a gun and fear in his heart who gave his life so I could live in my blissful ignorance. All this book did was smack me upside the head and say "remember! you are an American. There are brave men and women who defend your sacred rights that you take advantage of every day!".

Marcus Luttrell and the other members of SEAL team 10 are not like other Americans. They aren't even like other military men. They are a special force of individuals who train through torturous conditions, put their lives on the line every day just so I can do something as simple as drive to work in a gas guzzling SUV and complain that my taxes are too high. We live in a society where most of us feel we DESERVE, and have the RIGHT to certain things. We are removed from the simple fact that we EARNED our American way by individuals like Marcus Luttrell and his fellow SEALS who risked an gave their lives for our way of life.

The events that were described in Lone Survivor were those which occurred to Marcus Luttrell from his teenage years through the horrific Redwing mission. He describes in detail the loss of his friends who were blown apart right in front of him, the help that he received in the most unlikely of places by a village located in the heart of his enemy's lair and the aftermath of this horrific event. It is a story of ultimate heroism and survival. What kind of person could survive not only physically but emotionally through the hell in which Marcus came through? Only a US Navy SEAL. These men are built tough, trained to be tougher and actually volunteer to go through an exercise labeled "Hell Week". They are warriors in the ultimate sense of the word, and we should be proud they are there to kick someone's ass when we need them to.

It takes men like this to defend us. They have to be tough, sometimes they have to be ruthless, they have to be extraordinarily intelligent, but above all they have to be self confident. Marcus Luttrell conveyed all of these attributes in his book. What it takes to be a SEAL and the lengths our military warriors are willing to go to to keep us all safe.

Marcus's book is out there for information. A way for him to inform his fellow Americans that there are still heros on the front lines protecting us and our way of life. Sometimes this takes a strong hand. And we can't always drift through life in a la la land filled with fluffy clouds, rainbows and worrying about the greenhouse effect. Sometimes it takes blood, sweat and tears to maintain our freedom. And just because it isn't your own blood, or the blood of your loved one that is spilling, doesn't mean it isn't happening and we don't have to fight hard for it. I thank him for telling his and his fellow soldiers story of ultimate sacrifice and heroism. I am grateful to them all for the little world I live in that they fight for me to maintain.
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Apr 23, 2008 David Limutau rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, so I have seen some of the reviews of this book and you people who gave it 1 star because the writing wasn't superb, well sorry but you are just lame. I HATE SNOBS!!!!!! They come in all shapes and forms...music snobs, movie snobs, and of course, BOOK SNOBS! This story is AMAZING!! Even if it was the poorest written book ever, the story alone merits 5 stars. I recommend this book to everyone. It does have some language but it is understandable when describing and recalling the events that...more

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Nov 08, 2010 Brian rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is not the type of book I usually read. But it was a gift, and I am happy I read it.

Like many stories of military operations gone awry, it was a difficult read at times. And I think Luttrell is at his best when discussing the training he underwent and his experience in Afghanistan. The people he meets in the small village are amazing; I loved that part.

What I didn't like so much were Luttrell's fairly frequent digressions. These digressions were mainly about two things, the Rules of Engagem...more

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Aug 06, 2008 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book kicked glutes. It was written by a Navy seal who grew up outside Houston and briefly dated a colleague of mine. She says there's no way (from the intelligence she discerned in a week of dating) he could have written this book, which includes French phrases and plausable-sounding summaries of Pashtun history and culture. Therre is an "as told to" co-author so give that guy credit.

Nonetheless this is a great adventure/rescue/tragedy written by someone who believes what George Bush tells...more

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Jul 10, 2008 Shauna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Shauna by: Steve, Cade and Peggy

Shelves: military

I do not have the words to adequatley describe how much this book moved me. I am not usually a person to pick up this sort of book, but is was recommended to me by multiple people so I decided to give it a go, and am so glad that I did. You hear stories about people like this on the news, but nothing they say can really do the man or situation he was put in justice. I laughted and cried and threw the book down a few times in frustration for the situation that this country puts American soldiers...more

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May 07, 2008 Ashlee Suddarth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Lone Survivor, by Marcus Luttrell, is a compelling story of four navy SEALS and their beginning and finish. The book commences by telling the story of a young man who grew up to be a navy SEAL and the basic training that he endured. It amazes me that humans can actually make it through that type of strenuous training. The first part of the book is about the training and you would think that it couldn’t get worse, but it does. While the second half takes you through a disturbing battle that...more

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Jan 30, 2008 Maren rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of the most riveting books I've ever read. It was written by a Navy SEAL who was the lone survivor (hence the title) in an Afghanistan raid. Ultimately, it is a tribute to the Navy SEALS who lost their lives in this bitter battle. I loved this book because Marcus shows us how he was destined to be a Navy Seal from his boyhood. He, along with his twin brother, survived the brutal training the Navy puts these guys through to weed out the weak. He and his team are put in the difficult t...more

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Jan 25, 2008 Katie Abbott Harris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a gripping and unforgettable memoir describing Operation Redwing, a Special Ops engagement in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of several Navy SEALs. The account begins with a thorough description of BUD/S, the SEAL indoctrination program which provides students with the physical, mental, and emotional training that is necessary to become the best of the best. Also included in the book is a short section on the Iraq war, but the bulk of the narrative takes place in the Hindu Kush. I va...more

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Jan 31, 2009 Kevin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow! This is one of the best books I've ever read! Interesting, intense, exciting, riveting. It's pretty much anything you could want in a book, especially nonfiction. This story is written by a Navy SEAL who participated in Operation Redwing in Afghanistan, and was the "Lone Survivor" (out of four) of an Afghan attack. I'll try not to give away anything else :) It's a story of perseverance, courage, and strength. A
must-read!!!

I need to offer a warning, however. This book is full (I mean FULL) o...more

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Dec 20, 2008 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had heard that Marcus Luttrell was the Lone Survivor of his SEAL team, but I had no idea of how miraculous his survival was. I also didn't realize how much the team's fear of a vicious liberal media made in this tragedy. I wish that our fighting men and women didn't have to fear our own people. We are at war and need to be able to operate freely and be trusted to make the right decisions. Granted, there need to be rules and limitations, but because these men feared what would happen to them wh...more

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Dec 21, 2008 Bear rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. OK. This is not a "book of bambi's reflections" kind of read. This was passed to me by a friend at work who knows how I think and thougt I might find it interesting. It was; It's about the U.S. Navy "SEALS" first, and is a first person dialogue about how this young man was involved in being one of the U.S. military's best, as well as a mission that went "wrong" but with a lot of lessons.
The Author spends a lot of time discussing how he ended up as a SEAL; next, he describes his training; (in de...more OK. This is not a "book of bambi's reflections" kind of read. This was passed to me by a friend at work who knows how I think and thougt I might find it interesting. It was; It's about the U.S. Navy "SEALS" first, and is a first person dialogue about how this young man was involved in being one of the U.S. military's best, as well as a mission that went "wrong" but with a lot of lessons.
The Author spends a lot of time discussing how he ended up as a SEAL; next, he describes his training; (in depth). He also discusses how he felt about it. (For lack of better words, it goes into motivation and drive... Don't quit even when things look hopeless). He then describes in detail how his SEAL team ended up in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban, how they decided not to kill some goatherds who then turned their location over to the Taliban, and how his fellow SEALS died while he lived. Details are there without gore; but he describes how the people we have (and are still) fighting do not follow the "rules of war" including the Geneva convention. He goes into some of the rules of war according to Pashtun tribal law; which is how he finally is able to escape.
Question for the reader: how do you fight against an enemy who tells you in no uncertain words that they will kill your family for your having protecting a wounded man if you do not turn that man over to them? That is the dilemma a tribal elder has in protecting this man after he has escaped to a village; the taliban threaten to destroy the village and all in it if they do not turn the last SEAL over to them (So they can use him for propaganda, including having his head severed in front of video cameras)
In the end he describes how the Taliban have mutilated and killed his friends after they were wounded and could not fight back. This is the hatred we are fighting against. And the misguided definition of Allah's teachings, from my short introduction into the Qu'ran.
It's a bit of a fractured book but that is what we are dealing with. I recommend it. You will have to figure out a lot, but this book is an excellent primer into the world we are dealing with outside our McDonalds, warm houses, and cheap gas. (less)

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Apr 02, 2009 Brian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have wanted to read this book since before I left for Afghanistan. Partly because of that as well as my own personal reasons in the military and in the Navy. Marcus Luttrell is a shipmate as were his brothers with him on Operation Redwing.
In late June 2005, I had just been stationed in Denver, CO for only a few months and I remember hearing about Petty Officer Luttrell and his SEAL team ambushed and calling for assistance during a dangerous capture/kill mission. All of the military and civili...more I have wanted to read this book since before I left for Afghanistan. Partly because of that as well as my own personal reasons in the military and in the Navy. Marcus Luttrell is a shipmate as were his brothers with him on Operation Redwing.
In late June 2005, I had just been stationed in Denver, CO for only a few months and I remember hearing about Petty Officer Luttrell and his SEAL team ambushed and calling for assistance during a dangerous capture/kill mission. All of the military and civilian supports waited non-stop, 24 hours a day, waiting for some word of the safety. Notably because one of Colorado's own, Petty Officer Danny Dietz, was on that team. When we also learned that a team of Special Forces had gone to rescue them but were also all killed when their helicopter was blown up by an RPG we were sickened by the great loss of so many of our elite forces. The Denver Post kept us updated and ran news stories about their PO Dietz and his team. After it was all over and it was discovered that PO Luttrell was the only survivor the Post also ran a week long story detailing as much of the events as they could piece together. It was an amazing story I followed. How four SEALS were able to fend off and kill half a Taliban force estimated as over 100 strong, was the stuff of legend! I could only imagine any of this when I was a kid and thinking that the SEALs were the baddest bad-asses of them all. (I still think that way)

Two years later I attended a memorial service on July 4th, 2007 held in Littleton, CO for Danny Dietz. I was in dress uniform (ironically I was suppose to be in Afghanistan then, but hernia surgery kept me from going). Anyone who has a chance to visit his memorial at Berry Park in Littleton, should do so. The statue of him kneeling with his rifle--close to what he probably looked like the day he died--is a testiment of courage in the face of overwhelming adversity. It is the statue of a hero and will move the strongest person to tears.

This book is that story. But it is also the story of being a SEAL and everything that entails. It almost reminds me of the movie "Full Metal Jacket." The first part, the author details his dream and training into becoming a SEAL. When I say he details it, he really does. Better than anything I have ever read or watched about the subject thus far. His personal struggles and those of his teammates--those who quit and those who succeeded. Really amazing and worth rereading that portion alone. But then you swing back into the real meat of the story and that is the mission in the Hindu-Kush mountains in Afghanistan pursuing the Taliban leaders and the Al-Qaida.

The ferocity of the battle is straight out of "Black Hawk Down" (my favorite book on modern warfare) and during those chapters you will not be able to put the book down. There is no fictional author anywhere I have read that has brought that kind of personal feeling of combat to their narratives. Fictional writers can only imagine it and mostly they do not do it justice as Petty Officer Luttrell did.

But the book is also a survival story as the author is the only one to survive the battle and keep himself alive. I do not want to go into detail of how this was possible because it is something each reader should personally and intimately involve themselves with. One other thing that I was glad Petty Officer Luttrell did, was he attempted to tell the harrowing battle that his own family back in Texas was going through while waiting for news on his fate. Even though we, the readers, know the outcome (because he is writing the book, right?) it was still heart-wrenching for his parents, his twin-brother (also a SEAL), and the hundreds of family, friends, SEAL teammates, and military members that arrived at their home to be there for a non-stop vigil.

Everyday while I was in Afghanistan, I ate at the chow-hall and saw the pictures of those that died that day in June, 2005: LT Michael P. Murphy (who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor), Petty Officer Danny Dietz and Petty Officer Matthew Axelson. I would wait in line for my food and look at the wall to my right with their pictures. Everyday I saw them and though I never knew them, their heroism in-duty inspired every service member that walked past them. I am glad this story could be written by the lone survivor of that battle. I would also hope that everyone--whether for or against the war--can read this and understand what it is our military must face. They fight battles for us and do those things only the smallest fraction of the population could or would do. It is dirty and it is unspeakable sometimes. But it is what HAS to be done to win. If we ask them to go forward and do this job, then we should be able to give them every advantage to complete that job and not handcuff them in the media. They should not have to fight a personal battle inside of their conscience for doing a job that could save their lives. In other words their lives should not be at risk everytime they do a mission like this because they fear Geneva Convention rules or a court martial or being thrown in prison when they came home, just because they did what they needed to do in order to save the life of their team and perform their mission.

Bottom line: if we continue to go to war, then the American public and the politicians need to give the military the means to win. The terrorists will not play by those rules. We shoudl not target civilians but we need to understand and accept they there will be civilian deaths. If we cannot then we shouldn't ever go to war. War is not clean. It is not surgical. It's bloody and terrible. It's suppose to be. Innocents will die. But that is the cost if war is unavoidable. We just need to know it will happen and hope we can end the war quicker. The more the U.S. continues to fight these "clean" wars with all these rules, then the longer they will always take. And the less likely we will come away victorious.

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Dec 01, 2008 Craig rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Luttrell reveals what it takes to be a Navy Seal, then tells his incredible story of taking on the Taliban in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan. After reading his story, I sat down to pee for two weeks. Because compared to this guy, I am not a man.

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Jun 03, 2012 Taylor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The courage of these four men and of the tribe who protected Lutrell is truly astounding. It takes a special person to be a SEAL, as demonstrated through Lutrell's testament of BUD/S and the last moments of the three SEALs lives. Their sense of duty to this country, strength, and determination did not falter- even at the end. Marcus Lutrell, thank you for sharing your story and honoring the memories of your fellow teammates.

This book does contain more cursing than I care to read, but this is exp...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Gwen Burrow rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: military, history

I've read a number of eye-witness accounts of modern warfare and its heroes, and this one stands out for two main reasons--the man telling the story, and the fact that it all happened less than seven years ago. In June 2005, Marcus Luttrell (Team Leader, SDV Team 1, Alfa Platoon) is part of a four-man team sent into the wilderness mountains of the Pakistani border to kill or capture a single target: Ben Sharmak, notorious al Qaeda leader. Less than 24 hours later, Marcus is the only SEAL left al...more

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Feb 14, 2009 Barbara Peña rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just know up front that this book does contain scenes of graphic violence...however, I consider it a timely must-read. Few of us will ever see war first-hand or be sent to war, and the magnitude of what those in our armed services sacrifice is staggering. Put your politics aside (just for a bit) and have a go at this book. Just know up front that this was written by a self described good ol' Texas boy, and there are times in reading this book (especially when he goes after the "liberal" press an...more

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Jun 15, 2008 Vivek rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Marcus Luttrell triumphed over quite an ordeal, and it would be hard not to be moved by it. He suffers through all kinds of hell but survives, and the book is made all the more interesting by the fact that it really happened and that similar challenges are faced by some of our soldiers right now.

The actual mission is only half the book however - the other half is about Luttrell's own background, and a significant portion of this is used to describe his training on the path to become a Navy SEAL...more Marcus Luttrell triumphed over quite an ordeal, and it would be hard not to be moved by it. He suffers through all kinds of hell but survives, and the book is made all the more interesting by the fact that it really happened and that similar challenges are faced by some of our soldiers right now.

The actual mission is only half the book however - the other half is about Luttrell's own background, and a significant portion of this is used to describe his training on the path to become a Navy SEAL, which the reader comes to appreciate as immensely important for those that are in the profession.

Luttrell is a soldier, not a novelist, and although the prose would never win a Pulitzer prize, the deficiencies in writing are made up for in its authenticity. The author is telling this story in his own words and the way he wants to. This means that it is filled throughout with his views, many of which I personally feel are overly simplistic - he places a huge amount of blame on "liberals" and whines about how the media's attempt to keep our military accountable makes their job unreasonably hard. Marcus would probably loop me in with this large group that he despises if we ever met, but the book helped me understand where he's coming from, although you won't find me viewing our common Texan President with the blind admiration he does anytime soon.

In one typically ranting passage against the left, he belittles the importance of the incident at Abu Ghraib:
"Was there ever a greater uproar than the one that broke out over Abu Ghraib? In the bigger scheme of things, in the contect of all the death and destruction that Muslim extremists have visited upon this world, a bunch of Iraqi prisoners being humiliated does not ring my personal alarm bell."

Here I see my essential problem with Luttrell's views: yes, all of our soldiers have very very difficult jobs - much more difficult than those they are fighting. And that is in part because we hold them to much higher standards than the enemy. Should we simply stoop down to their level, blindly doing what it takes to ensure victory without measuring the price we pay to get there? If we won in such a manner, with no regard to how immoral the means, I believe we'd wonder how the hell we got there, and end up losing more than we could hope to gain.

In another revealing passage, he almost admits as much, resigning himself to the fact that wars shouldn't be fought if you want a fair outcome: "The truth is, any government that thinks war is somehow fair and subject to rules like a baseball game probably should not get into one. Because nothings fair in war, and occasionally the wrong people get killed."

He goes so far as to state that elected leaders should have no say in how and against whom we go to war with: "But don't tell us who we can attack. That ought to be up to us, the military. And if the liberal media and political community cannot accept that sometimes the wrong people get killed in war, then I can only suggest they first grow up and then serve a short stint up in the Hindu Kush."

I'm not a soldier, and I can see how someone like Luttrell who is, and has suffered for that trade, would dismiss my views, saying I have no idea what I'm talking about because I haven't been in those boots. But we can't throw democratic ideals out the window because it makes a very tough job harder on people that voluntarily sign up for it knowing what they are getting into.

Overall, this was a good book. The story is incredible, if not incredibly well told. And although I often found the political commentary scattered throughout tiresome, it ends up adding to the value of the book, showing how someone attempts to make sense of tragedy. For those interested in the plight of our current soldiers, I would very highly recommend Nathan Fick's One bullet away: the making of a marine officer, about a Marine who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. It is free of political opinions, I found it to be a balanced account of what that life is like (a Marine recruiter concurred with this assesment). (less)

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Nov 15, 2008 Robb Gardner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about a Navy Seal who survives against impossible odds fighting the Taliban in the mountains of Afghanistan bordering Pakistan. Although the book dwells to much on over zealous patriotism and the always convenient help of God at his side, I truly believe Navy Seal Marcus Latrell's survival was a miracle at the very least. The first part of the book details the punishing Navy Seal training down at Coronado and it explains in someways how he amazingly survives a battle with the Taliba...more

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Feb 14, 2008 Matt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story in this book is absolutely amazing. Luttrell's time in Afghanistan sounds more like a movie script than actual events. Luttrell and his team, and the helpful Afghanis have a pretty inspirational story.

However, I considered giving this book 2 stars and finally caved at 3 simply because it is incredibly poorly written. I don't put that at Luttrell's feet, he's obviously not a trained writer, but Patrick Robinson who was brought in to work on the book completely failed. There are large ga...more The story in this book is absolutely amazing. Luttrell's time in Afghanistan sounds more like a movie script than actual events. Luttrell and his team, and the helpful Afghanis have a pretty inspirational story.

However, I considered giving this book 2 stars and finally caved at 3 simply because it is incredibly poorly written. I don't put that at Luttrell's feet, he's obviously not a trained writer, but Patrick Robinson who was brought in to work on the book completely failed. There are large gaps missing that need to be filled in, the writing/voice of the book changes sporadically based on what aspect of Luttrell's character the writer is trying to impress on us at that moment (we get it, he's a Texan), the constant self-deprecation is clumsy and awkward, and the attempts to write some sections as though Luttrell is retelling it directly to the reader fail miserably. Really an awfully written book, I can't overstate that.

The story saves it, though, because it truly is amazing. Besides that, however, two additional themes really struck me, and are cause for concern.

1) Luttrell's views on the Rules of Engagement in this war. He - repeatedly - tells us that the ROE's are the American liberals way of aiding the enemy both in Afghanistan and Taliban, that the armed forces should be able to shoot anyone looking suspicious, carrying an AK-47, etc. He never mentions the fact that they are there, in large part, to protect civilians who are not enemies of the United States. Later in the book, Luttrell is surrounded by 4 Afghanis with AK-47s, and he scrambles to mount a defense. However, these Afghanis are friendly, and they tend his wounds and protect him from the Taliban, underthreat from having their village destroyed. He never revisits the ROEs under the light of this experience. When the goat herders found them, they discussed two options, killing them and letting them go (which would likely result in the Taliban learning of their location). The killing option is debated but thrown out due to their being unarmed civilians, though likely friendly to the Taliban. So they are let go. There seemed to me to be a third option - radio in for an escape plan/route, and abort the mission. According this account, that option is never discussed and the team remains in the area, only to be swarmed on by the Taliban. Some explanation of why the mission wasn't aborted would have been appreciated.

2) Luttrell has an extreme view of the media. He includes some piece of his view in nearly every chapter, once writing that the liberal media constantly writes that American soldiers are murderers, and that he is afraid of the Liberal Media, that there is a "drip-drip-drip of hostility toward us, perpetuated by the liberal press". I think this is a gigantic problem - I read and watch a lot of news, and while they are very stupid, they are not hostile to the army, certainly not to the extent that Luttrell feels. Something needs to be done to address this. Why does it he believe it so fervently - enough to include comments like that in nearly every section of his book?
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Jan 23, 2009 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I would give this more than 5 stars if it were possible!!

I actually "read" the auto--which was outstanding!! I couldn't stop listening---(so I had to bake away in the kitchen as I was spellbound).. This story had me laughing and crying and giving thanks to God. One of the things that most impressed me was the providence of God in saving this guy's life. It was amazing because of all of the things that God did---there was no other explanation-- and Marcus Luttrell gives that credit to God --over...more

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Feb 13, 2008 ryan REGISTER rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anybody who wants to have a understanding of what SEALs go through

Recommended to ryan by: A friend who wants to be a Ranger

Being a Navy SEAL, means more than you know.

Operation Redwing, a mission to capture a leader of the Taliban forces, to be completed by a four man SEAL team. Coming face to face with hard decisions, one man almost dies, but he doesn’t know the fall meaning lohkay, a Pashtun law.

"I will never quit. My nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down i will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my enemi...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An absolute must-read for every American. Marcus Luttrell offers a gut-wrenching, first-hand account of Operation Redwing in Afghanistan which left me breathless to the last page. Although he is undoubtedly boastful of his well-deserved Navy SEAL accolades throughout the first few chapters (and sporadically throughout), it has a crispness to it that gives it that fresh-off-the-battlefield tone. This is real, this is now, and these guys have courage beyond anyone I can name. Stick with it, becaus...more

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Feb 25, 2009 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Luttrell’s story is harrowing, exhausting, desperately sad, and triumphant. Anyone wanting a glimpse into exactly what can happen in Afghanistan or even Iraq will certainly appreciate the details of Operation Redwing. Well, perhaps not anyone. Luttrell’s language is atrocious. My friend who served a tour in Iraq read the book and said that Luttrell probably had to really exert himself to keep his language as clean as he did! Also, if you happen to be a liberal democrat or a liberal media devotee...more Luttrell’s story is harrowing, exhausting, desperately sad, and triumphant. Anyone wanting a glimpse into exactly what can happen in Afghanistan or even Iraq will certainly appreciate the details of Operation Redwing. Well, perhaps not anyone. Luttrell’s language is atrocious. My friend who served a tour in Iraq read the book and said that Luttrell probably had to really exert himself to keep his language as clean as he did! Also, if you happen to be a liberal democrat or a liberal media devotee, you might not be happy with Luttrell’s message to you and your ideals. He rails against the ROE, Rules of Engagement, and against the added fear placed upon soldiers by the bias in the media. He asserts that the fear of messing up with the possibility of later being charged as a murderer for going to war and doing your job the best you know how inhibits soldiers from making smart tactical decisions that would help them win the war. It is his argument that such fears resulted in the failure of Operation Redwing and the deaths of the three members of his SEAL team and the ten or so SEALs who died in a rescue attempt. There is hope offered in the story, however. The noble efforts of the leaders of the village that helped Luttrell prove that not all is hatred and violence over there. The people of that village pledged to risk and give their lives, to the last person, to protect Luttrell, and amazingly, the Taliban had to recognize that ancient law or risk losing the support of a chain of villages in the area. As a side note, Luttrell doesn’t get into the mountains of Afghanistan until about halfway through the book. The first half details the rigors of SEAL training. It fits well with the end of the book when you read what Luttrell had to endure before he was rescued, but it was a little tiresome and cumbersome to wade through. By so stating I declare that in no way do I minimize the amazing physical and mental tests and preparations that sailors must overcome in order to become an elite SEAL. My appreciation for the men and women that put themselves in harm’s way to serve me and my country and my ideals of freedom swells whenever I read or hear stories like Luttrell’s and that of his fallen comrades.(less)

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About Marcus Luttrell

Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell joined the United States Navy in March of 1999 and became a combat-trained Navy SEAL in January, 2002. After serving in Baghdad, he was deployed to Afghanistan in the Spring of 2005. He was awarded the Navy Cross for combat heroism in 2006 by President Bush.

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Books by Marcus Luttrell

Service - Free Preview: A Navy SEAL at War

The Red Circle: My Life in the Navy SEAL Sniper Corps and How I Trained America's Deadliest Marksmen

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Quotes from Lone Survivor: The Eye...

“We know about bad guys, what they do, and often, who they are. The politicians have chosen to send us into battle, and that's our trade. We do what's necessary. And in my view, once those politicians have elected to send us out to do what 99.9 percent of the country would be terrified to undertake, they should get the hell out of the way and stay there.

This entire business of modern war crimes, as identified by the liberal wings of politics and the media, began in Iraq and has been running downhill ever since. Everyone's got to have his little hands in it, blathering on about the public's right to know.

Well, the view of most Navy SEALs, the public does not have that right to know, not if it means placing our lives in unnecessary peril because someone in Washington is driving himself mad worrying about the human rights of some cold-hearted terrorist fanatic who would kill us as soon as look at us, as well as any other American at whom he could point that wonky old AK of his.” — 16 people liked it

“I will never quit. My nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down i will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my enemies and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.” — 12 people liked it

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title link	preview: Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
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Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

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