Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell

Lone Survivor

by Marcus Luttrell

Follow along a Navy SEAL's firsthand account of American heroism during a secret military operation in Afghanistan in this true story of survival and difficult choices.

On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader known to be ensconced in a Taliban stronghold surrounded by a small but heavily armed force. Less then twenty-four hours later, only one of those Navy SEALs remained alive.

This is the story of fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivor of Operation Redwing, and the desperate battle in the mountains that led, ultimately, to the largest loss of life in Navy SEAL history. But it is also, more than anything, the story of his teammates, who fought ferociously beside him until he was the last one left-blasted unconscious by a rocket grenade, blown over a cliff, but still armed and still breathing. Over the next four days, badly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell fought off six al Qaeda assassins who were sent to finish him, then crawled for seven miles through the mountains before he was taken in by a Pashtun tribe, who risked everything to protect him from the encircling Taliban killers.

A six-foot-five-inch Texan, Leading Petty Officer Luttrell takes us, blow by blow, through the brutal training of America's warrior elite and the relentless rites of passage required by the Navy SEALs. He transports us to a monstrous battle fought in the desolate peaks of Afghanistan, where the beleaguered American team plummeted headlong a thousand feet down a mountain as they fought back through flying shale and rocks.

In this rich, moving chronicle of courage, honor, and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers one of the most powerful narratives ever written about modern warfare -- and a tribute to his teammates, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Reviewed by daltonlp on

4 of 5 stars

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This book is notable for its lengthy account of SEAL training - not just the infamous "Hell Week", but the preceding "Indoc" phase, and the role-specific training following graduation.

It is also a depressing account of at the war in Afghanistan, viewed through the lens of a single disastrous mission. Strategic ineptitude, tactical blunders, and environmental blindness are constant themes. The battle is described with multiple breaks in the action to blame liberal americans for the debacle. The scale of cognitive dissonance is something to behold. It's a surreal internal conflict between soldiers fighting a war, and the nation they fight for.

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  • 24 November, 2013: Reviewed