Top reviews from the United States
5 out of 5 stars
An absolutely amazing story! (that shouldn't have been told)
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2012
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
I'm going to have to change my stance on nonfiction. I'm a very strict "fictionarian" and it takes a lot to pull me from my comfort zone. They hype on this book did a lot to help push me over to the dark side, but the main reason was; I wanted to hear a true narrative from a real-life SEAL. I read books by Brad Thor, Vince Flynn, Ted Bell, and Brad Taylor (to name a few) and enjoy their books immensely! However, while their books are based on true accounts and true warrior-heroes, they aren't the real true stories. THIS is a true story and there was no way I wasn't going to read it. And damn, what a story!
Let me be clear about one point from the start: I don't think "Owen" should have told this story. My mantra is simple: "serve and shut the hell up". Soldiers are people like the rest of us and are prone to the same mistakes we all trip over. Sometimes we talk too damn much, hell I know I do. But to write a book and go through the process of telling us about one of the most important missions in the history of the U.S.? Something about that doesn't sit right. Of course in the paradoxical world in which live, I was the first one in line to buy (download) and if I had ANY conviction at all, I wouldn't be supporting the author by doing so. Despite my feelings about "Owen" running off at the mouth, I enjoyed every minute of this book and I don't feel the least bit guilty in saying so.
'No Easy Day' is a VERY good book! Any story that gives you a "fly on the wall" perspective into an operation that we only hear (and only in snippets) about is a thrill. This is extremely well written and not choppy or staccato like someone just trying to rush out a tale. `No Easy Day' starts out with a note from the author covering his bases. "This books won't tell you about any secrets", "this book has changed the names of all involved", "this book has been checked by a special attorney", "this book was endorsed by Ronald Reagan in a séance"... whatever. If you have the stones to put out a story like this then don't bother with covering your butt. We get it and we don't need it OK? And the people that need an explanation won't believe anything you have to say anyway.
After those few pages we get what we came for: the mission. "Owen" starts off with the team being on a Blackhawk one minute out from the compound on the mission to kill Osama. This story switches from the past to the present but not in a confusing way. In the first part of the book we get a taste of what drove him to want to be a SEAL and the absolute agonizing vetting process these guys go through. Physical doesn't even begin to describe it. Grueling doesn't either. Matter of fact; just throw out every adjective that comes to mind because you won't even come close. These guys are the guys that Alpha Males want to be.
We learn about SEAL training, we read about "Owen's" first missions, and we also learn about two million and one military acronyms. You wanna see what Sesame Street would be like if everyone was on crack?! Good heavens! We are taken on missions and we see, in a small way, how SEALs run their operations, and it was a good buildup to why I wanted to read this book in the first place. "Owen" mentions more than a few times about how Hollywood gets these types of movies wrong all the time. Reading about the missions in this book I can see that. One of the best parts of this book was the mission was when they went after the pirates that kidnapped one of our. Remember that? I do. The precision in which they did their job is chilling. And even though I had nothing to do with that mission, I was proud. Borderline giddy.
As I alluded to earlier, this book goes from past to present and it does so because "Owen" is setting the foundation for the big story. Bin Laden. As "Owen" says in this book, "this is the mission they all dream about". Not necessarily Bin Laden, but one with implications that will be felt for years, even decades later. After years of tracking and misinformation, the U.S. gets lucky with a bit of Intel and that little bit turns out to be the golden ticket. Enter the SEALs and start the death timer for that animal. In the earlier missions we didn't hear much about the political mumbo-jumbo that must be dealt with. With the hunting of this animal the American PC machine is in full useless bloom! It's so bad the SEALs didn't even believe they would get the green light.
One of the most sickening parts of this story was when they were planning the mission with the VIP's, and in the room with these elite, professional, war tested and war proven soldiers... was a lawyer. A freaking lawyer!! This is a quote from this idiot: "If he doesn't pose a threat you will detain him". WHAT?! I was literally yelling at the book, "this is Bin Laden you moron!! What do you mean "if he poses a threat"? "This guy's very life is a threat!!" Typical Washington BS.
Stupid comments like that as well as other things done for the betterment of politics, rather than for the betterment of the mission was why the SEALs didn't believe Washington had the courage to say "go". In this case they did and the SEALs did what they do best. This part of the book just flew by because I wanted to know what happened. OK fine, I already knew what happened, but I wanted... more. Make time for this part of the book folks... you'll need it. I reread and highlighted more in the last 1/4 than I did the entire 3/4 of this book. Parts of this mission have their own chapter and the most arresting one was the one entitled "Geronimo". All of the (so called) controversy is worth it when you read this section. That's all I'm going to say about that.
Because I usually read the fictional stories I had to tell myself that this was a true and these were real people. Jen was a woman who really stood out. She had a small part in this book but a big part in our real world. And I know that we are talking SEAL this and SEAL that, but "Owen" paints a very detailed picture about the number of people working behind the scene. Of course SEALs usually work behind the scenes (ouch)... I've never served even as I was/am surrounded by people who do. As a layman I didn't see any secrets being given up. True I wouldn't know what to look for, but I do admit that the bigger issue is he spoke, not what he spoke about.
Another big issue being bantered around was what "Owen" said about President Obama. Ummmmm... I finished the book and didn't see any disparaging remarks about our President. There are some remarks that were made by teammates that I'm sure were private (again, shut up "Owen") but I didn't see anything disrespectful at all. The only thing I saw were soldiers being soldiers. Soldiers, who were tired of politicians making laws from behind a desk while they put in the work. Tired of burying friends while they bury earmarks. Tired of fighting and detaining the same enemy every thirty days because they are very versed on our laws, and has taken to running and hiding under the constitution of a country they profess to hate and actively seek to destroy. Yeah I see the frustration there and some things will be said in the heat of the moment.
That being said, no soldier should publicly say anything negative about the Commander in Chief. Privately... go at it. (Holy crap, am I really at three pages for this review?) OK I better wrap this up. Look, bottom line; if you are looking for a quick very good non-fiction read then I highly, highly recommend this book. Ignore the hype, and to be fair, ignore the good AND bad hype. This is a book that you will need to read personally to draw your own conclusions. No matter your feeling on Mr. "Owen" and his yammering jaw, we can at least agree that the SEALs are an elite and extremely brave type of soldier that America is honored to have on her soil and who will forever be in debt to these men.
39 people found this helpful
5 out of 5 stars
The quiet professional
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2013
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
This book is not high brow literary prose. It will not leave you reaching for the dictionary, looking up some word you've never read before. It is not a philosophical examination of life as we know it with thousands of words dedicated to a moral examination of the subject. Rather, it is conversational, matter of fact even. And therein is its power.
The reality is the everyday inner workings of a job never live up to the hype. Like a championship NFL football team, we see the 3 hours every Sunday, but not the countless hours of practice and sacrifice that the players endure to be the elite. Mark Owen and his fellow teammates are arguably the best in the world at what they do. However, instead of throwing footballs, they're removing bad guys from the world so no more good guys get hurt. Say what you want about the morality of it all, but warriors are a necessary evil in society. And if you're not ready to praise them for their sacrifice, it's best to not say anything at all.
This book was an incredibly easy read and, like many reviewers before me, I finished it quickly. Owen's style is conversational and that makes it move smoothly. There are many places where the reader, if not part of the military, would be confused by some of the acronyms and lingo; Owen predicts this and does a good job of explaining these "military-isms" so the reader doesn't have to pause and leap for Google.
I'd seen, at least twice, the 60 Minutes interview with Owen and had read or watched a number of documentaries on the raid. I felt comfortable that I had a pretty good idea what happened. What I was looking for was the back story leading up to the raid and an insider's personal view of Special Ops. I got what I'd hoped for. Almost half the book is dedicated to Owen's childhood, extensive training and previous missions. This information is, in my opinion, vital to understanding why Owen came to be one of 4 team leaders on the Bin Laden raid. The amount of training, preparedness and attention to detail that these men have for their jobs is nothing short of astounding, even down to tucking shoelaces into a boot prior to the raid (probably to cut down on noise and/or getting snagged on anything).
Like professional athletes, these men sacrifice everything to be the best at what they do. They are always on high alert, always seem to be training or on a deployment, and are never home. Friends and family might know what their job is, but can only guess at what they do. Like his teammates, Owen pays a price for his desire to be the best and hints at it in this book. But, like any humble professional, he never dwells on it nor asks for our pity. Nor does he brag or ask to be put on a pedestal. Like most humble professional, he's just doing his job.
Owen doesn't spend a lot of time on his contempt for those in authority, but he does touch on it. I didn't find this out of character nor particularly anti patriotic. As we become senior in our jobs, we are more aware of the hypocrisy of our leadership; those that have never done the job spend a lot of time taking credit for its successes. Instead of continuing up the chain, Owen decided to retire from the Navy and write this book. He has taken a lot of heat and is, most likely, ostracized for doing so. Operators are supposed to stay quiet and go about their business like good little soldiers. According to Owen, he wanted to make sure the story was told correctly. Having never had the honor of serving, especially in Special Ops, I can't comment on the right or wrong of his decision, only that I'm glad he did. Otherwise, I never would have been able to live, at least through his words, the story that was one of the most important ones of my generation.
I truly enjoyed reading this book. It filled in many gaps and gave me a flavor for the sacrifices our men and women in the armed forces endure to protect our country. To protect me. Freedom tastes sweeter for those who have risked everything to defend it. I can only thank Mark Owen, and others like him, from the bottom of my heart for doing so.
One person found this helpful
4 out of 5 stars
Some Interesting Reading
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2012
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
No Easy Day is the story of Osama Bin Laden`s last few moments on this earth as seen through the eyes of a Navy Seal. This book tells of the preparation that an elite Seal team went through to make sure that this mission went out as flawlessly as possible. It's the step-by-step story of the compound from entry to exit, and the aftermath of the mission from the eyes of a Navy Seal. No Easy Day isn't only about this single assignment. Mark Owen has written a story about his time as a Seal, from the difficult testing to become an elite Seal Team Six member, through several missions, and up until his retirement.
This is Mark Owen's story, written in first person, and I found the account of his days as a Navy Seal fascinating. I purchased the book for a couple of reasons, mainly because of some morbid curiosity I had about Osama Bin Laden's death. I wanted to know if a big gun battle took place, if there were followers at the compound fanatically dedicated to protecting him. I wanted to know if he hid with his family, and what sort of defenses he had around his compound. I wanted to know all that and more, and I wanted to hear it from someone who was there. This book answers the important questions - the ones I was most concerned about.
This isn't just a story about the final minutes of Osama Bin Laden's life. It's the story of a Navy Seal, from a his perspective. It talks about earlier missions in Afghanistan, and a high profile job of rescuing a marine captain, Richard Phillips, from Somali pirates. He writes a bit about growing up in Alaska, and his obsession with becoming a Seal from a young age. On some Amazon reviews I've read people are complaining because the book isn't just about Osama Bin Laden, but I found the background intriguing, making the book as a whole more interesting because it shows what it took for Mark Owen to be a Seal. It showed the dedication required to be a Navy Seal, and if it weren't for that dedication and hard work the storming of Osama Bin Laden's compound might not have happened without a loss of life.
As far as the writing goes...well, the story could have probably been told with a bit more flair. That's not to say that it was full of spelling or grammatical errors - I'm sure I probably have more of those in this review than existed in all of Mark Owen's book. (I call my own errors "Easter Eggs" just so it sounds better.) No, the writing style was a bit dry at times, though every chapter held my attention fully, but I was always left wanting a bit more. For instance, he describes his team mates, but I never got a true sense of who they were. I did get a good sense of Mr. Owen himself, and he is a character that the reader is drawn to. He's a man who deserves the title of hero, though he seems humble in his writing. Mark Owen tells of simply doing his job with the help of brave men like himself.
I don't know about the eBook version, or the paperback copies, but the hardcover edition of No Easy Day has several pages of full color photographs of Afghanistan, and Mark's gear. As an added bonus there's detailed images of the Osama compound that lays out what took place during the mission.
So, if you're looking to learn how a member of Seal Team Six lives this book is for you. If you simply want to know the details of how Osama Bin Laden died then this book's for you too, but you're going to need to start reading around page 150. If you're looking for a political agenda then I believe you're looking in the wrong place. Mark notes a few personal opinions of President Obama, but nothing that isn't obvious, and pretty typical running for all politicians. If you're looking for secrets that the government doesn't want you to know then this book isn't for you. Mr. Owen doesn't mention strategies, weapons, or technology that we don't already know about, and that might be what I feel is missing at times. Maybe he was holding back so that the Seals will still have a surprise or two for the bad guys?
Was this the most exciting book I've read this year? Probably not, but considering that the majority of my reading is Fantasy and Science Fiction says a lot about it. I rarely read autobiographies, so the fact that I read though this one, and did it in just a couple of days, it quite a compliment. It even got me to visit Netflix and stream Black Hawk Down when I finished the story.
So, if you haven't read it yet then get a copy. It's a pretty good read, and it answers a lot of questions about the final moments of the world's most renowned terrorist. There's a final plus side. According to Mr. Owen, most of the proceeds from the book will go to charities that help out Navy Seals and their families.
3 people found this helpful
5 out of 5 stars
Great book! Better than I expected. Well written and easy to follow.
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2012
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Here is my review of the book. It's not Hemingway, no, but I didn't buy it for that reason. As a history buff and war veteran I have read several "on-the-ground" books, several about various special ops groups/missions. This is one of the better ones that I have read. The author(s) give you a lot of background and insight of how difficult it is to become a SEAL and that's its hard to move up the ranks once you become one. I enjoyed reading of his personal experiences which I think added flavor to the book.
The author made certain that terminology was understandable for the non-military or non-special ops reader. He also shared the special camaraderie the men of these units have. The book moved along well as I found myself finishing it in only a couple of nights. Despite the erroneous hoopla spewed by the main stream media, there was NO "top secret" info contained in the book that endangered any members of our armed forces. The intelligence information leaked by the Obama administration WAS information that NEVER should have been released and may well cause the lives of American troops.
In my view, the book is a great read if you are interested in reading a first-hand account of what happened in the the events leading up, as well as the actual take-down of UBL.
Okay, end of actual review of book, but read further for a little insight about some criticisms made by a few reviewers and some in the media.
Here are few points about the "politics" not only concerning the book, but embedded in some of the so-called reviews. As another reviewer mentioned, there was much less than 1% of anything dealing with Obama. If you are wondering about all the hoopla from the MSM as well as the DOD and the Obama administration, here a just a couple of facts to consider. Yes, the author (and many other in the military) were not pleased that Obama and the DNC has used this for political purposes and Mark said as much in the book. Also, the reason that Team Obama and the MSM are upset is that if you do read the book, you will find that Obama had very, very little to do with the taking down of UBL. You wouldn't have gathered that watching the Democratic Convention.
The book traces critical intelligence that was rooted in and grew from what was gathered from terrorists who were captured during the Bush administration. That information came via interrogation methods CONDEMNED by Obama. If he been president at that time, UBL may still be on the loose today. Sure, Obama approved the mission, and though I give him credit for that, what president in their right mind WOULDN'T have given the go-ahead? If the crucial new intel had come while Bush was President and he had given the orders, I wouldn't give him any more credit, either. It was our intelligence agencies and methods that eventually found UBL, and it was the brave troops like the author who risked their lives to make it happen.
Also, there lingers that "threat of potential prosecution" of the author by the DOD. But, you might want to know who is the General Counsel of the Department of Defense who is suggesting any prosecution? Why, it's Mr. Jeh Johnson. And who is Jeh Johnson? A search reveals:
"Johnson is active in Democratic Party politics, as a fundraiser and adviser to presidential campaigns. Johnson served as special counsel to John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, and was active in Barack Obama's presidential campaign as a foreign policy adviser and as a member of his national finance committee..." And guess who appointed him as General Counsel for the DOD? Yep, BHO himself.
Well, well, no politics in THAT suggestion to prosecute, eh? Team Obama, with their many faults, know how to go after anyone who criticizes them and the media are willing water boys/girls eager to help make Obama's spin "FACTUAL". Anyway, even if you are a ardent Obama supporter but are interested in the real story of how things went down, you still might enjoy the book. And to the Obama staff members who are "reviewers" posting here - shame on you, but I'm sure it's nothing new for you! And yeah, LONG review, but I warned you! :-)
9 people found this helpful
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing story
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2026
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Absolutely love this book. Written like a true hero, never asking for recognition.
5 out of 5 stars
Authentic American Heroes
Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2013
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
This book was a great, fascinating read. The author took great care to not disclose classified information while lambasting the numerous upper echelon military and political officials who did.
Anyone who has read any of the fictional Lee Child books about his invincible protagonist "Jack Reacher" will likely feel as though they're reading a "Jack Reacher" novel. However, this guy is real, and he tells a compelling story that slowly builds to a suspenseful crescendo with an ending that we are all, now, familiar with.
The author spends an appropriate amount of time discussing SEAL training and its challenges. Being retired U.S. Army, I'll say that I was a bit skeptical about the SEALS before I read this book. I have many friends in the Special Operations community, and I know how well trained our soldiers, Rangers, Special Forces, and all of our Special Operations people are. Admittedly, I had a natural bias about the Army's Delta Force, because I know how lethal and precise they are. However, reading the author's accounts of being integrated with the many facets of Special Operations elements working in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all over the world, I came away with a new admiration and respect for the folks in the DEVGRU/SEAL echelons.
Even the author was respectful of his work with these other branches of service while maintaining a healthy competitive attitude that only makes these folks more motivated - and deadly serious - about what they do.
I don't think that it's necessary to do a story summary, here. I'll just say that this book will appeal to even the most casual reader because it is not inundated with jargon and acronyms that would appeal only to folks in the military (or formerly in the military).
I found the author's candid comments about the deadly nature of what they do and the occasional jab at politicians who take credit for their actions to be refreshing. He (the author) didn't overdo this, but he spoke the truth (from his perspective).
Also, I could relate to what he was saying because, having served in the military for a quarter century, I know how it feels to do a difficult job...while politicians casually discuss what soldiers/sailors/airmen/marines do over coffee and croissants back in Washington, D.C. We take an oath, and we are duty bound to get the mission accomplished regardless of our personal feelings.
The author also takes the time, pointedly, to give credit to the CIA folks who diligently tracked Osama Bin Laden for years and years, without fail. The author describes the poignant scene where the female CIA agent realizes that, yes, Osama Bin Laden is alive no more. It's a highly emotional moment that goes beyond the feeling of victory because it doesn't really bring back so many innocents who died because of him.
So, I encourage you to read the book. If you're an action junkie, you'll get a realistic dose of what it's like to be in the shoes/boots of a "Special Ops" expert.
If you're more philosophic, then you'll gain some perspective of what it's like to be in harm's way - and what the thought process is of these special people who do this type of work.
As an American, be proud that we have people who volunteer for this type of duty. While we sleep and go about our private lives, there are countless/nameless warriors out there protecting us from harm.
Much of the proceeds of this book go to charities (and families of the fallen) related to the author's former line of work.
Next time that you see a member of our military passing through in an airport or wherever, consider thanking them for their service.
Every day, every hour, every minute, we have authentic heroes who are "out there" (often in lonely, isolated places) watching over all of us 24/7, thank goodness. God bless 'em all.
One person found this helpful
3 out of 5 stars
An easy, entertaining read with some noticeable shortcomings.
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2013
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
One of the first things I noticed when I began reading No Easy Day is that Mark Owen is not a writer. Kevin Maurer must have kept his hands off, because the writing is simplistic and lacks detail in many areas. However, it is not clear whether the lack of detail is due to Owen's limited writing ability or because he was intentionally vague to protect important details of the operation as well as his teammates' identities (example: Owen understandably never mentions whether or not he has a family of his own). My guess is that it is a mixture of both. Whatever the case, Owen is a soldier first; any shortcomings he has as a writer are understandable, even if they are somewhat frustrating for his readers.
No Easy Day is an easy read presented in a (mostly) linear fashion. Owen flashes back to some of his previous experiences on deployment in the Middle East and does not talk much about the bin Laden mission until the middle of the book. Regarding the actual operation, he couldn't spill all the beans, but he still gives a clear account of how it all went down. Essentially, the story of the raid carries the book along and would have made it interesting even if Owen couldn't spell "SEAL," and it is worth reading for that reason alone. Just keep in mind that it isn't the best book out there written by a former Navy SEAL (I would recommend Lone Survivor for more details about SEAL life and toughness).
My above impression of the book being what it is (not as good as I had hoped but definitely worth reading), I am astounded by some of the criticism other reviewers have leveled against Owen. To refute some of the myths going around...
First, some reviewers have claimed No Easy Day is one big ego trip. Hardly! Again, compared to other books written by former SEALs, Owen is on the lower extreme of the ego scale. He opens the book explaining that his purpose for writing it at all is to set the record straight about the operation and show that it was a team effort. Throughout, Owen remains humble, even pointing to instances where he reminded himself not to get caught up in the hoopla of having "been there" when bin Laden was killed. To anyone claiming Owen is arrogant based on No Easy Day, I invite you to read Rogue Warrior by Richard Marcinko (founder of SEAL Team Six) to get a taste of genuine egotism.
Second, there are a lot of people sore over Owen's commentary on President Obama. Based on reviews here, I was led to believe this book flat-out smears Obama, which is entirely not the case. Owen mentions the Commander in Chief two separate times. He is critical of Obama the first time for non-political reasons (Owen and his teammates were tired of waiting for Presidential approval to launch the bin Laden raid, which seems perfectly reasonable). In the second instance, Owen admits he and his teammates are not fans of Obama (which is what reviewers are up in arms over) but then proceeds to praise the President for giving a good speech post-raid (which the aforementioned critics all conveniently neglected to mention in their reviews). Owen does make one comment about Biden acting like "a drunk uncle at Christmas," but let's be real- Owen was simply making an observation that the majority of the American population has also made.
Third and most important, there seems to be a lot of debate over how genuine Owen is in writing No Easy Day. A lot of servicemen, current and retired, have criticized him for being irresponsible at best and betraying his ethos to "cash in" at worst. Because of the high volume of passionate criticism Owen has received because of No Easy Day, I held off buying it for awhile. If his intention is indeed to make a cash grab, I was going to make sure I didn't shell out twenty bucks for his book. Ultimately, though, I decided the criticism was not heavy enough or unanimous enough to keep me from checking it out for myself. My impression strictly based on what I read is this:
Owen is a decent enough guy. He gave credit to his teammates, didn't take much for himself, and at the end of No Easy Day announced his intention to donate the proceeds from the book sales to three different veterans' foundations, an honorable move.
The problem is at least one of these organizations, the Navy SEAL Foundation, has rejected his offer and is refusing to accept any donation from Owen, presumably because the SEAL community takes issue with him writing it at all. Where, then, are the proceeds going? Are they going to the other two foundations? A different one not mentioned? Or are the critics right about Owen- has greed gotten to him?
These are questions to which I have no answers. I paid one cent for a hardcover copy of No Easy Day, so whatever happens to be the case, I don't feel guilty for "supporting" Owen. He can keep my penny. However, I do think these questions warrant answering. Given the fact that Owen has legitimate reasons for laying low (I wonder if he ever intended for his real name, which I will not post here, to surface), it is unlikely we'll ever hear from him about the controversy. This makes it easy for his critics to attack him; it also makes it easy for him to swim in pools of cash the reader believes he has donated to a good cause. But once again, based only on what I read in No Easy Day, Owen seems like he's a stand-up guy.
5 people found this helpful
4 out of 5 stars
A good, quick read.
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2012
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
I'll admit I had to think a bit before I bought this book. There was a little voice inside me saying "should this guy really have written this? And out of respect, should I be buying it?". I had heard that Owen went to great lengths to ensure there was no classified or valuable operational intel being given away in the book. After thinking about it and remembering that Obama was giving an interview with details just a few days after the raid, I decided to read it and give it a try.
For those who may be where I was, this paragraph is for you. Owen states in the beginning of the book that he changed names, left out or changed operational details, and omitted classified and sensitive information. He states that he hired a lawyer familiar with special operations and employed a team to comb the book for classified information and remove it. Can you trust him? Well, we all remember the famous tail assembly of the helicopter that went down in the compound. It didn't look like anything anyone had ever seen. It was widely reported that this was a new "stealth" Black Hawk that no one knew existed. In the book, Owen doesn't even mention this "stealth" helicopter. He talks about the Black Hawks as though they were the normal special operations Black Hawks. Even when he gets to the point of seeing the tail assembly on TV, he doesn't make any mention of anything special about it. That fact should lend credibility to his effort of leaving out sensitive and classified information.
I am a military history buff. I also love guns and other weapons. I consider myself to be more knowledgeable than most I know, on both subjects. That said, I am a civilian. I am not in the military, nor have I ever been. The closest I've been was ROTC in college. So, with that understanding, I didn't learn anything new about the SEALs or Special Operations that I didn't already know. All the tactics discussed, and all the weapons discussed, can be attributed to the SEALs and spec ops through various field manuals and other publicly available information. In fact, there is a list of sources at the end of the book where you can find references to likely everything discussed in the book. I haven't vetted that list, but as I said, I didn't learn anything new and I don't have access to classified information.
The story itself focuses on Owen's time in the SEALs in a post 9/11 world. The story isn't meant to be a biography of his life, rather it's meant to articulate the training and sacrifice these men go through everyday. It's meant to show the family-style bond they have. They train to make their operations routine. They train so the operations that killed bin Laden are as routine and straight-forward as any other operation, including ones he discusses in the book. After hearing many stories of grand gun battles and Osama bin Laden going out in a blaze of glory, the final part of the book discussing the actual raid was *extremely* interesting. Owen offers some insight into his perception of OBL's psyche, based on his behavior in the final moments, that I agree with.
There is some political commentary, mostly Owen's opinions. Per his account, the teams stayed out of the politics except for the higher-ups. There is some political motivation behind Owen publishing the book. It is obvious that he is not a fan of Obama, and he states most of the teams feel the same way. He makes some digs at the President, but also gives him credit for making the decision to send them in, after being given several different options. He states that when he decided to write this book, he remembered that Obama and other officials had already given their interviews and shared details about the operation. He felt that if they could do it, then he should be able to give perspective of someone who was actually on the assault team. He knew going into it that he was going to lose the respect of some of his fellow teammates, but felt the story needed to be told.
I am only giving this book four stars because it seems like there was a lot of build up to the actual assault, and then the assault itself went by very quick. Perhaps this is intentional, as it articulates Owen's point that this was 'just another operation' (emphasis mine). Much of the build up was to articulate the points mentioned above. I know about the SEALs and how they train, and have read about the bond they develop. Undoubtedly, this made the information less important to me and more tedious for me to read through. Someone else without that knowledge probably wouldn't deduct a star for it. For someone who is just looking for the straight scoop on the assault and is familiar with the supporting material, you'll have to do some reading to get to it. Overall, it's very much worth it.
4 people found this helpful