Publisher's Weekly Review
Reader Michael brings polish and passion to the audio edition of Owen's latest military memoir, a follow-up to 2012's No Easy Day. Owen's new title provides an autobiographical account of his military career and a collection of general principles for success that he gleaned from his time inside the elite warfare unit, which is known for its perseverance and commitment. Michael's diction is precise and annunciated, but he still manages to come across as conversational. He also smoothly handles the transitions between the more expository content and the dialogue and anecdotes. Though Owen states in the book that he set out to avoid the kind of overloaded introspection often found in the military memoir genre, his book still gives Michael ample opportunity to showcase a flair for evocative narration. One especially memorable passage has Owen observing a cat drinking the blood of an insurgent that he had just shot dead in battle, realizing that a young boy no older than five had witnessed the entire scene. A Dutton hardcover. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Following up his best-seller No Easy Day (2012), about the killing of Osama bin Laden, former Navy SEAL Owen offers some life lessons drawn from his training and service. Owen has a fear of heights, and he's not all that comfortable a swimmer. Nevertheless, he spent 14 years as a Navy SEAL, where swimming in darkness through icy waters and cutting yourself loose from a malfunctioning parachute are only small parts of the job description. However, the author insists that there's nothing especially wondrous about conquering deficiencies, surviving mistakes and becoming "an asset to the team." Instead, SEAL success stems from a purposeful, hardworking, trained brotherhood committed to excellence. He builds each of his chapters around an especially challenging career episode: climbing a sheer rock face in the Nevada desert, traversing waist-deep snow in a bitterly cold Kabul valley pass on the way to a target, or entering an al-Qaida compound rigged to explode. Each adventure highlights a specific theme: e.g., how to control fear: "Stay in your three-foot world"; how to handle stress and the importance of not rushing, slowing things down; how "to be comfortable being uncomfortable." In other passages, Owen emphasizes the significance of building trust up and down the chain of command, of clear communications, of nurturing relationships to improve teamwork, of ensuring accountability, of improvising and evolving to meet the enemy's constantly shifting tactics and techniques. Near the end of his account, he hints at the personal toll combat inflicts. The image of a kitten lapping the pool of blood from an Iraqi fighter's shattered skull as a petrified, whimpering child looks on will certainly stay with readers, as it has with Owen. Still, he takes solace knowing he protected his mates, "obeyed the rules of engagement and never targeted innocents." Simple, well-told stories that will interest general readers and certainly anyone contemplating a career in special operations. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
"Mark Owen" is the pen name of former Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette (No Easy Day), a former member of the U.S. Naval Warfare Development Group, also known as SEAL Team 6. His successes range from the rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips from Somali pirates in 2009 to the mission that eliminated Osama bin Laden in 2011 to hundreds of raids and patrols in Iraq, East Africa, Haiti, and Afghanistan. Owen here translates the SEALs' (nonlethal) skills into tips that anyone can use to succeed in almost any career. The interesting and informative lessons include always work with teammates you can trust; always expect and demand honest feedback from top to bottom on lessons learned; focus on the task at hand; learn to improvise; and be comfortable being uncomfortable, just to name a few. Paul Michael's excellent narration sets the scene in the listener's mind. VERDICT Overall, a wonderful tool for those interested in modern military history or business. ["Covering raids that had less press attention than that described in his previous book, Owen's latest work may interest avid readers of military action," read the review of the Dutton hc, LJ 11/1/14.]-Scott R. DiMarco, Mansfield Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib. (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
