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

Written by Marcus Luttrell and James Martin

Narrated by Kevin T. Collins

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette Audio
• Release date: May 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781611132656

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.

Reviews for Lone Survivor

[markald · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a tale of two books.
4 Stars to the portions of this book which detail the author's experience with SEAL training and the incredible tale of his fighting and surviving in Afganistan. This is really good stuff, pretty well written, and extremely engaging. I would widely recommend this book if the book was abridged to just this content. But unfortunately, there is a second side to the book...
1 star for the childish, unintelligent, political blather. It's not that I completely disagree with his politics, what little core I could discern from the rambling, it's that he gives absolutely no factual or rational basis for his droning. I wish his co-writer had been able to convince him that the political "discourse" distracts from the story. In fact, his story alone supports a good bit of what I think he is trying to convey politically. And if he would let the story stand on it's on merit, then most readers, of most political leanings, would see a perspective which would nudge them towards his important political principals.
This is a tough book to rate, and hard to recommend. The SEAL portions are excellent, the political portions are trash. To be honest, giving it 3 stars is generous, but I do want to recognize the important parts. Honestly, and I hate to say this, but it's really just best to go see the movie.
Recommended only for those readers who can sift through lots of drivel to get to pearls of excellence.

[mattrwalker · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I hate to give this book less than 5 stars, because I really respect the author and his service to our country. That being said, I am not a huge fan of this book.

My review here may not be fair, because I mostly listened to this book through Audible, rather than actually reading it. The writing isn't all that great, and the poor narration made it even worse. I think my least favorite part of the book was the author's need to constantly push his own political agenda. While I don't disagree with his view of gun control laws and the US rules of engagement, I didn't feel that the politics belonged in this book as much as it was.

All that being said, the story is really great. You just have to look past the poor writing and politics. For me, those negatives really pulled the book down.

[kslade-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good story once the action gets going. It could have been cut down by a quarter and could have left out the rants about the liberal media, etc.
I came away with an appreciation of SEAL training and for some intense mountain combat in Afghanistan, early in the war there. It's amazing Marcus Luttrell survived. The U.S. has many great military people.

[chris.wolak · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Luttrell is a tough, heroic man, no doubt, but the book is marred by the inappropriate and unsubstantiated rants against the "liberal media." The liberals, let me point out, did not create the Geneva Convention. The 'I love Texas' line grew tiresome as well. There is a co-author involved, so perhaps he was trying to infuse Luttrell's voice into the storyline, but the result makes Luttrell sound uneducated if not a bit unstable. I would like to think that those serving in the Armed Forces today are defending the Constitution of the United States of America, and not a political party or their home state.

I liked Luttrell's book enough to finish it, but I wouldn't recommend it to a general audience. Instead I would recommend Anthony Swofford's Jarhead: A Marine’s Chronicle of the Gulf War and Other Battles (2003), Nathaniel Fick's One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer (2005), and Craig Mullaney's The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier’s Education (2009). I was not surprised to see that these three books were all included on The Military Times' recent list of the best military books of the decade.

[sgtcat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very engaging account. I really enjoyed it more than I expected I would, considering the subject. It's inspiring, both personally and in terms of being an American. Reading this made me wish I'd put even more effort into my own time spent in the military.

[daltonlp · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

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.

[jthierer_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is a great look into what its like to become a Navy SEAL and the kind of dedication and determination it takes to attain that status. It's also a harrowing tale of Luttrell's escape from the Taliban and the people who helped him survive. My main complaint: the refrain of politics that runs throughout. I understand this is his story and his views are part of that story. I even understand how his views are almost certainly shaped by his experiences, ones that I cannot hope to comprehend. What I object to is the need for "owning the libs" in every chapter, especially when that involves somewhat misrepresenting the stance 'liberals' were taken when they objected to certain abuses perpetrated during the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. That said, it was still worth a read.

[jmcdbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rated: C+
When it comes to elite soldiers, the Navy Seals right at the top. Starting with their basic training, all the way to their trident pin, it is unbelievable what determination and courage it take. They are physically and mental ready for battle of any kind. Murcus Luttrell experienced it all including the combat deaths of three of his team. It is by God's grace he is alive. The only problem I had with the book was his hatred for those who try to make sure our armed forces don't cross the line. There is a reason why there is hatred in this world for Americans. Let it never be because of bad behavior by our military. War is hell. Combat is insane. God protect the innocent.

[longhorndaniel · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

an excellent 1st hand account of American bravery

[tmmeyer-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this story of courage and commitment, but I would have found it more noteworthy if the author had eliminated his harsh critique of liberals. It added nothing to the story and shed a negative light on him. Military members should attempt to refrain from stating political opinions.

[tillywern · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

To get five stars a book must pull me in and keep me there. I was counting the time till I could read it again. It isn't a hard read and moves pretty quick. Certainly something more teens should be exposed to so they understand a little more about the cost of freedom and how life really is. Most today do not really understand hatred or compassion, honor and decency.

I might just have to go to the Bush Jr. library just to see that patch.

[kristymk18-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

POV: 1st Person
Genre: Military, Autobiographical
Thoughts: My brother recommended this book to me. It is one of the best books I have ever read. The detail and imagery Luttrell uses to portray his and his team's heroic acts leave you grateful and in awe of them. He invoked many emotions throughout the story and more than once I had tears running down my face. Truly an amazing and heart wrenching account of Operation Redwing.

[marshapetry · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Hard review to write... In one sense I loved this (audio) book - it's reads like a modern day Louis L'Amour adventure tale, full of action and gun-totin', fun-lovin', wise-crackin', ever-so-intelligent good guys doing their best to catch the evil ugly stinkin' loathsome sneaky bad guys and it's so very easy to distinguish the two. Why, don't-cha know? one wears a "Texas patch" and the other a turban. Life is easy.

OTOH it's (mostly) cringe-inducing, pathetic drivel: the author clumsily writes about his incredibly "intelligent" SEAL friends and spouts rah-rah shoot-em-up "we're #1!" trite-isms from start to finish. I can only exclaim "Well, bless his heart, he certainly deserves an gold star for effort". The book is so shallow, so UN-insightful, so plain ol' stupid... I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Oh man... BBooks like this, and American Sniper, make me sad - we as a country are not going to get anywhere until we get past "poster patriotism".

You won't miss a thing skipping this book.

[npjacobsen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story of what happens when politicians dictate how soldiers should fight a war. Navy SEAL's are the best trained soldiers in the world and the lawyers and politicians should let them do what they do best.

[justindtapp · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
I applaud Marcus Luttrell for his work in writing this book, and I hope it was therapeutic for him to get ideas, feelings, and memories down. This was put out so soon after the events, the accuracy is probably better than most other works of its kind. He is forthright about the guilt and PTSD he suffers from.

The book opens with a lot of bashing of the "liberal media" and "liberal politicians" who want to restrain U.S. forces and define rules of engagement while going on about the Geneva Convention. Meanwhile, enemies like the Taliban do not observe such conventions and are eager to exploit U.S. political weakness and manipulate the media. Luttrell's views are shaped by seeing first-hand atrocities committed by the Taliban, who abuse children, oppress women, take no prisoners, and do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals of imposing their will on the villages of Afghanistan and Pakistan. At one point he tells of his regret of not killing two innocent civilians, a decision made out of fear of future prosecution, as not doing so directly led to them informing the Taliban of their position and his comrade's deaths and the worst tragedy in the history of the SEALs.

This is also a Texas story. The author has reverence for G.W. Bush (who he meets personally) and there are plenty of tales of Texas/Southern hospitality while his family is eagerly awaiting news about his life/death situation. Having briefly lived in Texas and seen more Young Marines than Boy Scouts in my time there, I believe the story that he and a bunch of other young lads devoted their teenage years to training with a Navy SEAL to get in tip-top shape in order to make the Special Forces. It seems that not entering the military never entered into their minds, although the author had the long-term goal of working as a physician. To someone outside of Red State life this may seem bizarre and tragic. They are fighting for Texas as much as anything else.

The Afghan who helped him at considerable risk to himself later came to the U.S. to help promote the book. He is, as expected, now a top Taliban target (take the source of this article with a big grain of salt). It is hard to believe events in the book all took less than a week.

As far as the war goes, the lack of a clear-cut mission is pretty obvious from the book. Luttrell contends that's not the enlisted man's problem, the SEALs are there to execute whatever their immediate orders are and not to worry about the overall objectives of the war. But the entrenchment of the Taliban in the hills and their increasing control over villages and life and the sheer hatred Luttrell describes from even the non-Taliban towards Americans seem pretty impossible to overcome or beat militarily.

I give the book 3.5 stars out of 5. It is raw and engaging, but like any book like this one wonders how much "color" was added by Patrick Robinson. I have not yet seen the movie.

[jimocracy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Marcus Luttrell may be another uber-Christian, uber-patriotic Texan and Navy Seal but he was certainly a better writer than his prother in arms, Chris Kyle. I like that he kept his book brief; just giving the necessary background in his life and telling a better story about his battle in Afghanistan.

[mofa14 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In 2005 mission four members of SEAL Team 10 were assigned the mission to capture the Taliban leader, Admad Shad. Marcus Luttrell was the only member of his team to survive, so thats why the book is called "Lone Survivor." I think this is one of the most interesting war stories I've ever heard. Even though the book had a long, and boring introduction, the ending made the book an excellent read.
Patrick Robinson, the author, also did a great job of capturing the first-hand story from Marcus Luttrell. While reading this book, I had a vivid image in mid of everything that was going on. The landscape of Afghanistan was brilliantly detailed , and the battle scenes felt as though they were occurring in my mind.
This book is definitely a great read, especially if you're in to non-fiction war stories. Even though in my opinion the movie was better, mainly because it skipped most of the introduction and boring parts, I really suggest reading this book.

[glhufford · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This might have been an interesting story, I don't know since I did not get past the first 50 or so pages. It was written at about a High School sophomore level. That may have been its intended audience but I found it detracted from the story. Perhaps the movie was better as it most likely would have skipped a lot of the introductory materials.

[aryadeschain-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I always find it complicated to judge military accounts because while I do admire the courage these soldiers have, the fact that most of the military accounts always seem to patronize the US always bothers me. It really felt like reading a 300 page advertisement of the North American military rather than the story of a guy who has been through hell and survived.
I also thought that the bit of the book that told about the BUD/S training wasn't really necessary. I have already read a couple of books about the Navy SEAL training, so nothing in the first part of the book really struck me as anything new. In fact, compared to other books in the military literature, this one was actually really poor. There are several other books that describe the Navy SEAL training in a more detailed fashion. Given the context of the book, I feel that the training part could have been used to describe Marcus' bonds with his future Navy SEAL buddies.
But while this was definitely not my favorite military-themed book, there are several aspects of it that I thought were really good, mostly the accounts of Luttrell's fight for survival in Afghanistan and the cultural shock. Now THAT could use some more detail, since their culture is so unique.

I had my share of fun and informative data with this book, but it still feels like a lot of potential has been wasted here.

[jsopcich-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is story of inspiration and determination. Marcus Luttrell is a man that most of us can only hope to be. I highly recommend his story to anyone that thinks they might be even a little bit interested in it.

[cherylefisher · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Listened to the audio of this book. Very tense, very riveting.

[aadyer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very good, very personal, & therefore slightly jaundiced account of Operation Redwing. No one can doubt this mans heroism & amazing capabilities under fire & afterwards. A very good account of the modern battlefield, & special forces.

[rumurphy-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First part of book describes his training.. second part of book describing his combat experience would not be remotely believable without reading the first part. Really puts things in to perspective what humans are capable of.

[kcoleman428 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I cannot recommend this book Highly enough, Amazing!!

[bobbyvavassis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In 2005 mission four members of SEAL Team 10 were assigned the mission to capture or kill notorious Taliban leader, Admad Shad. Marcus Luttrell was the only member of his team to survive, hence why the book is called "Lone Survivor." I think this is one of the most interesting war stories I've ever heard. Unfortunately, it is relatively unknown. That's why I think this book is so important to read: it gives the proper honor and respect that these courageous men, who sacrificed their lives for our freedom, deserve.

Patrick Robinson also did a great job of capturing the first-hand story from Marcus Luttrell. While reading this book, I had a vivid image in mid of everything that was going on. The landscape of Afghanistan was brilliantly depicted, and the battle scenes felt as though they were occurring in my mind.

This book is definitely a great read, especially if you're in to non-fiction war stories. I hear there is a movie of this book coming out sometime in the near future, so I suggest that you pick up a copy of this book and read it before it is released.

[dele2451 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Against all reasonable odds US Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell survived a horrific attack and subsequent pursuit by dozens of Taliban members in the Hindu Kush mountain region of Afghanistan. This book is his detailed account of the training he endured to become one of America's military elite, the events that led to his team's ill-fated mission, the death of his entire team on the battlefield, and his narrow escape with the help of compassionate villagers in the region. As dire as that summary sounds, this is an inspiring and surprisingly uplifting tale that pays homage to power of perserverance, sticking to core values, small town America, and self-sacrifice by strangers committed to doing the right thing. There's certainly a lot of blood and pain in these pages, but there's also a lot of love and hope. SEAL Luttrell's does an admirable job conveying the bonds of the SEAL brotherhood as well as the patriotic spirit of the Lone Star State. A definite recommend, especially for Texas veterans.

[nathan7c7moore · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the harrowing story and memoir of Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell and the tragedy that occurred at Murphy's Ridge in Afghanistan 2005. It's a great story, and I particularly enjoyed all the gritty details regarding the Seal's training. The story is obviously written by a non-author. Its the kind of story that is so good that only the worst of writers could mess it up. As one might expect, The book is also oozing with the pride of a Seal. All in all, language excluded, an enjoyable read.

[jcbrunner · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The title Lone Survivor immediately references Lady Butler's famous painting "The remnants of an army" which shows assistant surgeon William Brydon returning as the sole survivor from the British retreat of Kabul in 1842. The US action in Afghanistan was less costly. Marcus Luttrell was part of a four man Navy SEALs team that was wiped out in Afghanistan during Operation Red Wings. The heavily scrubbed Wikipedia entry classifies this operation as a "temporary U.S. Pyrrhic victory; Long-term insurgent victory". With a 100% US casualty rate and not a single goal achieved, this assessment is only sustainable if one either takes Monty Python's Black Knight as a role model or considers the Alamo as a US victory. In reality, this minor action was a clear defeat, caused by bad US leadership both strategically down to the tactical level. Luttrell is not the man to understand complex matters. His memoirs about his time in Afghanistan nevertheless can serve as good data for two analyses.

Firstly, Luttrell offers a postcard introduction into the mindset of an authoritarian follower (and Republican voter). His mind effortlessly tolerates to hold hugely contradictory opinions and facts. While he is easily (and often wrongly) offended by accusations and actions of others he puts in one out-group (the liberal press, Europeans, liberals, Muslims, ...), he resents their undifferentiated portrait as a religious redneck, Texan, American, SEAL, soldier (his main in-groups). The out-groups seem in his mind to work together to crush his in-group and deserve to be punished. Thus, he thinks the torture at Abu Ghraib justified by 9/11 as the suicide terrorists as well as the Iraqi torture victims are both Muslims. Killing Afghanis is ok, because they are all Taliban, even if he owes his survival to a brave Afghani who protected the wounded Luttrell from certain death and risked his own life to save the American. Lutrell holds a special disdain for the Geneva Convention despite the fact that his survival is in accordance to its principles. It is truly an authoritarian madness to fight forcefully against something that improves everyone's (including their own) lives. The book does not make it clear whether the Rambo Jesus worshiping Luttrell has understood that his Muslim savior acted in the best Samaritan tradition as promoted by Jesus. He bound his wounds, took care of him and delivered him into the safety of American troops. If such an act did not open Luttrell's mind, what possibly could?

Secondly, the book can serve as a good case-study of failures in decision making in an isolated small group. A parallel read of Norman Maclean's Young Men and Fire and the analysis of the Mann Gulch catastrophe by Karl Weick is especially recommended. The failure of the SEAL team can be tracked back to their training. They lacked decision patterns what to do

[davidlerickson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The novel stared out with nothing less than hero worship as Marcus tells us with unbridled adoration what awesome men Navy Seals are then proceeds to bash the liberal media and liberals in general.
The next third is a detailed description of Seal training, most of which I was familiar with and, quite frankly, I skimmed much of it. For those uninitiated this aspect of the novel will be revealing of what goes into making a Seal, and it did set the character background for Marcus and his buddies.
At long last, Marcus begins the real story of his first real battle in Afghanistan and it is quite a tale. I found it a tad unbelievable. I mean, how many thousands of feet can you slide down a muntain and still keep your skin attached? And to always find his rifle beside him? He repeatedly thanked God for that, which I found a bit absurd. Unless you are one of those that believes God takes sides in man's efforts to kill other men.
The real story of war and loss was a thrill ride and I would not have wanted to share that experience, but I did apprecate the visceral adventure. I assume this is a true tale, but it did feel like it was well crafted fiction.
While Marcus and his buddies were fighting for their lives, his folks and supporters were holding a vigil at the family farm. Again, I asume what was written was true, but seemed unbelievable. But then, I never moved among the elite of our military forces. I was a nobody avionics tech/door gunner in a Marine chopper squadron in Vietnam.
Overall a good read, but overly long and far too detailed in many ways. I found myself wanting to hurry the read along, but also didn't want to miss anything. At least once I got past the first third of the novel.
For those who love this kind of stuff, this ought to be a great read.

[nfmgirl2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Marcus Lutrell is a Texas-boy through and through. Texans are a unique breed. Often arrogant and self-confident, yet warm and generous, Lutrell fits the bill. "Don't mess with Texas!"

On June 28, 2005, Lutrell and SEAL Team 10 are sent on a mission into Afghanistan as part of Operation Redwing. SEAL Team 10 consisted of Lutrell, Matthew Axelson, Michael Murphy and Danny Dietz.

The SEALs moved through the Hindu Kush mountains, eventually positioning themselves to watch the village where their target was supposed to be located. While on surveillance, they are surrounded by the Taliban and engaged in a firefight. Over the next few hours the team is outnumbered probably 35 to 1, caught in a vicious firefight, wounded and pushed further and further down the mountain. There are great moments of heroism and bravery as one-by-one they are picked off. In the end, only Lutrell is still alive and on the run with the Taliban chasing him through the mountains.

Eventually he is found and taken in by a Pashtun tribe, and carried to their village where his wounds are treated and he is cared for. The tribe extend their hospitality to him, and they are bound to protect and care for him to the death. This pits them against the Taliban in securing the safety of Lutrell, and in their determination to return him to the Americans. Eventually they do just that.

The writing style was a little too relaxed for me. It was like I was sitting in a bar and listening to him talk over a beer. It was a little scattered and lacked very much structure. Additionally there is so much arrogance in the beginning that it could be a bit of a turnoff. But eventually I got used to the writing style and began to see the arrogance more as "confidence", and by the middle of the book I'd hit my groove.

However the one thing that kept bothering me was the continual derogatory attitude towards "liberals". I know Texans are staunchly conservative, but it would have been nice to see a little less bias and derogatory tone. It is quite evident that the author views liberals an enemy nearly paramount to the Taliban.

The details of the firefight are brutal. These guys were shot repeatedly, with serious head, neck, back and stomach wounds, sometimes mortally shot, and they kept going. They kept fighting- for themselves, for their buddies, for their mission and their country.

The one thing that I missed in this book was the chance to really get to know these guys that died out on that mountain. However that didn't stop me from crying as I read of their bravery in the face of terror and pain.

There is a fair amount of vulgarity throughout this book. After all, there is a reason we refer to people as "talking like a sailor"!

Overall I would recommend this story-- for the middle. The beginning is a little too arrogant and brash, like a boy boasting of his conquests. The end a little too quiet as he recuperates and tours the US to visit with the family members of those who died in Operation Redwing. The middle, the heart of the story, is heart-wrenching and brutal and will have you in tears as you read what these boys went through and what they did for one another. Their love for one another is evident. Beautiful.

If you are intrigued by the Navy SEALs, if you don't shy away from brutality, if you can take the vulgarity and brashness, pick this one up. It will move you.