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Broken Samurai: A Combat Marine's Journey from Hero to Hitman
If you or someone you know has combat-related PTSD, you need to read this book.
Broken Samurai is the story of Danny, who spent his first days of combat duty in Vietnam at Khe Sanh during the Tet Offensive. Death surrounded him daily. After losing his best friend to the enemy, he went from scared to numb, and he began seeking revenge. When Danny returned home, he couldn't move beyond his experiences in Vietnam, and began looking for ways to recreate them, if only to feel alive one more time.
His Journey from hero to hitman may not be as unique as it seems...
“I believe one of the biggest crimes you can commit is to break your code. It is the worst thing you can possibly do.”
—Danny
Danny admired the Warrior’s Code of the Samurai: protect the weak, oppose evil, and fight the good fight. Joining the Marines in 1967 to defend Democracy, Danny saw some of worst fighting of the Vietnam War. His training didn’t prepare him for the trauma of being surrounded by endless death and the likelihood of his own. After his best friend was brutally killed, Danny became angry, depressed, and numb, and the only thing that could make him feel alive again was witnessing violent death.
All Danny had left of himself after Vietnam was the Warrior’s Code, until the day he broke it...
Broken Samurai is the story of Danny, who spent his first days of combat duty in Vietnam at Khe Sanh during the Tet Offensive. Death surrounded him daily. After losing his best friend to the enemy, he went from scared to numb, and he began seeking revenge. When Danny returned home, he couldn't move beyond his experiences in Vietnam, and began looking for ways to recreate them, if only to feel alive one more time.
His Journey from hero to hitman may not be as unique as it seems...
“I believe one of the biggest crimes you can commit is to break your code. It is the worst thing you can possibly do.”
—Danny
Danny admired the Warrior’s Code of the Samurai: protect the weak, oppose evil, and fight the good fight. Joining the Marines in 1967 to defend Democracy, Danny saw some of worst fighting of the Vietnam War. His training didn’t prepare him for the trauma of being surrounded by endless death and the likelihood of his own. After his best friend was brutally killed, Danny became angry, depressed, and numb, and the only thing that could make him feel alive again was witnessing violent death.
All Danny had left of himself after Vietnam was the Warrior’s Code, until the day he broke it...
138 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2016
1 person is currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 21, 2016
I was given a review copy by the author. This was a difficult book for me. My son served in Iraq. I knew reading this would bring that back to me. In fairness, I let the author know that it might be slow going and it was possible I would not be able to finish. I put it down several times. All the way through there were times I wanted to quit. It hurt me. It worried me. It scared me. It brought back all the feelings I had when my son was sent to Fallujah as well everything I witnessed when he came home. I persevered, though, because I feel it is an important topic.
The book isn't written in story fashion. It reads more like therapy notes. I think this makes the book a bit harder to read. There is the constant reminder that this is real. All these things, thoughts and feelings were coming from a person. Danny is a difficult person to like. He did some terrible things. He came across as arrogant and a bully with, (self)entitled free reign. I found myself wondering how much of who he was, was due to the war and his PTSD, (which I do believe he had), and how much came from his upbringing and environment. It also made me wonder, again, if some people aren't born with an evil gene. Think about it. Two children from the same family, treated the same by their caregivers and have the same environment, grow up and one leads a healthy, happy, successful life while the other is angry, depressed and enjoys hurting and killing others. What was the difference that brought about such a striking contrast in their adult lives? I am digressing but it is a thought the book brought up to me. Oddly there were moments when I did feel badly for Danny. There were things that happened to him that affected him. It didn't make my feelings for him change though. You are in charge of your actions and your reactions. You are responsible for those choices. I think a part of Danny was trying to get to that point while another part just wanted to justify and make excuses. His case is an interesting one.
I think the book is valuable in bringing to awareness that PTSD among returning veterans is a very real issue that needs more funding and more attention. I do believe there are different levels to PTSD. A person who witnesses a horrific accident will not be left with the same PTSD as a person who survived domestic violence and that survivor will not have the same PTSD as returning veterans from war. If they all have different levels of PTSD then the treatments need to be corresponding. I don't really believe we have that going yet. I do believe we are moving in that direction though. I wouldn't say that I enjoyed this book but I did learn from it. It is a book I would recommend to someone interested in PTSD. It is also a book I would add a caution to that if the person reading it has triggers, they need to be ready for them.
As stated I was given a review copy of this book from the author. I was introduced to the book by @BookTasters. I would like to thank them both. My reviews, whether they come from free books or purchased ones, are always honest and based upon my experience with the book. I do not receive compensation for the review.
The book isn't written in story fashion. It reads more like therapy notes. I think this makes the book a bit harder to read. There is the constant reminder that this is real. All these things, thoughts and feelings were coming from a person. Danny is a difficult person to like. He did some terrible things. He came across as arrogant and a bully with, (self)entitled free reign. I found myself wondering how much of who he was, was due to the war and his PTSD, (which I do believe he had), and how much came from his upbringing and environment. It also made me wonder, again, if some people aren't born with an evil gene. Think about it. Two children from the same family, treated the same by their caregivers and have the same environment, grow up and one leads a healthy, happy, successful life while the other is angry, depressed and enjoys hurting and killing others. What was the difference that brought about such a striking contrast in their adult lives? I am digressing but it is a thought the book brought up to me. Oddly there were moments when I did feel badly for Danny. There were things that happened to him that affected him. It didn't make my feelings for him change though. You are in charge of your actions and your reactions. You are responsible for those choices. I think a part of Danny was trying to get to that point while another part just wanted to justify and make excuses. His case is an interesting one.
I think the book is valuable in bringing to awareness that PTSD among returning veterans is a very real issue that needs more funding and more attention. I do believe there are different levels to PTSD. A person who witnesses a horrific accident will not be left with the same PTSD as a person who survived domestic violence and that survivor will not have the same PTSD as returning veterans from war. If they all have different levels of PTSD then the treatments need to be corresponding. I don't really believe we have that going yet. I do believe we are moving in that direction though. I wouldn't say that I enjoyed this book but I did learn from it. It is a book I would recommend to someone interested in PTSD. It is also a book I would add a caution to that if the person reading it has triggers, they need to be ready for them.
As stated I was given a review copy of this book from the author. I was introduced to the book by @BookTasters. I would like to thank them both. My reviews, whether they come from free books or purchased ones, are always honest and based upon my experience with the book. I do not receive compensation for the review.
September 1, 2016
It's been a while since I have read any non fiction and when I got the chance to read Broken Samurai I jumped at it as I know very little about PTSD and even less about the Vietnam War.
The book follows interviews between Al Carlisle and Danny, an ex marine who has ended up in a very bad place following his return home.
I feel the book is very clearly laid out and the interview progression is followed in chronological order of the events in Danny's life which lead him to where he was. The questions asked of him were very clear and Danny was a lot more articulate than I had first expected from the stories of his up bringing. There are a few times when I would have liked things followed up on or more information asked for from Danny, one example being when Danny talks about being part of the biker gang and doing anything he could profitable but when he talks about his belief in the code of Bushido, the code states it does not believe in material profiting. I would have liked to have asked him how he reconciled these two statements.
The story of Danny's life is an incredibly interesting, but very sad story from losing his dad at an early age, to joining the military and being part of the battle at Khe Sanh in Vietnam and then coming home feeling lost and ending up being a hitman as part of a biker gang. Though Danny does seem to have had some problems before Vietnam, there definitely does seem to be a huge shift in both his personality and his beliefs following the war. Though reading Danny's answers myself I feel a lot of his PTSD stems from when he believes he broke his code and killed an innocent, from there he seems to spiral even further out of control than ever before.
This is definitely an interesting look into an extreme account of PTSD and I think it's an important subject that does need a lot more exposure than it currently has. Reading this book has made me want to research further into PTSD and hear other accounts as well as finding out more about the Vietnam war, as I feel lacking in not knowing much about either.
I would have liked more information about PTSD itself as part of the book for people like me who don't have the knowledge, maybe as an introduction.
Overall a well put together, interesting book and one I will be recommending.
I received a copy of Broken Samurai in exchange for an honest review.
This review was originally posted on my blog http://lifeofanerdishmum.blogspot.co.uk/
The book follows interviews between Al Carlisle and Danny, an ex marine who has ended up in a very bad place following his return home.
I feel the book is very clearly laid out and the interview progression is followed in chronological order of the events in Danny's life which lead him to where he was. The questions asked of him were very clear and Danny was a lot more articulate than I had first expected from the stories of his up bringing. There are a few times when I would have liked things followed up on or more information asked for from Danny, one example being when Danny talks about being part of the biker gang and doing anything he could profitable but when he talks about his belief in the code of Bushido, the code states it does not believe in material profiting. I would have liked to have asked him how he reconciled these two statements.
The story of Danny's life is an incredibly interesting, but very sad story from losing his dad at an early age, to joining the military and being part of the battle at Khe Sanh in Vietnam and then coming home feeling lost and ending up being a hitman as part of a biker gang. Though Danny does seem to have had some problems before Vietnam, there definitely does seem to be a huge shift in both his personality and his beliefs following the war. Though reading Danny's answers myself I feel a lot of his PTSD stems from when he believes he broke his code and killed an innocent, from there he seems to spiral even further out of control than ever before.
This is definitely an interesting look into an extreme account of PTSD and I think it's an important subject that does need a lot more exposure than it currently has. Reading this book has made me want to research further into PTSD and hear other accounts as well as finding out more about the Vietnam war, as I feel lacking in not knowing much about either.
I would have liked more information about PTSD itself as part of the book for people like me who don't have the knowledge, maybe as an introduction.
Overall a well put together, interesting book and one I will be recommending.
I received a copy of Broken Samurai in exchange for an honest review.
This review was originally posted on my blog http://lifeofanerdishmum.blogspot.co.uk/
August 26, 2016
A tale of a disturbed veteran who once compelled by War was finally consumed by it; a one on one account of a veteran suffering from war related PTSD which led him to a path of self destruction. The book chronicles the life of Danny who joined the Marines in the Vietnam War.
Battle is sometimes referred as the menace which transforms an individual to the extent of discarding humanity and it was no exception for Danny who was subjected to war and it's painful impact changed him completely. From a marine to a hitman this story makes you get in touch with a man who once abided on the Samurai code; Kindness and path of righteousness was the ideals which he would die for and then suddenly nothing mattered much after returning from War.
Danny choose a life which endorsed that authority comes with power and to gain that he involved himself into sordid actions such as murder, robbery and taking drugs.From becoming a part of marines, losing friends in the war, joining a biker gang to killing anyone without any remorse.
Danny is an extreme example of brutality war bestows on soldiers. But the reason that led to his downfall was his flawed understanding of right and wrong.
Danny had to atone for all his sins, he had to repay for everything and he was aware of it. But the worst part was that compulsion to remain self destructive due to the War restricted him to change. An extreme case of a sick mind who should be held culpable for all his crime; But to dismiss his mental illness that led him to harm's way would be a big blunder and unfair.
"A must read for those who want to understand the horrors of War and the impact it has on Soldiers. "
Battle is sometimes referred as the menace which transforms an individual to the extent of discarding humanity and it was no exception for Danny who was subjected to war and it's painful impact changed him completely. From a marine to a hitman this story makes you get in touch with a man who once abided on the Samurai code; Kindness and path of righteousness was the ideals which he would die for and then suddenly nothing mattered much after returning from War.
Danny choose a life which endorsed that authority comes with power and to gain that he involved himself into sordid actions such as murder, robbery and taking drugs.From becoming a part of marines, losing friends in the war, joining a biker gang to killing anyone without any remorse.
Danny is an extreme example of brutality war bestows on soldiers. But the reason that led to his downfall was his flawed understanding of right and wrong.
Danny had to atone for all his sins, he had to repay for everything and he was aware of it. But the worst part was that compulsion to remain self destructive due to the War restricted him to change. An extreme case of a sick mind who should be held culpable for all his crime; But to dismiss his mental illness that led him to harm's way would be a big blunder and unfair.
"A must read for those who want to understand the horrors of War and the impact it has on Soldiers. "
September 17, 2023
Extremely interesting and insightful study of a killer. Dr. Carlisle spent a great deal of time at a Utah prison, interviewing inmates to try to determine the causes of the "violent mind" in hopes of finding a way to prevent it. The subject of this book, Danny, was a Vietnam vet with severe PTSD who could not adapt to normal society when he came home from the war. He joined violent biker gangs and, as head of security, saw it as his duty to kill rival gang members. He killed and felt it honorable as he was protecting his 'family', the gang. I found the content very interesting and well presented, but the book could use another pass by an editor.
December 13, 2018
A well-written and thoughtful exploration of combat PTSD and the way it can change the way it makes the sufferer think and feel. Al Carlisle is great at presenting the material in writing (and in person, if you ever get to see any of his presentations at a convention or the like).
May 15, 2018
okay, but not a must read. Didn't like the interview notes format. Better content out there re PTSD.
September 3, 2016
In Broken Samurai: A Combat Marine’s Journey from Hero to Hitman, author Al Carlisle lays out the story of Danny, a U.S. vet numbed by his experience in the Vietnam War. This can be a difficult read for many who have fought in war or have loved ones lost to war way after the battles have been fought. Post-traumatic stress disorder is an important issue and this compelling book shed some light on it, but brought up other questions.
Carlisle lays out how Danny set up his assassination hits and studied his victim’s every move. In glaring detail, the reader can visualize him taking heroin and drinking as he prepares to kill someone. Danny tells the author that Vietnam steeled him to killing and death.
He also appeared to have a warped sense of retribution, where he tried to get back at the enemy in Vietnam for killing a friend. But no matter how many he executed in Vietnam, he never felt like he had gotten even. Then, back in civilian life he took part in executing members of a gang that had killed a cousin – but not the specific members who did the killing – just members of the same gang. Danny says this “was more of a personal thing. I wasn’t detached as I usually was. I was really involved.” But then later, he kills an “innocent” and everything changes for Danny. I think that this is the point at which Danny dies and as a reader, I felt that deep inside my soul.
At points I feel very sorry for Danny and at other times, scared and thankful that he’s not still among us. His rationale when killing and his lack of remorse could’ve manifested itself in a much more horrific way down the line.
I love the approach that Carlisle takes with this book. The interview format and chronological style make it all so real for the reader. I can’t relate to Danny’s feelings after killing though. His description of his drug use as giving him a “mellow high” just seems contradictory as he himself notes to Carlisle. This is something I want to know more about: How people use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate and deal with traumatic times in their lives. And most important, how can we help others – especially veterans – not to take that route.
At the end, Carlisle eloquently writes of Danny’s anguish:
Danny, however, believed that because of his understanding of the principles of the Samurai he would be held to a higher level of accountability for his actions. Killing was not wrong as he saw it, it was who you killed and how you killed. The boy was innocent and Danny would have to pay for killing him in the next life. Danny was no longer worthy of an exalted place as an honorable warrior. … There’s no greater hell a reincarnated Samurai warrior can go through than to be a disgrace to his code.
This is a serious, intense read and I highly recommend it to those curious about war and its effects.
Well done Al Carlisle.
Carlisle lays out how Danny set up his assassination hits and studied his victim’s every move. In glaring detail, the reader can visualize him taking heroin and drinking as he prepares to kill someone. Danny tells the author that Vietnam steeled him to killing and death.
He also appeared to have a warped sense of retribution, where he tried to get back at the enemy in Vietnam for killing a friend. But no matter how many he executed in Vietnam, he never felt like he had gotten even. Then, back in civilian life he took part in executing members of a gang that had killed a cousin – but not the specific members who did the killing – just members of the same gang. Danny says this “was more of a personal thing. I wasn’t detached as I usually was. I was really involved.” But then later, he kills an “innocent” and everything changes for Danny. I think that this is the point at which Danny dies and as a reader, I felt that deep inside my soul.
At points I feel very sorry for Danny and at other times, scared and thankful that he’s not still among us. His rationale when killing and his lack of remorse could’ve manifested itself in a much more horrific way down the line.
I love the approach that Carlisle takes with this book. The interview format and chronological style make it all so real for the reader. I can’t relate to Danny’s feelings after killing though. His description of his drug use as giving him a “mellow high” just seems contradictory as he himself notes to Carlisle. This is something I want to know more about: How people use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate and deal with traumatic times in their lives. And most important, how can we help others – especially veterans – not to take that route.
At the end, Carlisle eloquently writes of Danny’s anguish:
Danny, however, believed that because of his understanding of the principles of the Samurai he would be held to a higher level of accountability for his actions. Killing was not wrong as he saw it, it was who you killed and how you killed. The boy was innocent and Danny would have to pay for killing him in the next life. Danny was no longer worthy of an exalted place as an honorable warrior. … There’s no greater hell a reincarnated Samurai warrior can go through than to be a disgrace to his code.
This is a serious, intense read and I highly recommend it to those curious about war and its effects.
Well done Al Carlisle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2016
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
I was very excited when I got the chance to read this book. I hadn’t read any non-fictional books in a long time, and the fact that „Broken Samurai“ was about a man who suffered from PTSD after serving in the Vietnam war really interested me. I had also heard the name „Al Carlisle“ before, so I jumped right into reading this book.
The story follows Danny through his time in Vietnam, where he was surrounded by death, had to see friends being killed and found himself going numb. The reader also learns a lot about Danny's past, and about his past war days. To see what happened to Danny after returning from war, was truly awful. His PTSDs slowly took over him and turned him into a whole different person, a numb person, who did awful things.
I enjoyed Carlisle’s writing style, he wrote a „preface“ before starting chapter 1, which really got me hooked. The story is mostly told in the style of an interview. Carlisle asked Danny questions about himself, and I found Denny to be extremely open and clear about how he was feeling. It was „easy“ to understand how he felt and what was going on inside of him.
It shocked me to see what PTSDs can do to someone. I never dealt with anything close to PTSDs, neither do I know anyone close to me, which is one of the reasons I wanted to read this book. I hope that more people will read this book to understand, what war can do to people. Sadly, wars are still present today. I don’t want to talk about how war affects the people, that is a different story, but rather how it affects the soldiers who are being trained to kill. But no one helps them deal with it. „Teaching“ them how to deal with the fact that you killed people. And how to deal with what you had to witness, other people being killed.
It was hard for me to feel sorry for Danny, because he did horrible things. But his past explains what triggered him to do some of these things, and though it does not make Danny’s actions okay, it makes you understand what PTSDs can do to someone and that those people truly need professional help.
The most important message of this book, is raising awarness for PTSDs. And that it so important. Any kind of mental health issues are still „taboo subjects“, things you don’t really talk about. But we have to talk about them in order to prevent more people to turn numb from their pain, to prevent them from becoming „Danny“.
I would give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited when I got the chance to read this book. I hadn’t read any non-fictional books in a long time, and the fact that „Broken Samurai“ was about a man who suffered from PTSD after serving in the Vietnam war really interested me. I had also heard the name „Al Carlisle“ before, so I jumped right into reading this book.
The story follows Danny through his time in Vietnam, where he was surrounded by death, had to see friends being killed and found himself going numb. The reader also learns a lot about Danny's past, and about his past war days. To see what happened to Danny after returning from war, was truly awful. His PTSDs slowly took over him and turned him into a whole different person, a numb person, who did awful things.
I enjoyed Carlisle’s writing style, he wrote a „preface“ before starting chapter 1, which really got me hooked. The story is mostly told in the style of an interview. Carlisle asked Danny questions about himself, and I found Denny to be extremely open and clear about how he was feeling. It was „easy“ to understand how he felt and what was going on inside of him.
It shocked me to see what PTSDs can do to someone. I never dealt with anything close to PTSDs, neither do I know anyone close to me, which is one of the reasons I wanted to read this book. I hope that more people will read this book to understand, what war can do to people. Sadly, wars are still present today. I don’t want to talk about how war affects the people, that is a different story, but rather how it affects the soldiers who are being trained to kill. But no one helps them deal with it. „Teaching“ them how to deal with the fact that you killed people. And how to deal with what you had to witness, other people being killed.
It was hard for me to feel sorry for Danny, because he did horrible things. But his past explains what triggered him to do some of these things, and though it does not make Danny’s actions okay, it makes you understand what PTSDs can do to someone and that those people truly need professional help.
The most important message of this book, is raising awarness for PTSDs. And that it so important. Any kind of mental health issues are still „taboo subjects“, things you don’t really talk about. But we have to talk about them in order to prevent more people to turn numb from their pain, to prevent them from becoming „Danny“.
I would give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2016
When given this book to read in exchange for an honest review, I wasn't sure what to expect. As a clinician who works with PTSD in veterans, I was a bit skeptical. Carlisle accurately and honestly portrays the difficult journey many of our servicemen and women face when transitioning from the "kill or be killed" mentality of war to one of returning to their every day life. As he honors the story of Danny, a Viet Nam veteran thrown into the unexpected and horrendous circumstances of violent war, and chronicles how these experience forever change him, the interview narrative format works well to remind the reader this not a work of fiction. It's honest, chilling and spot-on. The experience of 'depersonalization' Danny speaks of and Carlisle expounds upon is particularly accurate, and important for anyone working with this population to truly understand. An interesting point I found about Broken Samarai is that Danny served during Viet Nam, when so much is being written about Iraq and Afghanistan. The takeaway from this is PTSD has been a part of our soldiers' experience for as long as there has been war, and yet, as a country we continue to be negligent in our efforts to help these people. A powerful, relevant book for anyone wanting to understand how war can change a person, and the difficult work that lies ahead in their healing.
August 4, 2020
A report on the interviews by Al Carlisle with a combat marine integrated with the story of this Vietnam veteran. The violent war that changed a life. Carlisle has had a unique role in interviewing and analyzing several homicidal criminals, including Al Bundy and Gary Arthur Bishop.
I enjoyed this book, though it is disturbing because of the actual events that led to the PSTD and its aftermath. Not for the faint of heart! The broken samurai dialog parts are often more like reading a stream of consciousness that I sometimes wished were edited down a little. Still, the book is well written and different from anything I've ever read. It did open up the world of PSTD more to me.
I enjoyed this book, though it is disturbing because of the actual events that led to the PSTD and its aftermath. Not for the faint of heart! The broken samurai dialog parts are often more like reading a stream of consciousness that I sometimes wished were edited down a little. Still, the book is well written and different from anything I've ever read. It did open up the world of PSTD more to me.
November 17, 2016
Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found this book fascinating and a real eye-opener into the battles servicemen face when returning to back to civilian society. Throughout the book Carlisle focuses on Danny, a Vietnam veteran and ex-marine, through interviews – we hear about his history, both personal and in the services, which is incredibly sad in parts.
Although at times difficult and disturbing to read, this is a great book for anyone who is keen to understand more about PTSD and the effect it can have. I would recommend this if you’re interested in war, mental health and military.
I found this book fascinating and a real eye-opener into the battles servicemen face when returning to back to civilian society. Throughout the book Carlisle focuses on Danny, a Vietnam veteran and ex-marine, through interviews – we hear about his history, both personal and in the services, which is incredibly sad in parts.
Although at times difficult and disturbing to read, this is a great book for anyone who is keen to understand more about PTSD and the effect it can have. I would recommend this if you’re interested in war, mental health and military.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews