12 Strong

by Doug Stanton

This is the dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who entered Afghanistan immediately following September 11, 2001 and, riding to war on horses, defeated the Taliban.

Outnumbered 40 to 1, they capture the strategic Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif, and thereby effectively defeat theTalibanthroughout the rest of the country. They are welcomed as liberators as they ride on horses into the city. And then, the action takes a wholly unexpected turn. During a surrender of Taliban troops, the Horse Soldiers are ambushed by the would-be P.O.W.s and, still dangerously outnumbered, they must fight for their lives in the city's ancient fortress known as Qala-I Janghi, or the House of War . . .

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Military Fiction, War, Audiobook, Military History, Biography

432 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2017

About the author

Doug Stanton is a journalist, lecturer, screenwriter, and author of the New York Times bestsellers In Harm’s Way and Horse Soldiers. His newest book is The Odyssey Of Echo Company. Horse Soldiers is the basis for a Jerry Bruckheimer-produced movie by the same name, starring Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon, to be released by Warner Bros. in 2018. In Harm’s Way spent more than six months on the New York Times bestseller list and became required reading on the US Navy's recommended list for officers. Horse Soldiers was featured on the front page of the Sunday New York Times Book Review.

Stanton has appeared on numerous TV and radio outlets, including NBC’s “Today,” CNN, Imus In The Morning, Discovery, A&E, Fox News, NPR, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, and NBC’s Nightly News, and has been covered extensively in prominent publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times. Drawing on his experiences working in the U.S. and overseas, and with contacts in various branches of the U.S. military and government, Stanton lectures nationally to corporate and civic groups, libraries, writing & book clubs, and universities about current events, international affairs, politics, and writing.

Stanton says that he writes and talks about “existential moments when ordinary men and women are forced to adapt and make extraordinary decisions at the least likely moment. That’s when change happens, whether we like it or not.” He has written on travel, sport, entertainment, and history, and his writing has appeared in Esquire, Outside Magazine, Smart, Men’s Journal, the New York Times, TIME, Newsweek, and the Washington Post.
Stanton’s Horse Soldiers was also a best-seller on lists in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Entertainment Weekly, Publisher’s Weekly, and IndieBound. Horse Soldiers was named a “Notable Book” by the New York Times, and it was chosen as a “Best Book” by Publishers Weekly, The Christian Science Monitor, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com.

Stanton attended Interlochen Arts Academy, Hampshire College, and received an MFA from the Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa, where he graduated with coursework in both fiction and poetry workshops.

He lives in Michigan with his wife, Anne Stanton, and their three children. Visit www.dougstanton.com and www.nationalwritersseries.org. Follow Doug on Twitter @dougstantonbook and Instagram @dougstantonwriter.

Reviews

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*'s

This started out a bit like an old fashioned government propaganda movie short and I had everything is awesome playing in the back of my head. The second half the author did point out a lot of faults that happened during the operation. I think the author is simply truly in love with what these men stand for and the sacrifices they made. He's not however above being critical of the government or the military leadership. Which all in all is pretty fair.

[Charlie]

I am a huge fan of military history but I barely got into this one and gave up half way though. There is a fine line between giving the right amount of background to give weight to a story and overwhelming the reader with names, locations and dates to the point where nothing makes sense. Instead of focusing on the soldiers and the battle, the first half of the book is made up of different government agencies and varying levels of intelligence discussing what the events that lead up the fight. Interspersed with this is a moment with almost every soldier back at home which is supposed to flesh out their characters but it does not because there are so many of them and you have no idea who to focus on. I wish I could pin point why books like Black Hawk Down and Band of Brothers, both of which I read before seeing the onscreen variants, managed to succeed where this one does not. Perhaps watching the movie will solidify some of the characters enough for me to want to go back and read the real story. I'll let you know.

[Ron Wroblewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Same book as Horse Soldiers

[David Lichtenwalner · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story itself was ok, but their wasn't a clear meaning or plot in the story. This book was about 12 elite soldiers from the United States that traveled on horseback in search to find and kill Osama bin Laden, the main contributor to the attacks on 911. The central idea of the book was about leadership and togetherness, how fighting together for a single cause gets the job done.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here's my deal with this book - it's not that it wasn't a powerful story. It's that the author was more of a chronicler than an author. The story was not interesting, not written in any kind of captivating manner that actually made me feel as if I was there in their boots. The story was so abruptly written, with short sentences almost as if in staccato-like statements. I felt no emotion toward the writing in the least, and unfortunately, this translated through to the novel as a whole. The events were chronicled, but they were not -written-.

I wish I could re-write this book, to give it its proper due.

[Matt Mckenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book and provided some great insight into the early days after 9/11. I do worry about how the movie will portray the story, as the book makes it clear that this wasn't a run in and blow-up stuff story, but a story about how our first U.S. troops that entered the way looked at working with those against the Taliban.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A more in-depth account than the movie, the book tells the story of the Special Forces’ efforts in Afghanistan immediately after the 9/11 attack’s. Stanton’s account is well research and well told. Worth a read for history and military buffs.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a heavy read about the first military into Afghanistan after 9/11. It was a good "boots on the ground" war saga-educating me on the beginnings of our hunt for Bin Laden. The author gives you background on the Special Forces who dropped immediately after the Towers fell, spanning approximately 6 weeks. I found the research done by the author excellent and his story telling acceptable. I just felt that in a lot of places the verbiage could have been cut down and it would have been a better read. What I did gain from it was a ton of respect for the men and woman who protect us. What these people sacrifice, in family life and personal time is extra ordinary. I always try to thank any military personal I see-this book will remind me to keep doing that, it's the least we can do.

[Richard Cochrill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative with lots of detail on an era that may not be well defined for many citizens. Well worth the time to read

[Lex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised to find that the book and the movie were very close. However the movie only covers tithe first 2/3 of the book the last 1/3 is very important and worth hearing. I was impressed by how the special forces soldiers were very diplomatic and culturally competent as they worked with the local Afghan people.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a nice change to read a story about American soldiers for once not being the bad guys, hated by the local people they’re trying to “help”, but actually being invited guests, who respect the people they’re fighting for/with, and generally not being assholes. The soldiers in this story, as well as every Afghan that suffered and fought under these horrible conditions deserves my undying respect.

That said, I absolutely hated the style in which this book was written. It seems to be the standard for journalists, or at least the ones that write about wars. The story covers too many people, which I understand the author is trying to show respect for the many who deserve it, but it makes it too hard to follow. Not every person’s story contributed to the overall story enough to make it worth the distraction. The soldiers’ wives got way too much page time. How many times can you say “and she was worried about her husband and hoped he came home soon?” Meanwhile, someone like Lindh, the first known American Taliban, got plenty of page time, but at random moments. His story was not told well... basically all I got from it was woah, they can be American too? If Stanton had covered more about how Lindh was recruited and his contributions to the war, that would have made more of an impact. All the characters’ stories were told jumbled up and out of order... you’d get the backstory for someone in chapter 1 who wouldn’t have a part until near the end of the book. It was like Stanton had all his anecdotes on individual jote cards, shuffled them, played 52 card pickup, then whatever order they were gathered in washow he wrote it.

This book stressed the importance of the distinction between Al Qaeda and the Taliban, and a modern reader could easily think of ISIS as well, enough to make me want to further investigate the distinctions. Same with Afghan history. What it did not do was give enough information on these topics to get me through the book without the research. I don’t like nonfiction books that require other nonfiction books to explain them. I’m notthat ignorant that I felt it was completely my fault. It just would have given the book more depth.

[Joey Stinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book to learn about a Topeka natives’ contribution to this story. Turns out there were two Kansans involved in this special forces operation. One of them was a main character in this true story. I don’t know much about the war, but this was a wild read. Crazy stuff in this book here, folks. Honestly don’t know if I’d recommend it due to the heavy nature of war. It can be summed up like this: once upon a modern time, a group of U.S. special forces dudes were sent to Afghanistan to help an Afghani General. They rode horses and kicked a lot of ass. One of them died. The Afghani General was totally nutz-o and reckless. The surviving special forces guys came home after a wild ass battle where 400 Taliban prisoners staged an uprising, most of them died. Oh, and one of the Taliban guys was a dude from California who became a Taliban guy because of things he read on the internet. That’s whack! But he got shot in the leg during that prisoner uprising, and did 19 years in prison and was released jn 2022. I’m guessing he still sucks to this day.

[Deyth Banger · Rating 3 out of 5]

"April 6, 2018 –
50.0% "That's what one person needs to read this tory the more deeper you go the more interesting it gets.

Tactics and strategies of soldiers!"
April 6, 2018 –
50.0% "1:09:40"
April 6, 2018 – Shelved
April 6, 2018 – Started Reading"

- I was hopping for something more, it's not a bad book. If you are interested in what soldiers do... this book is a good choice, but if you are interested in something more deeper works like

Blacklist or Person Of Interest - This works can put you in deeper level, as for this book is what always happens on the surface. The trailer was promising something more than what the movie provided.

If you hate wasting time read 10-11 pages from the beginning and the last 10-11 pages read... of the story if it hooks you up okay... give a shot but if you lose a interested after this... it means this book isn't for you.

[Jeremiah Lorrig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book since I saw the film Horse Soldiers.

It is solidly in the genre of war literature and follows a handful of soldiers (and civilians) in the early stages of the Afghan war.

My big takeaway was the way that a few elite war fighters can be a massive force multiplier when imbedded in a local military (in this case the Northern Alliance). It was clear to me that the Americans at this stage were clear that they were not fighting their own war, but rather were there to empower the local resistance to the Taliban. This style clearly has its difficulties, but also its strengths.

[Hope Mueller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always enjoy declassified military stories. The reader gains deep insight into the history of the region through the retelling. Continue to wonder how to best leverage our global military leadership, that is in fact now waning with current administration. The tactics and execution are sound, it is surprising more US deaths were not experienced. These men, these families are committed to the belief of the greater good that they can bring to the world. Our leaders must never take that for granted or use it in untoward ways.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful story of the first soldiers - Special Forces group- who entered Afghanistan after 9/11. Working with and fighting along side locals, sometimes even on horseback, they rode against the Taliban. This book was first released under the name of “Horse Soldiers.” It has also been made into a movie.

A must read for those readers who want to understand the strength, dedication, adaptability of our Special Forces soldiers and the families who support them.

[Jason Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazing inside look into the beginning of the Afghan war. Special forces soldiers arrive in Afghanistan, not to fight the Taliban, but to give support to warlords in their fight against the Taliban.

This story focuses on the first boots on the ground and explores them contacting, creating a relationship with the warlord General Dostum, who later became the first Vice President of Afghanistan, and give support, mainly air support, to help fight the Taliban.

The story gives a lot of attention to the difficulties of fighting in Afghanistan and contrasts the primitive horseback fighting required in the mountains with the technology and fire power of the United States.

In a matter of weeks, Dostum and other warlords with the help of special forces, capture a needed stronghold in North Afghanistan which is presented as assuring victory over the Taliban. However, the difficulties in culture and method of fighting, leads to a large battle in a fort, 600 or so Taliban fighter's vs a small number of Special Forces soldiers, leading to the first American casualty of the war.

An amazing true story that gives insight to the action plan in Afghanistan I did not realize. The author was not very good at giving a true timeline of action. It appears the American soldiers are staying back and only calling in air support but then the author mentions all the gun battles they have been in. Several things like this happened throughout the story that I felt was not smoothly told.

The movie is terrible in comparison, not even covering the fort battle.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a decent book. It was fairly short and very focused on a roughly 6-week period after 9/11. It ended with the uprising of 600 Taliban prisoners that led to the death of a CIA operative. Interesting insight into the initial response to America entering the war in Afghanistan and how the Taliban was initially defeated.

[Paul Metting · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for the dramatic battles it depicts . I always like military history. It.s also fascinating to learn how a highly classified mission came about. At the end, the author leaves you with the undeniable sense of the futility of war.

[Tyler Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most of the military stuff I read, I get lost in the details trying to remember the geography, names, and military jargon (there’s less of that here than is often the case). But it’s a great story with modern American military doing what had never been done before employing a method almost opposite of “shock and awe.” It’s worth the read.

[Cadence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like many others, I decided to read this after seeing a trailer for the film. The account is gripping, but the telling leaves a bit to be desired. There were so many names tossed around, I had trouble following who was doing what and where. A harrowing and sometimes comedic tale of several resolute men who were pioneers in an untested method of warfare.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been turned into a major motion picture. Both the movie and the book tells us the story of a Special Forces A-Team entering into Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attack and their mission fighting the Taliban and Al Qaeda. It is an incredible story and definitely an interesting book.
In the end of the book the author mentioned that the early days of the US war in Afghanistan there was no more than 50 US Special Forces operative in Afghanistan. And these soldiers were able to accomplish so much in so little time, something unprecedented in both US and world military history. A lot of this accomplished through strategic partnership with Afghan allies and also through modern Air Support. This book gives us an incredible picture of the new with the old and how these Green Berets were the rubber meeting the road where on the one hand these soldiers and their Afghan partners rode in horses to battle while on the one hand they were using the latest technology in order to call in advance bombers on their target with laser precision. In fact these Green Berets accomplish new things never done before such as calling in close air support with B-52 strategic bombers!
I love the book from start to finish. You get the sense of the rush to war in the early days and how eager these soldiers were to go and make a difference. Readers also get the sense of the tension of being in a new place that is foreign, dangerous and being outnumbered. Towards the end of the book there is also the description of the Battle of Qala-I Janghi, or the House of War. As I was reading the book I kept on visualizing the documentaries (there’s at least three of them) of this crazy battle in which the first American casuality occurred with Mike Spann of the CIA. This was also the battle in which the US later captured the “American Taliban.” I appreciated this book being told from the perspective of the Special Forces which is different than the documentary that tells the story from the lens of the journalists witnessing it.
This book gives us an amazing story. It is sad to read in the end of the book of how some of these original “horse soldiers” would later be killed in the subsequent war on terror with the most of those killed taking place in the war in Iraq. I recommend this book and for those that want to read more about these incredible Special Forces in the beginning days of Afghanistan I also recommend Eric Blehm’s The Only Thing Worth Dying For.

[ChristopherBell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting to hear how unique this war was from the start. Some tough hombres!

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book after watching the preview of the movie adaptation (the book is almost always being better than the movie) and was expecting something different. While it sometimes reads as an action novel; other times it’s like a textbook. Still, I found it interesting.

The first 1/3 is a history of the US involvement in Afghanistan. It also describes the Special Forces/Green Berets at the time of the 911 attach which, to my surprise, were not particularly well equipped. In fact, the book portrays the military as rather unprepared for the foray into Afghanistan. (The Special Forces had to buy a lot of their equipment from retail camping stores!)

With CIA paramilitary officers already in-country, this is the story of the very first US soldiers into Afghanistan. Their mission was SECRET – and had to be lightning fast. It is remarkable that so few men accomplished so much; courageous men, walking into a completely unknown situation. Fighting while riding horses, they also guided laser bombs! Both the Taliban and Al-Qaeda (the foreign fighters) were the enemy. The final segment of the story is an enormous battle – against the fighters that had just (supposedly) surrendered! (When do the Afghan really surrender? The custom was that even if they were Taliban, because they were Afghans, many kept their weapons. It was the ‘honor system’!) The US’ Afghan Northern Alliance comrades were also courageous as well as tenacious. Nevertheless, the Afghans factions competed – battled – with each other! The US had to deal with not only the cultural differences but the their ‘compatriots’ double crosses. And while all of this was going on, the Special Forces conducted the their operations hiding from the eventual press coverage, the US wanting the Afghans to get the credit.

The book is an accounting of the occurrences as opposed to just an action ‘novel’. There were a lot of characters and I found it sometimes difficult to keep track of them. More than anything, I think that this is a study of Special Forces and its use in war/politics.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audiobook comes in both abridged and unabridged versions. I listened to the ABRIDGED version first and will review that now. A review of the UNABRIDGED version will appear after I have listened to it.

Review of ABRIDGED version...

The abridged audiobook is not a bad job, but it is only adequate. I was not aware that it was abridged until the end when the narrator identified it as such. Nevertheless, I noticed the "rushed" sense of the narrative. It seemed more like a movie script than a book. It would make a good movie.

This is an official version of what happened to US Special Forces sent to Afghanistan to help the Northern Alliance attack the Taliban after the 9/11 attack on the USA. The story presumably leaves out any classified security issues. It focuses on 12 members of Special Forces who had no idea they would have to fight a war from horseback essentially reinventing the cavalry charge in conjunction with close air support. It was a fascinating portrayal.

I am comparing this book to "We Were One: : Shoulder to Shoulder with the Marines Who Took Fallujah" by Patrick K. O'Donnell. "12 Strong" pales in comparison.

Review of UNABRIDGED version...

[to come]

[Ronando: I Stand With Palestinians · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and relations with the Afghans but was distracted by the author's writing. For some reason I kept stumbling over several of his choice of sentence structure, forcing me to reread sentences to gain understanding.

What I got out of it was something I never knew happened, SF with Afgani warlords fighting the Taliban. I can't wait to watch the movie on Netflix.

[Emma Yardley]

The book 12 Strong by Doug Stanton is an engaging non fiction story about U.S Special Forces in Afghanistan after the attack on 9/11. The book follows these characters and teaches the reader about their lives before and during the war. The author gets the reader hooked by explaining these men's lives and showing how the men have to live two separate lives. The book starts off explaining the attack made by the terrorist group al-Qaeda, and the attackers by the names of Osama Bin Laden and Mohamed Atta. The author explains the reasoning behind the attack and what these men were thinking during their last moments. It also describes the people on these planes that crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and their last calls to their loved ones. This was an interesting book that drew the reader in and showed the emotions people were having at this time and how people's lives were affected. It was a bit confusing at times because there were many new characters and events that were being introduced but it was an enjoyable read.
12 Strong shows how people’s beliefs affect their actions and people's different perspectives on life and the way it would be. The al-Qaeda wanted to overthrow Muslim governments, and others whose beliefs did not align with their own. Both al-Qaeda and the Taliban shared very similar beliefs and therefore worked together. They both wanted a very strict Islamic law and stated that girls should not be allowed to attend school or get jobs, that they were to to wear full-body coverings in public, and that women were there solely for their husbands. The Taliban was very brutal and harsh. People had very limited freedoms, and if they did not follow the laws, their punishments were very harsh and violent. This book describes not only the brutality the U.S. soldiers faced, but also the Taliban soldiers faced. The author mentions that these men were part of the Taliban only out of fear and the hope they would one day be free.
The author teaches their readers about the unfairness people face based on their religion, gender or background. Al-Qaeda attacked the Pentagon and the Twin Towers to assert their beliefs and show that theirs are superior to others. “The Taliban executed women in the soccer stadium for sleeping with men who were not their husbands. They cut off the hands of robbers. White-coated doctors would anesthetize them on the warm grass on the soccer pitch and do the operation in front of thousands of cheering people. This was beyond disgusting. Beyond human comprehension. He believed that the future had to be brighter than the darkest part” (274). Both the Taliban and al-Qaeda were led by men who believed their religions were superior to others and in turn discipline those whose beliefs did not align with their own. Because of their beliefs women were not allowed to attend school or have jobs, and they had to wear a full body covering called a burqa. Women were seen as inferior to men because of the strict Islamic law.
The author started the book by explaining each of the soldiers, their loved ones, and their lives before they got sent to fight in Afghanistan.They got the reader to understand the person and see that they were more than just a soldier. The U.S. soldiers had to be able to accept the fact that their lives would be changing and that they might not be able to go home to their loved ones and they might die at war. “Goddamn you, he thought. I want to get home to my wife. And I will” (226). Every action these men took was with bravery and strength because when they went off to war they decided to temporarily leave their old lives behind and face every battle as soldiers.
The main idea of this book is to show what the war was like and what these soldiers did to protect our country. The author showed the two sides of these soldiers. The soldiers, and the men who have families and friends, and how fast they needed to switch from one identity to another. This book shows all aspects of this war and how so many people were affected by it. The author shows this in each chapter through a different perspective. The author mentions many people who were important during this time, and many different groups and armies. This made the book a little hard to understand at first. It took a few chapters to understand the meaning behind this book but the author did a good job of showing the reality of the war and how everybody handled it. It was a very interesting, highly informational book that will help people to understand the attack on 9/11 and the background of this event.

[Jason Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

“12 Strong” is a novel based on a true story, composed by Doug Stanton that exposes the events of American soldiers’ lives before and after 9/11. The perspective of the story is in third person omniscient. What this point of view does is allow the reader to become attached to each character involved in the story. Throughout the story, Stanton uses a descriptive and heartfelt use of words when portraying the characters and what they say. This diction ultimately creates a feeling of connection to the reader in the story. In addition, the reader is able to grasp the relationship between the soldiers in the way they talk because there is a certain bond that the reader can pick up from the words Stanton uses. Stanton completely captures the brotherhood that the reader would expect soldiers to have, which is all due to his word choice. Without this heartfelt type of diction, I would not have been able to comprehend the full experience of the reality of a soldier’s life.

I believe that the most crucial literary device that Stanton uses in this novel is imagery. Although sometimes his descriptions are extensive and almost unnecessary, it is actually what makes the book so appealing. What Stanton does in the writing of this novel, is descriptively depict the aspects of war that make the reader feel as if they were on the battlefield. A lot of the time his descriptions of war are ominous, which is what makes reading the novel so gripping.

Lastly, Stanton uses foreshadowing throughout the novel to keep the reader engaged. There are clues given at the beginning of the book that ultimately connect to a much larger point later in the novel. Also, there are times with flashbacks in the descriptions of each character that explain certain events, which would technically be Stanton’s use of aftermath. What this does is make the reader think back to a certain point of the novel, which is helpful in retaining valuable information throughout the book. Without the use of foreshadowing, the novel’s latter part would not seem as glorified because the use of foreshadowing connects key events, rather than leaving them unresolved.

So, if you are into emotional war stories such as “American Sniper” and “Lone Survivor,” I recommend that you read this novel. All of these novels contain extremely emotional and heartbreaking scenes, so if that is of your interest, I recommend “12 Strong.”

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written - descriptive, thorough, it delves into the actions and the thoughts and feelings of the men involved. Not only does it analyze the Americans, but also covers snippets of Afghanistan's history, what brought it to the state of being a Taliban stronghold, and, more touching to me, also touches on the characters of the Afghans that fought decades against the Taliban. These men became as brothers to the American Special Forces, and together they introduced a new brand of warfare to the country. Not only a strictly modernized war, but a war of tactics previously unused before, where the Special Forces, quite isolated from the might of the rest of the US military, had to rely of their brains and their ability to build relationships, rather than brute strength. The author often emphasized the effects of these global relationships; the Taliban was not created in a vacuum, but sprung up from the residues of international conflicts, and neither would their defeat be best accomplished without effective international collaboration. It was definitely a compelling and enlightening read.

Only complaints are similar ones to other historical, and specifically military, accounts, primarily the fact that there are so many players, and so many locations, that it can be hard to keep track of it. Also, at some points, the chronicle of battles becomes repetitive and monotonous. While many details are no doubt important, they can feel lost when your mind zones out over yet another round of bombs, shots, flanking actions, etc. Interesting, yes, but maybe just give yourself breaks in order to fully absorb the nuances (I read it rather quickly and had to push through a few parts).

Overall, this is an incredible story and worth reading. 9/11 was a devastating blow to America, and its great to see this victory struck in the beginning of the war. But its also great to expand our perspectives, to learn to understand, as the Special Forces soldiers did, that these Afghans had already been fighting that fight for much if not all of their lives. As much as we could bring to the table, there was a lot we were taught in those early battles.

[Timothy Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

Immediately following the events of 911, before the arrival of mainstream multi-national armed forces, this is the story of US Special forces, CIA Paramilitary officers, Afghan Generals and forces of the Northern Alliance pitted against Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. It’s a compelling story partly because of the level of training of these elite American forces as well as the secrecy of their work behind enemy lines. In the telling of the story, I sense the humanity as well as the dedication of the soldiers described. Add to this on arrival in Afghanistan, they were expected to accompany their Northern Alliance counterparts through an inhospitable and hostile environment along narrow mountain passes on horseback - a juxtapose of the 19th century with the ultra-modern of 21st military high technology.

The difficulty of the mission is well explained although at times confusing because of the many people involved in the mission. The who’s who in the hierarchy is helped partly because the story of the events post 911 has been well documented. At times I even resorted while reading the story to googling the names of the various people described. Search for the colourful Northern Alliance general named Dostum and your research will show that 16 years later he is alive, well and the vice-president of Afghanistan. This one time in the story I will forgive the frequent repetition of information about some of the characters involved in this real-life war story. Thank you, I really did need to be reminded who was who.

Well described is the riskiness of the mission and not everyone returns home safely. Now made into a movie that I have yet to watch and I will be interested to see whether the tension of the story is told effectively.

Not my usual genre of reading but a quick read.