Book: Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and The Lost Heroes of Seal Team 10.

Author: Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Hachette Book Group

Year: 2007

Reviewed by: Amarjeet Singh

Introduction: Student of 1^st Semester, MBA, Lovely Professional University, Punjab.

Those who battle against terrorism are the real heroes for 21th century. These heroes gave their best to kill terrorism. This book typically displays a standout amongst those genuine stories of the author when he had been an US navy seal and went for an operation Redwing in Afghanistan. Marcus Luttrell vividly demonstrated the whole journey of navy seal and their sacrifice for their country. The book includes four significant characters Danny, Axelson, Mikey and Luttrell (Author), all who went for a mission in Afghanistan. Throughout the mission they discovered a flawless position. Settled there for further incidents, they met with a group of goat herders who were interested for a trade off in lieu of claiming their mission. They had two alternatives. Either they had to kill the goat herders and continue with their mission or let them go and compromise for the mission. They picked the second one which permitted the goat herders to go alive and they set an alarm for those terrorists in the valley. The terrorists found the seal and a firearm battle broke out between them. The battle lasted for hours between the four SEALs and 200 terrorists, bringing about the demise of three Navy seal officers. In the process Luttrell was extremely injured. Later Luttrell was spared from the attack by terrorists with the help of Afghan villagers.

The book brought up couple of questions regarding the decisions a solider need to take and the regulations a solider need to follow regardless of the circumstantial threat. It also raises the questions about liberal government officials and the weightage given to military by media. The writer thinks both the media and government officials are equally answerable for those who passed away that is the three SEALs at the terrorist attacks of the valley. Specifically, the book shows the courage, quality and patriotism of soldiers towards their nation. The most obvious feelings which has been communicated in the book is the regret of surviving alone and losing all other companions. It indicates the torment of the author because of passing of fellow SEALs and closest friend (Axelson). The book hints that Luttrell is broken due to those occasions that happened throughout the operation Redwing. This depicts his displeasure towards the policies, media, human rights and government officials. However, the author survived overcoming unfriendly nature’s domain but he also lost a part of him on the mountains clinched alongside Afghanistan as he lost his fellow soldiers. This book also depicts the perpetual and long lasting sufferance that Marcus Luttrell had to endure for surviving alone.