No Hero

October 6, 2014
This follow up to the pseudonymous Owen’s No Easy Day (2012) appears destined to follow in the first book’s big-selling footsteps, as it is well suited to the public’s almost insatiable appetite for action-filled true stories by former SEALs, Green Berets, and other special forces members. In his previous book, Owen offered a first-person account of the killing of Osama bin Laden. This new work—again told with writer Maurer—describes other SEAL missions in which Owen took part. Owen says this book is not “another navel-gazing battle memoir”; instead, it focuses on “the most important moments” that took place during unnamed missions, “and the lessons from each one that define me.” The book, he says, is a “way to honor my brothers in the SEAL community,” some of whom died in service to the country. After several chapters describing the arduous SEAL training, Owen and Maurer provide fast-paced accounts of a series of missions in Iraq and Afghanistan that took place during Owen’s 13-year career. Owen emphasizes the selflessness and service of his fellow SEALs, along with the lessons he learned, in a book that is sure to appeal the many fans of in-the-trenches special forces memoirs. 


January 1, 2015

"Mark Owen" is the pen name of former Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette (No Easy Day), a former member of the U.S. Naval Warfare Development Group, also known as SEAL Team 6. His successes range from the rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips from Somali pirates in 2009 to the mission that eliminated Osama bin Laden in 2011 to hundreds of raids and patrols in Iraq, East Africa, Haiti, and Afghanistan. Owen here translates the SEALs' (nonlethal) skills into tips that anyone can use to succeed in almost any career. The interesting and informative lessons include always work with teammates you can trust; always expect and demand honest feedback from top to bottom on lessons learned; focus on the task at hand; learn to improvise; and be comfortable being uncomfortable, just to name a few. Paul Michael's excellent narration sets the scene in the listener's mind. VERDICT Overall, a wonderful tool for those interested in modern military history or business. ["Covering raids that had less press attention than that described in his previous book, Owen's latest work may interest avid readers of military action," read the review of the Dutton hc, LJ 11/1/14.]--Scott R. DiMarco, Mansfield Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 23, 2015
Reader Michael brings polish and passion to the audio edition of Owen’s latest military memoir, a follow-up to 2012’s No Easy Day. Owen’s new title provides an autobiographical account of his military career and a
collection of general principles for success that he gleaned from his time inside the elite warfare unit, which is known for its perseverance and commitment. Michael’s diction is precise and annunciated, but he still manages to come across as conversational. He also smoothly handles the transitions between the more expository content and the dialogue and anecdotes. Though Owen states in the book that he set out to avoid the kind of overloaded introspection often found in the military memoir genre, his book still gives Michael ample opportunity to showcase a flair for evocative narration. One especially memorable passage has Owen observing a cat drinking the blood of an insurgent that he had just shot dead in battle, realizing that a young boy no older than five had witnessed the entire scene. A Dutton hardcover.