Suffer in Silence by David Reid Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Suffer in Silence
Book Review: A Truly Impressive Book Worth Picking Up
Summary: 5 Stars
Over the last several years, I have read several accounts of SEAL training and missions, including Chuck Pfarrer's "Warrior Soul," Marcinko's "Rogue Warrior," and Couch's "Warrior Elite" and "The Finishing School." These are all good books, but none of them kept me turning the pages like "Suffer in Silence." Although comparing nonfiction to fiction might seem like comparing apples and oranges, I think all five books can be judged fairly side-by-side. Reid's story is so personal and clearly uncensored, it rings of authenticity, leaving little doubt that the author was writing from personal experience.
I devoured "Suffer in Silence" in two sittings, which is a true rarity for me. Reid strips away the ridiculous machismo which typically infects military writing, leaving behind a real, unfiltered glimpse at the worst kind of hell a military trainee could possibly endure. Readers with little exposure to the Special Forces might be disturbed by the rather graphic descriptions of training, but I loved every page. The cast of characters is strong, and the plot took an interesting and unexpected twist towards the end which I enjoyed. Without giving anything away, let me just say that the plot doesn't follow the sadly predictable military-genre model, which involves bonding in training, then saving the country in a daring mission.
No book is perfect, and Reid's novel is no exception. However, he fully deserves the five stars I'm giving him for "Suffer in Silence." Of any book I've picked up over the several months, I would have to place his at the top of the pile. I'm looking forward to his next project.
Book Review: A cut above the rest...
Summary: 5 Stars
Search for books on Navy SEALs and you will find yourself bombarded with approximately 200 books. To be blunt, most of them are terrible. Even the books that sell well have some problems... The author of the Rogue Warrior series is a complete blowhard, and Couch's books are carefully researched -- just not very exciting. Buried amidst all these mediocre books, though, is a diamond. Reid describes his book as "raw" look at SEAL training. "Raw" is exactly right -- and that's the way it should be. He doesn't shy from the homoerotic humor, the instructors' sometimes sadistic tendencies, the after-hours abuse. At the same time, though, he makes his characters human. The majority of the instructors come across as people you would gladly trust with your life -- true professionals, good-natured human beings, perhaps a little devious, but fair. And of course, his descriptions of the few bad eggs are fantastic and disturbingly accurate.
Reid's book is fiction, but it's clear that much of the material is derived from his own experiences. Some the scenarios are too outrageous to be made up. The storyline itself takes a while to get moving, but it's worth the wait. The ending was unexpected, which I liked, and it pulls everying together well, but not so neatly that it seems improbable.
While the characters and plot are strong, and the descriptions of training are equally good, what I enjoyed the most are the details you won't find on the Discovery channel. There's the "silver bullet," a special thermometer used on hypothermia victims (don't ask), the "Bat Cave," a secret trainee hiding spot, SIN (the Student Inforation Network), the healing properites of hot chocolate, and the pleasing heat-transferring nature of urine. Although I would recommend this book to everyone but grandma and grandpa, it should be considered essential reading for anyone contemplating attending BUD/S. To those who have been there, Suffer in Silence will bring back some interesting and long-repressed memories. To those who haven't, it will transport you to a place so painful and bizarre, you'll wonder how anyone graduates. This is a must read... enjoy it.
Book Review: A fast-paced tale of life as a SEAL recruit
Summary: 5 Stars
Look no further for a lively account of the staggering process of becoming a Navy SEAL. Written like a first-person memoir, this book's description of BUD/S training is as unforgiving as the icy Pacific Ocean where the exhausted recruits spend much of their time. (The author participated in SEAL training himself, a personal history that provides necessary authenticity to descriptions of the pitiless physical and mental stress inflicted on these young men.) Suffer in Silence combines an enthusiastic writing style, fast-paced narrative, and the author's own ambivalence toward the honor and brutality of the SEAL training program to create a quick, authentic, and entertaining read.
Book Review: A good read
Summary: 4 Stars
I liked this book. It really takes you to a place in which you most likely would never be at. I have never done SEAL training, but it seems like he really describes it vividly and accurately.
The only drawback on this book is that the main character, Grey, is a complete goody-goody. It gets very aggravating as to how much this character is always seems to be thinking and doing the exact "good" thing all the time. It's like he has no bad side, which is what makes fiction interesting.
On the plus side, the book did have a really good ending. It really saved the book from the main character.
Book Review: A must read for all Frogmen (real and armchair)
Summary: 5 Stars
I just finished up this book and I have to say that it was a great read. I have a few friends that have actually survived the grueling training at BUDs, and this was extremely accurate to all of the amazing stories I have heard. If you have ever had the priviledge of knowing a SEAL warrior, or were enough of a bad a_ to actually be one, READ THIS BOOK. You will not be disappointed. If you do not have any background with this material, I'm sure you will find yourself enthralled within the first two chapters. The fictional story is very entertaining, and the characters are well developed. I highly recommend this book.