Warrior Soul: The Memoir Of A Navy Seal (2004) - Plot & Excerpts
Warrior Soul is the memoir of Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer, a true account of his training, experiences and exploits. I read it as research for my own novel, Falcon Strike. It’s always difficult to review a book whose content concerns a matter the reviewer has never personally experienced. I believe the book is authentic and honest, but only another SEAL is really qualified to make such judgments.I grew to like the author as I got to know him through his own words. Pfarrer is a man with clay feet, but refreshingly he does not seem inclined to hide it. His indiscretions and mistakes get the same treatment as do his acts of valor, probably because after all he’s been through and accomplished he simply does not care about my judgment, or yours.The book is divided into three parts. The first deals with his training at BUD/S and beyond, and then eases into actual operations. The second deals with his deployment with SEAL Team Four to Beirut and the massive truck bomb that killed 220 men of the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit in 1983. Bitterness and anger seep through every page of this portion, and it infects the reader as well. Perhaps it had been better for America if that truck bomb had taken out 220 of our politicians or top brass instead of the marines [my observation, not his]. Idiotic rules of engagement and a military command structure that had apparently learned little since the days of the Ardennes consumed men in place rather than preserving their operational value by rotating them off the line periodically. Our recent attempts at nation-building make it apparent that the political leadership (both liberal and conservative) aren’t able to tell a SEAL platoon from the Peace Corps.That anger spills into part 3 as Pfarrer recounts the change in leadership of SEAL Team Four, and his difficulty returning from Beirut. Pfarrer applies for and receives a coveted spot on the secretive SEAL Team Six’s training team, the “Green Team,” and passes the brutal training regime, ultimately winning the command of a platoon in the black ops group.One of the things I take away from this book is the almost super-human edge to which the SEALs are trained. That training regime, their strict performance standards, their meticulous planning, and the indomitable will of the individual operators is what accounts for the amazing record of success enjoyed by these elite units.The quality of Pfarrer’s writing is outstanding. At no point in the book was I bored. And he’s not some soulless shooter; he’s a deep, honest, and at times profound thinker. His literary craft is excellent. For example, Pfarrer opens the book with an account that he does not complete until the end of the book, creating a bookend structure that is delightful. It’s a neat literary arrangement. A warning is in order, however: there’s a great deal of bad language in the book.Warrior Soul is a great book, a large picture window into a world most of us can not even imagine. On the one hand I am thankful for the men who are willing to sacrifice so much to keep the bad guys at bay. On the other, it makes me disgusted with the political figures and the political generals and admirals who misuse our armed forces and task them with rules of engagement in operations better given to the Boy Scouts than the SEALs.
Originally posted on Sarahsbookshelf.com:This book, written by retired Navy SEAL Chuck Pfarrer, was a very interesting read. As you know, I enjoy reading memoirs from members of our military. Navy SEAL memoirs are of particular interest because their experiences are so much more intense than other branches of the military. They have more autonomy than other special operations forces and go on much more unpredictable missions, some that end successfully and some that do not.Many memoirs are written for family members, mostly children, in an effort to shed light on the reasons that dad was away from extended periods of time or why service to our country is important. It became very clear early on that this book was not written for any audience other than an adult one that was OK with getting a little more graphic. Pfarrer shares much more detail on the horror of war, more of the logistics and beaurocracy of serving as a lieutenant, the challenges of dealing with disconnected politicians and decision-makers, and most interestingly, the communication challenges of the time (no SAT phone or email). Pfarrer also talks about the challenges of moving from military to civilian life, changes in his personal beliefs, cynicism, and many of the unseen scars of war.The dark humor in this book did make me laugh at all the times that I wasn’t cringing. I actually really enjoyed Pfarrer’s frank explanation of his experiences, but also the stark differences between his writing and the writing in other contemporary memoirs. Pfarrer was clearly coming from a different experience, a different time, and had different interactions with leadership. I think this book, in particular, can help readers understand some of the bigger challenges of military service. He’s also an experienced screenwriter, with movies such as Navy SEALs and Red Planet under his belt. I think it’s because of this that at times the book reads much more like a novel than non-fictionPfarrer’s final words really have stuck with me since reading them. He reminds us all to really love those important to us, because we never know when our final day will come. Speaking from hindsight, and the many challenges he’s faced and overcome, I think these are very wise words.I would recommend this book to readers looking to understand some of the more technical aspects of service. Although this book does not go into great detail on strategy, Pfarrer spends some time talking about weaponry and chain of command logistics. He makes a real effort to educate readers on the differences between real war and the war we see in movies. Comparatively, I found this book much more graphic in its description of war, but I felt it was necessary to help the reader understand his experience. Overall, an excellent book.
What do You think about Warrior Soul: The Memoir Of A Navy Seal (2004)?
This is an honest and well-written account of one of the most interesting occupations out there, the SEALs, who I would summarize as extremely well-trained pirates who double as stunt artists and spies. As for the literature itself, Pfrarer is the most well-written surfer dude you've ever read. The prose is lean and poetic, the dialogue is realistic, and Pfrarer manages to walk this amusing line between being a thoughtful writer and a bad ass commando. But aside from all the Hollywood hype around the SEALs, Pfarer tells the tale of his life as a special warfare "operator" in a professional tone, which helped me appreciate these guys as super-smart and profoundly dedicated to their trade. Sort of like a lawyer or investment banker, except for the minor facts that SEALs are grossly underpaid and routinely go toe-to-toe with the bad guys who want to kill us. And that's just the tip of the iceberg; these guys put pretty much everything on the line to do what they do, and this book gave me greater appreciation for that sacrifice.
—Ford Prior
A book that takes you into the already well trod world of the navy seal. From the brutal Hell week to the endless evolution Ops the writer does a good job of making these practices interesting. However, much of what's related is just practice, which leeches the drama from any scene. Even the bookend story of his escape from a faulty parachute comes from a training mission. Nevertheless, Pfarrer can write and he does an excellent job of detailing what went wrong in Lebanon that resulted in the bombing of the Marine barrack back in the early 80's. What's lacking is more an examination of the man, himself. He makes passing mention of his two failed marriages, and his cancer diagnosis is vivid but given short shrift.(2.8)
—Dev
A terrific tale of what it takes to be a SEAL and most importantly what it actually takes to live every second of your life in the way of the warrior.An epic biography of a former U.S.Navy SEAL having his own fair share of tragedies,triumphs and near-death experiences.I have been trailing this book for a really long time till I got my hands on it.There have been sections where I almost cried and sometimes did and also incidents which made me spread a grin and some which just engage you till you realize how long you have been engaged with what you were reading.As I've had my fair share of action and experiences I have to say this book has been more than just a "Lift".. it has almost become a bible and I swear to stand by it every second for the rest of my life. An experience of a lifetime. Salute to the author and kudos to the U.S.Navy SEALs for risking their lives every single minute in order to make the world a better place to live.
—Sashank Mohan
