Synopses & Reviews
andldquo;Harrowing, heartbreaking, redemptive.andrdquo;andmdash;Sports Illustrated
and#160;
andldquo;An inspiring story of a resilient warrior who knows what it means to keep a promise. andldquo;andmdash; Eric Greitens, Navy SEAL and bestselling author of The Heart and the Fist
The unforgettable story of a young soldier who survived one of the bloodiest battles in Afghanistan and lived to pursue his dream of playing Division I college football
At 5-foot-8, 175 pounds, Daniel Rodriguez was an unlikely recruit for the gridiron. But on the battlefield, under the daily rain of sniper fire, he made a promise to his best friend. andldquo;When I get out of this shithole, Iandrsquo;m going to play college football.andrdquo;
Daniel had joined the army just weeks after graduating from high school, having recently suffered a devastating loss. At age nineteen he had no idea what war really was; he just wanted to get out of town. Almost immediately, he was deployed to Iraq (and would later serve in Afghanistan).and#160;And he grew up fastand#160;andmdash; stopped sleeping, started smoking. Killing became second nature. He fought in the infamous Battle of Kamdesh and for his bravery he was awarded a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. But his best friend was not so lucky.
Against all odds, Daniel returned home andmdash; broken, but still alive. Stuck in the clutches of PTSD, Daniel remembered that fateful promise to his friend and knew he had to make good on it. He embarked on a grueling training regimen and when he postedand#160;a video of his efforts, it went viral overnight.and#160;By some mix of grit, determination, and the power of the Internet, he earned a spot on the Clemson University football team.
A powerfully delivered narrative of a young soldier, his unlikely dream, and how he found his way out of darkness, Rise is inspiring, quintessentially American, and will resonate with anyone who has ever fought for what they what they wanted.
Review
“The range of emotions that Sean Parnell summons in Outlaw Platoon [is] stunning. A nuanced, compelling memoir . . . Parnell shows hes a gifted, brave storyteller.” Pittsburgh Tribune
Review
“Outlaw Platoon put me back on the battlefield again. Its a heartfelt story that shows how very different people can be thrown together in combat and find a way to make it work. Parnell and the soldiers who fought beside him are all courageous heroesreal bad asses.” Chris Kyle, author of < i=""> American Sniper <>
Review
“Two of the most intense tales of courage under fire I own are Black Hawk Down and Lone Survivor. I now have a third, Outlaw Platoon. Its an absolutely gripping, edge-of-your-seat ride.” Brad Thor, author of < i=""> Full Black <>
Review
“Outlaw Platoon is an utterly gripping account of what our soldiers endure on the front linesthe frustrations, the fear, the loneliness. . . Here, in these pages, are the on-the-ground realities of a war we so rarely witness on news broadcasts” Tim O'Brien, author of < i=""> The Things They Carried <>
Review
“Outlaw Platoon is an exceptional look into the mind of a platoon leader in Afghanistan; Captain Parnell shares his experiences of leadership, loss, and aggressive military tactics. You can really feel the bonds forged between these brothers in arms as the battle plays out” Marcus Luttrell, author of < i=""> Lone Survivor <>
Review
“At times, I forgot I was reading about a war as I was drawn up in the drama the same way you [are] when reading Krakauers Into Thin Air . . . This is a book of probing honesty, wrenching drama and courage.” Doug Stanton, author of < i=""> Horse Soldiers <>
Review
“[A] soulful story of men at war . . . Outlaw Platoon shows us that the love and brotherhood forged in the fires of combat are the most formidable quaities a unit can possess.” Steven Pressfield, author of < i=""> Gates of Fire <>
Review
“Outlaw Platoon is expertly told by a man who braved the heat of battle time and time again. An epic story as exacting as it is suspenseful, it reveals the bravery and dedication of our armed service men and women around the world.” Clive Cussler
Review
“This book is more than just a rip-roaring combat narrative: it is a profoundly moving exploration into the nature and evolution of the warrior bond forged in desperate, against-all-odds battles. A significant book, not to be missed.” Jack Coughlin, author of < i=""> Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper <>
Review
“Outlaw Platoon is the real deal. Its a terrific tale of combat leadership that deserves to be studied by all small-unit leaders. The narrative goes beyond the battlefield to depict the maddening nature of the war and the grit of those who selflessly protect us.” Bing West, author of < i=""> No True Glory <>
Review
“Sean Parnell reaches past the band-of-brothers theme to a place of brutal self-awareness . . . [he] never flinches from a fight, nor the hard questions of a messy war.” Kevin Sites, author of < i=""> In the Hot Zone: One Man, One Year, Twenty Wars <>
Synopsis
Acclaimed for its vivid, poignant, and honest recreation of sixteen brutal months of nearly continuous battle in the deadly Hindu Kesh, Outlaw Platoon is a Band of Brothers or We Were Soldiers Once and Young for the early 21st century--a riveting, action-packed, highly emotional true story of enormous sacrifice and bravery.
At twenty-four years of age, U.S. Army Ranger Sean Parnell was named commander of a forty-man elite infantry platoon, the 10th Mountain Division--a unit that came to be known as the Outlaws. Tasked with rooting out Pakistan-based insurgents from a valley in the Hindu Kush, Parnell assumed they would be facing a ragtag bunch of civilians until, in May 2006, a routine patrol turned into a brutal ambush. Through sixteen months of combat, the platoon became Parnell's family. The cost of battle was high for these men. Not all of them made it home, but for those who did, it was the love and faith they found in one another that ultimately kept them alive.
A magnificent account of heroes, renegades, infidels, and brothers, Outlaw Platoon stands with Sebastian Junger's War as one of the most important books to yet emerge from the heat, smoke, and fire of America's War in Afghanistan.
--Steven Pressfield, author of
Gates of FireSynopsis
A riveting story of American fighting men,
Outlaw Platoon is Lieutenant Sean Parnells stunning personal account of the legendary U.S. Armys 10th Mountain Divisions heroic stand in the mountains of Afghanistan.
Acclaimed for its vivid, poignant, and honest recreation of sixteen brutal months of nearly continuous battle in the deadly Hindu Kesh, Outlaw Platoon is a Band of Brothers or We Were Soldiers Once and Young for the early 21st century—an action-packed, highly emotional true story of enormous sacrifice and bravery.
A magnificent account of heroes, renegades, infidels, and brothers, it stands with Sebastian Jungers War as one of the most important books to yet emerge from the heat, smoke, and fire of Americas War in Afghanistan.
Synopsis
At twenty-four years of age, U.S. Army Ranger Sean Parnell was named commander of a forty-man elite infantry platoon, the 10th Mountain Division—a unit that came to be known as the Outlaws. Tasked with rooting out Pakistan-based insurgents from a valley in the Hindu Kush, Parnell assumed they would be facing a ragtag bunch of civilians until, in May 2006, a routine patrol turned into a brutal ambush. Through sixteen months of combat, the platoon became Parnell's family. The cost of battle was high for these men. Not all of them made it home, but for those who did, it was the love and faith they found in one another that ultimately kept them alive.
Synopsis
The epic story of Daniel Rodriguez, a soldier who fought in one of the bloodiest battles in Afghanistan and, against all odds, lived to pursue his dream of playing Division I college footballand#160;
About the Author
Sean Parnell is a former U.S. Army airborne ranger whoserved in the legendary 10th Mountain Division for six years,retiring as a captain. He received two Bronze Stars (one for valor)and the Purple Heart. He is a passionate supporter of America'smilitary and is currently serving as an ambassador for the BootCampaign, a national veteran's charity. He lives with his wife andthree children in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
John R. Bruning is the author or coauthor of fifteen nonfiction books, including thecritically acclaimed Shadow of the Sword and House to House. To prepare for this book,he embedded with coalition forces in Afghanistan in 2010. He lives in Oregon with hiswife and two children.
Sean Parnell is a former U.S. Army airborne ranger whoserved in the legendary 10th Mountain Division for six years,retiring as a captain. He received two Bronze Stars (one for valor)and the Purple Heart. He is a passionate supporter of America'smilitary and is currently serving as an ambassador for the BootCampaign, a national veteran's charity. He lives with his wife andthree children in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
John R. Bruning is the author or coauthor of fifteen nonfiction books, including thecritically acclaimed Shadow of the Sword and House to House. To prepare for this book,he embedded with coalition forces in Afghanistan in 2010. He lives in Oregon with hiswife and two children.