Damn Few

Making the Modern SEAL Warrior

By: Rorke Denver

Narrated by: Rorke Denver

Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Rorke Denver trains the men who become Navy SEALs - the most creative problem solvers on the modern battlefield, ideal warriors for the kinds of wars America is fighting now. With his years of action-packed mission experience and a top training role, Lieutenant Commander Denver understands exactly how tomorrow’s soldiers are recruited, sculpted, motivated, and deployed.

Now, Denver takes you inside his personal story and the fascinating, demanding SEAL training program he now oversees. He recounts his experience evolving from a young SEAL hopeful pushing his way through Hell Week, into a warrior engaging in dangerous stealth missions across the globe, and finally into a lieutenant commander directing the indoctrination, requalification programs, and the “Hero or Zero” missions his SEALs undertake.

From his own SEAL training and missions overseas, Denver details how the SEALs’ creative operations became front and center in America’s War on Terror - and how they are altering warfare everywhere. In fourteen years as a SEAL officer, Rorke Denver tangled with drug lords in Latin America, stood up to violent mobs in Liberia, and battled terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan. Leading 200 commando missions, he earned the Bronze Star with V for valor. He has also served as flag aide to the admiral in charge and spent the past four years as executive officer of the Navy Special Warfare Center’s Advanced Training Command in Coronado, California, directing all phases of the basic and advanced training that prepare men for war in SEAL teams. He recently starred in the film Act of Valor. He is married and has two daughters.

Ellis Henican is a columnist at Newsday and an on-air commentator at the Fox News Channel. He has written two recent New York Times best sellers, Home Team with New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton and In the Blink of an Eye with NASCAR legend Michael Waltrip.

"With all the SEALs’ recent successes, we have been getting a level of acclaim we’re not used to. But something important has been missing in this warm burst of publicity.... Correcting that is my mission here.

"My own SEAL dream was launched by a book. My hope is that this one teaches lessons that go far beyond the battlefield, inspiring a fresh generation of warriors to carry on that dream."

—Lieutenant Commander Rorke Denver

©2013 Rorke Denver (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Well Written!

This is a really good captivating book, with great detail, and well balanced thought process, which I really enjoyed

Unique in the Extreme!

What made the experience of listening to Damn Few the most enjoyable?

This was a very different book and Audiobook because the author narrated it. This made the flow of text and narration very natural. As a result I soon became hooked. Denver has a very unique way of prefacing thoughts and topics and then entering into it in depth and making his point. It was very effective and engaging and his authority and genuine passion for his work and service was obvious and came through clearly in the narration.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the fact that Denver is the real deal and laid out what he could in a genuine way which was honest and matter of fact but indicated his incredible professionalism, his passion for his military career, his family, his friends and his genuine desire to write a book and narrate it to tell the truth about what he does and avoid the hype, but to do so with a sensitive touch that in the end only did himself and the Seals and his friends and family proud.

Have you listened to any of Rorke Denver’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I thoroughly enjoyed his narration of his own book which in itself is outstanding.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book drew on a gammit of emotions and evoked so much thought. I was not prepared for the diverse emotions it would evoke.

Any additional comments?

This book is not just another Seal Book. It is an outstanding contribution to the topics of Seals, service, professionalism, sacrifice and the support that a Warrior needs to do such a job. I was thankful and grateful to hear of the role that family and friends have in supporting these extraordinary service personnel to do their job. It is a vocation and calling and one that should not be taken lightly and is not. This is an extraordinary record of Specil Ops Warfare in a very unique time in our world and political history. Special Operators and other Units of the services have all made very unique contributions that can only fully be measured by future eventualities that are still to come to fruition, despite some positive results and some negative ones as well!

Great book with editing errors

I loved this book but whoever edited it did a lousy job. Numerous places have repeated.

Damn Good Book

Without any confirmation, I realized the author was one of the "real" Seals in Uncommon Valor as I watched it. He was either a real Seal or the best actor I had ever seen. It seemed clear that he really believed everything he said in the movie.

His book provides a clear picture of the type of men that become seals, how they do it, and the type of challenges they face in the name of protecting freedom.

The book differs from some others that I have read on the subject in that it is from the perspective of someone who has been deeply involved in the training program with definite opinions on the direction of the program and is able to communicate that clearly to a layperson. And he has a good sense of humor throughout.

I can say that, I for one, will sleep better at night knowing that men like Lt. Rourke are working through the night to keep us safe.

Damn Good!

Very interesting perspective from the officer in command of one seal company. Where the realities of war and politics meet in a truely interesting equasion. I enjoyed listening to every detail in admiration of these warfighters and the sacrifices they make for our freedom as Americans. Respect and Honor!. Airborne! Cory T.

Damn good

Damn few was a great book detailing the authors career. There are a lot of great leadership and ethic stories within the book.

Exciting story Excellent performance

What made the experience of listening to Damn Few the most enjoyable?

Denver takes the listener into the hearts and minds of the warriors giving an insight few that have never been in combat could ever understand. The tight relationship between men that had been so different in civilian life is stressed.

What other book might you compare Damn Few to and why?

Several other books look at the acts of war, but this one deals more with the men than their actual battles.

Have you listened to any of Rorke Denver’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first by Denver, but will not be my last

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The ending was particularly moving, when a few visited Arlington. I have been there and understand.

Any additional comments?

To learn about the bravery of young Americans gives us hope for the future. On the evening news you hear about the youth that commit crimes and are failures. Fortunately the majority of our young men are like the ones in this story. The public needs to know about the ones that are the hope for our future.

Good book, poor production.

I appreciated this book. I learned a lot about modern warfare and the SEALs in particular. Unfortunately, the production of this audiobook was lacking in several ways. When there was a need to dub over a section where an error must have been made the voice sounded out of place like it was not the narrator. There were at least 12 times that the book also reread a sentence or phrase which became annoying. I appreciate Mr. Denver writing this book, it is too bad the audiobook quality did not equal the writing.

A must read!

Rourke tells a story about his personal experiences in the SEAL teams and gives a deep insight of what kind of men these guys really are. (Not what most imagine) Lots of other valuable source material can be found sprinkled throughout on poetry, philosophy, and and the warrior ethos. I plan on pulling a few gems out of this one for some hand-me-down advice to my teenage son. Rourke also seems to be a natural orator. Narration by the author is rare and he does an outstanding job!
Thanks for sharing, Rourke!

Outstanding

This book brought back a lot of really good memories. I recommend it for anyone thinking of joining the military, anyone currently serving in the military and anyone that has been in the military