Fearless

The Undaunted Courage and Ultimate Sacrifice of Navy SEAL Team SIX Operator Adam Brown

By: Eric Blehm

Narrated by: Paul Michael

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Inspirational Nonfiction, 2013

Fearless takes you deep into SEAL Team SIX and straight to the heart of one of its most legendary operators.

When Navy SEAL Adam Brown woke up on March 17, 2010, he didn’t know he would die that night in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan - but he was ready: In a letter to his children, not meant to be seen unless the worst happened, he wrote, “I’m not afraid of anything that might happen to me on this earth, because I know no matter what, nothing can take my spirit from me.”

Long before Adam Brown became a member of the elite SEAL Team SIX - the counterterrorism unit that took down Osama bin Laden - he was a fun-loving country boy from Hot Springs, Arkansas, whose greatest goal had been to wear his high school’s football jersey. An undersized daredevil, prone to jumping off roofs into trees and off bridges into lakes, Adam was a kid who broke his own bones but would never break a promise to his parents.

But after high school, Adam fell in with the wrong crowd, and his family watched as his appetite for risk dragged him into a downward spiral that eventually landed him in jail. Battling his inner demons on a last-chance road to redemption, Adam had one goal: to become the best of the best - a US Navy SEAL.

An absorbing chronicle of heroism and humanity, Fearless presents an indelible portrait of a highly trained warrior who would enter a village with weapons in hand to hunt terrorists, only to come back the next day with an armload of shoes and meals for local children. It is a deeply personal, revealing glimpse inside the SEAL Team SIX brotherhood that also shows how these elite operators live out the rest of their lives, away from danger, as husbands, fathers and friends.

Fearless is the story of a man of extremes, whose courage and determination was fueled by faith, family, and the love of a woman. It’s about a man who waged a war against his own worst impulses and persevered to reach the top tier of the US military. Always the first to volunteer for the most dangerous assignments, Adam’s final act of bravery led to the ultimate sacrifice.

Adam Brown was a devoted man who was an unlikely hero but a true warrior, described by all who knew him as fearless.

©2012 eChristian Inc. (P)2012 eChristian Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Nominee, Inspirational Nonfiction, 2013

Highly recommend listening to this warrior's story

This is a different type of story about the Navy SEALs and DEVGRU. It answers the questions people often have about the mindset of these hardened warriors. Eric seems to have done a great job of honoring Adam Brown's wife and kids' wishes to let the world know about the real role model Adam was, who fully rises above the most difficult struggles of physical and mental challenges he faced. His family is their own role models, as well. Great story and excellent method of delivery.

Must read!!!

I couldn't stop reading once I started. This is a must read for anyone looking for motivation in all aspects of there life.

Proud to be an American

A story of triumph, tragedy, faith, brotherhood and love. I laughed, I shook my head in disbelief and I cried my eyes out. Must read...

An insight into the world of heroes

The Adam Brown story is a compelling look into the troubled life of an American hero. The demons he struggled with his entire life, his commitment to God, country and family, and his determination to set an example for good show the true character of the man. Be prepared to experience a full range of emotions as you absorb this story.

An incredible story

What an incredible story about a man who turned his life around. This candid look inside Adam Brown's life shows all that choices we make are long lasting, and the consequences are felt for years. Even though he broke the cycle of drug abuse, the effects were long lasting and haunted him for the rest of his life.
Despite his difficult past, he made the effort to better himself and recognized his need to do something for the greater good. Ultimately giving his life for his team and country, Adam is a man to be looked up to and admired. God bless his family, his teammates, and the United States for his example and sacrifice.

Amazing

Wonderful story even though I'm not religious. great humble story of Adam Brown and bow life can be a struggle and through will power you can overcome any obstacle.

5-Star Story, 3-Star Listen

What three words best describe Paul Michael’s voice?

Some narrators can do a good job with voicing different characters. If Paul Michael is one of them, he did not succeed in FEARLESS. It is unlikely I will ever listen to FEARLESS again because I found his narration unflattering at its best, and irritating at its worst. It would be a dream come true to have this recorded a second time, perhaps by an outstanding narrator like Maurice England.

Any additional comments?

The story of Adam Brown is FIVE STAR reading. It was well worth every minute invested in hearing how a young man overcame a serious drug addiction, found faith in Jesus Christ, developed character traits that earned him the respect of everyone who knew him, then overcame "impossible" odds to be accepted into one of the most elite groups of soldiers in the US military. Eric Blehm does a good job of bringing Adam brown to life and portraying him as the hero he became.

The ending of FEARLESS is, of course tragic. Although I knew from the beginning how it would end, Blehm does an outstanding job of taking his readers through Adam Brown's final moments on earth, and in describing the impact of his death on his family, his fellow seals, his community, and our nation. There are a couple of surprises at the end which, together with the underlying story of every navy seal that is woven into the fabric of FEARLESS, reminded me that men like Adam Brown are not heroes because of how they died, but because of how they chose to live before they died. There are many men like Adam Brown in our culture who are heroes in their own right, whose story will never be told because they were never called upon to make the "ultimate" sacrifice.

Fearless is a FIVE STAR story, but only a FOUR STAR read. This is my second read by Eric Blehm, and this one falls a little short in the telling. I suspect that some of the incidents included in this account were very meaningful to his family and friends, but they will feel clunky and unnecessary to the average reader. Nothing about Adam Brown was really added to the story, or strengthened by the inclusion of these events. This is, in my opinion, the primary weakness of the book.

On a final note, as a Christian reader I would not approach this as a Christian book. It certainly honors the faith of Adam Brown and clearly communicates the difference that Jesus Christ made in Adam's life, but from a Christian perspective, it has its shortcomings. I was a little surprised by this, but it did not influence my rating, nor does it prevent me from recommending Fearless to my friends.

Compelling story, incredible journey, inspiring

I was captivated by this book in its entirety.

Adam Brown's story is not smooth, and his desire to have the good and bad shared is selfless. It will inspire any person who feels a little demotivated or lost, or who feels that past mistakes may not be redeemable.

Whilst I am not a religious person at all, I respect religion and a person's choice to believe, so the focus in some parts on Adam's faith did not bother me. In fact, I think that it was integral to his story and at least demonstrates the a belief - in self or a greater being - might be necessary to live the fullest life possible.

This is my first audio book, so I'm not sure if it's common, but the male reader softening his tone or speaking in a slightly higher voice when quoting females made me laugh and also made me feel it was a little disrespectful, but I don't think it was intended and overall I found the audio book very pleasant to listen to.

Finally, the book is a tribute to incredible Service personnel and their families and friends (whether or not it intends to be), all of whom we should be grateful for.

Wow!

I loved this story! What an American hero and great role model for overcoming obstacles. The guy reading it does a great job, although doing the women's voices gets a little annoying.

Adam Brown is the kind of guy that doesn't come along very often. This is a must listen!

A true American Hero

This book was so inspiring and lets you understand that god truly is always by your side. Adam Brown’s life wasn’t always good and he went through some insane trials in such a short life. This by far touched my heart for anyone with a loved one serving our country to keep us safe, or even a recovering addict just trying to recover that addiction of drugs. The writer of the book also tells a great story.... this is by far one of my favorite books.