Roberts Ridge

A True Story of Courage and Sacrifice on Takur Ghar Mountain, Afghanistan

By: Malcolm MacPherson

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

For the U.S. Navy's elite team of SEALs, the mission seemed straightforward enough: to take control of a towering, 10,240-foot mountain peak called Takur Ghar, a key post in their plan to smash Taliban al Qaeda in eastern Afghanistan. But the enemy was waiting, and when the Special Forces chopper was shredded by enemy fire, a red-haired SEAL named Neil Roberts was thrown from the aircraft. Roberts's fellow SEALs were determined to bring him out - no matter what the cost.

This harrowing true account based on stunning eyewitness testimony and painstaking research captures in dramatic detail the 17-hour battle fought by a few dozen warriors against near impossible odds to save one of their own.

©2005 Malcolm MacPherson (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Well told and frightening as well as true, this is a book that bridges the breach between the increasingly professional American military and a civilian culture possessing little knowledge or experience of the military." ( Booklist)

Powerful

Wow! True heroes!!! So thankful for the courage of our military! I highly recommend this book!

Amazing story, poor reader.

An incredible story, but the readers use of corny thick southern accents for most of the characters is very annoying.

Keeps you glued to the story.

This is an nteresting and true story of Operation Anaconda. Very tense throughout most of the book.

Heartbreaking Story

A phenomenal story of courage and sad loss. The men that bravely went on this mission and never loss the drivecto survive.

I personally enjoyed, listening to these brave heroes

Very good book. It’s crazy what these guys had to go through. Thank you for your sacrifice.

Amazing Story but...

This was an amazing story but the writing was a little confusing and left me lost at times. The narrators voice did not seem to fit the story either and he left me wishing it was more youthful/powerful to carry this intense story of bravery and heroism.

Another Great American Hero(s) Story

Would you consider the audio edition of Roberts Ridge to be better than the print version?

Audio: its easier for me to finish audio editions of books.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Roberts Ridge?

The account of the fist helo going down and how the medics worked on the wounded despite the incoming rounds of 7.62 and RPGs.

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

No

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

The account of how the one of the teams fought the physical climb up the side of a mountain before encountering resistance from the enemy.

a little hard to follow, but an important story

it's frustrating to hear a story with so many breakdowns im communication. avoidable loss due to simple communication issues is never going to sit well with anyone who has military experience, especially in leadership. im thankful for the thorough recount, and the sacrifices of the dead and wounded

A peice of history

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, to hear the true account of operation Anaconda--specifically the Takur Gahr fight.

What did you like best about this story?

The writer brought the complexity of this fight into a well-organized book.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator really hurt this book, in my opinion. The accents he attempted to use with many of the characters were awful, and offensive in some cases. He should have just read the book without assigning these accents to each character. Seriously will never purchase a book he narrates again.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. The story made me want to not stop listening, but there is only so much of this narrator you can stand at one time.

A true story of love for ones brothers.

Our SOF forces as well as conventional forces are owed our utmost respect and admiration for the lives they live and the dedication ther have for our county, it's citizens, and their families