• Damn Few

  • Making the Modern SEAL Warrior
  • By: Rorke Denver
  • Narrated by: Rorke Denver
  • Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (1,867 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Damn Few  By  cover art

Damn Few

By: Rorke Denver
Narrated by: Rorke Denver
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.95

Buy for $19.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

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.

More from the same

Narrator

What listeners say about Damn Few

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,403
  • 4 Stars
    326
  • 3 Stars
    113
  • 2 Stars
    22
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,199
  • 4 Stars
    327
  • 3 Stars
    119
  • 2 Stars
    31
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,289
  • 4 Stars
    279
  • 3 Stars
    88
  • 2 Stars
    22
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

powerful, relevant story

this blew me away. lately i've been on a spy-novel book kick, and somehow i saw "damn few". wow. just wow. If i had to guess what the very best US warriors went through to be trained, and what they did in combat, this book spells it out and makes it real.
i cannot relate, but i am thankful.

this author is, dare i say, a true american. he's a gentleman and well read. he's also a killing machine and proud of it. proud to serve, that is.

if this seems a little interesting - get it. you will not be disappointed!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful autobio,but sort of deadpan delivery

What did you like best about this story?

When he was in BUD/S & when he dealt with the bullies in elementary school.

What aspect of Rorke Denver’s performance would you have changed?

He's a pit dead pan and would have liked to have seen more of his personality come through. The story might have been served better by a professional reader like Ray Porter. Loved his narration of Howard Wasdin's & Kevin Mitnick's books.

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

The BUD/S hallucinations made me laugh.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Great start, but had to force myself to finish it.

Enjoyable read for the most part, but the last few chapters could've been deleted. Forced myself to finish it the way parents force kids to finish a bad meal. Found myself rolling my eyes after the 100th time I heard how superior seals are to everyone in the world, including other branches of the military. Perhaps the Navy ought to start serving up some humble pie. It's one thing to let me come to that conclusion myself, which I may have, but it's another to just say it over and over and over again. Speaking of repeating the same thing over & over, the editing job was poor. At least half a dozen times the same sentence was repeated during narration. And it was abundantly obvious where a piecemeal voice over edit occurred. Was excited to read this, but it just left me feeling annoyed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Hoorah Navy

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

Absolutely. I cannot get enough of these stories. Given that it is directly from the author makes it so much more meaningful.

Any additional comments?

I have been studying the Navy SEALs since joining the Navy in 1998 because I was never allowed to be a SEAL myself (I am female, you see.) Despite my obvious disqualification, I was honored to have worked with and enjoy the company of many SEALs during my time. I miss my friends who were lost on August 6th, 2011 especially. Denver does an excellent job of describing exactly what it takes to be SEAL. Thank you for what you do Denver.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Candid SEAL commentary narrated by Rorke himself.

Would you listen to Damn Few again? Why?

I've listened three times already. The anecdotes are awesome, the recounts of operations and the SEAL mindset are inspiring. Rorke's account would give any person thinking of becoming a Navy SEAL some good food for thought.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Damn Few?

His recollection of SEAL training tells just enough of what it take to become a SEAL without revealing anything sensitive to national security.

Which character – as performed by Rorke Denver – was your favorite?

Himself

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

It's already been done... Act of Valor seems already a good representation as Rorke advised and incorporated some elements of his actual experience into the film in which he performs as a SEAL.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding

Where does Damn Few rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Damn Few is the best of its kind.

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

American Sniper, Lone Survivor, and Service due to the branch of the US military and the intensity.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Where was the attention to detail?

The story was just fine. The narration left for much to be desired. I understand that the author is a do it yourself type of guy but he is far too monotone to convey a story like this even if it is his own. The listeners have to be moved--I wasn't. I was very disappointed that the recording was this poorly done. There were edits that should have been removed that were left in! The story itself was decent. If you have the money to spare I'd just buy the physical book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story... monotone delivery...

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

The story of the Seals is awesome. The camaraderie, pride and excellence championed by the Seals inspires me.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Damn Few?

Rorke's telling of the last couple of days of hell week tend to stand out the most to me. The hallucinations and the "steel pier" experience are particularly noteworthy.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I think the narrator made the story as well as detracted. The fact that it was the "real" guy telling the story helped. His monotone delivery and somewhat dry style didn't help the story.

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

I loved it when he talked about his daughters and the lessons he wanted to teach them.

Any additional comments?

Well worth the purchase.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

ok story

It was a good story, but it didn't stand out from to many other seal stories. But I thank him for telling it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful