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.
Eyes on Target  By  cover art

Eyes on Target

By: Scott McEwen, Richard Miniter
Narrated by: Holter Graham
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.48

Buy for $19.48

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

Told through the eyes of current and former Navy SEALs, Eyes on Target is an inside account of some of the most harrowing missions in American history - including the mission to kill Osama bin Laden and the mission that wasn't, the deadly attack on the US diplomatic outpost in Benghazi where a retired SEAL sniper with a small team held off one hundred terrorists while his repeated radio calls for help went unheeded.

The book contains incredible accounts of major SEAL operations - from the violent birth of SEAL Team Six and the aborted Operation Eagle Claw meant to save the hostages in Iran, to key missions in Iraq and Afghanistan where the SEALs suffered their worst losses in their fifty year history - and every chapter illustrates why this elite military special operations unit remains the most feared anti-terrorist force in the world.

We hear reports on the record from retired SEAL officers including Lt. Cmdr. Richard Marcinko, the founder of SEAL Team Six, and a former Commander at SEAL team Six, Ryan Zinke, and we come away understanding the deep commitment of these military men who put themselves in danger to protect our country and save American lives. In the face of insurmountable odds and the imminent threat of death, they give all to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

No matter the situation, on duty or at ease, SEALs never, ever give up. One powerful chapter in the book tells the story of how one Medal of Honor winner saved another, the only time this has been done in US military history.

Eyes on Target includes these special features:

  • A detailed timeline of events during the Benghazi attack
  • Sample rescue scenarios from a military expert who believes that help could have reached the Benghazi compound in time
  • The US House Republican Conference Interim Progress Report on the events surrounding the September 11, 2012 Terrorist Attacks in Benghazi

Through their many interviews and unique access, Scott McEwen and Richard Miniter pull back the veil that has so often concealed the heroism of these patriots. They live by a stringent and demanding code of their own creation, keeping them ready to ignore politics, bureaucracy and-if necessary-direct orders. They share a unique combination of character, intelligence, courage, love of country and what can only be called true grit.

They are the Navy SEALs, and they keep their Eyes on Target.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2014 Scott McEwen and Richard Miniter (P)2014 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about Eyes on Target

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    289
  • 4 Stars
    119
  • 3 Stars
    43
  • 2 Stars
    13
  • 1 Stars
    12
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    256
  • 4 Stars
    126
  • 3 Stars
    37
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    9
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    266
  • 4 Stars
    107
  • 3 Stars
    42
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    12

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

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

Just an attempt to cash in

This is the first time I've asked for my money back, mostly because I wanted to deny the authors the opportunity to make money with a poorly researched, lazy attempt to cash in on the popularity of SEALs after the Bin Laden raid.
First, most of the stories you read about here have been told before in more detail and with better accuracy - this book is riddled with basic factual errors that make me think the authors didn't even bother to run a draft back past their interview subjects before printing. Many of the stories here have whole books dedicated to them. Read Lone Survivor, 13 Hours, and No Easy Day and you'll have covered 2/3 of the content of this book and you'll glean a better sense of SEAL culture as well - not the false bravado and macho bullshit presented here.
And then there's all the partisan political nonsense towards the end of the book where the authors seemed to decide that we, the readers, bought a book promising "the inside stories from the brotherhood of the US Navy SEALs" to hear what they think about Obama. Now I'm no hardcore Democrat, but that stuff has no place in a book like this.
Holter Graham's narration isn't his best work here, but it's not bad - I've listened to a few audiobooks he's narrated and he does a good job. Scott McEwen should probably stick to writing trashy B-Grade military fiction. And Richard Miniter, well looking at this dude's other work, he's probably the brains behind the decision to lump in all the political bullshit. He's basically what's wrong with journalists today - more interested in pushing his partisan line than getting the facts straight in his own story.

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
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I Will Not Fail-I'm Never Out of the Fight

SEALs are trained to perform the most difficult missions that were once thought impossible. The SEALs will go anywhere and do anything, " to protect those who cannot protect themselves." The SEALs are a brotherhood that would lay down their live for one another. The SEAL knows that when on a mission that they face the possibility of death.

Eyes on Target relates to the reader a few of the operations that the SEALs have undertaken. These missions killed SEALs, fellow Americans, other members of the elite forces of the Army, Air Force and the Marines.

First, Lt. Commander Marcinko was the founder of SEAL Team Six. The SEAL Team Six members, at that time were called pirates. Their tough practices, fighting was not uncommon, drinking everywhere and as much as each member could drink, although they would not drink before a mission, were well known. When Lt. Commander Marcinko left SEAL Team Six, Commander Ryan Zinke took his place. He was certainly a different kind of leader. Many of the older SEALs as well as some of the younger SEALs left. Commander Ryan Zinke took time but did change the way that SEAL Team Six functions today.

The SEALs participated in the Vietnam War. There were two SEALs in the Vietnam war, Norris and Thornton, who both received the medal of honor. Thornton insisted that Norris also be rewarded the medal of honor. Norris was in the hospital and had not been released. However, Thornton removed Norris from the hospital in a wheelchair, to be present when he was to receive his medal of honor. However, Thornton explained how the actions of Norris were also consistent with the rules that constituted his receiving the medal of honor, too. Both men received their medal of honor together at a later time. That was the first and last time in history that this has occurred.

The mission of Eagle Claw, whereby 52 Americans who were being held hostage in Iran and were to be rescued, turned into a debacle. The different entities of the armed forces did not work together as a team. Each segment devised their plan but none of them shared each other's plans. Therefore, the one side did not know what the other was doing and the rescued attempt was compromised and had to be called off.

The mission to capture bin Laden was successful. However, at the time, he was armed and dangerous and was killed. However, before this occurred, the men on the first black hawk were roping down and all aboard were killed when the black hawk exploded after being hit with an RPG. There were 48 Gold SEALs killed at that time, the largest loss of SEAL Team Six men at any other time. At the time of my listening of this book, that figure still stands.

Lastly, was the unheard and ignored pleas? from Ambassador Stevens, who was at his station in Benghazi. The terrorists started early and gave the American's more than enough time to get out of Benghazi. Ambassador Stevens, who will ever know why, chose not to call for help early and when he did, making the White House aware for the immediate evacuation of all American's, his pleas fell on deaf ears. The number of calls for assistance were too many to be counted, made by many of the American's at the compound. Unfortunately, no one except two SEALs, who were not called but who were made aware of the crisis, came and saved all American's except for two, Ambassador Stevens and another member of his team were in the compound that had been set on fire.

The two SEALs, who climbed up on the roof of a building next door, kept some of the terrorists distracted enough, that the other American's were driven away in a Hum Vee to the airport and out of Benghazi. Political F...Up?

The two SEALs, who saved the trapped American's, died. Therefore, the count is now 4 American's dead. "I will not fail. I'm never out of the fight." "All gave some and some gave all."

These true accounts clarify, once again, that the request from President John F. Kennedy, before his assassination, was to create a team of SEALs, was steering our military in the right direction. After WWII the demolition team was no longer a part of the US Navy. Furthermore, the Army and the Marines have the Green Berets and MARSOC, which are now a part of the elite warriors of the US war on terrorism.

I enjoyed listening to this book very much. If you are interested in this genre of books, this one is a good choice. The narrator was excellent. I would have liked to have finished this book in a day but I required more time in order to absorb what I was listening to. In fact, this is the second time that I've listened to this book. I've listened to these events while listening to other books but I've found that I've learned a little more with each listen.


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

Mandatory Reading

Any additional comments?

Almost quit on this book as it started out different than I thought. The final part regarding the options to react on Ben Ghazi should be mandatory reading for every American prior to voting on any future election!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

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

Not impressed with author.

What disappointed you about Eyes on Target?

Told in a way that it's hard to take seriously. Almost like I was listening to a Chuck Norris movie.
The seals are the elite warriors of this day and age along with the SAS. There are some great books on the seals such as Warrior Elite and Fearless.
Don't bother with this one.

Would you ever listen to anything by Scott McEwen and Richard Miniter again?

No

What didn’t you like about Holter Graham’s performance?

His performance was done well.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

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

Nothing new in this book.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

New information or stories that can't be found in similar books.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Viper Pilot

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment. The majority of the book was a re-telling of previous documented stories. Then the ending was a few hours of pure speculation on what "could have been" after the the attacks in Benghazi.

Any additional comments?

I returned this book.

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
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Book about SEALs

What did you love best about Eyes on Target?

I've read a lot of SEAL books and this is one of my favorites. This tells several stories about SEALs you may not have ever heard of. Scott McEwen delivers some good stories of people like DRAGO or events in Benghazi that you may not have heard about otherwise.

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
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye opening and therefore infuriating!

I loved getting so many stories in one book. The final chapters that cover the Benghazi and bin Laden situations left me steaming at our pathetic political leadership. Or maybe I should say the lack thereof. This is not a political book, in my opinion. But it is eye opening and infuriating ! Enjoy.

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

Vivid look inside SEALS culture

Where does Eyes on Target rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Eyes on Target is well researched, well written and performed. For an inside look at SEALS culture and craft and it's current challenges, this is a an excellent choice.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the introduction and bios of real life SEALS embedded in the story.

What does Holter Graham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Graham conveys the book with passion and authenticity, as if it was his own work.

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

How the Navy SEALS overcome enemies abound and hinderances at home.

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

Biased and Rehashed

This book is a politicized take that rehashes (sometimes incorrectly) accounts of SEAL missions/history. While the content is undoubtedly gripping, the author tends to exaggerate and lend personal and political bias towards the successes/failures of the missions described herein.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Excellent read/listen

An insightful review of navy seal, evolution and history. What are the best parts in this was the review and discussion of the Benghazi attack and what could’ve been done to save the two former navy seals and others! Overall an excellent read!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!