Zero Footprint

The True Story of a Private Military Contractor's Covert Assignments in Syria, Libya, and the World's Most Dangerous Places

By: Simon Chase, Ralph Pezzullo

Narrated by: Eric Brooks

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

A dramatic insider account of the world of private military contracting.

Armored cars, burner phones, top-notch weaponry, and top-secret missions - this is the life of today's private military contractor. Like author Simon Chase, many PMCs were once the world's top military operatives, and since retiring from outfits like US Navy SEAL TEAM Six and the UK's Special Boat Service, they have devoted their lives to executing missions too sensitive for the government to acknowledge.

Chase reveals here for the first time the operations too hazardous and politically volatile to be officially sanctioned by his employers. Working on behalf of the CIA's Special Activities Division, the US Department of Defense, the US State Department, and British government entities, he takes on jobs that require zero footprint, with no trace of their actions left behind.

Chase delivers firsthand accounts of tracking Bin Laden in Afghanistan and being one of the first responders after the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi. We see his teams defuse terrorist bombs, guard dignitaries, and protect convoys traveling through perilous territory - and then there are the really big jobs: top-secret "zero footprint" missions for the US government that include searching for high-value targets and setting up arms shipping networks.

The missions in Zero Footprint will shock listeners, but so will the personal dangers. Chase and the men he works with operate without government backup or air rescue. If they die serving their country - they remain anonymous. There are no military honors or benefits. Contractors like Simon Chase are the unsung heroes in the war against terrorism, a strong but largely invisible force - until now.

©2016 Simon Chase and Ralph Pezzullo (P)2016 Hachette Audio

Not a true story...this is a novel.

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

You don't have to be a member of the SO community to know this is a work of fiction.

What could Simon Chase and Ralph Pezzullo have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Told the truth.

Would you be willing to try another one of Eric Brooks’s performances?

NO

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Some portions of the story are interesting but once you figure out it is not a true story it is hard to get past the feeling of being cheated.

Any additional comments?

Hard to believe that audible lets this continue to be sold as a true story.

Read Amazon reviews, not Audible reviews

Would you try another book from Simon Chase and Ralph Pezzullo and/or Eric Brooks?

No. I would avoid them. I will be seeking a refund for this book.

What could Simon Chase and Ralph Pezzullo have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

It should have either:
never been written
clearly labeled as fiction
not used the name of an actual dead British contractor for author's pen name.

What three words best describe Eric Brooks’s voice?

British, male, unfamiliar with some of the subjects at hand.
for example, a 0.50 caliber is knows as a 'fifty caliber' not a "zero point five zero caliber"

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It was thoroughly and completely fabricated.

Outstanding read

From the beginning of his book through the middle and all the engagements that the author has experienced, I must say he was very thorough and proper with explanation about everything that occurs in the life of PMC's this is a great read for anybody who is interested in possibly engaging in employment in the world private military contractors. Bravo Zulu. Thank you gunfighter for your service, your accomplishments and many condolences for your losses of your teammates.
Semper Fidelis,
Matthew Damge
U.S. Marines
1992-2012

Read the Amazon.com reviews before you buy!

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

If the story had been factually accurate.

Any additional comments?

I have read several other books on topics and timelines covered in this book, but this book is "consistently unique" when compared to other books which are written by authors who don't hide behind pseudonyms. Clearly someone isn't telling the truth. The best thing about this book is the skill of the reader; if you buy books just to hear someone delivery multiple voices and accents then you should really like this product.

Outlandish and far fetched

Would make a great fiction novel, but the truth was clearly stretched and embellished beyond recognition. The author stole the name of a real hero that was killed overseas and used it as his 'pen-name,' then merged the stories of several individuals, embellished them and called them his own. The author seems to have some sort of complex trying to pass himself off as having "been there" in everyone else's war story. Would not recommend for non-fiction readers.

well written but the story is mostly fiction

I enjoyed listening to this book until I started looking into the validity of the authors story's. turns out most of them are made up. this book would do better if it was marked as a historical fiction or a noval.

Obvious Fabrication

I served in the military in a special unit and saw combat. This guy's descriptions about the experience of combat and the government's use of foreign contractors is fabricated. One story that doesn't meet reality is one thing, but a book full of them shows the publisher is negligent or complicit.

Riveting!

Mr Chase captures his audience and doesn't let go until the end. A heartbreaking account of the tragedy of war and senseless loss of life due to extremist violence. I appreciate his account and thank God for people with the guts to stand against evil.

an excellent account of a brave PMC

This was a great story I plan to hear again. the narrator was very well done.

Loved this book a real page turner

Read it if you want to know what happened in Benghazi , amazing story , well worth the listen.