Suffer in Silence: A Novel of Navy Seal Training

I did 12 years in the Teams, and I didn't want to like this book. There are just way too many books on SEALs out there. Didn't think the author could add much of value. I was wrong. Don't be mistaken. This book is not fiction. Yes, the characters have made-up names. Yes, the ending is clearly meant to entertain. Everything else is right on, and is as real as I've read. Reading the book brought me back a dozen years. This will give anyone a real sense of what BUD/S is like, fictional characters or not. Overall, impressive read.

Reid's Suffer in Silence is riveting from cover to cover. It's raw and intense, and rings of authenticity. It will give pause to anyone contemplating the agony of BUDS program, but incite and inspire those as focused and masochistic (self-declared by the author) as Reid. The details of the story are exhaustive, and the rhythm of the book follows the undulations of the long, sleepless nights of the Hell Week experience, leaving the reader spent by the end of the book and craving for deeply needed sleep (or just a nice afternoon nap, as in my case-- of course, after I finished the book!). Though portraying experiences that push the limits of human endurance, and offering a glimpse into a (sometimes dark) mindset and world far from most of our comprehensions, Suffer in Silence succeeds in also being fun and engaging... a great read.

Search for books on Navy SEALs and you will find yourself bombarded with approximately 200 books. To be blunt, most of them are terrible. Even the books that sell well have some problems... The author of the Rogue Warrior series is a complete blowhard, and Couch's books are carefully researched -- just not very exciting. Buried amidst all these mediocre books, though, is a diamond. Reid describes his book as "raw" look at SEAL training. "Raw" is exactly right -- and that's the way it should be. He doesn't shy from the homoerotic humor, the instructors' sometimes sadistic tendencies, the after-hours abuse. At the same time, though, he makes his characters human. The majority of the instructors come across as people you would gladly trust with your life -- true professionals, good-natured human beings, perhaps a little devious, but fair. And of course, his descriptions of the few bad eggs are fantastic and disturbingly accurate. Reid's book is fiction, but it's clear that much of the material is derived from his own experiences. Some the scenarios are too outrageous to be made up. The storyline itself takes a while to get moving, but it's worth the wait. The ending was unexpected, which I liked, and it pulls everying together well, but not so neatly that it seems improbable. While the characters and plot are strong, and the descriptions of training are equally good, what I enjoyed the most are the details you won't find on the Discovery channel. There's the "silver bullet," a special thermometer used on hypothermia victims (don't ask), the "Bat Cave," a secret trainee hiding spot, SIN (the Student Inforation Network), the healing properites of hot chocolate, and the pleasing heat-transferring nature of urine. Although I would recommend this book to everyone but grandma and grandpa, it should be considered essential reading for anyone contemplating attending BUD/S. To those who have been there, Suffer in Silence will bring back some interesting and long-repressed memories. To those who haven't, it will transport you to a place so painful and bizarre, you'll wonder how anyone graduates. This is a must read... enjoy it.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking an entertaining read. The descriptions of SEAL training are very intense; as promised, Reid doesn't spare the reader any of the darker aspects of life at BUD/S. I liked the array of characters he used, although Grey remains somewhat of a mystery. The plot moves along at a good pace, only occasionally slowing down for some lengthy descriptions of training (which are entertaining by themselves). Having read several accounts of SEAL training, I found Suffer in Silence the most enjoyable to read, and despite the fictional plot, also the most illuminating. Reid will take you into the hearts and minds of BUD/S students as they suffer through almost unimaginable torture -- the result is some seriously gritty material. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with an interest in seeing how the human psyche reacts when the body is pushed its physical limits. Captivating stuff...