Incredible. I hate reviews that spoil the story, so all I'll say is that this book is not pro-war or anti-war. It tells a story of brave men and some terrible things that good people go through.

Eric Blehm is a marvelous and immensely talented writer. He lays out the background story of The Only thing Worth Dying For in the beginning chapters, quickly running through a huge number of people's names and military jargon.

Blehm's talents are many and difficult to describe in a review - much better to read in person. But #1 amongst his talent is Blehm's ability to concisely interpret interviews and reports into a coherent whole. His depiction of events involving evaluation of wounded soldiers is graphic and real. Blehm is a researcher who digs deeply into his subject, reading and interviewing and tracking every bit of information to its source.

Another of Blehm's talents for those of us without a military background is the way he takes military jargon and reduces it to just the important concepts. He also succeeds in helping readers follow the ever-expanding cast of characters.

Nothing in Blehm's writing is extraneous. Nothing is wasted.

The best part of The Only Thing Worth Fighting For is that, though written in the genre of creative non-fiction, Blehm is scrupulous in keeping himself out of the story. He lets the ODA team, and what happened to them in Southern Afganistan, stay front and center throughout the book.

Eric Blehm is writer we should keep an eye on. He is young, though experienced. He is talented. His next project will be greeted with much anticipation. I'm sure it will be as great as The Last Season and The Only Thing Worth Fighting For.

This book puts you right along side ODA-574 5th Special Forces Group as they make their way into Taliban held areas of Afghanistan 2001. It is the type book that once you start you don't want to put it down. AWESOME and MOVING READ!

HOOAH!

A wonderful book that shows who the real heroes are. Too bad they are interfered with by the sometimes dumb brass.A must read if you are interested in the politics of the service and who the real soldiers are.A very reflective book on Afghanistan also.Too bad Bush got bored and went to Iraq instead of finishing the job in Afghanistan!I highly recommend the book.

This was the first book I've read from Eric Blehm and I cannot say enough goods things. I am not what you would call an avid reader. That is until I started reading this book. I could not put the book down and had completed reading it within to nights. I am an Army Veteran who spent almost a decade of active duty and was involved in the Gulf War. Mr. Blehm's very thoroughly accuracy to details brought me into the story. I found myself feeling as if I was there in Afghanistan. Feeling as if these very patriotic guys were people I had known all my life, then feeling the emotions of the personal loss at the end of the story. This is true look into our military and political hierarchy and the absolute idiotic things some of these people do and the damage they can bring upon our real hero's, who are the actually men and women fighting on the front line. The ones who are not protected like these people of power who sit behind a desk shouting orders while staying safe back here in the United States.

This is a very honest book, written by a very honest and meticulous journalist. It tells a deeply human, yet at the same time a truly epic story about the pivotal role of eleven courageous US Special Forces soldiers and one very brave and idealistic Afghan patriot, Hamid Karzai, in making possible the emergence of a new, democratic Afghanistan. This is an important and heroic (yet tragic) story which dashes any cyncism one might harbor about America's and Hamid Karzai's roles in freeing Afghanistan of its Taliban oppression within months after 9/11.
If you want to know just who Hamid Karzai really is, "The Only Thing Worth Dying For" is a very good source. You'll also learn a lot of reality-beyond-the-hype about the US Army's Special Forces.

I don't normally post reviews either. The book does read like fiction action novel. Then you remember it's the real deal. Places you in a place of pride when you think about how awesome Green Berets are and their Special Forces counterparts........

I could not put "The Only Thing Worth Dying For" by Eric Blehm down (just like Blehm's "The Last Season"). My husband is grateful that I have finished it both so he can see my face not buried in the book and so he can start it.

This is not a pro-war book. It is not an anti-war book. It is a true story that captivated me on every page. The author, Eric Blehm, pulled me in and wouldn't let me go until the final page.
If he does a book signing in your town - Go!

I just finished this book last night so I decided to come back here and see if I agree with the reviews. First off let's be honest...there are 20 reviews and all are 5 star! That, and the fact that most are written in the same exact style, lead me to believe the publisher has hired 1 or 2 shills.

As for the book itself it's good, not great. It's a solid 3.5 star book. Well researched it leaves you proud of the work of some of our Soldiers while incredibly frustrated and upset at the actions of some of the higher level Marine and Army brass. To add insult to injury our Military saw fit to promote some of the people who should have been kicked out on their butt. Something else that all of the reviews leave out is that this book does not have a happy ending. The main battlefield event in this book is incredibly sad and disturbing, and it dominates the end of the book. So if you're looking for a fairy tail ending this ain't the book for you...

I have just finished this book and must say that I am still stunned and appalled by the behavior of the senior
officers who forced their way into the mission of ODA 594. This is the story of how our brave Special Forces
soldiers were caused to agree to the whimsy of those who thought they knew better just because they were senior
in rank to Capt Amerine and his team. Due to their need to play with what they saw as toys for field grade officers to use, members of ODA 594 and uncountable friendly Afghan soldiers were killed by "friendly fire", many others wounded,and to the disgust of a combat veteran like me, the senior officers tried to blame the authorization on
Karzai. I guess they thought they could get away with that lie. I hope they rot in a very hot place for this behavior.

I am an ex-officer and Vietnam Combat Veteran.

This review was originally written for [...]

When I was contacted by the publisher asking me if I would be interested in a copy of this new book that has come out titled The Only Thing Worth Dying For, I knew from the title alone that it was probably going to be good. Once I checked out the website at [...] I was convinced it was a book I HAD to read.
I have been struggling with how to write this review as I want to be able to highlight key parts of this book but don't want to give it all away. I have edited this many times so I hope this review gives the book justice.
Eric Blehm (who was interviewed on You Served Radio Feb 11th, [...] did a great job writing the story of ODA574 and how this single 11-man Special Forces A-team did the true Special Forces job of partnering with local opposition to overthrow an oppressive regime and help that opposition train to get ready to fight against the regime. In this case the oppressive regime was the Taliban, and the opposition was a little-known influential leader in the area named Hamid Karzai. Even though there were already SF teams and CIA in northern Afghanistan teamed up with the Northern Alliance, the Northern Alliance was a loosely disciplined and defined fighting force. In the south, it was Hamid Karzai with maybe a dozen loyal supporters.
Eric does a fabulous job of not inserting his opinion or viewpoints into any part of this book. Instead he simply tells the story of them men that were part of this critical mission. Actually to call it critical is an understatement. Had this team not partnered with Karzai, or had any number of things happened which could have caused this mission to fail, it is without a doubt that Afghanistan would not be where it is today. Yes, this 11-man team wrote history and has had a direct influence into where we are today in the Global War on Terror.
Kandahar was the last city to fall in Afghanistan, and was considered the headquarters of the Taliban in 2001. When that city surrendered the initial "liberation" stage of the war in Afghanistan was considered complete. The actions of this team, and many others that supported them caused that to happen. In addition to helping bring down Kandahar, they also protected Hamid Karzai at all costs because they recognized his importance to the success of Afghanistan.
Unlike many other books I have read which tend to name and highlight people that do good things but hide the identity of people that screw up, Eric does not do that. Because he is truly just telling the story of these men, he calls out and tells the story of even those that made mistakes...even mistakes that costs American lives. The book is an easy read and does not cause the reader to have a Google page opened up to define military jargon. As my buddy CJ says, it does not go into the technical weeds that will cause the non-Special Forces reader to get lost.
The book starts with a prologue of Eric finally getting a chance to meet with Hamid Karzai in a NYC hotel room. Eric was given 15 minutes between meetings of (then) VP candidate Sarah Palin and (then) Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. That 15 minute meeting dragged on for over an hour as Karzai recited many facts from memory about the men on that team and looked at photos that Eric brought with him. Secretary Rice was made to wait, but I am sure she would understand if she knew why.

The story actually starts with ODA574 training in K-stan with local forces there on 9/11/01 and how they agonized with being stuck overseas while their country is under attack. Eventually they get back to the US and thru all the right things happening at the right time, they become the team selected to insert into Pakistan for a mission that would take them and Karzai into Afghanistan to start what was supposed to be several months of local fighter training for an eventual clearing of Taliban forces in Southern Afghanistan. However, as we always say in the military, the best plans in the world get thrown out the window once you hit the ground. That is no different for these true warriors. Murphy's Law was present, but they adapted and overcame and rather than a couple of months of train-up, they had literally days before they were thrown into the fight.
The courage and bravery of not only the 11-man A-team, but also the courage and guts of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) rescue pilots is demonstrated in this book. These guys flew the first daytime missions into Afghanistan, over populated areas and some of the crew had only been in the area for a few hours. Sadly the incompetence and fear of the Marine Commander at Camp Rhino is also portrayed and I am sure it will make you as mad as it made me. Especially seeing who that Marine General was and what he eventually became to be. I can also say (as I had blogged on here before) that this book changed my mind about Hamid Karzai. I have said some very non-so-nice things about Karzai on this blog many times, but after reading this book I have to be honest when I say that I have a lot more respect for Karzai now than I ever did before. Not to say Karzai is perfect, but at least I know how he used to be and where his roots are in the Global War on Terror.
The whole story is told in this book, from the impact of 9/11/01 on these guys and our military, to the planning process and decision making, to the decisions entrusted to a Captain (Now-Major Jason Amerine will be interviewed on You Served Radio on Feb 18th, 2010 at [...] and 10 of his men to how things tend to get screwed up when higher command go against their own doctrine and micro-manage competent professionals.
There is no doubt that as the years pass, more and more "history" books will be written about the war in Afghanistan. But you don't have to wait long to find out how our forces inserted cold into the southern part of the country, with no support network, cut off from the rest of the world while deep behind enemy lines. How they ensured that the person who would eventually be selected to lead Afghanistan (three times) stayed alive and how all of them were either wounded or killed doing it. But for those that died, they knew it was THE ONLY THING WORTH DYING FOR.

This book is simply amazing. Mr. Blehm not only writes an extremely informative and insightful account of true American Heroes, but he also creates a readable book that you can't put down. This is the first of Mr. Blehm's books that I've read. However, I plan on reading many more in the future. He is truly talented.

Eric Blehm couldn't have portrayed the story, both victories and defeats, of Specials Forces ODA 574 any better. Blehm clearly placed a high premium on accuracy by interviewing numerous members of ODA 574 as well as other major players - including Afghan president Hamid Karzai. As a future Army officer myself, the realism and attention to detail really sets this book apart from other similar books. Additionally, Blehm's writing clearly displays the emotion each member of ODA 574 put into their mission. The men may not have known at the time that Hamid Karzai would become president, but they knew that their roles would change Afghanistan forever. The story of ODA 574 certainly had its ups and downs but Blehm captures the determination of team to complete their mission despite sometimes overwhelming odds. It is accessible to everyone, whether or not they are especially familiar with the military.Overall, The Only Thing Worth Dying For is wonderfully written and meticulously researched.

Eric Blehm did a great thing with this book on many levels. Great for the families involved, the soldiers, and from a pure informative and entertainment perspective as well. It's amazing how many untold mysteries come out of wars and it takes someone like Eric and the families involved to really uncover what happened. Excellent read...

What an important book for our generation, especially for those of us who have never experienced war or simply don't understand what our service men and women are up against everyday to help protect innocent people and freedoms around the world. Eric Blehm's ability to tell this amazing story through these real life characters was simply fascinating and heartbreaking. I felt like I was there with them during this mission, and I still can't stop thinking about this story. My heart goes out to everyone affected by the tragedies of war. I truly believe this book will inspire generations to come, and I highly recommend this book to all Americans, Democrat or Republican, Pro-War or Anti-War. Thank you for having the courage and fortitude to stay true to the facts, and write this important book Mr. Blehm, and thank you to all of our military men and women who risk their lives everyday to protect our freedom.

This is the first time I've tracked down a book's author simply to email him: "Wow!" I read a lot and haven't read a better military story. So many rich angles are covered well blending research and quotes while carefully setting each situation's context. It has a compelling tone of being unglamorized truth.

Likely to be a book that will become part of each soldier's family legacy (except maybe Fox and Mattis). Well done!

The book was so good that I couldn't stop reading it. I looked forward to getting home from work every day just to read the book. The story in itself is fascinating, and the author does a great job of telling it. It is intense and enjoyable. I highly recommend it.

I have had the pleasure to read this gripping tale of the account of the 11 man Green Beret Team that escorted Karzai into Afghanistan, from Pakistan, a few short weeks after the horrors of 9-11. Anyone who wishes to read an objective, incredibly well researched account of a seminal point in the development of Afghan freedom, owes it to themselves to read this book. It is the true story of the men we entrust with our own freedom and the championing of freedom in distant lands.

Thank you Eric for your brutal and honest commitment to accuracy and for helping to peel back the onion skin of a complex contemporary issue.

This is a vivid story for anyone looking for their next page-turner! For anyone who wants to partake in the dialogue regarding Afganistan's government and Hamid Karzi's rise to power, this is a must read! Fascinating and relevant.

I read Eric Blehm's first book, "The Last Season," and picked up this one because I really liked his writing style. The Only Thing Worth Dying For is even better. His writing style is fluid and captivating; the story is compelling. Thank you to all of our service members for your sacrifices. Thank you to Mr. Blehm for telling their stories so thoughtfully.

This is simply the best book I have read in several years. I could not put it down. While I rarely read fiction, the narrative of this book read better than most fictional accounts. Throughout the book I was struck with how masterfully Eric was able to weave together details from so many sources into a compelling, engrossing, and evocative story. It is rare to find such a meticulously researched book, where the historical backdrop and the background of the people involved is weaved into the storyline is such a way where it does not feel like you are digressing from the main narrative. When I finished reading "The Only Thing Worth Dying For" I was struck with the poignancy of the story, incredible respect for the men involved, pride for our men and women in the armed forces, and concern for the way our military machine operates. I don' feel like Blem took any sides in portraying the account and really offered a view as a neutral observer allowing you to draw your own conclusions. Several days later I still have vivid images in my head from certain parts of this book, and find myself reflecting upon the situation all of these people and our country find ourselves in.

This is by far the best book on the contemporary U.S. war in Afghanistan published thus far. Eric Blehm is both a gifted storyteller and a meticulous researcher. He makes you feel like you are on the ground in Afghanistan, serving as a member of a Special Forces "A-team."

The narrative recounts the struggles of a small group of men who defeated the Taliban in their tribal heartland and brought Hamid Karzai to power in 2001. Despite our American fascination with technology and firepower, war remains a uniquely human endeavor. Blehm's characters are fully developed because he captures the human condition in extraordinary circumstances: valor and cowardice, the altruistic and the self-interested, skill and luck.

Those of us who directly participated in these events have praised this book as the first one to paint the full picture of what happened after 9/11. Accurately capturing every facet of this strategic turning point required exhaustive research. The author interviewed everyone from Special Forces teammates to Afghan President Karzai. He uses official documents, but steers clear of CIA or Department of Defense self-appraisals that paint an overly flattering picture. In total, this provides the reader with a visceral understanding of both modern combat and the timeless concepts of the fog and friction of war.

"The Only Thing Worth Dying For" is an engrossing read that is also enlightening. Eric Blehm provides a rare look at Hamid Karzai as our nation makes pivotal decisions on the way forward in Afghanistan. And as our nation grapples with terrorist threats in places like Yemen and Somalia, this book provides a lesson in succeeding on the ground without a large commitment of forces.

I don't normally read books of this genre, but I'm a policy junkie and was curious to see what the book would say about Hamid Karzai before his ascendancy to the Afghan presidency. What surprised me most about the book, however, was how quickly Blehm's writing drew me into the personal narratives of the ODA-574 team. Blehm has crafted a captivating narrative of the early part of the war in Afghanistan and the personal costs born by the brave individuals serving in our military. This is a must read book for those who want to read an incredible war story filled with action and adventure but also a lot of depth and insight into the role Special Forces teams play within the US military.

As a reader addicted to military history and accounts of warriors who have actually fought the battles, I am blown away by this book. The author has done exhaustive research and portrays the events that took place with this SF team with very detailed descriptions of technology, tactics, mission planning all as if these men were friends of yours. Eric Blehm takes you inside their lives, their personal conflicts and triumphs, and let's you understand how men can do exceptional things with exceptional commitment to their mission and themselves! The men under Captain Jason Amerine depict why the Green Berets and their other SF brothers are capable of overcoming adversity that couldn't be planned for through constant preparation and unwavering committment. Given the ability to think on their feet and to take action as required when required time after time. I couldn't put this book down. I encourage you to pick this book up, strap yourself in, and be prepared to feel tired, dirty, sweaty, and completely exhausted as SF Team ODA 574 accomplish great things under the leadership of a young captain who believes in his men and trusts them to protect each other...and Hamid Karzai, from the Taliban and the 11th century tribal system inside of Afghanistan that could become a civil war destroying everything.
My heart felt thanks to the men and women of our armed forces and to those capable of earning selection into the special forces. You truly stand above the average man...and I'm glad you do!
Now it's time to pick up more Eric Blehm...he is a wonderful author.

Eric did indeed spend a LOT of time talking to all the ODA team members/families to get the exact details. Awesome read to date the most to the point and right on regarding what happened in Afghanistan with this specific ODA.