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  • 12 Strong

  • The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers
  • Written by: Doug Stanton
  • Narrated by: Jack Garrett
  • Length: 16 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (53 ratings)

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12 Strong cover art

12 Strong

Written by: Doug Stanton
Narrated by: Jack Garrett
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Publisher's Summary

"A thrilling action ride of a book" (The New York Times Book Review) - from Jerry Bruckheimer in theaters everywhere January 19, 2018 - the New York Times best-selling, true-life account of a US Special Forces team deployed to dangerous, war-ridden Afghanistan in the weeks following 9/11.

Previously published as Horse Soldiers, 12 Strong is the dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who secretly entered Afghanistan following 9/11 and rode to war on horses against the Taliban. Outnumbered 40 to one, they pursued the enemy army across the mountainous Afghanistan terrain and, after a series of intense battles, captured the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. The bone-weary American soldiers were welcomed as liberators as they rode into the city. Then the action took a wholly unexpected turn.

During a surrender of 600 Taliban troops, the Horse Soldiers were ambushed by the would-be POWs. Dangerously overpowered, they fought for their lives in the city's immense fortress, Qala-i-Janghi, or the House of War. At risk were the military gains of the entire campaign: if the soldiers perished or were captured, the entire effort to outmaneuver the Taliban was likely doomed.

"A riveting story of the brave and resourceful American warriors who rode into Afghanistan after 9/11 and waged war against Al Qaeda" (Tom Brokaw), Doug Stanton's account touches the mythic. The soldiers on horses combined ancient strategies of cavalry warfare with 21st-century aerial bombardment technology to perform a seemingly impossible feat. Moreover, their careful effort to win the hearts of local townspeople proved a valuable lesson for America's ongoing efforts in Afghanistan. With "spellbinding...action packed prose...The book reads more like a novel than a military history...the Horse Soldier's secret mission remains the US military's finest moment in what has since arguably been a muddled war" (USA TODAY).

©2009 Doug Stanton (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

What the critics say

“A fascinating account…This is not just a battle story - it’s also about the home front. An important book.” ( The Today Show)
“A thrilling action ride of a book.” (Bruce Barcott, cover of The New York Times Book Review)

What listeners say about 12 Strong

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Take it with a grain of salt.

First of all, this book should t be read or presented as non fiction but more so as historical fiction. With the recurrent theme of the author getting basic open source facts wrong, misconstruing events, assigning credit to those undeserving, hiding the mistakes of some and laying blame on others, along with his constant injection of his opinion, its about as historically accurate as most historical fiction works. The author works with a clear agenda, overplay the role of senior US Army Special Operation personal, while hiding their blunders. At the same time he consistently undercuts the role of the Afghans, the CIA teams in county and the ODA’s, while assigning the blame for their leaderships blunders to them.

There are more accurate books out there that are better written and read. Read them instead.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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So awesome!

At first I disliked the narrators voice- too soft but I got used to it. I got the book as well because sometimes I couldn’t believe what I heard and had to read it physically!

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Interesting story poorly written

The facts surrounding US Special Forces in Afghanistan during the immediate aftermath of 9/11 are worth reading about. But this book is poorly written. Far better books of this genre out there.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Would not recommend.

If you can handle 15 hours of Zap Brannigan reading to you this book might be for you. Found it difficult to keep my attention.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting Story

This book really gave me a good perspective of the beginning of the war in Afghanistan. It is interesting because the story line is a little different than most books of its kind, because it really does tell an unusual story. There are some pretty amazing events related in this book. It is certainly worth listening to..

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    3 out of 5 stars
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good story, flawed telling

the story of the Special Forces soldiers is amazing, I just find that the author put a little too much of his own opinion into the main storytelling. the little bit he does at the end is fine, because that section is legitimately just for him telling his opinion. but when he sprinkles it throughout the book it kind of takes away from the reality of the story.

also, it could just be me but it took me awhile to get used to the reader.

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Amazing true story

An amazing true story
What it takes to do right and win under the hardest of odds

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