Not Superman - Real Man With Incredible Courage

What made the experience of listening to Trident the most enjoyable?

I read a lot of memoirs and other nonfiction books about American men at war. The Trident is not just another book about the hell of BUDS or Seals doing heroic things. It has those elements, but it is different in showing that Seals are real flesh and blood men, not supermen and cartoon type superheroes. The author is brutally honest about his own mistakes and flaws, a big one being buying into the superman myth to the point of arrogance and thinking he was invincible and didn't have to live by the rules. You could call this a rise and fall then rise again story. And all of that is before he is deployed to Iraq where he is catastrophically wounded.
Mr. Redman also shows how much politics harms our troops. His Seal unit was punished after it succeeded in a night raid where they captured the "rocket man," an Afghan who was making bombs to kill and maim Americans. Unfortunately, rocket man was one of Karzai's good friends, and Karzai threw a fit. So, the killer was turned loosed, and the commanding US general wouldn't let Redman's unit go outside the wire any more.
I never thought I'd read a book where a Navy Seal admits that Army Ranger school is as tough as BUDS but he does. The story of how he was forced to go to Ranger school after already serving in the Seals for over a decade is worth reading the book.
And after he was wounded, his will to recover and help other wounded vets shows how courageous and noble a man he is.

What did you like best about this story?

Shows that the Seals are not mythical supermen or cartoon characters, but real men with incredible courage and determination, and they and their families are not invincible - they suffer and bleed.

Which character – as performed by Erik Bergmann – was your favorite?

Jason Redman

Any additional comments?

It also shows that these extraordinary men are often sent on fool's errands and misused by their superiors and the politicians.

11 people found this helpful

The honesty is overwhelming.

What made the experience of listening to Trident the most enjoyable?

The story is put together well. While starting out at what is a life changing event, it nicely drops back in time to explain how Redman got to that point and what brought him past it.

What did you like best about this story?

The brutal honesty Redman has about his flaws, how he did not see them and why. We are all like him but my flaws don't have the life or death impact a person in a position as him has.

What about Erik Bergmann’s performance did you like?

Great! His voice and inflection was perfect at sensitive times as well as heroic.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I would not say extreme, but more riveted. I could not quit listening wondering how Redman would react to his next situation.

Any additional comments?

Of read a lot of other books from Special Forces Operators, but this is by far the best. I do believe it will be used for years in leadership training. The way Redman identified flaws and then corrected them is supreme, but more telling is his love and honor of his wife. This book is loaded for a spectrum of different genre readers.

11 people found this helpful

SEALS and Leadership

Jason Redman had wanted to become a SEAL from a very early age. He made that dream come true. However, he had never internalized what it meant to be a leader. Redman did not respond well to criticism. He pretended to listen to other's but never considered that they might have good ideas. Instead, he did it the Redman way.

Redman's fellow team member's raised their hands high when asked if they considered Redman as a bad leader of men. Each man in turn refused to be a member of his squad. He had been reported to have put himself and the member's of his team in danger. There was no trust.

Redman's commander had no recourse but to hold a council meeting to decide if the coveted Trident that he wore should be taken away. There was one man participating in the council meeting who had worked with Redman who was adamant that he should be made to turn his Trident in.

A scathing letter had been written by the council's leader. Redman was shaken to his core after reading the report. He was told that the only way that letter could stay out of his permanent file was if Redman agreed to go to Ranger School to learn leadership skills. Redman was quite angry and did not concede that his leadership skills were lacking. However, he agreed to attend Ranger School because he did not want to give up his military career.

There were a few men who watched him closely during Ranger training. He had been taken aside and told that he needed to change his attitude and start putting all of his effort forward in order to survive. The Ranger's were the best when it came to leadership.

Redman continued with his bad attitude when he began his time with the Rangers. He requested to leave the Ranger's. His request was accepted and he would be taken back to his SEAL team in a few days. The letter that had been written would now become a permanent file in Redman's record and he would have to leave the SEALS.


Redman had an epiphany while trying to get to sleep. He realized, that instead of taking responsibility for his own actions, he always blamed his short comings on someone else. He withdrew his request to leave the Ranger's and made a commitment to himself that he could do his best and not allow that letter to be put into his permanent file. Redman wanted to stay a SEAL.

This memoir was very well written. I was reluctant to purchase this book because I had already read many books about the SEALS. However, I was wrong. The story of Jason Redman was a great listen. The narrator made listening enjoyable. This memoir only touches lightly on the rigors it takes to become a SEAL. The reader will know Jason Redman when he or she finishes this book. The character's are well developed and there is suspense and action. I don't think you will regret purchasing this book.

9 people found this helpful

Great story, well read! Really affected me.

What made the experience of listening to Trident the most enjoyable?

This is a lesson of personal redemption as Lt. Redman gets a second chance after nearly blowing his career. This is one committed Naval Officer! Erik Bergman is a very talented reader; he sounded really connected to the story which was surprising in its depth.

Which scene was your favorite?

The most powerful images in the book were when Lt. Redman was traveling for medical attention after suffering devastating facial injuries in battle. The reaction of fellow travelers upset him by the lack of awareness and appreciation for the sacrifice of the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Too many of us take those in our armed services for granted. My outlook has been changed. I am glad there are so many committed men and women out there looking out for us.

Any additional comments?

Every American citizen that enjoys the freedoms that too many of us take for granted should read this book! You will learn to be a better citizen.

7 people found this helpful

Gripping story.

Finished listening to The Trident by Jason Redman last night. I enjoyed the story and the narrator Erik Bergmann. The best one sentence review I can give it is sometimes it takes a swift kick in the butt to get your attention. His recovery story is inspiring should serve as a model for others who have suffered life altering traumatic wounds. It is certainly a book I will revisit from time to time.

4 people found this helpful

If you're a veteran, get ready to cry.

What did you love best about Trident?

One of the best first person accounts of the real deal. Every good as "Battle Ready" but so different.GOD bless our men and women in uniform.

2 people found this helpful

Amazing

I’m an 18 year old that needs lots of inspiration. Hearing this story has taught me so much, and reading this book has changed my perspective in so many ways. By far the best book I have ever read.

1 person found this helpful

Great story

This is a fantastic story. It will make any true man examine his motives for his actions whether civilian or soldier. Definitely worth listening to.

1 person found this helpful

From Arrogance and Cockiness to Genuine Humility

Where does Trident rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is the story of Jason Redman, a Navy SEAL, who ultimately overcame many obstacles to become a success story of sorts. As the title mentions, he forged himself into becoming a SEAL (for, as he put it, many of the wrong reasons). Because of his attitude, and lack of obedience, he gets himself into trouble with his Task Unit. So much so, that he almost gets himself kicked out of the elite teams.While serving his "punishment" in Ranger school he comes to realize his mistakes, and the reasons he joined the teams, may not have been genuinely the right reasons that would make him the ultimate operator. From this moment forward he found and truly understood his weakness and what others were saying about him, and moved forward Reforging his career. He went on to become a high performing operator, and just as he was "making his comeback," he became critically injured in a high risk op. The book was a great read and keeps you engaged throughout. In the beginning you see this somewhat arrogant and cocky guy who becomes a SEAL, then makes some mistakes. He then realizes the severity of his mistakes, and tries to become a better person and SEAL, and you begin to root for him. Just when everything is looking up for him, he gets injured. Overall, it's a great read and highly recommended if you like SOF, motivational, success story books.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jason Redman

1 person found this helpful

Life is Better than Fiction Personified

Would you consider the audio edition of Trident to be better than the print version?

Yes, the reader brought the story to life. It was mesmoriing and I listened straight through in a few sittings.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jason Redman of course.

What about Erik Bergmann’s performance did you like?

His voice showed respect and honor to the life and victories of Jason Redman. The emotions and voice changes paint the picture perfectly.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I too have spent months in hospitals and when Jason first saw his children after being shot it was very emotional.

Any additional comments?

This was my first ever audible book, and although I doubt future books will be as good as TheTrident, the "listening" was great.

1 person found this helpful