Fearless by Eric Blehm

Some people believe that heroes are born.
Others believe that heroes are made.
A few believe that certain individuals are destined to become heroes.

What do you believe?

After reading the story of Adam Brown – an American patriot and Navy SEAL who overcame incredible odds to serve his country and, ultimately, sacrificed his life in service to a cause he believed in and a country he loved – I cannot help but think there is a bit of truth in each of those theories.

Fearless by Eric Blehm is the true story of an undersized daredevil from Arkansas whose greatest dream as a young boy was to play football like his big brother Shawn. In high school, Adam prospered as the proverbial big fish in a small pond. When Adam entered college, however, he found himself in an environment where he no longer excelled. Unable to handle the transition, he began a downward spiral and soon fell in with the wrong crowd.

One bad decision led to another. Before long, Adam was spiraling down a path where death and destruction seemed like a more likely outcome than a future full of commendations and medals. But, fortunately, the story does not end there.

God had a plan for Adam’s life, and these pit stops were nothing that God could not redeem.

In Fearless, Eric Blehm masterfully recounts how Adam overcomes a dark past of homelessness, jail and addiction to crack cocaine as well as disabling on-the-job injuries to rise to the ranks of the military’s elite. In spite of the adversities Adam faces along the way – or perhaps because of them – Adam ultimately rises to the top tier of the military and serves as a member of the elite Navy SEAL Team SIX – the counter-terrorism unit that ultimately becomes famous for taking down Osama Bin Laden.

What makes Fearless such a great story, however, is that Eric doesn’t focus solely on Adam’s military feats or his role as a warrior. He focuses on his faith and his humanity. Fearless tells the story of a loving son, husband and father who lived life to the fullest and who gave that life for the people and country he loved.

I’d like to share this journal entry that he wrote to his young children in case the worst was to happen to him:

I’m not afraid of anything that might happen to me on this Earth because I know no matter what, nothing can take my spirit from me… How much it pains me… to think about not watching my boy excel in life, or giving my little baby girl away in marriage… Buddy I’ll be there, you’ll feel me there when you steal your first base, smash someone on the football field, make all A’s. I’ll be there for all of your achievements. But much more, Buddy, I’ll be there for every failure. Remember, I know tears, I know pain and disappointment, and I will be there for you with every drop. You cannot disappoint me. I understand!

From the moment I picked up Fearless, I was hooked as I read about a man who was as reckless as he was courageous, as flawed as he was heroic. I not only appreciated his story and his sacrifice, but the stories and the sacrifices of his family, friends, and fellow SEALS as well.

I highly recommend this book, although due to its subject matter, you will find it grittier than most of the books reviewed on this site.

For More Information:

• Visit the Fearless Website
• Read Fearless, Chapter 1

Fearless Book Trailer

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About Eric Blehm

Eric Blehm is a New York Times bestselling non-fiction author who has won critical acclaim and numerous awards for his books, which include The Last Season and The Only Thing Worth Dying For. He is also the founder of Molly The Owl Books, the independent publishing company behind a popular award-winning nonfiction children’s book about a barn owl and her family. Eric currently resides in Southern California with his wife and children and his working on his next book.

More Great Resources

If you like this book, you may also enjoy:

• A Heart For Freedom by Chai Ling
• No Greater Love by Levi Benkert
• Now I Walk On Death Roy by Dale S. Recinella

For more great books, visit Create With Joy – Book Reviews!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from the Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for review purposes. I was not compensated for this review, nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.