Five paramilitary Navy SEAL operators defend the residents of a remote mountain farming village in Afghanistan from attacks by marauding Taliban. Led by the war-weary Hector, the operators and villagers form mutual bonds of honor and respect leading up to a climactic battle where the "Lions of Panjshir" are desperately outnumbered. Based on a story concept by Christopher McQuarrie, screenwriter of The Usual Suspects and director of the recent feature film Jack Reacher, this modern re-imagining of Akira Kurosawa's classic Seven Samurai set within the lens of the current Afghan conflict is given dramatic authenticity by co-writers Mark Long (The Silence of Our Friends, Shrapnel) and Dan Capel (founding member of SEAL Team Six), and includes a forward by first command officer of SEAL Team Six, military consultant Richard Marcinko. This deluxe limited edition hardcover comes packed with a sealed envelope containing story-related artifacts and documents pulled from within the world of Rubicon, expanding on the events in an interactive, puzzle-like fashion.
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There's not much to love about this book. The art can sometimes be great, but more often than not it's muddy. My best guess is this is done intentionally to simulate the confusion of war, but I was frequently confused as to who was on which side. I knew whose side the Americans were on, but it was necessary for them to tell you who was killed because you had no attachment, didn't know the names, and had a hard time realizing who was killed from panel to panel.
I think the biggest crime of this whole book is that it's too short. Instead of feeling like an epic last stand, it comes across as a chore, something they're taking care of in a day or two.