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Torturous Read

Customer Rating:
I really liked the idea of a survival manual in the guise of fiction so I went against my better judgement and ordered this book without first checking it out of the library as I normally do. If you've ever read a short story or essay written by an 8th grader, that pretty much sums up this book. From start to finish(well, I can't say "finish" because I can't finish it!) the plot is excruciatingly slow, the characters are underdeveloped and stiff, and the dialog extremely stilted. It is so boring I just can't stand the thought of picking it up again. To make matters worse, the author makes it so difficult to glean the knowledge necessary regarding survival in any sort of disaster. The information is so jumbled you would need to have pen and paper in hand taking notes as you read. There is NO reference section, NO summation of supplies, NO index.
Buy some hunting and survival manuals instead, the information that you desire will be easier to locate.

I recommend Crisis Prepardness Handbook by Jack Spigarelli, When All Hell Breaks Loose by Cody Lundin, How to Survive Anything, Anywhere by Chris McNab, Storey's Basic Country Skills by John and Martha Storey, The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It by John Seymour, Wild Turkeys:Hunting and Watching by John Mettler and Cooking with Sunshine by Lorraine Anderson. There are many great books out there on the topic of survival, just not this one.
Finally, I can't stress enough in this economy that you check out any book from the library BEFORE you buy.

A good read

Customer Rating:
I originally thought the title of this book sounded interesting, so purchased it. I am a 38-yr-old mother of three children, so do not fit the typical MO that one would assume would be reading this material. However, there are not enough words to explain just how interesting this book was. I found myself totally engaged in this novel; moreover, its characters and their incredible resourcefulness was impressive read indeed! One doesn't just read a good story when reading this material, one is actually learning valuable information. Reading this novel has changed my outlook completely on several things, things that I never gave much thought to prior to now. A warning to readers - don't buy the book unless you enjoy staying up late at night w/a cup of good coffee. Also, with an English major background, I must congratulate Mr. Rawles on very proper writing techniques. He writes this book in a way that is not too technical, yet not too easy. It is a good medium level read that I think people will easily read, understand, and enjoy.

A Chilling Reminder

Customer Rating:
I have recently finished Patriots, and in record time. This book is compelling and a timely reminder of what can happen if society falls apart. The author is adept at weaving in story line with useful information and scenarios to learn from. It is better to learn from the characters in this worse case situation than to suffer the mistakes on you own in a real emergency. Excellent read and always recommended.

Guns, guns, guns!

Customer Rating:
This book is about guns, guns, guns! Don't get this if you are looking for useful survival information, or even good fiction. Every page is nothing but guns, weapons, and/or military drills and guard duty. Seriously, I'm not exaggerating.

Prophetic?

Customer Rating:
This book of fiction seems prophetic in predicting one possible outcome to today's economic crisis. Written years before the current economic mess, it is uncannily.

The struggle to stay alive by this group of survivalists could be a warning for those of us who were late to understand the possibilities of the current crisis to get our act together and prepare for an uncertain future.

The story of their efforts to survive the chaos of the post-crisis world and the attempted imposition of a UN imposed governmental framework seems real close to a certainty. The ruthless use of foreign forces to establish a new government, which allies itself with an UN effort to control the once mighty United States, sound and feel like a probability, especially for those who doubt the UN and its attitude toward the United States.

The group's eventual overall success sounds less than probable but it is a good, page turning read.

Honey, we better get our supplies ready! The stuff may have hit the fan.