"Enemies" Trilogy and "Unintended Consequences"

[roo_ster]

Carl hit the nail on the head.

 

[baz]

Contra Ross' attempt to defend critics, the problem with UC is not the language, it is the sex. How exactly is a menage a trois with a promiscuous bisexual stripper essential to the message of UC? It isn't. Henry Bowman's relationship with Cindy, and her character, is simply puerile fantasy. The notion of an abused female who becomes an empowered advocate of the Second Amendment willing to kill is one thing. The way this is developed in Cindy's character and Henry's relationship to her in UC is something else. It is without literary defense.

I don't use vulgar language. I realize that some people do, and that depiction of such characters in books or movies is not realistic if the language is toned down excessively. Movies or books that are a constant assault of such vulgar language turn me off, and I neither read them, or watch them. Where it is incidental to the plot as a whole, in order to faithfully represent a character, and is not simply an artist asserting his or her right to be offensive, give it an "R rating" and use "parental guidance" in deciding whether or not to let teens read (or watch) it. If the gratuitous and juvenile sex were removed from the book, I'd give it qualified recommendation to mature adults, and let them decide whether to let teens read it. But as it stands, I cannot recommend it to anybody I respect.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

I just bought Enemies Foreign and Domestic from amazon.com last week. I read 200 pages of this book, last Saturday. I could not put it down, a real page turner. This book is awesome! I'm definitely going to order the 2nd installment, Domestic Enemies, the Reconquista. I'm enjoying this book very much, its worth every penny.

 

[mindwip]

Contra Ross' attempt to defend critics, the problem with UC is not the language, it is the sex. How exactly is a menage a trois with a promiscuous bisexual stripper essential to the message of UC? It isn't. Henry Bowman's relationship with Cindy, and her character, is simply puerile fantasy. The notion of an abused female who becomes an empowered advocate of the Second Amendment willing to kill is one thing. The way this is developed in Cindy's character and Henry's relationship to her in UC is something else. It is without literary defense.

There are many things in a book that are not "essential". For example when the main character decides to get a degree in geology, it happens in a plane rid. That whole trip could be taken out of the book with no real effect, its not Essential. Could just be one sentence, Main char. starts going to Geo. classes. But why take it out, that bit shows us more about the character, it helps us know why he does certain things, helps make an emotional connection. Bits like this are not essential to the story line, but as a whole all the bits make the connection with the characters more real, when you like/have a emotional connection to a character either good or bad, it makes you want to read the book and follow the story line.

I could write a nice story line but if the characters are never really explored then why would the reader care what happens in the story line. There is no emotional connection to turn the page.

How exactly is a menage a trois with a promiscuous bisexual stripper essential to the message of UC?

As stated it is not so much essential as it is to help build up a story/reason as to why the characters do what they do. This gives us in site into the relationship of the characters. So when later in the book, things are talked about(dont want to say what) it lets us know why they would feel comfortable in talking to each other. We have a history, we know they are comfortable with each other. We know they are relaxed people. And maybe an important one. They dont have some taboos that others have. While having sex with 3 people is not "normal" neither is "doing what they did" later in the story. This helps us understand how they were able to do the "doing what they did". By stating one thing it helps us with the other.

Henry Bowman's relationship with Cindy, and her character, is simply puerile fantasy.

The whole story is fantasy. I dont get that comment. If you mean that a guy/ Henry Bowman's relationship with Cindy having sex with 3 people is puerile fantasy. I believe that to be wrong, you can easily go to Google and type in "3 some" to find out that happens a lot. Henrys life is out of the box normal for a lot of things, breaking one taboo helps him break others in the readers eyes. Rarely do you see a character follow all laws and Social norms, and them all of a sudden start breaking every law and taboo. When a character keeps breaking taboos then it is to be expected he will do the same, and makes a more believe character. The only time this is not true is when some one goes mad/crazy or the whole story line is to get the character to change his ways 180. In that case you might have a character follow all laws, then as the character grows he will start to question him self and then will change. For the most part Henry did not change his basic character, but stayed the same through out the book. All ways doing whats right, not what hes told.

 

[Davo]

You guys need to let off of bisexual strippers. I used to live with one and she rocked. Im really gonna need to read this book.
What is this of late about J. Ross being "discredited"?.

 

[darkknight]

has anyone ever read American Retaliation by Micheal Lynch

My name is Benjamin Kelly Williams; I once served in the armed forces many years for my country before the third Great War. I had a nice house, peaceful way of life before all hell broke loose. It was as if the heavens above declared war on the surface below. Armageddon pure chaos and anarchy. Governments crumbled and fell; mighty militaries were devastated to near extinction, the simple way of life, as we all know it ceased in only a matter of days.

America my beloved country, the super power of the world was crushed and desecrated into a third world status. Our so-called allies had betrayed use using our trust to blind-side us into darkness and control. Yet there are many in our great country who would not just be swept aside and sit idle as a foreign military invaded America. True patriots who loved what our country stands for. Patriots that came from civilian and military backgrounds that still believed in a free America joined forces to take her back.

This is my story of the beginning stages of the American retaliation against dictatorship and oppression, when all Americans despite race, sex, age, and religion came together to make a difference. This was our war!

 

[Steve499]

Discredited? I've not heard about anything at all but the first thing that popped into my mind was, " Sure, and I'm supposed to believe whatever it's about?"

John Ross really crapped in the mess kits of a lot of authority types when he wrote his book. I'm sure some would try to discredit him whether there was any truth to the story or not.

Steve

 

[zenner22]

It's interesting that some of the people most vocal about some freedoms are encouraging a form of censorship. It seems that if some people were in charge, HBO would be gone and all I'd have to watch is the Disney Channel all day.

I have not read Unintended Consequences but it is on my list. It sounds like there are probably quite a few violent moments in the book too. Curious that no one is calling for a clean-up of the violence, just the sex. Somehow sex offends some people but someone getting their head blown off is just shrugged off as entertainment.

All books are not for all people, and they shouldn't be written that way. Like the off switch on TV, the choice is always there not to read it.

 

[Davo]

It's interesting that some of the people most vocal about some freedoms are encouraging a form of censorship. It seems that if some people were in charge, HBO would be gone and all I'd have to watch is the Disney Channel all day.

You got that right. If everything was made to be for everyone...everything would suck.

 

[flynlr]

tapping foot waiting impatiently for the third enemies book .

 

[Kentucky]

Received my copy of "Unintended Consequences" at work today. (UPS has had a LOT of trouble delivering for some reason, EFAD is still hung up in their system).

I was surprised by how massive this book is. Pleasantly surprised that is I was originally worried that I would finish the book tonight. Even though I am a fast reader, I wont make it through 800+ pages tonight. No wonder it cost more than some other books, it is as big as a 2-3 volume set.

 

[xsquidgator]

Received my copy of "Unintended Consequences" at work today. (UPS has had a LOT of trouble delivering for some reason, EFAD is still hung up in their system).

I was surprised by how massive this book is. Pleasantly surprised that is I was originally worried that I would finish the book tonight. Even though I am a fast reader, I wont make it through 800+ pages tonight. No wonder it cost more than some other books, it is as big as a 2-3 volume set.

Oh, you won't finish it in a day or two I don't think. I thought the middle slowed down a lot, especially as I tried to think of how what was going on was going to tie in later. But it does, and by the time you get the last 1/4 or so of the book, lookout! A page turner for sure then.

 

[alan]

Unintended Consequences has been out for several years. I've read Enemies, but hadn't seen or heard of a sequal, as I recall.

John Ross was supposed to be doing a foll on or up to Unintended Consequences. Has this ever been accomplished. His first effort was a lot more than simply interesting.

 

[anygunanywhere]

I just finished "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" last night and will start "Reconquista" this evening.

I must say, based on what I am reading about these days, this EF&D does not seem as fictional as some might think.

I expect "Reconquista" will be closer since I have read about this on the internet,

Anygun

 

[alan]

Speaking of sequels, followons or whatever one might choose to call such things, what ever happened to the above of Unintended Consequences.

It was supposed, as I recall, to have come out a while back. Has it turned out to be a "one shot" thing?

 

[Browning]

There's a third book from the Enemies Foreign and Domestic and Enemies:the Reconquista series from Bracken that will make it a trilogy?

All I want to know is what's it called and when's it coming out?

 

[alan]

Baz notes objections to UC:

Re objections to content/portions of UC, he is certainly entitled to such sensibilities as he chooses. Personally speaking, I would say that he is overdoing his objections, but as above noted, they are HIS objections.

As to UC itself, I found it more than casually interesting, notwithstanding that it likely could have been a couple of hundred pages shorter. It remains that, in my opinion, a lot of what some would consider "extraneous detail", served to fill out the how's and why's of character's actions.

In any case, it was, and remains well worth reading, quite possibly rereading. I'm still curious as to what happened to the promised, but so far unseen sequel.

 

[anygunanywhere]

I finished "Domestic Enemies" last night.

This scenario is even more plausible. If the current crop of elected and appointed in DC and Austin had been on I-45 during the hurricane Rita evacuation, the wall would be up already.

A good book on the "Reconquista" is "Remember the Alamo"


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-4929969-3237530?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=remember+the+alamo&x=21&y=26

I have "Unintended Consequences" on the stack, but will probably tackle something a little lighter.

Anygun

 

[wideym]

You all should read "The Road to Damascus" by John Ringo and Linda Evans. Once I started I couldn't put it down. I'd rate it at "Starship Troopers" level.

I also read Card's "Empire" last week and found it seriously lacking. Enders Game was a good book when I was in high school, but I re-read it a couple of months ago and wasn't that impressed now that I'm older and have matured.

 

[ilbob]

I just read a book called One Day On Mars. It is SciFi with some pretty good gun play (mostly more advanced guns then we have today mind you). Its about a rebellion on Mars after the USA has pretty much taken over most of the world. Its told mostly from the POV of a US senator sent to Mars to mediate the crisis. Of course the senator knows it is hopeless because he is a nobody so there was never any intent to actually solve the problem with the Mars colonists, but as a (former) marine, he does his duty, and even gets in some serious action.

The book tells the story of heroics by the US forces against the rebels, and their sacrifices to protect civilians, perhaps a reminder that even if you are the bad guys you aren't entirely bad.

There is an ironic twist when the book unveils the identity of the mysterious general who is leading the rebels. Lots of clues in the book pointed to her identity, so it was not a huge surprise when it was revealed, but it made sense.

It is $6 in electronic format at webscriptions.net.

http://www.webscription.net/p-645-one-day-on-mars.aspx

 

[ilbob]

You all should read "The Road to Damascus" by John Ringo and Linda Evans. Once I started I couldn't put it down. I'd rate it at "Starship Troopers" level.

https://www.webscription.net/p-355-the-road-to-damascus.aspx

$5