UC is one of my annual re-reads. One reason is that it is an unabashed celebration of a gun culture. I think there are many and the one portrayed has some elements similar to mine and some that are interestingly different.
Another, is that it is a thought provoking "what if?" scenario. Probably not very likely, but sometimes you have to paint outside the lines to draw attention to underlying themes. While none of us would run off to shoot the jack booted AG of the time, how many of us enjoyed the fantasy? UC makes you think just how deplorable some of the government policies and actions have been, to the point that it could be imagined that otherwise normal citizens could take such drastic retribution.
I think many private pilots would enjoy the FAA scenes in the same way many of gun owners enjoyed the 2A scenes. Mr. Ross did an expert job of aligning the gun outrages with similar ones in aviation and in general government attitude and practices. Few gun novels go beyond just guns.
Plus, I like that UC paints a picture of people enjoying guns long before it was "cool" or "uncivilized"; back then it was just normal. And then it shows how those same normal people are driven to extraordinary actions by outrageous government abuses.
The extreme situations portrayed in UC makes me think, if I don't want things to get that out of control then I better do whatever I can as a citizen and a father to prevent it now. And to prepare for further abuses just in case. Sort of like Mr. Ross asking his readers, "Want to see how bad it can get if you sit there doing nothing? Fine, let's take a look. Now do you have the gumption to act like those heroes or would you rather vote, write and act now to prevent that having to occur?"
Admittedly the main characters are way wealthier than I ever was or will be. But W.E.B. Griffin has the same type type of characters for his Brotherhood of War series. He seems to be a pretty successful writer. A wealthy character can so many interesting things that a blue collar guy could never do. I have to control my envious urges when I read UC, but let someone else write the blue collar UC. Ross' book is good.
Anyway, I could do without the sex stuff, but that was the author's choice and the guts of the book are too important to ignore. It is on my list with Boston's Gun Bible, Molon Labe, and Rawles Patriots among many others.
Highly recommended book, especially to young people who never knew a time when kids roamed the woods with rifles, when a rifle was a treasured birthday gift, self-defense was a responsibility assumed and expected of any worthy man, and government was not allowed to strip a man of his life or property without trial.
what if...
Another, is that it is a thought provoking "what if?" scenario. Probably not very likely, but sometimes you have to paint outside the lines to draw attention to underlying themes. While none of us would run off to shoot the jack booted AG of the time, how many of us enjoyed the fantasy? UC makes you think just how deplorable some of the government policies and actions have been, to the point that it could be imagined that otherwise normal citizens could take such drastic retribution.
I think many private pilots would enjoy the FAA scenes in the same way many of gun owners enjoyed the 2A scenes. Mr. Ross did an expert job of aligning the gun outrages with similar ones in aviation and in general government attitude and practices. Few gun novels go beyond just guns.
Plus, I like that UC paints a picture of people enjoying guns long before it was "cool" or "uncivilized"; back then it was just normal. And then it shows how those same normal people are driven to extraordinary actions by outrageous government abuses.
The extreme situations portrayed in UC makes me think, if I don't want things to get that out of control then I better do whatever I can as a citizen and a father to prevent it now. And to prepare for further abuses just in case. Sort of like Mr. Ross asking his readers, "Want to see how bad it can get if you sit there doing nothing? Fine, let's take a look. Now do you have the gumption to act like those heroes or would you rather vote, write and act now to prevent that having to occur?"
Admittedly the main characters are way wealthier than I ever was or will be. But W.E.B. Griffin has the same type type of characters for his Brotherhood of War series. He seems to be a pretty successful writer. A wealthy character can so many interesting things that a blue collar guy could never do. I have to control my envious urges when I read UC, but let someone else write the blue collar UC. Ross' book is good.
Anyway, I could do without the sex stuff, but that was the author's choice and the guts of the book are too important to ignore. It is on my list with Boston's Gun Bible, Molon Labe, and Rawles Patriots among many others.
Highly recommended book, especially to young people who never knew a time when kids roamed the woods with rifles, when a rifle was a treasured birthday gift, self-defense was a responsibility assumed and expected of any worthy man, and government was not allowed to strip a man of his life or property without trial.
what if...
x2 so far
Different strokes for different folks I guess. Those of two of my favorite fictional novels.
