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The Enemies Trilogy #1
Enemies Foreign And Domestic
(568 pages in print edition)BULLETS RAIN DOWN UPON A PACKED FOOTBALL STADIUM, killing dozens, and triggering a panic stampede which leads to a thousand more deaths. A police marksman kills the sniper, a mentally unbalanced Desert Storm veteran holding a smoking assault rifle. It's an open and shut case, or so America is led to believe... In the aftermath of the stadium massacre, an outraged public demands an end to the threat posed by assault rifles, and Congress passes emergency legislation banning their private possession. American gun owners have one week to turn in their semi-automatic rifles, or face mandatory five year federal prison terms. Jimmy Shifflett, the alleged stadium sniper, is linked to a shadowy "gun club" in southeastern Virginia, which the FBI believes is a cover for a secret right wing militia terror group. Those who knew Shifflett the best don't believe he was a member of any militia, or that he was guilty of the horrific mass murder. But if he didn't fire the "assault rifle" into the stadium, who did, and why? A small band of Virginians, thrown together by fate, is forced to undertake a desperate odyssey through a minefield of government blackmail, official deception and covert death squads, to discover the truth behind the stadium massacre, and save their own lives.
568 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 11, 2003
567 people are currently reading
1008 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Bracken
11 books101 followersMatt Bracken was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1957 and graduated from the University of Virginia in 1979 with a degree in Russian Studies. He was commissioned in the US Navy through the NROTC program at UVA, and then graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training class 105 in Coronado California. He served on east coast UDT and SEAL teams, taking a Naval Special Warfare detachment to Beirut in 1983. Mr. Bracken left active duty after Lebanon, upon completion of his obligated military service, but he remained in an active reserve status through the remainder of the 1980s. Since then he has lived in Florida, Virginia, South Carolina, Guam and California. In 1993 Mr. Bracken finished building a 48-foot steel sailing cutter of his own design, on which he has done extensive ocean cruising, including a solo voyage 9,000 miles from Panama to Guam and two Panama Canal transits.
Matt is a self-described freedomista who loves ocean sailing for the pure freedom it often permits. He is a constitutionalist who believes in the original intent of the founding fathers of our country. He lives with his family in North Florida and longs for the wide blue ocean.
Matt is a self-described freedomista who loves ocean sailing for the pure freedom it often permits. He is a constitutionalist who believes in the original intent of the founding fathers of our country. He lives with his family in North Florida and longs for the wide blue ocean.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
December 1, 2017
Do you watch alternative media? Do you distrust CNN (in fact all MSNBC)? Have you heard of Ben Shapiro, Gavin McInnes, Steven Crowder, Ezra Levant? Rebel Media? Have you watched Piers Morgan (sorry, British!) debating Jessie Ventura or Ted Nugent on gun control? Have you chuckled more than once (okay, more than 50 times) over Ben Shapiro accusing him (Morgan) of "standing on the graves of the children of Sandy Hook" and being a bully over gun control?
If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you absolutely must get hold of copy of this book. At one point in the Shapiro and Morgan "debate" (seriously, can you call anything Piers does debating?), the poisonous Brit does his usual bullyboy sneering tactic of asking in a supercilious way "you fear government tyranny in this country?" and Ben brilliantly replies "the fact that my grandparents and great-grandparents in Europe didn't fear this is why they are now ashes in Europe".
And so starts this novel.
A terrible mass shooting which leads to the deaths of over a thousand Americans at a game (the crowd panics and most are killed subsequent to the actual shooting through suffocation and falling--think Hillsborough 1989) horrifies the nation. The shooter is discovered to be a white, ex-army vet with a White Nationalist agenda. The wave of revulsion that follows washes through Washington and a bill to amend the second amendment is immediately voted into law. All semi-automatic weapons have to be surrendered within a week or there's an immediate penalty of five years in prison. And neighbours and friends are encouraged to dob gun owners in with rewards of up to $10,000 if they can point to anyone who they suspect of hoarding their weapons.
The execution of this storyline is uncanny. It's utterly prescient of how things will pan out. Mass hysteria fueled by fake news on CNN. Any opposition being shouted down and everyone who disagrees with the bill being called racist and homophobic and transphobic and islamophobic...literally Hitler. The fact that there's overwhelming evidence that the shooter was set up, that there's a different agenda at play here (one of gun control perhaps) is totally ignored by the mainstream media.
Once the bill is passed, the new counter-terrorism government agencies have almost unlimited power to oppress citizens--all in the name of ... freedom.
I guess anyone who is paranoid about the power of the government to know everything about you shouldn't read this book. It makes you want to take off on a boat, burning all your documentation and computers before you go. Which is exactly what the MC was trying to do (take off on his boat) when the FBI and ATFE pay him a call... When governments abuse their powers (all for your own good) then it's hard to tell federal agents from Mafia thugs. Better suits?
I will update when I've finished. But so far... phew..!
Update...I'm 50% into this now and once or twice I've had to put it down and breathe deeply. I don't think I've ever read a book which has hit home so hard. Cops go bad in novels frequently. But this is the first time I've read a book where they systematically work, with full government support, against their own patriots, ex-military and law-abiding citizens. This book should be mandated reading by every single person who enjoys or benefits from freedom. Scary stuff.
Finished. Can I give more than 5 stars? This is quite an amazing read. At one point (at one death) I literally had goosebumps break out all over.
Okay, sure, this isn't the best written book I've ever read (not by a long shot). It needs some editing--it's actually quite hard to edit your own books because you're too close and you can't see repetition. For my liking, it's too gun technical. I like guns, I don't want to make love to them... But all that aside, this is just an amazing story. I've got the next two in the series lined up to read but I need a gap to recover! I want to send this book to Ben Shapiro et al. Everyone with a part in the coming war needs to read this.
If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you absolutely must get hold of copy of this book. At one point in the Shapiro and Morgan "debate" (seriously, can you call anything Piers does debating?), the poisonous Brit does his usual bullyboy sneering tactic of asking in a supercilious way "you fear government tyranny in this country?" and Ben brilliantly replies "the fact that my grandparents and great-grandparents in Europe didn't fear this is why they are now ashes in Europe".
And so starts this novel.
A terrible mass shooting which leads to the deaths of over a thousand Americans at a game (the crowd panics and most are killed subsequent to the actual shooting through suffocation and falling--think Hillsborough 1989) horrifies the nation. The shooter is discovered to be a white, ex-army vet with a White Nationalist agenda. The wave of revulsion that follows washes through Washington and a bill to amend the second amendment is immediately voted into law. All semi-automatic weapons have to be surrendered within a week or there's an immediate penalty of five years in prison. And neighbours and friends are encouraged to dob gun owners in with rewards of up to $10,000 if they can point to anyone who they suspect of hoarding their weapons.
The execution of this storyline is uncanny. It's utterly prescient of how things will pan out. Mass hysteria fueled by fake news on CNN. Any opposition being shouted down and everyone who disagrees with the bill being called racist and homophobic and transphobic and islamophobic...literally Hitler. The fact that there's overwhelming evidence that the shooter was set up, that there's a different agenda at play here (one of gun control perhaps) is totally ignored by the mainstream media.
Once the bill is passed, the new counter-terrorism government agencies have almost unlimited power to oppress citizens--all in the name of ... freedom.
I guess anyone who is paranoid about the power of the government to know everything about you shouldn't read this book. It makes you want to take off on a boat, burning all your documentation and computers before you go. Which is exactly what the MC was trying to do (take off on his boat) when the FBI and ATFE pay him a call... When governments abuse their powers (all for your own good) then it's hard to tell federal agents from Mafia thugs. Better suits?
I will update when I've finished. But so far... phew..!
Update...I'm 50% into this now and once or twice I've had to put it down and breathe deeply. I don't think I've ever read a book which has hit home so hard. Cops go bad in novels frequently. But this is the first time I've read a book where they systematically work, with full government support, against their own patriots, ex-military and law-abiding citizens. This book should be mandated reading by every single person who enjoys or benefits from freedom. Scary stuff.
Finished. Can I give more than 5 stars? This is quite an amazing read. At one point (at one death) I literally had goosebumps break out all over.
Okay, sure, this isn't the best written book I've ever read (not by a long shot). It needs some editing--it's actually quite hard to edit your own books because you're too close and you can't see repetition. For my liking, it's too gun technical. I like guns, I don't want to make love to them... But all that aside, this is just an amazing story. I've got the next two in the series lined up to read but I need a gap to recover! I want to send this book to Ben Shapiro et al. Everyone with a part in the coming war needs to read this.
March 14, 2012
This book was referred by a good friend, so I was excited to say the least. He is a pretty good judge of books. Well we will differ on this one.
I made it through and it was a push. The author Mr. Bracken started out with an excellent premise. "Big Brother" is pushed into the corner after a gunmen opens fire on an NFL crowd. The media and the ATF demand the "weak backed " President Gilmore to pass immediate legislation rounding up all assault rifles. This in turn will lead to scopes and any "perceived" sniper rifles to be included in the ban. Now that is very enticing, but somewhere in the book the story is lost and becomes an after thought. Why? Look, if I ever plan on buying a sail boat and circumnavigate the globe, then this book is a must for any sailor or sailor to be. But that is not what the book is supposed to be about. The title is Enemies: Foreign and Domestic, NOT sailing 101!
Seriously, I thought I was in for a real page turner on a very hot topic raging through the US right now. Instead, I was bombarded with the word "sheeple" and talking heads from the networks. We get it. Move on with the story, but that doesn't happen. Way too much time is spent on repeating the same sentence structure thoughts and unbearable description of all of the guns over,and over,and over again. We know what weapons they are carrying. Move on. Not the case. More fluff and repetitiveness over the love affair our hero and heroin are embroiled in (probably 25% of the book) over, and over, and over again.
I'll admit, once I hit the 50% mark, I started looking for the lost story and would skim pages until I found the hidden plot and then would start skimming again. I know I stated it once, the book had a great premise and the author is very schooled in sailing and weapons, but his own knowledge seriously dampened the story.
If the author would have taken the time to re-read this book, he would have done himself a great justice and realized how many times he go off point and just bogged the book down with frivolous filler.
I understand this is one in a trilogy. Unfortunately, I won't be reading anymore of his books unless I hear from a "reliable source" that he has learned to stay on point.
I made it through and it was a push. The author Mr. Bracken started out with an excellent premise. "Big Brother" is pushed into the corner after a gunmen opens fire on an NFL crowd. The media and the ATF demand the "weak backed " President Gilmore to pass immediate legislation rounding up all assault rifles. This in turn will lead to scopes and any "perceived" sniper rifles to be included in the ban. Now that is very enticing, but somewhere in the book the story is lost and becomes an after thought. Why? Look, if I ever plan on buying a sail boat and circumnavigate the globe, then this book is a must for any sailor or sailor to be. But that is not what the book is supposed to be about. The title is Enemies: Foreign and Domestic, NOT sailing 101!
Seriously, I thought I was in for a real page turner on a very hot topic raging through the US right now. Instead, I was bombarded with the word "sheeple" and talking heads from the networks. We get it. Move on with the story, but that doesn't happen. Way too much time is spent on repeating the same sentence structure thoughts and unbearable description of all of the guns over,and over,and over again. We know what weapons they are carrying. Move on. Not the case. More fluff and repetitiveness over the love affair our hero and heroin are embroiled in (probably 25% of the book) over, and over, and over again.
I'll admit, once I hit the 50% mark, I started looking for the lost story and would skim pages until I found the hidden plot and then would start skimming again. I know I stated it once, the book had a great premise and the author is very schooled in sailing and weapons, but his own knowledge seriously dampened the story.
If the author would have taken the time to re-read this book, he would have done himself a great justice and realized how many times he go off point and just bogged the book down with frivolous filler.
I understand this is one in a trilogy. Unfortunately, I won't be reading anymore of his books unless I hear from a "reliable source" that he has learned to stay on point.
March 29, 2018
Just finished reading this a 2nd time. Still one of my favorite books.
November 21, 2012
When this book was first published, it was definitely a work of fiction. After the recent scandals of the UN Small arms Treaty, Operation Fast & Furious and the Benghazi Consulate, it hits a little close to the reality mark. Here's hoping that it doesn't move into the prophecy category anytime soon. Decent writing, if plodding at times. Good twist at the end, too.
September 18, 2008
This book, by far, is one of the scariest alternate future books I have ever read. Through a "terrorist act", a nation of people basically agree to the most restrictive set of laws ever laid out upon man. To disagree with the laws is the same thing as admitting to be a terrorist. As the story unravels, we learn that those seeking to keep everyone safe really have their own agenda, irregardless of how it effects the general population.
I read the first 300 pages in one sitting, some 8 straight hours of reading. It is a very gripping story.
If you're interested in a preview of what's in the book, this survivalblog.com entry is one of the more gripping chapters from the book: http://www.survivalblog.com/2007/09/t...
After reading that, I had to get the book and find out what lead to such horrible conditions, and where we as a society will go from there. Gripping!
I read the first 300 pages in one sitting, some 8 straight hours of reading. It is a very gripping story.
If you're interested in a preview of what's in the book, this survivalblog.com entry is one of the more gripping chapters from the book: http://www.survivalblog.com/2007/09/t...
After reading that, I had to get the book and find out what lead to such horrible conditions, and where we as a society will go from there. Gripping!
May 1, 2009
A fiction book which you will begin to believe is very real because it makes so much sense. Again, not a book for the very young.
October 9, 2008
Enemies Foreign and Domestic, and Domestic Enemies, both by Matthew Bracken, posit a United States in the near future which has become a politically correct left wing police state, with people held for years in non-judicial detention without charges or trial on the whim of federal officials. If one imagines a US Congress with its agenda set by Charles Shumer, with Barack Obama elected as President, the scenario of these books is unlikely, but not impossible to imagine. Grim stuff, especially suitable for the right wing conspiracy buffs among us.
August 3, 2010
Good read - decent/good writing, but what was more interesting was the concept itself which is not foreign to the thinking of most of the 2A crowd.
This book is not for everyone, more a preparatory guide for those already in line with the pro-2A demographic's ideology. Those already indoctrinated with pro-authoritarian government ideologies will find it incomprehensible.
This book is not for everyone, more a preparatory guide for those already in line with the pro-2A demographic's ideology. Those already indoctrinated with pro-authoritarian government ideologies will find it incomprehensible.
September 25, 2008
Matt has an eerie way of painting a clear picture in his book Enemies Foreign and Domestic. Great story and great work Matt! Currently readying his other book Enemies Domestic. Very, very good so far in the first 250. If you liked this one, definitely grab the second book.
December 6, 2017
Fiction for the Fox News set
The writing is good but the premise is ludicrous. Those damn liberals, outlawing all semi-automatics (but leaving handguns alone) the day after a mass shooting, under penalty of 5 years in prison for each weapon not turned in (for no compensation) effective one week later. The "NRA" equivalent is powerless in this alternative universe. The ATF (BATFE) and FBI all jack booted thugs.
But, if this is how you view the world, if your gut tells you that the word of an FBI director is less trustworthy than that of a reality TV "star" with crippling bone spurs, the story is entertaining and well crafted.
The writing is good but the premise is ludicrous. Those damn liberals, outlawing all semi-automatics (but leaving handguns alone) the day after a mass shooting, under penalty of 5 years in prison for each weapon not turned in (for no compensation) effective one week later. The "NRA" equivalent is powerless in this alternative universe. The ATF (BATFE) and FBI all jack booted thugs.
But, if this is how you view the world, if your gut tells you that the word of an FBI director is less trustworthy than that of a reality TV "star" with crippling bone spurs, the story is entertaining and well crafted.
November 16, 2012
The novel provides an author a unique outlet to explore and promote a particular set of ideas or philosophies—much better than a non-fiction treatise since the author can bring emotion to bear, and through the lives of their characters can explore the out-workings of their ideas.
The danger is that a novel can also inadvertently highlight deficiencies in the author's thinking and will always reflect the author's own personality and inner desires.
“Enemies” is just such a book. The novel form allows Bracken to explore the idea and consequences of violent civil disobedience in the face of tyranny, but it also reveals the deficiencies in Bracken's thinking on the subject and reveals some of Bracken's background and personality.
The book is set in a world a few years advanced from our own, with more stringent gun control and “anti-terrorism”/surveillance laws in effect. The essential premise of the book is that a group of “bad guys” within the Federal government conduct a false-flag operation they then pin on right-wing militia gun nuts, prompting a widespread ban on assault rifles, scoped rifles, and a heavy-handed lockdown on the transport of weapons and possession of such. Bracken explores what would happen if a small group of semi-organized civilians conducted a guerrilla campaign of armed resistance against the agents and political leadership responsible.
Bracken is something of a subject matter expert on weaponry, tactics, and sailing and this shows in his discussion of these points. The protagonist is clearly modeled after himself, which seems to be a common finding in these sorts of right-wing conservative “S***-hits-the-fan” fiction. I can't find much wrong with these practical considerations in this work, and appreciate that the author kept descriptions vague enough to prevent the misuse of this information by miscreants.
I was disappointed to find that Bracken doesn't really explore the theoretical or philosophical side of armed resistance. He de facto considers it right and just, but doesn't spend much time exploring why. Given that very few people writing in this realm do, I was hoping for more consideration of why armed resistance (murder, in fact) might be justified. As it is, we are offered a couple quotes from Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence.
Predictably, the protagonist ends up falling in love (and sleeping with, and then marrying) a young, nubile beauty who happens to be skilled with guns but is still emotionally vulnerable. This sort of fantasy girl is far to common in literature in this genre and it is disappointing—and revealing about the authors. It is hardly realistic and seems rather exploitative. The love affair takes up far too much of the book than it ought to.
I did appreciate the work the author put into depicting the different kinds of feds: That not all were evil, but that some individual thugs were, and that many, especially in the upper echelons, were simply ignorant.
I believe this book is good—hence the three stars—but ultimately left me wishing it had been worked on further. I would have liked to have seen the author work harder to avoid genre cliches and would have liked more consideration of the why behind armed insurrection.
July 17, 2012
A right-wing doomsday scenario where the Federal government tries to confiscate assault rifles. This is the first of trilogy that explores the aftermath of the registration and confiscation of assault weapons. The aftermath includes the nation breaking apart, an invasion of the southwest by Mexico in an attempt to reclaim its historic territory, and foreign peacekeepers in Tennessee. This is the NRA on steroids. Desipte this, the writing is terrific and the characters incredibly well drawn.
July 14, 2009
This trilogy is great! It is an easy to believe depiction of a future America that COULD be.
July 13, 2010
This was a really good book. Felt very real.
May 8, 2016
I think all supporters of the Second Amendment need to read this 3-book series. It shows a future that could happen if we don't protect all of our rights.
November 13, 2012
this book is pretty darn good. It ends (mostly the epilogue)weakly, but the main story is almost a political commentary. I liked this book, it is well-written, and also very realistic-it is SCARY real as to things that could happen, and some believe already are,just in a slower manner, but the book could very easily be real soon.
Anyway, it is politically charged, so beware if you are looking for a light read. The characters are captivating and realistic. I know people in my own life that are a lot like the story's characters. And most of the action is thought out and realistic, and follows easily.
I enjoyed this book very much, and just found out that there is a sequel, so i may have to look into that as well!
Anyway, it is politically charged, so beware if you are looking for a light read. The characters are captivating and realistic. I know people in my own life that are a lot like the story's characters. And most of the action is thought out and realistic, and follows easily.
I enjoyed this book very much, and just found out that there is a sequel, so i may have to look into that as well!
December 15, 2012
This was as good book. The concepts were intriguing and should make people think. It was somewhat predictable as to the characters and the ending. The book is well written, but there were places that could have been trimmed a bit to keep the action moving along. There was more then enough set up to make the reader feel negative toward the bad guys. I enjoyed the book and would read more from this author.
October 9, 2016
Blaa, blaa, blaa. This book didn't make sense. You have the bad guys and then you have guys who are worse. The gist of the book to me is "I don't like you or what you stand for, so I'm going to kill you." And, "its OK for me to do something wrong because someone else did something wrong first". Two "wrongs" make a "right", right? WRONG. To make matters worse, the writer repeats himself a lot. I'd read a statement and find myself rereading the same statement a paragraph later.
June 1, 2025
The story is very interesting and at time scary. An eye opener.
Too bad this book is limited to Amazon and the Kindle only.
Tend to do business with B&N and Boarders. I have a Sony e-reader and plan to purchase the new e-reader from B&N. It would be nice to have these books on my e-readers.
Too bad this book is limited to Amazon and the Kindle only.
Tend to do business with B&N and Boarders. I have a Sony e-reader and plan to purchase the new e-reader from B&N. It would be nice to have these books on my e-readers.
March 26, 2012
Loved everything accept the ending. Didn't realize when I started it that it was book 1 in a series and of course it ended with a cliff hanger. Now I need to find the next book or books in the series.
September 25, 2017
This is a very probable scenario for a government false flag sparking a civil war. I prefer Bracken's books to James Wesley, Rawles' because Bracken's books focus on the geo-political intrigue and don't get bogged down with Rawles' trademark microscopic detail on prepping supplies.
April 10, 2012
Great story concept, but the execution was lacking due to a little too much repetition, bad dialog and a cheesy romance.
Read
November 16, 2020While some may find Bracken's Enemies trilogy out there in the realm of tin foil hat, black helicopter conspiracy theorist alarmist rhetoric, I found the first novel in the tale quite engrossing, tightly written, and entertaining - albeit scary as being swept down river towards raging rapids. With just a bit of tweaking, our own time stream might look just like this cautionary tale.
When a group of overly enthusiastic BATF agents arrange a false flag operation where a veteran suffering from PTSD appears to massacre hundreds in a football stadium, the U.S. Congress decides, once and for all, that the public cannot be trusted with scary black guns, and completely outlaws the possession of semi-automatic rifles, first calling for voluntary turn-ins, then proceeding to raids (which rapidly turn deadly) and confiscation. Rather predictably, this doesn't sit well with a large segment of the population, sometimes derided as the "gun culture", but which in reality is composed of a quite sizable portion of the populace, and after the rogue agents stage a few more incidents targeting the "gun nuts" and innocent bystanders - blamed on gun nuts - battle is definitely joined.
One of the main heroes in this story is Brad Fallon, a thirty-something veteran of the Alaskan oil fields, who has seen enough of the erosion of American civil rights over the last couple of decades and is presently restoring a sailboat so that he can become a PT (Permanent Tourist) in more tropical climates. The boat is moored in the Chesapeake Bay area, and Brad has become as accepted as any outside in a small town can by the local shooting sports enthusiasts, especially after he won a regional target competition.
Our other hero is Ranya Bardiwell, daughter of Lebanese Christian refugee immigrants who have made a life for themselves in the small town. Her father is a gun dealer, supplying local sportsmen with guns, ammunition and gunsmithing services. Ranya grew up around the gunnies, and is an expert shooter with a number of small arms, as well as holding a black belt in martial arts. When her father's store is burned to the ground and he is murdered, she returns from her studies at UVA to mourn, and soon discovers evidence pointing to government agents responsibility for the crime.
Of course, as one might expect, Ranya and Brad fall in love, and despite Brad's previous commitment to get out of Dodge, he decides to aid her in her quixotic quest to find the men who killed her father and to bring them to justice. They are joined in their efforts by a revolving cast of patriots, old friends of Ranya's father who bring to the table a rather astonishing assortment of weapons of retail destruction. Suffice it to say that looking over a fruity drink with an umbrella at a Jamaican sunset isn't likely to appear in the couple's near future.
When a group of overly enthusiastic BATF agents arrange a false flag operation where a veteran suffering from PTSD appears to massacre hundreds in a football stadium, the U.S. Congress decides, once and for all, that the public cannot be trusted with scary black guns, and completely outlaws the possession of semi-automatic rifles, first calling for voluntary turn-ins, then proceeding to raids (which rapidly turn deadly) and confiscation. Rather predictably, this doesn't sit well with a large segment of the population, sometimes derided as the "gun culture", but which in reality is composed of a quite sizable portion of the populace, and after the rogue agents stage a few more incidents targeting the "gun nuts" and innocent bystanders - blamed on gun nuts - battle is definitely joined.
One of the main heroes in this story is Brad Fallon, a thirty-something veteran of the Alaskan oil fields, who has seen enough of the erosion of American civil rights over the last couple of decades and is presently restoring a sailboat so that he can become a PT (Permanent Tourist) in more tropical climates. The boat is moored in the Chesapeake Bay area, and Brad has become as accepted as any outside in a small town can by the local shooting sports enthusiasts, especially after he won a regional target competition.
Our other hero is Ranya Bardiwell, daughter of Lebanese Christian refugee immigrants who have made a life for themselves in the small town. Her father is a gun dealer, supplying local sportsmen with guns, ammunition and gunsmithing services. Ranya grew up around the gunnies, and is an expert shooter with a number of small arms, as well as holding a black belt in martial arts. When her father's store is burned to the ground and he is murdered, she returns from her studies at UVA to mourn, and soon discovers evidence pointing to government agents responsibility for the crime.
Of course, as one might expect, Ranya and Brad fall in love, and despite Brad's previous commitment to get out of Dodge, he decides to aid her in her quixotic quest to find the men who killed her father and to bring them to justice. They are joined in their efforts by a revolving cast of patriots, old friends of Ranya's father who bring to the table a rather astonishing assortment of weapons of retail destruction. Suffice it to say that looking over a fruity drink with an umbrella at a Jamaican sunset isn't likely to appear in the couple's near future.
February 19, 2021
To be perfectly honest, this just isn’t my cup of tea. It actually took me a very long time to read because it gave me severe anxiety. There is a stadium massacre at the beginning of the book that brings about a series of gun laws and the disarming of American citizens. The fallout for American citizens was alarming. People that simply want to protect their families and hunt suddenly became felons because of crazy congressmen passing laws that they themselves did not follow. There are a bunch of conspiracies, kidnappings, murders, and frame- ups that practically bring about a civil war.
The things that gave me such anxiety were the things that felt a little too real and a little too possible considering our current liberal leadership. It’s really scary how devious the government agencies were in this book. It is scary that some of these plots and schemes are very possible - I wouldn’t put much past the liberals.
It was very apparent that this book was written by a military man with insight to guns and ammo. The few love encounters were not tender and hot, but more matter of fact and clinical. I love romance and sweet tender scenes- if you’re looking for that then this is NOT the book for you.
The things that gave me such anxiety were the things that felt a little too real and a little too possible considering our current liberal leadership. It’s really scary how devious the government agencies were in this book. It is scary that some of these plots and schemes are very possible - I wouldn’t put much past the liberals.
It was very apparent that this book was written by a military man with insight to guns and ammo. The few love encounters were not tender and hot, but more matter of fact and clinical. I love romance and sweet tender scenes- if you’re looking for that then this is NOT the book for you.
November 24, 2025
I started reading this book hoping to expose myself to different political viewpoints in a neutral manner. I was led to believe that this book would do that but I was bitterly disappointed.
It was a sad attempt to show two sides but with not so subtle hints of showing one group in a much better light. Personnel that favoured gun restrictions were portrayed as erratic, hateful and illogical while pro gun groups were depicted as rational. This is a constant theme in this book.
I’m in no way of saying any of this in the real world is false I have witnessed the good and bad from both sides but this book heavily favours one. My hopes were for it to show the irony in both but it was frustrating how one sided this book.
If your believes do align with gun rights and strongly believe the government is out to get you then this is the book for you. If you’re hoping to read about how ironic both political sides can be then I suggest you look elsewhere.
It was a sad attempt to show two sides but with not so subtle hints of showing one group in a much better light. Personnel that favoured gun restrictions were portrayed as erratic, hateful and illogical while pro gun groups were depicted as rational. This is a constant theme in this book.
I’m in no way of saying any of this in the real world is false I have witnessed the good and bad from both sides but this book heavily favours one. My hopes were for it to show the irony in both but it was frustrating how one sided this book.
If your believes do align with gun rights and strongly believe the government is out to get you then this is the book for you. If you’re hoping to read about how ironic both political sides can be then I suggest you look elsewhere.
August 14, 2023
Great book, looking forward to starting the next one. This one really made me think of the on going battle with the push for stricter gun laws, and the rights by the Constitution and how the untruths, propaganda & the lies by omission by the broadcast news, Newspapers Etc. We hear talk of possible wars with China,Russia Etc, I wonder how much people are hearing whispers that are getting louder with those who value the second amendment about another war, a Civil War. Just what this book hits you in the gut with. Starting with the mass shooting that lead to 1,000 dead (many from the rush to leave getting trampled, that is blamed on a vet and it grows from there,the lies & fake news being the mouthpiece of those that have other plans & screw anyone who gets in their way. It is filled with “The black budget” and the group of mercenaries that the Gov would deny,deny. A must read!
November 30, 2024
A slow burn kind of of novel you honestly need some patience with. Trust me, its worth it.
The author takes his time building up the characters and settings for his book. It lets you almost live the characters lives in a way. He also builds a world that is too far from reality in some cases. People not fighting back because the mob won and there's no rally cry. Things done in a legal gray area so that it can't be questioned thanks to emotionally charged events.
So what happens when the good guys don't fight back? When certain people exploit those around them for power and profit? This book and the others in the series. No massive set battles between opposing armies. No intense spy craft from elite agents. Just average people in their own little worlds, going up against a beast trying to consume them all.
The author takes his time building up the characters and settings for his book. It lets you almost live the characters lives in a way. He also builds a world that is too far from reality in some cases. People not fighting back because the mob won and there's no rally cry. Things done in a legal gray area so that it can't be questioned thanks to emotionally charged events.
So what happens when the good guys don't fight back? When certain people exploit those around them for power and profit? This book and the others in the series. No massive set battles between opposing armies. No intense spy craft from elite agents. Just average people in their own little worlds, going up against a beast trying to consume them all.
July 4, 2017
I read the entire trilogy. Mr. Bracken has a tendency to repeat himself....sometime several times on a page, but the story is a stark description of what happens when the Looney Left gets into power. Balkanization is a real threat, and after watching the Fast and Furious and many other scandals unfold, it scares me to death how realistic this scenario could be.
If you're up-to-date on politics and you're not spoon fed by the mainstream media, this book will give you the shivers. It's not particularly well written, but the story carries it well.
If you're up-to-date on politics and you're not spoon fed by the mainstream media, this book will give you the shivers. It's not particularly well written, but the story carries it well.
July 22, 2018
A Continuation of Foreign Enemies which I add into more aggressive U.S. Forces attempting to stop a rebellion as the Smokey Mountain Militia has spread from Tennessee into South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, MIssissippi, Louisiana and Texas. The Federal Government made a basic mistake in politics. Mountaineer want to be left alone. Bother one you bother them all. The division between what the President is trying to accomplish and what the people want are two different things. This is an excellent read for the genre....DEHS
October 31, 2020
A realistic scenario as I live through 2020
I finished the book October 30, 2020 in Illinois. Just cast my early in person. There was a referendum to ban "assault weapons." This book is entirely within the realm of possibility. Hard to put down , Bracken pulls you into the story. At times I was sweating or yelling or tearing up as I read. I while heartily recommend this book.
I finished the book October 30, 2020 in Illinois. Just cast my early in person. There was a referendum to ban "assault weapons." This book is entirely within the realm of possibility. Hard to put down , Bracken pulls you into the story. At times I was sweating or yelling or tearing up as I read. I while heartily recommend this book.
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