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Tenure
Push a Good Man Too Far…
Braxton Knox was a veteran, a university professor, a conservative family man—a good person, commanding the respect of those who knew him. Until the day when one innocent slip of the tongue brought down the merciless wrath of the woke social justice mob—ultimately costing him his career, his family, his home, and almost his life.
Unfortunately for the SJWs, they chose the wrong person to abuse. They expected Braxton to do what so many roll over and take it. It never dawned on them that he would fight back.
Braxton unleashes a war against those who sought to ruin him. His unique brand of vigilante justice is vicious, violent, vindicating, and fraught with risk…
… but at this point, he’s got nothing left to lose.
From the minds of legendary comic writer Mike Baron (Flash, The Punisher) and political thriller/sci-fi author Blaine L. Pardoe comes the story of a new vigilante in an age that demands such a person. It is a mix of Falling Down, Death Wish, the Equalizer, and Reacher amped up on energy drinks and rage. Ripped from today’s headlines, Tenure is a powerful story of justice, vengeance, and open rebellion against everything deemed politically correct.
Braxton isn’t the hero we want… he’s the hero we need.
Braxton Knox was a veteran, a university professor, a conservative family man—a good person, commanding the respect of those who knew him. Until the day when one innocent slip of the tongue brought down the merciless wrath of the woke social justice mob—ultimately costing him his career, his family, his home, and almost his life.
Unfortunately for the SJWs, they chose the wrong person to abuse. They expected Braxton to do what so many roll over and take it. It never dawned on them that he would fight back.
Braxton unleashes a war against those who sought to ruin him. His unique brand of vigilante justice is vicious, violent, vindicating, and fraught with risk…
… but at this point, he’s got nothing left to lose.
From the minds of legendary comic writer Mike Baron (Flash, The Punisher) and political thriller/sci-fi author Blaine L. Pardoe comes the story of a new vigilante in an age that demands such a person. It is a mix of Falling Down, Death Wish, the Equalizer, and Reacher amped up on energy drinks and rage. Ripped from today’s headlines, Tenure is a powerful story of justice, vengeance, and open rebellion against everything deemed politically correct.
Braxton isn’t the hero we want… he’s the hero we need.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 7, 2025
220 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 11, 2025
Cancel culture gets cancelled!! The slogan of the book sets the tone for this highly entertaining read. Braxton Know was a husband, a father and a teacher, yet just one sentence he said in class ruined his whole life by so-called social justice warriors. After losing everything in the process, he sets out on a path of revenge that leaves a trail of bodies in its wake. The premise of the book is great, yet the execution of it is lacking a bit, the timeline becomes confusing at times and the killings are a bit sloppy. The books premise can be all too real though, as when an ordinary person is pushed to the edge then they can really snap. Highly recommended for a good revenge driven thriller.
June 24, 2025
If Pardoe and Baron wanted to write a gut wrenching book they have succeeded. The fog of despair seemed to hover over the first part of this writing with no end in sight. But then the branch had been bent far enough and it snapped back with a vengeance.
It is a quick read with much anticipation upon every turn of the page. The end of the book held the sadness of loss but also the joy of resolution.
Call me clueless but my rating is 5/5 and I am looking forward to the sequel.
It is a quick read with much anticipation upon every turn of the page. The end of the book held the sadness of loss but also the joy of resolution.
Call me clueless but my rating is 5/5 and I am looking forward to the sequel.
January 11, 2025
Exciting!
Good book. Protagonist is more competent than Paul Kersey in Death Wish, & closer to the original casting idea for Jack Lemon in the role that eventually went to Charles Bronson.
The subtitle of this book should be "They've all got to die."
Good book. Protagonist is more competent than Paul Kersey in Death Wish, & closer to the original casting idea for Jack Lemon in the role that eventually went to Charles Bronson.
The subtitle of this book should be "They've all got to die."
May 19, 2025
What a wild ride this was!
(Push a Good Man Too Far…
Braxton Knox was a veteran, a university professor, a conservative family man—a good person, commanding the respect of those who knew him. Until the day when one innocent slip of the tongue brought down the merciless wrath of the woke social justice mob—ultimately costing him his career, his family, his home, and almost his life.
Unfortunately for the SJWs, they chose the wrong person to abuse. They expected Braxton to do what so many roll over and take it. It never dawned on them that he would fight back.
Braxton unleashes a war against those who sought to ruin him. His unique brand of vigilante justice is vicious, violent, vindicating, and fraught with risk…
… but at this point, he’s got nothing left to lose.
From the minds of legendary comic writer Mike Baron (Flash, The Punisher) and political thriller/sci-fi author Blaine L. Pardoe comes the story of a new vigilante in an age that demands such a person. It is a mix of Falling Down, Death Wish, the Equalizer, and Reacher amped up on energy drinks and rage. Ripped from today’s headlines, Tenure is a powerful story of justice, vengeance, and open rebellion against everything deemed politically correct.
Braxton isn’t the hero we want… he’s the hero we need.) ~ Blurb from Goodreads
The buildup leading to Braxton's decision to take revenge was really well done. It's this nice, slow burn where the reader gets to see Braxton lose everything he holds dear one by one. First, it's his job, then it's him and his family's peace and safety, then it's his wife, and so on. To me, this approach really allows the reader to understand and feel the sheer impact these losses have on Braxton and his family.
With one exception that I will get into later, the scene in chapter three where Braxton is chewing out the disciplinary committee is awesome. I think part of what makes this scene really effective is that the "Wonderland is a bastion of sanity compared to this" vibe of the university had already been established, so it not only gives real weight to what Braxton is saying, but it also expands upon it by allowing the reader to really understand the source of that vibe.
I also think the pacing is really good. From Braxton's quest for revenge to the villains always trying to get one step ahead of Braxton and so on, this is a novel that really knows how to keep things moving and keep things engaging.
Now, I'll give credit where credit is due. This novel wasn't as preachy or one-sided as it could've been. While it definitely has its more "too on the nose" moments, I think things like the way it sets up certain scenes (like the chewing out scene in chapter three) and the fact that there's at least one or two good people associated with most of the groups featured (such as more prominent characters like Braxton's former FBI agent father Grayson, FBI agent Turner, and Nelson to some extent in ANTIFA) really helped.
I have to say, I really enjoyed the ending.
I'm very split on how the novel handles Braxton. Now it's very clear that the novel wants the reader to root for Braxton and be on his side. When the reader is able to understand where Braxton is coming from (such as deciding to seek revenge over losing everything due to a petty trifle, disliking laziness due to the way he was raised, and so on) see him try his best to make difficult yet necessary decisions and the like, it's legitimately effective.
But sometimes, it just falls flat. I think this is most apparent in chapter one. In this chapter, it's revealed that Braxton seems to be under the impression that if the grocery stores just had people working at the traditional cash registers, then shoplifting wouldn't happen and the store wouldn't have to take additional measures to prevent it. Don't believe me? Here is the actual part: "They wanted him to do work the checkout staff should be doing. It bothered him that they had four people overseeing the self-checkouts, not to mention the security at the door to check his receipt when he left. All they had to do was put those people on registers and the problem would be solved." Um... no? Sure, having traditional registers open can help mitigate shoplifting, but it's not a hundred percent. But even if that weren't the case, what's to stop corporate from implementing measures like receipt checks and self-checkout only and whatnot anyway? I mean, corporate is not always exactly the epitome of good decision making.
Also, when Braxton goes to pay with a five dollar bill at McDonald's, the lady at the window tells him that there's no ones left. Rather than just saying, "I'm sorry to hear that. No thank you, keep the change" or accepting the lady's offer of paying for his order with a credit/debit card instead, especially since he is strapped for time, Braxton makes the lady get him the change and holds up the line for three minutes, only for him to act like the change is some diseased, red-headed stepchild when he finally gets it. What? Are you kidding me? Like, I get that he's frustrated and strapped for time, but that's no way to treat someone whose just trying to help in whatever way they can, especially someone who isn't even being that rude.
Oh and he also goes to a university coffee shop everyday and runs into the same problems with the same barista every single time, like her not properly securing the lid and her spelling his name wrong. What makes this even dumber is that Braxton claims he's proud of his name and that he's above the students at the university because he takes pride in something. I understand that Braxton is a man of routine and routines can be very hard to break. But Braxton is shown to be perfectly capable of changing up his routine, like how he went to McDonald's to get his sausage biscuit instead of Wendy's, so he should be more than capable of spelling his name before she writes it on the cup, going to another coffee shop, or (God forbid) skipping the coffee for one day.
As a result, not only does all of this make him look like a hypocrite, especially because he chastises people for acting lazy and/or indifferent, but it also makes it harder to connect with him as a character.
The kills are rather hit and miss. In some instances, they're legitimately well crafted. For example, in Now this method is far from perfect when it comes to concealing crime, as But, at this point in the novel, Braxton has little to no experience in concealing crimes, so him using this method makes a lot of sense, as it's an easy way to do a lot of damage. Also, in Braxton is really clever here. Unfortunately, some of the kills are not so well executed. For instance, in Based on what's been established, there's no evidence to Now given that it's implied that So
I also feel that some of the dialogue is a bit too on the nose. For example, in chapter three, Braxton says this: "That’s the problem with progressives like you, Sylvia. The moment that someone doesn’t follow your doctrine du jour, you slap a nasty label on them. You stuff people like me into little deplorable buckets and assign negative traits to them. I’m frankly shocked that you haven’t called me a Nazi—isn’t that your next move?" The rest of Braxton's chewing out already conveys this idea just fine, so this part could've genuinely been cut and nothing would've been lost. In
There's a moment that just didn't sit right with me. So in Yeah, I don't buy this. You see,
Overall, Tenure was a novel that was far from perfect, but still had a lot of greatness to offer that made me glad I decided to pick it up. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to checking out the next installment.
Overall Grade: B-
(Push a Good Man Too Far…
Braxton Knox was a veteran, a university professor, a conservative family man—a good person, commanding the respect of those who knew him. Until the day when one innocent slip of the tongue brought down the merciless wrath of the woke social justice mob—ultimately costing him his career, his family, his home, and almost his life.
Unfortunately for the SJWs, they chose the wrong person to abuse. They expected Braxton to do what so many roll over and take it. It never dawned on them that he would fight back.
Braxton unleashes a war against those who sought to ruin him. His unique brand of vigilante justice is vicious, violent, vindicating, and fraught with risk…
… but at this point, he’s got nothing left to lose.
From the minds of legendary comic writer Mike Baron (Flash, The Punisher) and political thriller/sci-fi author Blaine L. Pardoe comes the story of a new vigilante in an age that demands such a person. It is a mix of Falling Down, Death Wish, the Equalizer, and Reacher amped up on energy drinks and rage. Ripped from today’s headlines, Tenure is a powerful story of justice, vengeance, and open rebellion against everything deemed politically correct.
Braxton isn’t the hero we want… he’s the hero we need.) ~ Blurb from Goodreads
The buildup leading to Braxton's decision to take revenge was really well done. It's this nice, slow burn where the reader gets to see Braxton lose everything he holds dear one by one. First, it's his job, then it's him and his family's peace and safety, then it's his wife, and so on. To me, this approach really allows the reader to understand and feel the sheer impact these losses have on Braxton and his family.
With one exception that I will get into later, the scene in chapter three where Braxton is chewing out the disciplinary committee is awesome. I think part of what makes this scene really effective is that the "Wonderland is a bastion of sanity compared to this" vibe of the university had already been established, so it not only gives real weight to what Braxton is saying, but it also expands upon it by allowing the reader to really understand the source of that vibe.
I also think the pacing is really good. From Braxton's quest for revenge to the villains always trying to get one step ahead of Braxton and so on, this is a novel that really knows how to keep things moving and keep things engaging.
Now, I'll give credit where credit is due. This novel wasn't as preachy or one-sided as it could've been. While it definitely has its more "too on the nose" moments, I think things like the way it sets up certain scenes (like the chewing out scene in chapter three) and the fact that there's at least one or two good people associated with most of the groups featured (such as more prominent characters like Braxton's former FBI agent father Grayson, FBI agent Turner, and Nelson to some extent in ANTIFA) really helped.
I have to say, I really enjoyed the ending.
I'm very split on how the novel handles Braxton. Now it's very clear that the novel wants the reader to root for Braxton and be on his side. When the reader is able to understand where Braxton is coming from (such as deciding to seek revenge over losing everything due to a petty trifle, disliking laziness due to the way he was raised, and so on) see him try his best to make difficult yet necessary decisions and the like, it's legitimately effective.
But sometimes, it just falls flat. I think this is most apparent in chapter one. In this chapter, it's revealed that Braxton seems to be under the impression that if the grocery stores just had people working at the traditional cash registers, then shoplifting wouldn't happen and the store wouldn't have to take additional measures to prevent it. Don't believe me? Here is the actual part: "They wanted him to do work the checkout staff should be doing. It bothered him that they had four people overseeing the self-checkouts, not to mention the security at the door to check his receipt when he left. All they had to do was put those people on registers and the problem would be solved." Um... no? Sure, having traditional registers open can help mitigate shoplifting, but it's not a hundred percent. But even if that weren't the case, what's to stop corporate from implementing measures like receipt checks and self-checkout only and whatnot anyway? I mean, corporate is not always exactly the epitome of good decision making.
Also, when Braxton goes to pay with a five dollar bill at McDonald's, the lady at the window tells him that there's no ones left. Rather than just saying, "I'm sorry to hear that. No thank you, keep the change" or accepting the lady's offer of paying for his order with a credit/debit card instead, especially since he is strapped for time, Braxton makes the lady get him the change and holds up the line for three minutes, only for him to act like the change is some diseased, red-headed stepchild when he finally gets it. What? Are you kidding me? Like, I get that he's frustrated and strapped for time, but that's no way to treat someone whose just trying to help in whatever way they can, especially someone who isn't even being that rude.
Oh and he also goes to a university coffee shop everyday and runs into the same problems with the same barista every single time, like her not properly securing the lid and her spelling his name wrong. What makes this even dumber is that Braxton claims he's proud of his name and that he's above the students at the university because he takes pride in something. I understand that Braxton is a man of routine and routines can be very hard to break. But Braxton is shown to be perfectly capable of changing up his routine, like how he went to McDonald's to get his sausage biscuit instead of Wendy's, so he should be more than capable of spelling his name before she writes it on the cup, going to another coffee shop, or (God forbid) skipping the coffee for one day.
As a result, not only does all of this make him look like a hypocrite, especially because he chastises people for acting lazy and/or indifferent, but it also makes it harder to connect with him as a character.
The kills are rather hit and miss. In some instances, they're legitimately well crafted. For example, in Now this method is far from perfect when it comes to concealing crime, as But, at this point in the novel, Braxton has little to no experience in concealing crimes, so him using this method makes a lot of sense, as it's an easy way to do a lot of damage. Also, in Braxton is really clever here. Unfortunately, some of the kills are not so well executed. For instance, in Based on what's been established, there's no evidence to Now given that it's implied that So
I also feel that some of the dialogue is a bit too on the nose. For example, in chapter three, Braxton says this: "That’s the problem with progressives like you, Sylvia. The moment that someone doesn’t follow your doctrine du jour, you slap a nasty label on them. You stuff people like me into little deplorable buckets and assign negative traits to them. I’m frankly shocked that you haven’t called me a Nazi—isn’t that your next move?" The rest of Braxton's chewing out already conveys this idea just fine, so this part could've genuinely been cut and nothing would've been lost. In
There's a moment that just didn't sit right with me. So in Yeah, I don't buy this. You see,
Overall, Tenure was a novel that was far from perfect, but still had a lot of greatness to offer that made me glad I decided to pick it up. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to checking out the next installment.
Overall Grade: B-
January 20, 2025
21st Century Dirty Hairy
Compelling and disturbing, the book makes the claim that our institutions are rotted from within. The American justice system is coming to resemble that of the Soviet Union or India or modern Rotherham, England. Connected journalists, teachers, police, lawyers, judges, and bureaucrats manufacture fake sins and enforce fake virtue. Antifa, murderous migrants, the migratory dysfunctional, and political police commit cold blooded murder and walk. The cities burn.
What can be done?
Tell a "what if" story. What if the criminal overclass lost its tools? What if it were more deadly to serve as a cancelpig tool, a burn-loot-maim protester, or a corrupt cop than to serve their masters? What if Antifa and Alinsky rules were turned on the clownworld disciples?
What if the new Joker was disciplined, functional, and accurately aimed?
Compelling and disturbing, the book makes the claim that our institutions are rotted from within. The American justice system is coming to resemble that of the Soviet Union or India or modern Rotherham, England. Connected journalists, teachers, police, lawyers, judges, and bureaucrats manufacture fake sins and enforce fake virtue. Antifa, murderous migrants, the migratory dysfunctional, and political police commit cold blooded murder and walk. The cities burn.
What can be done?
Tell a "what if" story. What if the criminal overclass lost its tools? What if it were more deadly to serve as a cancelpig tool, a burn-loot-maim protester, or a corrupt cop than to serve their masters? What if Antifa and Alinsky rules were turned on the clownworld disciples?
What if the new Joker was disciplined, functional, and accurately aimed?
January 16, 2025
Pulp popcorn revenge porn
It's not high brow. It's not art. It's a man righting wrongs. But better than Dfens.
Cool gun stuff. Cool tech stuff. Iffy plot.
But. Screw 'em. Read it. Have fun. Remind yourself that no one likes cowards or bullies.
It's not high brow. It's not art. It's a man righting wrongs. But better than Dfens.
Cool gun stuff. Cool tech stuff. Iffy plot.
But. Screw 'em. Read it. Have fun. Remind yourself that no one likes cowards or bullies.
February 8, 2025
I wanted to like this book and give it a high rating but I can't. I love the premise: an everyman who loses everything as a result of being wronged by the woke crowd. He in turn takes his vengeance against them. The writing is just okay. It's obvious to me that the authors haven't even watched forensic files, never mind done any real research into crime scene forensics. To think that he could shoot, poison, and blow up his adversaries without any repercussions is unbelievable. I was hoping for a story where the protagonist somehow obtained his revenge in a way that repaid his enemies in an equitable way. Instead, he becomes a serial killer because "they deserved it". Sorry, I won't be reading any sequels.
January 20, 2025
what a ride
If you are a fan of The Punisher, Death Wish, John Wick then this is for you. Great characters, plenty of action. It’s worth you time.
If you are a fan of The Punisher, Death Wish, John Wick then this is for you. Great characters, plenty of action. It’s worth you time.
January 19, 2025
Social media actually put a stranglehold on this release but I was able to persevere and find this on KU.
At the start I had my doubts but just needed to see where this story lead. I was not disappointed. RemiThe protagonist is put through the wringer from the start and comes out the other side a changed man. Subtle glimpses help remind the reader that he has retained his humanity even though his path of vengeance/justice is a brutal one.
This will be serialized, I have no doubt and am eager to see the next installment.
Keep ‘em comin’!
E
At the start I had my doubts but just needed to see where this story lead. I was not disappointed. RemiThe protagonist is put through the wringer from the start and comes out the other side a changed man. Subtle glimpses help remind the reader that he has retained his humanity even though his path of vengeance/justice is a brutal one.
This will be serialized, I have no doubt and am eager to see the next installment.
Keep ‘em comin’!
E
January 27, 2025
Exactly!
I can't express how much I appreciate the incredible value of this work of fiction, because I lived in Portland for eight long rears and before that I lived in Hartford, Connecticut for almost eight years. This book accurately describes exactly how bad things really are in WOKE cities. Exactly. This is the first coherent depiction I've found of what may well be the only truly effective solution to extreme wokeness. This is a great book.
I can't express how much I appreciate the incredible value of this work of fiction, because I lived in Portland for eight long rears and before that I lived in Hartford, Connecticut for almost eight years. This book accurately describes exactly how bad things really are in WOKE cities. Exactly. This is the first coherent depiction I've found of what may well be the only truly effective solution to extreme wokeness. This is a great book.
January 18, 2025
I think you might like this book: Tenure by Blaine L. Pardoe, Mike Baron.
Part survival adventure, part anti-terrorist vigilante. Tons of heart and booms with action. Blazing fast read from @WarGateBooks!
Part survival adventure, part anti-terrorist vigilante. Tons of heart and booms with action. Blazing fast read from @WarGateBooks!
January 16, 2025
Well done!
I am actually surprised that this is not taking place in real life… Or has it?
The characters are believable, well written, and are really, and truly every man, and every woman who simply want to get on with their lives.
I am actually surprised that this is not taking place in real life… Or has it?
The characters are believable, well written, and are really, and truly every man, and every woman who simply want to get on with their lives.
February 3, 2025
Excellent
Modern version of Death Wish ? I thoroughly enjoyed the story. A peaceful man pushed too far. Story way too plausible using events involving Antifa and the Portland Area.
Modern version of Death Wish ? I thoroughly enjoyed the story. A peaceful man pushed too far. Story way too plausible using events involving Antifa and the Portland Area.
October 12, 2024
BEST OF YEAR FINALIST, NON-SPOILER REVIEW HERE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG1Bh...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG1Bh...
November 14, 2025
What a ride! Tenure by Blaine Pardoe and Mike Baron was a lot of fun. It's a revenge fantasy – Death Wish in the Age of Wokeness. Braxton Knox, a not-yet-tenured university professor of history is fired and cancelled after a female student accuses him of bigotry and homophobia after he had used the wrong pronoun, calling her "Miss." She preferred "they/them" as her "personal pronouns."
Braxton is a working-class university professor – a one-time Army veteran that served in Afghanistan, he used the GI Bill for college and eventually became a history professor. He is politically conservative, more or less, but he keeps it out of the classroom and focuses on teaching the materials at hand.
After he is fired, it isn't the end for Braxton's troubles. Antifa targets him further to make an example out of him. His wife is run off the road and killed. His house is "swatted" and his daughter killed in her bed by trigger-happy FBI agents.
At this point, Braxton turns from a mild-mannered university professor into Death Wish's Paul Kersey, an architect who's wife and daughter are attacked and his wife murdered by petty thugs in a 1970s crime-ridden Chicago. Kersey (played by Charles Bronson) hunts down the killers one-by-one while the Chicago Police are ineffectual and scramble to catch the vigilante. The franchise continues in Los Angeles in Death Wish II, where his traumatized daughter is raped and murdered, and on to further iterations where friends, girlfriends, and families of friends are all victims of petty thugs or organized crime.
Kersey is re-cast as a doctor in the 2018 remake featuring Bruce Willis.
In Pardoe and Baron's telling, Kersey – er, Braxton Knox – is a university professor that suffers a similar fate and, like Kersey, goes on a spree of vigilante justice. He hunts down the Antifa killers one by one, but he doesn't stop there. He also brings justice down on cowardice university administrators that kowtowed to the student's demands and fired him rather than defending his rights to free speech, freedom from compelled speech, and the like. The very last 'victim' of his justice is the student that kicked the whole thing off by leveling accusations against him in the first place and contacting Antifa.
I should come clean and confess that I am a university professor (and a veteran to boot). Hahaha. And so, I was immediately sucked in and was rooting for Braxton. (Come on, give me a break – it's fiction!). I am definitely more left-leaning than the authors, but I am not blind to the excesses of the extreme left. The absurdities of their thoughts and behaviors in Tenure were hilarious. The first third of the book leaned nicely into the recent humorously fun and over-the-top Nobody films starring Breaking Bad's Bob Odenkirk. The villains were caricatures and I looked forward to their demise at the hands of Braxton and his friends.
The book ends with a bit of a partisan screed against the left – but it sets up a continuation of the story. Like Death Wish and Nobody, Tenure is primed for a long-running series. I am hoping that Pardoe and Baron lean more into the humorous aspects of Tenure that hooked me at the start.
Braxton is a working-class university professor – a one-time Army veteran that served in Afghanistan, he used the GI Bill for college and eventually became a history professor. He is politically conservative, more or less, but he keeps it out of the classroom and focuses on teaching the materials at hand.
After he is fired, it isn't the end for Braxton's troubles. Antifa targets him further to make an example out of him. His wife is run off the road and killed. His house is "swatted" and his daughter killed in her bed by trigger-happy FBI agents.
At this point, Braxton turns from a mild-mannered university professor into Death Wish's Paul Kersey, an architect who's wife and daughter are attacked and his wife murdered by petty thugs in a 1970s crime-ridden Chicago. Kersey (played by Charles Bronson) hunts down the killers one-by-one while the Chicago Police are ineffectual and scramble to catch the vigilante. The franchise continues in Los Angeles in Death Wish II, where his traumatized daughter is raped and murdered, and on to further iterations where friends, girlfriends, and families of friends are all victims of petty thugs or organized crime.
Kersey is re-cast as a doctor in the 2018 remake featuring Bruce Willis.
In Pardoe and Baron's telling, Kersey – er, Braxton Knox – is a university professor that suffers a similar fate and, like Kersey, goes on a spree of vigilante justice. He hunts down the Antifa killers one by one, but he doesn't stop there. He also brings justice down on cowardice university administrators that kowtowed to the student's demands and fired him rather than defending his rights to free speech, freedom from compelled speech, and the like. The very last 'victim' of his justice is the student that kicked the whole thing off by leveling accusations against him in the first place and contacting Antifa.
I should come clean and confess that I am a university professor (and a veteran to boot). Hahaha. And so, I was immediately sucked in and was rooting for Braxton. (Come on, give me a break – it's fiction!). I am definitely more left-leaning than the authors, but I am not blind to the excesses of the extreme left. The absurdities of their thoughts and behaviors in Tenure were hilarious. The first third of the book leaned nicely into the recent humorously fun and over-the-top Nobody films starring Breaking Bad's Bob Odenkirk. The villains were caricatures and I looked forward to their demise at the hands of Braxton and his friends.
The book ends with a bit of a partisan screed against the left – but it sets up a continuation of the story. Like Death Wish and Nobody, Tenure is primed for a long-running series. I am hoping that Pardoe and Baron lean more into the humorous aspects of Tenure that hooked me at the start.
August 12, 2025
vigilante vengeance
OK, so my review won’t be popular. This novel puts anyone who does not have the exact same opinion as the protagonist as scum of the earth, lowlifes, complete evil. There is NO middle ground.
I, myself am an Independent, vote by issue, NOT party, yes, I fully confess I despise the Conman, & voted for the Libertarian. My coming-of-age was at the end of Vietnam, lived through Watergate, wore bell bottom pants, drank Boone’s Farm, or a little toke. I view myself as 1/3rd hippy-dippy, 1/3rd “do unto others as you’d have them do unto you”, & 1/3rd “Thank You for Your Service”.
This novel embodies the opinion conservatives are Christians simply wanting to live their lives without interference. Sadly, many conservatives refuse to keep to the Constitution- they definitely want to interfere & rewrite the Constitution to fit their image, refuse to uphold separation of church & state. They want to impose THEIR particular brand of Christianity, & have US laws based on their personal Christian beliefs.
I don’t take exception with the Professor’s actions, given how each character was set up, defined, as truly over-the-top villains without any redeeming values. I think he only “pardoned” one combatant.
Just as the author states his main character was NOT an alt-right extremist, not every non-conservative is a far Left wing radical or ANTIFA criminal. Some of us want safe borders, law & order, too!
In other words, life is not simply black or white, there is a complete color wheel with shades of grey in-between the two. Feel free to check any paint store’s sample cards, if you don’t believe me- with names like Glacier, Ghost, Moon, Metal, Dolphin.
I simply want to point out that not EVERY non-conservative is EVIL, or has malicious intent. I’m perfectly able to reconcile the fact my son is a conservative, & I am not. It doesn’t make one of us righteous, & the other the instrument of the devil!
But, the novel was HIGHLY entertaining reading.
OK, so my review won’t be popular. This novel puts anyone who does not have the exact same opinion as the protagonist as scum of the earth, lowlifes, complete evil. There is NO middle ground.
I, myself am an Independent, vote by issue, NOT party, yes, I fully confess I despise the Conman, & voted for the Libertarian. My coming-of-age was at the end of Vietnam, lived through Watergate, wore bell bottom pants, drank Boone’s Farm, or a little toke. I view myself as 1/3rd hippy-dippy, 1/3rd “do unto others as you’d have them do unto you”, & 1/3rd “Thank You for Your Service”.
This novel embodies the opinion conservatives are Christians simply wanting to live their lives without interference. Sadly, many conservatives refuse to keep to the Constitution- they definitely want to interfere & rewrite the Constitution to fit their image, refuse to uphold separation of church & state. They want to impose THEIR particular brand of Christianity, & have US laws based on their personal Christian beliefs.
I don’t take exception with the Professor’s actions, given how each character was set up, defined, as truly over-the-top villains without any redeeming values. I think he only “pardoned” one combatant.
Just as the author states his main character was NOT an alt-right extremist, not every non-conservative is a far Left wing radical or ANTIFA criminal. Some of us want safe borders, law & order, too!
In other words, life is not simply black or white, there is a complete color wheel with shades of grey in-between the two. Feel free to check any paint store’s sample cards, if you don’t believe me- with names like Glacier, Ghost, Moon, Metal, Dolphin.
I simply want to point out that not EVERY non-conservative is EVIL, or has malicious intent. I’m perfectly able to reconcile the fact my son is a conservative, & I am not. It doesn’t make one of us righteous, & the other the instrument of the devil!
But, the novel was HIGHLY entertaining reading.
January 24, 2025
This is probably going to end up being one of my top 5 reads for 2025. Braxton Knox is a happily married dad and college professor who's a hair's breadth away from a tenured position. Then he misgenders a student whose pronouns he had no idea of. He's instantly subject to a witchhunt, loses his job and then a certain US domestic terrorist group gets involved - with him and everyone he loves firmly in their sights. He's doxxed, swatted, attacked, and then his wife is involved in a car accident. The police raid his house, followed by the FBI with devastating consequences.
From here, Braxton mans up and refuses to take what the biased, corrupt system and the maggots it protects are dishing out. He becomes a vigilante and swears to hunt down every last person responsible for his plight.
I absolutely inhaled this book. It's fast moving, has some excellent side characters and non-stop twists and action. If you're a fan of Dirty Harry or Jack Reacher, and not afraid to read a book that some will side-eye you for, then you'll love this book. Loved it and can't recommend it enough.
From here, Braxton mans up and refuses to take what the biased, corrupt system and the maggots it protects are dishing out. He becomes a vigilante and swears to hunt down every last person responsible for his plight.
I absolutely inhaled this book. It's fast moving, has some excellent side characters and non-stop twists and action. If you're a fan of Dirty Harry or Jack Reacher, and not afraid to read a book that some will side-eye you for, then you'll love this book. Loved it and can't recommend it enough.
February 26, 2025
Very compelling read
I am probably the last person you would expect for a positive review. I am a life long Democrat that grew up in the 60's. I am also a short tenure former LEO and a Veteran. I repeated all my social media over six years ago due to the "idiot" on both sides.
Now my review. This book shows one side of my argument that we have swung too far on both sides. Those of us with actual ability to form opinions based on facts and reason are being marginalized. The premise here shows one way an extraordinary man with exception help fights back.
We need to listen to reason as the MC tried in the beginning.
Read it with an open mind
I am probably the last person you would expect for a positive review. I am a life long Democrat that grew up in the 60's. I am also a short tenure former LEO and a Veteran. I repeated all my social media over six years ago due to the "idiot" on both sides.
Now my review. This book shows one side of my argument that we have swung too far on both sides. Those of us with actual ability to form opinions based on facts and reason are being marginalized. The premise here shows one way an extraordinary man with exception help fights back.
We need to listen to reason as the MC tried in the beginning.
Read it with an open mind
March 31, 2025
Unrealistic
I can't imagine how someone could possibly think this anything other than a political statement. I would never condemn someone offering their opinion or even embellishing their thoughts, but actually put this kind of gibberish to the general public is unrealistic in content. Obviously I am not a writer and this the one and only time I've tried to read something this disgusting.
The writers and the publishers have painted such an unreal picture its hard to understand the reasoning behind it.
Thanks for letting me know not to ever attempt to read from these persons again.
I can't imagine how someone could possibly think this anything other than a political statement. I would never condemn someone offering their opinion or even embellishing their thoughts, but actually put this kind of gibberish to the general public is unrealistic in content. Obviously I am not a writer and this the one and only time I've tried to read something this disgusting.
The writers and the publishers have painted such an unreal picture its hard to understand the reasoning behind it.
Thanks for letting me know not to ever attempt to read from these persons again.
July 28, 2025
A Vigilante Revenge Thriller for the Modern Day
NO SPOILERS. Very well written. The authors immediately give you a sympathetic hero and a great supporting cast. The villains in the book are written extremely well, especially when you have paid attention to any of the news from the past five to six years. Cannot wait to read the second one
NO SPOILERS. Very well written. The authors immediately give you a sympathetic hero and a great supporting cast. The villains in the book are written extremely well, especially when you have paid attention to any of the news from the past five to six years. Cannot wait to read the second one
July 28, 2025
Good book, albeit with revenge violence.
A fanciful cathartic release for those who tire of the 'woke extreme left' and how the government is unable or unwilling to do their job, and don't mind violence somewhat Punisher style.
There is also a great deal of profanity for those who don't care for, such as I.
A fanciful cathartic release for those who tire of the 'woke extreme left' and how the government is unable or unwilling to do their job, and don't mind violence somewhat Punisher style.
There is also a great deal of profanity for those who don't care for, such as I.
August 7, 2025
this is an antidote for the woke trash in media
Finally, a believable hero. That doesn’t make stupid mistakes but he carefully thinks through what needs to be done and plans for the outcome. Braxton doesn’t agonize over the deaths of the scum who took the lives of his wife and daughter but learns what needs to be done. Best realistic pulp fiction since Bernard deleo
Finally, a believable hero. That doesn’t make stupid mistakes but he carefully thinks through what needs to be done and plans for the outcome. Braxton doesn’t agonize over the deaths of the scum who took the lives of his wife and daughter but learns what needs to be done. Best realistic pulp fiction since Bernard deleo
January 18, 2025
excellent work
Good example of the reality of the Leftist Antifa and BLM terrorists and the fact that the leftist DNC covers for them .
Though fictional, the left has used the swatting and defamation tactics described here .
Good example of the reality of the Leftist Antifa and BLM terrorists and the fact that the leftist DNC covers for them .
Though fictional, the left has used the swatting and defamation tactics described here .
April 16, 2025
I like Anti-heros
This book is a good read. I feel everyone should understand the consequences of their actions. Everyone should think through the decisions they make and how it affects others.. before they find out they've made a huge mistake.
This book is a good read. I feel everyone should understand the consequences of their actions. Everyone should think through the decisions they make and how it affects others.. before they find out they've made a huge mistake.
December 24, 2025
good story but author’s political views tarnish the overall book
The author’s ignorant one-sided opinions diminish the message of this book. Otherwise the plot is solid and exciting. Read with an open mind like I did.
The author’s ignorant one-sided opinions diminish the message of this book. Otherwise the plot is solid and exciting. Read with an open mind like I did.
November 12, 2024
A pulp, revenge thriller for a modern age. Think suburban Death Wish and you'll be close to the mark. I couldn't put it down.
January 11, 2025
relevant
The book was great, so relevant to today’s stupidity. Suspenseful, good until the end or is it the end?Hopeful in VA
The book was great, so relevant to today’s stupidity. Suspenseful, good until the end or is it the end?Hopeful in VA
January 12, 2025
10 out of 10
This story, while fiction, records the history of our society as it is warts and all.
Waiting for Round 2: Indianapolis
This story, while fiction, records the history of our society as it is warts and all.
Waiting for Round 2: Indianapolis
January 13, 2025
Revenge porn
It's not terrible. It's not great. It's basically a boomer revenge story. It was a fast read and it was entertaining.
It's not terrible. It's not great. It's basically a boomer revenge story. It was a fast read and it was entertaining.
January 14, 2025
Great First Novel
An excellent first novel. It has a very good plot, good and believable characters, correct technical details, and an excellent conclusion. Recommended.
An excellent first novel. It has a very good plot, good and believable characters, correct technical details, and an excellent conclusion. Recommended.
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