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End of Days: Ruby Ridge, the Apocalypse, and the Unmaking of America
Not yet published
Expected 10 Feb 26The gripping story of the Ruby Ridge siege, showing how the historic eleven-day standoff in Idaho between federal agents and a white-separatist family began, devolved, and ultimately ended in tragedy—both for its participants, and for the nation that remains warped by its explosive force.
On August 21, 1992, federal agents surveilled a cabin in Boundary County, Idaho, as part of an operation to arrest white separatist Randy Weaver for failure to appear in court. What followed was a shootout and eleven-day standoff punctuated by shocking bursts of violence. By the time Weaver surrendered to the authorities, his wife, son, and dog lay dead, as did a US Marshal.
In End of Days, Chris Jennings uses the gripping story of Ruby Ridge to examine the long history of apocalyptic faith in America and the way it has changed the nation. The strain of doomsday Christianity that gripped the Weavers, he shows, was grounded in a particular reading of the Book of Revelation that can be traced back to the 1870s and the twentieth century rise of Christian fundamentalism. Today, polling indicates that almost 60 percent of white evangelicals believe the apocalyptic prophecies in the Book of Revelation will soon come to pass. Against that backdrop, the perceived overreaction by federal forces in Idaho galvanized and radicalized many Americans, triggering the birth of the militia movement and propelling the conspiratorial politics that have defined the Trump era. The story of the Weavers holds the key to understanding this downward spiral and, perhaps, to reversing it.
On August 21, 1992, federal agents surveilled a cabin in Boundary County, Idaho, as part of an operation to arrest white separatist Randy Weaver for failure to appear in court. What followed was a shootout and eleven-day standoff punctuated by shocking bursts of violence. By the time Weaver surrendered to the authorities, his wife, son, and dog lay dead, as did a US Marshal.
In End of Days, Chris Jennings uses the gripping story of Ruby Ridge to examine the long history of apocalyptic faith in America and the way it has changed the nation. The strain of doomsday Christianity that gripped the Weavers, he shows, was grounded in a particular reading of the Book of Revelation that can be traced back to the 1870s and the twentieth century rise of Christian fundamentalism. Today, polling indicates that almost 60 percent of white evangelicals believe the apocalyptic prophecies in the Book of Revelation will soon come to pass. Against that backdrop, the perceived overreaction by federal forces in Idaho galvanized and radicalized many Americans, triggering the birth of the militia movement and propelling the conspiratorial politics that have defined the Trump era. The story of the Weavers holds the key to understanding this downward spiral and, perhaps, to reversing it.
384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication February 10, 2026
16644 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 6, 2025
A lot of people are going to be upset with this book. Come to think of it, everyone should find something to be upset with in Chris Jennings' End of Days. The writing and storytelling are the only things that didn't fill me with dread.
The book is ostensibly about Ruby Ridge. For the uninitiated, "Ruby Ridge" is shorthand for the 1992 standoff between a survivalist family in Idaho and the federal government. Before the Oklahoma City bombing was Waco and before Waco was Ruby Ridge. However, the most compelling aspect of this book for me was Jennings' very clearly explaining that Ruby Ridge was far from the beginning of this particular strain of paranoia, fundamentalism, and persecution complex.
Where did it start? The Bible of course! No, not all of it. Just one particular part of it. The truly unhinged Book of Revelation. Jennings takes the time to meticulously walk the reader through the many interpretations of Revelation which ultimately lead to the aforementioned survivalist family on one side of the standoff, the Weavers. I think that this portion of the book may be uncomfortable for some, much like how I, as a Catholic, squirm reading about the Inquisition or Crusades. It is important to note that Jennings doesn't mock anyone's beliefs or call them stupid. He will, however, quietly (and often hilariously) point out when specific people are being quite hypocritical and unchristian-like.
Lest you get concerned that this is a one-sided narrative, I can wholeheartedly disabuse you of that notion. While the Weavers are not heroes in this story, the federal government looks no better and, it can coherently be argued, actually look worse. While the feds are not the evil minions of the antichrist that the Weavers perceive them to be, they ultimately end up doing a heck of a lot of things that line up quite well with the idea of an oppressive force bent on destroying the family. However, Jennings' clear-eyed look at their operations leads you to the old adage, "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." While the first part of the book will not endear many to the Weavers, the final portion humanizes them and will make you sympathize with their losses even while abhorring their more extreme views.
This is all wonderful and thought-provoking stuff. However, the true gem of this book is Jennings' writing. It flows so easily and his word choices lean into the religiosity of the story. Jennings does everything with a purpose. A little alliteration here and there is also fun. It is an example of an author who wants to take his writing to a higher level without showing off and taking away from the themes of the book. It is excellent from beginning to the apocalyptic end.
(This book was provided as a advance reader copy by NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company.)
The book is ostensibly about Ruby Ridge. For the uninitiated, "Ruby Ridge" is shorthand for the 1992 standoff between a survivalist family in Idaho and the federal government. Before the Oklahoma City bombing was Waco and before Waco was Ruby Ridge. However, the most compelling aspect of this book for me was Jennings' very clearly explaining that Ruby Ridge was far from the beginning of this particular strain of paranoia, fundamentalism, and persecution complex.
Where did it start? The Bible of course! No, not all of it. Just one particular part of it. The truly unhinged Book of Revelation. Jennings takes the time to meticulously walk the reader through the many interpretations of Revelation which ultimately lead to the aforementioned survivalist family on one side of the standoff, the Weavers. I think that this portion of the book may be uncomfortable for some, much like how I, as a Catholic, squirm reading about the Inquisition or Crusades. It is important to note that Jennings doesn't mock anyone's beliefs or call them stupid. He will, however, quietly (and often hilariously) point out when specific people are being quite hypocritical and unchristian-like.
Lest you get concerned that this is a one-sided narrative, I can wholeheartedly disabuse you of that notion. While the Weavers are not heroes in this story, the federal government looks no better and, it can coherently be argued, actually look worse. While the feds are not the evil minions of the antichrist that the Weavers perceive them to be, they ultimately end up doing a heck of a lot of things that line up quite well with the idea of an oppressive force bent on destroying the family. However, Jennings' clear-eyed look at their operations leads you to the old adage, "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." While the first part of the book will not endear many to the Weavers, the final portion humanizes them and will make you sympathize with their losses even while abhorring their more extreme views.
This is all wonderful and thought-provoking stuff. However, the true gem of this book is Jennings' writing. It flows so easily and his word choices lean into the religiosity of the story. Jennings does everything with a purpose. A little alliteration here and there is also fun. It is an example of an author who wants to take his writing to a higher level without showing off and taking away from the themes of the book. It is excellent from beginning to the apocalyptic end.
(This book was provided as a advance reader copy by NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company.)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the most definitive and comprehensive look at the Weaver family that someone could ever expect. If you want to know everything about the family, their philosophy and theology that created the world they chose to live the way they did, then this is a 5 star review. around 370 pages with almost 60 pages of citations and supporting documents.
The first 10% and last 20% are about the assault and the events that took place. Those parts are are absolutely worth the read.
The reason I gave 3 stars is based on the middle part of the book that cataloged and comprehensively walks you through religions of other nations, settlers that came to America, the different sects that branched off, the history and theological differences of each and key players of each religious group. When I say comprehensive I really mean it. If knowing that history and how the Weavers and their personal families and lineage were involved with and slowly changed their views to the more extreme End Of Days that they felt were shortly approaching... then this is your book. However, for me it felt like 2 separate books that were shoehorned together.
I recieved an ARC of this book for my honest review.
The first 10% and last 20% are about the assault and the events that took place. Those parts are are absolutely worth the read.
The reason I gave 3 stars is based on the middle part of the book that cataloged and comprehensively walks you through religions of other nations, settlers that came to America, the different sects that branched off, the history and theological differences of each and key players of each religious group. When I say comprehensive I really mean it. If knowing that history and how the Weavers and their personal families and lineage were involved with and slowly changed their views to the more extreme End Of Days that they felt were shortly approaching... then this is your book. However, for me it felt like 2 separate books that were shoehorned together.
I recieved an ARC of this book for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advance copy of this book that looks at how a small matter blew into a siege, killing two people, a federal agent and a family dog, and served as a locus for those who believed in a world full of religious and governmental conspiracies, a world of grifters and true believes united in causes, that has in many ways shattered the American Dream.
I am not really a joiner. Or for that matter a believer. The last thing I was a member of was the cub scouts. I was a never a union member. I like science fiction, but have never dressed up as my favorite cast member, nor do I have a colored lightsaber denoting my light or dark side feeling. I grew up a Roman Catholic, went to Catholic school for a time, did the steps up to Confirmation, but I never felt anything about religion. I have never felt the draw to return, nor do I feel an emptiness in my heart from not being a part of it. And I have never hoped for the Armageddon, nor moved into the woods because the real world scared me. This is a book about a moment where all the thoughts that people had, about the government, losing guns, losing family, losing their whiteness, losing their religion, all the fears that people seem to have had, and continue to have, seemed to have coalesced. To be made true. And the world has never been the same. End of Days: Ruby Ridge, the Apocalypse, and the Unmaking of America by Chris Jennings is a story of fear, caused by religion, racism, the economy, the other, outside forces, all leading to a conflict that left people dead, unleashing even more violence, and fear that we still deal with today.
The book begins at the moments when the siege at Randy Weaver's cabin began with the barking of a dog, the sound of a shot killing the dog, and the shots that led to two more people, a federal agent and a teen dead. From there Jennings goes into the past, to the Book of Revelations, a part of the Bible that has more influence on horror writing than anything Bram Stoker, H. P. Lovecraft of Stephen King could ever have. Jennings looks at the origins of this book of the Bible, and its influence on thinkers and writers, up until the mid-part of this century. Where books like the Late Great Planet Earth written by Hal Lindsey, began to sink into the public consciousness. Jennings looks at Randy Weaver and his wife Vicki, as the went from a couple who were doing well in a depressed community, to fearing the Zionist Occupational Government, the End Times, and the government stealing their guns, and their children. The book looks at what put Weaver on the government's watch list, a crime that escalated due to government screw-ups and apocalyptic thoughts on the Weavers part. All ending in that fateful day, leaving people dead, a segment of the country inflamed, and a reckoning we still haven't dealt with.
An extremely well-written and well-researched book that will probably have people screaming woke, or propaganda, or anti-government writing. Jennings makes a story about people who just seem unpleasant in many ways, yet shows them in the broader scale of what many, many people believe. Jennings is really could at filling in blanks, trying to make sense of things, and acknowledging well, we just can't know why certain things happened. Why did this lead to this, to that. Jennings never surmises, never puts words in peoples mouths, gives all the sides of the story he can, and leaves it to the reader. This is a sad book. The Weaver kids I feel the worst about. Not Randy who asked if he would change anything said no. After losing a wife, a child and dog.
This is a book that presents a very sad view of the world, one that left me with a lot of questions. What could have been different. The government made mistakes, the Weavers made mistakes, the guys on the ground made mistakes. And yet, no one ever takes responsibility. Maybe that is the true secret to believing in conspiracies. Why one thinks so many people are after you, why a person who doesn't look like you does better, or that company gets tax breaks on a billion dollars, while you can't afford to get your teeth fixed. Conspiracy takes responsibility away. I don't know. A fascinating book, one that made me think, and wonder about people in ways that probably are not good, but maybe something this world should start doing.
I am not really a joiner. Or for that matter a believer. The last thing I was a member of was the cub scouts. I was a never a union member. I like science fiction, but have never dressed up as my favorite cast member, nor do I have a colored lightsaber denoting my light or dark side feeling. I grew up a Roman Catholic, went to Catholic school for a time, did the steps up to Confirmation, but I never felt anything about religion. I have never felt the draw to return, nor do I feel an emptiness in my heart from not being a part of it. And I have never hoped for the Armageddon, nor moved into the woods because the real world scared me. This is a book about a moment where all the thoughts that people had, about the government, losing guns, losing family, losing their whiteness, losing their religion, all the fears that people seem to have had, and continue to have, seemed to have coalesced. To be made true. And the world has never been the same. End of Days: Ruby Ridge, the Apocalypse, and the Unmaking of America by Chris Jennings is a story of fear, caused by religion, racism, the economy, the other, outside forces, all leading to a conflict that left people dead, unleashing even more violence, and fear that we still deal with today.
The book begins at the moments when the siege at Randy Weaver's cabin began with the barking of a dog, the sound of a shot killing the dog, and the shots that led to two more people, a federal agent and a teen dead. From there Jennings goes into the past, to the Book of Revelations, a part of the Bible that has more influence on horror writing than anything Bram Stoker, H. P. Lovecraft of Stephen King could ever have. Jennings looks at the origins of this book of the Bible, and its influence on thinkers and writers, up until the mid-part of this century. Where books like the Late Great Planet Earth written by Hal Lindsey, began to sink into the public consciousness. Jennings looks at Randy Weaver and his wife Vicki, as the went from a couple who were doing well in a depressed community, to fearing the Zionist Occupational Government, the End Times, and the government stealing their guns, and their children. The book looks at what put Weaver on the government's watch list, a crime that escalated due to government screw-ups and apocalyptic thoughts on the Weavers part. All ending in that fateful day, leaving people dead, a segment of the country inflamed, and a reckoning we still haven't dealt with.
An extremely well-written and well-researched book that will probably have people screaming woke, or propaganda, or anti-government writing. Jennings makes a story about people who just seem unpleasant in many ways, yet shows them in the broader scale of what many, many people believe. Jennings is really could at filling in blanks, trying to make sense of things, and acknowledging well, we just can't know why certain things happened. Why did this lead to this, to that. Jennings never surmises, never puts words in peoples mouths, gives all the sides of the story he can, and leaves it to the reader. This is a sad book. The Weaver kids I feel the worst about. Not Randy who asked if he would change anything said no. After losing a wife, a child and dog.
This is a book that presents a very sad view of the world, one that left me with a lot of questions. What could have been different. The government made mistakes, the Weavers made mistakes, the guys on the ground made mistakes. And yet, no one ever takes responsibility. Maybe that is the true secret to believing in conspiracies. Why one thinks so many people are after you, why a person who doesn't look like you does better, or that company gets tax breaks on a billion dollars, while you can't afford to get your teeth fixed. Conspiracy takes responsibility away. I don't know. A fascinating book, one that made me think, and wonder about people in ways that probably are not good, but maybe something this world should start doing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
End of Days is a powerful piece of narrative nonfiction that takes a pivotal moment in modern American history, the 1992 Ruby Ridge standoff, and places it in the broader sweep of religious belief, conspiracy, and political transformation. Jennings doesn’t just recount the events of that eleven day siege in Idaho, he uses it as a lens to explore how apocalyptic faith and deep mistrust of government have shaped the American psyche and, increasingly, the nation’s politics.
Jennings begins with the tragic confrontation between Randy Weaver’s family and federal agents, a standoff that ended with the deaths of Weaver’s wife, son, their dog, and a U.S. Marshal. From there, the book moves beyond a simple recounting of facts and into a sweeping historical investigation of the strain of apocalyptic Christianity that influenced the Weavers’ worldview, tracing it back through nineteenth century millenarianism and early evangelicalism. This isn’t dry academic history; rather, Jennings connects theological interpretations of Revelation to how certain Americans come to see themselves as embattled, chosen, and justified in preparing for “the end.”
One of the strengths of End of Days is the way Jennings balances narrative storytelling with analytical depth. The Ruby Ridge episode itself is grippingly reconstructed, with vivid scenes that feel like a thriller but remain firmly grounded in evidence and reporting. Against this, Jennings interweaves thoughtful context about how religious belief and mistrust of federal institutions have evolved over time. This makes the book relevant far beyond its historical moment: it feels eerily contemporary in light of rising polarization, conspiratorial thinking, and the political turmoil of recent years.
Overall, End of Days reads like an essential piece of cultural journalism: beautifully written, meticulously researched, and urgently relevant. It’s not just a book about a standoff in Idaho, it’s a meditation on how fear, faith, and ideology can collide to reshape a nation.
Jennings begins with the tragic confrontation between Randy Weaver’s family and federal agents, a standoff that ended with the deaths of Weaver’s wife, son, their dog, and a U.S. Marshal. From there, the book moves beyond a simple recounting of facts and into a sweeping historical investigation of the strain of apocalyptic Christianity that influenced the Weavers’ worldview, tracing it back through nineteenth century millenarianism and early evangelicalism. This isn’t dry academic history; rather, Jennings connects theological interpretations of Revelation to how certain Americans come to see themselves as embattled, chosen, and justified in preparing for “the end.”
One of the strengths of End of Days is the way Jennings balances narrative storytelling with analytical depth. The Ruby Ridge episode itself is grippingly reconstructed, with vivid scenes that feel like a thriller but remain firmly grounded in evidence and reporting. Against this, Jennings interweaves thoughtful context about how religious belief and mistrust of federal institutions have evolved over time. This makes the book relevant far beyond its historical moment: it feels eerily contemporary in light of rising polarization, conspiratorial thinking, and the political turmoil of recent years.
Overall, End of Days reads like an essential piece of cultural journalism: beautifully written, meticulously researched, and urgently relevant. It’s not just a book about a standoff in Idaho, it’s a meditation on how fear, faith, and ideology can collide to reshape a nation.
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January 15, 2026In End of Days, Chris Jennings examines the tragedy of the Weaver family in a larger context. Rather than treating Ruby Ridge simply as a political standoff or law-enforcement failure, Jennings situates the Weavers within a broader stream of American apocalypticism, showing how their beliefs were not invented in a vacuum but drew from a mix of biblical literalism, separatist ideology, and deep suspicion of government authority. The book is careful to trace how certain interpretations of Scripture—especially regarding the imminence of the end times and the corrupt nature of worldly powers—can foster withdrawal, absolutism, and a readiness for conflict. Jennings does not caricature the Weavers’ faith, but he does not excuse its consequences either. His layered approach allows the reader to see how belief, fear, and power interacted in ways that made catastrophe increasingly likely. He further emphasizes how apocalyptic theology, when detached from ecclesial accountability and ethical restraint, can become dangerous. Scripture becomes a tool for confirmation rather than discernment, and perceived opposition is easily reclassified as persecution. Jennings is especially effective in demonstrating how a fixation on the “end” can eclipse overall understanding of both scripture and life events. Overall, End of Days is a sobering and important book. It challenges readers—especially Christians—to consider how theology shapes imagination, behavior, and moral boundaries. By examining Ruby Ridge through the lens of belief rather than ideology alone, Jennings offers a powerful reminder that ideas about God, the world, and the future are never neutral. They form people, communities, and sometimes, catastrophes.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This is one of the best books on 'triggering the militia movement' and the dissent we've seen so far...and how we might just be able to reverse it!
The Weaver's story is not only horrible...it's a lesson dealing with 'apocalyptic faith' here in America...the government's overreach and mistakes...and downward trends we're facing today...
Chris Jennings has done a fine job writing this piece...and the researched depths is 'above and beyond'...
If you want to get a good understanding of what's happening today, you've gotta read this book about what happened yesterday...
Highly Recommended!
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