Unintended Consequences

by John Ross, T. J Mullin (Foreword)

Unintended Consequences is a novel by John Ross, first published in 1996 by Accurate Press. The story chronicles the history of the gun culture, gun rights, and gun control in the United States from the early 1900s through the late 1990s. Although clearly a work of fiction, the story is heavily laced with historical information, including real-life historical figures who play minor supporting roles. The novel also features unusually detailed and intricate facts, figures and explanations of many firearms-related topics. The cover has a picture of Lady Justice being assaulted by an ATF agent. The book was listed by The New York Times' Sunday Book Review as one of the most sought after out-of-print books of 2013.

Genres: Fiction, Politics, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, American History, Novels

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This author is: John^^Ross.

John Ross is an investment broker and financial adviser in St. Louis, Missouri. He has degrees in English and Economics from Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. He is a certified personal protection instructor, and the author of Self-Defense Laws and Violent Crime Rates in the United States, which was the first published work to empirically assess the effect of concealed-carry laws on violent crime in America. He has authored several firearms-related technical articles for Precision Shooting magazine and Machine Gun News.

Since the age of eight, Ross has been an avid participant in many aspects of the shooting sports. He fires upwards of 20,000 rounds of ammunition per year and is, by his own admission, a member of the gun culture.

Reviews

[Kiri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished this doorstop! And my wrists will never be the same... (from holding it up, natch).

This review will most likely be a work-in-progress, as such a massive tome deserves a detailed review.

First comments: it is very readable, despite the obsessive detail about gun makes, models, bullet sizes and construction, and shooting techniques. I actually found all that stuff quite interesting despite my complete lack of experience with it... although I eventually stopped trying to visualize what the author was describing and just accepted it.
Ross could have cut a lot of this technical stuff, reduced the size of the book, made it less intimidating to potential readers, and still the central message of the book would have come through.

I have some quibbles with the writing; on the whole his technical style works quite well, but honestly I felt it could have used more editing. It started to bug me that a common tool Ross used to "humanize" the lecturing conversations was to have characters pause to eat or drink - specifically, "took a bite of his burger" or "took a drink of" (insert beverage here). The repetition of these types of phrases started to feel forced. Another repetitive phrase - "Henry said happily". This was used often enough that it stuck in my head, and is a perfect example of the old "show, not tell" adage in writing; the author is telling us that Henry is happy, rather than showing us through his actions or emotions or facial expressions.
But clearly these quibbles with the writing are a side note; the purpose of this book was not to be a marvel of English literature.

The primary plot element - that the gun culture has been a force in American history since the earliest days of our country, that members of this gun culture are decent people who just happen to be obsessed with guns, that our government has illegally penalized and even killed people, often for violations of something as simple as a $200 tax violation - is laid out in exacting detail and built with care through the nearly 900 pages of this book.

There were certain parts of his argument - his descriptions and setups of the fictionalized accounts of actual events (Waco, Ruby Ridge) - that he attempts to present as a purely factual account, yet based on a brief scan of the events it seemed clear to me that Ross deliberately left out parts of the information in order to present his case as strongly as possible. Can't blame him for that! It makes his point all the stronger. It just seems not entirely "fair" to limit his description of David Koresh to "a smiling man with long, curly hair" (not a direct quote from the book) and later as "just a guy who has sex with more than one wife". A very brief survey of information on the Waco Siege taught me that Koresh et al were being investigated for other reasons than failure to pay a $200 tax (the only reason Ross ever gives in his book); there were suspicions of child abuse and sex with underage girls. I understand why Ross doesn't include these issues in his account - they muddy the waters, and his point was to focus on gun law issues and the excessive and illegal actions of the government agency. However, leaving those other things out makes his account less true. HOWEVER, I must say that his selective editing of events does not make the government actions any less reprehensible.

In the course of reading his book my attitudes toward automatic weapons changed. Previously I did not understand why a private citizen would ever need to own such a weapon. I do now appreciate that, according to the Bill of Rights, such weapons would fall into the category that a private militia would use. I also appreciate that some individuals just love guns, love collecting guns, and love shooting guns purely for target practice and the joy they get from the activity.

[Doran Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Unintended Consequences" by John Ross is a scary, scary book. It's frightening partly because while the book is a work of fiction, so much of the story is based in actual history. There's surprising amount of actual true stories in this novel, a lot of it stories most of us haven't heard before.

Did you know admired military men President Eisenhower, General MacArthur and General Patton participated in an operation in 1933 where they led troops against American citizens in the US and many innocent men were injured or killed as a result? Yeah, I didn't know it either, but it's documented: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army

I knew there were some pretty ridiculous federal anti-gun laws restricting the sale of automatic weapons (e.g. machine guns,) but what I didn't know is that the great-granddaddy of these laws, the National Firearms Act of 1934, was ruled unconstitutional in a federal court very soon after the law was enacted. The Supreme Court later reversed the lower court's decision, thereby upholding the law, but this was partly because there was no attorney defending the original defendants. The case went to the Supreme Court with a government prosecutor arguing for the government and nobody to represent the other side. The prosecutor got away with quite a bit he wouldn't have had there been a halfway intelligent lawyer there defending.

"Unintended Consequences" asserts that the National Firearms Act was passed as a result of the repeal of Prohibition. All those tax agents that had been prosecuting moonshiners and speakeasies during the era of Prohibition couldn't lose their jobs once Prohibition was repealed, so the National Firearms Act was passed to give them something to enforce.

John Ross covers lots of history in this book, from 1934, through World War II and straight into Ruby Ridge, Waco, and the Oklahoma City federal building bombing (which was blamed on a "gun nut.") Ross paints the US government as abusive, out of control, and downright evil in how they selectively enforce gun laws. The ATF is shown as frequently entrapping otherwise law-abiding citizens.

When a gun dealer and enthusiast who obeys every gun law to the letter crosses the ATF by embarrassing an agent attempting to entrap him at a gun show, the ATF plans its revenge on him. They plan a raid of his house and his friends' houses when they're out of town and plan to plant illegal evidence. What they don't anticipate is that he hasn't actually left town yet and he catches them in the act. This is the final straw for these men. They declare war on the government.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost 900 pages, and I read this in less than a week. Excellent combination of historical fiction and political thriller, this work chronicles the deterioration of gun rights in the United States by following a family through the 20th century. Included are detailed fictionalized accounts of the Ruby Ridge massacre, the FBI shootout in Miami in 1986, and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of World War II. The book then moves to the present day, describing a rouge government agency that attempts to criminalize legal gun owners, and armed resistance breaks out.

Not for the faint of heart, this book is violently and sexually graphic, and its message will be objectionable to most. But it presents an interesting thought exercise--were the Founding Fathers serious when they established the 2nd amendment as a means of citizens defending themselves in the face of tyranny? And if so, what would that look like in the 21st century?

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing epic story. I have read this about 3 times now and each time it gets better and better. Am amazing look at what can happen to freedoms and liberty when you are too busy paying attention to what doesn't really matter.
I wish I could convince the author to release it again. It is getting hard to find and I would love to give it as a gift to about 30 people!!!!!

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

If America doesn't change course this will happen the tree of liberty is looking thirsty.

[Uriah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next to the Bible - this is the book that will most change your life.

[Shane · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is a character study of one of the most prolific and bloodthirsty serial killers in modern American fiction: Henry Bowman.

It is painfully clear that this is Mr Ross’ first novel. He lacks a natural ear for dialogue. His narrative style tends towards sprawl to the degree that it makes Tom Clancy's style seem as economical as that of Joseph Conrad by comparison. His decision to employ the Unreliable Narrator was a bold choice. But the Unreliable Narrator is a challenge for even the most skilled writers, so it comes as no surprise that Mr Ross struggled with this device in his first novel.

Henry Bowman, the anti-hero of the novel, is a bright and gifted fellow who would have gone on to achieve greatness if he weren't a narcissistic sociopath. The author, in spite of his limitations as a first time novelist, manages to cannily capture how a profoundly mentally ill person can be completely unaware that he is mentally ill at all. Bowman’s unshakable and sincere believe that a surgical application of lethal violence can reliably motivate people to behave in their own reasonable and enlightened self interest is a frightening testament to the human desire to believe that the end could somehow justify the means.

Bowman has the potential to join the ranks of such literary hero-monsters as Harris’ Lecter, or McCarthy’s Chigurh, or Highsmith’s Ripley. But Ross casts Bowman as neither an honest hero nor a plain dealing villain and the narrative structure of the book suffers needlessly for it. Ross further prevents Bowman from attaining the status of these literary legends of fiction by saddling Bowman with a congenital inability to own his actions.

He kills an entire unit of ATF agents. Then dismembers their bodies. Then feeds their human remains to pigs. All the while, laying the responsibility for his actions squarely at the feet of those who passed the 1968 Gun Control Act.

But it is not Bowman’s blood-thirst or depraved indifference to the sanctity of human life that renders him unsympathetic. The characters listed above are no less savage than Bowman.

The key to allowing the reader to form a bond with a fiendish hero is to have that hero overcome an obstacle worthy of his considerable and frightening abilities. Unfortunately, none of the characters that comes into conflict with Bowman lives long enough to develop into an appropriate foil. Instead, the indefatigable Bowman faces off against a faceless, feckless government entity that literally can’t shoot straight.

The ATF can be Nazis, or the ATF can be buffoons. But they can’t be both. And if they are the Nazis, they need a Hitler. Or at least a Rommel. Instead, Ross gives the ATF some sort of Evil Inspector Clouseau. The effect is anti-climactic. And Ross lacks the writing chops to make his tragic tale read like a dark comedy.

The academically rigorous early chapters of the book play out in stark contrast to the inchoate fever dream style of the book’s final chapters. There is some serviceable foreshadowing to Bowman’s unraveling psyche when the author includes some tepid hagiographic passages about Randy Weaver, David Koresh, and Timothy McVeigh. Out of context, the attempts to paint these grotesque man-toddlers as folk heroes would seem offensive. But clearly, the author was using this to illustrate Henry Bowman’s slide into madness.

By the end of the book, the author’s imperfect command of the Unreliable Narrator causes the reader to be unclear if Henry Bowman ends up in some sort of medically induced coma, or perhaps a fugue state, or if he lay dying in a pool of his own blood. But it is clear that Bowman does, in the end, completely lose his grip on reality. As his madness overtakes him, he becomes lost in a juvenile fantasy milieu. In this milieu, the U.S. Constitution is a self-contained legal system, and there is no such thing as stare decisis or common law. His murder spree is magically transformed into a set piece of a glorious cultural civil war. A civil war that he wins in the span of about five months, because in this fantasy world civil wars are tidy and quick affairs. And it all ties itself up with a surreal bow when the President grants him amnesty. After Henry has killed two Members of Congress. (An event about as plausible as seeing Charles Manson being granted amnesty, and a bitchin’ Vette.)

I will give Mr Ross this. He does know his firearms. Perhaps he could get to know an editor before he publishes his next book.

[Krys Gut · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unlike any I have read. The author introduces the book by saying it is a book of fiction, however, many of the early storyline is taken from actual events, but with fiction woven around it.

The book provides an impressive history of firearms, an array of technical jargon on guns, a lesson in the evils of governments trying to suppress an individual's right to bear arms (Second Amendment), and at the end an escapist adventure story which will really goes off the deep end.

Incredibly impressive ability to draw you in to the gun culture and gain a level of respect for their message and their cause. The author displays such a mastery of his craft, I'm amazed.

The US government is painted in a fascist light, and after reading of the oppressive examples used by the gun culture (the government's oppression and downright murder at Ruby Ridge, Waco, the 1938 Miller vs. US Supreme Court decision, etc.) it is easy to understand how these views develop. His accounting of Ruby Ridge is chilling.

I think it is hart to remain unchanged after reading this book. I know I certainly think differently. The book is an expression of bureaucracy and the loss of personal freedom. And how one group of citizens refused to let go...

[Birq · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't know that much about the author, but I can tell you two things for sure. 1) He has never met an editor. 2) He has never asked himself, "is this passage necessary for the story?"

When I read a book, I give the author a good deal of leeway as a matter of course. I take it as given that he or she knows how to write and understands the storytelling process. I assume that they would only include passages that are relevant to the story. I assume that they aren't wasting my time. I only made it a couple hundred pages through Unintended Consequences before that all went out the window.

The author goes on long, winding, excruciatingly detailed tangents that never pay off. We learn in great detail what shaped the protagonist's father, his father's friends, his friends, some guy he met while driving too fast, a woman of questionable sanity and moral fiber, and on and on and on and on. "IS THIS NECESSARY FOR THE STORY?" The answer, in most cases, is "no, not even in a roundabout way".

Example: Near the end of the protagonist's college career, he writes a senior thesis about gun regulation efforts by the US government. John Ross included the entire paper in the book. Let me be clear here: John Ross wrote a college research paper just to include in his book and included the entire thing. I skipped it.

This thing weighs in at just under 900 pages but it feels like at least double that. I read this on the recommendation of a colleague and stuck with it because of his intense love for it. I rarely bail on a book, especially when I know there's someone that wants to hear what I think about it. I stuck with it all the way through and followed it to its ridiculous conclusion.

There are a few hundred pages of historical accounts (meaning, basically, Wikipedia articles) explaining over a century of government abuses and overreach. Then there are a few hundred pages of the protagonist growing up. The final few hundred pages are the so-called "cautionary tale" of what could happen if you push law-abiding gun owners too far. In the hands of a skilled novelist, you'd be looking at 250 pages for all of that, and told in a way that isn't ham-fisted and pandering. Under Ross's watch, we get something that is clearly not put together by someone you'd call "skilled". It reads like someone's first novel, one you'd offer to read for them and then hope they forget to ask you about it, while you secretly hope they don't ever decide to give up their day job.

My main problems with this book have nothing to do with the actual story, instead they center around the fact that it's just poorly written. It is clearly not edited. Every character is a caricature, a strawman or (if it's a US government employee), a bumbling fool. Way too many passages end with something like, "...but they had no idea how wrong they would turn out to be", as if Ross believes that's how you use foreshadowing. The author just has no clear idea how to tell a story in an engaging way.

As for the story, it was okay. Not great. Not "dangerous", as he would have you believe. Not the kind of thing that is going to start a civil war, as I believe he actually believes himself. It's just a not-terribly-plausible story about rich white guys that feel picked on by the government, reach the breaking point and start killing government employees indiscriminately. Certainly not worth my time.

[wally · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent story about the gun culture. ross begins by covering a number of historical events and eventually picks up the pace by following a kid, henry, who from a young age develops an honest interest in all things guns.

things turn political, as they have a way of doing, and the action unfolds. there's a time or two when justice is delivered to those deserving w/o benefit of that long drawn-out process that eventually results in the bad guys walking out, redeemed (not), and free to go and sin some more.
can i hear a hallelujah and amen?

over 850 pages, entertaining, instructive, and thought-provoking. i only wish some young dame carried concealed as she was on her way to the abortion clinic. that would have been great.....that, or if maybe some disgruntled and dysfunctional dude killed his evil step-father and then ran off to join the texas rangers...where's the body?

on the cover and it happens. the world over people have paid dearly for their pompous beliefs. this story is one where people fight back.

[Aaron Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is little I can say that is not summarized better on the back cover of the book:

"This is the most disturbing book I have ever read. That said, it ranks only below Holy Scripture as required reading..."

"That rarest of thrillers: a dynamic story with overwhelming national significance which requires no suspension of disbelief..."

"What Harriet Beecher Stowe did in 1853 [with Uncle Tom's Cabin] John Ross has done for today's struggle for individual freedom..."

It's unfair to say this book is equal parts history textbook, firearms instruction manual, manifesto for liberty, and nonstop thrill ride, for that would imply that each element makes up only 25% of the book. Instead, this book achieves the impossible by bringing the full 100% of each element (perhaps explaining its 860+ pages), and managing to deliver a book that cannot be put down. There were many nights that the only thing preventing me from reading further was utter exhaustion forcing my eyes closed.

The book is divided into four sections, and each section is further subdivided by "chapters" that correspond to a date. I found this format exceedingly helpful in keeping track of information, as well as recalling certain events. Many factual and historical events are weaved throughout the book, and they all add to the overall theme that governments (including the noble United States of America) abuse their authority and terrorize their citizens. Some of these events, which have been dramatized for the story, include the Bonus Army march of 1932, the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in World War II, and the Ruby Ridge, Idaho and Waco, Texas foul-ups by the feds.

Interspersed throughout the book's many historical references is a story about American "gun culture", told primarily through the persons Henry Bowman, Raymond Johnson, and their friends and associates. This book does a wonderful job of developing the characters, giving them the skills they need to problem solve at the appropriate times, and challenges to effect their maturation. But where the protagonists' characters are sufficiently developed, it is the author's ability to write his villains that excels.

Similar to Ayn Rand, John Ross does not create villains that are impossibly one-dimensional. The strength of the antagonists rests in their believability. These are government agents, bureaucrats, and lawmakers who are dedicated to their cause, believing they are keeping America safe through their actions. Yet they also collect a paycheck for their official acts, meaning that their motives are mixed at best. Ross paints this juxtaposition perfectly, giving the antagonists an air of superiority because the U.S. Government or "the public" supports what they do. Elements of Sun Tzu abound as well, as a foe's greatest strength may also be his weakness.

This book was inspirational, exhilarating, educational, and satisfying. I'm left with a newly discovered passion to join the gun culture myself, wanting dedicate a not insignificant part of my budget toward new firearms and reloading equipment. I'm also motivated to push back against any and all public attempts at disarmament: as George Washington said, "When government takes away citizens' right to bear arms it becomes citizens' duty to take away government's right to govern." For a book to bring about these changes in my worldview, it must be truly special indeed.

[Shooterbob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually read it, loaned it to a friend and then have just finished it again when I got it back. While there are explicit language and sexual elements it was not too terrible a read. I did feel at times it was a bit slow moving, but the history is important to the story and overall motivation of the story. While another reviewer said that the Branch Davidians were being investigated for other crimes other than the $200 tax, the authority of the agents who arranged that raid was strictly limited to that crime alone. That I believe was the main point.

One point I find amusing is the mention of a 'presidential override' to stop all Internet traffic. I think the current or prior administration mentioned adding that recently...

Now to resell it to pass the seed along :)

[Zinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good, thought provoking book that I often think about today. The first part of the book has an excellent review of gun control laws. Then the story line and the revolution are so believable.

I didn't give it the 5th star due to the couple of x-rated parts. If it wasn't for those, I would buy my own copy and several others to pass out.

Made me want to raise hogs.

[Rebecca · Rating 1 out of 5]

On the recommendation of a friend, I tried. Really. I made it more than halfway through. The paranoia was just too thick for me to slog through it any longer. Some of the history was reasonably readable, though the bent was obvious. The fiction was atrocious.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all of the 2nd Amendment libertarian folks out there, not for the faint of heart! All bacon & eggs; no hummus, beware.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, even if you don't totally agree with the message and political leanings. I'm not a pro-gun person but neither am I anti-gun. I do believe this is an area where the government has taken a very heavy handed approach, perhaps with good intent but "unintended consequences". This book provides a very interesting history from the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of World War II to Ruby Ridge to Waco to the Weaver incident and more. The facts are well represented with a decidedly pro-gun bent. Along with the historic perspective is wrapped a compelling fictional story with good characterization that really does pull you in. I felt that I learned a lot about the history of gun control in America and gun culture. Some of my views changed after reading this book, and checking the facts from other sources was an additional educational bonus. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the gun culture in America.

[Jason William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unintended Consequences is part documentary, part editorial, part fact and part fiction. This book educated me; I found myself looking up several of the historical events and points it discusses to learn more about them. It challenged me; I've assumed and trusted far more than I should have. And it scared me...

You don't have to be a gun nut or a member of the "gun culture" to get something from or enjoy this work. You just have to be willing to critically think as you read.

By the way, who wrote that horrible GoodReads synopsis? If enjoying this books puts me "on the fringes of American society", I'll take that as a compliment.

[Phil (Theophilus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unintended Consequences tends to dispell the myth of gun nut conspiracy theorists, and, contrary to popular groupthink, gun control is *not* about safety, it's about the politics of the gun - Who gets to arm himself and who gets to negate it. The U.S. government has long been an egregious oppressor of lawful citizen activity and one need not be a member of the gun culture or a militia to see that. Take one long, wide eyed open look at history. Heck, start by reading this book. It's worth it.

[Amber Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will give you an interesting and detailed point of view of why guns are actually a good thing. Even if you aren't pro-guns this is a good read.

[Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun, in the way that Ayn Rand books are fun.

The books present a legible framework of how the world operates, depicts characters who are challenged by the world, and then overcome those challenges. I would be concerned if someone loved these books and thought they depict the real world. But it helps that this book is obscure enough that no one I know has read it.

I learned a lot about guns in this book. It was fun to see how the book depicts the excitement and joy of a hobby. After reading this book I have a much stronger understanding of the way that shooting sports can be fun and have satisfying combinations of technical knowledge and athletic ability.

[cover72 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book really comprises of four; and it is divided so.
First three books I really enjoyed, for they were nice and captivating story of almost ordinary Americans, who just happen to be shooters like me. Historical events depicted here and there are scary; many historical misconceptions get shaky; and every reader finishes them being a little more wiser about important turns of events in history, beginnig with Warzsaw ghetto uprising and ending with - to my generation - little known betrayal of George Bush senior.
Third chapter contains a remarkable summarization of the "gun culture", famous misconceptions about it, betrayals by the government and politicians and outrageous, immoral acts of certain government agencies gone wild.
If the book was just this, I would give it the highest rating.
However. In the fourth and final part, it all goes terribly wrong. Book's main character gets - against his will - sucked into an all-out war with the govt, who was once more engaged in criminal actions and planting evidence, and proceeds to start an insurgency... During which he becames the same monster as his enemies: was it wrong that ATF murdered Weaver's wife? Yes, indeed. But then, some of alleged insurgents murders bureocrat... And his family and little children. In could blood. And no one cares.
Was it bad that federal government started to make "exceptions" from the 2nd Amendment? Yes, indeed - but once the book's main character starts his fight, he himself starts adding "exceptions" to other amendments, like limiting freedom of speech of legislators. That's just plain wrong. Cause does *not* sanction the means.
And because of that fourth part; for the monsters that became from the very people which were supposed to fight govt monsters, I give it just 75%: I hated that fourth part as much as I have loved the first three.

[Tommy Attaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that led to an entire genre of fiction based on the notion of a federal government usurping the Constitution and the reaction that ensues on the part of the population. This well researched work is the story of the gun culture in the United States in the 20th Century. The fictional part of the book posits the reaction of that gun culture to a government that de facto repeals the Second Amendment to the US Constitution.

If one concept explains the actions of the main characters, it is the reaction of a proud people being subjected to tyranny and the subsequent actions to try to force them to accept restrictions intolerable to a free people. This work has led to an entire genre of fiction ranging from rebellion to 1984 style governments to post economic collapse chaos, to even TEOTWAWKI scenarios, and I would posit even to much of the survicalist / prepper mentality. It all began here, and this volume is a worthy read to better understand the community supportive of the Second Amendment.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a politically incorrect story about gun control out of control. Disclaimer: I enjoy and occasionally even agree with some libertarian fiction, and if politically incorrect, that's just an added bonus. Like most fictional adventure stories, this one is often unbelievable. However, unlike most novels involving guns, Ross' knowledge of firearms and related topics is quite strong. The story is gripping, and moves quickly from page to page. In particular, the sequences involving marksmanship, though seemingly fantastic to the uninitiated, are entirely possible with enough practice, and I have witnessed some gun users who could do even better. Pretty good book.

[Sorin Ionescu · Rating 1 out of 5]

800 pages book that could be, easily, converted in a 200 pages book if one was to cut all the unnecessary descents in to the design, intricacies and manufacturing of almost everything related to big effing guns.
Not to mention that the our hero is a sociopath.Clear cut sociopath. No questions and no remorse for killing people. He kills because it SHALL be done. Why? No idea.
Other than that, a nice, and old, ranting(s) about conspiracies where government is a big bad brother/father who wants to take away your guns and o/c all you freedoms.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the best-written book, but an apt warning of what could happen if globalist or tyrannist governments attempt to disarm a determined populace. Thomas Jefferson was right....
"the beauty of the second amendment is that it's not needed until they try to take it."

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

On my top 20 list. I am really glad that this is available in paperback. For a long time this was such a cult favorite it was really hard to find and the hardcover was going for $300-400 used. I bought three copies when it was first published and wished I did not give two away as gifts.

[Mike Eskridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read. Full of great gun history and facts for the gun enthusiast and historians. John is brilliant!!
A long book but worth every minute spent b reading it. I bought a copy for friends and family as everyone should know the facts contained within its pages.

[Fareeda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book didn’t need to be 860+ pages long. If one can get past/skim through all the extra details, it’s actually a pretty good book re: the gun culture and what could happen if individuals outsmarted and overturned the government.

[Ryan Smothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal book! Have read this cover to cover 6 times since being introduced to it by my father and fall in love with it again and again everytime I pick it up! Highly recommend this to anyone who loves to read!

[Tim H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long and drawn out at times. However, stick with it. If you are in any way associated with the gun culture then you will appreciate this book on some level. They're really getting rare though.