Thread: Survivors, James Wesley, Rawles new book

Ordered Survivors through Amazon on October 4th like Rawley's recommended to get the ratings up. It came yesterday and I sat up and read it cover to cover yesterday and last night. It is a good quick read with some interesting sub-plots and several bug out and bug in scenarios.

I think the first book, Patriots, is the better of the two.

Let's see what you think when you finish the book.

Half way thru it. It's good but I liked Patriots better.

The book sucked. It felt rushed, incomplete and parts didn't even feel like it was written by the same author.

Originally Posted by bassman2

The book sucked. It felt rushed, incomplete and parts didn't even feel like it was written by the same author.

Rushed and incomplete are good descriptors. I also did not like the way he defined every little acronym in the first chapter, it caused the reading to break up and not flow well. Looks like I am not alone in my disappointment.

Interesting. I'm half way through Survivors. So far, I'd say that the writing is much, much better than Patriots, and the editing, too, though there are still some editorial mistakes. This one reads more like a novel. Honestly, if I hadn't been reading Patriots as a survival handbook but as a novel, I would never have made it past the second chapter -- the writing and editing sucked that badly. So far, Survivors is more interesting with more survival stuff/plans/ recommendations that are better integrated with the story. Of course, that could all change in the second half of the book.

Originally Posted by Bazooka Joe

Interesting. I'm half way through Survivors. So far, I'd say that the writing is much, much better than Patriots, and the editing, too, though there are still some editorial mistakes. This one reads more like a novel. Honestly, if I hadn't been reading Patriots as a survival handbook but as a novel, I would never have made it past the second chapter -- the writing and editing sucked that badly. So far, Survivors is more interesting with more survival stuff/plans/ recommendations that are better integrated with the story. Of course, that could all change in the second half of the book.

Well, now I've finished. I guess that I could agree that Patriots has a more complete story. Survivors covers too many different people and doesn't have a satisfying main story and conclusion. That said, I'd still rather read Survivors over Patriots. Aside from that, as survival manuals, I'd say that Patriots covers things that a retreat group can do to help plan their home, garden, trade, and other survival needs -- bugging in, really, or maybe bugging out to a pre-staged, pre-planned location. Survivors, on the other hand, is more about people who had to flee and what you can do to survive that -- how to stock up after things start going bad, how to move on the run, how to think about where to go --, though there were certainly also scenes related to fixed locations and people prepared in advance.

Just in case anyone hasn't visited his excellent Survival Blog website :

SurvivalBlog.com

I just got done with the book last night. It did feel rushed to me like many of you stated. I thought there was too many characters and places in the book, so he had to move around a lot. I wish he would of took a few of the people and places out and focused more on the main peep's in the story.

It did give some good idea's on bugging out, etc. I did enjoy "Survivors", but "Patriots" was much better read (needed better editing), but over all a good quick read with some good info.

I think I heard he's coming with another one in a few years about the two brothers from "Patriots", anyone hear that?

Originally Posted by Bazooka Joe

Well, now I've finished. I guess that I could agree that Patriots has a more complete story. Survivors covers too many different people and doesn't have a satisfying main story and conclusion. That said, I'd still rather read Survivors over Patriots. Aside from that, as survival manuals, I'd say that Patriots covers things that a retreat group can do to help plan their home, garden, trade, and other survival needs -- bugging in, really, or maybe bugging out to a pre-staged, pre-planned location. Survivors, on the other hand, is more about people who had to flee and what you can do to survive that -- how to stock up after things start going bad, how to move on the run, how to think about where to go --, though there were certainly also scenes related to fixed locations and people prepared in advance.

Have you read "one Minute After" by William Forstchen? It is a good story about life after the EMP. If you like a complete story of what people who were not really prepared might do this is a good read.

Why read about it when you can live it, by simply being patient?

Enjoyed Patriots but Survivors failed to impress. Agree that One Second After was a great read.

Originally Posted by 19 Adam

Have you read "one Minute After" by William Forstchen? It is a good story about life after the EMP. If you like a complete story of what people who were not really prepared might do this is a good read.

Yes, that one is definitely very well written

What do you think about his idea to get $20 of nickels every time you go to the bank? Stockpiling nickels a good idea or bad?
The reasoning behind it is that if hyper inflation happens, or any inflation, your nickels will increase in value as your dollars decrease. Also it would become a form of currency after paper money becomes worthless. James said that soon nickels will no longer be circulated as nickel and copper and will be made out of steel. They will become like the silver coins after the 60's when they started making them out of mixed metals.

I took out $20 in nickels the last time I went to the bank. Should I keep doing this?

Originally Posted by Mike1C

I took out $20 in nickels the last time I went to the bank. Should I keep doing this?

I think a safer bet would be a 1oz silver bar for the same price. My .02