Ordeal

Rating:
Summary: At least he got the title right.
Review: "Ordeal" is right...this book is an ordeal to read. Every time I picked it up I debated just throwing this trash away and starting something else. I read about 20 novels a year and this is without question the worst book I've seen in a decade. An eight-year-old could have written this.

This book has about a dozen main characters, not one of which is ever developed to the point that you know anything about him or her, much less care what happens to them. They get raped...so; beat up...yawn; killed...turn the page. The dialog is moronic. Every character speaks with the same colloquialisms, and frequently says the exact same words as other "characters". The plot is painfully predictable and sophomoric, with several events that are incredible, in the strict sense of the word. There are huge gaps in the timing. Scenes are not described at all. These people are in some of the most beautiful wilderness in America, and the author never even bothers to describe it, so busy is he spouting his political opinions. While I agree in principle with the political viewpoint of this author, this is such a crude, simplistic and caricatured portrayal of both sides that it is not persuasive, just offensive.

Rating:
Summary: Catharsis for Pissed Off Conservatives
Review: "Ordeal" is right...this book is an ordeal to read. Every time I picked it up I debated just throwing this trash away and starting something else. I read about 20 novels a year and this is without question the worst book I've seen in a decade. An eight-year-old could have written this.

This book has about a dozen main characters, not one of which is ever developed to the point that you know anything about him or her, much less care what happens to them. They get raped...so; beat up...yawn; killed...turn the page. The dialog is moronic. Every character speaks with the same colloquialisms, and frequently says the exact same words as other "characters". The plot is painfully predictable and sophomoric, with several events that are incredible, in the strict sense of the word. There are huge gaps in the timing. Scenes are not described at all. These people are in some of the most beautiful wilderness in America, and the author never even bothers to describe it, so busy is he spouting his political opinions. While I agree in principle with the political viewpoint of this author, this is such a crude, simplistic and caricatured portrayal of both sides that it is not persuasive, just offensive.

Rating:
Summary: Johnstone Rules
Review: Actually I loved this Book and I love all of Johnstones Books becouse he makes me Think and to the revierer who made the Crack about the Ashes Series just being another "Mens" Adventure story Think again, Thousands of woman are reading it and I belong to Johnstone Book group just for Woman and all we do is discuss the Johnstone Books and we love the Ashes Stories becouse They are Conservative Action/Adventures that tell it like it is....

I think your just scared becouse "JOHNSTONE" makes you Think and you are a SHEEP even Johnstone in his books through his Main Charecter in the Ashes Series "Ben Raines" says people will not like what he has to say and stick thier heads in the sand and Yes he writes Fiction but Damm good Fiction that has enough of a SMACK truth in them to get all you Liberls Yelling and trust me I am a Conservative and proud of it and Yes I believe what Johnstone Writes in his books and I do believe in his brand of Justice and I also believe only 1 out of four people could live the way they do in the SUSA (See the ASHES SERIES FOR THE REFERENCE).

Try being stand up think for yourself kinda people instead SHEEP and I know thier are people out thier who are going to say to me ? so what you are saying is If I dont like Johnstone I am a Sheep and I say well look inside yourself and answer that Question

WILLIAM W. JOHNSTONE IS THE BEST WRITER ON THIS PLANET AND ALL HIS BOOKS ARE THE BEST!!!! GO JOHNSTONE TELL IT LIKE IT IS.....

Rating:
Summary: Catharsis for Pissed Off Conservatives
Review: Being a fan of survival fiction I decided to give this one a try. I had read a couple of books in Johnstone's "Ashes" series and got bored with them quickly since they were just pulp "men's adventure" stories. As such, I did not have very high expectations but even so this one was disappointing.

The basic premise of the book is that three old war buddies in their sixties and the whiney Liberal son of one of the men get together and go on a four week camping trip in the mountains of Montana. Suddenly a massive pre-planned prison break takes place and over 200 of the country's worst criminals escape into the woods. The convicts, armed to the teeth with help from the outside, stumble onto several people in the wilderness where they capture them and abuse them physically and sexually in terrible ways. Eventually the convicts run afoul of the 'old farts' and the whiney Liberal son who vociferously objects to everything the good guys do. Much bloodshed ensues as well as gratuitous conservative chest-thumping and Liberal-bashing and the bad guys and the Liberals who coddle them get their comeuppance.

This book really had me wondering why the author felt that this would be something worth doing. It read like a book that a hot-headed conservative would write after watching the news and seeing some kind of liberal outrage that just set him off. Now, don't get me wrong, I am a very conservative-minded person (pro Second Amendment, pro capital punishment -- the works) so I do not disagree with the basic premise of this book (that criminal scum should be coddled or tolerated) or the Author's conclusions of what happens when such criminals are unleashed on society, but this was just too much. The story is written in a shallow, uninteresting way that makes it seem like the book was something the author threw together on a weekend after having a gripe-session with his conservative buddies about how the country was going to pot because of Liberals and other hand-wringers.

The book offers almost nothing for the person looking for a story about how regular people survive in irregular circumstances and it does more harm than good to the conservative argument since it is so obviously absurd in its portrayal of how things work in the real world. The situations are largely contrived and the dialog, which is corny most of the time, can become just outrageous when the author goes into 'soap box' mode which is pretty much the whole time. As an example, convicts who are hemorrhaging from multiple gunshot wounds give speeches about how they've always been bad and always will be before they die. It's just laughable to think that the author meant for this to be taken seriously.

On the plus side this book is easy to read since Johnstone is not a novice writer but the question is why bother? Unless you're just looking for a one-sided diatribe on the evils of Liberalism and aren't interested in stories with any depth, balance or believable characters then by all means give this one a try -- It could be a great cathartic read for [upset] conservatives who need some escapist release. Otherwise it would be best to spend your reading time on something a little less juvenile.

Rating:
Summary: A VERY GOOD BOOK
Review: I am a card-carrying NRA member and confirmed conservative, and I am sympathetic to most of the ideas here, but this book was more than even I could take. It's not so much a novel as it is another diatribe against Eastern liberals. The characters are cardboard cutouts, spouting all the familiar cliches. There's a liberal clown (Andy) who acts as a dateboard, and a contrived plot in which dozens of evil escaped cons are brought to justice through the efforts of the brave gun-toting civilians after the Feds turn their backs on the problem. In an effort to show how demented the villians are, there are graphic rape scenes and murders.

In addition to the political angle, I just don't think Johnstone's skill as an outdoor adventure writer is up to the quality of Stephen Hunter, Gayle Rivers, or the granddaddy of them all, Geoffery Household (now, unfortunately, out of print).

Rating:
Summary: Excellent A Masterpiece
Review: This book can not be put down. One of the best books I've ever read. The beginning to the end is full of action scences. Keeps you up all night reading it. A must buy.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down
Review: This is the first of Johnstone's books I've had the opportunity to read. It's fast moving if a bit above believable. There are definite political overtones - and for a welcome change it's the good guys that have an opportunity (through Johnstone) to have their say. That there are caudled criminals that break out of prison and murder, rape and pillage is only natural. It does happen and innocent people do pay the price. Here there are probably more criminals breaking out than actually would. And the heros are probably smarter and more effective than they really could be. But older men and conservatives are actually given some intelligence - what a novel idea. That a bleeding heart liberal should stand in the way of right puts it just the way it often is. Had these criminals met justice earlier in their career they would not have been around to hurt others. This novel gives warning to what our compassion to murderers may bring our way one day. Way to go Johnstone. I'll be looking up a lot more of your books.

Rating:
Summary: Hands down the worst book I have read in years
Review: Where to start? To say that the characters are cardboard cutouts would be an insult to cardboard manufacturers everywhere. The escaped convicts are completely interchangeable, as are the protagonists. Not one single character in the book has a distinct speaking style or personality. What passes for a plot is nothing more than a dreary manifesto on conservative philosophy, with a caricatured liberal son as the whipping boy. This is the first book I have ever read by Mr. Johnstone. And the last.