Customer Reviews

Alone in the Ashes

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I don't know how anyone else feels about Johnstone's work but with the Ashes series I believe he can't be outdone. This book which is number five in the series is as good as the others my opinion is that if you liked number 1 you are guaranteed to like number 5

This particular book is written very well and never misses a beat. Like all of his books in this series you can relate almost everything he talks about to todays government. The content is very good and some is very scary to even think about but most of what is written you can see happening in todays world. Read this book and the rest of them too and think about what is said

Ben Raines finally gets what he wants. A chance to be alone. However, that proves almost to be his undoing as he is located and pursued by two of the worst gang leaders that have come along. They're not as bad as Hartline, but enough to twist Ben's guts into such a wrinkle that he's bound and determined to rid the world of them right here and now. Again, there are not enough words, or enough room here to really say what should be said. William Johnstone has an uncanny ability to make you wonder if he has received gifted insight into the future. A future that is frightening, yet comforting to know that Ben and his people are there and ready to go!

Johnstone should fire his editor, or bother to run a grammer check and spelling check, but the Ashes series is addictive. The blatant knocks of our current situation touch a nerve with many people who are tired of this wishy-washy world. The plot is thin, but you still have to keep turning the pages. It's an addiction you will want to hide!

Ben Raines takes to the road in this volume of his book as he continues from what he alluded to within the Blood in the Ashes book, that he wanted to head out and continue pursuing his passion within writing what was and what is now following the War. Along the way, Ben encounters a large number of warlord he must contend with and deliver swift justice to. He meets up with Lila, a woman whom has taken in a large number of children in hopes of offering the children a better future. Lila and Ben meet up in Texas, crossing paths and joining to fight Jake, Texas Red, and other warlords in their quest to head towards the former Tri-State area. Along the way, Sam Hartline and the Russian General show up again and offer a huge shift in the story towards the end, alluding to William Johnstones next book, Wind in the Ashes.
The book was well written and highly addictive. I finished the book in two days, having been drawn in to the story line as it plays out like a movie (or mini-series). Excellent description of the surroundings and character personalities seems to be Bill Johnstone's forte and he made it shine within this book. Excellent writing and literary work. I'm very impressed and am continuing on with Wind in the Ashes already.

Another addictive Ashes book. A bit repetative from earlier works. The scan quality for the Kindle is very poor in places.

I thought this was supposed to be a novel, you know with maybe a plot or some sort of story to it. Nothing happens, absolutely nothing, the whole story is Ben Raines driving around the former US shooting people for violating his very odd 'convictions'. There odd as in very wierd, like killing people who dont work or who like trials rather then just dispensing street justice.

He is supposed to the be the hero of the story but the oddness prevents that you from having any sort of connection or sympathy for him.

This and the lack of any sort of plot make the whole thing get very boring very quickly. Turn page: Oh I see Ben Raines is killing another group of people for some bizarre reason. Turn page again: Ah Ben Raines is killing another . . . well you get the idea.

It dosent help that its action is rather boring. He wins everything without breaking a sweat, theres never any fear that he may be overwhelmed or outdone, he wins, period. That and for an author who wrote a whole book about combat he doesnt seem to know anything about the use of firearms or the military in general.

Then the "bad guys" (you know the evil people who like democracy or a free press) are often comically inept.

But the biggest problem is the hypocrasy in the book.

For instance he hates 'looters' who go through the ruins and take valuable items away. However Ben Raines often goes 'scavenging' which is going through the ruins and taking valuable items away.

Or when he constantly attacks (litteraly he shoots them) people who try to guard their town or farm and keep outsiders away. Its 'un-american'. But its entirely appropriate for Ben Raines to set up all manner of land mines and booby traps on his land, to keep outsiders away.

Basically, if you like a good story, you wont like this. And if you like action, you wont like this. SO basically you wont like this book.