Jefferson's Road: Patriots and Tyrants [Kindle Edition]

Michael J. Scott (Author)

Book Description

"Peter!" Grant cried, slapping my back, "You did it!"
I stared through the scope, stunned at the hell I'd unleashed.

- A Shot Heard 'Round The World -

Peter Baird is running for his life. Skillfully manipulated and played for a patsy, he has become an assassin--public enemy number one: the man who shot the President of the United States. Now abandoned and on his own, he has but one chance to save his brother and rescue his country:

He must join forces with the man he hates the most--Grant Collins, the mysterious commander of the New York militia. The problem is he has no idea where to find him.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
- Thomas Jefferson

- A Thin Chance at Victory -

Peter sets himself on a quest: find the militia and convince Grant to mount a rescue and save Martin from certain death. But will the price of revolution come at the cost of his soul?

Content Advisory: No sex, minimal profanity, some violence
Word Count: 76,000 words (about 314 pages)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

About the author: How did you come up with the title? It comes from Thomas Jefferson's letter to William Smith, in which he argues that Americans must keep the spirit of resistance as a check upon tyranny. All governments tend toward greater control and less freedom. He called for armed resistance as the best guard against it. How long have you been writing? Since I was ten years old. What authors have inspired you? C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Stephen King, among others. I'm drawn to dark stories that pit good against evil in breathtaking, apocalyptic ways. For this series, I especially drew inspiration from Dostoyevski's Crime and Punishment, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, Sinclair Lewis' It Can't Happen Here, and Pat Frank's Alas Babylon. Where did you get the idea for the novel? I've always wondered what happened to America. I knew something had gone wrong. Our country wasn't anything like what it had once been. Did something drive us from the vision of the Founding Fathers? And what would happen if we continue down this path? In the last few elections I saw how divided we were as a country. How long the fabric of our civilization will hold together? What will happen when it finally tears apart? Jefferson's Road is my prediction about all this. Who is your favorite character? The characters are all based on "types" - bits and pieces of people I've known, and they are all very real to me. Peter is the hero, or perhaps the anti-hero, of the novel, but Martin has the best lines. Jerry is a lovable doofus who gets caught up in all this, and for that reason is all the more tragic. Grant plays the role of villain, but despite his lies, he is the most true to who he is. There's an air of mystery about him. You never quite know whether or not he's going to shoot someone. Do you want the President assassinated? I think that'd be an utter disaster for this country. But I do think that if change back to the Constitution doesn't come by the ballot, it will come by the bullet. Will freedom-loving Americans really allow us to become a socialist state or a Marxist dystopia? Someone will do something rash, and it'll all explode or, more likely, implode. Biographical Information I am a husband and father (beautiful, patient wife and three adorable kids), and an ordained minister and writer. I grew up in New York near Rochester, near where I live. I spent twenty years in pulpit ministry, working in Maryland, Ohio, and Indiana before moving back in 1995.

Product Details

• File Size: 382 KB
• Print Length: 322 pages
• Publisher: Ichabod Press (June 1, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00540ACLI
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #355,887 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute adrenaline rush May 6, 2012

By S. Blodgett

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Before I begin let me just say that its very hard to review a book like this without getting into the politics of it, especially considering the subject matter. This isn't a plot one comes across everyday and it frankly requires some discussion.

I read both books that are available in this series in 2 sittings, I simply couldn't put them down. I'm not usually one for thrillers but alternate (future) history always appeals to me. Being relatively politically aware led me to see the many nightmarish parallels between this story and our own current political situation. In an age where something like the NDAA, SOPA, domestic use of spy drones, Patriot Act etc, can exist it isn't a far stretch for me to see events like those depicted in the novel play out in reality.

Mr. Scott writes from a very patriotic point of view. True patriotism, not just vapid flag waving and mindlessly mumbling the Pledge of Allegiance-style patriotism but nuts and bolts constitutionalism. It's unfortunate that many these days would probably try to portray this novel as pornography for gun nuts and right-wingers and ignore the truth of it when in actuality it's nothing more than a love letter to freedom and the Constitution. And if you hate those things you're probably who Peter and the organization are standing up to :p. I'm a very socially liberal 'live and let live as long as you don't harm me' Libertarian and while I may have some very minor quibbles with one or two of the political points in here, the core message should resonate with anyone who loves this country and who sees our bought with blood freedoms disappearing on a daily basis.

The book is very well written and kudos to whomever edited it, this is one of the best edited Kindle books I've come across, not an error to be found. It's breathtakingly compelling, exciting and thought provoking. I read until my eyes were swimming in my head, I simply couldn't wait to see what happens next.

I do however have one gripe:the indecisiveness of Peter, the main character. One second he's unwilling to follow orders and ready to drop a dime on the entire organization, the next he's eagerly tossing grenades like a pitcher in a little league game. I'm hoping to see a little more commitment and certainty from Peter (either way) in the next book. I understand some soul searching but at a certain point its like 'dude, you're firing machine guns at government helicopters. I think you're basically okay with whats going on'. Its not annoying but I did shake my head a time or two. However that doesn't stop me from eagerly awaiting book 3 of the series.

If you like thrillers, lots of action, 2nd American Revolution scenarios, or are just concerned about the direction this country is going in, definitely check this series out.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must read! January 15, 2013

By Ron

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I absolutely love this series so far. Not only is the story line plausible (especially with our current events and public violence) but it is well thought out. The character development is nicely done, and I find myself anxious for what may happen to the main players next. I can feel their thoughts, and for some of them, their inner turmoil. I stumbled on this series randomly, but count me as a fan. Great up and coming author. On a side note, I think it's truly important that you read these books in order to truly understand the plot, but more importantly to understand how the characters grow. I can't say much else without spoiling the story, so happy reading and I can't wait for the next one!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Scary Concept. Good Book. November 20, 2012

By Chuck - Commerce Twp, MI

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I snagged the first book in this series as a free Amazon eBook. Wasn't sure what to expect, but was surprised at how quickly the book grabbed a reader & held on. This isn't something I'd ever want to see happen in our country, but the writer presents it in a believable way and makes you feel for the internal sruggles of the main character. I look forward to seeing how the series progresses.

More About the Author

Michael J. Scott specializes in action/adventure thrillers and suspense. He is the author of no less than six series, which he is writing contemporaneously.

The series titled "Jefferson's Road" is a dystopic vision of America. Set sometime in the near future, it chiefly concerns the break out of widespread civil unrest in the United States due to the instability of the nation's social systems and the refusal of government to relinquish centralized control.

Michael's "Janelle Becker Books" tell the story of a Special Agent with the Behavioral Analysis Unit who is the lead investigator of the Religious Crimes Task Force. Janelle lives outside of Washington, D.C. with her cat Nutmeg. She enjoys Jazz music, Cajun cuisine, and has a penchant for speaking her mind. Addicted to prescription pain medication she'd received subsequent to a knife attack, she battles both the demons of her drug use as well as a string of broken relationships, all while wrestling against a dark memory in her past that threatens to shatter her carefully constructed world. Nevertheless, she is a crack investigator, and her unconventional insights are critical to solving the cases that land before her.

The "Jonathan Munro Adventures" follow the escapades of a reluctant hero swept up into archaeological adventures-usually at the hand of his beguiling ex-fiance, Isabel Kaufman. Dr. Munro is a paleographer (a professor of ancient writings) at the University of Michigan who'd rather stay in his office and study dusty tomes, but his commitment to Christ and his willingness to help those in need puts him into a world of danger were thieves, assassins, mercenaries, and unscrupulous collectors vie to obtain priceless treasures of antiquity.

"The Dragon's Eye Cycle" occurs in a mystical land of swords, sorcery, and fantastic creatures, and where mysteries still must be solved. Lucas Veritatus, ex-Sheriff of the North Country, now serves as a mercenary investigator. Joined by the enigmatic and beautiful Avenyë of the Ronami, and pursued by the memory of the dark sorcerer who cost him his eye, Lucas travels throughout the Four Realms using his eyes and ears to solve crimes, rather than relying on Magick. But Magick finds him nonetheless...

The "Spilled Milk" series are dark thrillers about Gerrold Smith, a widower and father who becomes a terrorist in order to protect his children from a corrupt social welfare agency. Like many of Michael's novels, Gerrold's tale is a morality play about choices - particularly wrong choices that take us down the slippery slope. If there is a theme to Spilled Milk and its sequels, it is this: The difference between the man and the monster is a matter of degree, not kind.

"New World Order" is the latest series from Michael's pen, debuting in 2013. Imagine a world without freedom, where common people are subjected to the whims of an out-of-control bureaucracy, no longer governed by men or by laws, but only by the expediency of an agenda-where not even the elite are in charge any longer. New World Order tells the story of Katherine and Rebecca Holt as they are swept up in a rebellion against the forces of a self-destructive, all-encompassing Authority that exists for no other purpose than its own demise.

Besides writing, Michael enjoys reading, discussing politics, philosophy and religion, teaching, singing, martial arts, "Freestyle Kendo," acting, cooking and shooting pool. Michael lives outside of Rochester, NY with his wife and three children.