The Justice Cooperative [Paperback]

Joe Martino (Author), Joseph P. Martino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2004

WITH CONCEALED WEAPON PERMITS SPREADING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF STATES ALLOWING CITIZENS TO BE ARMED, THE JUSTICE COOPERATIVE IS THE RIGHT BOOK AT THE RIGHT TIME.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A book for believers in the right to self-defense and the second amendment. -- Night Owl Reviews

I have a terrible feeling that...we may eventually see the return of vigilante justice. -- Thomas Sowell

From the Publisher

This forceful, driving story reads like Unintended Consequences concentrated into a much more compact book.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Elderberry Press, LLC (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932762000
• ISBN-13: 978-1932762006
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,584,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Terrific Second Amendment Novel!, May 1, 2004

By 

Matthew Bracken (Florida, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Justice Cooperative (Paperback)

I'm happy to see that the Second Amendment seems to be forging its own niche as a unique genre. The first and most well-known is "Unintended Consequences" by John Ross, written in 1996. At 861 pages, UC is quite a hefty read, but it has developed a strong cult following because of its excellence. My own 2003 novel "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" is no featherweight either at 568 pages. Now we have the newest novel in the genre, "The Justice Cooperative" by Joe Martino. At 292 pages, is by far the most accessible of the three.

"The Justice Cooperative" covers the nightmarish problem of one young married couple in a town in America. A few years earlier, they had been the victims of a home invasion by a violent criminal predator. The husband was knocked almost unconscious in the surprise attack, and his pretty wife was raped in front of him after he was tied up. The criminal was later arrested, and based on their testimony he was put in prison for an all-too-short plea-bargained sentence.

As the novel opens, the governor of the state is commuting the sentences of all prisoners who have served more than one half of their time, due to prison overcrowding. Their tormenter is freed, and begins a crafty stalking campaign, threatening to repay them for their court testimony.

The police are unwilling or unable to help the couple, because the freed criminal hasn't committed an actionable offense...yet.

In desperation, the couple purchases a pair of handguns, and takes instructional courses to learn to shoot them effectively. During this instruction, they come to realize the crucial importance of the right to keep and bear arms spelled out (not "granted") in the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights. They learn how the law is effectively stacked against the innocent citizen, in favor of criminals. (The reader will also get a tremendous education in self-defense theory, practice and law simply by reading this book.)

The "Justice Cooperative" of the title refers to a shadowy group which works to provide terminal justice to dangerous criminals the police can't-or won't-deal with, before they rape or kill even more victims. With an anonymous note, the faceless and nameless cooperative contacts the couple at a shooting range, where they have mentioned their struggle to defend themselves. The husband agrees to help the cooperative to target other violent felons, in return for later help with his own stalker. I don't want to say anything more about the plot, but I will say that "The Justice Cooperative" raises some very intriguing ideas for a covert form of vigilantism.

Along the way, "The Justice Cooperative" makes a powerful case for the continuing importance of the Second Amendment in today's society. I highly recommend this book to anyone who owns a gun for self-defense, or who has ever considered owning a gun. Because it's much shorter than "Unintended Consequences" or "Enemies Foreign and Domestic," it may make a better initial "educational gift" for that liberal-leaning friend or relative who might be open-minded about guns for self-defense.

Matthew Bracken
Author of "Enemies Foreign And Domestic" and "Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista"

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WHERE GUN LAWS MEET THE ROAD, March 31, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Justice Cooperative (Paperback)

The Congress just extended the meaningless "Assault Weapon Ban" as everyone knew they would. Do you feel safer? In the real world, gun laws affect only those who obey laws. But what about lawbreakers?

The answer, of course, is that they ignore laws. So how do we defend ourselves from them once the politicians take our guns? This novel explores this problem in a forceful, believable way.

Better written than other attempts at the genre, this novel takes the problem down to one man doing what he must to defend his wife from another man who wants to hurt her. And the small scale of the book gives it its power.

Read it, and be prepared for the fire it will kindle in your belly.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars the case for vigilantes and a blueprint, October 1, 2006

By 

bookloversfriend (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Justice Cooperative (Paperback)

A man who broke into Tom and Judy's house and raped her is released from prison by a judge due to "overcrowding", overcrowding being regarded as cruel and unusual punishment. The governor blames the legislature for not appropriating funds for more prisons. The legislature blames the governor for refusing to raise taxes to pay for the prisons. The judge had imposed the minimum sentence even though the criminal had been out on parole for another rape conviction.

"But I never needed a gun before. . . . No, you did need one. You just didn't realize it." "The time to buy a gun is before you need it." (p. 13)

The new police chief never issues gun permits. "His college professors stuffed his head full of nonsense about . . . how we got to be nice to [the criminals] cause it really our fault." (p. 19-20) (If you wonder why all the college professors' heads are stuffed with nonsense these days and what happened to the sensible, scholarly ones, read The Rape of Alma Mater, another book "they" hope you'll never read.)

If you shoot your assailant in self-defense, "the cops' job is to assume that you committed a crime. . . . You'll end up telling [your story] to the prosecutor." ( p. 38) If [the bad guy] isn't dead, things could be even worse. . . . You might end up in civil court. The bad guy's lawyer will point at you, in perfect health and . . . tell the jury you used excessive force." ... "You may have to deal with the press. . . . They don't own guns, they don't like guns, and they don't like gun-owners. . . . They'll twist anything you say." (p. 39)

The story is fairly good, but the writing is atrocious. I never expected to see writing this amateurish in print. If Martino intends to do another book, he should either learn how to write fiction or hire a ghost.

Still, Martino has hit squarely at a serious problem in our society. This problem has implications for other serious problems which we all know we are facing. To get the whole story in one book, read While America Sleeps: How Islam, Immigration and Indoctrination Are Destroying America From Within.