Book Review - Unintended Consequences

[teknickle]

Just finished reading an e-book entitled 'Unintended Consequences'.
It is a 749 page fictional novel written by John Ross (you can get this ebook for free as a PDF...I just read it on my Sony ebook reader handheld).

It might surprise you that Ross is an investment broker and financial adviser, but he is an avid firearm afficionado that happens to be a certified personal protection instructor and has written several articles for Precision Shooting and Machine Gun news as well as a book entitled 'Self-Defense Laws and Violent Crime Rates in the United States'.

His novel is a bit jumpy from here to there, and I had problems trying to keep track of all the character names at first.
The premise of the story is a meltdown in modern times after decades of atrophy of liberties and inherent rights.
It is chocked full of real-world facts on firearms, as well as the sobering history of jack-booted activites of alphabet-soup agencies. You might know some, but I was surprised at a couple --like the Bonus Army slaughter in DC (20,000 Great War veterans peacefully marched on Washington DC during great depression and then were attacked by McArthur at their camp--shot at, stabbed, and burned out like other Hoovervilles).

A lot of details around NFA-1934, gun control act of 1968 and other legislation that strips you of rights (NOT granted by Constitution, but supposed to be guaranteed by constitution).

All-in-all, EVERYONE who wants to know about 2nd Amendment to US Constitution M*U*S*T read this book.

 

[trad78]

I'm about half way through this book. It is an excellent read! I was lost at first with all the character jumps, but after awhile you remember who everyone is. My only question, is how much is true? (ie: the raids and shootouts) Thanks for the heas up on this!

 

[Hornett]

Do you have a link as to where to get this ebook?
I did a quick google and got a bunch of ad loops.

 

[bigg cheese]

Your google fu is bad:

http://www.shtfinfo.com/shtffiles/books_and_reading/Unintended_Consequences.pdf

 

[Hornett]

i have a balck belt in Google Fu.
But you are better
Reps to ya.

 

[ISP 5353]

It is the one book I required my children to read before they graduated from college. It is a must read!

 

[JohnE]

Got through reading this last night . It is a great read allot of interesting gun facts in it for sure. Found out some things that I never knew about. Thanks for the post and link.

 

[Liberty Sanders]

I met the author, John Ross, at his home some years ago, when he arranged for me to come to Missouri to testify in front of their legislature in favor of concealed carry.

All of the historical events that occur in the book are true, including the participation of cavalry majors Eisenhower & Patton in the murders of Bonus Marcher's families.

 

[inFALable]

I read this book a few years ago. Ross is a very intelligent guy. I met him at Knob Creek once. The books main character is based on a friend of Ross's, a very successful Class 3 dealer. I don't want to mention his name since I don't think he really liked being the basis of the book.

 

[paddling_man]

Ross was my Utah CCW Permit instructor in St. Louis 7 years ago. Spent 10-12 hours with him. He's got a nice quarry to set up bowling pins for nfa-fun.

Interesting guy. He has a serious fetish for BIG caliber revolvers, CCing .500 S&W revolvers routinely in SmartCarry down his pants.

He was instrumental in getting a MO permit on the books.

 

[kaforgey]

Thanks for the Link...I have been putting together a reading list for the summer and this is now at the top of mine!

 

[Clearwat]

I was fortunate enough to have a buddy recommend the book to me. He borrowed it from a friend and then let me borrow it. It is tough to follow for a bit the way it jumps around, but it does come together nicely. I consider it a big part of what has shapped my current opinion on governement. As historical events were brought up in the book, I did research on them online to dig a little further. Interesting how much I did not know. Well worth the time investment. I read the hardback, wich I had a copy of my own. I saw John Ross post on a S&W forum that a paperback version should be out soon.

 

[flatlander]

I read this book a few years ago. Ross is a very intelligent guy. I met him at Knob Creek once. The books main character is based on a friend of Ross's, a very successful Class 3 dealer. I don't want to mention his name since I don't think he really liked being the basis of the book.

Know who you mean. He was very instrumental in developing the Automag way back when. Had a friend buy all kinds of Cass III stuff from him before he moved out west. Was a no BS guy. i remeber the story he told when the ATF came to visit his shop once

Bob

 

[deranged222]

Just downloaded the book and will read on an upcoming long ass plane ride for work. Thanks for sharing the review. I had not heard of this book.

 

[451_Detonics]

I read this in 1996 when it first came out, excellent read and tho the names are changed most of the characters are based on real people.

Another great book is TEOTWAWKI by James Wesley, Rawles.

 

[Tallenn]

I also give this book highest reviews. A must read for anyone concerned with their right to keep and bear arms!

 

[T.Lex]

Apologies for the thread necromancy.

I just re-read it the last week and a half. I first read it in 1998-99 or so. Still a good read, but... it seems so "dated" now. At least, the last 200 pages or so do.

In the spirit of 7 degrees of separation, does anyone have any contact information for John Ross? Not just his agent, but for him. It seems like a sequel or update would be great. Something like a parallel-universe type thing where the raids that start the "war" part don't happen; the story turns to reflect what happened after it was published.

For me, I see the John Lott studies/books as a real catalyst for changing the perception of "gun culture" and normalizing it. I don't think Heller would have been possible without it.

Anyway, just running off at the keyboard here....

Great book. Should be required reading for entrance into The Gun Culture.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Quick history lesson, the book came out in 1995.

I got one of the first copies at the October 1995 Knob Creek shoot, right before the tragedy there.

 

[T.Lex]

Interesting, the imprint I have shows a copyright date of 1996. I wonder if you got a pre-release version! That'd be pretty cool.

 

[Liberty Sanders]

Interesting, the imprint I have shows a copyright date of 1996. I wonder if you got a pre-release version! That'd be pretty cool.

Kirk, I don't know if you know it but you may have a gem.

Ross had to issue a revised version of the book soon after its release because some of the people whose real names were used in the original objected.

If you have the original they are quite rare.