My favorite character is Grandma hands down. I wish more of her letters and bits of biting wit and wisdom were in this book as it was with the first. I’ve recommended this series to a couple of friends I know would enjoy it. This book felt a bit more rushed and honestly Joe isn’t running into enough struggles where he needs to really plot his strategy out or make a hard moral decision.
I’d imagine TEOTWAWKI wouldn’t be so cut and dry… some times you can’t see what “hat” they wear. Sometimes it’s a grey hat. Joe seems to know who the “bad guys” are – convenient. buuutttt what about the “thug” who feel as if they have no choice? They aren’t survivors, they attach themselves to the biggest kid in the school yard to keep their family safe or fed? Or the “good guy” being morally stuck between a no win situation? Why are there no, and I mean no, shell shocked kids, teens, adults?
In this scenario many would flee to the hills, even city people with no clue how to survive. Just knowing most of their kids, mothers, fathers, friends, other relatives didn’t survive would send most people staring at nothing and rocking in a corner. If a preteen… or any normie person with no prior training had to shoot someone, nausea, unreasonable fear, night sweats, nightmares, phobias would present itself.
so all that said, for entertainment value and some light tips this is a great series. I think AJ Newman did a great job on that score and anyone who loves guns will enjoy this. If you want more realism to mentally prepare for the true hell TEOTWAWKI would be, along with grounding wit like grandma gives, and practical survivor tips for those who don’t have any prepper haven with hidden caches, or any library full of prepper knowledge… this is much lighter reading.
AJ Newman, if you are reading this review please don’t think I am disparaging your work and knowledge. I would pay full price to read a book of yours. I would love for you to consider the deeper meaning behind all that was lost for the survivors and a closer connection to the charecters by making them vulnerable, ugly, weary, scared, triumphant, proud. I want to feel what they feel.
thank you.