Rating: 
Summary: Pure Pulp, Good Pulp, But Still Just Pulp
Review: "Out of the Ashes" caught my attention immediately, being a big fan of apocalyptic novels and a closet fan of disaster novels. Although the Ashes storyline starts out typically, with nuclear war looming and double and triple crosses being played out all around the world, the novel slowly turns into a lengthy sermon that is likely to have political liberals fuming and conservatives and libertarians like myself hiding in shame. It's not just that the author espouses his views, it's just that the views are so one-sided and childish. The additional shame of it is that the author's attitude toward the political aspects of the story and one-sided mindset seep into every aspect of the novel. Everyone who agrees is angelic and justified, everyone who disagrees is stupid, savage and unenlightened.
Paper thin characters and generalizations abound in this story, especially when the author writes about women. All women are either raped and helpless, sexually promiscuous and devious or just sexually promiscuous. If, as some have suggested, the author identifies himself with the main character, he must have an incredible libido and be irresistable to women. Or maybe just a case of extreme wishful thinking.
The dialogue is weak and repetitive, especially in the showdown scenes between the main character and various bad guys.
The only thing that saves this novel from a 0-star rating is that the storyline (when removed of the grade school ideology) is interesting (a splintered United States trying to reunite) and that it's pure pulp fiction fun. If anyone has seen Starship Troopers, you'll know what I'm talking about.
So if you're looking for a well-written, thought provoking novel, this is not it. If you're looking for pure pulp fiction with a ton of sex and violence where good and bad are easily defined, look no further than the 25+ books of this series.
Rating: 
Summary: A book that will make u treasure your right and liberites.
Review: After reading this book and several others in the series, I have learned to treasure the rights I "still" have. The government is trying to take away our basic rights that the constitution gives us and there is not too many people who will speak up against this. However, William Johnstone is one of these people. In "Out of the Ashes", Johnstone describes how the government's increasing control over us eventually leads to a revolution. Johnstone's main character, Ben Raines, is given the job of restoring america and he creates a new nation within a nation called the Tri-States. In this new nation, people make all of the laws, there is virtually no crime, and there is a plentiful supply of jobs for people who are willing to work.One thing I especially like is the fact that Ben Raines does not put up with crime or those people who are able to work but don't. The laws are straight-forward and easy to understand. The trails are quick and to the point, but fair. These are just some of the points that William Johnstone makes in this book. All in all, it will make you think twice about your rights and it will motivate you to defend the freedom's that we still have.
Rating:
Summary: Fast Paced Epic Adventure... Pure Entertainment
Review: America after a nuclear apocalypse? What a great idea! Not many writers are brave enough to tackle a subject matter like that, much less do it well. Sounds like an idea too big for one book? Have no fear, this is just book one in an ongoing series with continuing characters (currently 25 books and going strong!) If you don't agree with the author's political stance (an eye for an eye, let me live in complete freedom - the less government, the better), you might get annoyed with it. I rather enjoyed imagining a world where you truly get what you deserve. The book is chock-full of spys, action, twists, sex, humor, and moves very quickly. The simplicity of the writing didn't bother me, allowing me to finish it in 3 days. It also helps move it along. As for the reviewer from Chicago, I'm surprised (and confused) that even though you didn't like the book, you read "seven other books" in the series. I would think that (giving it a rating of 1) would have you staying far away from them... but 7 others !? I guess you are hooked - whether you like it or not - like the thousands of other "Ashes" fans around the world! As for your comments on people not joining the militia if they had problems with the government... it's already (and has been for a while) happening in the south, with certain groups having hundreds of members. Knowing about some of the battles in history, it is not unrealistic for a few thousand people to die on one side and only lose a few hundred on the other... great leaders win great battles. If you are tired of government and big business controlling 90% of everything in society, and would like to see what could happen without them, give this series a try. It's only in theory, of course, but it's a damn good one.
Rating: 
Summary: The first is the best
Review: At the time of this writing I have finished the first 27 books of the original series, and have started on book 28. I will not go into the premise of the story, that has been covered quite adaquately in previous reviews. And, I agree with many of the criticisms: Johnstone's writing is uneven. Most of his characters are 2-dimensional. There is much gratuitous violence and perversion. He goes over the top in portraying liberalism as BAD and his own flavor of conservatism as good. Anyone who has listened to the extreme Liberals in government with an objective ear, though, knows Kennedy, Carville, et al, go over the top themselves with their own - as Johnstone would put it - hankey-stomping snits. The major media, being the lapdogs of the Left, obediently report every word, every pronouncement while hardly ever checking the facts. I think Johnstone's counter attack of antiliberal rants echos what many of us who feel disenfranchised by the media want to say. Later books get strange, with the mutants, night people, and the Prophet's popping up from time to time. Some portions of the later books get downright boring. The series, as a whole though, is worth reading. Tri States, and the SUSA are places where I'd like to live. Johnstone gives us an ideal to look toward, in the world where even so-called Conservatives ignore the Constitution. Out of the Ashes opens the door to the Tri States philosophy. Maybe we can work toward that same return to common-sense government in the real world.
Rating: 
Summary: Plan 9 of the Literary World!
Review: Back in the mid 50s, Director Ed Wood made "Plan 9 From Outerspace" which has been called the worst movie ever made. Despite its glaring problems, the movie has become wildly popular. This book has lots in common with Mr. Wood's opus.
I wont detail all the problems with "Out of the Ashes". The writing is shoddy, the plot is silly, there are tons of logical errors and the political/moral philosophy Mr. Johnstone seems to advocate is disjointed and childish. The action sequences are often decent but you have to put up with multi-chapter rants between scenes. All this makes for a novel so wretched and horrible you just cant put it down!
A word of warning though. This book is actually the first of a series that tells the tale of super-patriot Ben Raines' effort to rebuild America as it should be in a post-apocalyptic world. Ive read a couple of the installments. The strange charm one can find in the first book does not carry on to later novels in the series. Dont bother with the rest of the "Ashes" series. They have absolutely no redeeming qualities.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic reading, very thought provoking
Review: Enjoyed this book very much. Premise based on a WWIII scenerio, with Germ warfare as well as Nuclear. Hero is Ben Raines, a "Hellhound", turned soldier of fortune, turned writer. Set in a decadent America (much like today), story portrays development of "Tri-States" philosophy of government--government truly by the people, with simple, easy to understand laws, enforced to the letter. Book details development of this philosophy through the destruction of Tri-States area by a reconstructed federal government which tries to be everything for everybody, and winds up satisfying nobody. Tri-States philosophy emphasizes personal responsibility/accountability for ones actions, which seems quite refreshing. Heartily recommend this book and all others in series...
Rating:
Summary: Possibly the worst book ever written, but Hi-Lar-ious!
Review: If you are patriotic, and do not want to loose any more of your freedoms...this series (over 30 books!) is for you.
This series has no middle ground. You will love Ben Raines or hate him so much you wish you could kill him yourself.
Fantasic storylines & dialouge. Characters hold true to form throughout the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Out of the Ashes
Review: Johnstone's first book in the "Ashes" series is a survivalist's wet dream. It is chocked full of violence, stupid but sadistic bureaucrats and heroic rebels. The main character, Ben Raines, is a former special forces and mercenary soldier who has become an author. As the world falls down around him he puts his writings into practice in order to save what is left of humanity. He sets up his own country and then battles the resurected but evil US government.By the way, in all the "Ashes" books, all government officials are facists who sadisticaly rape, pillage, and plunder the countryside. Ben Raine's rebels on the other hand, practice what can only be called a kinder, gentler form of facism. Interestingly enough, the author's post apocolyptic world is characterized by nearly everybody but the rebels becoming sexual deviates. I don't know if this is caused by radiation or what but hardly 3-4 pages go by in "Out of the Ashes" without someone being raped or sodomized. By the fourth "Ashes" book it is difficult to find anyone left in America be it man, woman, or child who hasn't been raped and/or sodomized. Every other page is ripe with the vivid discriptions of these atrocities. Of course it is easier to justify the excessive violence in these books by the author demonizing the bad guys as sadistic rapists. It just makes it that much easier for the rebels to kill the dirty buggers. "Out of the Ashes" is classic pulp fiction. It is excessively violent, and has some form of sex act (mostly rape) at least every 4 pages. It is assinine in it presumptions about society and simplistic in it's assumptions of human nature. Ironicaly, it is just the kind of book to appeal to the ignorant masses that are so despised by the hero of the book. The fact that there are now at least 28 volumns in the "Ashes" series with an almost cult following merely proves the point. "Out of the Ashes" while not good literature, is somewhat entertaining in an excessively violent, sexual perverted and moronic kind of way. Have fun!
Rating:
Summary: Good story, good philosophy
Review: OK, so this story doesn't have the most original or deepest plots in the world, but what it does have is a strong political and social philosophy, and presents it in an interesting fashion. Mr. Johnstone's protagonist, Ben Raines, leads the way as a warrior-philosopher fighting the human scum rising to the top after World War Three destroys the world. Along the way, he hooks up with a group of survivors, and together they form a nation without crime, poverty, or injustice. Of course, the Washington liberals can't tolerate that, and destroy it. The book is over the top and sometimes thin, it's still a good lead into an exciting series.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Fantastic
Review: Out of the Ashes Is a must for anyone who cares about the government, the law and what happens with a nuclear war. I started in the middle of the Ashes Series and went back and bought them from the 1st Out of the Ashes and just ordered (5) more. They are the best survival books I have ever read. They are the best books for people that are getting tired of the way the government runs our lives. They have great characters and very exciting situations in all of the books. I can only hope if this ever happens in real life we will have a Ben Raines to help us start over. I have told many people about this series and encourage others to do the same. If nothing else, the books gave me a sense of hope for our future if we wake up!
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