Rating: 
Summary: A real shame
Review: As I read all the other reviews, there isnt too much that I can add, as many others, I have been with this series since 1983 when "Out of the Ashes" began the great adventure. During the last few books in this series, I noticed that the "feel" I got when reading what was my favorite series was that the end was near. I can understand bringing the series to an end, but have to say that it could have been done with much more grace. I had to review the book several times to see if I could find what happened to Cecil, Ike, and many of the other characters that has been with us all along. There was no mention of these characters, what happened to them???Jumping from destroying the bad guys in Canada to where Ben dies just didnt have any kind of flow too it. What were you thinking Mr. Johnstone? That only 4th graders would be reading this. There wasnt too much artistic flow in this book. As with many others, I will not be buying the new series.
Rating:
Summary: Just to let u know
Review: Doing an internet search i came across the obituary for Mr Johnstone, turns out he passed away on 8th Feb 04, after a long illness.
Think this explains why the ashes series started to change was obvisously using ghost writers and by the sounds of it all the upcoming books will be by ghost writers as well just like the James Axler Deathlands series.
Rating:
Summary: "Ashes" But NOT by William Johnstone
Review: For those of you out there who loved the Ashes Series, my advice to you?
AVOID this book like the PLAUGE!
I did a little checking and it seems that Mr. William W. Johnstone died earlier this year. Since then the publishers, whome *I* wrote to via snailmail and whome told me that everything was ducky with him, have been using ghost writers to keep the series going.
UNfortunately these ghost writers either:
A: Didn't know how in the devil to write (For Ashes)
or
B: Were told to tone it waaay down...like say into pulp.
This book, along with about the last six or so, is a badly written knock off, steals scenes from previous books and destroys nearly everything memorable about the series and the characters.
(Uhm, Ghostwriters: Rebles DON'T torture as a rule and they don't generally change personalities over the course of a chapter.)
I don't see, seeing as how William Johnstone's "Code Name" series is still much the same format, why the publishers saw fit to do such a hatchet job on "Ashes"
(Liberals maybe?)
I will be looking into the NEW "Ashes" Type book "The Last Rebal" but if it is like this "Ashes"-Lite I will content myself with the past.
Rating:
Summary: Who wrote this
Review: I could not give less than one star, if I could I would give it a minus 1 star, as it deserves. I have read all books in The Ashes series and found that for about the last bunch the plot, characters, and military hardware available did not fit together. It seems to me that WWJ did not write these books or read them, if he had he would have seen this. As previous reviewers have stated, the jump from Ben being in Canada to the "space aliens" was a joke. End chapter about Ben in Canada, start chapter about "space aliens". In a series like this you should not end with the main character dying of anything other than a natural death (and even then in rare instances). And his replacement, yes you know who I am talking about, does almost the same exact thing as Ben did in the first book in the series. I can see that WWJ is just going to have "The Last Rebel" as a rehash of The Ashes series. I will buy the first book in the new series, not because I am a loyal fan, but because I want to see if he is going to rehash The Ashes series just to make a buck. If he does, I will return the book and not buy another in the series. But, if he returns to the kind of writing that drew me to The Ashes series in the first place I may continue reading his books. Remember the song, "The Gambler". You gotta know when to hold'em, known when to fold'em. He needed to fold on The Ashes series books ago.
Rating:
Summary: Never read & never will
Review: I have all the other Ashes novels and I have enjoyed reading them except for the last couple of books. After having read the reviews of this last book I will never buy it nor will I ever buy another one of Mr. Johnstone's books. To kill off all the main people just to start a new series is dumb. Goodbye Mr. Johnstone I hope your happy you've lost another fan.
Rating:
Summary: What a crock
Review: I haven't seen an ending to a series this bad since The Traveler series ended with a time loop back to book one. I agree that the authors been in a rut for some time and that some of his later books were becoming repetive but I'd hoped that he would snap out of it. I'll probably buy the first book in the new series but after the way he ended this series I'd hate to get wrapped up with a new series and be let down this bad. Space spores killing off the entire rebel nation??? Buddy Raines killed in such a disrespectful manner??? A complete lack of buildup for who is supposed the be the primary character in the next series? If spores have landed all over the world why would Rebel forces leave established positions and regroup in Mexico???
Rating:
Summary: What a crock
Review: I haven't seen an ending to a series this bad since The Traveler series ended with a time loop back to book one. I agree that the authors been in a rut for some time and that some of his later books were becoming repetive but I'd hoped that he would snap out of it. I'll probably buy the first book in the new series but after the way he ended this series I'd hate to get wrapped up with a new series and be let down this bad. Space spores killing off the entire rebel nation??? Buddy Raines killed in such a disrespectful manner??? A complete lack of buildup for who is supposed the be the primary character in the next series? If spores have landed all over the world why would Rebel forces leave established positions and regroup in Mexico???
Rating:
Summary: Lament in the Ashes
Review: Lament in the Ashes About ten years ago my husband (who also wrote a review of this book) introduced me to the "Ashes" series of novels. Starting with the first "Out of the Ashes" I was exhilarated by the depiction of the concepts of Freedom and self-determination against oppression and excessive government and criminal encroachment upon individual rights. The virtues of Honor, Valor, Courage and Resolve, most times against overwhelming odds were exemplified. Compassion for the helpless was also an underlying theme. Over time I anxiously looked forward to the next installment. I was hooked. Over the last several books the above attributes diminished, and in "Escape from the Ashes" they are completely absent. Your series recently degenerated to resemble the late Don Pendleton's current "Executioner" series which are now nothing but hack rubbish which may as well be generated by computer using boiler plate plot lines and characters. To end a series that started so gloriously the way you did in "Escape" is to invalidate and dismiss all the ideals and values the series stood for and attempted to impart to it's readers. To say I am disappointed is an underestimation. Disgusted is a more appropriate term. What I once admired I now lament. You sold out your loyal readers, Sir, and dismissed them inexcusably, for what reason only you alone know for certain. What is certain is that Ashes and it's memorable characters deserved a more fitting conclusion than this, as did your legions of fans. Perhaps you will read these reviews Mr. Johnstone and "The Last Rebel" will continue to expand on the important themes "Out of the Ashes" began. As a ongoing premise that most of the "Ashes" volumes makes clear, "There is always Hope".
Rating: 
Summary: Ben Raines did not deserve this!
Review: Like many others, I have read this series from its inception back in 1983. In fact, I have most of the first edition volumes. Although he managed to keep it interesting, I could tell that the author was having difficulty about half way through the series when he began introducing technology that hadn't been readily available when the "World Blew Up", ie, like Humm-Vee's, and Apache attack helicopters, not to mention, computer hackers, etc. Killing Ben Raines is bad enough, but this contrived alien BS is of so poor quality, a ten year old could have come up with it, in fact I wouldn't not be surprised if a ten year old did! No foundation, no nothing. Could I have done better? Hell yes. I was so disappointed, I actually did take this book back to the store,and asked for a refund. Mr. Johnstone, I have read most of this series, as well as quite a few of your other books, such as "Bloodland"(which would have made an excellent series as well). I can understand that you were getting burned out on "Ashes", yet Ben, and everyone else deserved better.Not to digress, but I felt that it was wrong of you to put Lamar Chase into retirement, at that point I thought that I saw the writing on the wall. Nonetheless, you should have just let Ben and his bunch have one last "balls to the walls" fight, and let Ben retire, watching over all the children he has fathered over the years. A sadly, pathetic end to a great and entertaining series. I will now, pull out my past volumes of "Ashes", purchase the few that I am missing, and start reading them, in order all over again. I agree with another reveiwer. I don't know that I will be buying "The Last Rebel", it sounds like a complete rehash of early "Ashes". "Ashes" 1983-2003 R.I.P
Rating:
Summary: Still can't believe he did it.
Review: Like so many others, I've followed Ben and his exploits from the start. Wtih a quick "it's for my husband!" to the clerk at the book store, I'd run out to the car and get in a few chapters before heading home. (PS, my husband hasn't read one of these books). For many years I've felt that there had to be a ghost writer helping the author, as the tone and even the language changed. Where was the easy way Johnstone had of building relationships and entwining lives, showing you quirks and foibles, and then surprising you with a twist? I guess he just got tired of keeping us all entertained, and I can appreciate that, but we all deserved a better let down. I think he's probably living a pretty good life on the money we've all invested in Ben and the Rebels, couldn't he afford to be a little generous?
I can remember turning the page and reading the beginning of the last chapter. I kept turning back and rereading.....what the heck? What? What!!!! When I finished the book I just sat there. I even complained to other people (who never read the series and didn't care a whit) that "Ben is dead!" What! Wait, read that last chapter again, it must have been a mistake! No, Ben is dead, along with everyone else,.... or not, Johnstone didn't have the decency to tell us, and evidently only (...), dopers, wife beaters and the like could survive that virus.
It's been a year and it's still a shock to think that I'll never follow Ben on an adventure again. I'll never watch him out think and out smart the bad guys. He'll never worry about his rebels, or Tina, Buddy,& Anna, or the future of the SUSA, again. I told myself that I would NOT buy The Last Rebel when it came out. I wanted nothing to do with an author that could thank loyal fans by cutting their throats. But now that the time is here, I am going to buy the first one, just to see if there is any more of an explanation as to what happened to the rest of our old friends. We, as readers, owe them that. If Ben can't give them a burial, we can. As for continuing on with this new series, not in a million years. Johnstone is off my list of reading material for good. I say get him where it hurts, in his billfold.
If there is a ghost writer, if William Johnstone is no longer able to write as he used to, tell us. I'd like to be able to continue to respect and admire him for all the entertainment he's given through the years. Illness could just about make me forgive him for killing Ben. Just about.............
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