Rating: 
Summary: All this and wisdom too!
Review: I wrote one of the first reviews of this book, now waaaayyyy down at the bottom of this page (would you guys get it over with and install discussion forums!?). I'd just like to add something. In addition to being a wonderful read, Unintended Consequences actually wised me up here and there. I recently had sort of a personal crisis -- got promoted on January 1 and laid off the next day (don't ask!). Rather than sitting around feeling sorry for myself for even half a day, I followed a bit of Ross's advice and immediately got up and put one foot in front of another (as I recall, this is a bit of advice Henry gets from one of his mentors in the book). Within a couple of days I was working 12-16 hours a day on looking for a new gig, quickly got two offers, took the best of 'em, and am doing just fine. It's now been > a year since I read UC and it's one of those books that you just do not forget.
Rating:
Summary: Best book I've read since Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"
Review: It's been a long time since I've picked up a book that could hold my interest as Ayn Rand's novels did for me back in the early 80s. Unintened Consequences by John Ross has managed to do just that. I've lived through and recall many of the actual historical events chronicled in his novel, but they all happened over a period of many years. As a member of the gun culture and a licensed private pilot (yes, it's more than just gun control... FAA abuses are also expounded upon, as well as abuses by other alphabet soup agencies) I've followed these events with a keen interest, but getting bombarded with these events compressed into the one week time period it took me to read the novel had a chilling effect. Our birthright is being stolen from us, and this book should be a wake up call to everyone who values their freedoms.
Rating:
Summary: Should be required reading for every 18 yr. old
Review: Unintended Consequences by John Ross is the most meaningful and relevant novel I've ever read. Not because it is pro gun, but because it is pro-freedom. The history of the gun culture and gun control is factual and compelling. It covers the progressive disregard by government agencies for the 1st, 2nd, and 4rth amendments, utilizing the most prominent and well known instances of those deliberate transgressions. The book is powerful mainly because of the way Ross brings historical facts and current events into focus through the eyes of a fictitious main character who is profoundly affected by what the anti-gunners have accomplished. The importance of the right to use firearms to protect one's life and home is made very clear by Ross. Most of the women (and there aren't many) are victims who were lacking in the knowledge of self defense. It is clear to see that in each case, a little knowledge and a gun could have prevented their plight. The main character is also the victim of a heinous crime, and he is a man. History abounds in this book. It is the history of OUR lifetime. The chapter on the Warsaw Ghetto uprising is very revealing. It shows what just a few intelligent and heroic Jews accomplished after they taught themselves how to use just a handful of firearms against incredible odds. Every american should read this book, and Ross should run for office. The second amendment was written to protect all of the other ones, and Ross's treatise on this truism reign's supreme.
Rating:
Summary: Gripping. Compelling. A Masterwork...
Review: John Ross understands history. He also understands the nature of man and of government. He hit the proverbial nail squarely on the head. Despite the commitment of time, every American should definitely read this book. This book consumed a major part of a week, and for that week, I was Henry Bowman. I didn't want it to end. I wanted to stay in that novel. There's a part of Henry Bowman still inside me. It's always been there, but John Ross helped put flesh on the bones and gave it a name. This book solidified something inside me - and eventually will do so in millions of others - and I think this book could have an important, positive effect on the history of this country. God willing... Political buffs will like it, history buffs will like it, firearms enthusiasts will like it, thriller fans will like it. Even if you're afraid of firearms, this book will show you that like any other group of people, people who like firearms are not a bunch of uneducated, wild-eyed hillbillies. A firearm is and remains the single best defense of life and Liberty. And no amount of idealism or "progressive" thinking is going to change this fact or wish it away, as long as human nature is what it is. And I don't expect that to change any time soon. If you haven't read this book, you really should. Even if you have to lock your door and hide to do it. As you do, don't filter its content through the propaganda of any political point of view - just listen to your heart. Read it. Please.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent! - but an unfortunate cover...
Review: I wonder if any of Amazon's other books have received so many, and such positive reviews? Rather than gush forth with my own near hyperbolic praise I will simply say I agree with those who have labeled this a most impressive and highly important work. Now, if we could only get people to read it!
I must also agree with those who have criticized the cover art. One of my first thoughts on seeing this book in a local gun store, before I'd ever heard of it, was "Jeez - how tacky!" - and I passed it by for quite awhile without a closer look. How many others have done the same - or been embarassed enough to remove the dust cover before letting anyone else see their copy? While reading the book, I did come to appreciate the jacket's tie-in to the character who once designed covers for '50's pulp fiction, with it's own lurid covers, but I hope future editions will wear something that attracts a wider array of readers rather than put them off. Getting this book disseminated as widely as possible, and to as many middle-of-the-roaders as possible, is the most important thing!
Rating:
Summary: A more or less anti-gun type reviews a gun-lovers' book
Review: I really didn't expect to like this book as much as I did - after all, I'm one of those people who's more likely to fly to the moon than actually pick up a gun and learn how to use it. The author realized that it was a great challenge to reach people like me. He knew that gun lovers are popularly thought of as people with very little brain who sit around and idly plink at cans or kill innocent bambis. The technical detail in the book shows that many gun lovers - especially the intense hobbyists portrayed in the book - thrive on mastering difficult skills and love their weapons as the masterpieces of brilliant craftsmanship they often are. In short, gun lovers are no different than boat lovers and their boats, or computer lovers and their SGI workstations. Despite the massive carnage they are capable of, they are essentially harmless. Unless, of course, you try to take their guns away from them. Then, they get mad. Particularly interesting in my view was the scene where our hero turns from a harmless gun owner to a brutal revolutionary. The BATF stages a raid on his best friend's home, and he happens to be the only person there. The BATF behaves like the jackbooted thugs they are, and our hero treats them just like that; the upshot is that they all wind up dead, and Henry is in the fight of his life. I thought it was a very plausible transformation for our hero. He might not have taken that step if he'd known they were BATF agents instead of random intruders. This book is really better on history than it is on future events, but I found it totally gripping and read it straight through to the end. The author reminds us subtley of one other important thing: Gun owners are not the only people treated unjustly in this country by law enforcement. Even innocuous boat owners are not immune: Check out the "zero tolerence" policies and the Coast Guard's search and seizure policy. There are similar laws lurking in all sorts of places; read the book and be enlightened. An important and fascinating book. Read it whether you care about guns or not. Oh, the person who complained about the cover art was right on. I was embarassed to be seen with the book, the cover art was so ... um ... tacky might be the right word? In the current edition, I didn't notice any typos, but that embarassing "read page 175 next, this is page 176" thing was still there on one of the pages. They really should bite the bullet and re-typeset it. But don't prevent that from buying the book. It's worth it, especially at the Amazon.com discounted price.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST BUY!
Review: An outstanding book. I know many people who have purchased this book,and I have heard nothing but praise. It is not policially correct,so if you are mentally challenged,don't buy this book! But if you can think for your self,stop wasting time and buy it.
Rating:
Summary: More than just a GUN RIGHTS book!
Review: Mr. Ross has created a stunning, character driven story of tyranny and those who stand up to fight against it. This theme is woven through many different levels of characters and storylines. For thos previous reviewers who have loved the message but thought that it needed to be devoid of the sexual issues, or the Jewish story of the holocaust and how it could possibly been avoided, I ask that you re-evaluate your stance on these issues. The idea that the Holocaust might have been avoided if the Jewish people as a group had been more adept in the use of firearms is a gut wrenching and tragic idea. The point of the book is to allow people to have the knowledge so that something like that WILL NEVER happen again! The same goes for the so-called demeaning view of women and graphic sex. These sub-stories are aimed at the suppressive views of the right, not the Socialistic left. They are there to show you that intelligent, brave people that you would, or should, have as friends can act in a way that you may deem inappropriate at times.It shows that even strippers can be intelligent wonderful peoplethat you should not judge to quickly, just as you would not want to judge someone too quickly regarding race, or sex etc.. Tyranny comes from dogmatic thinking, let peoples actions speak for themselves. It is this mentality of trying to make people behave as you do in this country, socialy on the right(I.E. the drug war, abortion, prostitution, etc) and economically on the left that has created the huge frederal leviathan that we have today. To the man in Missouri, if a man such John Ross is really a man such as he portrays in his book by all means vote for him since he will allow you the freedom tho think he is a racist, sexist pig, something I"m not sure you would do in return.
Rating:
Summary: Ten, with reservations
Review: This is a great, important novel, and deserves the many "10" ratings. However, the many typos get in the way of the narrative. (I have one of the later editions, and no, they have *not* been fixed. Many typos, even pages in incorrect order, with a "read following page first" label applied. Very tacky, and these needless errors detract from the message.) Also, I have to wonder about the complaints from the author & publisher about stores & libraries not carrying the book. Have y'all looked at the cover art you chose? I don't know too many publicly funded libraries that want the hassle of dealing with a naked woman on the cover of a book. In these politically correct days, you could have picked less controversial artwork to wrap this massively important book in; far too many people *do* judge a book by its cover.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome book on the disaster called "gun control"
Review: A recent post to talk.politics.guns (UseNet) described individual BATF agents hassling vendors at gun shows. They were upset over the displayed copies of "Unintended Consequences". I'm glad I wasn't there...those agents violated their oath to uphold and defend the constitution and I'd have been way too tempted to shoot them on the spot as they deserved. See also http://www.qui-tam.com/ for an insane TRUE tale of rogue federal bureaucrats about to try to illegally and immorally evict a former Green Beret from his home - it's liable to make anything in UC look tame... See also
| 
