Discussion: I Read An Oregon Militiaman's Post-Apocalyptic Cowboy Thriller So You Didn't Have To

TPM Article Topics
#81

Here’s LaVoy’s page on Amazon. Most interesting is the section on the page showing other books that his customers also bought. All apocalyptic, all fight to the end. As we learn more of the participants, we may find other authors at work. Lots of the plot lines were staples of late night radio, not just websites. I’m talking about hosts like Alex Jones and Coast to Coast AM. End Time preachers thump it up too. A perfect storm of drama, that let every gun-toter see him/herself as a Mad Max hero in a novel of their own dream. But, as always, dreams mesh into other peoples realities.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014901Q8Q/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1

I believe this wave of eschatology was also fed by arrival of (hyped and prophesied) Year 2000, coming of Planet X (yes, that’s a thing), and the Y2K fears of grid collapse, A lot of the right wing populace was already in a panic, determined they would need guns and silos to hold off their neighbors stealing the few drops of food they had stored up. Huge profiteering on ‘survival supplies’. Speakers getting paid to present survival tips to the masses.

Let no crisis pass without snatching an opportunity.

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#82

I’m missing why most anyone would care about what an Oregon Militiaman’s “thriller” says or why most anyone would care that TPM’s writer read it. Seems to appeal to the craven.

#83

As if he is the only person that has written a “survival after the collapse of civilization” novel. There are so many written by real writers.

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#84

It certainly seems to be driven by a pessimistic brand of religion.

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#85

Writers unable to grasp that their fictional prose is not reality are dangerously delusional. Steven King never believed his horror novels.

#86

He’s just so-o-o tiny…I’m guessing he jumped from letter key to letter key to space bar and back to type the damn thing.

#87

Dan Bonham in that passage is reflecting as he seeks to leave the rioting streets of San Diego with his wife and kids (spoiler alert: the baby dies on the way).

But was the AR-15 OK?

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#88

Just wow. This man is demonstrably insane, IF he believes the circumstances of his book are feasible. If not, he didn’t follow his own advice; apparently the “brave patriots” in Oregon need more Funyuns. What would his father think??

#89

If they want to lynch Michele Fiore, that’s at least understandable.

#90

Now they have torn down a fence to allow cattle onto the preserve…

#91

Sounds like this novel belongs in the trash heap known as the Left Behind books.

#92

One reason I always hated him – promoting wars he was too cowardly to participate in.

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#93

Uh oh, I’ve been outed as the plant I am! Or is that a vegetable?

Really, you have to give the author credit, he was already taxing his intellect tying together half a dozen kooky conspiracy theory he can’t be expected to come up with non-cringe worthy names. I’m surprised they weren’t named “Deniece” and “Denephew”.

#94

Right off the top of my head:

Neville Shute, On the Beach
The crew of an American boomer (nuclear missile sub) in Australia and the Pacific Northwest US following a nuclear war as the world dies slowly.

Pat Frank, Alas, Babylon
Life in a small Florida town after a US/USSR nuclear exchange.

Walter Miller, A Canticle for Leibowitz
Set in a Catholic monastery hundreds (perhaps thousands) of years after a nuclear war. Civilization has risen from the ashes and is on the verge of a new nuclear war.

Harlan Ellison, A Boy and His Dog
The adventures of Vic and his telepathic dog (Blood) partner in a post-apocalyptic world.

Neal Stephenson, Anathem
Set on an alternate earth (parallel universe) hundreds or thousands of years after a nuclear exchange. There are at least two mechanisms for traveling among the parallel universe.

Robert Heinlein, Farnham’s Freehold
Typical Heinlein libertarian take on a post-apocalyptic world.

These dystopian novels are all cultural criticism of their day as well as expressing the anxieties regarding nuclear war. All make it clear that survival in these situations require alliances. Even Heinlein makes this point, although he tends to restrict the alliance to kin groups. Heinlein is probably the novel most similar to what LaVoy wrote. Farnham is one of Heinlein’s weakest novels in my opinion: but even there, Heinlein has reasonably competent plotting and readable prose. That is a lot more than can be said for the excerpts of LaVoy’s book printed in this article.

Another fairly common theme is preserving knowledge and know-how. Even On the Beach concerns itself in part with preserving knowledge, although humanity is coming to an end.

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#95

I think Texas had that problem when they passed a law to retrieve their gold from Fort Knox. No way to transport; no place to store it.

#96

You reminded me of Kevin Costner’s movie “The Postman”. (see Wikipedia) Post-apocalyptic small towns under the thumb of warlords. Nomad finds dead postman’s uniform, and wears it into town, saying that he represents the restored U.S. government. Despite hardship plot developments, the hope of restored government spreads, particularly among youths, and eventually triumphs. The next generation, prosperous and free, honors The Postman’s memory and cherishes the restored government of the United States.

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