Good shtf Book Suggestions

**Dave L.** · 01-08-13, 10:09

The first two "299 Days" books are great reads. I usually find some silliness in the story line with these types of books, but I don't really have any major issues so far.

Anyone know when 5 & 6 will be available?

**Blayglock** · 01-08-13, 11:42

I highly recommend one second after.

**Travis B** · 01-08-13, 12:17

Originally Posted by Dave L.

The first two "299 Days" books are great reads. I usually find some silliness in the story line with these types of books, but I don't really have any major issues so far.

Anyone know when 5 & 6 will be available?

I just finished the first book and was highly impressed. I can't wait to see his preps put to use.

The 299 website is reporting mid February 2013 for the next release.

**NWPilgrim** · 01-08-13, 13:20

Originally Posted by t42beal13t

I just finished the first book and was highly impressed. I can't wait to see his preps put to use.

The 299 website is reporting mid February 2013 for the next release.

299 Days books 1&2 were very good, very realistic. They are based on actual people and actual/very likely events. Books 3&4 were a disappointment though. Without the Community being directly threatened they have adopted the enlarged Team as a "paid" security force (that is, they get free meals and don't have to do any other work). In a community of a few hundred people, I highly dount that large of a security force is going to be bought into so quickly (like 2 weeks?). I grew up in that exact area and I can tell you that while there are many tree hugging yuppies, there are plenty of rural folk who would fend for themselves thank you just fine until actual attacks proved a larger defense force was needed. So far in Books 3 & 4 that has not happened to this Community.

I understand this scenario is a literary device to set up the eventual establishment of a new libertarian government. But citizens won't be outsourcing their defense so readily and a new govt is not happening in 299 days.

It was a great start, but now that it is in the future setting it seems to have diverted from "this shit is real" to wannabe fantasy. Concealed carry badges, really?! Those won't be impressing any local citizens I know, and will be a joke or irritant to most of the LEOs I've known.

"Grant" and his "team" are commended to arm and train themselves and form a mutual aid group. But it is fantasy to think that an entire rural community is going to quickly flock to community politics and outsourcing their defense. In a partial collapse, it may take a couple of years of people just trying to feed themselves before they have time to meet, vote and organize community jobs. Anything to do with food and warmth (gardening, canning, food stocks, livestock, trapping, firewood, etc) will garner the most attention and people's daylight hours. Defense will be relegated to an important, but secondary activity provided by each household or a couple of neighbors working together.

So arm and train, but don't expect to survive by immediately becoming some town's security force and getting free meals. A farmer may give room and board to someone else to provide security for his farm, but it will likely be during the times the farmer has to be farming. And it will be cheaper for him to hire unskilled farm hands to do the farm work while he provides armed over watch, then for him to break his back while some "security" person sits around looking through binocs. This shit is real.

**Yankeewhite** · 01-09-13, 14:34

Yes, the third 299 sucks. No more for me, too costly to read them anyway.

**Smedley** · 01-12-13, 02:20

Originally Posted by Travis B

Maybe my tin foil hat is on a little too tight, but do you see a comparison of EF&D to the current events in the US? It's too scary to imagine our future like the rest of the series, which is an amazing read I might add.

Yes I do see the comparison, and I was thinking the same thing (I'm at about page 100).

**das** · 01-14-13, 22:15

Originally Posted by Smedley

Yes I do see the comparison, and I was thinking the same thing (I'm at about page 100).

Eerily prophetic if you ask me. I not a conspiracy nut but EF&D is becoming very close to a reality.

**Dave L.** · 01-19-13, 09:55

Got through the first 4 books of "299 Days". I'm actually entertained by them. Some stuff is a little far fetched, but given the setting, I can go along with some of the themes.

I'll buy the next two.

I have the 3 "Holding Their Own" books on deck.