Jerry Ahern (Survivalist thread)

[Kevin]

Has anyone read Jerry Ahern?

He's been around for quite some time and is known for his "Survivalist" series. The first book in the series is titled "Total War". I haven't read this book but it is on my TBR list.

[Jim]

I'm fairly sure I read the first one when it came out & either a later one or possibly a spin-off or both. Not to my taste. It reminded me of "The Executioner" series, just set in a post apocalyptic future. A pet peeve of mine is when weapons are described in a lot of detail & it doesn't really matter, especially when the hero then uses it as if it was a rock or loses it.

It's quite a popular series though. A few years ago, I got the first one for a friend through a swap site because it was so expensive to buy, even used.

[Kevin]

Jim wrote: "I'm fairly sure I read the first one when it came out & either a later one or possibly a spin-off or both. Not to my taste. It reminded me of "The Executioner" series, just set in a post apocalyp..."

Thanks for the input Jim.

From my understanding these books are high in testosterone.

[Henry]

I reviewed "Nightmare Begins," # 2 in the series, on my blog:

http://twofistedblogger.blogspot.com/...

I really like post-apocalyptic pulp. I understand Jim's aversion to gun porn, but Jerry Ahern wasn't that bad about it in the books of his I've read. There are things about the series that are dated, of course. But it is much, much better IMO than Johnstone's Ashes series.

[Jim]

Insert MANY VERY BAD WORDS HERE!!! I just posted a reply & GR went over capacity & lost it. If I'd had a clue it might, I would have copied it first.
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I reviewed Out of the Ashes by William W. Johnstone & gave it 2 stars - but didn't finish it. Weird. I reviewed it here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

In the review, I mention Axler. I may have confused James Axler's Deathlands series with Jerry Ahern's Survivalist. It's been a lot of years since I read either one & they're similar.

The Horse Clan books by Franklin Robert Adams are along the same vein, but with more fantasy. Post apocalyptic, but a few centuries instead of immediate, they blend SF & fantasy elements. There are psi powers & some other interesting twists. It took me years to collect them all (Pre-Internet. I think I have the first 15 or so.) & by the time I got them, I didn't get around to reading them in order. I really should. I think you'd like them, too.

[The Pirate Ghost, Long John Silvers Wanna-be]

Jim wrote: "Insert MANY VERY BAD WORDS HERE!!! I just posted a reply & GR went over capacity & lost it. If I'd had a clue it might, I would have copied it first.
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I reviewed Out of the Ashes by Wi..."

I read Out of the Ashes a long time ago and Found it to have some disturbing stuff (and I agree, the author did not do strong female characters much good there.) I don't remember having the same reaction that you did, but, I do remember it having some "unpleasantness" to it. Though, it did seem to fit with other writing at the time... what that says about the time... I'll forgo that exploration.

Come to think of it, I started the Horse Clan books and, that's one of the few books I put down in short order without finishing. For me there were too many noirish details that, had no need to be mentioned, from bodily function to ... well, lets just say, it offended my gentle sentimentality.

[Jim]

Interesting, Hugh. I would have recommended the Horse Clan books to you, too. I don't recall any of that stuff about them. I guess I'll have to read them again soon. It's amazing how much I can forget. In my defense, they aren't super memorable books. I just hope Adams' writing isn't horrible like some old authors that I once loved.

[Henry]

Turns out, I reviewed Johnstone's first "Ashes" book, too:

http://twofistedblogger.blogspot.com/...

[Joe]

Kevin wrote: "Jim wrote: "I'm fairly sure I read the first one when it came out & either a later one or possibly a spin-off or both. Not to my taste. It reminded me of "The Executioner" series, just set in a p..."

I read the first couple of Survivalist books back in the day when several guys at work were reading them. I remember a good scene where the passengers on an airliner are watching mushroom clouds appear over the country during the initial attack. I wanted to mention The Takers by Ahern from 1984 which I felt had one of the most intriguing opening chapters of any book I had read to that time. I also wasn't aware that Ahern died last July at age 66.