Reviewed by D. D. "Doc" Shade   —   June 4, 2002

Out Of The Ash Can: The Series

This series was recommended to me by an acquaintance that knew what a fan I am of holocaust and post-holocaustic novels. Currently there are over 30 books in the series and they have each sold millions of copies. I have read a dozen of them, in order, and have generally enjoyed the experience. These books qualify only as "potato chip books," as coined by my friend F. Emilie Glover. They aren't very good for you but they are fun. In fact, much like the chips we keep on eating even when our mind says we've had enough, I keep wanting to read these books even when my mind has been telling me for some time that there's nothing new down the pike for Ben Raines and his Rebels. Yet, if you want a fast immersion in a holocaustic world, these are books you might enjoy.

There has been a world war of limited nuclear and biological strikes between the America, Russian and China. Much of America is believed destroyed and without leadership. A corrupt government in Washington, DC grows out of the ashes and is the first thing with which Ben Raines must contend.

What makes the Ashes series lost? Well, they are not published under science fiction but adventure thus being hard to discover for someone like me who rarely ventures out of the SF section of any bookstore.

Ben Raines the Man:

Ben is the protagonist. He is a veteran and mercenary turned novelist trying to live a quite life near Morrison in the Louisiana Delta when the world falls apart. After nuclear and biological attacks around the world, Ben finds the leadership of an elite group of soldiers (men and women) thrust upon him. Ben tries to resist taking charge of this group who later become know as Raines Rebels but he finally gives in when he realizes that if anyone is going to save America (and the world), it will have to be him. No, Ben's not a very humble person.

Ben is a mixture of opposing forces. He's ruggedly handsome (few women can resist him), believes in the sanctity of marriage, but never marries himself (at lest in the first dozen books). He's a gun-toting, door busting pile of androgen that will shoot anyone who does not fit his ideology and in the next moment nurture those who do. He is a gentleman but can turn red very quickly. He is judge, jury, and executioner. When asked how he can be so hard his answer is always something like this, " Hard times."

Even the author of the series admits to Ben's conflicting nature. From the prologue to Danger In The Ashes (book eight) we read -- "Actually Ben Raines was a walking contradiction; one of those types that fit no title. He could lean so far to the right that "anarchist" might fit him -- for a moment. The he would confuse and irritate his critics by embracing the most liberal of thoughts."

Ben Raines on Education: Ben believes that education is the cure for all of the world's problems but he often enforces that education at the point of a gun. Without hesitation Raines will take the children, and any one else willing, from ignorant, abusive men and send them to be raised in Rebel base camps. These base camps have been set up all over the nation as the Rebels find groups of people interested in helping themselves. The base camps have hospitals, schools, and factories to keep the war machine running. And to be fair, Ben's idea of a good education involves an appreciation for the classics of literature, art, and music as well as a solid foundation in history, math, and science. People within the base camps have autonomy and safety. Ben also believes that a good liberal arts education is the cure for prejudice. He says you can't help but notice a person's color but you can control the effect it has on your thinking -- if you have not been taught to hate.

Ben Raines on Government: Ben's efforts to set up a free state inside a United States led by corrupt and self-serving people is admirable. Many people I've spoken with are impressed by the Tri-States Manifesto or constitution and would like to see our own government move in that direction. A simple government without lawyers (my favorite part) that sincerely tried to meet people's need to work, be educated, and feel safe. I recently saw an organization flow chart of the newly created Office of Homeland Security. It was a confusing, convoluted image and I could make no sense out of it (there must have been hundreds of boxes and arrows leading all over the place). If we were attacked, it would all be over before the information traveled through the chain of command. I think even the Pentagon janitor was in there somewhere. It reminded me of the trail of dashes that follow Billy when he gets off the school bus in the cartoon Family Circus. Raines established a simple government with a limited set of laws that was designed to react quickly to danger.

Ben further believes that every one should serve a mandatory length of time in the service and be trained fighters so they can protect themselves and those dear to them. Ben has two penalties for those who break the law in Tri-States. Depending on the crime one can either be booted out of Tri-States or executed. Not working will get you booted out while rape or incest will result in swift (almost immediate) execution. Trials are faster in Tri-States than in America today. Ben shows real concern about those who cannot help themselves: the elderly and children but he has no tolerance for people who will not take care of themselves (see education) or who will not work.

Ben remarks that in our day (now, the present) criminals have more rights protected and are treated better than the elderly. Tri-States was an effort to return to everyone his or her inalienable rights.

Ben Raines and Love, Sex, and Marriage:

I'm sure Johnstone is trying to set things up so that Ben's own sexual interests and behavior look normal, but it was hard to accept that everyone opposed to Ben was as perverted and evil as they are presented in the first few books. The perversions of the enemy are calmed down quite a bit in later books in the series (except for cannibalism). However, the first three or four books of the series are not for the weak kneed or faint of heart. The sexual perversions and methods of torture used by the enemy (defined as anyone opposed to Ben Raines and freedom) are graphically presented. Women and children (male and female) are sodomized constantly. The "trash" that Ben must fight seems to look upon sodomy as a better time than normal sexual relations.

Also, all men who oppose Ben Raines appear to be extremely well endowed and horny 24-hours a day. Raines Rebels have healthy libidos and there are frequent marriages and the birth of children. The enemy, on the other hand, either don't know how to or don't want to have sexual relations without causing pain -- the more pain the better the sex. And children, well to the scum they are just play things.

Ben Raines also has a healthy libido and pairs off with a number of women throughout the books I read. Ben has several adopted children and later discovers he has a son. Throughout the books Ben enjoys a good tumble in the sheets as much as the next man or woman in the Rebels. However, Ben has a propensity to become attached to women and he enjoys their companionship. Furthermore, the author seems to make it a point to have each woman Ben shacks up with be from a minority --half African American, part Native American, Hispanic and Jewish for example. Never the less, as the story progresses Ben becomes too busy to worry much about romance. And I'll give Johnstone this; Ben Raines does not have a dirty mind or a filthy mouth. Moreover, he is usually a perfect gentleman where women are concerned, unless she is a Rebel and he's giving her an order. I'm sure you can agree that it would be difficult to have your protagonist fighting a sustained war against oppression with an infant on each knee. He must be free of emotional bonds so that he can lead and if it were necessary that he should die, there would be no one behind to grieve.

Ben Raines on War and Saving America: Blow it up, blow it all up. Actually, that's an unfair thing to say of Ben even though he goes though large amounts of mortar shells and land mines. He tries to save every building, especially libraries and museums, unless they are full of scum (gangs), illiterates who won't lift a hand to help themselves, or Creepys (cannibals). When he set out to clean out the cannibals in American, it was his hope to save as much of American culture as possible knowing that it can't be reproduced -- that knowledge lost is lost for a long time. This is especially true of New York City but when he gets there and finds it infested with cannibals and counts the cost of lives to his Rebels from trying to take a block at a time, he calls in the tanks and blows the place to bits.

Ben is not casual with the lives of the soldiers in his army. His main battle tactic is to hit the enemy hard from long range and then move in and pick up the pieces. Raines Rebels never take prisoners unless they need information. Then the prisoners are given the chance to join the Rebels and if they refuse they are executed, same as the wounded on the field.

Cut Out Characters, Stereotypes, and Clichés: Four things in these books are too predictable: 1) Every woman Ben Raines comes into close contact with is going to be beautiful, they will have sex and live together for a short period of time, she may become pregnant but Ben will never fall in love with her. 2) Every member of the opposition is a total pervert, most are of low intelligence and uneducated, they will screw anything that walks, have poor grammar, are dirty, lice ridden, missing some of their teeth, and they smell terrible. 3) "People of their ilk" is one of William Johnstone's most used clichés. It is very common for him to refer to someone as a scumbag and having the morals or whatever of people of their ilk. 4) William W. Johnstone needs to find a variety of ways to describe people being blow to bits. It's always the same description of body parts flying through the air and blood splattered everywhere. And then we have the often-used reference to "the long dark sleep of death."

*****

Finishing the Series: Will I stop eating potato chips, no! Will I read another Ashes book, yes! Why? Because in spite of the often (but not always) poor writing, the books are darn fun to read and most of the time Ben Raines is a person to be respected. I'd say these potato chip books are written at about the fifth grade level or lower and so finishing one is like eating a TV dinner --very little prep, not much nourishment, and short chow down time.

Besides, I'm hooked on books where people pull themselves up out of the ashes and rebuild civilization. Read the essay on what is speculative fiction for more detail, but I believe these kinds of stories show people at their best even if some of them are cardboard stand-ups. Most of Raines Rebels would make good role models. They are a dedicated, loyal, tough, yet loveable group of people. They are the kind of people it would be an honor to serve with. They are easy to identify with and it's hard not to share their highs and lows. Ben Raines seems to attract the kind of people who have a solid work ethic, value education, have little or no prejudice, have great senses of humor, and see the value in what they are attempting to do.

As bigbaldben, a reviewer at Amazon.com said of the Ashes series, "Pure Pulp, Good Pulp, But Still Just Pulp." One thing is for certain, potato chips will make you fat but reading William W. Johnstone will not.

Here are some William W. Johnstone web sites if you are interested in more information:

http://www.booksnbytes.com/authors/johnstone_williamw.html

http://members.tripod.com/~tcrane/johnstn.html

Sincerely, Doc

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