Recommended Glen Tate: 299 Days Series

Discussion in 'Survival Reading Room' started by CATO, Mar 30, 2013.


  1. CATO

    CATO Monkey+++

    299 Days: The Preparation
    Meet Grant Matson: lawyer, father, suburbanite husband who awakens to the fragility of modern society and embarks on a personal journey that introduces him to a world of self-reliance and liberation.
    299 Days: The Preparation, the first book in the 299 Days series, depicts the inner struggles Grant must face as he exists in a social system he recognizes as unsustainable and on the verge of collapse, but one in which he has built his life around. What begins as a return to his roots, self-sufficiency and independence, becomes a full blown move to prepare for what may come. Engaging, insightful and a bit suspenseful, follow Grant’s transition from a self-perceived sheeple to a full-blown prepper. Will his fears come true? Is he an extremist? What if nothing happens? What if something does?

    299 Days: The Collapse
    Picking up where The Preparation ended, the collapse begins to unfold in this second book of the 299 Days series. In The Collapse, the government stops working, guns and ammo are in high demand, and a trip to the gas station has become a mission rather than an errand. Grant and the Team see these warning signs and know it is only the beginning, so they begin taking action to protect themselves and their loved ones. As they prepare to get out of dodge after a deadly incident in Grant’s neighborhood, they will soon learn whether the preparations they made in Book One will be enough to survive the breakdown of society, or if they don’t stand a chance against greed and violence in the face of a collapse. The resulting chaos and fear that begins to envelop the country will strip all of the characters of what they know to normal, and will require them to question what they will stand for, what they will stand up against, and, most importantly, who they will stand with.

    299 Days: The Community
    299 Days: The Community, the third book in the 299 Days series, reunites Grant Matson with his family after his wife, children, and in-laws accept that the only way to survive the Collapse is to flee the comfort of their suburban lives and join him at his isolated cabin in the woods. With riots becoming more violent, power outages more widespread, and the military crumbling, Grant and others throughout Washington State realize they must organize if they want to endure. From the secure confines of the relocated state capitol building, to a rural self-sustaining farm, to the developing community of Pierce Point, 299 Days: The Community explores the mental, emotional, and physical changes everyone must make to adapt to a collapsed society. The years of preparing and training position Grant to lead Pierce Point as he begins to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics and unpredictable situations to help build a new community that can withstand the threats closing in on them. Will people join forces or stand alone? Can communities successfully organize themselves in times of chaos? Will what is left of government help those who cannot help themselves? And if so, at what cost?

    299 Days: The Stronghold
    299 Days: The Stronghold, the fourth book in the 299 Days series, Grant Matson begins teaming up with others who will help the community of Pierce Point become a Patriot stronghold, ready to stand against government Loyalists, the Undecideds and the Oblivious. Using the United States Constitution as a guide, they develop a sense of order and begin planning for a future that shows no sign of improving. Outside of Pierce Point, the country continues its downward spiral. The Feds are rationing food and gas and playing favorites while some states are choosing to opt out of the Federal Government. Scrappy street gangs have made way for sophisticated white collar gangs who, along with government officials, participate in bartering and bribery of every kind. Vigilantes are loose everywhere, and those working for what is left of the government don’t know if they’re with the good guys or bad guys. The Pierce Point Patriots prepare to defend their land, their families, and their beliefs, even if that means going up against those in their community who are loyal to the government and all things that lead to the Collapse of America.

    299 Days: The Visitors
    The Visitors, the fifth book in the 299 Days series, follows Grant Matson, the Team, and other Pierce Point residents as they adjust to a rapidly changing post-Collapse reality. When the Team is summoned to bust a meth lab and protect their neighbors, they find themselves in an intense crime scene that results in the community having to decide innocence, guilt and punishment. Adjusting to this new normal is a challenge to Grant and others as they navigate a world where Pop-Tarts cost 45 a box, neighbors die from easily preventable conditions, and what remains of the former U.S. Government is deliberately choosing who they will and will not help. As tensions grow in Pierce Point and the Team begins to face organized opposition, they are presented with an incredible opportunity by the arrival of Special Forces Ted and his game-changing proposal. Grant finds himself at a crossroads as he must decide whether he and the Team will formally join the Patriots and train to become guerilla fighters against the growing forces of the Loyalists or standby and watch events unfold. Grant knows one decision could risk his marriage and family, while another would mean letting others decide their fate.

    Link for the series.
     
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  2. Pax Mentis

    Pax Mentis Philosopher King |RIP 11-4-2017

    I have avoided this series based on reviews that said the installments were quick reads without a lot of "meat" in each of them and were not worth the approximately $10 per e-book episode for a planned 10 episode series.

    Based on your recommendation, I have ordered episode one and will read it upon finishing my current pepper fiction selection.
     
  3. CATO

    CATO Monkey+++

    IMO, Episode 1 is quite boring. You get a lot of background info about Grant's early life--"Grant" is really Glen Tate, who is really XXXXXXXX. It provides a foundation for you to understand why he makes the decisions he does (e.g., why he hates bullies (who happen to be mostly liberals)).

    I would urge anyone to get through book #2 before you make a decision about whether to go forward.

    I hadn't really thought about it before, but, you're right. There are going to be 10 books and at $10 a pop, the whole series will cost you $100. But, I didn't really think that the books were too short. They ended at certain milestones and are 200+ pages. But, they are certainly not something like a Clancy novel. Could it . . . should it have been done in 5 books? Yes, now that I think of it. It is a valid criticism.

    With that said, I would rather read Tate's style of writing that some of the others I've read lately who seem to go on and on--it took me long time to get through Reconquista. There's not a lot of filler in Tate's books where you find yourself skimming, with the exception of Book one.

    I don't think I'm getting gyped/jipped. It's a good story and a lot of it parallels what we're seeing today. I don't think most of us are going to "learn" anything we haven't heard about before . . . it's just a damn good read and probably more likely to happen his way than the SHTF of Rawles' mind.

    I wish I could loan out Kindle titles to specific people, or you could read all of mine.

    I'll tell ya what, if you don't want to read any further after #1 based on cost, let me know and I will get #2 to you some how.
     
  4. Pax Mentis

    Pax Mentis Philosopher King |RIP 11-4-2017

    Actually, a lot of my hesitation comes from an attitude about folks/publishers who price the e-book about the same as the printed matter (and, in some cases, higher than the paperback)...it just irritates me.

    I will most likely get to #1 on Monday and 200-250 pages for me is an after lunch read. I will probably go on to #2 based on what you say if I just see he has just gone so far as to hire an actual proofreader who knows the difference between then and than...the SHTF fiction I am currently finishing (like most I have read lately) is making me just a little bit crazy from spellcheck "editing" and the almost universal choice of the wrong homonym (or similar word) wherever there is a choice...between then for than, lease for least and (my "favorite") emanate for imminent, I worry that I will soon be getting new dentures just from the gnashing of my teeth.

    The last example at least gave me a bit of a chuckle, as it reminded me of my youth when our 1Sgt in Vietnam informed us that an attack on our base camp was "intimate"...I'm sure you can imagine some of our responses that cannot be quoted here.
     
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  5. CATO

    CATO Monkey+++

    How the Easter Bunny is responsible for the 299 Days series being written

    by Glen Tate on March 31, 2013
    This dude is why the 299 Days series was written:
    EASTER_BUNNY_PICTURE500x764-196x300.
    I was prepping in secret when I wrote the book. My wife was extremely hostile to the whole idea of prepping. I had stuff hidden in a storage unit. When the Collapse hit, I had to have an explanation for why all the food, guns, and ammo that I had been hiding suddenly materialized in the garage.
    I had two choices: (1) I could say, “I told you this would happen and I’m way smarter than you and figured out we would need this stuff,” or (2) “The Easter Bunny brought this stuff.” Choice one would alienate her at the very time that I needed her on my side the most. Choice two would let her keep her pride and let us get onto the task at: protecting our family and making it through a very dangerous time. The choice was easy.
    So I started working on my explanation, which I called the “Easter Bunny speech.” I would describe why I started prepping, what I did to prepare, and how we would get through the coming difficulties. This was the most important speech I’d ever give – my family staying intact during a life-or-death time was at stake – so I decided to work hard at getting this speech right.
    I started a little outline of the key points of the Easter Bunny speech on a Post-it note. I kept adding items to it until it was a sheet of paper. Then two. Then more.
    The outline was the perfect explanation of how the Collapse developed, what signs there were of it coming, what a person could do to prepare, and how the preps would be used. I looked at the outline and realized it would be very helpful for other people who were prepping or thinking about starting to prep.
    I decided to turn the Easter Bunny speech into a short story and put it on my favorite forum, the Survival Podcast Forum. Then the story got longer and longer. After two and half years of getting up at 3:30 a.m., the Easter Bunny speech was a 3,200-page story. That’s how long it took to fully explain what’s coming and why, and what people would do in the situations I foresee coming.
    Then I contacted a publisher out of the blue. They signed me for a ten-book deal. It was the only publisher I ever called. And I’d never written fiction before. The odds of this happening are astronomical.
    Now, tell me this whole thing – a speech to my wife turning into a very popular published ten-book series – is normal. It ain’t. A higher power wants this Easter Bunny speech to get out to as many people as possible. And I’m humbled to be a part of the process.
     
  6. NWPilgrim

    NWPilgrim Monkey++

    I quit reading after #4. I actually enjoyed and was enthusiastic after books 1-3. I grew up in Olympia and logged near Forks my h of what "Glen" describes is very realistic. As long as he described the past or the beginning if future events it was authentic.

    He lost me in book four when a community of 200 rural folks quiver in fear and hire Grant's "Team" to provide their security. And there is no real direct threat to them yet. They are short of food but happy to feed 12 guys or whatever to run around in trucks and sit around on watch all day. Those are not the rural folks I know. I think Grant is a bit full of himself and over estimates the wonderousness of his Team and severely under estimates the ability of many rural folks to provide their own security and ban together informally.

    It is a pity because I think Tate has great insight to current conditions but I think his future vision is tainted by ego. And CCW badges being flashed around to intimidate people?! Really?! And then asking on that forum what folks think about it? LAME.

    $10 per book ($100 total) is not competitive to 10 other novels. I read Silveria's Danielle Kidnapped and it was better than those four books of Tate.
     
  7. CATO

    CATO Monkey+++

    Well, you had to quit reading after #4 . . . . #5 just came out a few days ago. :lol:
     
  8. NWPilgrim

    NWPilgrim Monkey++

    I read #3 and #4 the first couple of days they came out. So its been about 3 months. I have no interest in the series anymore. In the end he becomes the governor of a new libertarian state govt, hero. In between his Team saves widows and orphans (they are real badass tactical). And he has a lot of internal turmoil.

    Say the economy crashes. There is still some shred of govt and reports of violence in nearby towns. But your rural community has seen little of it yet, it's only been a couple if weeks. Are you going to vote to hire on 6 tactical guys to guard the grange hall, or are you going to be doing your own security and working with the closest 3-4 neighbors to figure out mutual support and help each other. Maybe in an extended period or after your community has had a severe attack you think if hiring some more security. This shit aint real.
     
  9. Pax Mentis

    Pax Mentis Philosopher King |RIP 11-4-2017

    Well, I am 25% through #5 and I find it to be well written, entertaining and terribly overpriced.

    Each episode is (so far) between 200 and 250 pages and is "fluffy" reading...it goes quickly. I started them Wednesday, this is Sunday morning and I have had a lot to do preparing for the move back to the "farm".

    I hear the complaints from others about the lack of real "lessons", but I do not look for lessons in fiction (though I usually find a few things to think about and do in these books...or, more accurately, this book). If you want a textbook, get a textbook, not a novel. I can't say I like a lot of the characters (including Grant, the main protagonist who initially walks away from his family to follow his self-conceived destiny) and find the team members to be "guns and ammo preppers" who would in reality and without being invited to Grant's cabin (of which they were unaware before the crash) probably have ended up as raiders/looters.

    If you are looking for a set of books that you can follow with regard to preparations, I wouldn't recommend this series. If you are looking for an entertaining story that will provide the occasional bit of thought food...possibly more through what not to do than what to do...and don't mind paying about $100 (Kindle version, somewhat higher for print) for a book with maybe as much meat as a Clancy novel (and much less than Tom Sherry's Deep Winter trilogy for example), go for it.

    If you are a reader, as opposed to one looking for lessons, I warn you not to start this series unless you are prepared to buy them all, it is fun enough and leaves you hanging enough at the end of each installment that you will most likely keep buying the next one. I will most likely finish the series in spite of my attitude about the writers who price in this manner and will be unlikely to buy more from his author after this series ends.
     
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  10. HappyPuppy

    HappyPuppy Monkey

    I read the first book and to be brief it was so-so. The characters I did not find that compelling and the style of writing was a bit simplistic ( wooden) for my taste.

    The basic premise of a partial collapse maybe probable with decreasing services to the point of near unavailable. I just don't see the authors vision playing out. We only have to look at near recent events for clues

    These would include :
    Katrina
    Bosnia
    Serbia
    Argentina
    Many parts of Africa at various times
    The only thing I would bet on is bartering will be huge based on history. Those that seem to propose hiding out on a farm or retreat is one way it could go I guess, but where in history has it happened?

    I am not saying the authors premise is wrong , I just don't see it happening in the past except for the Depression, which was a much more rural and smaller population.

    For myself in book one , I didn't find it very thought provoking other than a coming collapse to some degree.
     
  11. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I just finished book one last night of this series.

    I was prepping in secret when I wrote the book. My wife was extremely hostile to the whole idea of prepping. I had stuff hidden in a storage unit.

    This is the jist of the book, this author is writing what he himself did. I figured half way through the book he would let his wife/spouse/mate/ partner for life in on his prepping but no... this guy is leading two lives. I am having issue of seeing this man as a hero. It was a quick read that kept me entertained but the surprise money that allowed him to buy the BOL/cabin reminded me that this is fiction. The portrayal of the wife that covers her ears not wanting to hear anything bad, really?? His secret stash of money, his stash of guns and ammo. BTW- Rule #5 of prepping, never stash all your preps in the same location.

    I did order #2 from the library to see if maybe this series will get better.
     
  12. NWPilgrim

    NWPilgrim Monkey++

    No it gets worse. I thought Books 1-3 were pretty decent considering his perspective. Then it goes into fantasy land big time. Try not to choke on the CHL badges!
     
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  13. CATO

    CATO Monkey+++

    FWIW, I haven't read one of these since the post above pointed out how over - priced they are.

    I can't say that I'd recommend this now unless you checked them out of the library.
     
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  14. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Just finished #2- I am done with the series. DONE! I am not even curious as to the outcome. I personally didn't like the main character. I understand that some people will be in lala land like the wife, refusing to see reality. I guess if SHTF I will have to deal with people like this but the series if a macho series- IMO.

    I would like a series that has the main character eating grubs and bark because they failed to prepare. Now that would be a survival book.
     
    Pax Mentis likes this.
  15. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I never finished this series. My post made on June 9, 2014 stood and I never read further. Recently I have been listening to Glen Tate on the radio. What I learned from his program is that he divorced the wife he wrote about in his series and married a like minded lady, Shelby Gallagher who is an author also (Home). Much of the series 299 days is based on his real life survival plan and group. Glen & his wife Shelby do live shows on KHNC On-Air Schedule | 1360 KHNC Radio | Johnstown, Colorado or Prepping 2.0 I may not have liked his books but the radio shows often get me thinking of aspects that I forgot about or overlooked.

    RIP my friend Pax. I miss our SHTF genre book discussions and mostly your laughter.As you always said, the beat goes on.
     
  1. john316
  2. john316
    GREAT STORIES BY FLEATAXI So Sue Me
    Thread by: john316, Oct 6, 2018, 6 replies, in forum: Survival Reading Room
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