Comment on our review of THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS by John Ringo (see his website) and Linda Evans

Baen, March 2004

Comment by Michael Z. Williamson

"Ringo's apparent belief that the right to bare arms can secure freedom certainly flies in the face of recent experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq where armed populations were nevertheless terrorized into docility."

Thoughtful review, but:

"Bear" arms, not "Bare." [good catch--my mistake. rp]

And yes, it CAN...if you don't have a fragmented, feudal society. It's never accurate to compare third rate barbaric honor cultures to more modern ones. Compare Switzerland and Lebanon, for example.

Also, I'd hesitate to assume John is right wing based on a single issue. This is a common assumption: that because a person meets one criterion of a political ideal, that they meet the others. Yet he's outspoken on several issues that mark him as neither conservative nor right wing as far as those subjects go. We are all more complex than a simple name would suggest.

Our collaboration, "The Hero" has a release date of the 17th. And if you'd like any signed copies, I'm happy to receive them and ship them back. I also write a considerable amount of non-SF.

Otherwise, a very useful review. Thanks.

Mike

FREEHOLD by Michael Z. Williamson, January 2004 from Baen Books (buy it from Amazon)
THE WEAPON, pending
HERO with John Ringo, June 2004 from Baen Books (buy it from Amazon)
THE SCOPE OF JUSTICE, July 2004 from Avon (HarperCollins) (buy it from Amazon)
THE WEAPON, pending from Baen Books
TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY, winter 2004 from Avon

Check out Michael's website at: http://www.MichaelZWilliamson.com

Posted 5/14/04

Ready to buy it? Click the button: