Book Review: Max Brooks' "Devolution"

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography.

Used with permission.

As a general rule, "prepper fiction" tends to be either 

1. Competence Porn (stories featuring competent characters carrying out difficult tasks with great aptitude).
2. Survival (stories featuring characters struggling to survive in dangerous conditions).
3. All of the above.

The survival horror subgenre seems to be hit or miss for us; some preppers dismiss it as unrealistic, while others (such as myself) will watch practically any show featuring zombies. 

But what about a story where a bunch of soft urban yuppies create a high-tech utopian "green enclave" deep in the woods of Washington state, an hour away from civilization and dependent on weekly food drops, who then get cut off from society when Mount Rainier erupts? That's definitely a survival story. 

(Of course they don't have guns. They're too enlightened for that. They barely have equipment for a day hike). 

Now what if these soft, urban yuppies then had to survive attacks from a tribe of hungry sasquatch, who had been displaced from their usual hunting grounds because of the volcanic eruption? 

That's the basis of Max Brooks' novel Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre.  

https://amzn.to/4g7sqTD

If you've read Brooks' previous novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, you know exactly what you're getting: first there's significant worldbuilding via backstory, then the inevitable Bad Thing happens, and then things get a lot worse because people are unprepared or react poorly, and people only survive by wising up and adapting to the situation. 

Fair warning: this is anti-competence porn, by which I mean that the characters are deliberately depicted at first as being annoying and blind to the situation around them. I was rooting for all but one of them (Mostar) to die for most of the book. They adapted or they died, and I was fine with either outcome. (I watch zombie movies for much the same reason.) You'll likely be rooting for the Sasquatches for most of the book like I was, and that's okay. 

As a friend of mine observed, "the central conflict hinges on you believing that there's an entire enclave of wealthy eco-separatists  and none of them have a toolbox or a gun."

Some would say that the story suffers because of that, but to be blunt there'd be no story if someone had a gun. Slasher movies have the same flaw, and you either accept that going in or you just don't watch them. And yes, I can easily imagine a group of eco-yuppies living out in the middle of nowhere, utterly dependent upon drone drops for supplies, yet somehow thinking they're being "green" and "off grid" and maybe even "living off the land." They're engaged in the same kind of totemic magical thinking as people who believe that owning a gun is a talisman against harm, and so they don't need training.

In conclusion:

• Is it a book about prepping? No. It's more like a cautionary (and fantastic) cautionary tale about what might happen if you don't prep for emergencies. 
• Is it entertaining? I thoroughly enjoyed it, but some people might not be able to get past the whiny people. I tell those people "They'll either get smarter or you'll enjoy their deaths." For me it was a win-win. 
• Is it nonsense? Setting aside the sasquatch issue for a moment, I found it highly plausible. There may have been things which I missed due to my own gaps in knowledge, but considering I was reading it as entertainment and not an instruction manual, I wasn't worried.
  
  However, about that sasquatch business: I want to point out that the Mount Rainier area has the highest density of Bigfoot sightings in the US, and that many soldiers and airmen who have been stationed at Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM) say that there's just something "off" about those woods. A friend of mine says "There's some sh*t down in Rainier Training Area. Avoided Lewis since '94."

I say this not to convince you of the existence of Bigfoot (I'm skeptical of that myself) but to give readers, who would otherwise dismiss the entire idea as preposterous, a reason for entertaining the possibility that it might not be. 

Regardless of your feelings about cryptids, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think most preppers will too. It's available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle e-book and audiobook from Amazon. 

Zombieland Rules for Preppers

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Yes, this is a couple days late for Halloween. My apologies; it's been a rough week for a lot of us, which explains why we had no posts on Tuesday or Thursday and why mine is late.

But hopefully it's still somewhat " 'tis the spooky season" this weekend, and in that spirit I give you a somewhat-serious take on the Zombieland rules of survival and how they can be applied to preppers for all sorts of apocalypses.



Rule #1: Cardio
Being in shape is important, although I would suggest more than just cardio exercise. Most Americans need to lose about 30 pounds, myself included, and not only would that make us lighter and faster but it will also increase our lifespan. Furthermore, in disasters and emergencies we may need to lift, move or carry something heavy in order to save lives, so being strong and healthy allows us to do that and also protects us from injury (see #18, below).

Every prepper should be able to do at least one push-up and one pull-up, and be able to sprint 100 yards without getting winded.

Rule #2: Double Tap

In the context of the movies this is meant to illustrate the concept of "If you need to kill something, take the extra time to ensure that it's truly dead instead of just wounded." This can apply in various situations from ethical hunting (if you wounded an animal, follow it and put it out of its misery quickly rather than letting it suffer) to self defense (shoot until the threat is neutralized and never shoot to wound). 

Important Disclaimer: If you do shoot someone in self defense, NEVER perform a coup-de-grace. That's a good way to get yourself arrested, charged, and convicted for murder. 

Rule #2 (Deleted Scene): Ziploc Bags

Weatherproofing is important, especially for supplies which can be spoiled by exposure to moisture. Food, ammunition, and fire starting supplies like matches and tinder all need to be kept dry. You need to keep dry, too, because being wet leads to being cold which can lead to hypothermia. 

Rule #3: Beware of Bathrooms

When you're using the restroom, you are uniquely vulnerable: your pants are literally down and you typically don't have another way out. If there's only one way in and you're cornered, then you have to get past an assailant in order to escape. However, people do need to use the toilet, so in situations where you feel you might be in danger when using the bathroom, utilize the buddy system (see below). 

Rule #4: Seatbelts

Use all protective gear available to you, because prevention is the best cure. 

Rule #6 (Promotional Video): Cast Iron Skillet

Not shown in the movie but rather in a series of promos for the movie. While the video suggests it as an weapon, I take it as a reminder that we are surrounded by tools which can be repurposed for different tasks. Don't forget to improvise!

Rule #7: Travel Light

When you have to evacuate, don't let your preps weigh you down. Getting to safety alive is preferable to dying with all your stuff. 

Rule #12 (Promotional Video): Bounty Paper Towels

Hygiene is important for health (especially in a situation involving infection materials) as well as happiness.

Rule #15 (Promotional Video): Bowling Ball

Need to throw something? Just use a little ingenuity to make it easier. Use gravity to help you whenever possible. 

Rule #17: Don't Be a Hero

This rule applies in both interpretations. Sometimes it's necessary to risk your life to save others, especially if they're loved ones, but remember that you can't help anyone if you're trapped, injured, unconscious or dead. Don't take foolish risks!

Rule #18: Limber Up

If you need to move something heavy, or if you suspect you'll need to run hard, it makes sense to take a few moments to limber up. Soft-tissue injuries like pulled muscles suck on normal days; during an emergency they could mean the difference between death and survival. 

Rule #29 (Promotional Video): The Buddy System

You'll end up being vulnerable at some point; we all need to sleep and use the bathroom. Have a trusted friend (or more) watch out for you while you rest, clean yourself, etc. 

Rule #31: Check the Back Seat

Looking behind you on a regular basis is a habit all people ought to cultivate. In the military this is known as "Checking your six". 

Rule #32: Enjoy the Little Things

Morale is critically important during an emergency or disaster; a fatalistic mindset can result in fatalities. When possible and when it's safe, take time to do something fun to raise spirits and remind you that there's something to live for at the end of all this. 

Rule #33 (Promotional Video): Swiss Army Knife

I actually don't much care for the Swiss Army Knife as I feel it doesn't do anything well and does many things badly. However, never underestimate the value of a good multitool, like a Leatherman. 

Rule #52: Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help

This is from the new movie, Zombieland: Double Tap,  which I haven't seen yet but hope to see this weekend. In many ways it's a restatement of #29, but it's also a reminder that human beings will respond to cries for help. In fact, emergencies tend to bring out the best in people, so form a group and get things done.  

If there are any more rules in the new movie (and there ought to be) I'll list them in a follow-up article!

Halloween Prepping

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

I'm going to be honest with everyone: my heart isn't in today's post.

It's Friday, the day before Halloween. I'm busy trying to get my costume ready, and I imagine a lot folks are in the same situation (or at the very least are just marking time, waiting for the weekend to come).

So I'm going to post some things which are amusing and related to both prepping and Halloween.

http://tygertyger12.deviantart.com/art/The-Hardest-Part-343710468

http://tinyurl.com/pv97g2f

https://www.behance.net/gallery/870368/Zombie-Infographic

Gun Blog Variety Podcast #62

Adam and Sean bring you another excellent episode of The GunBlog VarietyCast.

• Erin Palette talks... Zombies? Seriously? (Yes, seriously.)
• Nicki Kenyon thinks the U.S. and Russia are headed towards a new Cold War.
• Our Special Guest this week is Brandon Combs, the President of Firearms Policy Coalition. He tells us about Gavin Newsom's anti-gun ballot initiative in California
• Do you use Kickstarter? Then Barron B would like you to beware the sucker play.
• And finally, Weer'd puts Oregon Representative Earl Blumenauer in the hot seat with another patented Weer'd Audio Fisk™.

Thanks for downloading, listening, and subscribing. Please like and share The GunBlog VarietyCast on Facebook, and if you use iTunes, give us a review!

Listen to the podcast here.

Read the show notes here.

A special thanks to our sponsor Law of Self Defense. If you haven't taken a legal self defense class from attorney Andrew Branca, sign up now. Andrew will teach you the law of self defense in your state. Use discount code "Variety" at checkout for 10% off.

We also want to thank Firearms Policy Coalition for their support.

SHTFriday: Your Apocalypse Arsenal (pt.2)

Not actually Erin.
Picture by KJ Photography
& is used with permission. 

So, last week's article generated quite a bit more discontent and hurt feelings than I really thought were possible. Apparently some folks are really invested in their platform of choice and cannot countenance the thought of anything else performing as well as their beloved woobie.

I have to confess that the fallout from this article left me not wanting to write any more in this series. However, if I ran away from something every time someone hated me for it, I'd accomplish very little in life, and so I intend to soldier on.

But still, I feel there's a need for a bit of humor to lighten the mood a bit, so this Apocalypse Arsenal category is going to be less than serious.

An Actual "Walking Dead" Zombie Apocalypse

• Scoped .22LR Rifle
• PMR-30
• Machete

Let me be clear:  I am specifically talking about the George Romero style animated corpses that eat flesh and can only be killed by destroying the brain! I am NOT talking about Danny Boyle style "Rage Zombies"  (who weren't zombies anyway, they were humans infected with a virus), nor am I talking about zombies who are dead but nevertheless move at human speed (or faster!).   No, this is a good old-fashioned outbreak of stupid, shambling, cannibalistic undead.

I have chosen a scoped rifle because, ideally, you want to shoot zombies in the head from enough of a distance that they cannot reach you before you kill them. I have chosen a .22LR for caliber for the following reasons:

• They are small, so it's easy to carry a lot of them without being weighed down. 
• They are inexpensive (although I am not 100% certain if prices have returned to pre-2013 levels), so stocking up is relatively easy. 
• It's the single most common cartridge in North America, if not the planet, so in an end-of-civilization scenario like the Zombie Apocalypse, scrounging them should be easier than most any other cartridge.
• A rifle chambered in .22LR will also accept .22 Short and .22 Long. 
• A suppressed .22 is about the quietest firearm in the world. 
• Recoil is minimal, allowing you faster follow-up shots. 

There are, however, a few caveats here: 

• .22LR is a very light round, and because of that it is susceptible to wind effects. 
• Depending on the distance of the shot, the angle of attack, and the type of cartridge being used the bullet just might deflect off of the skull. 
• Copper hollowpoints are arguably best for skull penetration. Additionally, you won't have to worry about lead fouling the inside of your rifle barrel. 
• If all you have is lead or round nose, you'll probably need to shoot the zombie in the eye to reach the brain, rather than risk having the round deflect due to the thickness and curvature of the forehead. 
• Zombie mythology is a bit fuzzy on how much of the brain you need to destroy, and which parts; a fast moving rifle round just might make a through-and-through and miss the critical part (whatever that might be) entirely. 
• Fortunately, you'll have enough ammo to make follow-up shots, and low recoil means you can make those shots quickly. 
• It's going to take a lot of practice with your rifle and ammunition of choice to get good enough to pull off zombie head-shots on a regular basis, but we all know that half of responsible gun ownership is practice, right?

The specifics of which kind of rifle to choose are a debate unto themselves. Semi-autos allow for faster follow-up shots, but they also make ammunition-wasting panic fire much easier than do pump or bolt action guns.  Some folks swear by the Ruger 10/22, others by the Marlin 60, and still others the Nylon 66;  all are fine rifles with a long record of good service. 

Personally, I prefer tube-fed rifles to those that use magazines, for reasons I detail here, but that is a purely personal decision. As long as the rifle you have is reliable and can be comfortably shot, you've made a good decision. 

A case could be made for using .223/5.56mm ammunition from an AR-15 pattern rifle. This is also a good choice, as there will be plenty of ammunition left over to be scavenged, and the powder charge will definitely be enough to penetrate a skull at effective engagement ranges. The biggest problems with this solution, however, are size and weight of ammunition (much larger and heavier than .22LR) and the requirement for magazines -- if you empty your magazines, your AR has become a single-shot rifle.

I firmly believe that my choice of the Kel-Tec PMR-30 is going to cause consternation, mostly because it's very hard to get hold of (perhaps not quite the unicorn that the KSG is, but it's close), but it's a gun that I have experience with.  In fact, when I reviewed it on Lurking Rhythmically, I started the review by calling it "the finest anti-zombie pistol ever made." 

Why? Well, let's start with the big reason: It has a thirty-round magazine. If zombie movies have taught me anything, it's that you run out of ammunition at a fast rate. With 30 rounds in your gun, you will be changing magazines less often. And carrying extras won't be a problem: the magazine is almost all polymer (I think that the spring is the only metallic component) which makes it very light, and the .22 Magnum round it carries is also very light. Three full magazines would be negligible weight; six would be barely noticed. I imagine (though I cannot prove) that 10 magazines -- 300 rounds -- would constitute a manageable combat load. Bulk would be more of an issue than weight.

Actually, I think the real issue would be continued supply of ammunition. On the good side, the .22 WMR is a commonly available (if pricey) cartridge, such that stocking up prior to Z-Day, or scavenging supplies in wrecked Wal-Marts post-Z, is entirely possible. On the bad side, it's a rimfire cartridge, meaning that it can't be reloaded. And the manual specifically says not to use anything but .22 WMR, so no loading it with .22 Long Rifle.

But the best thing about the pistol is that it is screamingly accurate. Bright fiber-optic sights make target acquisition easy, even in dim lighting. The .22 WMR cartridge is essentially flat-shooting, and its already low recoil is further mitigated by a full-size frame.

So yes, while getting ammunition might be difficult, if you use it only for "oh crap" moments and use your rifle as your primary zombie killer, it ought to serve you fine

Oh sure, you could be reasonable and load up with a semi-auto .22 pistol like a Ruger Mark III for ammunition compatibility, or get a 9mm Glock  (the second most-common pistol caliber and most-issued pistol type in the USA), but now you're just being difficult and letting logic get in the way of a really cool gun that holds 30 rounds, is big like a 1911 but weighs about as much as a squirt gun, and makes really impressive Robocop-style fireballs every time you shoot it. What's not to love?

Well, fine. Whatever sidearm you get for the zombie apocalypse, make sure that it's semi-auto, uses ammo you can re-stock and is a caliber large enough to hurt the occasional human who wants you dead  (because if The Walking Dead has taught me anything, it's that humans are more monstrous than zombies can ever be).

Finally, the machete.  The picture above is a Cold Steel Kukri Machete, which I have lovingly reviewed on my blog because it is badass, but honestly any machete or sufficiently large knife will do, so long as

• It can hold a decent edge;
• It can take abuse;
• You can use it both as a tool as and as a weapon. 

I love my kukri because it's essentially a combat meat cleaver that can be used to cut down trees. If it can do that, then it can hack off limbs (and heads) with the same amount of effort. 

But why a machete,  I hear you asking. Why not a spear or a sword, to give you more distance?  Well, here are my reasons:

1. Spears require two hands to use and one hand to carry. I can strap a machete (or hatchet, etc) to my belt and have both hands free to carry other things (like my rifle), and if I'm in a fight and need my pistol, I can carry the machete in my other hand. 
2. I'm not Michonne. Swords require more training than axes/hatchets to be used effectively in a fight. 
3. You can't gut an animal, cut firewood, or make a shelter with a sword or a spear. 

Thank you for indulging me in this light-hearted thought exercise. Next week's article will be more serious, I promise. 

Next week: a different scenario!