Book Review: Expatriates, by James Wesley Rawles

By Daisy Luther

James Wesley Rawles. The name is synonymous with “survival” and in his book Expatriates: A Novel of the Coming Global Collapse he continues providing the same reliable information we’ve come to expect from his previous books.

Expatriates takes place in different settings across the world in the aftermath of a global economic collapse.  One thing that is very timely, considering the recent activities of ISIS, is an Indonesian Muslim attack on Australia and the Philipines, where we find several displaced American characters. Meanwhile, in the USA, a family in Florida struggles to survive and to help protect their small town against those desperate souls who would pillage it.

From Amazon:

Their America is gone forever

After the United States suffers a major socio-economic meltdown, a power vacuum sweeps the globe. A newly-radicalized Islamic government has risen in Indonesia and—after invading the Philippines, East Timor, and Papua New Guinea—sets its sights on Australia. No longer protected by American military interests, Australia must repel an invasion alone.

In the thick of it all, Peter and Rhiannon Jeffords, American Christian missionaries in the Philippines, and Chuck Nolan, a Texan petroleum engineer in Australia, find themselves adrift in a world in flux. Chronicling the Jeffords’ and Nolan’s fight against Indonesia’s merciless advances, Expatriates is a riveting thriller and a powerful depiction of the authentic skills and techniques needed to survive the collapse of modern civilization.

As with his previous books, Patriots  and Survivors, Rawles’ strong faith takes a starring role in the book, coming to life in his characters.

You can definitely see evidence of the author’s military background throughout the book.  The tactics used in particular by the characters in Australia provide some thought-provoking ideas for defense here at home.  I can’t say much without spoiling the plot, but think “perimeter defense instruction manual” and you’ve got the right idea.

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One thing that is consistent throughout Rawles’ novels is that he provides a great deal of sound survival information, worked into the story.  Because the settings are tropical, there’s some information in there about storing food and goods in hot, humid climates that I had not considered previously.  There is also a great deal of information about using a boat as a bug-out vehicle, which wouldn’t work for those of us who are landlocked, but might do very well for people near the shore.

The characters’ shopping lists could well be adapted to many different situations, and they are complete with brand names. I noticed that some folks who reviewed the book criticized this as “product placement” but I don’t believe that is the case. I believe that he was being as specific as possible and including these very valuable details so that readers who were interested to could acquire such supplies for themselves.

If you’re looking for a survival novel with a lot of technical and tactical information, as well as some moral lessons, check out Expatriates: A Novel of the Coming Global Collapse.  It’s a work of fiction, but it’s loaded with solid information that many will be able to apply to their own preparedness endeavours.  It’s sure to become another prepper classic.

If you enjoy the lists and survival information, be sure to check out Rawles’ non-fiction options. My all-time favorite book by Rawles has to be the oldie but goodie, How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times, and he has just published Tools for Survival: What You Need to Survive When You’’re on Your Own.

James Wesley Rawles’ website is Survival Blog, and it is probably the biggest compendium of survival information on the net. It’s updated every day with excellent new content.

All of Rawles’ books are available through Amazon:

Expatriates: A Novel of the Coming Global Collapse

Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse

Founders: A Novel of the Coming Collapse

Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse

How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times

Tools for Survival: What You Need to Survive When You’’re on Your Own