Audible Book Review: 299 Days, The Preparation, Book 1, by Glen Tate

This is an early prepper narrative – not action but preparation.

299 Days
The Preparation, Book 1
By: Glen Tate
Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
Release date: 10-26-14
Publisher: Sellerman and Sweeney, LLC
Genre: Action & Adventure, Dystopian, Prepper
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's summary
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 audiobook 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?
©2012 Glen Tate (P)2014 Sellerman and Sweeney, LLC

Review:
Grant was raised by a logger father who fell into alcoholism after an accident. Thereafter his youth was full of abuse and dysfunction. Grant knows his family is poor and initially he thinks he can’t get beyond his circumstances. But he manages to go to college, meet and impress the woman of his dreams, and progress to law school. Upon graduation he is glad to get a position where he can fight for justice for the little guys set upon particularly by the government or big companies. He is distressed by government policies and he begins to see behind the scenes that America will suffer an economic fall from its massive debt.

Grant recognizes that the typical city “sheeple” will not be prepared to face trouble. He learned shooting and rural skills in his childhood and now he slowly turns to his rural roots and begins to gather the supplies to survive a social system failure. It starts with collecting guns and nonperishable food stockpiles. It continues with training with former military and law enforcement officers, to identifying other like-minded friends who he can reach out to when trouble hits. Finally, he is able to acquire (with his mother’s help) a cabin that is sustainable and defensible. Most of this is done behind the back of his wife which is bound to cause trouble at some point.

This story is told from the POV of Grant as he ponders the dangers of an economic collapse and step by step prepares for the worst. The author, through his main character, shares his dislike of liberal policies especially as they have impacted Washington State. There is limited action and suspense in this first book as the biggest suspense is in wondering how he will deal with his wife when the time comes and when the collapse may occur. Still, I enjoyed the journey of awareness and preparation for a plausible event. It is not a particularly exciting book but I found it entertaining. I will likely try the next book at some time. I recommend this to fans of prepper narratives (who won’t take offense to the political views).

Audio Notes: Kevin Pierce is an experienced and good narrator for this type of story. He provides distinct voices and solemnity of the purpose. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 3-3-2022 Audible Sale Purchase $3.74; (Regular Price: $24.95). This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook, and 2023Number goals.