Showing results by author "Matthew Bracken" in All Categories

Foreign Enemies and Traitors is set in the near future in an America that is creeping steadily toward socialist tyranny, in the midst of the second Great Depression. A year after earthquakes have devastated the Tennessee Valley, survivors are resisting demands by the federal government to relocate to FEMA refugee centers. United States National Guard units have proven ineffective at forcing these survivors out of the earthquake-damaged regions, due to their reluctance to employ deadly force against fellow Americans.

Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista is a novel set in the not-too-distant future in the American Southwest, during a period of low-intensity civil war. The action takes place between Texas and California, but the story is mainly centered around New Mexico. Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista is a sequel to Enemies Foreign and Domestic, but it may be enjoyed on its own.

The action in this new novel takes place a few years after his adventures in Castigo Cay, the first Dan Kilmer novel. In The Red Cliffs of Zerhoun, Dan's trading schooner is located in Southwest Ireland, where he is attempting to sell 96 drums of diesel fuel salvaged from an abandoned NATO base in Greenland. The global financial system has collapsed, and both paper and digital currency have no value, but diesel fuel and gold still do.

While still in his twenties, Dan inherited the schooner Rebel Yell. Soon after, he left the United States to embark on a series of voyages, mostly in pursuit of beautiful women and good times. While he was away from America, new federal taxes were imposed on luxury property, including privately owned yachts. Dan cannot pay these or other new taxes, so he can't return to the States without risking confiscation of his schooner. Instead he must always fly under official radar and earn a living by his wits while staying one step ahead of the IRS and other government agencies.

The story begins on opening day of the NFL season, when bullets begin to rain down upon the upper deck of a packed football stadium. A panic stampede ensues, leading to mass casualties. The alleged sniper is found holding a smoking assault rifle, and is killed by a police marksman. One week later, Congress bans the private possession of all semi-automatic assault rifles. Gun owners are given one week to turn in their semi-automatic rifles, or face a five year mandatory sentence.