Savages

Raw, close-up view of an underground industry

Written by T. Wenger

Don Winslow's "Savages" opens in the living room of a Laguna Beach house, headquarters of Ben and Chon's marijuana operation. The partners grow the best hydro money can buy. Business is brisk - and so profitable that Mexico's Baja Cartel is demanding a piece of the action. Ben and Chon resist the cartel's pressure until their best friend and playmate, Ophelia, is abducted and becomes a pawn in the BC's vicious quest. Propelled by anger, they launch a violent, serpentine plan to keep the BC off balance and begin no-holes-barred negotiations for O's release.

The author of more than a dozen novels, including Shamus-winner California Fire and Life, Winslow offers a raw, close-up view of an underground industry in which brutality and bloodshed are inherent, and loyalty to a cartel equals enslavement. With brilliance and humor, he tells the story from both sides of the border through the eyes and ears of each character, masterfully employing technology and current political, ethnic and social themes.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

You can't make peace with savages....

This violent state of mind,
This violent state of mine!

I can sum up your decision to read or not to read this novel in six words: YOU NEED TO READ THIS NOVEL!

As a avid reader and collector of books, I know Don Winslow is near the top for crime fiction. I own a few of his other popular novels "The Power of the Dog", "Dawn Patrol", but I just haven't found the urge to read them yet. "Savages" beckoned to me from the new release rack last week when I saw it and I knew it was going to be special.

From the outstanding first chapter, to the WOW ending, I was very, very impressed with this novel. It felt like Winslow was strutting as he wrote each chapter, knowing just how far he could push it and then taking it up one more notch. I think Don Winslow just put himself in the upper, upper echelon of crime writers with this novel. The writing is witty, the topics very current and interesting.

The film rights to this novel have already been picked up by Oliver Stone and the book is gaining excellent praise every day by reviewers.

Ben and Chon are two laid back Southern California boys that also just happen to run a very successful marijuana business. They've got everything they could ever want. Ben is the college educated brains of the operation and Chon is the Navy Seal trained muscle, the enforcer that has killed men and will kill more. Their female friend O (short for Ophelia) is possibly one of the best female characters I've come across in a crime novel in a long, long time. She is of course, a completely unrealistic everyman's fantasy, but she's so much fun to read about! A few quick O facts, her friends call her Multiple O for obvious reasons, she is a nympho, she has numerous tattoos and a slacker attitude to match. Ben and Chon's business is going great until the Mexican Baja Cartel wants a piece of the action, not a piece, all of the action. They want Ben and Chon to keep doing the work, while the Cartel reaps the benefits. Bad decisions are made, lines are crossed and pretty soon, Ben and Chon have much, much more then they every bargained for. O is kidnapped by the Cartel. The MBC wants two million dollars or three years servitude from Ben & Chon for O's release. Throw in a crazed Mexican hitman named Lado, think "No Country for Old Men" type crazy and dangerous, covert ops, IED's, a Barrett .50 cal sniper rifle, sex, drugs and you've just begun to stratch the surface of "Savages"!

Any reader will tell you how most books end, the good guys win or the bad guys win / get away. Alot of authors continue to follow that same path, even though its been done over and over. Don Winslow steps it up a notch and takes it in a whole new direction with his ending!

"Savages" is a literary bloodbath! READ THIS NOVEL!

Enjoy~

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Choppy, disjointed writing style I liked the content of this boo

Choppy, disjointed writing style
I liked the content of this book but hated the choppy, weird way Winslow writes. It is not even, flowing text, but choppy, disjointed little blurbs. Will see the movie but this is not a fun and easy read. Reader beware.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Recommend

Overall, I really liked this book. The writing style is pretty unconventional, you will either really like it or find it to be ultra frustrating. The story is a good one. My only complaint is that I found myself wanting to learn more about the characters.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Amazing

This book os like crack. Impossible to put down twisted and hilarious.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The Real Deal

I caught on to Don Winslow's writing brilliance 7 novels ago. His writing, his characters and his style are pure genius. Savages is Don Winslow at his best. Adding Savages, or any Winslow novel going forward, to your reading list is in any readers best interest. My only regret is that he doesn't write as liberally as James Patterson, you know, one book a month.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Put on your seat belt: this ride turns corners faster than a Corvette.

Don Winslow has reinvented himself yet again.
I see the old Don in there yet he's developed an even sharper edge, one that cuts deep and splatters blood midst wafts of cannabis.
The pace is outrages, yet so is the story, one that is true to these times. Living high in the drug business has an ultimate cost that may not be worth it.
Read it. Winslow's seeded the novel with lots of philosphy and no-nonsense descriptions of Life in These United States, California Deparment.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

savages the American war on drugs

In affluent Laguna Beach, California, Ben and Chon manage a profitable marijuana business. However, the Baja Cartel wants to expand into the Laguna Beach theater of operations and two punk Americans will not prevent them.

Ben agrees with the Mexicans' assessment as he wants no trouble. However, former SEAL Chon, as Ophelia describes, has a "baditude" who does not mind a fight though he would also prefer a peaceful solution. The partners reject the foreign demands, but ignore the cartel until the Baja banditos go too far when they snatch O. They plan to take the war to the cartel as late night second half buffs Letterman and Leno in order to rescue O.

Don Winslow savages the American war on drugs (and immigration) with this wild bloody thriller. In between the flowing of red and profanity, celebrities and politicians are lampooned as capitalism at its oligopoly best. Mr. Winslow makes a case for more of the trade insanity of Second Amendment selling of weapons to the Mexican Cartels who sell drugs to the Americans and buy more weapons. Don't read on a full stomach, Savages takes no prisoners.

Harriet Klausner

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent

Winslow is an excellent writer. This is a can't-put-down book -- altho the ending is sad, sad.

Superb!

This is a page turning marvel. Raw as it gets. Great, just great.

Not good but not bad

This book was okay at best, it jumped around to much and didnt stick to one topic. I wouldnt recomend this to anyone. Its a shame to, I thought that since the movie was bad the book had to be good, How wrong i was.

Don't buy it

When I tried to access the book, I was forced to sign up for emails from the publisher. After doing this, I was still unable to access the book. Don't waste your money, just go rent the movie. Very disappointed!!

Great

Great fast pace and exciting!!

Not ver Weak

Not very good

Savages

This book takes you into the sick world of drug trade who live their lives in a completely different way than what would be considered "normal." They are not likable people yet I still found myself cheering for some of them.

Not Impressed

The writing wasn't great and the story wasn't great. The movie was better and I didn't really like the movie.

AMAZINGLY GRITTY!! LOVED IT!

AMAZINGLY GRITTY!! LOVED IT!

Its ok

Fast read book, very easy to read, i liked the action in it, however i didn't understand the ending the whole book was building me to some great ending and i feel like ending was unfinished

Not what I expected

and more for male readers. Sure they would enjoy it very much. Fast read.

Loved it

I read this book in one day--couldn't put it down. I loved the unconventional writing style and the quirky characters.