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jazkc's review against another edition
2.0
the thing that sucked me into this book at the start ended up being the very thing to take me right out of it—the writing style.
i felt so disconnected with everything happening that it started giving me a splitting headache.
i felt so disconnected with everything happening that it started giving me a splitting headache.
kierankegaard's review against another edition
3.0
Author’s voice wasn't as annoying as he was in Savages. Good.
rorycb's review against another edition
4.0
Perhaps not as [insert a number of gushy superlatives here] as Savages but a deeply satisfying prequel.
lizzy_22's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked the book Savages so when I saw that there was a prequel to the book that gave us the story before the story, boy was I excited.
Don Winslow goes back in time to give us the origins of Savages; how Chon, Ben and O became the trio that they are and the history that brought them to this point in time. An excellent companion story, I loved seeing how the puzzle pieces slotted together; mother, father, son and daughter each reaching towards a dazzling conclusion.
Don Winslow goes back in time to give us the origins of Savages; how Chon, Ben and O became the trio that they are and the history that brought them to this point in time. An excellent companion story, I loved seeing how the puzzle pieces slotted together; mother, father, son and daughter each reaching towards a dazzling conclusion.
mcmulroy's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this book. Quick read but kept me guessing the whole way through. I thought I had it all figured out and then I was wrong.
tbjork's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
dhasenkampf's review against another edition
4.25
So cool, gritty, funny, philosophical, violent. I love Don Winslow even more with every book of his I read.
tommooney's review against another edition
5.0
Now that is how you do a prequel. He's just the best there is.
oneesk's review against another edition
3.0
If you liked Savages, you'll like this too. It being a prequel means you can't escape comparing the two, and frankly it came up a little short. It still had the style that made me like Savages so much, but it spent more time on storylines I only barely cared about. Still, enjoyable enough.
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.0
“Smart people sometimes get stupid, but stupid people never get smart. Never. Ever. 'You can come down the evolutionary ladder,' Chon has observed to Ben and O; 'you can't climb up.”
Spoiler
The Kings Of Cool was my TBR jar pick back in June, but I've only just came around actually reading it. Which is basically almost two months of neglecting this read, shame on me! I still don't know why it took me so long to pick up this prequel novel by Don Winslow, because I ended up really enjoying this read. I've done some War On Drugs courses back in Uni, so the drugs theme was a bonus. The character development is really well done and I like the fact that the story takes you on a journey through various decades to explain how Ben, Chon and O became the people they are. The Kings Of Cool has a fast pace and is very well written: humor is mixed with action and I was able to finish this book in no time at all. Not every character is exactly likeable, but they feel authentic so I wasn't really bothered by it. Definitely recommended if you are looking for a witty and fast-paced mystery/thriller read!
This prequel tells the story of how Ben, Chon and O became the people they are. The chapters switch between the past and present where we learn more about their parents and their own lives. In the present, the three friends battle with drug dealers and crooked cops. They soon find out their current situation is related to their parent's history... As they say: the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. A series of unfortunate events will lead to a collision where the past meets the present in a showdown... And they will be forced to choose where their loyalty really lies.
The Kings Of Cool is fast-paced, full of action and plenty of funny moments and well written dialogue. The past and the present are slowly mixed together and the character development is brilliantly done. This novel will not only entertain you, but also makes you think about the current War On Drugs situation and the society in general. A very interesting read and recommended! I will definitely try to read more of his work in the future.
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.