Savages: A Novel

Don Winslow

Jul 2010 · Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Cartel, The Force, and The Border

A New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and Chicago Sun-Times Favorite Book of the Year

“A revelation…This is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on autoload.” —Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly

“Startling…Stylish…Mega-cool.” —Janet Maslin, The New York Times

Ben, Chon, and O are twentysomething best friends living the dream in Southern California. Together they have made a small fortune producing premium grade marijuana, a product so potent that the Mexican Baja Cartel demands a cut. When Ben and Chon refuse to back down, the cartel kidnaps O, igniting a dizzying array of high-octane negotiations and stunning plot twists as they risk everything to free her. The result is a provocative, sexy, and darkly engrossing thrill ride, an ultracontemporary love story that will leave you breathless.

Ratings and reviews

Ex-mercenary, Chon and his partner, Ben have a profitable marijuana business in Laguna Beach. They are informed that the Mexican Baja Cartel intends to take over the marijuana activity in Southern Cal. They want the partners to stay in business but to sell their product to the cartel so that the cartel can make the majority of the profits. When the partners refuse the cartel's demand, the cartel's leader tells them that they don't have a choice and then kidnapps Ophelia "O" who is the partner's friend and playmate. The cartel demands a ransome and three years of required cooperation in order to get Ophelia back. We watch as Ben and Chon make plans to disrupt the cartel's activities so that they might have a chance to rescue Ophelia when the cartel's leader is preoccupied. However, the odds are against them. The story provides a quick read. Chon and Ben are intriguing characters, rebels against authority and witty in their responses with Chon being the rambunctious one and Ben the voice of reason. A film adaptation of "Savages" to be directed by Oliver Stone is under way. I can't wait.

These guys are bad and they have attitude. They call it badattitude. This is arguably the worst thing I have read since The Davinci Code. Don Winslow who I dont know much about was actually paid to write this which is a scary thought. Anyway, he tries to be clever (see aforementioned badattitude) and writes like a hyperactive douchebag with a closet full of Tapout gear. Part time environmentalist and philanthropist and botanist and drug dealer and overall great guy who never fired a gun in his life somehow is able to hold his own against an Army of Mexican drug muscle. Also he has friends he can call up on a whim that can hack into any computer system and transfer money and blackmail and do whatever else one can wish for simply by going on the internet. The other dude is a meathead who is a cross between Rambo, Chuck Norris, Fabio and possibly a genetic cyborg who is able to dodge bullets and shoot lightning bolts from his eyes to protect his buddy who has never fired a gun in his life from an Army of Mexican drug muscle. The other is a super hot chick that loves sex and drugs and bangs both of them whenever they want. Each has no problem crossing swords during their threesomes. Despite insurmountable odds, the 2 of them are able to fight and destroy 100,000 armed Mexican drug muscle to save their chick all the while cracking clever jokes. Read at your own risk.

Winslow is a wonderful writer, There is a tread you find that connects many of his books Kings of Cool is equally fabulous, it's like the pre-qual to Savages,and his characters! I look forward to reading all his works,there are many!

About the author

Don Winslow is the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one novels, including City on Fire, The Force, The Cartel, The Kings of Cool, Savages, The Gentlemen’s Hour, The Dawn Patrol, The Winter of Frankie Machine, The Power of the Dog, and The Border. He lives in Southern California. To learn more, follow Don on Twitter @DonWinslow or visit DonWinslow.com.