Title: The Kings Of Cool
(Savages #1)
Author: Don Winslow
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
First published: June 19th 2012
Finished reading: August 15th 2015
Pages: 320
“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.”
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.
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