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7th out of 16 books
—
120 voters
Savages (Savages #1)
by
Don Winslow
A breakthrough novel that pits young kingpins against a Mexican drug cartel, Savages is a provocative, sexy, and sharply funny thrill ride through the dark side of the war on drugs and beyond.
Part-time environmentalist and philanthropist Ben and his ex-mercenary buddy Chon run a Laguna Beach–based marijuana operation, reaping significant profits from their loyal clientele
...moreHardcover, 302 pages
Published
July 13th 2010
by Simon & Schuster
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“Something they don’t teach you at Harvard Business School.
‘Savages, How to Deal With.’
Savagely.”
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly an infamous trio the three amigos and the three stooges funny trios.
When it comes to threesome there are many.
One trio you will soon be taking note of are the likes of Ben, Chon and the wonderful O or her real name Ophelia, in this Drug cartel solid thriller from Don Winslow.
The story is about lucrative money making with a specially brewed drug herb that the trio or...more
Ben and Chon are the oddest of odd couples. Ben is a brilliant botanist and liberal do-gooder who spends his spare time in third world countries setting up clinics and schools. Chon (a nickname based on his real name, John) is an ex-Navy SEAL and Afghanistan veteran with a bad attitude and sincere belief that most people are just pretending to be civilized. Despite their differences, the two men are best friends and even knowingly share a girlfriend, Ophelia (also known as O.), who loves sex and...more
If these two wordsmithing masters of dialogue, tone and hip colloquialisms ever had a literary LOVE CHILD…..it would DON WINSLOW.
I loved, loved, loved every single page of this thrilltastic story. Don Winslow has instantly become an author whose next book I will buy sight unseen. His writing, his tone, his slick as shit story-telling are all intelligent, original, hiply sparse and kick-ass coolio.
The basic plot is very simple (though the execution of it is anything but). Chon and Ben are the 2...more
Nov 09, 2012
Tfitoby
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Tfitoby by:
Goodreads recommendations
Savages by Don Winslow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Blurb: The smash hit thriller about two young marijuana dealers who are blackmailed into a partnership with a Mexican cartel."Baditude." Bad attitude. Ben, Chon, and O have a bad case of it, but so would you if you were the twenty-something, Laguna-cool producers of the best hydro on the Left Coast and now a powerful and vicious Mexican cartel wants in on your business. Ben's a genius botanist out to save the world. Chon's a former SEAL with a "Lack...more
There's a good story here, and it's told in a blisteringly fast manner that would work really well if the author weren't so obsessed with showing how "hip" he is by making up pretend slang that no young (or non-young) person has ever used. The corny wordplay and ridiculous geographic nicknames peppered throughout the book are just painful to read. There was much cringing. It's what you would get if you put Diablo Cody's "Juno" character into a movie about a brutal drug war in which a bunch of pe...more
I found Savages because of the movie trailer for Oliver Stone's adaptation of this book. My philosophy is that the book is always better than the movie. The book is quick-witted and hilarious but its also about an escalation of a drug war. From the very first page I was hooked.
I can say this with all honesty...I dare you to put it down after the first page. It's such a intriguing intro that wills you to read more. Then its a snowball down the mountain and before you know it you've finished it.
It...more
I can say this with all honesty...I dare you to put it down after the first page. It's such a intriguing intro that wills you to read more. Then its a snowball down the mountain and before you know it you've finished it.
It...more
The Baja Cartel want Ben and Chon to grow exclusively for them, so much so that they send a rather confronting video to Chon for his viewing pleasure. One could say Ben, Chon, and O have got themselves over their heads…
And so starts a non stop thrill ride of drugs, sex, violence, and big business cartel warfare.
When I first read SAVAGES, I was blown away by how engaging the characters were and the second time round is no different. O is unique, funny, and deeply in love with her boys, both of...more
And so starts a non stop thrill ride of drugs, sex, violence, and big business cartel warfare.
When I first read SAVAGES, I was blown away by how engaging the characters were and the second time round is no different. O is unique, funny, and deeply in love with her boys, both of...more
After reading Dawn Patrol, Don Winslow became one of my favorite SoCal writers. My fifty years of surfing, found almost no weak points in the way the lifestyle is depicted. After the movie of this more recent novel came out, my curiosity was piqued. How could I go wrong, there was a Seal team hero, a grower of white widow variants, a beautiful, open minded love interest and an acerbic view of fad ridden LA.
Right from the start the book was a page turner. It looked like the perfect utopian approa...more
Right from the start the book was a page turner. It looked like the perfect utopian approa...more
Vou começar do meio para o fim, pois o inicio do livro não tem “ponta por onde se lhe pegue” e só a meio da leitura é que os ânimos começam a aquecer e temos finalmente alguma emoção para o leitor.
Ophelia, O para os amigos, namorada de Chon e Ben, em simultâneo, é raptada pelo Cartel de Baja como garantia de que os dois produtores de droga passam a trabalhar exclusivamente para o Cartel, mas estes amigos estão decididos a não o fazer e preferem pagar o resgate por O.
A partir daí o autor tinha...more
Ophelia, O para os amigos, namorada de Chon e Ben, em simultâneo, é raptada pelo Cartel de Baja como garantia de que os dois produtores de droga passam a trabalhar exclusivamente para o Cartel, mas estes amigos estão decididos a não o fazer e preferem pagar o resgate por O.
A partir daí o autor tinha...more
Um, we're not squeamish, right book club? No one minds that I recommended a book whose opening chapter includes graphic sex, decapitation, and quasi-free verse prose poetry? Look, I DIDN'T KNOW.
First of all: Ooooh. Don Winslow also wrote The Death and Life of Bobby Z. Hence, the stiking similarities in tone, setting and subject matter.
Secondly: glad I read this for book club-- I mean, aside form subjecting your sweet little eyes to to such vulgarities, my dears-- because I honestly haven't yet d...more
First of all: Ooooh. Don Winslow also wrote The Death and Life of Bobby Z. Hence, the stiking similarities in tone, setting and subject matter.
Secondly: glad I read this for book club-- I mean, aside form subjecting your sweet little eyes to to such vulgarities, my dears-- because I honestly haven't yet d...more
belve? Io vorrei… non vorrei… ma se vuoi…
deludente!
l'ho preso perchè Oliver Stone ne sta facendo un film,
solitamente i libri hardboiled/thriller/gialli
mi piacciono, ma questo è un pasticcio pieno di stereotipi
con sesso messo là per vendere, come direbbe Buk...
i personaggi sono banali al massimo, spessore nullo:
c'è il pacifista che coltiva erba e va in giro per il
mondo a aprire ospedali coi soldi dei genitori, il suo amico addestrato
come militare di carriera che va in guerre sporche per conto
di...more
deludente!
l'ho preso perchè Oliver Stone ne sta facendo un film,
solitamente i libri hardboiled/thriller/gialli
mi piacciono, ma questo è un pasticcio pieno di stereotipi
con sesso messo là per vendere, come direbbe Buk...
i personaggi sono banali al massimo, spessore nullo:
c'è il pacifista che coltiva erba e va in giro per il
mondo a aprire ospedali coi soldi dei genitori, il suo amico addestrato
come militare di carriera che va in guerre sporche per conto
di...more
Im not even halfway through this book but I have already made up my mind that the movie is WAY BETTER THAN THE BOOK. I never thought Id say that about a book turned movie, but it is better. A million times better. The chapters go by fast which is good, but sometimes Im confused and wondering is this present or past that an event took place. Since there is no specific character telling the story it makes it harder to choose. It seems like there is a lot of filler in this book. For ex: One short c...more
An awesome book with great dialogue written with verve and panache about bad guys and bigger bad guys, who are all savages in the end.
Ben and Chon are high end drug dealers who sell hydro, chronic, a/k/a marijuana in California. They use specially imported plants from Afghanistan to make the best dope people can buy. Ben,uses the money to finance a variety of green projects around the world. Chon, an ex seal enforces the B & C brand with his gun. Both guys are involved with Ophelia, or as sh...more
Ben and Chon are high end drug dealers who sell hydro, chronic, a/k/a marijuana in California. They use specially imported plants from Afghanistan to make the best dope people can buy. Ben,uses the money to finance a variety of green projects around the world. Chon, an ex seal enforces the B & C brand with his gun. Both guys are involved with Ophelia, or as sh...more
I went into this really wanting to like it, for some reason. I say this because I think that if I hadn't wanted to like it as much as I did (for whatever reason I don't understand completely myself), I would have only given it three stars instead of four.
It's entertaining, but it's written in a "high octane" style that I find annoying. It's very similar in tone to James Patterson's recent co-authored stuff. I've read a few of them, mostly to pass the time, but honestly, I wouldn't recommend any...more
It's entertaining, but it's written in a "high octane" style that I find annoying. It's very similar in tone to James Patterson's recent co-authored stuff. I've read a few of them, mostly to pass the time, but honestly, I wouldn't recommend any...more
I read this book, because I thought the movie was interesting (but not, particularly good) and I wanted to see how it was handled in text.*
The good news is that in terms of just the reader (or watchers) experience the book just works better. The manic, free floating text of the book works much better than the weird after-thought voice-over narration.**
On the other hand, I actually liked the story of the movie better. Showing the relationship between O and Elena was a nice touch, and the twist a...more
The good news is that in terms of just the reader (or watchers) experience the book just works better. The manic, free floating text of the book works much better than the weird after-thought voice-over narration.**
On the other hand, I actually liked the story of the movie better. Showing the relationship between O and Elena was a nice touch, and the twist a...more
I really like Don Winslow's stuff - - Dawn Patrol, The Winter of Frankie Machine. And, Savages demonstrates some of Winslow's usual strengths - - motley characters, a thorough, often hilarious appreciation of SoCal culture and setting, a plot that snaps, crackles, and pops. At his best, Winslow reads as a wild, sharp cross-pollination of Pynchon's brilliant wackiness (Inherent Vice) and Elmore Leonard's craft. However, with Savages, Winslow seems to be bending his talents in new directions.
Much...more
Much...more
I finished reading this book mere minutes ago, and I'm still amazed.
I accidentally watched the movie before I read the book, not knowing that this Major Motion Picture was previously a book. I loved the movie so much (but who wouldn't? Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch), that I went out and bought the book.
Needless to say, I flew through this book. It was fantastic. I mean, seriously fantastic. It had witty humour, and the characters were likable and desirable. You were rooting for...more
I accidentally watched the movie before I read the book, not knowing that this Major Motion Picture was previously a book. I loved the movie so much (but who wouldn't? Blake Lively, Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch), that I went out and bought the book.
Needless to say, I flew through this book. It was fantastic. I mean, seriously fantastic. It had witty humour, and the characters were likable and desirable. You were rooting for...more
This was just ok for me.
I have been on this kick lately, where I want to read the book before I see the movie. Well this is one of those times where the book is supposed to be better than the movie...I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm guessing it's better than this book.
Don't get me wrong; all the etymology was great and entertaining. But this was just not my cup of tea. Learning about the drug cartel and pot is just not what I wanted to read about.
I knew that the basis of the book had to dea...more
I have been on this kick lately, where I want to read the book before I see the movie. Well this is one of those times where the book is supposed to be better than the movie...I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm guessing it's better than this book.
Don't get me wrong; all the etymology was great and entertaining. But this was just not my cup of tea. Learning about the drug cartel and pot is just not what I wanted to read about.
I knew that the basis of the book had to dea...more
bravo, mr. winslow. bravo.
i usually read a book before i see the movie. unfortunately, the oliver stone directed "savages"(2012) was one of the very few (3 to date) movies i saw before getting a chance to. i didn't find out the movie was based on a book until i saw it. it doesn't really matter because the book is always better than the film. you know- there's always soooo much shit that has to to be left out or pared down, usually because of time constraints, and you end up feeling at least a li...more
i usually read a book before i see the movie. unfortunately, the oliver stone directed "savages"(2012) was one of the very few (3 to date) movies i saw before getting a chance to. i didn't find out the movie was based on a book until i saw it. it doesn't really matter because the book is always better than the film. you know- there's always soooo much shit that has to to be left out or pared down, usually because of time constraints, and you end up feeling at least a li...more
In "Zeit des Zorns" schildert Don Winslow das Wirken von zwei erfolgreichen Marihuana-Dealern - den coolen Typen Ben und Chon - die sich im südkalifornischen Raum mit qualitätiv hochwertigem Gras einen Namen gemacht haben. Aufgrund der Qualität ihres Marihuanas sind die beiden super reich geworden und führen ein unbeschwertes Leben. Ihr Alltag besteht aus Kiffen und Vergnügen, zu letzterem gehört auch die gemeinsame Geliebte"O", die sowohl Chon als auch Ben in jeder erdenklichen Hinsicht angetan...more
Don Winslow should never ever ever be allowed to use the word badittude again. That's how we enter the world of two mid-level drug dealers in Laguna Beach and their shared girlfriend O short for Ophelia (if you want to know why she calls herself O then read the book, or use your imagination). Badittude is what they have in spades and Winslow takes no time in skewering them while also making you fall in love with his three main characters. From their non-traditional relationship to the characters...more
Don Winslow offers a provocative tongue-in-cheek look at the drug wars with his Savages. Living the high life (literally) in southern California, three friends find their way of life interrupted by the Mexican drug cartels. Zen-master Ben, the man with the dope-growing plan, is a world traveler who wants nothing more than to use his money to help save the world from itself. Former SEAL Chon is technically Ben's enforcer, a former killing machine who seeks peace with his friend and their mutual g...more
“Whatever happened to morality?” ”Same thing that happened to CDs.” Harrumph. I prefer the over-the-top Oliver Stone movie version—with stronger female characters—which I saw before reading the book. The book itself is an over-the-top debacle which is drafted like/by a middle-age tough-guy pretending to be a girl at the mall sending out text messages. The set-up is interesting—two friends go into the marijuana business, one the peacenik brains—who grows super-pot with his Berkeley botany and mar...more
So picked this book up after seeing a few previews, thought I would be oh so pretentious and worldly for once when I watch the movie with my fiance or friends and can reference that "Oh yeah I read that book", LOL but alas the joke was on me as I am sure the movie will be better than this book..It failed to keep my attention and that I blame on the writing style, I adore prose as much as the next girl but a whole novel of short, descriptionless, choppy sentences is too much, I feel like it was w...more
More like 3.5 stars.
I'm more of a YA paranomal/fantasy/contemporary type of gal, but my friends insisted that I had to check out SAVAGES. When I first started reading it, I didn't understand the lack of dialogue and quick chapters. After about 10 pages, it shames me to say that this is when I finally realized SAVAGES is written in prose. I know, I know! How can I call myself an avid reader and not pick this up sooner? I have no idea. Maybe because it completely caught me offguard? Who knows.
Afte...more
I'm more of a YA paranomal/fantasy/contemporary type of gal, but my friends insisted that I had to check out SAVAGES. When I first started reading it, I didn't understand the lack of dialogue and quick chapters. After about 10 pages, it shames me to say that this is when I finally realized SAVAGES is written in prose. I know, I know! How can I call myself an avid reader and not pick this up sooner? I have no idea. Maybe because it completely caught me offguard? Who knows.
Afte...more
What's with the hype? This book was a snooze. A hatchet job. A pastiche of Tarantino, Roger Avary, Ritchie, Brett Easton Ellis etc. My advice...stick to those guys because chances are you've seen it & read it all before only much, much better.
Savages, Schmavages.
A totally played out story line (which was unbelievable BTW), with recycled storytelling, featuring snappy, hipster dialog that tries SOOOOOO hard to have pop cultural significance in the vain attempts of being ingratiated into thos...more
Savages, Schmavages.
A totally played out story line (which was unbelievable BTW), with recycled storytelling, featuring snappy, hipster dialog that tries SOOOOOO hard to have pop cultural significance in the vain attempts of being ingratiated into thos...more
If I had to describe "Savages" (now a movie, but the book is superior, as normally is the case) in a few words, something like "SoCal cool" would do the trick. While the book doesn't have as much depth as Winslow's awesome epic "The Power of the Dog", this is a book that breezes through and grips you, but the highlight is Winslow's use of syntax. A sex scene might be written in poetry, before switching to screenplay format for a shootout, before going back to 'regular' prose.
In recent interview...more
In recent interview...more
With all of the buzz surrounding the movie based on this book and a write up of the author in GQ I picked up Don Winslow’s SAVAGES hoping for a crime story that lived up to the hype surrounding it. While SAVAGES is a frenetic series of explosive scenes the premise on which the entire plot hangs is B movie material at best. Winslow is a talented writer bringing to the page the multi-genre approach that Oliver Stone’s NATURAL BORN KILLERS brought to the silver screen. It is clear that if Stone, wh...more
I picked this up after seeing the commercial over and over. Since Oliver Stone adapted it, I figured reading it first would save me the inevitable disappointment. Its not a bad book - it attempts to address modern culture in a way that is very facebook-y, using clever form to give the character's thoughts a clever and hip dialogue spin. At points, the use of set directions are apparent, highlighting how the characters see themselves in a very modern, self-centric and unique way. And the writing...more
One of my friends saw a preview for the film version of this by Oliver Stone and gushed about how it deals with a poly group. I then saw it was a book...
Let me just say that the voice of the narration is such that the book is definitely an Oliver Stone sort of book. Myself, I loved the style of the writing. With more than 250 chapters, some were pure narration, some chapters were short poems, some were television script formats. Though potentially gimmicky, these changes had a rhetorical weight...more
Let me just say that the voice of the narration is such that the book is definitely an Oliver Stone sort of book. Myself, I loved the style of the writing. With more than 250 chapters, some were pure narration, some chapters were short poems, some were television script formats. Though potentially gimmicky, these changes had a rhetorical weight...more
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| was this ending right? | 32 | 381 | Nov 20, 2012 12:18pm |
Don Winslow was born in New York City but raised in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. At various times an actor, director, movie theater manager, safari guide and private investigator, Don has done many things on his way to being a novelist.
His first novel, A Cool Breeze On The Underground, was nominated for an Edgar, and a later book, California Fire and Life, received the Shamus Award. The Death An...more
More about Don Winslow...
His first novel, A Cool Breeze On The Underground, was nominated for an Edgar, and a later book, California Fire and Life, received the Shamus Award. The Death An...more
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“If you let people believe that you are weak, sooner or later you’re going to have to kill them.”
—
28 people liked it
“Also: do not fuck with someone until you know exactly who the fuck you're fucking with.
And then don't do it.”
—
12 people liked it
More quotes…
And then don't do it.”
Yep definitely i need to find time to re...more
Jul 08, 2012 02:39pm
Feb 18, 2013 11:44am