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The X Gang #2
New Dark Ages: The X Gang
The X Gang face off with Earl Turner, a presidential candidate straight out of their nightmares.
It is a dangerous, divisive time. A far-right political candidate, Earl Turner, is seeking the presidency and stirring up hatred against minorities everywhere. The X Gang, meanwhile, have lost one of their friends to that presidential candidate — and are encountering manifestations of hate practically everywhere they go.
As Turner captures supporters and seems to rise unstoppably, the X Gang are resisting as hard as they can. New Dark Ages is about surviving in a nasty, brutish, and short-sighted time — and whether one should just go along, or fight back. The X Gang fight back.
It is a dangerous, divisive time. A far-right political candidate, Earl Turner, is seeking the presidency and stirring up hatred against minorities everywhere. The X Gang, meanwhile, have lost one of their friends to that presidential candidate — and are encountering manifestations of hate practically everywhere they go.
As Turner captures supporters and seems to rise unstoppably, the X Gang are resisting as hard as they can. New Dark Ages is about surviving in a nasty, brutish, and short-sighted time — and whether one should just go along, or fight back. The X Gang fight back.
- GenresFiction
320 pages, Paperback
Published December 4, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 7, 2018
I had really enjoyed “Recipe for Hate”, and welcomed a return to the X gang, with its associated punk bands: the “Hot Nasties” and the “Punk Rock Virgins”. They are no longer being personally targeted, but that does not mean that the Far Right has finished with them yet.
There is a new player in town – Earl Turner – who has his eyes on the Republican nomination for President. Earl Turner is a new-comer to politics. He is young, good-looking and charismatic, and – for many – a very welcome change to the ruling political elite (sound familiar?). He is also a rabble-rousing populist, for whom the label ‘politically incorrect’ is seen as an accolade. Immediately your thoughts go to Trump, but Earl Turner has the potential to be much worse: “And hate was what Earl Turner’s speech was all about … Hate for refugees and immigrants and welfare moms and anyone, basically, who didn’t look like Earl Turner and his friends. Hate dressed up in fine-sounding words about patriotism and family and country and all that horse****”, “America is for Americans. America is for the righteous. America is for the bold. America is for those who believe in God, those who love God, those who fear God. America isn’t for everyone. America is for normal people like us!”.
Earl Turner doesn’t just make light of the racism of the Klu Klux Klan and their ilk, he positively embraces them. His catch-phrase begins as “Right! Right! Right!” then morphs into “White! White! White!”. While Trump has yet to descend so far, the endorsement by many Republicans of Turner (because he is popular) and the bewilderment of the mainstream media and the educated alarmingly mirrors the rise (and continued rise) of Trump: “The more the media hated him, the more the pointy-headed intellectuals dismissed him and said, for the millionth time, that he had gone too far this time, that his campaign was never going to recover, blah blah blah, the stronger Earl Turner got. … calling Earl Turner a racist and a bigot wasn’t ever going to work, because a lot of Americans were racists and bigots, too. They liked what he had to say about the minorities who they believed had taken away their jobs and their culture and their country. And they didn’t like elites who called Earl Turner a racist and a bigot, either, because those elites were basically also calling them racists and bigots. The second reason the mainly rural, high-schooleducated, angry old white guys loved Earl Turner, … wasn’t just because of what he said. They worshipped him because of how he said it — the way he said it. They loved him because he talked like they did when they were in the privacy of their homes.”
Along with hating every other minority group, Turner has also declared war on the punks, and the X gang is horrified to see one of their own – Danny – join Turner’s campaign, and become a poster boy, as one who has seen the light and denounced punk.
Punks are being murdered again – specifically those going to see the Hot Nasties play. While the blame cannot be directly laid at Turner’s door, the anti-punk hatred he has been spewing makes such crimes inevitable. The Hot Nasties are on their first ever official tour, having been signed by Stiff Records, and are really worried about further murders. The FBI has assigned Agent Laverty to keeps tabs on them, and – despite his natural dislike of authority – Kurt find himself working closely with her. Meanwhile, Kurt is descending into a crack cocaine addiction, X is becoming even more enigmatic and the rest of the X Gang are struggling to cope.
The author has worked “in politics and in the anti-racism trenches for many years”, has written books on the punk movement and plays in a punk band. Through the narration of Kurt, he expounds his views on the role of punk rock as a transformative, liberal approach to life and inclusivity – as a complete contrast to the ideologies of Turner, Trump, Putin, Duarte, … (there are so many in the world today): “Punk takes a young person’s anger and makes them do something, and feel something, and be someone. It makes a kid feel that he or she actually can shape the future — and, sometimes, it helps them to actually do it. It makes those unlivable parts livable again. It gives hope. It sings.” … “Punk rock was always overwhelmingly progressive, you see. Almost every punk placed himself or herself on the left side of the spectrum. We were the kids in every high school who were feminist or gay or socialist or artsy or overweight or lonely or unathletic or homely or geeky or lost. We were not on the football team or the cheerleading squad or student council. We were the rejected and the outcasts. And we were, almost to a one, political lefties.”
I was a late convert to punk music (listening to The Clash and Iggy Pop as I write this review), but never a punk. Reading this book makes me think that maybe we need more Punk in the world. If young (and not so young) people could channel their anger, frustration and fear into music and through that into an inclusive world view, instead of turning to hatred and division, then the world would be a better place. Rap, another derided music genre, has created a similar outlet for young urban youth in the last 30 years. Unfortunately, both punk and rap also have their dark sides, and are not always forces for good.
This book is not as fast paced and riveting as the first book, but is still a very good, and thought provoking, read. It is set in the 1970s but has very clear resonance in today’s troubled world.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
There is a new player in town – Earl Turner – who has his eyes on the Republican nomination for President. Earl Turner is a new-comer to politics. He is young, good-looking and charismatic, and – for many – a very welcome change to the ruling political elite (sound familiar?). He is also a rabble-rousing populist, for whom the label ‘politically incorrect’ is seen as an accolade. Immediately your thoughts go to Trump, but Earl Turner has the potential to be much worse: “And hate was what Earl Turner’s speech was all about … Hate for refugees and immigrants and welfare moms and anyone, basically, who didn’t look like Earl Turner and his friends. Hate dressed up in fine-sounding words about patriotism and family and country and all that horse****”, “America is for Americans. America is for the righteous. America is for the bold. America is for those who believe in God, those who love God, those who fear God. America isn’t for everyone. America is for normal people like us!”.
Earl Turner doesn’t just make light of the racism of the Klu Klux Klan and their ilk, he positively embraces them. His catch-phrase begins as “Right! Right! Right!” then morphs into “White! White! White!”. While Trump has yet to descend so far, the endorsement by many Republicans of Turner (because he is popular) and the bewilderment of the mainstream media and the educated alarmingly mirrors the rise (and continued rise) of Trump: “The more the media hated him, the more the pointy-headed intellectuals dismissed him and said, for the millionth time, that he had gone too far this time, that his campaign was never going to recover, blah blah blah, the stronger Earl Turner got. … calling Earl Turner a racist and a bigot wasn’t ever going to work, because a lot of Americans were racists and bigots, too. They liked what he had to say about the minorities who they believed had taken away their jobs and their culture and their country. And they didn’t like elites who called Earl Turner a racist and a bigot, either, because those elites were basically also calling them racists and bigots. The second reason the mainly rural, high-schooleducated, angry old white guys loved Earl Turner, … wasn’t just because of what he said. They worshipped him because of how he said it — the way he said it. They loved him because he talked like they did when they were in the privacy of their homes.”
Along with hating every other minority group, Turner has also declared war on the punks, and the X gang is horrified to see one of their own – Danny – join Turner’s campaign, and become a poster boy, as one who has seen the light and denounced punk.
Punks are being murdered again – specifically those going to see the Hot Nasties play. While the blame cannot be directly laid at Turner’s door, the anti-punk hatred he has been spewing makes such crimes inevitable. The Hot Nasties are on their first ever official tour, having been signed by Stiff Records, and are really worried about further murders. The FBI has assigned Agent Laverty to keeps tabs on them, and – despite his natural dislike of authority – Kurt find himself working closely with her. Meanwhile, Kurt is descending into a crack cocaine addiction, X is becoming even more enigmatic and the rest of the X Gang are struggling to cope.
The author has worked “in politics and in the anti-racism trenches for many years”, has written books on the punk movement and plays in a punk band. Through the narration of Kurt, he expounds his views on the role of punk rock as a transformative, liberal approach to life and inclusivity – as a complete contrast to the ideologies of Turner, Trump, Putin, Duarte, … (there are so many in the world today): “Punk takes a young person’s anger and makes them do something, and feel something, and be someone. It makes a kid feel that he or she actually can shape the future — and, sometimes, it helps them to actually do it. It makes those unlivable parts livable again. It gives hope. It sings.” … “Punk rock was always overwhelmingly progressive, you see. Almost every punk placed himself or herself on the left side of the spectrum. We were the kids in every high school who were feminist or gay or socialist or artsy or overweight or lonely or unathletic or homely or geeky or lost. We were not on the football team or the cheerleading squad or student council. We were the rejected and the outcasts. And we were, almost to a one, political lefties.”
I was a late convert to punk music (listening to The Clash and Iggy Pop as I write this review), but never a punk. Reading this book makes me think that maybe we need more Punk in the world. If young (and not so young) people could channel their anger, frustration and fear into music and through that into an inclusive world view, instead of turning to hatred and division, then the world would be a better place. Rap, another derided music genre, has created a similar outlet for young urban youth in the last 30 years. Unfortunately, both punk and rap also have their dark sides, and are not always forces for good.
This book is not as fast paced and riveting as the first book, but is still a very good, and thought provoking, read. It is set in the 1970s but has very clear resonance in today’s troubled world.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
December 9, 2023
See my review of the first book
Honestly, buy a bluray of Double Indeminity and a CD of the Rezillos from Scotland
or something if you want less mindnumbingly boring and dumb
Kinsella is basically reliving the commie punk rockers vs the nazi punk rockers that live in his head, 40 years later
........
Amazone
Terrible.
Just terrible.
Jean Proulx
........
cover blurb
The X Gang face off with Earl Turner, a presidential candidate straight out of their nightmares.
It is a dangerous, divisive time in America. A far-right political candidate is seeking the presidency and stirring up hatred against minorities. The X Gang, meanwhile, have lost one of their friends to that presidential candidate — and are encountering manifestations of hate practically everywhere they go.
..........
Scooby Doo and the Mystery Machine full of punk rockers fight the skinheads and Pat Buchanan
and they do a concert for World Peace when Hillary Clinton defeats the evil Bernie Sanders and the even more evil Donald Trump, in this exciting 28 book series!!
In book 28 all the punk rockers die of Heroin Overdose and their musical equipment and van end up in the Smithsonian Institution
I saved you the trouble for reading it, but no honestly read it for the Art of Bad Writing!
Merged review:
See my review of the second book
Honestly, buy a bluray of Double Indeminity and a CD of the Rezillos from Scotland
or something if you want less mindnumbingly boring and dumb
Kinsella is basically reliving the commie punk rockers vs the nazi punk rockers that live in his head, 40 years later
Honestly, buy a bluray of Double Indeminity and a CD of the Rezillos from Scotland
or something if you want less mindnumbingly boring and dumb
Kinsella is basically reliving the commie punk rockers vs the nazi punk rockers that live in his head, 40 years later
........
Amazone
Terrible.
Just terrible.
Jean Proulx
........
cover blurb
The X Gang face off with Earl Turner, a presidential candidate straight out of their nightmares.
It is a dangerous, divisive time in America. A far-right political candidate is seeking the presidency and stirring up hatred against minorities. The X Gang, meanwhile, have lost one of their friends to that presidential candidate — and are encountering manifestations of hate practically everywhere they go.
..........
Scooby Doo and the Mystery Machine full of punk rockers fight the skinheads and Pat Buchanan
and they do a concert for World Peace when Hillary Clinton defeats the evil Bernie Sanders and the even more evil Donald Trump, in this exciting 28 book series!!
In book 28 all the punk rockers die of Heroin Overdose and their musical equipment and van end up in the Smithsonian Institution
I saved you the trouble for reading it, but no honestly read it for the Art of Bad Writing!
Merged review:
See my review of the second book
Honestly, buy a bluray of Double Indeminity and a CD of the Rezillos from Scotland
or something if you want less mindnumbingly boring and dumb
Kinsella is basically reliving the commie punk rockers vs the nazi punk rockers that live in his head, 40 years later
April 7, 2020
New Dark Ages by Warren Kinsella
Book Review by Dawn Thomas
320 Pages
Publisher: Dundurn
Release Date: December 4, 2018
The description of the book could be written from the news headlines. America is divided and people are not afraid to show their prejudices. Earl Turner is running for president and decided to be honest with his feelings and opinions. He begins by declaring white power over one and all. The other candidates are appalled but once they see Turner’s campaign is gaining steam, they climb aboard the train.
Kurk Blank and his band the Hot Nasties are a punk band. They are about to begin their first tour. Unfortunately, Danny, one of the band members hears Turner’s speeches and leaves the band. No one can understand why he did this since Turner is the opposite of everything they stand for.
Warning: There is drug use and an overdose along with violence. I admit I was horrified reading this book because it is feels so real. This is a book that everyone should read that feels strongly about current conditions in America. It reminds me of the book “It Can’t Happen Here” by Sinclair Lewis in 1935.
Book Review by Dawn Thomas
320 Pages
Publisher: Dundurn
Release Date: December 4, 2018
The description of the book could be written from the news headlines. America is divided and people are not afraid to show their prejudices. Earl Turner is running for president and decided to be honest with his feelings and opinions. He begins by declaring white power over one and all. The other candidates are appalled but once they see Turner’s campaign is gaining steam, they climb aboard the train.
Kurk Blank and his band the Hot Nasties are a punk band. They are about to begin their first tour. Unfortunately, Danny, one of the band members hears Turner’s speeches and leaves the band. No one can understand why he did this since Turner is the opposite of everything they stand for.
Warning: There is drug use and an overdose along with violence. I admit I was horrified reading this book because it is feels so real. This is a book that everyone should read that feels strongly about current conditions in America. It reminds me of the book “It Can’t Happen Here” by Sinclair Lewis in 1935.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews