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The Creed of Violence
Mexico, 1910. The landscape pulses with the force of the upcoming revolution, an atmosphere rich in opportunity for a criminal such as Rawbone. His fortune arrives across the haze of the Sierra Blanca in the form of a truck loaded with weapons.
But Rawbone’s plan spins against him, and he soon finds himself at the Mexican-American border and in the hands of the Bureau of Investigation. He is offered a chance for immunity, but only if he agrees to proceed with his scheme to deliver the truck and its goods to the Mexican oil fields while under the command of Agent John Lourdes. Rawbone sees no other option and agrees to the deal—but he fails to recognize the true identity of Agent Lourdes, a man from deep within his past.
Set against a backdrop of intrigue and corruption, The Creed of Violence is a saga about the scars of abandonment, the greed of war, and America’s history of foreign intervention for the sake of oil.
But Rawbone’s plan spins against him, and he soon finds himself at the Mexican-American border and in the hands of the Bureau of Investigation. He is offered a chance for immunity, but only if he agrees to proceed with his scheme to deliver the truck and its goods to the Mexican oil fields while under the command of Agent John Lourdes. Rawbone sees no other option and agrees to the deal—but he fails to recognize the true identity of Agent Lourdes, a man from deep within his past.
Set against a backdrop of intrigue and corruption, The Creed of Violence is a saga about the scars of abandonment, the greed of war, and America’s history of foreign intervention for the sake of oil.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
23 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
About the author
Boston Teran
20 books182 followersBoston Teran is the internationally acclaimed author of twelve novels, many of them translated into foreign languages. He has been named alongside great American writers like Hemingway and Larry McMurtry, as well as filmmakers John Ford and Sam Peckinpah, for his singular voice and ability to weave timely social and political themes into sweeping page turners that pierce straight into America's soul. GOD IS A BULLET, currently in film development, is considered a cult classic that has been compared to such seminal works as Joan Didion's THE WHITE ALBUM and John Ford's THE SEARCHERS. NEVER COUNT OUT THE DEAD has been called a modern equivalent of MacBeth. THE CREED OF VIOLENCE sold to Universal, with Todd Field (Little Children) set to direct and Daniel Graig in the starring role.
The author has been nominated or won over 17 awards, including The EDGAR AWARD for Best First Novel and the FOREWORD "Book of the Year Award" as well as the INTERNATIONAL IMPACT AWARD OF DUBLIN for Best Novel, the Best Novel of the Year in Japan and the John Creasy Award in England.
The author has been nominated or won over 17 awards, including The EDGAR AWARD for Best First Novel and the FOREWORD "Book of the Year Award" as well as the INTERNATIONAL IMPACT AWARD OF DUBLIN for Best Novel, the Best Novel of the Year in Japan and the John Creasy Award in England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 18, 2011
In 1910, a father and the son he abandoned as a child are thrown together against the backdrop of the coming Mexican Revolution. The father, a criminal assassin named Redbone, has hijacked a truckload of munitions that he intends to sell into the coming maelstrom. But before he can do so, Redbone is captured by the U.S. Bureau of Investigation, which would later become the F.B.I. The Bureau offers Redbone immunity for his crimes if he will help expose the criminals for whom the munitions are destined.
Having little choice in the matter, Redbone takes the deal and is placed under the direction of Bureau agent John Lourdes, whom Redbone fails to recognize as his son. Lourdes is seething with resentment against the injustices done to him and his mother by Redbone, but agrees to sublimate his personal concerns for the good of the mission.
Lourdes conceals his identity from Redbone, refusing even to acknowledge the relationship. Together, they descend into the murky, violent world of pre-Revolutionary Mexico, where it's impossible to tell the good guys from the bad, and where Lourdes soon discovers that, in fact, there may not be any good guys at all. Among the competing interests are the executives and employees of American oil companies who are determined to exploit the oil wealth of Mexico and who want a pliable Mexican government to serve their needs. They hope that the United States government will intervene in the crisis in support of their interests.
This is something beyond the road trip from hell--more like the road trip into hell. Redbone and Lourdes, both tough, smart men, must not only negotiate their way through a snake's nest of thugs and the brutal desert environment, but also through their own complex and tortured relationship. This is an absolutely compelling book--thought-provoking, beautifully written and achingly sad. Boston Teran has conceived and executed a brilliant piece of work that no reader will soon forget.
Having little choice in the matter, Redbone takes the deal and is placed under the direction of Bureau agent John Lourdes, whom Redbone fails to recognize as his son. Lourdes is seething with resentment against the injustices done to him and his mother by Redbone, but agrees to sublimate his personal concerns for the good of the mission.
Lourdes conceals his identity from Redbone, refusing even to acknowledge the relationship. Together, they descend into the murky, violent world of pre-Revolutionary Mexico, where it's impossible to tell the good guys from the bad, and where Lourdes soon discovers that, in fact, there may not be any good guys at all. Among the competing interests are the executives and employees of American oil companies who are determined to exploit the oil wealth of Mexico and who want a pliable Mexican government to serve their needs. They hope that the United States government will intervene in the crisis in support of their interests.
This is something beyond the road trip from hell--more like the road trip into hell. Redbone and Lourdes, both tough, smart men, must not only negotiate their way through a snake's nest of thugs and the brutal desert environment, but also through their own complex and tortured relationship. This is an absolutely compelling book--thought-provoking, beautifully written and achingly sad. Boston Teran has conceived and executed a brilliant piece of work that no reader will soon forget.
March 31, 2011
Given the most recent round of oil wars in Libya, Creed of Violence makes for some timely reading. Oh, it's another time and place (Mexico, 1910), but the reader will find some remarkable parallels. Controlling the oil is what's key here, and Teran does a good job bringing this bit of obscure history to light. At one point, late in the novel, Rawbone tells his son (though he doesn't yet know the man, and Federal agent he's been traveling with, is his son), that there "are two governments now...There is one that controls the White House, and there is one that controls the rest." For a quasi pulp foray, Teran does make a case. The epilogue to the novel, which briefly recounts events in Mexico during the Wilson administration, is pretty damning.
As to the novel itself, if you've read and enjoyed Teran before, you should be pleased with this effort. As I said above, Creed of Violence is a quasi pulp affair. Teran's earlier efforts, at least the ones I've read, (God Is a Bullet and Never Count Out the Dead are full blown pulp (and masterpieces of genre writing IMHO). Creed of Violence is more ambitious. The influence of Cormac McCarthy is obvious, the prose is lean and mean and mythic. The violence is both bloody and poetic. One thing that keeps me from looking at this totally as a piece of literature (though the book is published by the very literary Counterpoint Press), is Teran's annoying (and unneeded) tendency toward redundancy of phrase. However, that said, there's a lot to enjoy in this book. From what I understand, it's to be made into a movie (all of Teran's books (the ones I've read) would make for great movies). I may write more on this later, but for a more complete review on the story, I recommend James Thane's review on the book.
As to the novel itself, if you've read and enjoyed Teran before, you should be pleased with this effort. As I said above, Creed of Violence is a quasi pulp affair. Teran's earlier efforts, at least the ones I've read, (God Is a Bullet and Never Count Out the Dead are full blown pulp (and masterpieces of genre writing IMHO). Creed of Violence is more ambitious. The influence of Cormac McCarthy is obvious, the prose is lean and mean and mythic. The violence is both bloody and poetic. One thing that keeps me from looking at this totally as a piece of literature (though the book is published by the very literary Counterpoint Press), is Teran's annoying (and unneeded) tendency toward redundancy of phrase. However, that said, there's a lot to enjoy in this book. From what I understand, it's to be made into a movie (all of Teran's books (the ones I've read) would make for great movies). I may write more on this later, but for a more complete review on the story, I recommend James Thane's review on the book.
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July 15, 20254.5
September 29, 2018
This is a serious book. If it were an automobile, it would be the kind of high performance car that requires your attention, forces you to actively engage in the experience and rewards your efforts with a drive that you’ll remember a long time.
Some books, many books, invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the literary “ride.” The Creed Of Violence by Boston Teran is not one of those books. It is a story that is part adventure, part history, part intrigue, and in many ways, depressing. It is a tale of a father and son, of lives that separated and are reunited by fate and circumstance.
The principals are a clever, ruthless, street wise assassin called Rawbone and John Lourdes, the son he abandoned years before, now an agent of Texas’s Bureau of Investigation. The son knows who his father is, but not the measure of the man. The father doesn’t know that Lourdes is his son as they are thrust together in a mission involving arms smuggling and the beginning of the Mexican revolution in the early 1900’s.
Teran’s prose is achingly beautiful at times, but confusing and challenging at others. Like I said, ya gotta pay attention all the way through this one. There is a profound sadness to this story, a kind of subtle subtext regarding the wounds of abandonment between Rawbone and Lourdes. If you’re seeking a happy ending, or an easy read, there are far better choices. If, however, you are willing, then strap in, concentrate, and take this one for a spin— just pay attention lest you lose it in the curves.
Some books, many books, invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the literary “ride.” The Creed Of Violence by Boston Teran is not one of those books. It is a story that is part adventure, part history, part intrigue, and in many ways, depressing. It is a tale of a father and son, of lives that separated and are reunited by fate and circumstance.
The principals are a clever, ruthless, street wise assassin called Rawbone and John Lourdes, the son he abandoned years before, now an agent of Texas’s Bureau of Investigation. The son knows who his father is, but not the measure of the man. The father doesn’t know that Lourdes is his son as they are thrust together in a mission involving arms smuggling and the beginning of the Mexican revolution in the early 1900’s.
Teran’s prose is achingly beautiful at times, but confusing and challenging at others. Like I said, ya gotta pay attention all the way through this one. There is a profound sadness to this story, a kind of subtle subtext regarding the wounds of abandonment between Rawbone and Lourdes. If you’re seeking a happy ending, or an easy read, there are far better choices. If, however, you are willing, then strap in, concentrate, and take this one for a spin— just pay attention lest you lose it in the curves.
April 1, 2014
Next Todd Field movie, w/ Christian Bale. Feels like it was written for the cinema (and in his Acknowledgements he thanks a couple producers).
Nice mix of actioneer with imperialist oil politics. Sometimes a bit too obvious to show 2014 not that different from 1910, not that different from 1898. The security firm in Mexico is named "Aqua Negro" - get it, Blackwater!
Fast paced, fun, full of action and a quick read. The amazon fans are more than a bit over the top - declaring the author (pseudonym - 10 books out, is it a man, a woman, a group, do different authors assume this name for each book?) 5 stars and "a true original". Teran is good, and enjoyable, just not really one of the greatest authors to grace the face of the earth.
Nice mix of actioneer with imperialist oil politics. Sometimes a bit too obvious to show 2014 not that different from 1910, not that different from 1898. The security firm in Mexico is named "Aqua Negro" - get it, Blackwater!
Fast paced, fun, full of action and a quick read. The amazon fans are more than a bit over the top - declaring the author (pseudonym - 10 books out, is it a man, a woman, a group, do different authors assume this name for each book?) 5 stars and "a true original". Teran is good, and enjoyable, just not really one of the greatest authors to grace the face of the earth.
March 30, 2023
This is a rave review.
I would claim that this is something of a discovery, however, it is only one for me since apparently everyone else has enjoyed Teran's novels for a decade and a half without my noticing.
The use of language is what really makes this novel ring all the bells. The plot is not original, the situation is similar to that of any dozen other novels or films. It's the poetic language, the characterization created through repetition and quiet insights, it's simply a pleasure to read. This may be an old story, but it's an old story told well enough that it feels new and invigorating. I envy how well these words have come together.
Also, by reading this book, I learned that Maytag manufactured automobiles in Iowa. That alone is worth an extra star. So: five and one half stars.
In case it isn't clear, I really enjoyed this novel.
I would claim that this is something of a discovery, however, it is only one for me since apparently everyone else has enjoyed Teran's novels for a decade and a half without my noticing.
The use of language is what really makes this novel ring all the bells. The plot is not original, the situation is similar to that of any dozen other novels or films. It's the poetic language, the characterization created through repetition and quiet insights, it's simply a pleasure to read. This may be an old story, but it's an old story told well enough that it feels new and invigorating. I envy how well these words have come together.
Also, by reading this book, I learned that Maytag manufactured automobiles in Iowa. That alone is worth an extra star. So: five and one half stars.
In case it isn't clear, I really enjoyed this novel.
October 26, 2009
Rawbone was as tough as they got. He killed his first man at the age of ten. Rawbone gets caught by the Bureau of Investigation, haling a truck load of weapons. In exchange for not being prosecuted and having his slate wiped clean, he agrees to help the Bureau take down the ring leader.
John Lourdes works for the Bureau. When John’s boss assigns John the responsibly of accompanying Rawbone across the Mexican border, John is anything but thrilled. Though John is a good agent and will do whatever the job entails. Besides this will give John a chance to get to see who his father really is. Yes, that is correct…Rawbone is John’s father. Only Rawbone doesn’t know this fact.
First off let me tell you that I had no expectations of whether I would like this book or not. Well I am happy to report that I not only enjoyed this book but that I read it in one sitting! The Creed of Violence reminded me of a Quentin Tarantino movie. Which this book is going to be made into a movie. The dynamics between John and Rawbone had good depth and range. In my opinion The Creed of Violence is what good western novels should be like…simple, great characters, and a good story line. One thing that did throw me off track at first was how Mr. Teran identified John and Rawbone as “the father” and “the son”. Though this did help play a part in explaining the relationship between John and Rawbone.
John Lourdes works for the Bureau. When John’s boss assigns John the responsibly of accompanying Rawbone across the Mexican border, John is anything but thrilled. Though John is a good agent and will do whatever the job entails. Besides this will give John a chance to get to see who his father really is. Yes, that is correct…Rawbone is John’s father. Only Rawbone doesn’t know this fact.
First off let me tell you that I had no expectations of whether I would like this book or not. Well I am happy to report that I not only enjoyed this book but that I read it in one sitting! The Creed of Violence reminded me of a Quentin Tarantino movie. Which this book is going to be made into a movie. The dynamics between John and Rawbone had good depth and range. In my opinion The Creed of Violence is what good western novels should be like…simple, great characters, and a good story line. One thing that did throw me off track at first was how Mr. Teran identified John and Rawbone as “the father” and “the son”. Though this did help play a part in explaining the relationship between John and Rawbone.
January 13, 2010
This book was recommended to me as cormac mccarthy-esque. I suppose it is superficially (the setting, the violence), but the author doesn't even come close to matching mccarthy's prose. A rough yardstick to be measured by, I know. In the end, an OK but not great read.
August 1, 2010
While obviously a talented writer, this book did not grab me. Lean and sparse, ok, but I found I kept missing things and had to go back and re-read. Historical aspects were interesting, highlighting how oil wars were instigated even 100 years ago.
June 23, 2017
I think this book's title and cover do it a disservice. It is a more exciting and action-focused book than it appeared to me at first glance. The tone and content are quite pulpy, like a less depressing Tarantino movie. I'd have entitled it "Rawbone", after one of the two main characters. He's a con-man, and as he repeatedly describes himself, "A common assassin." He's quite a bit too successful a scoundrel and murderer for the "common" part to be true, but he's very humble about his capabilities. He's also a deadbeat dad who abandoned his wife and 10 year old son about 11 years before the events of this story. That son is the second protagonist, and by the time of the story he's a confident and competent law enforcement official who would like nothing more than to put his father behind bars for good. Of course, events intervene and the two end up on a crazy road-trip full of the titular violence and political complications. There's even a complicated love interest for the young hero, a character who is painted with depth and subtlety in spite of never being the story's primary focus.
By the time the characters' plans have gone completely off the rails, the son says to his father, "I'm going to hurt you in a way you could never imagine. I'm going to put my faith in you. Not as an agent for the Bureau of Investigation... but as a man."
This wasn't the twistiest story, but it was very entertaining throughout, and even occasionally thought-provoking. I feel obligated to mention the political aspects of the book, though when I was reading it they didn't lessen my enjoyment. Some parallels are obvious between the events of the story and the more recent invasion of Iraq, including the inclusion of a mercenary company called "Black Water" in Spanish.
New words I found in this book:
carreta - a two-wheeled cart
caisson - a large watertight chamber, open at the bottom from which the water is kept out by air pressure and in which construction work may be carried out under water. (historical term for a chest or wagon for holding or conveying ammunition.)
guidon - a pennant that narrows to a point or fork at the free end, especially one used as the standard of a light cavalry regiment.
nacre - mother-of-pearl
By the time the characters' plans have gone completely off the rails, the son says to his father, "I'm going to hurt you in a way you could never imagine. I'm going to put my faith in you. Not as an agent for the Bureau of Investigation... but as a man."
This wasn't the twistiest story, but it was very entertaining throughout, and even occasionally thought-provoking. I feel obligated to mention the political aspects of the book, though when I was reading it they didn't lessen my enjoyment. Some parallels are obvious between the events of the story and the more recent invasion of Iraq, including the inclusion of a mercenary company called "Black Water" in Spanish.
New words I found in this book:
carreta - a two-wheeled cart
caisson - a large watertight chamber, open at the bottom from which the water is kept out by air pressure and in which construction work may be carried out under water. (historical term for a chest or wagon for holding or conveying ammunition.)
guidon - a pennant that narrows to a point or fork at the free end, especially one used as the standard of a light cavalry regiment.
nacre - mother-of-pearl
May 25, 2021
This book ticks a lot of boxes for me: fiction based on historical events that has elements of the crime, adventure, and war genres, a very dark and dry humor sufising the telling, a distinctive writing style, excellent period detail and color -- and yet it never really clicked for me. The story revolves around the start of the Mexican revolution in 1910, and involves gunrunning between Texas and Mexican rebels, American meddling, and oil interests.
John Lourdes grew up from nothing in the streets of El Paso to become an FBI agent tasked with going undercover to investigate the arms-trafficking network. He is paired with an old-timey desperado named Rawhone, who's been caught red-handed and has agreed to assist in exchange for immunity. The twist is Rawbone is actually the father who abandoned Lourdes and his mother -- and while Lourdes knows this, Rawbone doesn't.
What follows is a somewhat stilted version of a classic odd-couple/buddy caper movie. There's plenty of laconic sparring and dry wit between the duo, as they navigate various dangers and action, transporting a delivery of weapons to unknown buyers in Mexico, eventually arriving in Tampico. Alas, the story strives far too hard to connect historical events with more recent American pairings of military power with financial interest and oil riches. It's not subtle at all -- just to give two examples, one of the main baddies has an American flag tattoo on his arm, and his employer is "Agua Negra" (ie. Blackwater).
Similarly, the father-son dynamic is all on the surface. The tension of their shared blood is meant to lift the book beyond its genre trappings into something more mythic -- and while it hits certain notes of regret and pain, it never felt earned to me. In this, and other ways, it feels like a book that could actually work better as a film -- where striking visuals and the right actors might be able to lift the story into something bigger.
John Lourdes grew up from nothing in the streets of El Paso to become an FBI agent tasked with going undercover to investigate the arms-trafficking network. He is paired with an old-timey desperado named Rawhone, who's been caught red-handed and has agreed to assist in exchange for immunity. The twist is Rawbone is actually the father who abandoned Lourdes and his mother -- and while Lourdes knows this, Rawbone doesn't.
What follows is a somewhat stilted version of a classic odd-couple/buddy caper movie. There's plenty of laconic sparring and dry wit between the duo, as they navigate various dangers and action, transporting a delivery of weapons to unknown buyers in Mexico, eventually arriving in Tampico. Alas, the story strives far too hard to connect historical events with more recent American pairings of military power with financial interest and oil riches. It's not subtle at all -- just to give two examples, one of the main baddies has an American flag tattoo on his arm, and his employer is "Agua Negra" (ie. Blackwater).
Similarly, the father-son dynamic is all on the surface. The tension of their shared blood is meant to lift the book beyond its genre trappings into something more mythic -- and while it hits certain notes of regret and pain, it never felt earned to me. In this, and other ways, it feels like a book that could actually work better as a film -- where striking visuals and the right actors might be able to lift the story into something bigger.
November 5, 2018
Livrão. A primeira metade é muito boa. A segunda perde força por uma parte enquanto explica o contexto histórico. Mais adiante volta a se concentrar na relação pai e filho que é o eixo do livro e fecha muito bem, embora dentro de um ciclo esperado e meio cristão no arco de cada personagem. Nunca tinha lido Boston Teran, foi uma boa experiência.
Relação pai e filho: o pai, um bandido, abandona a esposa e o filho quando pequeno. O filho cresce e se torna o equivalente a um agente do FBI da época. Trabalhando em um caso, acaba dando de cara com o pai. Ele reconhece o pai, o pai não o reconhece. As consequências desse encontro são os dois tendo que trabalhar juntos, o filho sempre analisando aquele pai desconhecido, tomado de muito rancor e raiva, mas ao mesmo tempo querendo esticar a missão ao máximo para poder passar tempo ao lado dele. O pai, um baita personagem, é um bandidão malandro, mas com algum senso de moral.
Ponto positivo: De quebra, conta como os EUA interferiram no governo do México por causa de petróleo.
Negativo: É um livro de personagens masculinos, basicamente. Mulheres são um detalhe.
Relação pai e filho: o pai, um bandido, abandona a esposa e o filho quando pequeno. O filho cresce e se torna o equivalente a um agente do FBI da época. Trabalhando em um caso, acaba dando de cara com o pai. Ele reconhece o pai, o pai não o reconhece. As consequências desse encontro são os dois tendo que trabalhar juntos, o filho sempre analisando aquele pai desconhecido, tomado de muito rancor e raiva, mas ao mesmo tempo querendo esticar a missão ao máximo para poder passar tempo ao lado dele. O pai, um baita personagem, é um bandidão malandro, mas com algum senso de moral.
Ponto positivo: De quebra, conta como os EUA interferiram no governo do México por causa de petróleo.
Negativo: É um livro de personagens masculinos, basicamente. Mulheres são um detalhe.
July 4, 2023
I am so happy I found this author; Boston Teren ! I think I have a diverse collection of books that I have read since getting into reading in 2019 , now 2023. The Creed of Violence is the first book I've read that felt like I was watching a movie. There were many quotes that I loved though out the book. The characters where fantastic and I could relate and understood the motives behind Redbone and John. I was really happy with the story and the pace. It is a very easy story to follow as there isnt a ton of different plot points or characters. The plot is very directed at Redbone and John and there trials together. As I said, this whole journey just felt like a good movie was playing out scene by scene in my head. The imagery and plot followed like a good movie. It's not a long book so it only took 3 - 4 days to read. I've downloaded 4 more Boston Teren books to read in the future.
Definitely glad I picked this one up.
Definitely glad I picked this one up.
July 17, 2025
Difficult book to rate. The author does a good job of explaining the times and giving the reader a view into an unpleasant historical moment in USA’s past. What I struggled with are the protagonists, the boy and father characters were thinly developed and not given much agency. Other characters are added in and dropped out randomly, with no real development. I found that some of the dialogue oddly stilted and difficult to understand. In sum, a good fictional history but not a compelling fictional story. However, this author is one that I have enjoyed in the past and I will continue reading in the future
June 13, 2021
This book is surprisingly really good. it has good characters and it makes for a good period peice. This book is set during the Mexican revolution and I must say that it actually handles its social issues properly. Like most books, it does not over-the-top victimize a certain group of people. There is a lot to love about this book. Everyone should get their hands on this.
April 9, 2025
I came across this book in a list of noirish books to read. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is like a brief history of turn of the (last century) Mexico from the viewpoints of an estranged father and son. Good character moments and a plot that keeps chugging along like the truck by which the two men travel.
July 12, 2023
Extremely predictable with a prose that sounds like a fork being drawn against a black board. And whats with saying someone's full name during conversations and all the time ? thought that only was left to James bond villains nowadays.
July 12, 2018
i see you there in the ending lil baby cormac mccarthy I see you
July 28, 2021
YOU WOULD NEVER THINK THAT THIS BOOK WOULD END UP BEING A LOVE STORY. TERAN IS ALWAYS A GOOD READ.
Read
December 19, 2021Outstanding novel by the mysterious Boston Teran! It reminded me a little of Cormac Mcarthey's "Blood Meridian," but more readable. Very engaging.
April 21, 2023
Dirty, bloody and fantastic. No BS writing and no punches pulled. Very entertaining.
September 29, 2023
Fun book with lots of action and violence. Give it a go if you're in the mood for that.
November 14, 2009
THE CREED OF VIOLENCE is a towering epic of Americana. A novel that will become a seminal companion to the works of such as Cormac McCarthy and John Ford. Ferocious in its telling, rich in time and place, exciting and emotionally moving, so much so Universal Studios bought the film rights for “the second highest price ever paid for an unpublished manuscript.
THE CREED OF VIOLENCE centers on an alienated father and son. The father is a criminal and common assassin, the son an agent for the Bureau of Investigation (the original FBI). Their destinies entwine when they must deliver a truckload of munitions to the oil fields of Mexico during the Revolution of 1910. A Sergio Leone type epic of America set against a backdrop of revolution, violence and political corruption that draws parallels to our present war in Iraq.
I will not detail the brilliant machinations or driving character impulses that ultimately brings these two men together at a dramatic moment in downtown El Paso. I will only say that John Lourdes and Rawbone had been hunting this moment for many years. And for both it will bring restitution, for both it will bring tragedy. To both, it will bring destruction. To both, it will bring redemption.
I am not one of those who wants to cheat the reader out of his, or her, read, by a manifest discussion of surprising moments or subtle shifts in story and character.
I will only tell you the journey through Mexico is a series of ever evolving set pieces and moments, dramas and confrontations that come from the well of stellar imaginings.
The two protagonists are now confronted with a most formidable adversary and that adversary is beyond flesh and blood. It is a monument of existence that abounds with wretchedness and lies, it is an insuperable force of relentless intent.
It is in the last chapters, where the threads laid out on distant pages weave together and we see a war fought in 1910 is a war we are fighting now. That the desert and oils fields of Mexico were the training ground for the desert and oil fields of the Middle East.
Rawbone and John Lourdes – these two men, not only as sincerely realized characters on the literary page, but as iconic symbols of the history of this country, discover that they have no place in the future as defined in the pages of THE CREED. They are dangers, and for different reasons, and must be wrestled from the earth.
And that, is the final drama of the book. Where two men of opposing motives and morality must come together to defy the charge of history. And that takes place in a scene I would only describe as a Fort McHenry of their own making, - two men and a truck – in the middle of a blood red desert, with rocket flares and bursting fire, facing down the onslaught. It is a moment of absolute grandeur and finality.
April 20, 2012
It is impossible to pick up a western these days and not to compare it to the works of Cormac McCarthy.
Unfortunately the task of overcoming his powerful influence proves to be insurmountable for most writers.
Initially at least Boston Teran fares pretty well in comparison to his peers.
His prose is evocative and occasionally poetic.
At the beginning we are introduced to Rawbone, who is an outlaw and a thief. He hijacks a truck after poisoning the drivers. His plan is to sell the weapons the truck was carrying, but unfortunately he runs into John Lourdes who is working for the Bureau Of Investigation (some ancient version of the FBI) and the two are sent on a mission deep into the heart of the Mexican revolution. What Rawbone does not know is that he and Lourdes have previous history. The cover of the book makes a mystery out of Lourdes´ true identity, but the book gives it away after a few chapters.
Most of the people they meet on their journey end up dead. The body count is quite remarkable, but none of the atrocities make much of an impression. Why would you care about people you barely know anything about? The author fails to bring out the humanity in these supporting characters. They seem like extras in a by the numbers action flick.
The setting recalls the Sergio Leone western A Fistful Of Dynamite while the dynamic between the two characters reminded me of a Patricia Highsmith novel.
Also the historical information the book provides barely goes beyond what you would get from a spaghetti western.
Also certain parts made me a bit confused:
... he'd been enlisted in conversation by two German designers. They'd gotten permission to go into the quarantine shed. They'd done draftsmen's sketches of its interior and they were asking John Lourdes if it was true the government weeded out the deformed and the deviant, as they too had, in their own country, problems with what they described as "the unclean", that needed to be dealt with.
Why single out the Germans here when the US had been doing the same? This came over as simplistic and plain wrong.
It looks like this is going to be turned into a Leo Di Caprio movie (who looks nothing like the protagonists described in the book, but he is a bankable A-lister, so he is allowed to do whatever he wants). Mediocre books like this are the easiest to adapt and to improve and who knows, maybe we get a solid western.
Unfortunately the task of overcoming his powerful influence proves to be insurmountable for most writers.
Initially at least Boston Teran fares pretty well in comparison to his peers.
His prose is evocative and occasionally poetic.
At the beginning we are introduced to Rawbone, who is an outlaw and a thief. He hijacks a truck after poisoning the drivers. His plan is to sell the weapons the truck was carrying, but unfortunately he runs into John Lourdes who is working for the Bureau Of Investigation (some ancient version of the FBI) and the two are sent on a mission deep into the heart of the Mexican revolution. What Rawbone does not know is that he and Lourdes have previous history. The cover of the book makes a mystery out of Lourdes´ true identity, but the book gives it away after a few chapters.
Most of the people they meet on their journey end up dead. The body count is quite remarkable, but none of the atrocities make much of an impression. Why would you care about people you barely know anything about? The author fails to bring out the humanity in these supporting characters. They seem like extras in a by the numbers action flick.
The setting recalls the Sergio Leone western A Fistful Of Dynamite while the dynamic between the two characters reminded me of a Patricia Highsmith novel.
Also the historical information the book provides barely goes beyond what you would get from a spaghetti western.
Also certain parts made me a bit confused:
... he'd been enlisted in conversation by two German designers. They'd gotten permission to go into the quarantine shed. They'd done draftsmen's sketches of its interior and they were asking John Lourdes if it was true the government weeded out the deformed and the deviant, as they too had, in their own country, problems with what they described as "the unclean", that needed to be dealt with.
Why single out the Germans here when the US had been doing the same? This came over as simplistic and plain wrong.
It looks like this is going to be turned into a Leo Di Caprio movie (who looks nothing like the protagonists described in the book, but he is a bankable A-lister, so he is allowed to do whatever he wants). Mediocre books like this are the easiest to adapt and to improve and who knows, maybe we get a solid western.
December 1, 2009
The Creed of Violence starts out on the Texas/Mexico border in 1910. Mexico is rumbling for revolution which is a problem for both countries because of Mexico's much-needed oil fields (hmmm...sounds eerily familiar). John Lourdes is a young agent in America's Bureau of Investigation (early FBI). His job is to take the criminal known as Rawbone and travel with him and a truck full of weapons across the border into Mexico undercover. Rawbone is working with the Bureau to gain immunity. Problem? Aside from the obvious dangers of working undercover in a country on the brink of revolution, Rawbone is John Lourdes dead-beat father. John Lourdes knows this. Rawbone does not.
I really enjoyed this book for two reasons: the setting of the novel and the relationship between father and son. I could totally see why The Creed of Violence is being adapted in to a movie. What a violent and vivid portrait he paints of Mexico, the revolutionaries, the violence, and America's intervention into the fray. The setting sucked me into the novel but it was really the relationship between Rawbone and John Lourdes that kept me reading.
Here's the first line of the book which is about Rawbone:
"He was born in Scabtown the day Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater."
I love how it starts out. Rawbone is a criminal and a common killer. He never knew his father and his prostitute mom died when he was young. Left on his own he turned criminal. Honestly, I kind of liked him. He was sort of funny with a type of wit that made him a likable character. John Lourdes, ironically, had a similar sad upbringing. Rawbone was married to his mom and then took off when Lourdes was young. His mom passed away shortly after. But instead of turning criminal like Rawbone, Lourdes joins the Bureau of Investigation. He's angry at Rawbone and really wants to see him dead.
But their journey together changes them. And that's the part of The Creed of Violence that I enjoyed. I'm excited to see how this book will be adapted to the big screen. I wonder who would portray Rawbone and John Lourdes.
I really enjoyed this book for two reasons: the setting of the novel and the relationship between father and son. I could totally see why The Creed of Violence is being adapted in to a movie. What a violent and vivid portrait he paints of Mexico, the revolutionaries, the violence, and America's intervention into the fray. The setting sucked me into the novel but it was really the relationship between Rawbone and John Lourdes that kept me reading.
Here's the first line of the book which is about Rawbone:
"He was born in Scabtown the day Lincoln was assassinated at Ford's Theater."
I love how it starts out. Rawbone is a criminal and a common killer. He never knew his father and his prostitute mom died when he was young. Left on his own he turned criminal. Honestly, I kind of liked him. He was sort of funny with a type of wit that made him a likable character. John Lourdes, ironically, had a similar sad upbringing. Rawbone was married to his mom and then took off when Lourdes was young. His mom passed away shortly after. But instead of turning criminal like Rawbone, Lourdes joins the Bureau of Investigation. He's angry at Rawbone and really wants to see him dead.
But their journey together changes them. And that's the part of The Creed of Violence that I enjoyed. I'm excited to see how this book will be adapted to the big screen. I wonder who would portray Rawbone and John Lourdes.
January 26, 2013
2.5ish
The conception was nice, the story idea was interesting. I was just not a huge fan of the execution. For me it was a slower read, I didn't feel too much fluency while reading (which I was hoping for) and sometimes it felt fragmented.
On the other hand, I liked the connection between Rawbone and John Lourdes, the description and evolvement of their personalities and their inner ponderings. Some of the dialogues and some jokes were pretty spot-on and funny, too.
The conception was nice, the story idea was interesting. I was just not a huge fan of the execution. For me it was a slower read, I didn't feel too much fluency while reading (which I was hoping for) and sometimes it felt fragmented.
On the other hand, I liked the connection between Rawbone and John Lourdes, the description and evolvement of their personalities and their inner ponderings. Some of the dialogues and some jokes were pretty spot-on and funny, too.
September 14, 2011
Absolutely wonderful window into a little known piece of American history, but the action and adventure is just the backdrop to the estranged relationship between father and son. Great read that had me exploring the historical events that I really didn't know or understand. Its amazing to me how 100 years later and we are still embroiled in all the same messes.
September 19, 2011
A federal agent hooks up with his criminal father (who doesn't know the agent is his son) to investigate gun smuggling in Mexico in 1910 during the revolution. The action is fast and intense and bloody. McCarthy-esque descriptions and dialogue. Can't wait for the movie, which Todd Fields is apparently developing. The actors will have a fantastic time with these characters.
October 20, 2011
This novel read like a Cormac McCarthy derivative, but that doesn't mean it's bad. While there is nothing spectacular here, it was compelling enough. I don't know why but I really loved this line: "One of their mounts was shot from under him and the man was flung to the earth and his own compadres trampled over him with stunning disregard."
December 13, 2016
Excellent well written read
Well written, plausible background and characters in keeping with the demands made of them. The now typical policy of deniability by Washington is well on display.
Well written, plausible background and characters in keeping with the demands made of them. The now typical policy of deniability by Washington is well on display.
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