Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Thriller
Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words
Availability
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on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or
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Author:
“Simon
Royle was born in Manchester, England in 1963. He has been variously a
yachtsman, advertising executive, and a senior management executive in software
companies. A futurist and a technologist, he lives in Bangkok, with his wife
and two children.”
Royle has
two other books available: Tag, a
technothriller set in the future, and Bangkok
Burn, a thriller set in contemporary Thailand, the first book in the
Bangkok series (Bangkok Wet is the
second).
Description:
“As Bangkok
barricades itself against a rising flood of toxic waste, Chance has got some
wet work of his own going on. He'd rather be on honeymoon with Pim; that had
been the plan.
But the
plan didn't include the untimely death of a Godfather's son, being blamed for the
theft of a billion baht, and a move by a rival gang on Big Tiger's territory;
now there's a new plan - war and retribution.
Funny thing
about guns and plans - everyone's got one.”
Appraisal:
Bangkok Wet continues the story of Chance, the
farang (a Caucasian, in Thai), who is being groomed to take over his adoptive
Thai father’s crime family. With his childhood friend and bodyguard, Chai, in
tow, Chance searches for his new bride (kidnapped before they could leave on
their honeymoon) and runs afoul of multiple groups with their own agendas. In
the end, he uncovers some unexpected history and plenty of nefarious goings-on.
I view the
Bangkok series as akin to a Thai version of The
Godfather. The interaction between the members of the crime family, other
crime families, police, politicians, and civilians is similar in some regards,
yet not in others. The setting in Thailand and the cultural differences add
much to the story and its feel. It also occurs to me that Chance, although in
theory on the wrong side of the law, is a character who I pull for because he
lives by a code that, while crossing lines that might make him seem bad, is
actually more ethical and moral than the corrupt government officials he often
has to deal with. Just as with Bangkok
Burn, this latest installment of the Bangkok series is a fast paced thrill
ride through the Thai underground, and should keep you on the edge of your seat
right up to the shocking end.
FYI:
Some adult
language.
Although
the second book in the Bangkok series, Bangkok
Wet can stand on its own. However, there are some advantages to reading Bangkok Burn first, primarily a fuller
understanding of the history between the characters and a more complete
back-story.
Format/Typo Issues:
No
significant issues.
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