The Kings of Cool

A Prequel to 'Savages'

By: Don Winslow

Narrated by: Holter Graham

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Published to coincide with the release of Academy Award-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone's major film of Savages from Universal Pictures in July 2012 - starring John Travolta, Blake Lively, Benecio Del Toro, Uma Thurman, Emile Hirsch, Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Johnson, and Salma Hayek - this is the much-anticipated prequel to Don Winslow's acclaimed New York Times best seller.

In Savages, Don Winslow introduced Ben and Chon, twentysomething best friends who risk everything to save the girl they both love, O. Among the most celebrated literary thrillers in recent memory, Savages was a Top 10 Book of 2010 selection by Janet Maslin in The New York Times and Stephen King in Entertainment Weekly as well as Sarah Weinman in the Los Angeles Times and publications around the world.

Now, in his high-octane prequel, Winslow reaches back in time to tell the story of how Ben, Chon, and O became the people they are. Spanning from 1960s Southern California to the recent past, it is a tale of family in all its forms - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, friends and lovers. As the younger generation does battle with a cabal of drug dealers and crooked cops, they come to learn that their future is inextricably linked with their parents' history. A series of breakneck twists and turns puts the two generations on a collision course, culminating in a stunning showdown that will ultimately force Ben, Chon, and O to choose between their real families and their love for each other.

©2012 Don Winslow (P)2012 Simon & Schuster

Terrific entertainment

I'm a fan of Don Winslow's SoCal books and this story is not only a fantastic prequel to "Savages" (please produce an Audible version of this book with the incomparable Holter Graham as narrator) but a great source of context for the others. The "Kings of Cool" is fast-paced, extremely well-performed and hard to put down. I loved learning more about O, Ben and Chon. I think the book can stand on its own for those who haven't read "Savages" or listened to/read Mr. Winslow's other SoCal books but if you have the chance to read some of these books first, it might make your experience more enjoyable. As for me, I'm about to listen to "The Gentleman's Hour" again - and can hardly wait.

Great flow

Winslow's writing style is great. I think he sets a skeleton, then fleshes the story out with a casing degree of detail. This story, for example, was pretty spartan. But it works! like, really well! quite different from Art Keller stories, yet parallel worlds.

Like my Brother before Me I took a Rebel Stand!

The rants and insights on the decline of the republic were priceless. After hippies came Charlie Manson, assassinations and overdoses of all our heroes, to the greed and excess of the cocaine 80's making conspicuous consumption, pecuniary emulation and invidious distinctions all the rage. We had Bush Senior selling cocaine to pay for black ops, to Clinton's sperm on interns dresses to a coked up W being handled by evil, old dudes making up lies and spreading weaponized fake news to get us involved in useless and totally unnecessary, endless wars. Then the post Orwellian Change agent came and started drone striking "terrorists", women and children around the world and lying about ending the Patriot Act but creating a true nanny state with the help of the NSA. The devolution continues and maybe the kings of cool are right and drugs are the only sane reaction to the insanity our world has become.

Good book, kept my interest.

But what's with the ultra ultra short chapters? Some of them are single sentences. One was a single word. strange and annoying. Good narration.

A major Winslow

Brilliant as always. The story twist and turns and stays impeccably logical at each turn. Great story and great telling

Interesting as always

‘The Kings of Cool’ is vintage Don Winslow. He offers great insights into his characters with deep intriguing plots with a few twists along the way. A thought provoking and well thought out story that keeps you engaged (more suspense than a thriller), this book takes you through 30 years of So Cal life.

The narrator does a good job with all of the characters, bringing them to life and differentiating between them very well.

Liked the Kings

I have listened to most of Don W.'s work,and enjoy and like almost all. I think my experience is that the earlier books are not my favorites, and as the work progresses the more polished and (for me) perfect. I really like Kings. The characters ,sets,and story work well together. Looking forward to Savages

a good story

A first time author for me, he's a graduate of the U of Nebraska. This is the prequel to the book Savages which was made into a successful move. Set in SoCal (Southern California) part in the 70 & 80's, part in current day, it all deals with SoCal life, drugs, drug dealing and everything that goes with it. In reading the reviews, it seems those that haven't experienced SoCal don't like it but those that have think it's great. I've been going to San Diego and its beaches for 30 years and know a bunch of the places, in fact, for those in Mt Ayr, one scene was in the Newport Beach Yacht Club owned by Frank Ramsey. Written in a fast paced, hip SoCal kind of way, it moves fast. I enjoyed the book but am glad i wasn't raised in this environment, this way of life. I suppose in some of my fantasies from years gone past, it would've seemed exciting but nah, not really.

Interesting prequel to Savages

Savages was an amazing book. This time shifting book mixing the characters' parents' stories and some earlier background is very good but not amazing. On the other hand, I listened without pause until the end and then had to go back and listen to Savages again. Winslow is one of my favorite writers.

Until kings of cool I never thought I would get tired of sex

But this book has finally done it for me. I wonder what savages holes in store