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

Excellent

What made the experience of listening to The Kings of Cool the most enjoyable?

Started a little slow and I wasn't sure I was going to finish it. It jumped around a lot but it turned out to be an excellent listen. I will listen to it again latter on.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes but it jumped around a lot

Fantastic Book

This was a wonderful book to listen to and I can not wait to listen to savages

Awesome!!!

If you could sum up The Kings of Cool in three words, what would they be?

Love the characters.

What other book might you compare The Kings of Cool to and why?

None I think it is an original!!!!

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved how the author jumped back and forth in time. It answered so many questions and you get to know the characters well.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

No

Wish there was more to come...

I listened to Savages first and loved it! I was happy to see the prequel. I loved these characters and narrator was tops! This is the story of their early years...twists and turns galore. I will listen to these two books again and again for years to come.

Fun but...

Really enjoyed the fun story mostly because of Holter Grahams delivery. My objection was that the book read like a screen play with over 300 chapter markers including scene setups. Seems a bit lazy on Winslow's part as if he didn't want to do a rewrite for the movie.

Another awesome story by a masterful storyteller!

It is the backstory that I should have heard first, but great nonetheless. If you have Savages and this title, my recommendation is to listen to them in reverse order.

Rockin' Good Tale!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Kings of Cool to be better than the print version?

The narration is fantastic, the writing style is a bit unconventional. At first it's difficult to follow until the reader understands it is non-linear and quickly jumps from scene to scene. It might initially be easier to follow in print, but the tone of narrator brings it to life.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot is as twisted as it gets and the dialog is hip and funny. Once the reader begins to understand the interconnection of past and present it becomes extremely compelling.

Which scene was your favorite?

The opening scene had me hooked immediately. The three main characters are believable and likable although far from the norm.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Most of all I laughed. The use of acronyms as a form of unique communication between the three friends cracked me up. It challenged me to pay close attention to the dialog, because the author also uses acronyms with other characters throughout.

Any additional comments?

Don Winslow is a genius. His sense of place and characterization is a good as it gets. Holter Graham lends a particularly sardonic tone that illuminates Winslow's characters in a way that might be missed in print. This genre is new to me, but I'm hooked and cannot wait to begin "Savages."

Much, MUCH better than "Savages"!!!

I was pleasantly, thoroughly surprised to find this book was so much better than "Savages" to which this is prequel. While "Savages" was largely for a younger reader(Don Winslow's twisted, X rated version of Y.A. in my opinion) I'm only 37 but even I found it("Savages") the slightest bit immature. I say this as an absolute Don Winslow fanatic btw. "King's of Cool" was way cooler as it unfolded the ancestral back stories of "Savages" main characters. There were a couple spectacular cameos from other Winslow novels too which were great fun! I actually loved this book, it's what "Savages" should have been. If you haven't read "Savages", do so before you read this, just for the knowledge of things that will make this so much more fun to read. I also greatly recommend reading(/listening) to "The Winter of Frankie Machine" and "The Legend of Bobby Z" B4 you read "King's of Cool", it's not necessary but makes it SO MUCH cooler if you do. Just trust me. So if you loved OR didn't like "Savages", you'll LOVE LOVE "King's of Cool"!!!

masterful

loved the puzzle of this book and how Winslow tied it all together. I've listened to all of his Audible books and this was a favorite. I enjoyed the Godfather and All the Pres Men refrences as well the music associations. Well done Mr. Winslow, please get busy!

A Very Good Story but......

The story was very good, but the constant announcement by the narrator of the chapters became very annoying and distracting. Some chapters had a single word and dome only one or two sentences. No book should have over 300 chapters. Further, there should not be extensive dialog between characters named John and Chon. After awhile it was impossible to distinguish between the two names when they were speaking to each other. Good story.