Bangkok 8

De: John Burdett

Narrado por: B.D. Wong

Electrifying, darkly comic, razor-edged—a thriller unlike any other.

Under a Bangkok bridge, inside a bolted-shut Mercedes: a murder by snake—a charismatic African American Marine sergeant killed by a methamphetamine-stoked python and a swarm of stoned cobras.

Two cops—the only two in the city not on the take—arrive too late. Minutes later, only one is alive: Sonchai Jitpleecheep—a devout Buddhist, equally versed in the sacred and the profane—son of a long-gone Vietnam War G.I. and a Thai bar girl whose subsequent international clientele contributed richly to Sonchai’s sophistication.

Now, his partner dead, Sonchai is doubly compelled to find the murderer, to maneuver through the world he knows all to well—illicit drugs, prostitution, infinite corruption—and into a realm he has never before encountered: the moneyed underbelly of the city, where desire rules and the human body is no less custom-designable than a raw hunk of jade. And where Sonchai tracks the killer—and a predator of an even more sinister variety.

Thick with the authentic—and hallucinogenic—atmosphere of Bangkok, crowded with astonishing characters, uniquely smart and skeptical, literary and wildly readable, Bangkok 8 is one of a kind.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"A stunning thriller! Bangkok 8 is suspense at its best: a masterfully written tale set in a world that's perfectly evoked and populated with compelling, flesh-and-blood characters."
--Jeffery Deaver, author of The Vanished Man and The Stone Monkey

"Bangkok 8 is one of the most startling and provocative mysteries that I've read in years. The characters are marvelously unique, the setting is intoxicating and the plot unwinds in dark illusory strands, reminiscent of Gorky Park. Once I started, I didn't want to put it down."
--Carl Hiaasen

“The wildest ride in modern crime novel exoticum. A novel so steeped in milieu that it feels as if you’ve blasted to mars in the grip of a demon who won’t let you go. Read this book, savor the language–it’s the last–and the most compelling word in thrillers.”
--James Ellroy

So Outside of My Comfort Zone, I LOVE IT

I have been an audible listener for a long time with over 300 books in my library. This is one of my favorite book series. If you told me that the story was about the only honest cop in Thailand who is a Budist Monk with a transvestite partner, a corrupt General boss, and a mother who owns a house of prostitution. I would most likely put the book back on the shelf and say, "No Thank You"

Amazingly this crazy combination of personalities, and international political mysteries works extremely well. I have read every book in the series and found each one to be wonderfully written. I have learned a lot about the underbelly of society and people who are amazingly good from these books. I also have learned a lot about Thai culture and I am planning a visit in the near future.

If you are looking for something new, something this 50 ish man has never read before, take a chance. If you don't like it AUDIBLE will give you your credit back. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE and a lot to learn.

This material is best for mature readers.

Enjoy.

A rare glimpse of Bangkok

I have lived in Bangkok for over 10 years and this is the first book I have read that really has a genuine feel for the City and avoids the usual cliches about girls, drugs and alcohol. It is exceptionally well researched - I could only find one mistake - there are ambulances in Bangkok!!.

More importantly the author seems to accurately capture the motivation and feelings of Thais within his characters. The story itself is highly unusual reflecting in many ways the dichotomies within the City and Thai/Asian way of life.

My only criticism of the book would be the narrator - B.D. Wong. I would be surprised if he had ever set foot in Thailand. His Lao accent seems to emanate from Central Africa!!

Decent Who-dun-it

This is a decent who-done-it. A few creative twists and turns. Nothing deep nor profound, but worth the escape into a good story.

Better Than Expected

I've never given Thailand much thought but at the end of this book I found myself interested in visiting Bangkok. Enjoyed the narrater very much. Only wish it had been unabridged.

BAngkok 8

I was unaware that this was the abridged version, so I feel I missed out on much of the daily life details and customs that elevate this series from mere whodunit to cultural history. Never listen to an abridged novel.