Helpful Score: 3
Bangkok 8 packs enough punch to hit many types of literary taste receptors. It is foremost a hot mystery thriller, which begins with two Thai policemen trailing an American marine to his death by drug-crazed snake bites in a bolted-shut car. Having lost his partner, Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep is on a mission to find the perpetrators and avenge his soul brother's death. Sonchai's devout Buddhist beliefs takes the story to another dimension, as his reflective meditations bring intuition into crime-solving, balanced with reason and technology supplied by the FBI, represented by the sleek blond Special Agent Jones. Even though he is probably the only cop not on the take, as the half-farang son of a former prostitute and long gone American serviceman he is a credible and amusing guide to this lush, exotic locale and its under-culture of drugs, sex, and other illicit trades. Finally, it is a deeply meditative social commentary on the West by realistically presenting Sonchai's and indeed all of Thailand's on-the-ground modus operandi as not necessarily an inferior but different way of going about life, written in vivid and accessible language. So dig in.
Helpful Score: 3
I thought this book was hilarious. If you like offbeat, tongue
in cheek humor, you will probably like it. He wrote a sequel,
which is also good.
in cheek humor, you will probably like it. He wrote a sequel,
which is also good.
Helpful Score: 3
Interesting twist on the hard-boiled mystery drama. This is set in Bangkok, the narrator is a Thai detective searching for the killer of an American Marine and avenging the death of his partner. There's also a bit of drug trading, transgenderism and prostitution thrown in to the mix just to keep things more interesting...
Helpful Score: 3
This book is FANTASTIC! Very different from usual thrillers and keeps you on edge until the end. Thailand background with protagonist as Buddhist policeman with lots of info on Thailand prostitution and jade trade make it very UNIQUE.
Helpful Score: 2
Intriguing, involving and excellent.
Helpful Score: 2
unusual "police procedural"--in that the "procedure" is largely Buddhist. Exotic location, entertaining.
Helpful Score: 1
One of my favorite authors. I truly feel transported to Thailand when I am reading. more more more
Helpful Score: 1
At first I didn't think I would like this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. The contrasts between the East and West and their ways of doing things is intriguing. And Soncai, the main character is caught between the two worlds with great insight into each of them.
Helpful Score: 1
Couldn't get excited about it - it's a stereotypical detective novel in an exotic location.
This was a very interesting read, not your ordinary thriller.
I REALLY liked this book, action packed, a Buddhist policeman in BKK working out the dichotomy of being of mixed parentage, and of working for a conniving and clever supervisor while maintaining his Buddhist convictions. Glimpsed into the steamier side of police work in a big city and of Thailand in particular. A great read. This is the first in a series and I am very impatient for the next ones.
Sonchai is a detective with the Royal Thai police. The setting is the seamy side of Bangkok. John Burdett's hilarious writing makes his books fun.
This book blew me away to say the least. I read a lot, and can clearly declare that Burdett is on the top of my list. I got all the sequels and loved them as well. Great characters, action, and settings are fed to the reader in the smoothest way. I love this guy's writing.
Joan L. (silverlakelady) - , reviewed Bangkok 8 (Sonchai Jitpleecheep, Bk 1) on + 13 more book reviews
Fascinating look at a culture I have never known much about. Enjoyed the book immensely and have read book #2 and recently swapped for #3. Really got into Sonchai and his Buddhist outlook. What a gentle soul! It was amazing how he compartmentalized his life. As much as I am enjoying the books, I do not want to go to Bangkok!
gives the feel of the sleazy side of thailand, with lots of intrigue.
Fascinating. I felt like I was visiting Thailand and getting an insider's view of life as a cop, Buddhist (Thai flavor, prostitute, foreigners.... it was full of interesting plots and people. I went on to read the next two books which I enjoyed as well.
While Sonchai solves murder, he also give us first hand insight of what us Americans would call the red light district. Topless Bars, clubs and prostitution is only a large part of Thailands income.
This book has it all, prostitution, greed, corruption, drugs, a little bit of love, with a bit of deception here and there.
Then read the follow-up Bangkok Tattoo.
This book has it all, prostitution, greed, corruption, drugs, a little bit of love, with a bit of deception here and there.
Then read the follow-up Bangkok Tattoo.
A thriller with attitude to spare
interesting.
A thriller in Thailand.
mystery - thriller
