Official Review: A Night in Babylon by Michael West
Posted: 21 Apr 2020, 15:04
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Night in Babylon" by Michael West.]
A Night in Babylon, written by Michael West, takes place two years after an earthquake known as the Southland Quake, with a magnitude of 8.8 on the Richter Scale, transformed Los Angeles in a concrete desert. The city has become a “cesspool of corruption, disease, poverty, and violence.” As corrupt authorities turn against the citizens, Los Angeles is on the verge of martial law. In this chaotic setting, riots and anti-establishment groups emerge. The Stay Ready Soldiers (SRS) is such a group, and two SRS members, Geronimo and Kali, are the protagonists of the novel.
On a mission to eliminate the SRS is an elite unit known as the Black Hawk Battalion. They are a team of six mercenaries using as transport an armored “mechanical monster.” The most dangerous of the mercenaries is Rico, whose body got augmented with bionic and cybernetic implants that enhance his strength, speed, and coordination.
In this lively story, well-developed characters get nicely woven into the plot by the author. West provides adequate background about the characters, skillfully making readers connect to them. Geronimo’s and Kali’s difficult childhoods, for instance, made my heart go out to them. Soon enough, I was rooting for the success of their missions. There are also interesting secondary plots and characters, such as Dawn, an abused and vulnerable teenager who is protected by Red, whose devotion to the SRS is unbreakable. A middle-aged former arms dealer called Bunchy, who provides valuable help to the SRS, is also interesting. These well-developed characters were what I liked the most about the book.
The book is extremely violent. Most of it comprises detailed and gory descriptions of violent acts; this aspect was what I disliked the most about it. There is much bloodshed, as well as sexual violence and drug use. I don’t mind violence in itself, but I did feel that it was all over the place and excessively graphic. One could almost say that it was glamourized, which I found a bit disquieting. There’s a rape of a minor that was particularly unsettling.
Lastly, I give A Night in Babylon 3 out of 4 stars. I’m taking a star away from the rating due to the excessive violence and also because another round of editing is necessary to iron out mishaps. Still, the book is a good read that will appeal to readers who are fond of crime stories. Overall, I enjoyed reading it. If extreme, gory violence and sexual assault scenes bother you, I’d recommend that you steer clear of this one.
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A Night in Babylon
View: on Bookshelves | on Barnes and Noble
A Night in Babylon, written by Michael West, takes place two years after an earthquake known as the Southland Quake, with a magnitude of 8.8 on the Richter Scale, transformed Los Angeles in a concrete desert. The city has become a “cesspool of corruption, disease, poverty, and violence.” As corrupt authorities turn against the citizens, Los Angeles is on the verge of martial law. In this chaotic setting, riots and anti-establishment groups emerge. The Stay Ready Soldiers (SRS) is such a group, and two SRS members, Geronimo and Kali, are the protagonists of the novel.
On a mission to eliminate the SRS is an elite unit known as the Black Hawk Battalion. They are a team of six mercenaries using as transport an armored “mechanical monster.” The most dangerous of the mercenaries is Rico, whose body got augmented with bionic and cybernetic implants that enhance his strength, speed, and coordination.
In this lively story, well-developed characters get nicely woven into the plot by the author. West provides adequate background about the characters, skillfully making readers connect to them. Geronimo’s and Kali’s difficult childhoods, for instance, made my heart go out to them. Soon enough, I was rooting for the success of their missions. There are also interesting secondary plots and characters, such as Dawn, an abused and vulnerable teenager who is protected by Red, whose devotion to the SRS is unbreakable. A middle-aged former arms dealer called Bunchy, who provides valuable help to the SRS, is also interesting. These well-developed characters were what I liked the most about the book.
The book is extremely violent. Most of it comprises detailed and gory descriptions of violent acts; this aspect was what I disliked the most about it. There is much bloodshed, as well as sexual violence and drug use. I don’t mind violence in itself, but I did feel that it was all over the place and excessively graphic. One could almost say that it was glamourized, which I found a bit disquieting. There’s a rape of a minor that was particularly unsettling.
Lastly, I give A Night in Babylon 3 out of 4 stars. I’m taking a star away from the rating due to the excessive violence and also because another round of editing is necessary to iron out mishaps. Still, the book is a good read that will appeal to readers who are fond of crime stories. Overall, I enjoyed reading it. If extreme, gory violence and sexual assault scenes bother you, I’d recommend that you steer clear of this one.
******
A Night in Babylon
View: on Bookshelves | on Barnes and Noble