Publisher:
Dorrance Publishing Co.

Publication Date:
06/13/2017

Copyright Date:
N/A

ISBN:
978-1958030684

Binding:
Paperback

U.S. SRP:
17.00

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BADGES, BULLETS, AND BLOOD

By Henry Silva

IR_Star-black
IR Rating:
2.5
Author Henry Silva's BADGES, BULLETS, AND BLOOD promises much but ultimately falters in its execution. The potential for a gripping action thriller is overshadowed by a myriad of grammatical errors, an inconsistent plot line, and a lack of relatable or likeable characters.
The story follows two detectives and a retired Old Guys Squad as they use every method, legal and not so legal, to rid their community of the Mexican Mafia and Middle Eastern terrorists.

Due to his opposition to the construction of a mosque in his community, Detective Bobby Olivares is caught in a web of political conflicts and extremist threats. He has already had two assassination attempts, so when he receives a phone call from Ahmed Mahammad Al Uwari, he knows his life is in danger again.

Ahmed Mahammad Al Uwari is the planner and lead terrorist of the mosque construction and other extremist causes in Hawaii. After Detective Bobby killed five of Uwari’s associates in a police ambush, Uwari has held a personal vendetta and is now out for blood. He wants to make an example out of Detective Bobby and other Hawaii police officers.

Concerned for his wife and children’s safety, Detective Bobby gets in touch with his father, a stalwart retired police officer, to help figure out his next steps and come up with a plan to take Uwari down before he’s able to do anything. Retired Major John Olivares, together with a couple of his old friends—the Old Guys Squad—go on a killing spree to eliminate Ahmed Mahammad Al Uwari and every other radical terrorist they come across. But they find more underlying challenges when they uncover connections between the Mexican Mafia and Middle Eastern terrorists. The Olivares, the Old Guys Squad, and Detective Brent Olson, Bobby’s partner, must navigate the dangerous web of alliances and conspiracies to bring down the entire network.

BADGES, BULLETS, AND BLOOD attempts to navigate the treacherous terrain of suspense, danger, political intrigue, terrorism, and personal vendettas within the confines of an action thriller. However, as the story unfolds, it reveals itself to be inconsistent and unfocused, falling prey to numerous pitfalls that significantly hinder its overall impact.

One of these pitfalls is author Henry Silva’s writing style. Silva’s writing lacks the necessary poise and clarity to effectively convey the complexity of the novel’s plot and the depth of its characters. This issue primarily stems from a myriad of grammatical errors and his pervasive use of passive voice. Coupled with an overreliance on the term “said” in dialogue tags and poor transitions during conversations, this exacerbates confusion and makes it challenging for readers to discern who is speaking and understand what’s happening:

“Yes dad, that is the asshole that wants to kill your son.” “Well I just don’t think that I am going to let him do that. This ugly cuss is closer to meeting Allah than he even dreams.” “Do any of your bosses know about this?” Bobby told his dad, “I let Captain Kiliikipi listen to the tape last night. After the Captain talked to the Chief, he called me and wanted to hear the tape too, so I played it for him. Oh yea, Bruce Wise listened to the tape this morning.” Wise was a fellow detective and sharpshooter and tough as nails and worked with Olivares and Olson.”

A thorough review by an editor (and perhaps a proofreader) would have significantly improved the novel, as they would have been able to identify and correct most of these issues.

Another significant problem with BADGES, BULLETS, AND BLOOD is its abundance of stereotypes, violence, and racial slurs. The author’s inclusion of terms like “rag heads,” particularly as the novel progresses, can be highly offensive and overwhelming. The following passage sums it up:

Olivares knew that these Middle Easterners were bad people and that they intended to do really bad things to the people of his island. Now, it was within his power to not let bad happen should everything go according to plan. He wanted to call his fellow retired cops consisting of the team that was going on this buy-bust operation that the police could not legally do.

At certain junctures, the book gives the impression that John Olivares and several other characters’ animosity extends not only to Muslim extremist terrorists but to all Middle Easterners in the community. Most of the characters in the novel are either racist and out for every Jihadist’s blood or radical Muslims out for every Hawaii police officer’s blood—much to the novel’s detriment.

Author Henry Silva’s BADGES, BULLETS, AND BLOOD promises much but ultimately falters in its execution. The potential for a gripping action thriller is overshadowed by a myriad of grammatical errors, an inconsistent plot line, and a lack of relatable or likeable characters.

~Tomi Alo for IndieReader

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