6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Read the book, see the movie, November 22, 2007
This review is from: American Gangster (Mass Market Paperback)
If the title seems familiar, it is probably because this novel is based on the screenplay for the film currently playing throughout the US, which is a fictionalized take on events in the lives of Richard Roberts and Frank Lucas, respectively a detective with the Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey, and the man he chased and ultimately successfully prosecuted. It is stated that the novel takes further liberties with the fact-based story portrayed in the film. Much of what is depicted here is known to be true: Frank Lucas is a man who in the 70's and years to follow, controlled the heroin traffic on the streets of Harlem, once the exclusive province of the Mafia. As a black man, that was an astonishing enough accomplishment. But the way he did it, importing pure heroin directly from the Golden Triangle of the Far East, was completely innovative. Fact or fiction, this is an engrossing tale.
For his part, Richie Roberts is portrayed as an anomaly in the police force in those years: an honest cop who was held in contempt by most of his fellow officers for his refusal to take money or dope when it came his way.
Frank Lucas is depicted as a man who had his own code of honor: "Within his circle, in his private life and for that matter in his business dealings, Frank Lucas considered himself a moral man. Matters of right and wrong, in any larger sense - social or religious - were defined by the world he'd been born into, a white man's world. Dope being sold to black people was a reality that wasn't going anywhere; better another black man be in charge. Killing people who needed killing was strictly business - those yellow people getting killed in Vietnam by boys both black and white made less sense to Frank than removing a business rival or a personal threat by violence. Frank hadn't invented the world where money ruled, but if he was going to live in it, by God, he was going to have at least his share."
The book is written with alternatimg p.o.v. of the two men, which was not at all a distraction. The world described was a violent one, and a fascinating one as well. The book is well-written and, though the outcome is a foregone conclusion, manages to be suspenseful nonetheless. A very enjoyable read, and recommended.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
No depth , no dimension, November 18, 2007
This review is from: American Gangster (Mass Market Paperback)
The book looked interesting and with the movie coming out there is certainly hype. However I found the book disappointing. With a true story you would expect some depth and dimension to the characters and the story, but there is little to be found. It was formulaic and frankly a bit boring. Stereotypically categorizes the "villain" as someone who really has a heart of gold and morals while killing and selling drugs....The hero is a flawed and misunderstood do gooder with good intentions (all the while womanizing and ignoring his child).
Beyond the stereotypes there was no real depth to the story. Everything was pretty much glossed over.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Gangster cliches R Us, January 10, 2008
This review is from: American Gangster (Mass Market Paperback)
You'd think with such a pedigree, the book would be a fascinating insight into the characters and the lives they lived that the movie didn't cover. Sadly, the author has adhered solely to the screenplay and deals only with the broad brushstrokes of events. The chapters alternate between the lives of Frank and Richie chronicling Frank's rise in the drug world, Richie's discovery of his existence and subsequent investigation and arrest.
Richie seems to be little more than a cliché. He is the one honest cop in his precinct, studying law at night school and going through a divorce and custody battle for his son. Frank does have a few more shades of grey. He is ruthless and thinks nothing of killing off his rivals but he is fiercely loyal to his family and loved ones. Oddly enough, these two main characters don't actually meet until the last chapters in the book. While AMERICAN GANGSTER is entertaining enough to read, it lacks any depth and could have been so much more than it was given the potentially fascinating subject matter.
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