Customer Reviews

First Blood

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Awesome book! It flows nicely and the descriptions give the reader a clear mental picture of all the characters and scenes. I recommend this book and cant wait for Johnny to write the screenplay,so I can watch the movie!!!!

Rodney "Neon" Robinson has always been a natural born leader. But he is introduced to a whole new life when his single mother moves him and his six siblings from Texas to California. Despite his mother's best efforts, Neon fell victim to the streets and spends more time in the Los Angeles criminal system than at home. Unfortunately, Neon finds a new family in the form of the infamous street gang known as the Bloods. Neon's affiliation with his new street family will spell nothing but disaster for the rest of his real family at home.

Johnny Russell brought a thought-provoking tale with First Blood. Russell shows how disastrous it can be when the dynamic of the African-American family unit is disrupted. Although Neon's mother tried to do her best to keep him and his brothers off the streets, she clearly needed Neon's father to step up to the plate. Russell also did a good job of showing the formation of the Bloods and the Crips. This book really illustrates how street gangs are still a deadly problem in our society. First Blood is a good debut novel full of life lessons.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert for Urban Reviews

JOHNNY RUSSELL has drawn deep from his memories as a young man.

His descriptive words paint a vivid picture of a part of America's youth caught up in drugs and hatred, promulgated by a total lack of good parenting, lack of compassion by teachers, lack of direction and spiritual guidance. It is a road where taking the fork one way lands the kid in prison, or if he (she) chooses the other fork, he (she) ends up on a cold steel table in the Medical Examiner's autopsy room. JOHNNY RUSSELL's experience, both as a young man, who with the enduring love and guidance of his Mother, was one of the fortunate. Instead of spending time in prison as two of his brothers, he chose a career in Law Enforcement. As next to the youngest of nine children, he witnessed the pain and anguish his mother sufferd from a phliandering husband, whom she loved deeply, and then another man who broke her heart again. His mother was determined to raise her children to be good people, and she succeeded with Johnny Russell. His oldest brother, Neon was the founder of the "BLOODS" Gang in Los Angeles, later joined by another brother, RAP. As leaders of the "BLOODS", the brothers lead a fast paced life of dealing drugs, gang wars with another gang, the "CRIPS" and mulitple murders. This book is a facinating read, it jolts the reader into the truth about the vulnerability of todays youth in America who are at risk of falling into the vioence of gangs and drugs. I know that as a Police Officer, JOHNNY RUSSELL, without question made an impact and saved more than just one kid from following in his older brother's path of self-destruction.

I highly recommend this novel and hope Mr. Russell continues his new career as an Author. I would love to read about his career with the San Diego Police Department.

in my opinion, Johnny Russell's debut novel is a MUST READ.

MICHEL PHELPS