God Is a Bullet [Mass Market Paperback]

Boston Teran (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 26, 2002

Christmas, 1995. A 14-year-old girl is kidnapped by a bloodthirsty Satanic cult. Bob Hightower, the girl's father and a small-town cop, embarks on a desperate mission to find her, but his only hope lies with Case Hardin, an ex-cult member and ex-junkie living in a halfway house in Hollywood.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Strung-out on junk and tattooed with the dates of helter-skelter-style deaths they've caused, the kids who walk "The Left-Handed Path" talk Satanic talk and spread terror through the very Christian Southern California town of Clay. This tautly paced and harrowing debut thriller begins with the cult's murder of desk cop Bob Hightower's ex-wife and her husband, and the kidnapping of his 14-year-old daughter, Gabi. Desperate and driven, Hightower takes a leave of absence to look for the abducted girl. Fresh out of leads?his search has been stymied by a fellow policeman who's in league with the cult?Hightower meets Case, a 29-year-old, severely traumatized ex-heroin addict who is unable to forget her horrifying experiences as the sexual slave of the demonic Cyrus, who heads the bloodthirsty self-styled "tribe" that controls the local drug trade from a remote desert outpost. With Case's help, Hightower goes undercover and infiltrates the group. Though some of the book's early passages seem melodramatic, the tale becomes riveting as the unlikely duo follow Cyrus and his gang to hell and back. Teran does a fine job of contrasting Case's struggle to overcome Cyrus's pervasive presence in her mind with Hightower's ethical dilemma at taking orders from a junkie. The moral twists and turns of the searing narrative are jolting; the pair are even forced to commit murder for Cyrus before a climactic showdown in the desert. Cynical and DeLillo-like in its observations, paced with present-tense immediacy, Teran's hard-boiled prose does not belittle the tragedy at this novel's core. Not for the faint-hearted, the book is as addictive as illegal substances. Agent, David Hale Smith.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

This first novel is pretty standard thriller fareAcorrupt sheriff John Lee Bacon hires bad guy Cyrus to kill his wife's lover, Sam. But Cyrus also kills Sam's wife, Sarah, and kidnaps Gabi, Sarah's teenaged daughter from her first marriage to Bob. Bob just happens to be a cop working for Sheriff Bacon, and now Bob must rescue his daughter from Cyrus. This vicious circle is embedded in a dark cult world of drugs, pornography, and violenceACyrus is a Charles Manson-like guru with a band of drugged-out, bloodthirsty followers who pursue the satanic "Left-Handed Path." This gives Teran an excuse to focus on graphic violence, depraved sex, and gross obscenities, demonstrating his "toughness." But he often pushes a metaphor too hard (describing Bob's truck as a "tin-sided garden of agony cruising in second gear") and sounds ridiculous instead of hard-bitten. At once silly and distasteful; not recommended.ARebecca House Stankowski, Purdue Univ. Calumet Lib., Hammond, IN
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (March 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345439880
• ISBN-13: 978-0345439888
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.8 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #270,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The content was dumb, but the story was somehow engrossing., October 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: God Is a Bullet (Hardcover)

This book posed a conflict for me; I was disappointed by the stereotype punks, cops, and junkies, and found a lot of the dialog flat-out stupid. In addition, I thought the copy was poorly edited... Yet, I couldn't wait to get to the next page and see what would happen. I hate to admit that I really enjoyed reading this book.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing, December 2, 1999

By 

Dave Taylor (Perth, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: God Is a Bullet (Hardcover)

'God is a Bullet' was an interesting book for me. More than anything it was the cover and the title that captured my attention initially. Normally I don't read a lot of crime/mystery fiction but I am really glad to have gone out on a limb and read this one. Boston Terran paints a vivid picture of the disturbing subculture of drugs, violence and satanism. Other reviewers have complained about the cliched main characters - the punk cop, the ex-junkie and so on. I agree in part, but I think that the incidental characters really helped to 'make' this book. Boston spares no detail in setting the mood and atmosphere. Despite the content I found the book rivetting. Not for the faint-hearted...

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars God is a Bullet is like a bullet to the head!!!, July 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: God Is a Bullet (Hardcover)

So far I've only read the first 100 pages...in one night!!!... but I can say with some authority that this book is perhaps one of the best books of the genre I have read with possibly the exception of Red Dragon by Thomas(Silence of the Lambs)Harris. It starts of in the first chapter with a horrendous murder set in the 70's and each successive chapter fuels the other. It is horrible, brutal and beautiful all at the same time. It has insightful dialogue between characters and harsh disgusting words that make me cringe. It is a paradox full of violence and peace, rape and love, and acts of incredible violence along with incredible acts of heroism and humanity. I highly recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind peering into the face of evil without covering their eyes. For those of you who are squemish or judgemental stay away! This book is like the author quoted "God is a bullet in your head, you start to feel better the minute you are dead!!!" I give this book 6 stars since amazon only goes up to 5. It is a speedball for hell, but well worth the horrible cathartic trip. That's all, I gotta go read the rest. The only reason I didn't read it in one sitting is that I had to go to work the next day and only got 4 hours sleep that is how good it is. If you read it you won't need any speed or coffee to keep you awake. It is a drug in itself. Literary Crank if you will. Stop what you are doing. Get a copy and start reading it from start to finish. Bye I have to get back to reading it. Peace!