Customer Reviews

Mastermind

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Clarence Kittles aka Clear runs his New York crew "The Black Mob" with a tight rein. Running a barbershop as a front to his other "activities", he is known for giving back to the hood and is well-respected as well as feared for Clear believes in following rules and if the rules are broken, then punishment--sometimes death may follow. Magic Jr is new to town and after a chance meeting with Clear, soon begins to hang with him. Magic reminds Clear of his deceased brother Brandon and to Magic, Clear is the father he never had. Clear begins to teach Magic the tricks of the game in hopes of turning things over to him one day but when Magic Jr's father Magic Sr shows up after finally becoming clean and getting off drugs, trouble follows as he begins to set up shop on Clear's territory. This leads to unexpected betrayals and conflict in where Magic Jr may be forced to choose sides.

Mastermind has all of the elements of a great urban drama but the ending may you leave confused and asking yourself is that it? I went back and reread some pages thinking I had missed something but maybe the author plans a sequel to wrap up loose ends and unanswered questions. I give this book 3.5 stars. Reviewed by Shay C of PeoplewholoveGoodBooks.

In Mastermind, Robert Ricks introduces readers to Clarence Kittles aka Clear. Clear's poverty filled childhood led him to a life of crime formulating The Black Mob. No ordinary drug cartel, The Black Mob followed precise rules that dictated no wives or kids for it's Captains and giving large percentages of their drug profits back to the same communities they were flooding with drugs. That combined with Clear giving out free haircuts to underprivileged kids from his barbershop on Sundays led him to be known as a Ghetto Robinhood. But this Ghetto Robinhood had a dark side which was easily viewed as he doled out punishment to rule breakers in his organization. Even his teen-aged sister Dayja came under his wrath when she found herself placed in foster care when she became too hot in the behind.

Fourteen year old Magic Jr. is new to Rochester and Clear becomes his mentor. Magic Jr. reminds Clear of his deceased little brother Brandon so he doesn't mind when Magic Jr. begins dating Dayja. But what Clear does mind is when Magic Jr.'s absentee father Magic Sr. re-appears and begins selling drugs on Clear's turf. The conflict between Clear and Magic Sr. along with the pressure Clear's under trying to maintain his organization will have readers flipping the pages to get to the outcome.

Author Robert Ricks proves himself to be an excellent storyteller turning what could've been another cliché urban tale into a engrossing tale of a man torn between tearing down his community and uplifting it. The only drawback is the book's cover which makes it appear to be the exact type of book that it isn't. The cover actually does the book a disservice taking away potential readers while also disguising the excellent novel that's contained within.

Reviewed by Delonya Conyers
C&B Reviewer

I read mastermind just recently. Every character is a product of a broken background. Clear has made himself the glue to keep Rochester standing strong. His heart has split to oversee both the needy and the greedy. Magic, new to the city, is being mentored by Clear. The horrible life he and his mother left cannot be compared for what he is about to go through.
I myself am an aspiring writer who also grew up in Rochester, NY. The way author Robert Ricks has portrayed the felonious city has left me awestruck. I now live in Atlanta, GA. Living on the west side of Rochester, I encountered many "Clears" in my life. Every one of them owned a barbershop. But more in depth, his description of the lives of his characters were so real I find it hard to believe that these people are fictional. I know people who live like Magic and Muscle everyday. This book should be transformed into a series for all to see. Great job!!

This was a book about a young man named Clarence"Clear"Kittles. Clear was a man that grew up in poverty, he worked and over came his obstacles by becoming the head of a drug cartel. But as always being in charge comes with alot of challenges and questions as to who is realy on your side. The story line was good and it will hold your intrest, the only problem I had with the book was towards the end it got a little weird, and the way it ended was kinda stupid, because you don't really know what happened to all of the characters in the book.

This was a great novel with a great story line and i can't wait until the author comes out with the next book.I love how the character "Clear" had this intelligent and charming attitude, but he was still very powerful. Magic seem to have been lost and confused. It was like he was trying to find himself in clear, like most boys do when they are raised without a father. Even though magic was rasied by his uncle Benny, Clear's ideologies superseded everything he had been taught. Which is how it is in real life. I also like the fact that this book wasn't so ghetto that it defied real

The reason I titled my review Deep Read is based on the fact that this book was just that.Not your typical urban fiction tale but a true masterpeice on paper. The main character "Clear" not just a hustler but a man with a cause. It's so much more to his grind than just money,clothes,and hoes.. A real getto robinhood with a masterplan. This is truly a tale from the heart... Food for the mind that leaves you wanting more. Not more shoot um up bang. But more strategicly formated words composed to form a book for the minds. Im in high anticipation for more work to come from this phenominal arthur Robert Ricks.