Customer Reviews

The New Centurions

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have to admit that Wambaugh's subsequent books (with the exception of The Onion Field) have been major disappointments. Perhaps that is because this, his first novel, is such a wonderful and complete book. Everything else seems to be a valient yet failed effort to recapture to wonder and confusion of this bristling masterwork. It deals with the trials, triupmhs and personal failures of three young cops, the now stock characters of the confused kid, the inept failure trying to make something out of himself and the brainy, yet physically weak intellectual who tries to out smart every situation. It takes them from academy training up through the Watts riots of 1965. The characters are real, innately believable and sympathetic and abhorrent and cruel. I loved this book. With the exception of the brutal novels of James Ellroy, there is no better "cop" fiction available, and it is infinately more realistic than Ellroy's work because we get the sense that Wambaugh truly was there at these events, that he honestly understand s what it is like to be young and scared with a gun and a badge when the whole world is falling apart. It took about four or five books before Wambaugh became just another second rate crime novelist. This is the finest of his almost true-crime fiction. Likely you will burn through this absorbing novel in the shortest time possible. Compelling, funny, action-packed and sad, this is a wonderful book that, within its ever growing sub-genre, will likely never be equaled.

"The New Centurions" came as a bit of a surprise to me. I read other Wambaugh works, but they were written more recently. This book was written back in the early part fo Wambaugh's career, and I feel under the false assumption that it was going to be inferior.
Boy, was I wrong. This is the most honest and perfect police novel I have ever read, and I liked it more than the author's later work (which I love).
"The New Centurions" focuses on the lives of three Los Angeles cops from bot camp to their 5 year anniversary on the force. Not a police procedural, the emphasis is rather on the lives of the characters and the various experiences they go through as police officers. Alternately brutal, funny, smart, sad, warm, philosophical, and ugly, "The New Centurions" is an extremely well-done piece of realistic fiction. These characters could be real.
I won't spoil anything here, but I have to recommend this book to anyone interested in the cop lifestyle. I'm going to give this book to my brother who has contemplated becoming a police officer, since I think the realism here can be an eye-opener.

A centurion was literally a Roman officer in charge of a hundred-man contingent of soldiers in a legion of three to six thousand men. They were the front-line leaders who issued forth from Rome for five hundred years, beating barbarians into submission and maintaining law and order throughout the empire. Wambaugh applies this moniker to his unique tale of three rookies issuing forth from the police academy, fresh and idealistic as they set about to clean up Los Angeles.

They have a lot to learn. As it turns out, right and wrong aren't always clearly black and white. Bad guys populate both sides of the law. Rules are subject to interpretation. Justice is slow and convoluted. And life is not fair.

Wambaugh brings his unique real-life experience in LAPD to bear on this story, showing the maturation of cops in believable fashion. The book is a little dated in terms of police procedure, but the underlying story and message are same-day fresh. This is a cut above the typical cop's tale. --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.

I chose this book after reading previous reviews, for a summer reading project. I am going into 11th grade and it is mandatory that we read 2 books over the summer. I chose this one and was surprised how amazing it was. My stepfather is a cop and thats why it stood out of the crowd of other books. The book is about 3 men, and how they go from rookies to great cops in L.A. I was totally surprised by the ending, which I wont give away. I recommend this book to a mature teen, or adult. Great characterization and simply, 2 thumbs up!

I've read The New Centurians about 4 times, and it seems to get better every time!! This book paints a fascinating (and sometimes hilarious) portrait of big-city front line beat coppers and what they endure every day, not what you see on the news or on "Cops". In this, Wambaugh's first book (and sort of an autobiography of his first 5 years with the LAPD), he gives life to his characters, and you will feel like you know them personally. If you, or someone you know is considering a career in law enforcement, this book will provide some insight what it means to be a policeman.

Wambaugh takes us beyond the "Adam-12 and "Dragnet" image of the LAPD in this gritty and realistic portrayal of three young police officers during their first five years on the force. During their tour, the men face the harsh reality of "Protecting and serving" the citizens of Los Angeles. He holds no punches, from the opening scene where a recruit almost gets choked to death in a self-defense class in Academy to the final scene where Officer Roy Fehler lies dying from a gunshot wound. As one reviewer stated, "like cops? read the New Centurians. Hate cops? read the New Centurians." Wambaugh's realism is what makes his books enjoyable to read. I am a long time fan of the NBC television anthology "Police Story" developed by Wambaugh in the 1970s, and reading books such as "The New Centurians" gives me an understanding of why the show was so successful.

Joseph Wambaugh's fourteen years of experience as a LAPD detective gives his portrayal of life as an officer in "The New Centurions" unquestionable credibility. The book takes you beyond the portrayals of officers of the LAPD as seen in the television shows "Dragnet" and "Adam-12" (with no indictment against these shows or their creators). He portrays them as they are, warts and all. Through the eyes of Roy Fehler, Sergio Duran and Gus Plebsley, we see life in Los Angeles in the early 1960s. Through their eyes we see that Police officers are fragile, vulnerable men and women with vices and frailties as well. The book holds nothing back, from the opening scene at the LAPD Academy where a recruit almost gets choked to death in a training exercise, to seeing Roy experience a painful divorce, death of his partner who recently retired, the riots in Watts, and succombing to a fatal gunshot wound to his stomach. This book was Wambaugh's first novel and the precursor to the rest of his best selling works that fans of his have enjoyed.

Although Serge Duran, Roy Fehler, and Gus Plebesly hit the streets in 1959, their experiences hold still hold true today in the 90's, almost 40 years later. Wambaugh wrote effectively of the horrors and humanity of three men who weren't Supermen in blue, but three human beings who reacted as human beings do in adverse situations. I know this because I was a cop, too. THE NEW CENTURIONS is one of my three favorite novels (THE CHOIRBOYS being one of the others) and sits next to my computer as I now write novels. The title is reminiscent of the story of Jesus Christ and the Centurion when Christ was touring Capernaum (Matthew 8:5). I recommend this book to everyone who is a cop, wants to be a cop, has a cop in the family, or simply wants to know more about the men and women that drive by in those special cars with the lights and markings.

I read this book very soon after joining the Police. I think it is one of the very best Police books I have ever read and it is almost like a manual on being an officer. Ever since reading it when anyone asks me what it is it like to be a cop I recommend that they read this book.

It could only have been written by a Police officer. He has captured the feelings, the fears and the cynicism better than anyone else. The scene he describes when a sergeant is conducting roll call is perfect. An elderly woman asks that officers call at her house every night in case she dies. She is afraid for her dog. One of the cops asks "she afraid he'll starve or she afraid he won't starve?". "The sympathy of these guys is touching" replies the sergeant. That is absolutely typical of the black humour that appears so callous to those who have never worn the badge. That type of attitude runs through the book but is balanced by the other attitude typical of the majority of officers-their professionalism.

I have read other excellent books (Homicide by David Simon, The Killing Season by Miles Corwin) but they haven't presented as accurate a picture of what cops think and feel as well as Joseph Wambaugh.

As one who lived 25 miles away from Los Angeles durng the 60's, this has to be one of my all time favorite books. It has all the harsh reality coupled with poignancy of what life as a police officer in Los Angeles amid the growing tension which culminated in the riots of August, 1965. This rightfully established Joseph Wambaugh as one of the most important U.S. authors let alone California crime writers and paved the way for the less realistic but equally gritty work of authors like James Ellroy and Michael Connelly.