The Bang Devils

Here's a nifty update of American noir set in Japan, following in the groundbreaking footsteps of Samuel Fuller's House of Bamboo and Crimson Kimono. This time, it's early 21st century so things have changed dramatically since the time of pachinko parlors run by Robert Ryan as a front for crime operations. Greed is more personal these days. It's typified by Jessica Romano, a sexy femme fatale who makes a nice chunk of change as a white girl desired by Asian men. They pay through the nose for her, but she wants more. With her half-Japanese, half-Flipino boyfriend Taro, she plans kidnapping her latest would-be sugar daddy Zeniya, a supposed salaryman (Japanese businessman) who's already shown her his stash of a million bucks in his home. Enter Chris Ryan, Jessica's "friend" from back home and a narrow-minded slacker who's good at two things: drug dealing and being selfish. Chris hooks up with Jessica and Taro in the kidnapping plot and this adds a wild element to the plot that lets it spin into crazier directions than it would otherwise. That's not a condemnation--not at all. The author, Patrick Foss, gives the reader a detailed look at today's Japan, all the way down to the drink Pocari Sweat (now sold in New York City's Grand Central Station, of all places). He lives in Japan, so no wonder! But it takes a skilled writer to do this well, and he is. He does a great job; you feel like you really are in Japan. His characterizations of the selfish, greedy Americans are just as well done as those of the brutal Japanese yakuza who enter the picture at exactly the wrong time for our anti-heroes. Since yakuza are involved, it's clear that things do not exactly work out as the kidnappers planned. That's a mild understatement. The plot zips along like a well-oiled thriller machine with a great bunch of smashing turns of event along the way leading up to a more than satisfying conclusion. Great piece of work to both pump the juices inside you and at the same time give you a real taste of today's Japan. Recommended.

a good read and insightful into the viewpoint of a foriegner in Japan. a peek into the cultural nuances that makes Japan a temptation. character building is excellent and is the backbone of Foss's writing style. easy to get into but tinged with a highschool testosterone air of excitement and danger. the ending is dissapointing if you hate cut offs, but the characters satisfy. would make a great movie, in America or Japan.

The Bang Devils: Where can I start? Patrick Foss creates believable characters that draw out real emotions. The world he portrays comes to life with a rich palette of characters and settings. Every path leads deeper into darker places. And, every place is more interesting than the previous. Raw and real characters like these evoke a neo-classic sense of cinema that kept me on the edge of my seat right up to the last word and beyond.As a person interested in Japan and Japanese culture, I found this book enlightening and intrepid. One by one Foss tackles some of the very things I find mysterious and taboo about Japan's allure.

"What's being good ever got you?" Jessica asks Chris as she convinces him to join her in kidnapping and extortion-- in the first chapter. The tone of THE BANG DEVILS is set early and Foss does a stellar job at it. With wit and style we're drawn into a world of 'love hotels' run by old ladies behind smoked-glass windows and night clubs where the women get paid ungodly sums to simply flirt. He also goes into wonderful detail describing the experience of young foreigners in Japan, and the delusions of grandeur that can grow out of it. What is unthinkable at home becomes quite feasible, and then some. The main characters are real and believable even in extreme situations. While I don't think that I would do the same things Chris, Jessica and Taro do-- kidnap a wealthy businessman-- if I went down that road I could imagine myself (unfortunately) reacting similarly to the events that unfold. That's one of the biggest strengths of the book, actually. The characters have realistic thoughts and make realistic choices. They're not going to win any prizes for loyalty, but at least I can see where they're coming from.Very cool cover, bad guys galore, and a downward spiral that resembles a waterslide to hell. If you've ever looked around and wondered, "How'd I get myself into THIS?" you'll appreciate watching Jessica and Chris trying to find ways out of a no-way-out situation that they've gotten themselves into.With twists that rival the best in the genre and an ending that left me breathless, THE BANG DEVILS is an excellent, quick read. I'm already looking forward to what comes next from this promising writer.

Patrick Foss is an absolute genius. His writing style is refreshing...I highly recommend this book if you're interested in Japan and want to learn more about what goes on below the polite surfaces.