When the Dragon Roars Book Review

 Brimming with twists, turns, and non-stop drama, When The Dragon Roars by Nesly Clerge is a thriller ideal for any fan of prison-noir.

When The Dragon Roars opens with the protagonist, Frederick Stark, a.k.a The Dragon, at the nadir of his life. Having been betrayed by his ex-wife Kayla, a life one fraught with opportunities is now exceedingly limited. He is in jail, serving an extended sentence for placing the man who cuckholded him in a coma. But Starks is not one to let life get him down that easily-using the acumen that he had acquired as a CEO, he boldly, yet subtly, begins an attempt at ascension of the prison hierarchy. But things start to look hairy when the prison COs suspect him of the two inside job murderers-which he did have a heavy hand in executing.

On the outside, he looks to his private investigator Michael Parker to manage his financials, and that need for a link to the real world becomes even greater as suspicions rise about his deadly activities behind bars. A medical scare only increases his desire to rise to the top and get his affairs in order. But it also seems to make him bolder, as he is able to stab some nastier prison gang members with a poisoned shank, as an act of retaliation for killing a follower prisoner.

With the help of his cellmate Jackson, Starks starts to recruit gang members of his own: Pete, Tommy, Stinky, and Tank. But the gang hostility escalates quickly, and after a brawl, Starks is sent to the SHU, where he has time to contemplate: how got himself in prison in the first place, the women in his life, plans for the future. Also while in the SHU, Stark realizes that his situation is getting more precarious as he is losing protection from the guards. To get more of an advantage, he and his crew turn to the prison black market, and start trading cell phones.

A few days later, Starks meets the elder Gabe Bianchi, who similarly has lost wealth, family, and career reputation. He feels drawn to the Bianchi, but Bianchi is bad news-the former boss of an infamous crime family with a reputation for ruthlessness. He's a dangerous friend to make, but one who could also prove to be useful.

Meanwhile, Starks nineteen-year-old new inmate Kane under his wing and asks him to be his new cellmate. But Kane may not be entirely who he seems.

All this time, Starks's health has only been deteriorating. He goes to the hospital and discovers that he has a dangerously low hemoglobin level and is severely anemic. In the process of finding a donor, discovers that his eldest son, Blake, isn't his biological child. It's seems like the blows just keep coming from his ex-wife Kayla.

Book Review: The Cotton Tree by Sahr Sankoh

 In The Cotton Tree, Sahr Sankoh uses brutal honesty, sarcasm and satire to bring light to the pressing political issues of our times. The book contains 57 poems filled with wit and sarcasm about things we have all probably wanted to say at one time or another, but wouldn't dare to put into words. Sankoh's brilliant use of alliteration brings world events to new heights, poking light fun at a wide array of topics ranging from public transportation to Japanese horror movies to rap music and even touches on controversial topics such as the missing Malaysian flight. Sankoh provides extremely thoughtful, yet humorous insights into pressing issues in today's society as well as pop culture, using light sarcasm and wit without being distasteful or tactless.

The Cotton Tree is different from most poetry books in that the poems aren't the typical eight line rhyming poem that we were taught to compose in elementary school. Rather it is a unique collection of poems ranging of various lengths making light of often controversial topics of today's culture. I especially like how Sankoh is brutally honest in the Forward section of the book, letting us know that we needn't bother dissecting every line of every poem to find some deep and "hidden meaning." His poetry is more of "what you see is what you get." nature. However, there is a brief synopsis of each poem at the end of the book, which in my opinion,, only provides further insight into the brilliant workings of Sankoh enlightened imagination.

One poem that stands out for me is entitled "Starbucks Demeanor" in which Sankoh pokes fun at the popular coffee shop, and the type of clientele that most frequent that iconic coffee establishment, including what type of coffee each "genre" prefers. Another favorite is "The Cassette Tape Culture" which starts out as walk down memory lane about the simplicity of teenage years and how music was such a part of that culture then suddenly takes an unsurprised turn (but I won't spoil it). If I have to choose a poem I liked the least I would say it would be "God Save the Wolf." I personally felt this one was just a tad too distasteful and a bit over the top, in my opinion, but then I wouldn't recommend The Cotton Tree to anyone under the age of sixteen as it touches on some rather adult topics at times.

Overall, The Cotton Tree is a delightfully humorous satirical journey into the world we live in today. One must take these poems with a grain of salt and know that they are meant to shed light and humor on sometimes otherwise dark and morbid topics. This book is not for those who are extremely sensitive or highly moral. It is a brilliant parody of today's hot topics and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sahr Sankoh has a way of making controversial topics seem less daunting. I definitely recommend this book if you have an open mind and a good sense of humor.