Title: The Teenage Mafia Book 1: Not your average gang
Author: Henry F. Tyler, III
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 9781463440091
Pages: 272, Paperback
Genre: Urban Action Thriller
Reviewed by: Beth Adams, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
Henry F. Tyler III has achieved his goal of becoming an author with his debut book titled, The Teenage Mafia, Book 1: Not Your Average Gang. In it, he takes the reader into a different place many never have nor ever will experience; within the minds of some young, misdirected inner-city youths, seeking a way out of their poverty and boredom. Forming a gang and becoming “Gs” (Gangsters), the group of 6 plus, some of their friends descend into the tide of uncertainty of life’s consequences. Their goal was to steal enough money for life, kill and do whatever it took, but mostly just stay out of jail. This became a challenge as things escalated beyond their control, bad stuff happens, and people changed.
As novices to the crime scene, the group first goes out to score guns. Then during the first of many meetings, they discuss each individual’s roles like The Little Rascals on crack, childishly naive and without regard for the victims. They practiced by knocking off some customers at an ATM machine, then evolving to a 7-11. Things heated up and got real as consequences changed when two of Eric’s (one of the Gs) girlfriends got into a cat fight, and one pulled the trigger of a gun killing the other.
My first impression of Henry F. Tyler III’s writing was that it was riddled with misuses of grammar. But as the book progressed it all came into focus, becoming an understood sub-set of English well known and popular in slang, ghetto phraseology, and rap music within our culture. I actually became impressed with Henry’s ability to “break the rules” and “say it as he thought it should be said,” so to speak. He provided many translations for slang words (using parenthesis). That technique, I found at times to be rather humorous, reminding me of the sequence when they used sub-titles during a rap dialog in the movie Airplane.
The Teenage Mafia is a series of books, with Not Your Average Gang being the first with more to come. This is groundbreaking realism with no-holds-barred. The story at times floats without direction, and some of the plot gets sidetracked, but overall the character development brings the reader to cleverly understand a sympatric and empathic side to the characters’ personalities. What’s frightening is that it all begins to make sense! Just as Training Day shook up movie goers by bringing Denzel Washington into a corrupt cop role peeling away at the social structure and getting down with the street, The Teenage Mafia goes right to the pavement. The sequences of violence, sex, friendship and emotional outbursts show us real stuff which is going on around us; and you need to know about this before you get knocked out without seeing it coming!
The Teenage Mafia is an explosive book recommended for mature adults and people seeking something out of the ordinary. Filled from the core with violence, raunchy sex, drugs, guns, sleaze and sluts, it uncovers many character types that go unseen by society. The book, taking place in L.A., I feel can be worked into a screenplay for Hollywood’s adaptation, more of a Showtime or HBO drama. Like it or hate it, you will not forget the stories contained within these pages. I’m anxious now to see what the sequel has in store!
