Breaking into houses, garages, cars and stealing valuables after someone bought a stereo from you or let you into their home sounds like a normal “come up” on some cash for teenagers Patrick, Keith, Alex and Pete. These kids are probably not your average rebellious teen.
Black dogs gets underway by instantly hit the reader with a controversial music opinion, as the narrator, who we later find out is named Patrick, almost instantaneously begins with “the greatest band in the work: Black Sabbath.” The reader then learns that Patrick is visiting his home town after he “skipped town,” but other then that nothing is revealed. Subsequently we meet Frenchy... ugh... Pete, who is an avid music enthusiast and artist that works at a record store. Another friend, Alex, is mentioned to be returning home, however the details of this affair are kept away from the readers prying eyes. Instead the pair drive to pick up their other friend Keith, who turns out being a car stereo instillation specialist at a shop where the owner also hires him to “uninstall(s) them in the middle of night” for a cut of the profit. After this touching piece of information and a heartwarming story of breaking, entering and stealing, one realizes that these guys are not the type you want your kids around; they are probably up to no good. The fact that you find out Alex is returning from jail exacerbates the suspicion.
The third chapter derails completely, enough to make any passenger confused. After the seemingly random story, the story jumps to Alex’s coming back from jail party. His family is introduced and it becomes clear where all the criminal behavior stems from. While Patrick is waiting for Alex he begins to mingle with Danny, Alex’s uncle, who is the lowest of the low in the family. Not only that, but we also learn that it is Danny who is apparently responsible for Alex’s ordeal. This is where the pieces of the story begin to resemble a picture as things start to be explained and the featured scheme is established. “I want to rob Led Zeppelin” Patrick utters.
Once again the story decides to derail in chapter 6, but not to worry, phrases and plot pieces are mentioned, disappear and reappear later on. This being comparable to a magic show. Chapter three’s relevance is elucidated and we find out how Alex ended up in jail and why Patrick skipped town; a slapstick scenario involving an albino snake.
The wheels of the plan begin to turn after Frenchy successfully receives attention from Richard Cole, Led Zeppelin’s manager. All gears begin to move but one, as a super rare guitar is now a necessary.
From there that is about the only thing that results remotely as planned. The group’s plate piles up as the story takes off from there. It starts off with the robbery of a pawnshop that is owned by a bloodthirsty, bible reading biker gang gone wrong. However things do not look any better at the carnival, where a huge (and hilarious) fight breaks out. Over and above, police are added into the equation, things never seem in the right place, trouble with “the New York fucking Giants” ensues, betrayal lurks and a desperate attorney general makes an odd request. By the time of the climax, their plate looks more like a buffet.
Although Black Dogs constantly rambles and references rock and roll, the book will fill the needs of any admirer of action stuffed books, the kind that look like your momma’s Thanksgiving turkey stuffed to near explosion. From the first page, everything slowly creeps in, with the plot not all being hidden behind door number one. Every chapter ties together well, even when something seems out of place. The chapters do not just conclude with the completion of a thought, but instead opening a door to another, and when you start that new chapter, it is hard to stop.
A health mix of talk and action keeps one enticed in the quick read rather then thinking ahead, keeping the reader from having those pesky “that was so predictable” moments. The overall writing was plain and simple but worked well with the story, action scenes read quick and remained intense, while chatter read smooth and easily understandable. Even though there was a lack of embellishments that “showed” the story rather then telling it, there were parts that evoked clear visuals. The line “A long tattooed finger pointed right to me, the skull ring glistening in the neon lights” shoot out. Other lines such as “the future is uncertain and the end is always near” really set the mood.
Black Dogs was certainly an enthralling page turner that holds on to you till the end like a Hendrix solo. Jason Buhrmester did a grant job of slowly building the story up, uncovering bits and pieces at a time, thus evoking a sense that the reader is a new addition to the group of friends. Nonetheless the end you left saying that “these low life mother fuckers deserve to be in jail.”
