Bangkok Burn

Bangkok Series #1

by Simon Royle

Orphaned as a child and raised as the only son of a Thai mafia godfather, Chance plans to quit the family business for the woman he loves.

Chance’s father is the godfather of Pak Nam and owner of the largest crocodile farm on earth. He didn’t get to where he is without knowing a thing or two about people, including how long it takes for a crocodile to digest one. Before Chance can quit, his father asks him to “take care of a little something for me.” Then a bomb goes off.

Waking up in hospital later that night, his father in a coma next door, Chance’s troubles have only just begun. There are three guys dressed in black down the corridor and they aren’t carrying flowers. Worse, Uncle Mike isn’t answering his phone, and a guy with a lisp is asking for a hundred million dollars in a week or “I’ll kill him, sthlowly.”

While figuring out who is trying to put the family permanently out of business, where to get a hundred million, and who’s got Uncle Mike, in the midst of a Bangkok gone crazy with factional fighting, quitting the family business takes a backseat to survival.

Survival begins with dying. And dying is the easy part.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Ebooks, Mystery Thriller

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 5, 2012

About the author

Simon Royle has been variously a loader of trucks, garbage-man, yachtsman, door-to-door salesman, advertising executive, and a senior executive in technology companies.

A futurist and a technologist, he lives in Bangkok, with his wife and two children.

Simon's first three novels Tag, Bangkok Burn, and Bangkok Wet, have all been well received by Amazon readers.

Tag is a technothriller set in the year 2109. What readers have called,

- "Very good read, story may have gone further but then since its Book 1 assume more to come in book 2. All in all an enjoyable and different futurist novel."

- "more futuristic than science-fiction, and the technological advances of 2110 are not far-fetched, they are easily imaginable."

- "...in "Tag." The technology felt like a logical evolution from today to one hundred years into the future."

- ""Tag," reminds me a bit of one my childhood favorite authors, Isaac Asimov, in that he's written a book that projects a future reflecting very plausible cultural and political scenario, given what trends we've seen in history."
(Above quotes stolen from recent reviews on Amazon US).

As Simon, says :), "With 'Tag' I drew on my travels and experiences in Singapore and Australia. Extrapolating from things I see today and placing them in the context of our world a hundred years from now."

The Bangkok Series, starts with a bang, literally...

Bangkok Burn - a noir thriller, set during the May 2010 riots in Bangkok, has proved a hit with readers; especially those who have traveled or are traveling to Thailand.

- "A red-hot thriller set against the exotic backdrop of Bangkok, this is a blistering read from start to finish."

- "I loved this book from beginning to end, it kept me hooked and on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I can't wait for the sequel." (Author's note: "I'm working on it...")

Further Author's note: The sequel to 'Bangkok Burn' is out!

Bangkok Wet, continues the lives of the Paknam mafia family... and it too has proven a hit with readers...

- "I liked the cultural insights. Story was well researched for sights in an around Thailand."

- "This sequel to the author's first book in the series expands upon the earlier volume's frenetic pace of action and large cast of characters; something is happening on virtually every page. Action lovers will find it here! The exotic setting, occasional glimpses into Thai culture add color to the plot and help to make it an interesting and engaging read."

- "I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up being that it was a while since I got a hold of the first. I must say that this read faster than the first. I totally enjoyed it and wish that the next in the series was out already." (Author's note: I'm working on it....)

And I really am working on the next in the Bangkok Series, as you may read on my website, I didn't kill off my main character. Badly shot up and in a coma for a while, he pulled through thanks to Chai's blood and Dr. Tom's skills (along with Mere Joom's shadow looming large in the near background).

I love to connect with you. Got a question, something to say, or just want to say hello, then send me an email: simon@simon-royle.com

I have a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Simon.Royle.Author

A website at www.simon-royle.com

I also have a twitter feed (where I infrequently tweet) @sgroyle

Simon

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this book. This is the second book by Simon Royle that i have read, and both were pretty good, this one though, is much better than the other. It is very much like "The Sopranos", but in thailand, rather than New Jersey. It is told first person by Chance, the not quite middle age patriarch of an organized crime group, similar to Tony Soprano, but a little younger. It follows his train of thought and his actions directly, but includes enought backsotry of the other characters to have them pretty well filled out... "FLESHED OUT??" There is plenty of action, but i am not sure i would call it action packed. rather than being explicitly about the action, it is more about the man, and his thought process as he endures a week or two of direct attacks on his person, and how he deals with it. It was a little slow to get going, and i almost quit, but it flowed a lot better as it went, and the plot more developed. At first, he wasn't sure who was after him or why, and it gets kind of dry with the day to day filler... but it does pick up as he starts putting 2 and 2 together and figuring out the roles of the different players.

Turned out to be a lot better than i thought starting out.

Mr. Royle, if you read this... (as you did my review of your other book), this was much better, and i like the ending more! Good Work!

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dare you to try to read this book is more than 3 days. No really. Go ahead.

Holy wow! Mr. Royle grabs us and drags us kicking and screaming into a hard boiled novel that is nothing short of action-packed. No, action-jammed. The characters are so well developed and well rounded while pushing the story further and further along.

I did have a few nit-pick editing issues (like the voice), but they were small and the strength of this book truly comes from the writing and the story.

I will say that I did enjoy the author's previous book, [[ASIN:B004EYUELS Tag - A Technothriller (The Zumar Chronicles)]], slightly more, but that is more my genre. The fact is, though, that Bangkok Burn stands completely on it's own and can hold it's own.

I look forward to seeing what the author churns out next.

Recommended for those who are looking for an adrenaline rush and to be sucked into a fabulous story.

[Jenni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bangkok Burn - A Thriller (Kindle Edition)
I bought this book because I was intrigued by the setting, having myself lived overseas for years. I loved the descriptions of Bangkok and Thailand in general, and I was intrigued by the plot. The story is good, and the characters are pretty well fleshed out. I thought the writing was very good in places and lacking in others. The Kindle version I read had several places where sentence structure was spotty, as if the book had been written in a hurry and not edited as carefully as it should. This pulled me out of the story in a few places, but wasn't so distracting as to make me put it down. I continued reading because it was fast paced and I wanted to know what happened. There was one moment of total disconnect with the main character that nearly made me put the book down for good. But I enjoyed the story overall.

[Sharon Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read, definitely thriller rather than mystery, set in a location (Thailand) that is a complete unknown to me and revolving around a 'mob' family business. If the author is writing from personal knowledge, it is an intriguing look into a totally different culture. If not, it is still a very interesting read. The plot was interesting, the look into the oriental mindset very unique and the characters quite well defined and descriptions of the countryside are very vivid.

Overall, a fast pace and decidedly not a boring read. This is a book that tends to grab you with the first bomb blast and doesn't really let go. I will say, however, I shall never look at an alligator or crocodile farm quite the same again.

[Citatel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read in quite a long time.

The combination of exotic setting, fast-paced action, guns, fast cars, gangsters, a bit of romance, and very likeable villains was just perfect for my taste. The plot is complex with a few sub-plots with flash-backs to the past.

I like when you can't predict how is it going to end. With this book you often can't predict what is going to happen on the next page.

The author Simon Royle has been living in Bangkok for quite a long time and it clearly shows. His knowledge of the location and people gives the book that extra flavour that sets it apart.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will hold you from start to end. It is a fast-moving thriller that does not let up for a second and I could not put it down. The story is told in a way that puts you in Thailand, and in a way that makes you feel like you have lived there yourself. The inclusion of the events of 2010 as a backdrop was done very well.

If you lean more toward Barry Eisler than to Vince Flynn, this was written for you.

The book could have been formatted better. And I wasn’t sure if some of the editing and grammar was to be in keeping with a ‘local’ telling the story, but neither of these points will affect your enjoyment.

I found the cover very attractive and unambiguous.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Thai mafia style family head and his adopted son are targeted by rival gangs from Cambodia and Laos. Throw in government, military and police corruption while the son tries to solve the mystery of who instigated the hit. Lots of action, fast-paced and interesting. Great characters. Needs some editing, commas in strange places, sentences need ordering, but I really enjoyed it.

[Shawna Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great characters! Loved the feel of the Thai landscape and the political climate happening behind the scenes. Fast-paced, fast-moving and lots of twists and turns.

Some minor editing issues (missing words), but nothing big. Could use a quick cleanup before the next edition.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!!

Brilliant crime novel and not a word wasted. Mr Royle has captured Thailand and Bangkok perfectly. I cannot vouch for the life of Thai crime gangs but it certainly makes for exciting reading. Looking forward to the next one.!

[Lars Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced, exciting Thai mafia story. Highly recommended.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thugs and gangsters and Yakuza in Bangkok and family is family even when you're a farang adopted into a Bangkok mafia family.

[Dennis Willingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good thriller, reads much like a good Hong Kong action movie, very fast paced.

[Roseann Esposito · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a gangster book since The Godfather books. I was pleasantly surprised. Lots of twist, great cast of characters and lots of action. I really enjoyed this book

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced and some good insights into Thai society. Enjoyable read.

[Herman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really nice read, quick, lots of action, some rather interesting scenes, good research, there were a few spots that I was asking questions like really where did he find some shoes? Things that only if you thought about the scene for awhile would you say oh hey yeah, that wouldn't have worked out that way because,.... Still for 95% of this book I was hooked and wondering what's going to happen next. For sure going to read another book from this author.

[Mark Wilkerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me, though I really don't know what the recommender thought I would see in this book. It reads like an amateur James Patterson novel, yet with too many twists, turns, and frustratingly simple escapes from the jaws of death. It was a slog, and repetitious at that. Not for me. I will not be reading the sequels.

[Beth Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a word.... AWESOME! Loved the story. Simon Royle crafted one heck of an action packed story with this one. Not only was the story itself great, but I loved his description of the local and the customs that go with it. Really cool.

[Malcolm Schaffer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book at all and 2 is being generous.The plot felt very strung out,the characters had little substance not least the main character Chance and the term ‘thriller’ could not be more misleading for a yawn a minute story.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

[Luis Montalvo · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!

Absolutely riveting!! Could not put it down. Need more!! Very highly recommended. My Kudos to the author, very well put together.

[Simon Gough · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was looking for a book based in Thailand to read whilst holidaying there. This was ok but not great,
It felt a bit like I was reading a Netflix action movie...

[Benny Mullinax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. A lot of action and great characters. Especially liked how it explains a little about the culture. Now I have started to read the second book in the series.

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bangkok Fizzle

I was provided a free copy for an honest review.

I was hoping for a pace pounding, seat-of-the-pants thriller set in the underworld of Bangkok. Not the case. The only characters I could develop any empathy for were Chance, Mother, Pim and Chai. All of the others were so sketchy, they appeared to be filler; afterthoughts to complete the story.

*****Spoiler Alert*****
I’m big on believable action scenes and the main one that decided whether Chance lives or dies puts James Bond to shame. Seriously, how can someone whose hands are bound behind his back, his feet shackled, a bag covering his face in a pitch dark cargo container crawl over stacks of money, find the forklift, start it, shift the gears and drive the machine threw the doors happen? Oh, then he falls 120 meters off a cliff and somehow survives with minimal injuries. I almost stopped reading. I felt the scene came straight out “Lethal Weapon 2.”

When I was hoping the story would add depth to the intrigue, it vanished. But when it was time to smoke pot, eat at a restaurant or drink wine, the story was full of rich details. Really? Did I miss an episode of “Warring Chefs?”

I did not care for many of the chapter titles. They were pulled straight out of Hollywood. More imagination should be pursued.

The ending is anticlimactic. Halfway through you will make observations on whose trying to kill Chance. When the truth is revealed, it’s not a “WTH?” moment, it’s more like, “and?” And then there are three more chapters attempting to lay ground work for the sequel. That was disquieting. We don’t need everything explained.

For me, the best part and most well thought out scenarios was the civil war going in Bangkok. If the story would have centered around this, it would have been a smash, but unfortunately, it was a back drop story.

Overall, a disappointing read. 2.5 stars.

[Melissa Monks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book could have used a few more revisions or at least a better editor. There are confusing tense shifts throughout and the author uses the wrong character name in one of the final chapters.

I liked the opening and was excited about the book at first, but the protagonist was quickly thrown into inaction and the book went downhill from there. At one point the protagonist states that most of a gangster's life is boring, just a lot of driving around and talking on the phone. Unfortunately, that sentiment describes this book pretty well. It's hard to like a character that lets his people (and mom) do everything for him.

I think the main problem was that there was too much going on for the scope of the book. Solving only one problem would have left the protagonist with less delegating and more doing.

Also, the book is written in 1st person and the narrator continually refers to the reader as an outsider who can't possibly understand his world. Made me wonder why I bothered reading at all on several occasions. Readers want to be drawn into a story, not kicked out.

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set primarily in Thailand, this is a running narrative by an adopted westerner into a Thai extended family with many interests both legitimate and illegitimate including a crocodile farm tourist attraction that also doubles as a disposal site for bodies. Lots of shooting as various factions and families battle for control. There is also a kidnapping of one of the family members at the recovery attempts. There is lots of atmosphere in this one. It makes Bangkok look like a dangerous place to live.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book at first and then became indifferent. The story is about a high flying farang gangster who tries to figure out who blew him and the godfather up. It seems typical of a thriller - guns, nerves of steel, crafty smart protagonist who can tap the unlimited corrupt/gangster connections to best the villains. I enjoy descriptions of Bangkok but some other descriptions of activities seemed a bit too details and distracted from the plot. The writing is pretty good, but I would tell others they ought to read only if the subject or setting interests them.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this mafia-type tale with-in the setting of Bangkok. The story is set during the uprising of the Red Shirts against the Thai Government, an actual event that took place in 2010. The author takes this historical occurrence and interjects a plausible story of murder and attempted murder going on under the nose of the paid off police department. A story that is only possible when money is no object, and men/women will do whatever they are told regardless of the moral outcome.

[Lynn Hallbrooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Mystery/Thriller

Chance, the adopted son of a Thai Godfather, investigates a series of events that begin when a bomb goes off putting him and his father in the hospital.

I love how Mr. Royle weaves in Chance's thoughts, the cultural differences, and the historic background. I also love the plot twists and turns.

Warning: This book is for Mature Audiences due to Graphic Violence, Sexual Situations, Adult Language, and 'Drug' use.

[Rkb 2015 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Thai mafia style family head and his adopted son are targeted by rival gangs from Cambodia and Laos. Throw in government, military and police corruption while the son tries to solve the mystery of who instigated the hit. Lots of action, fast-paced and interesting. Great characters. Needs some editing, commas in strange places, sentences need ordering, but I really enjoyed it.

[Vicki Tyley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It took me a moment to realize, I couldn’t see her body, because it wasn’t attached to her head. I wiggled my toes and fingers.”

Fast, furious and dangerous. A real page-turner. I’ll never look at a crocodile the same way again.