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Bangkok Series #2
Bangkok Wet
27 October 2011
As Bangkok barricades itself against a rising flood of toxic waste, Chance has got some wet work of his own going on. He’d rather be on honeymoon with Pim; that had been the plan.
But the plan didn’t include the untimely death of a Godfather’s son, being blamed for the theft of a billion baht, and a move by a rival gang on Big Tiger’s territory; now there’s a new plan – war and retribution.
Funny thing about guns and plans – everyone’s got one.
As Bangkok barricades itself against a rising flood of toxic waste, Chance has got some wet work of his own going on. He’d rather be on honeymoon with Pim; that had been the plan.
But the plan didn’t include the untimely death of a Godfather’s son, being blamed for the theft of a billion baht, and a move by a rival gang on Big Tiger’s territory; now there’s a new plan – war and retribution.
Funny thing about guns and plans – everyone’s got one.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 31, 2013
31 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Simon Royle
5 books45 followersSimon 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
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
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 1, 2015
This review is cross-posted from Papyrus Independent Author Reviews (http://papyrus.calebblake.net/2013/07/07/bangkok-wet-by-simon-royle/)
The rains are here and Bangkok is flooding, but the big wet isn't going to prevent a gang war. As the waters rise, so do the stakes. Chance returns to showcase Thailand's underbelly in the electrifying sequel to Bangkok Burn.
After a small job to rough-up a rival family's wayward son derails, Chance Paknam and his family find themselves in another volatile situation. In the first novel, the author pounded the reader with adrenaline-fueled action. In Bangkok Wet, he has managed the impossible and cranked it up another notch. After a messy opening, we encounter deaths, weddings, abductions, manipulations and double-dealing, mystery antagonists, explosions, police corruption, unexpected revelations and my personal favourite, crocodiles.
The fact that this all takes place in Bangkok during the infamous 2011 floods, adds a currency and a freshness to this explosive gangster thriller.
It's difficult to pick fault with this story. I think it's everything it needed to be to seize and maintain my attention. There were no dull pauses and although the action was frenetic and exhausting I never felt like I had had enough. I devoured the book in a couple of sittings, which is a pretty good indication that the story worked very well for me.
My favourites are back in this novel and nearly all are anti-heroes. The author left the model citizens out which only made the experience more delicious.
Chance features again and he's sympathetic for an anti-hero. Just like in the first book, I was cheering for him the whole way. I like a protagonist that is allowed to make mistakes and Chance makes his fair share. For much of the book he and his smart and powerful family are being played. Chance becomes the boxing bag of our mystery antagonist and he certainly takes a beating. However, he remains charming and smooth even while looking (and feeling) like Hell. What's not to like?
Chance's adopted parents feature more heavily in this story. We see his "mother", Mere Joom take a much more active role. She is still very much the voice at the other end of the phone, but in this story she spends some time in the spotlight proving that she's as good at using a weapon as she is at using her extensive criminal network. I was smitten with this character in the first novel so it was a delight to see her take a bigger role.
Chai, Chance's bodyguard is omni-present again in this novel. He plays the part of a very faithful dog, if that dog was a trained commando, and he is the main reason Chance survives more than a dozen pages at any given time in the book. He continues to provide a good foil for the slick, decidedly less military Chance.
I really can't complain about any of the characters. Whether they play smaller roles or are central to the story, all display an obvious personality. It adds a welcome vibrancy to the storytelling.
In the first novel, one of my few concerns was that I wasn't totally sold on the attempt to give a Thai feel to the language of the narrative. Although a clever idea, I felt that it had a negative (albeit small) impact to the flow. Not so in this novel. I either didn't notice it - or it wasn't there.
There was still a conversational element to the style of the narrative which I quite liked. Chance would talk to me, condescending with a "…you farang…" qualification here and there, reminding me that I am an outsider permitted but a glance into Chance's world. I loved this approach, and being talked down to didn't rankle at all. It was fitting - and it worked.
I can't wait to read the next book of this series. The author left me on a cliff-hanger and I simply must find out what happens next. I know not all readers like cliff-hanger endings so there may be a justification there to wait until the next book is released before reading this one.
Otherwise, for those who like non-stop action and mayhem in a very real setting, observing a Thailand very different from the holiday brochures, I say dive into Bangkok Wet. You won't regret it.
The rains are here and Bangkok is flooding, but the big wet isn't going to prevent a gang war. As the waters rise, so do the stakes. Chance returns to showcase Thailand's underbelly in the electrifying sequel to Bangkok Burn.
After a small job to rough-up a rival family's wayward son derails, Chance Paknam and his family find themselves in another volatile situation. In the first novel, the author pounded the reader with adrenaline-fueled action. In Bangkok Wet, he has managed the impossible and cranked it up another notch. After a messy opening, we encounter deaths, weddings, abductions, manipulations and double-dealing, mystery antagonists, explosions, police corruption, unexpected revelations and my personal favourite, crocodiles.
The fact that this all takes place in Bangkok during the infamous 2011 floods, adds a currency and a freshness to this explosive gangster thriller.
It's difficult to pick fault with this story. I think it's everything it needed to be to seize and maintain my attention. There were no dull pauses and although the action was frenetic and exhausting I never felt like I had had enough. I devoured the book in a couple of sittings, which is a pretty good indication that the story worked very well for me.
My favourites are back in this novel and nearly all are anti-heroes. The author left the model citizens out which only made the experience more delicious.
Chance features again and he's sympathetic for an anti-hero. Just like in the first book, I was cheering for him the whole way. I like a protagonist that is allowed to make mistakes and Chance makes his fair share. For much of the book he and his smart and powerful family are being played. Chance becomes the boxing bag of our mystery antagonist and he certainly takes a beating. However, he remains charming and smooth even while looking (and feeling) like Hell. What's not to like?
Chance's adopted parents feature more heavily in this story. We see his "mother", Mere Joom take a much more active role. She is still very much the voice at the other end of the phone, but in this story she spends some time in the spotlight proving that she's as good at using a weapon as she is at using her extensive criminal network. I was smitten with this character in the first novel so it was a delight to see her take a bigger role.
Chai, Chance's bodyguard is omni-present again in this novel. He plays the part of a very faithful dog, if that dog was a trained commando, and he is the main reason Chance survives more than a dozen pages at any given time in the book. He continues to provide a good foil for the slick, decidedly less military Chance.
I really can't complain about any of the characters. Whether they play smaller roles or are central to the story, all display an obvious personality. It adds a welcome vibrancy to the storytelling.
In the first novel, one of my few concerns was that I wasn't totally sold on the attempt to give a Thai feel to the language of the narrative. Although a clever idea, I felt that it had a negative (albeit small) impact to the flow. Not so in this novel. I either didn't notice it - or it wasn't there.
There was still a conversational element to the style of the narrative which I quite liked. Chance would talk to me, condescending with a "…you farang…" qualification here and there, reminding me that I am an outsider permitted but a glance into Chance's world. I loved this approach, and being talked down to didn't rankle at all. It was fitting - and it worked.
I can't wait to read the next book of this series. The author left me on a cliff-hanger and I simply must find out what happens next. I know not all readers like cliff-hanger endings so there may be a justification there to wait until the next book is released before reading this one.
Otherwise, for those who like non-stop action and mayhem in a very real setting, observing a Thailand very different from the holiday brochures, I say dive into Bangkok Wet. You won't regret it.
February 14, 2013
Chapter after chapter, the action just continues. A break for a drink and a smoke, and right back into more action.
The return of Chance in this Bangkok mafia crime action lives up expectations. What appears to be minor blows up amidst rising flood waters in Bangkok. Suddenly, there's war brewing among the families, and Chance once again need to find out who is being the curtain, and unravel a number of shocking surprises along the way.
My only gripe are the names. Thai names are a complete unknown to me, reading and remembering some of these names are difficult, and some of the names may be a little too similar for this poor farang, so I may have lost track of who's who once or twice. But, it is what it is.
The return of Chance in this Bangkok mafia crime action lives up expectations. What appears to be minor blows up amidst rising flood waters in Bangkok. Suddenly, there's war brewing among the families, and Chance once again need to find out who is being the curtain, and unravel a number of shocking surprises along the way.
My only gripe are the names. Thai names are a complete unknown to me, reading and remembering some of these names are difficult, and some of the names may be a little too similar for this poor farang, so I may have lost track of who's who once or twice. But, it is what it is.
July 17, 2013
First book got my interest and this one carried on with even more speed and action. I was kind of sorry the author killed the main character off at the end, so I didn't have any sequels to grab for the rest of my holiday.
September 8, 2017
After reading Bangkok Burns, I really didn't think the author would be able to recreate that magic. I was, happily, proven wrong. This second book was just as good, if not better. Fast paced, and thrilling, it kept me turning those pages very quickly. Bangkok Wet is fantastic. Do yourself a favor and get both, you won't regret it.
I was provided with an exclusive author's copy of this book. This is my honest review.
I was provided with an exclusive author's copy of this book. This is my honest review.
February 1, 2025
What an action packed book. From start to finish it keeps you guessing and has excellent plots. Unexpected ending that left me hanging.
May 26, 2013
Bangkok Wet continues the story of Chance, the farang (a Caucasian, in Thai), who is being groomed to take over his adoptive Thai father’s crime family. With his childhood friend and bodyguard, Chai, in tow, Chance searches for his new bride (kidnapped before they could leave on their honeymoon) and runs afoul of multiple groups with their own agendas. In the end, he uncovers some unexpected history and plenty of nefarious goings-on.
I view the Bangkok series as akin to a Thai version of The Godfather. The interaction between the members of the crime family, other crime families, police, politicians, and civilians is similar in some regards, yet not in others. The setting in Thailand and the cultural differences add much to the story and its feel. It also occurs to me that Chance, although in theory on the wrong side of the law, is a character who I pull for because he lives by a code that, while crossing lines that might make him seem bad, is actually more ethical and moral than the corrupt government officials he often has to deal with. Just as with Bangkok Burn, this latest installment of the Bangkok series is a fast paced thrill ride through the Thai underground, and should keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the shocking end.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
I view the Bangkok series as akin to a Thai version of The Godfather. The interaction between the members of the crime family, other crime families, police, politicians, and civilians is similar in some regards, yet not in others. The setting in Thailand and the cultural differences add much to the story and its feel. It also occurs to me that Chance, although in theory on the wrong side of the law, is a character who I pull for because he lives by a code that, while crossing lines that might make him seem bad, is actually more ethical and moral than the corrupt government officials he often has to deal with. Just as with Bangkok Burn, this latest installment of the Bangkok series is a fast paced thrill ride through the Thai underground, and should keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the shocking end.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
March 12, 2013
Very entertaining thriller. Can't wait to read the next one.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews