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House of Jaguar
HOUSE OF A tense, dangerous thriller of CIA operations and dirty wars in Latin America, guerrilla battles, drug flights, environmental catastrophes and genocides. Based on the author’s own experiences as a war and human rights correspondent there.1.ARCHETYPAL STORY OF LOVE AND The intensity of love when any instant you can be killed. There is no safety anywhere, and any mistake could doom the person you love.2.FEEL THE What’s it like to be hunted through the jungle, on foreign streets and in dirty barrios by endless faceless enemies? When you can never escape?3. Midnight landings on mountain roads, guerrilla encampments, the Mexican underworld and California rock stars. HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.4.AMERICA’S DIRTIEST HOUSE OF JAGUAR breaks the silence on the extensive war crimes perpetrated by US-backed military dictatorships in Central America. The author was the last foreign correspondent left in Guatemala when over 150 journalists had been killed by death squads, and worked thereafter as a human rights activist exposing US actions.See CAUSED IT BUT WE’RE Starting with the US overthrow of Guatemala’s elected government in 1954, the US plunged that country into 45 years of civil wars and genocides. The present trial of ex-dictator Rios Montt has focused on numerous atrocities committed with the support of the Reagan administration, but the US has not even been cited in the trial. 6.HISTORICAL House of Jaguar is the core of Tikal, Guatemala’s ancient city civilization. What was it like?7.JUNGLE The animals, trees, insects, the intensity of verdant thriving beings. The author traveled many miles of jungle and paddled many wild rivers and streams. HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.8.DOES THE US TORTURE? What really happens inside the torture cells, the US covert groups, and genocidal Army units? HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.9.KILLING CHRIST’S Why exterminate the Catholic clergy too? HOUSE OF JAGUAR tells why.10.THE SIX HOUSES OF House of Jaguar is the first of the six Mayan houses of Hell. Primeval myths and Mayan memories powerfully influence many Guatemalans. Are they a metaphor for what we’ve done? 11.BEFORE THE FIRING Will you want the blindfold as they tie you to the bullet-splintered bloody pole and you look down the barrels of the waiting guns? HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.12.A DOLLAR A DAY IS PLENTY OF The role of US fruit companies in stamping out democracy in Central America. HOUSE OF JAGUAR tells how.13.WANT MORE WEAPONS? You’re a military dictatorship and the CIA wants to give you more weapons but you’re so evil that Congress has suspended military aid. How does the CIA get you the weapons anyway? HOUSE OF JAGUAR explains how.14.YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO You’ve just been grabbed off the street by a death squad and thrown into a Black Maria. In 30 seconds they’ll pull up on a side street, drag you out and cut your throat. What are your last thoughts?15.EXTERMINATING THE RAIN Can we protect the last vestiges of rain forest in Central America? And their magnificent animals?“Tough and tense thriller.” − Manchester Evening News“A terrifyig depiction of one man’s battle against the CIA and Latin American death squads.” – BBC“With detailed descriptions of actual jungle battles and manhunts, vanishing rain forests and the ferocity of guerrilla war, House of Jaguar also reveals the CIA’s role in both death squads and drug running, twin scourges of Central America.” − Newton Chronicle“Vicious thriller of drugs and revolution in the wilds of Guatemala, with the adventurer hero, aided by a woman doctor, facing a crooked CIA agent. The climax is among the most horrifying I have ever read.” − Liverpool Daily Post
434 pages, Paperback
First published March 11, 1993
1682 people are currently reading
2372 people want to read
About the author
Mike Bond
39 books442 followersMIKE BOND has been called the “master of the existential thriller” by the BBC and “one of the 21st century’s most exciting authors” by the Washington Times. He is a bestselling novelist, environmental activist, international energy expert, war and human rights correspondent and award-winning poet who has lived and worked in many remote and dangerous parts of the world. His critically acclaimed novels depict the innate hunger of the human heart for what is good, the intense joys of love, the terror and fury of battle, the sinister vagaries of international politics and multinational corporations, and the beauty of the vanishing natural world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 20, 2023
“We’re back in Guatemala.” “When we get out this time, I’m going to bag it too.”
But they waited one trip too long and Murphy’s life as a pilot flying marijuana from Guatemala to the States is over.
I’m not going into everything that is in the blurb, but I do remember hearing a lot about the CIA, the cartels, corrupt politicians…on both sides…those with their own agendas. To me, everything about the ‘drug wars’ and the way our government handles it is all wrong. A book like House Of Jaguar gets my emotions roiled. The tragic circumstances of the poor and those who get in the way, makes my heart break for them.
“For two years I do not see a track. Then since you came this one’s been near. He’s very rare, a black one…Tonight after the ceremony I go and call him. Then we’ll have money for more seeds – black skins are the most valuable.”
In tragic, dangerous circumstances, there are those who open their hearts, putting their own lives on the line to help others. Dona is one of those characters and Murphy has the misfortune (?) to fall in love with her. How can it be a happy ever after?
He knows too much and tries to tell the world what is being done to the Guatemalans. It is unfortunate that no one seems to care enough to do anything about it, other than hunt him down and shut him up. He is naive to think the things he does won’t end in a bad way. Lives will be lost, but he cannot help himself. He wants her. He wants to make a difference. He wants to be a good guy. He wants to make a difference.
They kill their own. Psycopaths are turned loose on the innocent. Men turn into animals. The savage violence turns my stomach, pisses me off to no end. Why? What makes them think they are more valuable to the world than the next person? Sometimes I think, do unto others should be done unto them. You reap what you sow. You take a life, you have to give one…yours!
Violence, tragedy, intensity, emotions…The author has lived them and it shows in the story he tells. I don’t read books like House Of Jaguar too often any more. They make me soooo angry, frustrated and disturbed because it seems like we, as a people, never learn and history does repeat itself…over and over again.
The ending….
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of House Of Jaguar by Mike Bond.
:
But they waited one trip too long and Murphy’s life as a pilot flying marijuana from Guatemala to the States is over.
I’m not going into everything that is in the blurb, but I do remember hearing a lot about the CIA, the cartels, corrupt politicians…on both sides…those with their own agendas. To me, everything about the ‘drug wars’ and the way our government handles it is all wrong. A book like House Of Jaguar gets my emotions roiled. The tragic circumstances of the poor and those who get in the way, makes my heart break for them.
“For two years I do not see a track. Then since you came this one’s been near. He’s very rare, a black one…Tonight after the ceremony I go and call him. Then we’ll have money for more seeds – black skins are the most valuable.”
In tragic, dangerous circumstances, there are those who open their hearts, putting their own lives on the line to help others. Dona is one of those characters and Murphy has the misfortune (?) to fall in love with her. How can it be a happy ever after?
He knows too much and tries to tell the world what is being done to the Guatemalans. It is unfortunate that no one seems to care enough to do anything about it, other than hunt him down and shut him up. He is naive to think the things he does won’t end in a bad way. Lives will be lost, but he cannot help himself. He wants her. He wants to make a difference. He wants to be a good guy. He wants to make a difference.
They kill their own. Psycopaths are turned loose on the innocent. Men turn into animals. The savage violence turns my stomach, pisses me off to no end. Why? What makes them think they are more valuable to the world than the next person? Sometimes I think, do unto others should be done unto them. You reap what you sow. You take a life, you have to give one…yours!
Violence, tragedy, intensity, emotions…The author has lived them and it shows in the story he tells. I don’t read books like House Of Jaguar too often any more. They make me soooo angry, frustrated and disturbed because it seems like we, as a people, never learn and history does repeat itself…over and over again.
The ending….
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of House Of Jaguar by Mike Bond.
:
January 2, 2018
3.5
Having spent my youth in Guatemala during the time this book is set, I had a personal interest in reading this story.
I wanted to love it. It had much potential, but I didn't. The detailed description of the Mayan jungle was lovely but could've been trimmed. For about 50% of the book, I just wanted to be over. There's just so much one can read about the jungle and every single detail around it. When the story finally picks up it goes too fast leaving many unanswered questions and it suddenly ends. I wish the author would've spent more time on the second part of the book, where all the action happens.
The characters are interesting, but it was hard for me to really care for anyone. Individually, they all work, but together there is something blurry and missing. Especially about Lyman. Even though the background story resounds true (the DEA's involvement with the military, the massacres, armed soldiers walking around, constant checkpoints), there were some discrepancies that bugged me. Small things, still irritating. There is no fine white sand in the Pacific Ocean in Guatemala, for example. The sand is black and coarse. Volcanic sand, unique to this area. I couldn't focus on what else was happening at the same time because I was annoyed by the inaccuracy of that detail. The author tries to include some Guatemalan words here and there and they are a hit or miss. Gallo beer is just Gallo, not El Gallo. I know I'm being petty, but still. For those who are unaware of those details, they may find the book more enjoyable. It's a good thriller.
Despite my complaints, the story is compelling and worth reading (hence the 3.5 rating), if one is interested in historical fiction, and the horrors that happened (some of it still happening) for 30 years in Guatemala. The timeline of the book is a bit blurry. It could be anywhere from 1982 to 1996, when the peace treaty was finally signed, ending the madness and horrors of that time. However, due to the mention of Gen. Mejía Víctores being in charge of the armed forces, I would guess the story takes place in the mid-80s. The story succeeds in vividly describing what life was for the campesinos. I clearly remember the armed soldiers with their "Galils" anywhere you went to. One didn't know if to be more afraid of the guerrillas or the armed forces. Kidnappings and violence were the norms. Military checkpoints were on all major arteries of the city, and each time we were stopped, the tension in the car was solid. Flashlights checking inside, soldiers checking the trunk, and intimidating looks to anyone daring to look at them in the eyes. Mike Bond paints the scene clearly and accurately. Sadly, some of those things still happen there, and the government turns their eyes away.
Somehow I imagine Murphy's character and experiences are based on Mike Bond's personal experiences or those people he encountered while working there. As Murph tries to expose the horror he lived to the press in San Francisco only to be ignored, I feel this book is Mike Bond's effort for these events to be remembered and give a voice to those who never had one and simply disappeared in the jungle.
I received this copy of House of Jaguar from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Having spent my youth in Guatemala during the time this book is set, I had a personal interest in reading this story.
I wanted to love it. It had much potential, but I didn't. The detailed description of the Mayan jungle was lovely but could've been trimmed. For about 50% of the book, I just wanted to be over. There's just so much one can read about the jungle and every single detail around it. When the story finally picks up it goes too fast leaving many unanswered questions and it suddenly ends. I wish the author would've spent more time on the second part of the book, where all the action happens.
The characters are interesting, but it was hard for me to really care for anyone. Individually, they all work, but together there is something blurry and missing. Especially about Lyman. Even though the background story resounds true (the DEA's involvement with the military, the massacres, armed soldiers walking around, constant checkpoints), there were some discrepancies that bugged me. Small things, still irritating. There is no fine white sand in the Pacific Ocean in Guatemala, for example. The sand is black and coarse. Volcanic sand, unique to this area. I couldn't focus on what else was happening at the same time because I was annoyed by the inaccuracy of that detail. The author tries to include some Guatemalan words here and there and they are a hit or miss. Gallo beer is just Gallo, not El Gallo. I know I'm being petty, but still. For those who are unaware of those details, they may find the book more enjoyable. It's a good thriller.
Despite my complaints, the story is compelling and worth reading (hence the 3.5 rating), if one is interested in historical fiction, and the horrors that happened (some of it still happening) for 30 years in Guatemala. The timeline of the book is a bit blurry. It could be anywhere from 1982 to 1996, when the peace treaty was finally signed, ending the madness and horrors of that time. However, due to the mention of Gen. Mejía Víctores being in charge of the armed forces, I would guess the story takes place in the mid-80s. The story succeeds in vividly describing what life was for the campesinos. I clearly remember the armed soldiers with their "Galils" anywhere you went to. One didn't know if to be more afraid of the guerrillas or the armed forces. Kidnappings and violence were the norms. Military checkpoints were on all major arteries of the city, and each time we were stopped, the tension in the car was solid. Flashlights checking inside, soldiers checking the trunk, and intimidating looks to anyone daring to look at them in the eyes. Mike Bond paints the scene clearly and accurately. Sadly, some of those things still happen there, and the government turns their eyes away.
Somehow I imagine Murphy's character and experiences are based on Mike Bond's personal experiences or those people he encountered while working there. As Murph tries to expose the horror he lived to the press in San Francisco only to be ignored, I feel this book is Mike Bond's effort for these events to be remembered and give a voice to those who never had one and simply disappeared in the jungle.
I received this copy of House of Jaguar from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2014
Humankind seems to have an enormous capacity for savagery, for brutality, for lack of empathy, for lack of compassion. – Annie Lennox
Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter. – Winston Churchill
I read a lot of thriller and action adventure novels, so I expected this novel to be yet another rollicking read for me. To say that I couldn’t have been more wrong is a gross understatement. I mean no disrespect to Mr. Bond. I know that he lived through a lot of this hell as the story is based on his own horrifying experiences as one of the few journalists to survive this ghastly American funded war. Caught up in bloody, savage battles between Guatemalan people, their oppressive army and the secret machinations of the CIA (why is one not surprised?) Bond pulls you into the horrors of life in Guatemala, forcing you to nearly breathe the oppression and senseless and horrendous slaughter.
Ok, that is the “good” stuff. Other reviewers have written of who, and what, Joe Murphy is, and what the story is “about.” Which is good, as I was totally unable to finish it. I know that monstrous things happen, usually to people who do not, under any circumstances, deserve the sort evil they are forced to suffer. Normally, I have a pretty high tolerance for that sort of thing. In this case, that is so far from reality that we aren’t even on the same planet.
The descriptions of rape and slaughter were so hideously explicit that I simply had to stop before I totally lost my mind. The descriptions of the rape of young girls – and especially the scenes where the rape is portrayed from the rapist’s point of view, turned my stomach.
We study the injustices of history for the same reason that we study genocide, and for the same reason that psychologists study the minds of murderers and rapists... to understand how those evil things came about. - Jared Diamond
Overall, what I did read of the book before I had to strip it off my Kindle was a story of the slaughter of innocents – men, women and children suffering a depth of brutality that is unimaginable. Bloody carnage beyond all sense of humanity, fed by lies and political agendas, drugs and drug lords, all at the expense of the poor and the innocent. While this book clearly wasn't one that I enjoyed in any way, I am certain that there are those out there who will have the opposite reaction. 75% of readers who posted reviews on goodreads found it acceptable, or even “good.” That simply wasn’t my finding. The unrelenting, mindless brutality is highly disturbing and absolutely not a read for the faint of heart. Or even the hearty of heart, like me. I would think you would need a cast-iron constitution to handle this book.
I received this edition from Mandevilla Press in exchange for my honest review.
Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter. – Winston Churchill
I read a lot of thriller and action adventure novels, so I expected this novel to be yet another rollicking read for me. To say that I couldn’t have been more wrong is a gross understatement. I mean no disrespect to Mr. Bond. I know that he lived through a lot of this hell as the story is based on his own horrifying experiences as one of the few journalists to survive this ghastly American funded war. Caught up in bloody, savage battles between Guatemalan people, their oppressive army and the secret machinations of the CIA (why is one not surprised?) Bond pulls you into the horrors of life in Guatemala, forcing you to nearly breathe the oppression and senseless and horrendous slaughter.
Ok, that is the “good” stuff. Other reviewers have written of who, and what, Joe Murphy is, and what the story is “about.” Which is good, as I was totally unable to finish it. I know that monstrous things happen, usually to people who do not, under any circumstances, deserve the sort evil they are forced to suffer. Normally, I have a pretty high tolerance for that sort of thing. In this case, that is so far from reality that we aren’t even on the same planet.
The descriptions of rape and slaughter were so hideously explicit that I simply had to stop before I totally lost my mind. The descriptions of the rape of young girls – and especially the scenes where the rape is portrayed from the rapist’s point of view, turned my stomach.
We study the injustices of history for the same reason that we study genocide, and for the same reason that psychologists study the minds of murderers and rapists... to understand how those evil things came about. - Jared Diamond
Overall, what I did read of the book before I had to strip it off my Kindle was a story of the slaughter of innocents – men, women and children suffering a depth of brutality that is unimaginable. Bloody carnage beyond all sense of humanity, fed by lies and political agendas, drugs and drug lords, all at the expense of the poor and the innocent. While this book clearly wasn't one that I enjoyed in any way, I am certain that there are those out there who will have the opposite reaction. 75% of readers who posted reviews on goodreads found it acceptable, or even “good.” That simply wasn’t my finding. The unrelenting, mindless brutality is highly disturbing and absolutely not a read for the faint of heart. Or even the hearty of heart, like me. I would think you would need a cast-iron constitution to handle this book.
I received this edition from Mandevilla Press in exchange for my honest review.
March 27, 2014
Get ready to be sucker-punched with the graphic violence, murder, lies and the political games played using human beings as pawns in the war torn land of Guatemala. House of Jaguar by Mike Bond is the tale of a Vietnam vet who now smuggles drugs for money. Caught up in the vicious battles between Guatemalan people, their oppressive army and the secret machinations of the CIA, Joe Murphy sees the slaughter of a village firsthand and becomes the focus of a manhunt to silence him. Injured badly, he receives the aid of a beautiful Guatemalan doctor working for the resistance. In spite of the brutality and death surrounding them, they find an oasis in their growing love. How can they tell the world what is happening in this shattered country when they are fighting to survive themselves?
Based on his own horrific experiences as one of the few journalists to survive in this war torn Hell, Mike Bond writes with emotion and a bold stroke of clarity that paints life in this South American country as a terrifying struggle to survive the oppression and murder that abounds. Although a work of fiction, based on reality, it is unimaginable for those of us who have never truly had to fear for the lives of everyone around us, including our loved ones. Written with a taut and crisp style, House of Jaguar feels like the airing of dirty laundry stained with the blood of innocent victims. An amazing read, but not for the faint of heart, this harsh and disturbing look at survival will send chills down your spine as the good guys are often monsters who hide behind lies and the bad guys are monsters who feel no remorse for their actions.
I received this edition from Mandevilla Press in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: November 19, 2013
Publisher: Mandevilla Press
ISBN: 9781627040105
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery/Thrillers
Number of Pages: 379
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Based on his own horrific experiences as one of the few journalists to survive in this war torn Hell, Mike Bond writes with emotion and a bold stroke of clarity that paints life in this South American country as a terrifying struggle to survive the oppression and murder that abounds. Although a work of fiction, based on reality, it is unimaginable for those of us who have never truly had to fear for the lives of everyone around us, including our loved ones. Written with a taut and crisp style, House of Jaguar feels like the airing of dirty laundry stained with the blood of innocent victims. An amazing read, but not for the faint of heart, this harsh and disturbing look at survival will send chills down your spine as the good guys are often monsters who hide behind lies and the bad guys are monsters who feel no remorse for their actions.
I received this edition from Mandevilla Press in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: November 19, 2013
Publisher: Mandevilla Press
ISBN: 9781627040105
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery/Thrillers
Number of Pages: 379
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
January 9, 2014
Every book isn't necessarily for every reader. This book clearly wasn't a favorite for me. The brutality is almost unrelenting either from men inflicting pain on others or on themselves by their choice of actions. It was disturbing. And I certainly couldn't find anything about the primary characters to care about.
Joe Murphy should have stopped smuggling marijuana out of Guatemala when he was ahead because this time his plane was attacked while it was on the ground by troops and he barely survived with his life. In doing so he was witness to a murder which would ultimately be blamed on him. The CIA still has an unofficial hand in the running of the Guatemalan government so they want this supposed killer of one of their "advisors" caught and handed over to them. Murphy's compound fracture of his arm should kill him during his trek through the jungle, but if the troops and CIA find him infection will be the least of his worries.
I read a lot of thriller and action adventure novels so I expected this novel to be a good fit for me. It was not. The descriptions of violence were so gruesomely graphic that they were hard for me to read about and descriptions of rape will always cause me intense discomfort. I began to wonder if there was a snake left in that jungle which Murphy had not seen, stepped on, or killed. The author's style of writing left me trying to figure out what kind of timeline I was reading about. No clues from the author. Murphy had been a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, the Guatemalan Civil War was supposedly over around 1996 (I had to look that up for myself), but I have no idea of when this novel was supposed to be taking place. When a reference was made to a Huey helicopter it often seemed to signal Murphy thinking about or reliving a time from Vietnam. The characters just appear in a sentence without background, description or introduction preceding or following. All in all, not a success for me, but I can see how other readers might not be as affected by the unrelenting violence. I read mystery and thriller stories all the time and expect death, just not like this.
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
Joe Murphy should have stopped smuggling marijuana out of Guatemala when he was ahead because this time his plane was attacked while it was on the ground by troops and he barely survived with his life. In doing so he was witness to a murder which would ultimately be blamed on him. The CIA still has an unofficial hand in the running of the Guatemalan government so they want this supposed killer of one of their "advisors" caught and handed over to them. Murphy's compound fracture of his arm should kill him during his trek through the jungle, but if the troops and CIA find him infection will be the least of his worries.
I read a lot of thriller and action adventure novels so I expected this novel to be a good fit for me. It was not. The descriptions of violence were so gruesomely graphic that they were hard for me to read about and descriptions of rape will always cause me intense discomfort. I began to wonder if there was a snake left in that jungle which Murphy had not seen, stepped on, or killed. The author's style of writing left me trying to figure out what kind of timeline I was reading about. No clues from the author. Murphy had been a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, the Guatemalan Civil War was supposedly over around 1996 (I had to look that up for myself), but I have no idea of when this novel was supposed to be taking place. When a reference was made to a Huey helicopter it often seemed to signal Murphy thinking about or reliving a time from Vietnam. The characters just appear in a sentence without background, description or introduction preceding or following. All in all, not a success for me, but I can see how other readers might not be as affected by the unrelenting violence. I read mystery and thriller stories all the time and expect death, just not like this.
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
April 17, 2014
Journalist Hunted by Guatemalan Death Squads
Based on the Actual Experiences of Author Mike Bond
House of Jaguar is a novel that will be hard to put away once you start reading.
Author Mike Bond uses real life adventures as a journalist, caught in the middle of one of the most bloody civil wars in modern day history. Over 100 journalists were hunted down and murdered.
"They break down your door at midnight and shoot you while your children scream. They snatch you from the street at noon and cut your throat in an unmarked van. They torture you for weeks, sending you piece by piece to your family"
Check out some of my interviews:
Greg Grasso
Host, Chapter One
Author interview radio program
iinterviewauthhors@gmail.com
visit my pod site http://iinterviewauthors.com/
listen to interviews http://greggrasso.buzzsprout.com
or access through www.marshallpl.org
Based on the Actual Experiences of Author Mike Bond
House of Jaguar is a novel that will be hard to put away once you start reading.
Author Mike Bond uses real life adventures as a journalist, caught in the middle of one of the most bloody civil wars in modern day history. Over 100 journalists were hunted down and murdered.
"They break down your door at midnight and shoot you while your children scream. They snatch you from the street at noon and cut your throat in an unmarked van. They torture you for weeks, sending you piece by piece to your family"
Check out some of my interviews:
Greg Grasso
Host, Chapter One
Author interview radio program
iinterviewauthhors@gmail.com
visit my pod site http://iinterviewauthors.com/
listen to interviews http://greggrasso.buzzsprout.com
or access through www.marshallpl.org
March 20, 2014
This was given to me for free in exchange for review
Three star rating was because it just was not for me.
It was written well and was very graphic. The story kept my interest. In fact he did so well telling it that I was drawn in and because of the nature of the story it could all very well happen.
I guess that is the problem! Although fiction this reads more like an account of what actually happened and that is not entertainment for me.
As far as writing goes it was great. like I said he had me hooked it seemed so real.
There is a lot of action, sadness, torture so many emotions.
If you tend to like stories that have a lot of violence that really could take place then this is for you.
Three star rating was because it just was not for me.
It was written well and was very graphic. The story kept my interest. In fact he did so well telling it that I was drawn in and because of the nature of the story it could all very well happen.
I guess that is the problem! Although fiction this reads more like an account of what actually happened and that is not entertainment for me.
As far as writing goes it was great. like I said he had me hooked it seemed so real.
There is a lot of action, sadness, torture so many emotions.
If you tend to like stories that have a lot of violence that really could take place then this is for you.
February 12, 2014
The House of Jaguar was a good book. Thrilling, kept me on the edge of my seat.
Joe Murphy was a drug smuggler who was shot down in Guatamala. The book takes you along with him on his journey trying to get out of there. In the process, he falls in love with Dona, a village doctor.
The author describes things very well. You can almost smell the jungle, the jail. I had a hard time reading about the torture towards the end of the book but I kept reading because I wanted to see if Joe and Dona would make it out alive.
This book wouldn't be for everyone. I couldn't put it down.
Joe Murphy was a drug smuggler who was shot down in Guatamala. The book takes you along with him on his journey trying to get out of there. In the process, he falls in love with Dona, a village doctor.
The author describes things very well. You can almost smell the jungle, the jail. I had a hard time reading about the torture towards the end of the book but I kept reading because I wanted to see if Joe and Dona would make it out alive.
This book wouldn't be for everyone. I couldn't put it down.
March 10, 2017
I received House of Jaguar by Mike Bond in a giveaway by Booktrib.com.
House of Jaguar is an often violent, action filled book. It is set during the bloody civil war in Guatemala. Corrupt politicians, drug smuggling, death squads, torture, and rape.
House of Jaguar is an often violent, action filled book. It is set during the bloody civil war in Guatemala. Corrupt politicians, drug smuggling, death squads, torture, and rape.
September 20, 2017
House of jaguar by Mike Bond.
A tense, exciting thriller of CIA operations in Latin America, guerrilla wars, drug battles and genocides, based on the author’s personal experience as a journalist there. Shot down over the Guatemalan jungle with a planeload of grass, Vietnam War hero Joe Murphy gets caught up in the country’s brutal Civil War, and in an attack on a Mayan village by the Guatemalan Army and its CIA “advisors”. Badly injured, he escapes on a nightmare trek through the jungle, hunted by the Army, the CIA, and death squads. He is healed by guerrilla doctor Dona Villalobos, falls in love with her and tries to save her from the War’s widening horror of insanity, tragedy, and death.
A good read with good characters. Bit slow so 4*. Netgalley and author buzz.
A tense, exciting thriller of CIA operations in Latin America, guerrilla wars, drug battles and genocides, based on the author’s personal experience as a journalist there. Shot down over the Guatemalan jungle with a planeload of grass, Vietnam War hero Joe Murphy gets caught up in the country’s brutal Civil War, and in an attack on a Mayan village by the Guatemalan Army and its CIA “advisors”. Badly injured, he escapes on a nightmare trek through the jungle, hunted by the Army, the CIA, and death squads. He is healed by guerrilla doctor Dona Villalobos, falls in love with her and tries to save her from the War’s widening horror of insanity, tragedy, and death.
A good read with good characters. Bit slow so 4*. Netgalley and author buzz.
December 30, 2017
GNAB House of the Jaguar is a fast paced action-adventure read. Taking place for the most part in Guatemala, our views are from two very different Americans, both VietNam veterans.
Murphy comes to us from a good heart. A pilot of fixed wing and helicopter, he is making his absolute last midnight pick up of pot in his Aztec to a jungle setting in Guatemala, when both he and his partner Johnny Dio take fire from the Coban Armed Forces Command, and both the 1,500 pounds of pot and $135,000 in well used smaller bills are burned up during the firefight. With the help of many locals, Murphy begins making his way north, trying for Mexico. He is unarmed and has a compound fracture of his right arm, is afoot with only one shoe and the only survivor. Hot on his trail are Lyman and the Guatemalan Military Army and the Coban Armed Forces Command, both on the ground and by helicopter, and they are all willing to kill natives if they suspect they have helped the pilot in his escape. There is a nightmare of drug use in the middle of this novel, and the ending is not what you will expect.
Lyman has already crossed into Hell on Earth. His wife is cheating on him, he's trying to quit smoking. His only mission at the moment is to get Murphy for killing his friend Kit Gallagher at the pot exchange site, and his conscious isn't a part of his mental makeup. Lyman is almost too bad, at times.
I enjoy Mike Bond novels. This one had a bit more sexual content than I am comfortable with but the story is tight and the pace is quick. His description of the jungle, the villages these protagonists pass through and the native people who inhabit them are lyrical.
I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Mike Bond and Mandevilla Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
Free from Netgalley today only 12.12.2017
Mandevilla Press
pub Nov 25, 2013
Murphy comes to us from a good heart. A pilot of fixed wing and helicopter, he is making his absolute last midnight pick up of pot in his Aztec to a jungle setting in Guatemala, when both he and his partner Johnny Dio take fire from the Coban Armed Forces Command, and both the 1,500 pounds of pot and $135,000 in well used smaller bills are burned up during the firefight. With the help of many locals, Murphy begins making his way north, trying for Mexico. He is unarmed and has a compound fracture of his right arm, is afoot with only one shoe and the only survivor. Hot on his trail are Lyman and the Guatemalan Military Army and the Coban Armed Forces Command, both on the ground and by helicopter, and they are all willing to kill natives if they suspect they have helped the pilot in his escape. There is a nightmare of drug use in the middle of this novel, and the ending is not what you will expect.
Lyman has already crossed into Hell on Earth. His wife is cheating on him, he's trying to quit smoking. His only mission at the moment is to get Murphy for killing his friend Kit Gallagher at the pot exchange site, and his conscious isn't a part of his mental makeup. Lyman is almost too bad, at times.
I enjoy Mike Bond novels. This one had a bit more sexual content than I am comfortable with but the story is tight and the pace is quick. His description of the jungle, the villages these protagonists pass through and the native people who inhabit them are lyrical.
I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Mike Bond and Mandevilla Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
Free from Netgalley today only 12.12.2017
Mandevilla Press
pub Nov 25, 2013
March 19, 2014
This book was captivating but strange. I'm not sure if it is an action novel or a treatise on the effects of war causing character deprivation. Regardless of that it is certainly critical of our government's clandestine efforts at shoring up governments in the war on drugs.
Joe Murphy is a veteran whose flying skills were honed in Vietnam. He carries the scars of his tours on his body and in his mind. Making a good living as a drug carrying pilot he is betrayed in Guatemala. His betrayal ends with his friend dead and Murph fleeing while wounded. A miraculous trip through implacable jungle leads Murph to Dona, the new love of his life. Dona's calling is saving the peasants of Guatemala from their corrupt government and the orchestrations of the CIA.
There is a lot of soul searching and somewhat confusing introspection in the book. The main villain is the CIA liaison to the Guatemalan death squads. He is a stark raving mad, true psychopath. Lyman believes the world is out to get him and he feels he is a far better man than any he has ever met. His self centered, poor me violent persona is absolutely dreadful. They guy is a walking nightmare.
There is plenty of action and violence. The implications of the story and the premise are truly sad. What our government has done in the name of democracy and or the war on drugs defies imagination although Bond has certainly used his in this book. I can't say I enjoyed the book but it certainly kept my interest.
November 28, 2014
Set in Guatemala in the 1990’s, HOUSE OF JAGUAR is a sad and scary tale. Bond paints a picture of a world where those in power are corrupt. They value money and the ability to gain even more power as worth more than human life. The moral high ground is very unstable here, so much so that the good guys are an unlikely pair—an American pilot who has been flying marijuana out of the country and a female doctor who is part of the armed resistance. On the other side, the military is in charge and they abuse their power. The poor people of Guatemala become the victims of army death squads. To top it off, this activity is supported by the CIA in the guise of US military advisors. Life for the poor of Guatemala is a dangerous and uncertain commodity.
This book makes you appreciate just how frightening a world without moral laws can be. Bond has penned an intense page-turner where society is all topsy-turvy. Evil exists in the open, and good must hide if it is to continue to exist. The book is even more frightening because even though it is fiction, it is based on what the author experienced in Guatemala as a journalist. Stuff like this really happened! The point of this tale is so sharp it could cut you. HOUSE OF JAGUAR is a well done political/spy thriller that is far enough from the mainstream that it carves out its’ own channel. A good choice for fans of this genre looking for something a little different.
This book makes you appreciate just how frightening a world without moral laws can be. Bond has penned an intense page-turner where society is all topsy-turvy. Evil exists in the open, and good must hide if it is to continue to exist. The book is even more frightening because even though it is fiction, it is based on what the author experienced in Guatemala as a journalist. Stuff like this really happened! The point of this tale is so sharp it could cut you. HOUSE OF JAGUAR is a well done political/spy thriller that is far enough from the mainstream that it carves out its’ own channel. A good choice for fans of this genre looking for something a little different.
December 31, 2013
From the very beginning the reader travels through warfare, drug smuggling, a terrifying jungle, and the depths of both depravity and love. Bond writes vivid and detailed descriptions that create lush mental images. The book is as much about the places as it is about the people. Perhaps the most frightening aspect of the story is that it could very well be true. From the hills of San Francisco to the deserts of Arizona to the jungles of Guatemala the action takes place in well-described scenes with people too real to be fictitious. Even the bit players are complex and intriguing. From the happiness of vacationing lovers to the hideous torture of prisoners, the reader is made part of the action and shares in the emotions. Don't start this book unless you are prepared for a wild ride with no punches pulled.
January 23, 2014
My thought
I have read a lot of thriller and action adventure novels. There are many aspects in this novel : warfare, drug smuggling, a terrifying jungle, and the depths of both depravity and love. The relationships are told with heart aching emotions and actions. This book is a really a page turner. There are not enough words to describe how outstanding and entertaining this book is. Intriguing, exciting, captivating, sexy… absolutely incredible!
I really enjoyed this book.i just finished it...a great thriller:)
The descriptions of violence are very detailed. This book is recommended for adult who love thriller story.
I have read a lot of thriller and action adventure novels. There are many aspects in this novel : warfare, drug smuggling, a terrifying jungle, and the depths of both depravity and love. The relationships are told with heart aching emotions and actions. This book is a really a page turner. There are not enough words to describe how outstanding and entertaining this book is. Intriguing, exciting, captivating, sexy… absolutely incredible!
I really enjoyed this book.i just finished it...a great thriller:)
The descriptions of violence are very detailed. This book is recommended for adult who love thriller story.
October 3, 2014
I received this book compliments of Goodreads for my honest review.
I'm giving this book 3 stars for the writing. I found it too brutal, but there are plenty of people who like this genre.
Definitely not for the sqeamish, but an eye opener.
I'm giving this book 3 stars for the writing. I found it too brutal, but there are plenty of people who like this genre.
Definitely not for the sqeamish, but an eye opener.
November 29, 2014
Good read!
May 24, 2019
House of Jaguar by Mike Bond is a brutal, tense read. Very engrossing. Murder, lies, politics...no need to say much else. Excellent.
October 6, 2023
Back in a time when periodicals were still King, a short story of a just exploding writer appeared in PENTHOUSE magazine, becoming the unbeknownst basis and line of departure for an 11 horror film series that is still going strong. Somewhere between THE SHINING and RAGE, the March 1977 issue of the adult oriented publication featured Stephen King's tale about a murderous cult of corn husking and demon worshiping children in an abandoned Nebraska town; THE CHILDREN OF THE CORN. Some in Guatemala believe that the Creators cycled through earth and wood to make people to have someone to thank them. Earth melted in the rain and sapwood people had no hearts or spirits, they didn't remember the heart of heaven, nor did they praise the Creators. Third time's the charm and the Creators made the people from corn. The Guatemalan people suffer because they didn't have enough heart and spirit. They don't care about God and fail to value life. HOUSE OF JAGUAR operates deep in the Guatemalan quagmire of war, torture, and suffering--even for a tough Vietnam Vet, life's cheap but toilet paper is expensive.
Apparently revisiting the Iran-Contra Affair from the mid to late 1980s, albeit a bit farther north past the equally troubled El Salvador and Honduras with Guatemala taking the place of Nicaragua, HOUSE OF JAGUAR uses the chaos of a country in turmoil to test the mettle of Murph among the ruins of a failed drug hauling operation much like the CIA's AIR AMERICA venture during the Vietnam War. Taking his cues from Bruce Springsteen, Murph was a Huey pilot in the Nam and he's been running ever since, most of all from the nightmares and himself. BORN TO RUN into trouble, he drifted way beyond his role, ad-libbing and wouldn't change in a changing world, as Nam taught him all the wrong lessons. Going slow when he should run, running when he should hide. Misplaced zeal and lack of moderation landed Murph in trouble more than once, partially explaining his broken body, the hunger, snakes, scorpions, and unforgiving jungle. Perhaps this time he's bitten off too much, taking on a corrupt Army and the US government. In his Babylonian confusion to battle God, Murph decides that if he gets out of this alright, no matter what happens or who's to blame, he'll force himself to be happy. It seems that Murph blames himself a lot. For what happened (to his friends) in Nam, to women in his life, the people he meets, everything but the rain.
Securely on the road to democracy, Guatemala has gone through too much and doesn't need any more suffering. That's why she attracts people like Murph, those needing reassurance and proof that the conventional order is not corrupt, that justice can survive. That evil doesn't conquer good. Plus, like GOOD WILL HUNTING, he just has to see about a girl. Firmly anchored in the belief that that's why things go wrong, that striving causes pain, Murph bears witness to atrocities committed in Guatemala in the name of progress towards a functioning and US style democracy, all while American housewives grovel for kitchen accessories on daytime game shows. Thus, Murph's Gordian Knot is how to help those who don't accept it and save those who don't want it. Insisting that we all have two sides, HOUSE OF JAGUAR also proffers that being pissed off counts for nothing in this world and that the Bible is just another handbook for mass control. For those caught in the narrative, it's advised to not walk in death's way, to die for something rather than for nothing, that pain travels at the speed of light, and that it's through suffering that teaches love. Somewhere in the future, Guatemala and Murph are in for a whole lotta lovin'.
Alleging that the Syndicate and the Agency, in the streets of San Francisco and Guatemala, do the bidding of those who've run the United States since both Kennedy brothers were gunned down in the sixties, HOUSE OF JAGUAR closely inspects what resulting life is like in the Central American country--the poverty, sickness, death squads, hunger, and squalor. Carved from the same mud, HOUSE OF JAGUAR is where THE RUNDOWN meets GET CARTER, FIGURES IN A LANDSCAPE and THE SORCERER, replete with detailed descriptions of everything Guatemalan: the people, fauna, wildlife, food, roads, jungle, heat, and the army. Discovery Channel and National Geographic eat your heart out. Going the extra mile, HOUSE OF JAGUAR also infuses plenty of Mayan history and lore, and drowns readers with repeated mentions of Jesus Nut, tortillas, and frijoles. Brutal, harrowing, and devastatingly real, HOUSE OF JAGUAR is a thriller constantly on the go, a fire that glows but does not heat. Vested in Mike Bond's personal experience as a journalist in Latin America, HOUSE OF JAGUAR will deeply burn into the conscience of readers, smoldering like the fiery sixth house of Mayan Hell.
November 1, 2025
📚Houaw od Jaguar
✍🏻Mike Bond
Blurb:
HOUSE OF JAGUAR: A tense, dangerous thriller of CIA operations and dirty wars in Latin America, guerrilla battles, drug flights, environmental catastrophes and genocides. Based on the author’s own experiences as a war and human rights correspondent there.
1. ARCHETYPAL STORY OF LOVE AND DEATH: The intensity of love when any instant you can be killed. There is no safety anywhere, and any mistake could doom the person you love.
2. FEEL THE FEAR: What’s it like to be hunted through the jungle, on foreign streets and in dirty barrios by endless faceless enemies? When you can never escape?
3. EXOTIC: Midnight landings on mountain roads, guerrilla encampments, the Mexican underworld and California rock stars. HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.
4. AMERICA’S DIRTIEST WARS: HOUSE OF JAGUAR breaks the silence on the extensive war crimes perpetrated by US-backed military dictatorships in Central America. The author was the last foreign correspondent left in Guatemala when over 150 journalists had been killed by death squads, and worked thereafter as a human rights activist exposing US actions. See http://nyti.ms/1jWunDe
5. WE CAUSED IT BUT WE’RE INVISIBLE: Starting with the US overthrow of Guatemala’s elected government in 1954, the US plunged that country into 45 years of civil wars and genocides. The present trial of ex-dictator Rios Montt has focused on numerous atrocities committed with the support of the Reagan administration, but the US has not even been cited in the trial.
6. HISTORICAL THRILLER: House of Jaguar is the core of Tikal, Guatemala’s ancient city civilization. What was it like?
7. JUNGLE LIFE: The animals, trees, insects, the intensity of verdant thriving beings. The author traveled many miles of jungle and paddled many wild rivers and streams. HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.
8. DOES THE US TORTURE? What really happens inside the torture cells, the US covert groups, and genocidal Army units? HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.
9. KILLING CHRIST’S MESSENGERS: Why exterminate the Catholic clergy too? HOUSE OF JAGUAR tells why.
10. THE SIX HOUSES OF HELL: House of Jaguar is the first of the six Mayan houses of Hell. Primeval myths and Mayan memories powerfully influence many Guatemalans. Are they a metaphor for what we’ve done?
11. BEFORE THE FIRING SQUAD: Will you want the blindfold as they tie you to the bullet-splintered bloody pole and you look down the barrels of the waiting guns? HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.
12. A DOLLAR A DAY IS PLENTY OF PAY: The role of US fruit companies in stamping out democracy in Central America. HOUSE OF JAGUAR tells how.
13. WANT MORE WEAPONS? You’re a military dictatorship and the CIA wants to give you more weapons but you’re so evil that Congress has suspended military aid. How does the CIA get you the weapons anyway? HOUSE OF JAGUAR explains how.
14. YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO LIVE: You’ve just been grabbed off the street by a death squad and thrown into a Black Maria. In 30 seconds they’ll pull up on a side street, drag you out and cut your throat. What are your last thoughts?
15. EXTERMINATING THE RAIN FOREST: Can we protect the last vestiges of rain forest in Central America? And their magnificent animals?
Read less
Myj Thoughts:
The story deeply probes into the hearts and minds of its characters. There is a fair amount of sex, some described quite explicitly, but this helps to define the makeup of the main players and reinforces the author's exploration of their personalities. Mike Bond writes vivid, pounding prose. His descriptions are almost like pictures. Although a work of fiction, based on reality, it is unimaginable for those of us who have never truly had to fear for the lives of everyone around us, including our loved ones. Written with a taut and crisp style, f you tend to like stories that have a lot of violence that really could take place then this is for you.
Thanks NetGalley, Big City Press inc Author Mike Bond for the complimentary ARC. I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#BigCityPress
#MikeBond
#HouseofJaguar
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Mike Bond
Blurb:
HOUSE OF JAGUAR: A tense, dangerous thriller of CIA operations and dirty wars in Latin America, guerrilla battles, drug flights, environmental catastrophes and genocides. Based on the author’s own experiences as a war and human rights correspondent there.
1. ARCHETYPAL STORY OF LOVE AND DEATH: The intensity of love when any instant you can be killed. There is no safety anywhere, and any mistake could doom the person you love.
2. FEEL THE FEAR: What’s it like to be hunted through the jungle, on foreign streets and in dirty barrios by endless faceless enemies? When you can never escape?
3. EXOTIC: Midnight landings on mountain roads, guerrilla encampments, the Mexican underworld and California rock stars. HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.
4. AMERICA’S DIRTIEST WARS: HOUSE OF JAGUAR breaks the silence on the extensive war crimes perpetrated by US-backed military dictatorships in Central America. The author was the last foreign correspondent left in Guatemala when over 150 journalists had been killed by death squads, and worked thereafter as a human rights activist exposing US actions. See http://nyti.ms/1jWunDe
5. WE CAUSED IT BUT WE’RE INVISIBLE: Starting with the US overthrow of Guatemala’s elected government in 1954, the US plunged that country into 45 years of civil wars and genocides. The present trial of ex-dictator Rios Montt has focused on numerous atrocities committed with the support of the Reagan administration, but the US has not even been cited in the trial.
6. HISTORICAL THRILLER: House of Jaguar is the core of Tikal, Guatemala’s ancient city civilization. What was it like?
7. JUNGLE LIFE: The animals, trees, insects, the intensity of verdant thriving beings. The author traveled many miles of jungle and paddled many wild rivers and streams. HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.
8. DOES THE US TORTURE? What really happens inside the torture cells, the US covert groups, and genocidal Army units? HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.
9. KILLING CHRIST’S MESSENGERS: Why exterminate the Catholic clergy too? HOUSE OF JAGUAR tells why.
10. THE SIX HOUSES OF HELL: House of Jaguar is the first of the six Mayan houses of Hell. Primeval myths and Mayan memories powerfully influence many Guatemalans. Are they a metaphor for what we’ve done?
11. BEFORE THE FIRING SQUAD: Will you want the blindfold as they tie you to the bullet-splintered bloody pole and you look down the barrels of the waiting guns? HOUSE OF JAGUAR puts you there.
12. A DOLLAR A DAY IS PLENTY OF PAY: The role of US fruit companies in stamping out democracy in Central America. HOUSE OF JAGUAR tells how.
13. WANT MORE WEAPONS? You’re a military dictatorship and the CIA wants to give you more weapons but you’re so evil that Congress has suspended military aid. How does the CIA get you the weapons anyway? HOUSE OF JAGUAR explains how.
14. YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO LIVE: You’ve just been grabbed off the street by a death squad and thrown into a Black Maria. In 30 seconds they’ll pull up on a side street, drag you out and cut your throat. What are your last thoughts?
15. EXTERMINATING THE RAIN FOREST: Can we protect the last vestiges of rain forest in Central America? And their magnificent animals?
Read less
Myj Thoughts:
The story deeply probes into the hearts and minds of its characters. There is a fair amount of sex, some described quite explicitly, but this helps to define the makeup of the main players and reinforces the author's exploration of their personalities. Mike Bond writes vivid, pounding prose. His descriptions are almost like pictures. Although a work of fiction, based on reality, it is unimaginable for those of us who have never truly had to fear for the lives of everyone around us, including our loved ones. Written with a taut and crisp style, f you tend to like stories that have a lot of violence that really could take place then this is for you.
Thanks NetGalley, Big City Press inc Author Mike Bond for the complimentary ARC. I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#BigCityPress
#MikeBond
#HouseofJaguar
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 10, 2017
House of Jaguar by Mike Bond oozes testosterone. It is a visceral thriller that combines elements of corruption, deceit, mass-murder, death squads, drug running, covert operations, torture, bravery, selflessness, nation building, and even a touch of love.
Murphy, former American military pilot, flies through the darkness in Central America on a mission to trade thousands of dollars for hundreds of pounds of marijuana. Just as he is about to take off with his illegal cargo, his plane is ambushed. Bullets fly. Unable to save his companions, he escapes into the jungle, leaving behind a trail of blood. He is seriously injured. After a horrific journey through the jungle, he is rescued by a small band of indigenous people who offer food and shelter. Soon, a lovely doctor arrives to treat his wounds. Unfortunately, Murphy’s life will never be the same. Lyman, a mysterious American operative, begins to hunt for Murphy with only one goal-to kill him.
The setting is drawn with such detail and clarity that readers will feel as though they are wearing a virtual reality headset. Bond, obviously an expert on all the locations, leaves no meaningful detail unaddressed. With total clarity, readers will hear the animals, see the constellations above, smell the vegetation, and realize the beauty of nature. Bond’s mastery of language results in beautiful, graceful prose.
The complex plot moves with the speed of a runaway train and is sure to leave readers breathless. The action follows Murphy through an epic journey as he heads home to America and then back to Central America again. The plot trajectory is anything but a flat line. Numerous roadblocks thwart Murphy’s plans at every turn. Lyman and his henchmen continue to stalk him. Only Murphy’s intelligence and military skills keep him alive.
Even though the two main characters are in direct opposition, they have more in common than one might realize at first. Murphy is a sort of anti-hero. Like Lyman, he kills people without much thought. He does not hesitate to engage in nameless, faceless sex. He transports and uses illicit drugs. Some readers may wonder which character is the good guy and which is the bad guy.
Readers who enjoy war, and battles, and action will love House of Jaguar. However, most of them will be men. The average woman may be put off by the way Murphy uses certain women while claiming a mystical love for the lady doctor. Derogatory terms that refer to women and sections that depict scenes of horrific torture may put off sensitive readers.
House of Jaguar is more than an adventure story. It is an honest commentary on a cruel reality that afflicts Central America and its citizens. It may serve as a wake-up call those who have been thus far unacquainted with the situation.
https://rougeskireads.com/
Murphy, former American military pilot, flies through the darkness in Central America on a mission to trade thousands of dollars for hundreds of pounds of marijuana. Just as he is about to take off with his illegal cargo, his plane is ambushed. Bullets fly. Unable to save his companions, he escapes into the jungle, leaving behind a trail of blood. He is seriously injured. After a horrific journey through the jungle, he is rescued by a small band of indigenous people who offer food and shelter. Soon, a lovely doctor arrives to treat his wounds. Unfortunately, Murphy’s life will never be the same. Lyman, a mysterious American operative, begins to hunt for Murphy with only one goal-to kill him.
The setting is drawn with such detail and clarity that readers will feel as though they are wearing a virtual reality headset. Bond, obviously an expert on all the locations, leaves no meaningful detail unaddressed. With total clarity, readers will hear the animals, see the constellations above, smell the vegetation, and realize the beauty of nature. Bond’s mastery of language results in beautiful, graceful prose.
The complex plot moves with the speed of a runaway train and is sure to leave readers breathless. The action follows Murphy through an epic journey as he heads home to America and then back to Central America again. The plot trajectory is anything but a flat line. Numerous roadblocks thwart Murphy’s plans at every turn. Lyman and his henchmen continue to stalk him. Only Murphy’s intelligence and military skills keep him alive.
Even though the two main characters are in direct opposition, they have more in common than one might realize at first. Murphy is a sort of anti-hero. Like Lyman, he kills people without much thought. He does not hesitate to engage in nameless, faceless sex. He transports and uses illicit drugs. Some readers may wonder which character is the good guy and which is the bad guy.
Readers who enjoy war, and battles, and action will love House of Jaguar. However, most of them will be men. The average woman may be put off by the way Murphy uses certain women while claiming a mystical love for the lady doctor. Derogatory terms that refer to women and sections that depict scenes of horrific torture may put off sensitive readers.
House of Jaguar is more than an adventure story. It is an honest commentary on a cruel reality that afflicts Central America and its citizens. It may serve as a wake-up call those who have been thus far unacquainted with the situation.
https://rougeskireads.com/
September 11, 2017
House of Jaguar by Mike Bond, is based on Bond's personal experiences as one of the few journalists to survive his assignment covering a civil war in Guatemala that was funded with American dollars. I know he must have seen some horrific and even traumatizing atrocities of war. Perhaps writing this novel was cathartic for him. I hope it was, but it was too graphic for me.
Bond does a superb job of relaying the truths about war, corrupt governments, and the accompanying atrocities, such as genocide and rape. We all know these things happen, no matter how much we hate the fact, but the graphic descriptions of rape and slaughter were nauseating.
House of Jaguar is definitely not a book for the faint of heart. Apparently, I am one of those folks, because I could not finish this book. I usually enjoy action/adventure novels, especially spy thrillers, but this was simply too realistic for my taste.
The story finds Joe Murphy, a Vietnam vet, trafficking marijuana in Guatemala when he witnesses an attack on a village by the Guatemalan Army. Their bullets shatter his arm, and he escapes through the jungle to a village that takes him in, and cares for him. He is treated by a guerrilla physician, Dr. Dona Villalobos, who insists he must leave, because the corrupt army will torture him until he reveals the location of the village that helped him, and then will destroy the village and its people. Of course, he falls in love with her, and things really get dicy. It's a great story based on true events. Read it if you can handle the truly horrible aspects of warfare.
What Makes This Book Reviewer Grumpy?
The extreme graphic descriptions of horrific events.
The use of incomplete sentences. Example: "No wider than his hand." and "Before him through the jungle." What was no wider than his hand? What was before him?
Look for me online as The Grumpy Book Reviewer
Bond does a superb job of relaying the truths about war, corrupt governments, and the accompanying atrocities, such as genocide and rape. We all know these things happen, no matter how much we hate the fact, but the graphic descriptions of rape and slaughter were nauseating.
House of Jaguar is definitely not a book for the faint of heart. Apparently, I am one of those folks, because I could not finish this book. I usually enjoy action/adventure novels, especially spy thrillers, but this was simply too realistic for my taste.
The story finds Joe Murphy, a Vietnam vet, trafficking marijuana in Guatemala when he witnesses an attack on a village by the Guatemalan Army. Their bullets shatter his arm, and he escapes through the jungle to a village that takes him in, and cares for him. He is treated by a guerrilla physician, Dr. Dona Villalobos, who insists he must leave, because the corrupt army will torture him until he reveals the location of the village that helped him, and then will destroy the village and its people. Of course, he falls in love with her, and things really get dicy. It's a great story based on true events. Read it if you can handle the truly horrible aspects of warfare.
What Makes This Book Reviewer Grumpy?
The extreme graphic descriptions of horrific events.
The use of incomplete sentences. Example: "No wider than his hand." and "Before him through the jungle." What was no wider than his hand? What was before him?
Look for me online as The Grumpy Book Reviewer
April 9, 2023
Review of eBook
Once upon a time, Joe Murphy served as an evacuation medic in Vietnam; now he smuggles drugs. He’s considering the possibility of this being his last run, but that is a decision made a moment too late.
Ambushed by soldiers, his plane destroyed, a wounded Murphy awakens to find himself in a Guatemalan village, a family caring for him. But the government officials are relentless in their search for him.
Will Murphy be discovered? And if he is, what will happen to him?
=========
Set in Guatemala in Central America and based on the author’s own experiences, this well-written, intense narrative is difficult to read. Filled with horrific brutality, the story both powerful and disturbing.
Although, at the outset, Murphy might seem to be a “bad” guy; the unfolding story paints him in a different light. With no nuances, the good characters are good while the bad characters are evil and Murphy is quite unlikable.
Despite the strong, evocative sense of place, the story is gritty, filled with cartels, deceitful government officials, politics, and, at the other end of the spectrum, people just trying to do the right thing.
Recommended, but with this caveat: this far-too-graphic story, filled with atrocities, vividly recounts man’s inhumanity to man. It’s despicable; it’s gruesome . . . made all the more insidious by its cruel veracity.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Mandevilla Press and NetGalley
#HouseofJaguar #NetGalley
Once upon a time, Joe Murphy served as an evacuation medic in Vietnam; now he smuggles drugs. He’s considering the possibility of this being his last run, but that is a decision made a moment too late.
Ambushed by soldiers, his plane destroyed, a wounded Murphy awakens to find himself in a Guatemalan village, a family caring for him. But the government officials are relentless in their search for him.
Will Murphy be discovered? And if he is, what will happen to him?
=========
Set in Guatemala in Central America and based on the author’s own experiences, this well-written, intense narrative is difficult to read. Filled with horrific brutality, the story both powerful and disturbing.
Although, at the outset, Murphy might seem to be a “bad” guy; the unfolding story paints him in a different light. With no nuances, the good characters are good while the bad characters are evil and Murphy is quite unlikable.
Despite the strong, evocative sense of place, the story is gritty, filled with cartels, deceitful government officials, politics, and, at the other end of the spectrum, people just trying to do the right thing.
Recommended, but with this caveat: this far-too-graphic story, filled with atrocities, vividly recounts man’s inhumanity to man. It’s despicable; it’s gruesome . . . made all the more insidious by its cruel veracity.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Mandevilla Press and NetGalley
#HouseofJaguar #NetGalley
June 11, 2023
House of Jaguar is an unusual reading experience. On one hand, it is thrilling, well-researched and informative. On the other hand, it is jumpy, difficult to follow, and very dark.
House of Jaguar is set in Latin America, and deals with drug smugglers, freedom fighters, and CIA operatives. The author is knowledgeable about all three, and is particularly knowledgeable about life in the jungles and poor villages of conflict-ridden Latin America. I fount those aspects of the book exceptional.
At the same time, the book was difficult to follow, and often jumped from character to character and location to location. This hampered my enjoyment of the novel, especially in the early parts. At times, I had difficulty picking up the book. The latter part of the book improved a lot. I found the protagonist unlikeable at the beginning of the book, but his character changed as the story progressed. The book is often very dark. I hope this darkness is from the fertile imagination of the author, but I have a feeling that it is based on a heavy dose of unpleasant reality.
The author had a great story to tell, but the jumpiness and the increasing darkness of House of Jaguar made it an unpleasant experience for me. I enjoy a dark story, but this one was a lttle too dark. With a good dose of editing, this story could really jump off the pages. The author has a lot of good stories to tell, but this story was clouded by the jumpiness and the darkness.
House of Jaguar is set in Latin America, and deals with drug smugglers, freedom fighters, and CIA operatives. The author is knowledgeable about all three, and is particularly knowledgeable about life in the jungles and poor villages of conflict-ridden Latin America. I fount those aspects of the book exceptional.
At the same time, the book was difficult to follow, and often jumped from character to character and location to location. This hampered my enjoyment of the novel, especially in the early parts. At times, I had difficulty picking up the book. The latter part of the book improved a lot. I found the protagonist unlikeable at the beginning of the book, but his character changed as the story progressed. The book is often very dark. I hope this darkness is from the fertile imagination of the author, but I have a feeling that it is based on a heavy dose of unpleasant reality.
The author had a great story to tell, but the jumpiness and the increasing darkness of House of Jaguar made it an unpleasant experience for me. I enjoy a dark story, but this one was a lttle too dark. With a good dose of editing, this story could really jump off the pages. The author has a lot of good stories to tell, but this story was clouded by the jumpiness and the darkness.
June 7, 2018
At about 74% through this book, the author mentions a truth about knowledge, and I immediately understood that more knowledge could, indeed, disturb as well as inform - like reading this book. Even though this is a novel, the author is showing the reader that what he is writing about, namely, the situation in Guatemala today, is based on truth. If you are not already aware of this truth, then you could become jarringly disturbed upon reading "House of Jaguar".
Are the Guatemalans proud of their Mayan ancestry? Apparently not, or how could the Guatemalan army and the politicians treat the descendants of those people so abhorrently? How could they treat all of their citizens with such contempt? And how could the United States be so collusive in this ongoing tragedy? You think the Taliban are unique, hateful murderers? Look a little closer to home and meet their match. In reading this book, I became very disillusioned with the condition of humanity as a whole. If the author weren't such a gifted writer, almost a poet at times, I would never have been able to finish reading this book. We haven't traveled far from 1954 and the then sins we committed against Guatemala. Yes, I am better informed, but not a bit happier for it.
Are the Guatemalans proud of their Mayan ancestry? Apparently not, or how could the Guatemalan army and the politicians treat the descendants of those people so abhorrently? How could they treat all of their citizens with such contempt? And how could the United States be so collusive in this ongoing tragedy? You think the Taliban are unique, hateful murderers? Look a little closer to home and meet their match. In reading this book, I became very disillusioned with the condition of humanity as a whole. If the author weren't such a gifted writer, almost a poet at times, I would never have been able to finish reading this book. We haven't traveled far from 1954 and the then sins we committed against Guatemala. Yes, I am better informed, but not a bit happier for it.
July 16, 2020
While the House of Jaguar had the vivid descriptions and complex plot I have come to associate with Mike Bond's novels and the story was set against the backdrop of an actual historical event (civil war in Guatemala, drug smuggling, and CIA involvement in Guatemalan politics/military) like the other works of his I have read, this book was not as appealing to me. The pace felt uneven and the book did not hold my attention well. It had its moments early on, but did not really become good until about halfway through and this was not sustained. If I had not agreed to review the book, I am not sure I would have finished it. None of the main characters were particularly "likable" or people whose future one really cared about and some came across as whiny and off-putting. The plot seemed disconnected at times, as if Bond knew where he ultimately wanted to end up, but was not sure how to get from "A" to "B".
I am glad this was not the first Mike Bond novel I read, because if it had been, I doubt I would have read any more and would have missed out on some much better books, such as "The Last Savanna" or "Assassins."
I am glad this was not the first Mike Bond novel I read, because if it had been, I doubt I would have read any more and would have missed out on some much better books, such as "The Last Savanna" or "Assassins."
September 30, 2017
This was a tough one -- both to read and to review. I expected to love it, because geopolitical, espionage and military themes are among my favorites. But after many false starts, I finally had to force myself through to the end (largely because I was reading a free Netgalley copy and felt beholden to write a critique.) During the two months it took me to finish this book, I read 25 others straight through, and enjoyed each of them more.
I've lived on military bases and spent time in war-torn Guatemala, but the story never came alive for me because the characters seemed so shallow. While the writing was "pretty," the events were horrific, and it all -- in particular a gruesome rape and murder -- seemed like an adolescent male fantasy. It was my first Mike Bond book, and probably my last.
I've lived on military bases and spent time in war-torn Guatemala, but the story never came alive for me because the characters seemed so shallow. While the writing was "pretty," the events were horrific, and it all -- in particular a gruesome rape and murder -- seemed like an adolescent male fantasy. It was my first Mike Bond book, and probably my last.
July 1, 2019
Very engaging but disappointing
This author uses visually descriptive words. It's a pleasure to read and visually interpret his words. However, the main character, in my opinion was a bit of a jerk. He has a good financial cushion to live on, owned property, yet continued to make his living illegally.
He found himself in the middle of a huge war machine and he really thought he could make a difference?
I can't empathize with this plot. The author, in developing this character gave him enough life experience to know better.
However, he did write enough into the story to indicate how futile it is to take on the war machine. I don't believe I will read any more of this author's work.
This author uses visually descriptive words. It's a pleasure to read and visually interpret his words. However, the main character, in my opinion was a bit of a jerk. He has a good financial cushion to live on, owned property, yet continued to make his living illegally.
He found himself in the middle of a huge war machine and he really thought he could make a difference?
I can't empathize with this plot. The author, in developing this character gave him enough life experience to know better.
However, he did write enough into the story to indicate how futile it is to take on the war machine. I don't believe I will read any more of this author's work.
August 5, 2017
This is basically the story of two men, Murphy and Lyman, who are on opposite sides of the Guatemalan Civil War. Murphy is a pilot and drug smuggler who's plane was shot down by the forces Lyman, a CIA advisor, was directing. It is sometimes beautifully written, sometimes convoluted and sometimes way too graphic for my tastes, but then so is war. It took me days to finish the novel. Parts, the most graphic, I ended up skimming through while some of the descriptions, especially in the Jungle were done so well you almost felt you were there with Murphy. Thanks to Net Galley and Mandevilla Press for an ARC for an honest review.
December 18, 2018
Thank you to Net Galley and Mandevilla Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
The subject matter and setting were what enticed me to want to read this book, but I had a difficult time getting through the descriptive setting to the story itself. It then becomes action-packed. I was unable to get through some of the more brutal scenes of the novel. The political side of the story is interesting, believable, and important.
Ultimately, I had to put the novel aside and could not finish it. That is not to say that the book lacks merit. I think the writer has an important story to tell, and others will enjoy it. I believe I am not this writer's ideal reader.
The subject matter and setting were what enticed me to want to read this book, but I had a difficult time getting through the descriptive setting to the story itself. It then becomes action-packed. I was unable to get through some of the more brutal scenes of the novel. The political side of the story is interesting, believable, and important.
Ultimately, I had to put the novel aside and could not finish it. That is not to say that the book lacks merit. I think the writer has an important story to tell, and others will enjoy it. I believe I am not this writer's ideal reader.
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