What do you think?
Rate this book
Κυνηγοί Κεφαλών
Μετά τη μεγάλη επιτυχία του Εργοστάσιου Ποδοσφαίρου, ο John King επιστρέφει με τους Κυνηγούς Κεφαλών.
Πέντε άντρες συναγωνίζονται μεταξύ τους με βάση τα επιτεύγματά τους στο σεξ. Σε αυτό το παιχνίδι, το μόνο που έχει να προσφέρει η Γυναίκα στον Άντρα είναι μερικοί βαθμοί παραπάνω, καθώς ο έρωτας μετατρέπεται από τη μεγαλύτερη χαρά της ζωής σε αυτοσκοπό. Το αλκοόλ και ο ανταγωνισμός μεταξύ των μελών της παρέας ανεβάζουν το θερμόμετρο στα ύψη, μέχρι που σύντομα οι ρόλοι μεταξύ θυμάτων και θυτών αρχίζουν να ανατρέπονται, με απρόβλεπτα αποτελέσματα για τους εμπνευστές - και μέχρι πρότινος κυρίαρχους - του παιχνιδιού.
Αστείοι, μα και οδυνηρά αληθινοί, οι Κυνηγοί Κεφαλών είναι μια εξαιρετική μελέτη πάνω στην αντρική συμπεριφορά, με τη διεισδυτική ματιά ενός από τους πιο συναρπαστικούς συγγραφείς που έχει να επιδείξει η σύγχρονη λογοτεχνία.
Πέντε άντρες συναγωνίζονται μεταξύ τους με βάση τα επιτεύγματά τους στο σεξ. Σε αυτό το παιχνίδι, το μόνο που έχει να προσφέρει η Γυναίκα στον Άντρα είναι μερικοί βαθμοί παραπάνω, καθώς ο έρωτας μετατρέπεται από τη μεγαλύτερη χαρά της ζωής σε αυτοσκοπό. Το αλκοόλ και ο ανταγωνισμός μεταξύ των μελών της παρέας ανεβάζουν το θερμόμετρο στα ύψη, μέχρι που σύντομα οι ρόλοι μεταξύ θυμάτων και θυτών αρχίζουν να ανατρέπονται, με απρόβλεπτα αποτελέσματα για τους εμπνευστές - και μέχρι πρότινος κυρίαρχους - του παιχνιδιού.
Αστείοι, μα και οδυνηρά αληθινοί, οι Κυνηγοί Κεφαλών είναι μια εξαιρετική μελέτη πάνω στην αντρική συμπεριφορά, με τη διεισδυτική ματιά ενός από τους πιο συναρπαστικούς συγγραφείς που έχει να επιδείξει η σύγχρονη λογοτεχνία.
344 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 1997
12 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
John King
707 books151 followersJohn King is the author of eight novels – The Football Factory, Headhunters, England Away, Human Punk, White Trash, The Prison House, Skinheads and The Liberal Politics Of Adolf Hitler. The Football Factory was turned into a high-profile film. A new novel – Slaughterhouse Prayer – was published on 8 November 2018.
King has written short stories and non-fiction for a number of publications, with articles appearing in the likes of The New Statesman, Le Monde and La Repubblica. His books have been widely translated abroad. He edits the fiction fanzine Verbal and lives in London.
King has written short stories and non-fiction for a number of publications, with articles appearing in the likes of The New Statesman, Le Monde and La Repubblica. His books have been widely translated abroad. He edits the fiction fanzine Verbal and lives in London.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 5, 2017
With his ‘Football Factory’ trilogy, John King provides us with an unflinching and uncompromising, yet compelling look at the dark world of football related gang violence of Britain in the 1990’s.
King neither condones, condemns nor judges the perpetrators, but merely tells is like it is – or at least certainly was at that time. The stories he has created are bleak and brutal; the violence is often shocking, frightening, repulsive and at times unrelenting. Although this is fiction it all too often feels very authentic, it all feels very real.
The ‘Football Factory’ trilogy (‘The Football Factory, Headhunters and England Away’) is consistently well written and convincing throughout. Despite the scale and nature of the violence portrayed, King somehow manages to avoid being gratuitous. Neither does it feel like King is glorifying the culture of violence he is writing about.
These books are about tribalism, about the working classes of Britain in the 1990’s, about an ingrained culture of alcohol fueled violence as part of everyday life. Whilst Football is at the centre of all three novels and central to the lives of the main protagonists – ultimately (and paradoxically) it’s almost incidental to the main themes explored here.
Violent, uncompromising and bleak – but equally thought-provoking, compelling and intelligent.
This is not merely yet another story of hard men, living hard lives and doing violent things.
King neither condones, condemns nor judges the perpetrators, but merely tells is like it is – or at least certainly was at that time. The stories he has created are bleak and brutal; the violence is often shocking, frightening, repulsive and at times unrelenting. Although this is fiction it all too often feels very authentic, it all feels very real.
The ‘Football Factory’ trilogy (‘The Football Factory, Headhunters and England Away’) is consistently well written and convincing throughout. Despite the scale and nature of the violence portrayed, King somehow manages to avoid being gratuitous. Neither does it feel like King is glorifying the culture of violence he is writing about.
These books are about tribalism, about the working classes of Britain in the 1990’s, about an ingrained culture of alcohol fueled violence as part of everyday life. Whilst Football is at the centre of all three novels and central to the lives of the main protagonists – ultimately (and paradoxically) it’s almost incidental to the main themes explored here.
Violent, uncompromising and bleak – but equally thought-provoking, compelling and intelligent.
This is not merely yet another story of hard men, living hard lives and doing violent things.
November 1, 2010
"Però, seriamente" disse Will controllando la voce. "Tu esci e ti scopi una passera, cioè voglio dire, uno qualsiasi di noi, non tu in particolare, e alla fine che roba avresti concluso? Dove vai a parare? Voglio dire, lo so che noi non sprechiamo il tempo a parlare di loro come loro di noi, perchè abbiamo delle cose più importanti da fare nella vita, tipo il calcio, bere, i curry vari, la musica e tutto. Ma allora perchè gli andiamo così dietro? [...] Guarda il meccanismo della faccenda. Sono come quei giocattoli che hai da bambino. Forme di plastica e buchi per mettercele dentro. Una cosa che è vuota e che la riempi, ma perchè lo fai? Cioè, il sesso esiste per fare i bambini, o no? E' quella lì la vera funzione, a torta finita. Soltanto avere figli."
Will l'ha trovato, il senso della faccenda. Con Karen. E a sapere che si sposeranno, che la sua vita procederà per binari stabiliti, sente un profondo senso di pace e sicurezza. Fine con la Sex Division, col campionato, con le passere da reclutare per far su punti. Carter (il chiava-chiava) è sempre stato in testa, ma anche Mango qualcosa aveva rimediato. Avere soldi ti dà una marcia in più e comunque puoi sempre consolarti con un bagno in una vasca di lusso, in una casa di lusso, con il garage occupato da una macchina di stralusso. Mica come Balti, che dopo la rivolta contro il capo era rimasto senza lavoro e soldi per un bel po' e meno male che Harry, nonostante tutti quei sogni ad occhi aperti, gli faceva una gran compagnia nell'appartamento che dividevano a Londra ovest.
Forse King esagera un po' col voler sguazzare nella working class, insistendo col linguaggio pesante e creando personaggi arrancanti, che quasi non si aspettano più niente, tanto il mondo è una merda. Forse avrebbe potuto limitare la scrittura "parlata" alle parti dialogate, senza nulla togliere al cinismo che ti accompagna fino alla fine del romanzo. Perchè anche così si percepisce comunque un velo di sentimento, segno che scendere i gradini della scala sociale non vuol dire rallentare la capacità riflessiva. Il finale è strabiliante - un'ultima frase che dopo l'allentamento di tensione dà il colpo di grazia definitivo. In quello l'amico di Welsh è stato bravo davvero.
Will l'ha trovato, il senso della faccenda. Con Karen. E a sapere che si sposeranno, che la sua vita procederà per binari stabiliti, sente un profondo senso di pace e sicurezza. Fine con la Sex Division, col campionato, con le passere da reclutare per far su punti. Carter (il chiava-chiava) è sempre stato in testa, ma anche Mango qualcosa aveva rimediato. Avere soldi ti dà una marcia in più e comunque puoi sempre consolarti con un bagno in una vasca di lusso, in una casa di lusso, con il garage occupato da una macchina di stralusso. Mica come Balti, che dopo la rivolta contro il capo era rimasto senza lavoro e soldi per un bel po' e meno male che Harry, nonostante tutti quei sogni ad occhi aperti, gli faceva una gran compagnia nell'appartamento che dividevano a Londra ovest.
Forse King esagera un po' col voler sguazzare nella working class, insistendo col linguaggio pesante e creando personaggi arrancanti, che quasi non si aspettano più niente, tanto il mondo è una merda. Forse avrebbe potuto limitare la scrittura "parlata" alle parti dialogate, senza nulla togliere al cinismo che ti accompagna fino alla fine del romanzo. Perchè anche così si percepisce comunque un velo di sentimento, segno che scendere i gradini della scala sociale non vuol dire rallentare la capacità riflessiva. Il finale è strabiliante - un'ultima frase che dopo l'allentamento di tensione dà il colpo di grazia definitivo. In quello l'amico di Welsh è stato bravo davvero.
May 24, 2008
This book is both hilarious and disturbing. A smart look into the lives of a group of Chelsea FC fans romping the bars and women of London. Note: Check out the movie 'The Football Factory', a screen adaptation of a book by the same author.
October 28, 2022
Friends and fellow Chelsea fans Carter, (the unstoppable sex machine, oka Terry), Balti, Mango, Harry and Will often to be found in their local, The Unity. Discussion alternates between the fortunes of Chelsea and their own performance stats in the Sex Division table. Laddish read, set in the latter days of Thatcher in West London, mainly. A sprawling novel with interesting story lines and good characterisation. OK-ish.
Read
July 27, 2011The sequel to the notable Football Factory, I was looking forward ot another excellent read, but am afraid to note that I was pretty disappointed in this book. The book is about some guys who know the characters from the Football Factory, who are in a competition of sex, and gain points for their deeds. It is entertaining at times and the characters are for the most part interesting, and occasionally it has the edge of the first volume. However, the book often loses its credibility with dullard dream sequences and post dream analysis by one of the characters, Harry, that made me want to skim through and get by as quickly as possible, as they were neither topical nor engaging. The social commentary, or attempt at social commentary from the first novel rears its head in this version, however I found it contrived and pedestrian. The end however was a good surprise, there is amazing laugh at the end followed by a very unexpected twist, which I felt saved the novel. I will likely read the third party of the trilogy, England Away, since I am invested in the first two, and hope that it takes us back to the Football Factory.
'
'
October 12, 2025
Still trying to figure out if I enjoyed the book or not, It definitely has its moments but the main plot seems to fade into the background as I was expecting to hear ridiculous stories about how they get their points up.
I enjoyed the characters as they felt quite relatable and it's really typical of what you would find in a close group of male friends.
I did hate that at least 4 chapters were just dreams and really took me out the story.
Not much else happens just men being men with the odd situation thrown in and a pretty shocking ending that i saw coming but never wanted it to happen.
65%
I enjoyed the characters as they felt quite relatable and it's really typical of what you would find in a close group of male friends.
I did hate that at least 4 chapters were just dreams and really took me out the story.
Not much else happens just men being men with the odd situation thrown in and a pretty shocking ending that i saw coming but never wanted it to happen.
65%
June 4, 2008
I learned that Chelsea fans are absolute nutters! Hilarious, violent, misogynistic...what more can one ask for?
July 6, 2025
Innanzitutto ci tengo a dire che la mia votazione così bassa su questo libro è personalissima e va intesa come tale, non vuole assolutamente criticare i lettori a cui è piaciuto. Ho voluto sfidare la parte di me stessa che, con il Bookcrossing di cui sono venuta a conoscenza solo da poco, sta leggendo libri che altrimenti non avrebbe mai volontariamente scelto, come quelli che ho in coda; e in secondo luogo, perché credo sia giusto per un lettore uscire un po’ da quella che è la sua comfort zone. Ebbene, detto questo, non penso che la mia valutazione super negativa sia dettata fondamentalmente dalle mie preferenze, ossia il genere Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy e Classici, quanto piuttosto dallo stile dell’autore e dalla storia che ha scritto. Con una prosa oltremodo volgare ai limiti del sopportabile, in queste 331 pagine, la figura della donna ma se vogliamo, anche quella dell’uomo che si definisca diverso dall’essere uomo in senso stretto del termine, viene proprio fatta in mille pezzi, in mille pezzi che non torneranno mai più insieme, nemmeno per scherzo. Non penso di aver mai letto un libro così allucinante, osceno, che suscita fin troppo imbarazzo, disgusto e disagio per chi, come me, non si era mai approcciata a un testo del genere, testo che non riserva sconti di sorta a nessuno, soprattutto della realtà odierna (1997, anno di pubblicazione del libro) del Regno Unito dove vengono individuati e analizzati nei minimi dettagli svariati aspetti socio-politici di cui io ero all’oscuro. Tenendo in considerazione che a molte persone questo libro è piaciuto, lo posso consigliare soltanto a chi non si sente a disagio né prova imbarazzo e disgusto nel sentir parlare un gruppo di amici – chiamato “la Sex Division” – che dà inizio a questo gioco dell’accumulare punti ogni volta che va con una donna (io ho usato un’espressione elegante rispetto a quelle del libro) o nel leggere molti passi dove non si parla d’altro che di rapporti sessuali e orge. Ripeto, a me non è piaciuto per i motivi personali che ho spiegato, ma va benissimo se piace ad altri lettori.
March 9, 2025
3.5 stars. The story follows the fortunes of five Chelsea fans, but this time with a particular focus on their sex lives. To a certain extent the characters are archetypes: you have the serial shagger, the more introverted muso, the City slicker with more perverted tastes, the tubby pubbers who are more interested in booze, takeaways and telly. As with most of John King's work it's a snapshot of a time and place that doesn't really exist any more; a window onto a particular type of person and a way of life that has largely passed, at least in London. Much of the narrative takes the form of a monologue inside the characters' heads and conversations down the pub, and the things they say can sound a bit contrived and stilted, not at all like the naturally flowing conversation about everything and nothing that tends to characterise such situations. The author uses these moments to shoehorn his own perspectives and musings into the story, which can jar a little, although overall it adds to rather than detracts from the story. Additionally, the language of the dialogues and interior monologues is a little inconsistent, switching between standard English and Cockney/Estuary English with no rhyme or reason, which also jarred a little. Ultimately, though, I enjoyed spending time in the company of Balti, Harry, Carter and Will, and would've liked to read a follow-up on the group's exploits in "Shagaluf"!
**Spoiler** The book's final scene was also very well executed: I didn't see it coming but it fits perfectly well within the narrative of the book and provides a very sobering yet relevant coda. For me, it had shades of the very stylised final scene that gave 'The Sopranos' such an impactful ending.
**Spoiler** The book's final scene was also very well executed: I didn't see it coming but it fits perfectly well within the narrative of the book and provides a very sobering yet relevant coda. For me, it had shades of the very stylised final scene that gave 'The Sopranos' such an impactful ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2021
Not an original thought, but what The Football Factory does for fighting, this one does for the casual sex scene, whether someone makes an effort (Carter), lies about it (Mango), finds the perfect girl (Will), or bumbles along (Balti and Harry). Of course, Balti finds quite a spot of bother with some Irish, Carter barely skirts it, shagging Denise all the time, Mango...well, I'm not sure what Mango thinks he's up to. If Balti only knew about what he did with that poor teen kid, he'd deserve the kicking he'd get. Maintaining standards, that's what this novel is all about.
September 9, 2021
I really enjoyed this book the second in the trilogy starting with Football Factory. The characters and their life styles focused on the “Public House” and the ebb and flow of trying to get by leap out from the narrative. All of them in their own different ways trying to overcoming what life throws at them. So much of this lifestyle has gone along with the weak lager that they drink in ever increasing amounts! I would thoroughly recommend as King is a very special writer describing the British working class perfectly.
July 21, 2022
By John King's standards, which are high, this is not his best book by any stretch of imagination but never the less it's still a decent enough book and worth reading. Maybe a bit repetitive at times and quite frankly a bit overly sexualized but again overall I still enjoyed it.
April 17, 2023
Hey, I read it. It must have been OK.
April 24, 2023
Top drawer, like all of King's books.
April 21, 2025
I did not like the unsettling part that could be associated with "dreams and nightmares" but these 5 Chelsea fans and their tribulations are quite interesting toi follow, and it's also a great portrait of London, and seaside places like Blackpool. 3.5 is the real score. A lot of truths , not really fashionable, are also said about women; quite interesting for people who live in the real world of relations.
December 27, 2024
Another re-read. Picked this book up from a gentleman in Kingsbridge 2021.
A cracking read about lads, lads, lads on the eve of the millennium when things were so much better - I keep saying that. 5 lads start the “Sex Division” a competition between themselves with a points scoring system for certain acts.
Although I’m no football fan and don’t know who the footballers mentioned are I get the gist of what they lads are talking about and the little excerpts that make each character different are brilliantly written. Mangos obsession with his car always made me laugh.
Full of cliches for each character they are all real humans with their individual faults. Some awful ones!
The way the author and the lads talk about booze, stupid stuff, getting points in, takes me back to being a youth and messing about with the highlight of those summer days being in the pub with mates with nothing real to do. No pressure, no targets, no ‘real world’ problems, such innocence.
A book to take you back in time to when life was good before it all changed post 1997.
A cracking read about lads, lads, lads on the eve of the millennium when things were so much better - I keep saying that. 5 lads start the “Sex Division” a competition between themselves with a points scoring system for certain acts.
Although I’m no football fan and don’t know who the footballers mentioned are I get the gist of what they lads are talking about and the little excerpts that make each character different are brilliantly written. Mangos obsession with his car always made me laugh.
Full of cliches for each character they are all real humans with their individual faults. Some awful ones!
The way the author and the lads talk about booze, stupid stuff, getting points in, takes me back to being a youth and messing about with the highlight of those summer days being in the pub with mates with nothing real to do. No pressure, no targets, no ‘real world’ problems, such innocence.
A book to take you back in time to when life was good before it all changed post 1997.
April 12, 2017
King knows the London working class well, as with many of his other books he explores his usual themes of football, punk and drinking but also leaving space for other possibilities, like many of his books there is always a character who is looking for more than the blah blah blah of football/pub/fighting/sex cycle, trying to look beyond the horizon to see what else lies out there. King does for the London working classes what Irvine Welsh does for the Edinburgh working classes, he gives them a voice and lets us hear their fears, troubles and hopes in a convincing and authentic way. This was a book of substance and humour and I really enjoyed it and would say that it’s the best written and most enjoyable one from his “loose trilogy”.
September 14, 2014
It's been many years since I read this book, but I remember buying it purely because the cover art caught my attention.
I remember after finishing it I felt like I had some new (terrifying) insight into the male psyche, and it disturbed me. I'd had a peek behind the curtain and discovered that men were truly awful.
The story of several horrible men doing horrible things to women and each other, in the name of competition. It's possible that it did reveal the soft underside of a man and explain how they were really soft and sweet and how society had made them that way... but I recall none of that.
I remember liking it because I felt it had given me some valuable information.
I remember after finishing it I felt like I had some new (terrifying) insight into the male psyche, and it disturbed me. I'd had a peek behind the curtain and discovered that men were truly awful.
The story of several horrible men doing horrible things to women and each other, in the name of competition. It's possible that it did reveal the soft underside of a man and explain how they were really soft and sweet and how society had made them that way... but I recall none of that.
I remember liking it because I felt it had given me some valuable information.
January 24, 2013
Редко бросаю книгу, не дочитав до конца. Но тут что-то сломалась. Видимо, не моя совсем. И не могу сказать, что плохая. Просто как-то вообще не интересно ни секунды: паб, несколько английских парней просиживают там ежедневно свою жизнь, причем соревнуются между собой: кто больше тёлок трахнет. Очки у них назначены за каждый вид сексуального контакта :) Ну и всё время говорят про футбол.
В общем, ниасилила. Видимо, книга для мальчиков :)
В общем, ниасилила. Видимо, книга для мальчиков :)
October 5, 2009
OK so the main protagonists in the book are Chelsea fans but it’s not really about football more the modern male and their relationships attitudes and interactions. Not as good as the Football Factory but still fairly good.
October 15, 2007
My favourite John King book, merges the passionate subjects of football and sex very well. Brilliant ending too.
January 8, 2015
This was not the "Headhunters" book I recei
ved and read.
ved and read.
October 20, 2013
A bit of a comedown after the bash to the head of The Football Factory. Still King captures the flow of male culture in Britain today.
September 3, 2014
Better than 'Football Factory' for me. Cheeky, fun and visceral. Entertaining fiction.
March 24, 2011
Worst book I have read. The use of third person omnipotence was a real mistake.
January 24, 2014
Awesome book, smells like West London.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews