Honor Few, Fear None: The Life and Times of a Mongol

by Ruben Cavazos

The stunning, never-before-told story of Ruben "Doc" Cavazos, international president of the Mongols Motorcycle Club When Ruben "Doc" Cavazos changes his clothes at daybreak, he is no longer a CAT scan technician at the University of Southern California Medical Center. He becomes the man known—and, in a few special cases, feared—as Doc, international president of the Mongols, the fastest-growing and most closely watched organization of its kind in the United States. In reality, the Mongols are a tightly knit band of brothers devoted in equal measure to the club, their fellow Mongols, and their freedom. They live to enjoy life, party, and travel the open road. Above all, they demand respect. When pushed too far, Mongols join together to push back. Just ask the Hells Angels, the Ukrainian mafia, the Mexican mafia, and the U.S. government. All have tested the Mongols' resolve. In Honor Few, Fear None , Doc is ready, for the first time, to share the stories of the Mongols' battle to survive and thrive against incredible odds and sometimes terrible violence. Doc takes you to the streets and into the bars, the secret meetings, the brawls, and the shoot-outs, all proof that if you live like a Mongol does, you must honor few, fear none.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Biography, Motorcycle, Crime, Memoir

224 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2008

Reviews

[DAISY READS HORROR · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read this book for a while now. I’ll be honest at the beginning I thought I wasn’t going to be able to finish the book because I was annoyed.

However, I kept reading and finished the book. I did find the insight to be interesting. The funniest story was about the marshmallow races. It was gross but funny (you’ll have to read to book to find out what the marshmallow races were).

Overall it was an interesting read.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and his perspective from inside the Mongols. Naturally you have to keep his hidden agenda in mind, which is I believe to try to clean up the public image of the club after "Under and Alone" was published. His continual thread that the Mongols are a "cleaner" bunch than Bill Queen portrays has to be taken with a grain of salt, since Cavazos pleaded guilty to rackteering and was sent to prison within months of the publication of this book.

What I enjoyed from this book was an insight into the origins of a Latino gangbanger and his perspective on the police, from the other side of the equation. I also enjoyed his slant on what it's like to be in prison. I wouldn't call it great literature, but he does a good job of telling his side of the story. His self-described fearless encounters with the Hells Angels and the Mexican mafia were highly entertaining. His side of the encounter with the Hells Angels in Harrah's in Laughlin NV was interesting, as was his description of the internal politics in the Mongols' leadership.

I don't delude myself that this is at all unbiased, but inuitively I think there are some large grains of truth in there somewhere.

[Jon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think every man no matter what should be respected; when you first meet the man, you should give him the respect that you would want. And then when you find out what he's all about, you'll see what respect he's earned. Some people maybe don't deserve it, but at least to begin with, it doesn't matter what he looks like, what he's into, you need to go ahead and treat him with respect. He's a man.

Honor Few, Fear None , page 196.

In theory, it just might work: a society built on respect. Who needs laws if everyone truly respects each other?

As practiced by Mongols and other so-called outlaw motorcycle clubs that Cavazos runs with and against, however, the lip service to respect gives way to social interaction built on fear and intimidation.

To piece together the full picture, read this book in conjunction with William Queen's Under and Alone: The True Story of the Undercover Agent Who Infiltrated America's Most Violent Outlaw Motorcycle Gang .

[Jeff R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great example of how one bad president and his ego can devestate an outlaw motorcycle club, was considered a written confession by the ATF and Department of Justice in Operation Black Rain and used as evidence. During my time in the 1% world I watched Doc change the identity of the Mongols from a righteous old school outlaw motorcycle club and almost destroy the organization, and in Honor Few, Fear None, Doc tells you just how he did it. While I personally dislike Doc and think what he did to the Mongols was horrible, his book is a good read from the standpoint that it tells you how not to operate and outlaw motorcycle club. It is also of historical significance from an investigative standpoint as it was the first time that as part of an undercover operation that the ATF arranged a book deal and T.V. deal for a target of an investigation with the intent on exploiting his ego and eliciting written and spoken confessions from him, and it worked like a charm.

[Michael Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most books involving the world of outlaw MC's, you never know what is real and what is merely story. It has been this way since shows such as Motorcycle Mania and American Chopper hit the airwaves. It's natural to cash in.

This book is a telling from Ruben Cavazos who was at one time President of the Mongols MC. It's a very good read about his life and rise within the club. The stories are not outlandish and are believable. I found this book to be a good read and one of the few books that I didn't find myself calling BS on.

[J L · Rating 2 out of 5]

This seemed like a book to try and clear his name before he was sent to prison. It paints him and his club as just good guys who get caught in lies. He doesn't own anything. Its a blame game book.

[Dameon Fowler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright, that"I am bad to the bone" writing made it impossible to read. It's another 1% story with 1% exciting moments but I just couldn't read it. Cop troubles and all are here. Even that annoying we are not a gang thing is more than prevalent here. "Gypsy Jokers to Hell's Angels" and the dirty "Unknown Mongol" are great books to hear about this dangerous life choice. 👊

[jeff lary]

I really enjoyed this book

I am honored to have read this story. While I don't agree with all the theft in Docs early life I think I understand. Although I will never have the chance to I would like to meet him or any Mongol and shake their hand.

[Stuart Pope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick enjoyable read.

Not sure about the truth of the book, but you can't deny Reuben is a good communicator and has taken the Mongols well beyond where they ever were before.

[John Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seemed a bit self-serving

[Joe Orozco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect sequel to William Queen’s Under and Alone, the insider’s perspective to the Mongol Motorcycle Club if you will. I was skeptical picking this one up, fearing the book would be long on justification and short on explanation, but it was written with a neutrality I found admirable.

Cavazos never denies the crimes members of his club have committed over time. He’s candid about the absurd qualification practices new members, or prospects, must face before being voted in, but he also emphasizes the pockets of bad apples and the intergenerational divide that have shaped the gang’s image in the public eye. As a minority twice over, I know too well how the encounters with one idiot can shape a person’s long-term bias.

It’s the other side to Queen’s account. The truth is most likely in the middle, but having read both books, I feel more motivated to learning more about the players in this world of patches, honor codes, and bikes. In all, it further drives home the point that there are good gang members and bad cops. Nothing is black and white, no disrespect to Mongol colors, and the good investigators are the ones who dig deep beneath the headlines to figure out what motivates a group, any group, to do what they do and think the way they think.

[David Horney · Rating 3 out of 5]

another dirtbag biker who is soooooo misunderstood. all he wants to do is love on his son, ride bikes and have solidarity w/his brothers. any criminal activity that takes place is completely out of his sight--despite the fact that he's the International Prez...... interestingly, 4 months after this book was published "doc" was kicked out of the mongols for embezzling almost a million bucks from the kitty. he's also looking at 20 to life for a variety of rico violations uncovered by 8 uc's who infiltrated his gang--though in the book he specifically mocks on of the chapters who was infiltrated by 1 cop.....
dude is reasonably intelligent and well spoken (he is a licensed radiology tech)and doesn't seem to have had a ghost writer.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like most biker autobiographies, this was disappointing. I guess what I'm looking for is some honesty insofar as the biker lifestyle is concerned, but Cavazos gives the same old song and dance: it seems the Mongols are just a bunch of motorcycle enthusiasts. None of them commit crimes, but if they did, it would just be a few unsavoury members acting without the approval of the club, you big silly! The book is worth reading for the insight into the gangster mindset, but don't expect any startling revelations.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW what a fascinating look into the mind of a person who can just about rationalize everything and anything. Ruben "Doc" Cavazos made a living as a CAT scan technician at the University of Southern California Medical Center. On his spare time he is the international president of the Mongols. This page turning book not only gives you a little insight on a Motorcycle gang but the power of brotherhood and what happens when you betray.

[Garrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable enough read from the Nat'l President of the Mongols MC.

It contained no surprises. It is the standard poorly written and unfocused quasi-criminal autobio that succeeds at all because of its fascinating subject matter. I actually think I enjoyed reading more about the author's street gang (Avenues) teen years than his adult outlaw biker times.

[Steven Andersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like Under and Alone. It is about a Mongol and how he became a Mongol. It Started off slow and finished slow but it raised and slowed through out the book. If I would have to rate this book i would have to rate it about a 4.5. I would ultimately recommend this book for people who are interested in bikes and stuff that goes along with them.

[Cindy Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reason why I liked this book and rated it four stars is because it never got boring. The way they kept you entertained and how interesting things came after another and after another. It had a lot of action in the book. It also reminded me of another book I read called " Things get Hectic". That's also the reason why I liked it because it was really similar to it.

[Megafone Tone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well i read under and alone so of course i had to read the other side of the story. Interesting read and obviously written with a hidden agenda which you can pretty much see through once you dive into this book.

[Tbone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book about the Mongols and I would say a fairly accurate book but take the book with a grain of salt

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

An inside look into the Mongols....

[Tony Sorendo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a book through the eyes of an outlaw biker-former Pres. of the Mongols Motorcycle Gang.

[Ruthann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought it was interesting to see their viewpoint on what they do and why.