Journal Entry 1 by SqueakyChu from Rockville, Maryland USA on Tuesday, November 29, 2005

This is copy # 1.

I bought this trade paperback (Vintage, 2003) at the Friends of the Library used book store in Wheaton, Maryland.

From the back of the book:
"A thriller with attitude to spare, Bangkok 8 is a sexy, razor-edged, often darkly hilarious novel set in one of the world's most exotic cities".

The book begins:
"The African American marine in the gray Mercedes will soon die of bites from Naja siamensis, but we don't know that yet, Pichai and I (the future is impenetrable, says the Buddha). We are in one car behind him at the toll for the expressway from the airport to the city and this is the closest we've been for three hours. I watch and admire as a huge black hand with a heavy gold signet ring on the index finger extends from..." (Join this bookray!)

Begin International Bookray (12/23/05):
SqueakyChu (Maryland) done
krin511 (Maryland) done
DiamondLight (Texas) done
LyekkaMarengo (Pennsylvania) done
LOTUSNEKO (Illinois) done
End International Bookray (01/30/08)

I ended this bookray after 5 stops because I never heard about the book again after it was mailed to Ventura, California. During its 2 years of traveling it went to 4 states within the USA. 

Journal Entry 2 by SqueakyChu from Rockville, Maryland USA on Sunday, January 01, 2006

Wow! This book was really good and quite a page turner.

I usually don't read mysteries, but I heard this book was wonderful and decided to give it a try. This book captivated me because it turned out to be so much more than a simple detective story. The author's writing was excellent. Combining a complex and engaging story with wry humor, the author also gave a pretty stinging cultural look at the red light district of Bangkok and a glimpse into Thai racism in dealing with farangs (white foreigners) and people of mixed race. 

Journal Entry 3 by SqueakyChu from Rockville, Maryland USA on Saturday, January 07, 2006

My husband and daughter have a copy of this book from our library so I'm free to send my own copy traveling. Bon voyage to my book...although it's only going up the road a bit to Olney, Maryland!

Enjoy the book, krin511. It's in the mail now! 

Journal Entry 4 by krin511 from Olney, Maryland USA on Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Arrived today - thanks! 

Journal Entry 5 by krin511 from Olney, Maryland USA on Saturday, January 21, 2006

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read this book! As SqueakyChu says, the writing is fantastic. I liked all the characters and there are many twists in the plot.


Mailed to DiamondLight yesterday. 

Journal Entry 6 by DiamondLight from Dublin, Texas USA on Wednesday, March 08, 2006

I received this as part of a ring several weeks ago and totally forgot that I hadn't made an entry yet. I should be done with this soon. So far it's great! 

Journal Entry 7 by DiamondLight from Dublin, Texas USA on Monday, June 19, 2006

I got a bunch of ring books all at the same time. (Isn't that always the way?) If the next person wants this right away, let me know and I'll send it along. I'm sorry to have held things up. 

Journal Entry 8 by DiamondLight from Dublin, Texas USA on Monday, October 02, 2006

I sent this one off today! Sorry it's taken me so long. I actually thought I had sent it before. 

Journal Entry 9 by LyekkaMarengo from Warriors Mark, Pennsylvania USA on Sunday, October 08, 2006

Arrived yesterday, safe and sound in Central PA. I have 2 rings ahead of this but both are short.

 

Journal Entry 10 by LOTUSNEKO from Washington, Illinois USA on Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Thank you for including me in this bookring. Looking forward to sinking my teeth into this book. I love action-thriller novels. 

Journal Entry 11 by LOTUSNEKO from Washington, Illinois USA on Monday, April 09, 2007

I am still working on this book. Not a quick read. Each chapter is like a serving of Greek Moussaka, rich and needs time to be digested. I am sorry I am taking so long to finish this unique book. 

Journal Entry 12 by LOTUSNEKO from Washington, Illinois USA on Friday, June 29, 2007

Bangkok 8, with its hot pink and yellow cover and sketch of a hooded cobra, looks like pulp fiction, an easy dime-novel read. Anything but, each chapter is rich and takes time for the intelligent reader on which to ruminate, digest, and meditate. Told from the first person perspective of Thai police officer Sonchai, this unique novel seeks to elevate Thai culture to the same status as Japan or Hong Kong for action novel settings. The unlikely protagonist is the only honest cop on the force, and also a devout Buddhist out to kill the murderers of his beloved partner. Sonchai's mother is an aging, but still attractive former prostitute who refuses to tell him the identity of his (white) father. Sonchai has an ability to see ghosts and the past lives of people, including the hot blond FBI agent who has come to Thailand to assist with the case.

It's complicated.

But really good. Did I mention that a billionaire jade collector and an extraordinarily beautiful Black-Thai prostitute are the villians? No? Well, read for yourself. I love this book. My only criticism is that Burdett does not write all of his dialouge naturally. In seeking to impart facts to the reader, some of the characters sometimes seem like they are reading from an encyclopedia. The other fault I find is that Burdett lauds Thai culture a bit ad nauseam, again to the detriment of authentic dialouge. Sonchai and other main characters often chirp, "That's very Thai, right?" at inopportune moments.

But a worthy book well worth your time reading. Just go in with an open mind concerning reincarnation and ghosts, and other supernatural oddities.
 

Journal Entry 13 by LOTUSNEKO from Washington, Illinois USA on Saturday, July 21, 2007

Mailed this morning via media mail to next person in ray, ldpaulson in California. REALLY SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO FINISH.