The Teenage Mafia
is back! Henry F. Tyler III now picks up
with Book 2: Playing Chess with Real Pieces
where the prequel left off. Continuing
with the cast of characters so well etched in the readers’ mind from Book 1: Not Your Average Street Gang, it
begins after Lewis is shot and wounded, recovering in the hospital when his gang
identifies Redd, a Blood member as his assailant. Revenge sets into The Teenage Mafia gang, as they seek out to destroy and kill Redd
and go to war with the Bloods before they find out Lewis wasn’t killed and come
looking to finish the job.
Henry Tyler continues embellishing his characters as he has
in his debut book. He portrays the
personality of the raw and raunchy XXX sex addict Eric, along with his
girlfriend Honey and the harem of sluts he hangs with; bringing into his book
an undercurrent of unabashed candor when it comes to carnal intentions. With the powerhouse hitter of Rosa Park High
School’s star football linebacker, Willie, kicking the crap out of anyone that
comes in his way, the descriptive violence is awesomely exploited. Willie’s personality is deepened by him
knowing his future of becoming a NFL star rests on the edge of non-existence
should he get identified as a gang member; having the mental pressure of being forewarned
by a UCLA scout Mark Vaughn to quit his gangster activities before its too late. Henry Tyler adds Steven’s character to the
mix by bringing in a cerebral level of balance to the gang, keeping the dialog
focused on the money. Cleverly, he uses
the L.A. Police Det. Hugo Lopez to weigh in a well articulated element of
suspense; becoming the proverbial houndog-cop tracking the fugitives throughout
the concrete jungle, picking up the shell casings from the aftermaths while
sniffing out the scent of what’s going on. All of these characters are spun around the bank heists, jewelry
robberies, drug deals, rip-offs and pressure relieving orgy sex as the gang
prepares for battle; bringing down the Bloods.
Chess and gangs have some things in common: Bishops,
Knights, a Queen and a King. To a gang
these are ranks of power within the hierarchy of command. At the end of this book the coronation of
these titles are bestowed to C-Loc and Whip as Henry F. Tyler III created a
farewell scene in the airport. Steven,
Zenobia, Lewis and Tammy were catching a flight to New York City as Eric,
Willie and Jonny were there to see them off. After reading so much about these people, from so many revealing
episodes of sex, violence, greed and drugs, I felt a uniquely inspired bond
with these characters had developed. I
felt Henry Tyler was bringing these people I had gotten to know (and enjoy
although not condone) to a close like the curtain call in a play – all in front
of the reader with parting ways, taking their “bow” – so to speak. I think that’s the true quality of Henry F.
Tyler’s writing, inasmuch as you don’t have to like what these guys are doing
to like them, because frankly they are unlike anyone I really know in real life.
I just hope that this isn’t the final curtain call, and maybe
when the plane lands in NYC The Teenage
Mafia might take a bite out of the Big Apple!
