Book Review: "Spurdogs" by Matthew Slater

It's Thursday night and shortly before I dive into John Steinbeck's The Winter of Our Discontent (nobody ruin this for me, I've heard from some that it isn't his best work) - I've actually strangely enough had quite a peaceful day (unusual, I know - especially ever since I cried over Amerika by Franz Kafka). I can say safely though, this book simply made my day even better. The second instalment to the series (to which I hope there is going to be a third), we find ourselves back in an action packed world. The difference here is that we now have a fully developed plot in which our main character struggles with moral dilemmas. It's time to dive in and become immersed in the world of a very ethically complex protagonist.

In this Gotham-like setting, we are thrown back into a dystopian landscape. Sovereign City: an urban sprawl characterised by pervasive crime, decay, and corruption. This city serves as a backdrop that influences the characters' motivations and actions, highlighting themes of survival and moral ambiguity. Some people are clearly trying to do the wrong thing, but the cityscape is like a jigsaw, difficult to navigate and even more difficult to piece together. It's almost as though there is something happening under every unturned stone and I hope we get to see more of it.

Bryan Wattson is introduced as a deeply flawed yet relatable character. He has a troubled past marked by poor decisions and lost opportunities. As an individual battling his inner demons, Bryan becomes embroiled in a world that challenges his morals and ethics and so, he almost becomes this outcast that has to forge his own path, but on the other hand he cannot operate alone. There are a whole host of characters involved and each of them have very individualised voices. This is key to writing interesting characters: give them someone to be through their voice.

The plot kicks off when Bryan’s attempt to broker a drug deal goes horribly wrong. This failure leaves him vulnerable and desperate, forcing him into a precarious position. The stakes are high, and his life hangs in the balance, propelling him into the heart of the city’s criminal underbelly. Immediately, we have tension and we also retain the moral complexity we saw in the first book.

In a bid to save himself and regain control over his life, Bryan is coerced into an undercover operation. He is tasked with infiltrating the Spurdogs, a brutal gang that exerts significant power over Sovereign City’s criminal activities. This mission tests his limits, forcing him to adopt a new identity while grappling with the risks involved. I think it was interesting seeing this character who has such a strong sense of self, have to adopt a new identity - it explores a side of him that the readers of the first book have not yet seen and you can really get immersed in the idea of this man who cannot trust anyone become someone that criminals should not trust but they don't know it.

The theme of survival is prevalent throughout the narrative, as Bryan is constantly faced with life-or-death situations. His journey explores the lengths to which individuals will go to survive in a hostile environment, forcing him to confront his values and the choices he must make to stay alive. One of the things that will help him survive ironically is the very quality that, in the first book, he had a problem with - people pretending to be someone they are not. I enjoyed how this was now a solution to the problem because it proves that the writer is thinking of the different levels of the ethical dilemma at play.

I don't want to say too much about the story (no spoilers!) but to be perfectly honest, I really enjoy these books because of their ability to not only be the action novel that some people want it to be, they also become these books where you feel as though you can ask the character philosophical questions, you feel as though you are inside their head with them and, especially when it comes to Bryan, you feel like at the end of the book you know him personally. I really do hope there is a third book because the ending to this one was incredible.