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Biker by Jerry Langton

Like Good Behavior, this is a story about a criminal, though in this case it is fiction (sort of: it looks like non-fiction but it's not). Author Jerry Langton is a normally a journalist specializing in biker gangs. He has seen the worst the Hells Angels, Bandidos and other gangs have had to offer. In Biker, Langton has fictionalized life in a biker gang, but he stresses one thing: the characters are made up, but the details are real. This is what like is really like for the hardcore members of the worst gangs. Drugs, alcohol, violence and murder and other terrible crimes are all a part of the life.

One might ask if this kind of thing is appropriate for teens. After all, this book pulls no punches. It's pretty extreme, and it is all the more frightening because it is pretty close to reality. The language is (very) harsh and the details are unpleasant to say the least, but any kid who has watched TV or movies has seen it all before anyway. This is very much a cautionary tale, if you need justification.

The writing isn't particularly good, but it's a fairly easy read. Langton is a journalist, not a novelist, but something about the style lends itself to the material. To me, though, it feels more 'true' than it would with fancy language and turns of phrase.

This isn't for everyone. Fantasy readers probably won't want to touch it, but more hesitant readers might go for it based on the premise and the fact that the cover is pretty clear about the contents of the book.
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