Gutter

In the sequel to Gangsta, K'wan offers a gritty and explosive cautionary tale. Kenyatta Soladine, aka Gutter, is an Algerian immigrant and head of the Harlem Crips, recently recovered from a gunshot-induced coma to learn that his best friend has been murdered by the rival Bloods. Overcome with guilt and rage, Gutter and his gang seek revenge by killing not just those responsible, but every member of the Bloods in town, despite the protests of Gutter's wife, Sharell, his business associates and his advisers. In response, the Bloods import some serious help from Los Angeles: Major Blood, a deranged and murderous sociopath with an age-old vendetta against the Soladine family. Plenty of mayhem follows, taking in gangsters, their families and innocent bystanders on both coasts. Hard-to-ignore structural problems and predictable, cliched plot developments will frustrate, and tacked-on prologue and epilogue will confuse. K'wan does have his eyes and ears to the street, believably detailing his characters' dialogue and reactions, but goes little further. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Verdict: Although this is a sequel to Gangsta, readers unfamiliar with that novel should not worry; there's plenty of backstory here to fill in the blanks. With each book, K'wan (Still Hood; Hood Rat) just keeps getting better as a writer, and he obviously knows his stuff. Details like stopping for a 40 ounce and Dutch Masters put us right in the front seat with the soldiers as they prepare to ride. Urban libraries should expect heavy demand. [Library marketing campaign.] Background: Like any leader, Kenyatta Soladine, aka Gutter, has problems, it's just that his are deadly. His boo, Sharell, is pregnant, and Gutter looks forward to having a son. But first he has business to handle following the murder of his partner, Lou-Loc. Blood will answer for blood. Gutter's thirst for revenge takes him away from Harlem to Los Angeles, where he reinforces his standing as a ghetto legend. But who is minding his business while he is away? And who can handle the stone killer Major Blood, sent to execute Gutter? K'wan skillfully handles his large cast of characters and two vastly different urban settings in a thrill ride marked by violence, profane men, and firefights.--Rollie Welch, Cleveland P.L. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.