Moondogs: A Novel

Written by Alexander Yates

Narrated by Paul Michael

A singularly effervescent novel pivoting around the disappearance of an American businessman in the Philippines and the long-suffering son, jilted lover, slick police commissioner, misguided villain, and supernatural saviors who all want a piece of him.

Mourning the recent loss of his mother, twentysome­thing Benicio-aka Benny-travels to Manila to reconnect with his estranged father, Howard. But when he arrives his father is nowhere to be found-leaving an irri­tated son to conclude that Howard has let him down for the umpteenth time. However, his father has actually been kid­napped by a meth-addled cabdriver, with grand plans to sell him to local terrorists as bait in the country's never-ending power struggle between insurgents, separatists, and "demo­cratic" muscle.

Benicio's search for Howard reveals more about his father's womanizing ways and suspicious business deals, reopening the old hurts that he'd hoped to mend. Interspersed with the son's inquiry and the father's calamitous life in captivity are the high-octane interconnecting narratives of Reynato Ocampo, the local celebrity-hero policeman charged with rescuing Howard; Ocampo's ragtag team of wizardry-infused soldiers; and Monique, a novice officer at the American embassy whose family still feels feverishly unmoored in the Philippines.

With blistering forward momentum, crackling dialogue, wonderfully bizarre turns, and glimpses into both Filipino and expat culture, the novel marches toward a stunning cli­max, which ultimately challenges our conventional ideas of family and identity and introduces Yates as a powerful new voice in contemporary literature.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio
• Release date: Mar 15, 2011
• ISBN: 9780307881106

Alexander Yates

Alexander Yates was born in Haiti and grew up in Mexico, Bolivia, and the Phillipines. He is the author of the critically acclaimed adult novel Moondogs and the YA novels, The Winter Place and How We Became Wicked. He lives with his wife in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Reviews for Moondogs

[bibliovermis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book wasn't what I was expecting from the cover description, but was a pretty good read nonetheless. The book takes place in the Phillipines, and ties together a number of seemingly separate tales—a kidnapping, a father-and-son attempt at relationship redemption, political intrigue, and a group of... legal vigilantes? Heroic anti-heroes? ...with mystical powers. The amount of graphic violence, especially that done by seemingly sympathetic characters, can be very shocking and unpleasant, especially if you're not expecting it. So be forewarned.I found myself wanting to know more about a lot of the characters and stories that were just barely covered, or were interesting at first but had their storylines peter out over time, and less about characters that were more fleshed out, but turned out to be exactly the kind of boring navel-gazers that overpopulate "literary" ventures these days. In the end, it seemed like there were too many characters and scenarios for the author to really handle effectively. At times you wonder what these characters are doing in the same book at all.

[realdealjim · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Moondogs by Alexander Yates is a very well written novel. The action takes place in the Phillipines. It involves a successful American ex-pat businessman, his visiting adult son attempting to mend their strained relationship, an aspiring criminal, a commando leader, an American diplomat, and a soldier. Each of the first several chapters focuses on one character, which made it a bit difficult to follow since I read books over numerous sittings. But the plot progression and character development were entertaining. Yates includes mystical elements for the commandos and flashbacks particularly for the father-son relationship. The peripheral characters are interesting and believable. He deftly weaves the topics of terrorism, diplomacy, parenting, adultery, politics, scuba diving, and police/military operations. Enjoyable!

[diovival · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I fell head over heels in love with this novel. A standout debut from emerging author Alexander Yates.

Early on, the reader is introduced to a colorful cast of characters. The list is a long one, but Yates adroitly balances the multiple story lines without a hitch. The nonlinear narrative revolves around the kidnapping of womanizer Howard Bridgewater while he's on business in the Phillipines. We're privy to the seedier side of Manila, bumbling crooks, shallow politicians, duplicitous officials, and temptations within easy reach, all brushing up against a superficial atmosphere of excessive opulence. Nothing is as it seems here. Relationships are turned upside down. Plans spiral out of control. It's a wild ride leading up to a pleasantly unexpected ending.

Note: I received this book via the Goodreads giveaway program.

[jamespaul977 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Moondogs by Alexander Yates is a very well written novel. The action takes place in the Phillipines. It involves a successful American ex-pat businessman, his visiting adult son attempting to mend their strained relationship, an aspiring criminal, a commando leader, an American diplomat, and a soldier. Each of the first several chapters focuses on one character, which made it a bit difficult to follow since I read books over numerous sittings. But the plot progression and character development were entertaining. Yates includes mystical elements for the commandos and flashbacks particularly for the father-son relationship. The peripheral characters are interesting and believable. He deftly weaves the topics of terrorism, diplomacy, parenting, adultery, politics, scuba diving, and police/military operations. Enjoyable!

[knomad_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very readable but starnge brew of magic realism, fatther-son character study and hard-boiled thriller. A very promising debut that just misses being great.

[krisa_41 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book! There are many story lines that the author ties together neatly, unique characters that are well developed and introduced one by one in consecutive chapters, lots of local color, sense of humor-nicely done. An American IT man goes to the Phillipines after his mom dies to reconnect with his father. However, his father has been kidnapped by a meth addicted cab driver and his rooster. In the process of trying to find the father he is helped by a novice American Embassy staff, a celebrity cop and his crew of soldriers with magical powers, an actor turned senator...very entertaing.

[eheinlen_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I do not, under any circumstances, continuing reading a book where one of the characters kills a dog for fun. Therefore, I stopped as soon as that happens. The author could have written a masterpiece after that and, honestly, I don't care. I'll never read the rest of it.

[goodinthestacks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Moondogs was a fairly fun satirical novel, but I never found myself interested enough to want more. As I read, I would find certain parts funny or exciting, but in writing this review, I cannot recall them. The book did not stay with me, but that't not necessarily a bad thing. A fun book, but not for everyone.

[harahel_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had a lot of hope for this book and the first few chapters were greatly engaging, but then I set it down...and I couldn't force myself to pick it back up. Despite the whimsical beginning and intriguing mysteries it just didn't haul me in. I pushed myself through it and I never really did warm to it again.

[abealy_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Moondogs is a well written action thriller wrapped in a veneer of brujo magic and surreal absurdism. The story revolves around the kidnapping in Manila of Howard Bridgewater, an American businessman, by a bumbling band of crack-addled desperados. They’re up against Reynato Ocampo, a badass cop who’s inspired a series of hit films, the leader of a posse of brujo-powered vigilantes. Howard’s estranged son Benecio arrives for a pre-arranged visit to find the messy world his father has created turned upside down.Corruption, sex, culture clashes, and a touch of Three Stooges misadventure mixed with Tarantino-esque Pulp Fiction carry this confident debut novel. A great read!

[sean191 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's great when I really enjoy a book. Even better when the book was free, better when it's an early review book so you're the first on the cheerleading wagon and better still when it's the debut for a new author. Yes, Moondogs is all that.Moondogs has a handful of storylines weaving through it and all merge together very well by story's end. Yates is a talented writer and a sentence really jumped out more than once for me.My one complaint? I really enjoyed the characters and would have loved a sequel with everyone. I think there's a possiblity of continuing some of the stories, but without giving too much away, it's not going to have everyone.I did appreciate the "missing" statement about a character. Things didn't get tied up so neatly, the good guys weren't always so good and the bad guys...well, yeah, they probably were so bad.....I'll be keeping an eye out for any further offerings from Yates!

[rpeckham_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There is certainly something of magical realism here--albeit a pulpy reinterpretation--but there is also something more, something a bit more crude and raw. The story explodes with energy and intimacy, propelling the characters down a series of skewed plot lines and somehow managing to convince the reader, despite the fact that many of these characters never meet, that this is a crisp and coherent novel. This becomes most obvious in the final pages of the book, in which protagonist Benicio and his expatriate father Howard are finally reunited after a half decade of estrangement--only Howard dies before the two can speak, meaning that the reader can only infer the reconciliation based on the interior monologues of the characters separately. This is the kind of empathic chasm that defines the story, a certain gap between diegetic reality and reality-as-literature that ropes in reader and character alike with no small measure of violence. Language is tight and rather par for the course for young literature now, but cracks begin to show toward in the end when several instances of unbelievable dialogue and forced resolution break the general inertia of the piece.I suspect this will appeal to others with a possible shared background as an American expatriate in east Asia, as there are a few particularly telling moments that play with these dual layers of social function and lived cultural identity. Most interestingly, the suspension of disbelief required for the more magical or pulpy elements of the text fits this idea of voluntary linguistic and social displacement perfectly, inserting a layer of literary mediation between life and its interpretation.

[mykl8s · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"A man and a rooster exit a taxi." This starts one of the best first paragraphs of any novel in memory. If every paragraph in Yates' book doesn't live up to this standard, it is still a good read. I had reservations about the amount of violence depicted, some of it gratuitous, but never considered dropping the book. The characters, and there are many of them, are drawn in detail. I cared about each of them and wanted to find out how they all end up. It is a book about the Philippines, about politics, about the powers of bruhos and bruhas, about crime, about human stupidity and its consequences.

[beccareads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was the first Early Reviewer's book I've received in a long time that I thoroughly enjoyed. I found the characters engaging and the witchcraft premise interesting and unusual. The multiple narratives and perspectives were easy to follow and kept my interest. I often avoid fiction that takes place in a fantastical version of some far-flung country I know very little about, but I actually enjoyed this example, as I think it's pretty clear the author writes from firsthand knowledge of the area and not speculation. So, four stars!

[upstairsgirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is totally nuts. There is a lot of stuff going on and it is all really, profoundly weird, and it is all happening at once, in sometimes excruciating detail but the writing is pretty amazing and even though I didn't love the story I found it really hard to put down.Yates does a really good job of keeping the reader from getting lost in the multiple stories he's telling, which is not an easy task. I think this happens a little bit at the expense of the bigger picture, both in terms of the action of the novel itself and of what the novel is trying to do. It's a pretty amazing ride, but the reader is left with a kind of unsatisfying ending and the question, "What the hell just happened?" As a result, I'm not sure what to say about this book. I couldn't put it down, and I couldn't stop thinking about it, but I also kind of didn't enjoy it, except insofar as it was fun to watch Yates weave together all the parts of the story.

[mkboylan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Satire, drama, comedy, fantasy, political commentary? I don't know! I just know I enjoyed spending this time in Manila with these people! I got to see a little of the life of an embassy worker, a soldier, a revolutionary, an action hero, an actor, and, of course, a witch or two. It's always nice to throw in a couple of bumbling criminals also. My children are all adults now, so I also especially enjoyed seeing a son come to terms with the reality of his father, rather than that fantasy we often grow up believing in. It's always fun to see adult children realize that both they and their parents are human! Additionally, I always enjoy a peek into an American expat community. I will definitely be watching for this new author's next book.

[andrewreads_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Moondogs is an engaging book that moves at a rapid pace following a host of interesting characters, but it sometimes feels a bit rushed and out of control. It is wonderfully satirical, full of equal amounts of humor and heart and grit and disillusionment, but it failed to leave a permanent impression on me, as a reader. Yates’s message seemed a bit diluted by the frenetic, zigzagging plot and although this book left me with a mild feeling of contentment upon its completion, I would not rush out to recommend it to my friends.

[mclane_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Moondogs is an excellent first novel. Magic realism meets Pulp Fiction!! Alex Yates handles a wide cast of characters--ranging from a 20-something American IT manager to an American embassy official to a corrupt Filipino cop to a simple but very complex native soldier--with believability and verve. And don't overlook that cigarette-smoking rooster! The story of a kidnapping gone bad, it keeps you constantly guessing about each characters motives and intentions. A very good read--I recommend this novel.

[zephyr001 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was immediately drawn into the gritty sparkle of Mr. Yates' Philippines. Moondogs is permeated with shades of darkness, populated by damaged characters who operate in realms of moral ambiguity, inhabiting a slightly-magical reality. Yates maintains an interesting tension between reader and character by keeping the protagonists at arms length, making them fascinating, but difficult to like fully. The electric pace of this book made it a compelling read. The intertwining story-lines, drenched in a rain of politics, magic, redemption, and betrayal, wrap around the reader like vines in a Philippine jungle. I found this book fascinating, and as difficult to stop thinking about as it was to put down.