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News and tests about board games, games and entertainment > Articles > Books > [Advertisement] "The Cartel" by Don Winslow: Full throttle through the drug swamp
Books

[Advertisement] "The Cartel" by Don Winslow: Full throttle through the drug swamp

Andre Volkman
Last updated: February 27, 2019 19:38
Andre Volkman
7 MinRead
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7 MinRead
The Cartel by Don Winslow, published by the Droemer Knaur publishing group. Image: Droemer Knaur
The Cartel by Don Winslow, published by the Droemer Knaur publishing group. Image: Droemer Knaur
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The drug thriller "The Cartel" by Don Winslow is no easy evening reading, it is a brutal ride through the Mexican drug swamp: relentless, explicit, excessive. The predecessor “Days of the Dead” is already considered to be one of the most important crime novels of the last few years. And the second part of the trilogy - the last volume "The Years of the Hunter" is available from February 27th - made it onto the relevant bestseller lists.


The cartel: B.rutal like reality

Don Winslow's drug thriller “Das Kartell”, published by the Droemer Knaur publishing group, tells of the eternal struggle between the USA and the Mexican drug lords. Incidentally, the 800-page novel writes the history of a country that has been marked by a decades-long raid by drug barons.

The cartel is the sequel to "Power of the Dog" (Eng. "Days of the Dead"), with the Don winslow made its breakthrough in 2005. In the first part of the drug crime trilogy, Winslow dispensed with romanticizing notions of iconic crime bosses who are half criminal and half heroic. “Days of the Dead” was as brutal and ruthless as the reality that readers actually don't want to know about - but should know so much. Don Winslow dispenses with a gentle introduction to the genesis of the Mexican drug war in “The Cartel” - he has already told you all of this. Instead, he throws his readers right into a battle pit of blood, violence and perversion.

The drug thriller "Das Kartell", published by Droemer Knaur, landed on the relevant bestseller lists. Photo: André Volkmann
The drug thriller "Das Kartell", published by Droemer Knaur, landed on the relevant bestseller lists. Photo: André Volkmann

What Winslow has put on paper in parts goes far beyond the bearable: you want to stop reading and at the same time persevere. The awareness that all the crimes are happening in Mexico on a daily basis is shocking. And angry. Sometimes desperate too.

- Advertisement -

"... those who are not destroyed by physical torture will be driven insane by mental agony."

The cartel, Don Winslow

The story begins where the predecessor ends. Arthur Keller, drawn from the struggle against the drug mafia, has recently found refuge in a remote monastery in the wasteland of New Mexico. He lives withdrawn into the daytime, looks after bees as a beekeeper and enjoys the peaceful, simple monastery life.

The list of cartels in the book cover looks clear: the drug war itself is pure chaos. Photo: André Volkmann
The list of cartels in the book cover looks clear: the drug war itself is pure chaos. Photo: André Volkmann

Until one day a bounty is put on him - offered by his former friend and now enemy Adán Barrera, who is preparing for his return to the milieu out of prison. Arthur Keller does what aged heroes like him do in situations like this: he returns to the DEA, allows himself to be transferred to Mexico and waits for the right moment to strike.

Then, in 2007, Mexican President Felipe Calderón declared war on the cartels - and Mexico exploded in a cloud of brutality and violence.

"Mexico is a graveyard of secrets."

Art Keller isn't the only one who declared war on the drug lords in "Das Kartell". The serial not only tells of an overarching drug war between the United States and Mexico, it also tells the stories of very simple Mexican residents who get caught between the lines, fight back, and often die.

The plot arouses emotions. It's about fears, about dying, but also about hope. Photo: André Volkmann
The plot arouses emotions. It's about fears, about dying, but also about hope. Photo: André Volkmann

The years of research that Winslow has done for his drug thrillers is paying off. The richness of detail in the main and side stories captivates readers. Not immediately, but progressively with each page of the book read. To reduce Winslow's work to the representation of a slaughterhouse does not do justice to his skill and zeal. “Das Kartell” knows how to arouse emotions: sadness, anger, anger, incomprehension, worry - fascination. The story is fictional but based on facts. There are real role models behind many of the characters, the plot is real anyway, which makes the novel “The Cartel” terrifyingly tangible.

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"It took two days until all corpses were recovered and all body parts assigned."

The cartel, Don Winslow

The cartel is a tour de force. Also because Winslow is not squeamish about the stories about the little people. The journalist Pablo Mora or the doctor Marisol Cisneros, both closely interwoven with the events surrounding Art Keller, are never safe - even if readers would wish them to be invulnerable. “Das Kartell” is mysterious in a fascinating way, always surprising, and in the end ruthlessly honest.

Don Winslow continues the story of the drug war between the USA and Mexico with his novel "The Cartel": Photo: André Volkmann
With his novel "The Cartel", Don Winslow continues the story of the drug war between the USA and Mexico: Photo: André Volkmann

You have to recognize Don Winslow's literary achievements, but also his courage: the chaotic drug war is not a gem in US history, but has always been a kind of memorial to political failure and shoved responsibility. Winslow names the guilt of the US authorities. He presents the “drug problem” not as a purely Mexican problem, but as a global one. Transit countries, consumers, banks, politicians, business people: they are all part of the novel - and thus part of a global network of problems. Don Winslow is mercilessly taking all of them to justice, making readers look over his shoulder at the indictment.

Anyone who climbs into the arena on foreign territory against such powerful opponents as Adán Barrera must expect losses at all times. “The cartel” is concerned because it is a story - and because it is also a kind of truth. Be sure to read it in preparation for the third part of the drug crime trilogy, "The Hunter's Years" by Don Winslow.

Competition: Win "The Cartel" by Don Winslow
Win a copy of Don Winslow's The Cartel.

Competition: take part now!
Take part in our competition and win a copy of Don Winslow's drug thriller The Cartel by Droemer Knaur.

What you have to do for it?
Leave a comment below this post and tell us what particularly fascinates you about Mexico.

The competition runs from February 27, 2019 to March 6 (23.59:XNUMX p.m.). The notification will be sent by email. Please also note: They apply
uur usual Gcompetition terms and conditions.


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ByAndre Volkman
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André Volkmann is a journalist who specializes in local news, games and entertainment.
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18 comments 18 comments
  • avatar photo Heike HB says:
    February 27, 2019 at 20:27 am

    Personally, what interests me most about Mexico is the indigenous history and related to the old temples etc ...

    Reply
  • avatar photo mabel says:
    February 28, 2019 at 14:00 am

    I am fascinated by the world of the Aztecs, which is why I find Mexico very interesting as a country. It's just a shame it's in the hands of the drug cartels.

    Reply
    • avatar photo Alex H says:
      March 5, 2019 at 23:51 pm

      I find the day of the dead incredibly exciting

      Reply
  • avatar photo Tanya says:
    February 28, 2019 at 20:09 am

    I am very interested in Mexico, its culture and, above all, the cuisine.

    Reply
  • avatar photo Christine Zimmerman says:
    March 3, 2019 at 21:53 pm


    I haven't been there myself, but have a few friends of mine! Everyone raved about the landscape, the long history, the people! Mexico has to be colorful and numerous sights. It will definitely not be boring. In any case, this country is on my travel list!

    Reply
  • avatar photo Martina says:
    March 5, 2019 at 10:07 pm

    Country, culture and people, history, traditions and the beaches to relax. I haven't traveled to Mexico yet.

    Reply
  • avatar photo Jutta Bockelmann says:
    March 5, 2019 at 11:01 pm

    I am fascinated by everything about Mexico, the pride and the identification in their own culture and also the easy handling in Mexico with the difficult sides of life, e.g. to celebrate death instead of fear (Dia de los Muertos, day of the dead) and also the culture of the Aztheks with their temples are fascinating.

    Reply
  • avatar photo Oliver Gadow says:
    March 5, 2019 at 15:35 pm

    It would be great to travel to all countries and Mexico is still missing

    Reply
  • avatar photo Frank says:
    March 5, 2019 at 17:51 pm

    The culture, the cuisine and the people who live there.

    Reply
  • avatar photo Erika says:
    March 5, 2019 at 20:56 pm

    Mexico interests me because of its beautiful beaches on the Pacific and its impressive landscapes, which alternate with mountains, deserts and primeval forests. I would like to see the Maya ruins (World Heritage Site) in the southernmost state of Mexico, Chiapas.

    Reply
  • avatar photo Thomas says:
    March 5, 2019 at 21:28 pm

    I don't care about Mexico.

    Reply
  • avatar photo Mario Kaess says:
    March 5, 2019 at 21:47 pm

    Atlantic and Pacific coasts for fishing

    Reply
  • avatar photo Bianka says:
    March 5, 2019 at 22:23 pm

    Mexican food is always an experience.

    Reply
  • avatar photo Janine says:
    March 6, 2019 at 00:03 pm

    The contrasts, the country, the people and of course the history of the Maya and Aztecs. I really want to see Teotihuacán and the ruined city of Palenque with my own eyes. Mexico has so much to offer - including one of my favorite directors 😉 Guillermo del Toro. Thanks for the great raffle! I like to try my luck there!

    Reply
  • avatar photo Daniela says:
    March 6, 2019 at 07:53 pm

    The extreme differences between art, culture, history and drugs, violence. Everything next to each other.

    Reply
  • avatar photo Andreas says:
    March 6, 2019 at 11:56 pm

    Most of all, I'm interested in Mexico, the people. Your mentality, customs, manners.

    Reply
  • avatar photo Tobias says:
    March 6, 2019 at 16:40 pm

    The culture, the animals and the landscape 🙂

    Reply
  • avatar photo Victoria says:
    March 6, 2019 at 19:13 pm

    The culture, the festivals and the food <3

    Reply

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