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ONE OF THE MOST ACCLAIMED BOOKS OF THE YEAR"A big, sprawling, ultimately stunning crime tableau." – Janet Maslin, New York Times"You can't ask for more emotionally moving entertainment." – Stephen King"One of the best thriller writers on the planet." – EsquireThe explosive, highly anticipated conclusion to the epic Cartel trilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of The ForceWhat do you do when there are no borders? When the lines you thought existed simply vanish? How do you plant your feet to make a stand when you no longer know what side you’re on?The war has come home.For over forty years, Art Keller has been on the front lines of America’s longest conflict: The War on Drugs. His obsession to defeat the world’s most powerful, wealthy, and lethal kingpin―the godfather of the Sinaloa Cartel, Adán Barrera―has left him bloody and scarred, cost him the people he loves, even taken a piece of his soul.Now Keller is elevated to the highest ranks of the DEA, only to find that in destroying one monster he has created thirty more that are wreaking even more chaos and suffering in his beloved Mexico. But not just there.Barrera’s final legacy is the heroin epidemic scourging America. Throwing himself into the gap to stem the deadly flow, Keller finds himself surrounded by enemies―men who want to kill him, politicians who want to destroy him, and worse, the unimaginable―an incoming administration that’s in bed with the very drug traffickers that Keller is trying to bring down.Art Keller is at war with not only the cartels, but with his own government. And the long fight has taught him more than he ever imagined. Now, he learns the final lesson―there are no borders.In a story that moves from deserts of Mexico to Wall Street, from the slums of Guatemala to the marbled corridors of Washington, D.C., Winslow follows a new generation of narcos, the cops who fight them, street traffickers, addicts, politicians, money-launderers, real-estate moguls, and mere children fleeing the violence for the chance of a life in a new country.A shattering tale of vengeance, violence, corruption and justice, this last novel in Don Winslow’s magnificent, award-winning, internationally bestselling trilogy is packed with unforgettable, drawn-from-the-headlines scenes. Shocking in its brutality, raw in its humanity, The Border is an unflinching portrait of modern America, a story of—and for—our time.
There is a lot to unpack here. I have been looking forward to this book ever since Winslow announced he was writing it.I read The Power of the Dog a few years back and was blown away. Jumped right into The Cartel - same story. Each one so well researched, such a feeling of authenticity and reality, but at the same time so exciting and dramatic. Characters I felt truly invested in. Plot developments that truly surprised and shocked me. And all the while a compelling and enjoyable reading experience. You can’t beat it.One thing I loved so much about The Cartel was how it built upon TPOTD and incorporated real world developments that made it feel essential and relevant. Hearing Winslow talk about the books, he says something to the effect of feeling done after each one with the war on drugs, but then something new would happen in real life that he felt he had to write about. I really felt that with The Cartel. It wasn’t just a continuation in the normal sense. It wasn’t just another book in the series. More of the same. It was a true evolution of the first book, reflecting the evolution of the war on drugs in real life.The Border does all of this while bringing everything full circle. Again it’s not just The Cartel pt. 2 - more of what you liked with slightly different plot points. It’s a complete evolution of Art Keller’s journey that again reflects the developments and happenings of the real world. It makes The Border feel urgent, pressing, vital for the times we are living through.So how does it stack up against the first two? Just as good as a stand-alone experience. It has characters I cared about. Drama. Action. Excitement. Suspense. Thought provoking insights. To summarize, it’s really good.BUT when taken as a completion of the trilogy it takes on a new significance and joy for me. If you somehow could isolate the merits of each book and compare, everyone will have their favorites for different reasons. The Border is special to me in how it serves as a true finale of the trilogy. It’s tying things off from the first two. Bringing closure. Completing the story. Paying off plot threads and character moments that I’ve been invested in for years. In that sense it’s hard to beat the experience of The Border for me. Because wrapped in it I have the enjoyment of both previous books coming to a beautiful conclusion and climax. If you liked the first two, I can’t see how you wouldn’t love this one. If you liked the first two, honestly you probably don’t need me to tell you any of this.Having said all of that I would recommend you start at the beginning if you haven’t read the other books. It’s worth the journey, truly. I re-read both books in a couple of weeks in January in anticipation of this release and even on a second reading they are just as good and exciting.Now to the trump of it all. I suppose this is a very political book. Even though if you’ve read the past two you really should be on board with the fact that the war on drugs is not a partisan issue. Anyway, if you’re a huge Trump fan this book may make you upset. Can’t help you there. I for one was excited to see how Winslow would tie all of that in, and I was not disappointed. All I can say is Winslow does his research, and the picture he paints here is scary for all of us if there is even a sliver of truth to it.I loved this book. It’s 700+ pages and I think I tore through it in four or five days. I constantly was reading or wishing I could be reading it until I finished. And I’m sure I will be thinking about it for a long time to come.