---
product_id: 15570526
title: "The Cartel: A novel (Power of the Dog Series) Hardcover – Deckle Edge, June 23, 2015"
brand: "don winslow"
price: "€ 43.37"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.ie/products/15570526-the-cartel-a-novel-power-of-the-dog-series-hardcover
store_origin: IE
region: Ireland
---

# The Cartel: A novel (Power of the Dog Series) Hardcover – Deckle Edge, June 23, 2015

**Brand:** don winslow
**Price:** € 43.37
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Cartel: A novel (Power of the Dog Series) Hardcover – Deckle Edge, June 23, 2015 by don winslow
- **How much does it cost?** € 43.37 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ie](https://www.desertcart.ie/products/15570526-the-cartel-a-novel-power-of-the-dog-series-hardcover)

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## Description

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    A worthy sequel to Power of the Dog
  

*by N***L on Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2015*

I did three years in the Drug War as chief of counter narcotics operations for the Dept. of Defense in the Pacific. This book is the sequel to Power of the Dog, Winslow's first novel on the Drug War and the best fiction I've read on the subject. My tour overlapped the timeframe of that book and it was filled with fictional renditions of actual events from that period framed around very real, complex and well drawn characters. Probably by coincidence, the hero of both books, DEA agent Art Keller, shares the same last name as one of my DEA counterparts. This book follows Keller and some of the other major characters from the first and takes the war to the current day. It very accurately portrays the enormous increase in violence attendant to the drug trade in Mexico abetted by the widespread corruption in the Mexican government and law enforcement agencies. It also captures the very common belief held in non-American police circles that drugs are more a problem of American demand than Latin American supply and lack of enforcement. There is a lot of violence in this book, but I found none of it spurious. There is also a fair amount of sex, but most is understated. Since my participation, the Drug War has been a major interest for me; if it isn't one for you, it might lose a star here, but it's still a great read. You don't have to read the first to enjoy this one, but I would. I read a lot of books and Power of the Dog was the best book I read that year. This one is up there for this year so far.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    “Tan cerca de los Estados Unidos y tan lejos De Dios”
  

*by M***A on Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2021*

This is a harrowing story about what could easily be called Mexico’s Civil War. Unlike the Revolution of 1910, this war was fought for turf and control over the lucrative drug trade, with the direct or indirect participation of the United States, which sees this as another front in the War on Drugs. The author points out the essential role of the United States’ drug demand in the violence occurring south of the border. Some of the book’s parts are hard to read, but are very close to the reality of the dark years in which the Zetas challenged the “traditional” cartels, with much bloodshed and atrocities. A few things made me take one star away: one is an error in geography; Mexicans consider themselves North Americans (which they are). The derogatory term “North Americans” profusely used by the Mexican characters in the book, doesn’t make sense in this case because it is not used on a regular basis by Mexicans (they prefer the derogatory term “gringo” or “yanqui”). The other element is the poor attempts to add “color” by using Spanish terms, which would be fine by me. However, the rule of thumb should be that if you are going to use foreign terms, use and transcribe them properly. Other than that, very captivating.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Stunning and terrifying look into the world of the most lethal drug cartels
  

*by S***D on Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2017*

Seldom do we see books that are technically fiction but based in hard reality and accurate historical details that match the brilliance of Don Winslow.  I strongly encourage readers to read "The Power of the Dog" first, as it is the first half of a horrifying world of the Mexican drug cartels, their internal struggles, the jaw droppingly horrifying atrocities against anybody who dares cross a drug lord's path, or a cartel's.  "The Cartel" is the second part of this monumental series, and because the first part is highly suggested as the first one to read, although "The Cartel" stands on its own, I will not get into too many plot details.  The primary character, Art Keller, who has many notches on his own belt due to fighting in Vietnam and battles in the "War on Drugs", is a marked man having crossed every drug kingpin of note in Mexico and their paid lackeys like federal troops, corrupt politicians and police forces on all levels, not to mention the extremely violent paramilitary troops who enforce the wishes of the leaders of the notorious Zetas, a cartel that has absolutely no code of honor whatsoever.  Whereas the other main character, the head of the Sinoloan cartel, the very crafty and intelligent Adan Barrera, at least gives the impression of leaving innocents alone, the Zetas kill anybody any time, including little street level junkies who are found guilty of buying their dope from Barerra's cartel instead of them, and vice versa.  We can remember the horrible wars that racked Cuidad Juarez, the border city across the Rio Grande from El Paso, Texas, where murders were being committed by the scores of victims, many mutilated and tortured and then dismembered and left on city streets as "lessons" for whatever infraction the cartels thought up on any given day.  Winslow reports that in this phase of the internecine fighting, as many as close to 16000 Juarez citizens were gruesomely murdered in the space of just a couple of years.  While that calamity has subsided somewhat, the worst border crimes focusing in Nuevo Laredo and Laredo, TX, where access to I-35, San Antonio, I-10 with its paths to Houston, New Orleans and beyond to Jacksonville, Florida is a temptation they can't ignore.  Border agents, DEA agents and others are corrupted and many times because they want to live another day, so as we all know, the "war" on drugs is nothing but a lot of hot air, token busts, and was never designed to stop anything.  There is simply far too much money to be made, and the U.S.' appetite for cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana is gargantuan.  We as the consumers of these substances are just as culpable if we do use illicit drugs as the cartels, as they are only too happy to make tons of money and have huge international influence on whole governments while they're at it.  The book itself is so well written and researched that it truly belongs in the pantheon of the greatest crime novels or historical crime books, like "The Godfather" for the thrilling story and suspense, and "Wiseguys" and "Casino" for accuracy and explaining just how vicious and just plain psycho cartel bosses and their underlings can be.  That the Mexican government is up to its eyeballs in the drug trade is not news, but one can't help but maybe feel a bit of empathy for some in said government and law enforcement who are paid to play, or brutally murdered, and oftentimes forced to watch their families die first.  It isn't much of a choice.  Nonetheless, Winslow is a superb author, the two books gripping, and I can't wait to read his other novels.  Be forewarned:  "The Power of the Dog" and "The Cartel" are upsetting, depressing and disturbing.  It's a story that needs to be told, however, and we must understand that as long as there is a demand for any kind of product or services, regardless of how dangerous or sinister, there will be a supply.  It's a frustrating cycle that humanity bestowed upon itself.

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