Taking cues from the Pulp Action
boxing heroes of Robert E Howard, Justin Throngard blends genres with an
80’s action ascetic and tosses his hero deep into the bowels of a
corrupt prison system. Murray Bench is an up and coming prize-fighter
when he runs afoul of a local crime boss and ends up in prison. The son
of a murdered cop and a man of principle and honor, Murray is forced to
fight by a corrupt warden capitalizing on his celebrity inmate. But
Irvine Graves isn’t done with him just yet. Events continue to elevate
the stakes for our hero and he is forced to fight in the ring and in the
prison yard itself to survive. He has few allies and a growing list of
enemies. Can he overcome the odds, or will he be just another victim to
the system?
Throngard’s action set pieces come
to life as he describes the violence, the pain, and the consequences
for every advantage lost. Murray Bench is a “die hard” style hero, a man
who won’t just quit or sell out his friends when the going is tough. He
takes a beating throughout the novel and he pays for his principles,
but he encourages and inspires the friends he meets along the way. But
at the core of the story is a consistent theme of taking responsibility
for your actions. Throngard tackles some tough issues on the philosophy
of law enforcement, incarceration, and how one pays their debt to
society. It’s that theme that ties the book together and drives the
actions and motivations of both heroes and villains. While the action
stands out with some brutal fights, my favorite moments were the quieter
discussions on how a the law is maintained. Corruption, honor, loyalty
both deserved and undeserved, and the consequences for actions are all
on display here and Throngard’s characters struggle with the answers
just as deeply as they struggle with the dangers of a life in prison.
The first in a planned series
(entitled: The Phoenix and the Ranger), The Golden Right is currently
available in both paperback and kindle formats through Amazon. Justin
Throngard is also host to one of my favorite podcasts, “Stinker
Madness”. His love of action movies and b-grade genre film runs deep.
8 out of 10, a high recommend for quick pulp action lovers.
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