Power of the Dog by Don Winslow: A review
The "War on Drugs" declared in the late 1970s has been a notably ugly, dirty, and ultimately unsuccessful war. The warriors themselves have all too often been compromised and dirty. Don Winslow introduces us to some of them in this work of fiction that reads as if it is torn from today's headlines. He shows us characters on both sides of the battle, all of them flawed even as they often also have their more humane side. Art Keller is a hard-charging DEA agent working in Mexico when we first meet him. He is fully invested in fighting this war and in destroying the supply chain of drugs that are flowing into the United States and causing untold misery. He is willing to fight dirty if that's what it takes to bring about the desired end. Early in his career, as he is trying to find a way "in" to the drug culture, Keller meets Adan and Raul Barerra. They are nephews to Miguel (known as Tio) who is the current head of the crime family that is sending the drugs acr...