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    H.N.I.C.
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    H.N.I.C.
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    H.N.I.C.
    Ebook101 pages1 hour

    H.N.I.C.

    By Albert Johnson and Steven Savile

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    "A gritty, fast-paced tale of revenge...Tight, terse prose harkens back to pulp fiction of the 1950s...The work is a breath of fresh air from lengthy, trying-too-hard-to-shock street lit and is an excellent choice for all metropolitan collections."
    --Library Journal (starred review, Pick of the Month)

    "The urban setting is unnamed but familiar in this brief, bloody tale of wasted lives lived short and hard."
    --Publishers Weekly

    "Simultaneously a fast-paced crime drama and an engrossing, unsentimental moral tale, H.N.I.C. peers into the dark heart that underpins the codes of loyalty and friendship, betrayal and vengeance."
    --Brooklyn Daily Eagle

    "In a genre that too often places incorrect ebonics in the mouths of black characters and fails to cross the empathy gap to get into their heads, Savile and Prodigy arrive at a seamless voice that is a refreshing take on crime fiction tropes...if tone and texture are what you're looking for in your hardcore literature...H.N.I.C. delivers the goods."
    --Okayplayer

    "H.N.I.C. is written by Prodigy himself and shows the extent to which good rappers can make good storytellers."
    --Brooklyn Based

    "Ultimately, H.N.I.C. deals on all the right levels and is completely satisfying."
    --Blackout Book Review

    "If you don't have this novella in your library collection already, please be on the lookout for this 2013 release, H.N.I.C., penned by Hip Hop artist Prodigy of the group, Mobb Deep."
    --StreetLiterature.com

    "The strength of this novella, in addition to its straightforward prose and rapid pacing, rests on the universal theme at its center: loyalty. Loyalty and the bullshit our friends put us through...Like any good work of crime, H.N.I.C. is grounded in such common experiences and, like any good work of crime, it speaks to all of us, despite the fact that very few of us can bypass an alarm system through some computer trickery."
    --Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together

    "It tells the...urban tale of deceit, greed and questioned loyalty with just enough drama to keep you turning the pages."
    --Literary Jewels

    "A brutal and quick read...custom-made for the big screen."
    --Charles Tatum's Review Archive

    Prodigy, from the legendary hip-hop group Mobb Deep, launches Akashic's new Infamous Books imprint with a story of loyalty, vengeance, and greed.

    Pappy tries to break out of the game before the head of his crew, Black, gets them all killed. Against his better judgment Pappy agrees to do one last job, but only because it's the price of his freedom. He knows his "brother" Black would rather see him dead than let him walk away. Yet he still agrees to do the job because Black isn't the only one who can't be trusted.

    Further developing the stark realism and uncompromising streetwise narratives of his lyrics, H.N.I.C. cements Prodigy's position as one of the foremost chroniclers of contemporary urban life. Simultaneously a fast-paced crime drama and an engrossing, unsentimental moral tale, H.N.I.C. peers into the dark heart that underpins the codes of loyalty and friendship, betrayal and vengeance.

    With H.N.I.C., Prodigy inaugurates Infamous Books, a revolutionary partnership that pairs the Infamous Records brand with Brooklyn-based independent publisher Akashic Books. Infamous Books' mission is to connect readers worldwide to crime fiction and street lit authors both familiar and new.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInfamous Books
    Release dateJul 16, 2013
    ISBN9781617752377
    Unavailable
    H.N.I.C.

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    Reviews for H.N.I.C.

    4.5/5

    3 ratings6 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Bullets, betrayal, and revenge is what fuels the intensity of H.N.I.C. Johnson does not provide a lot of background while dropping the reader in the middle of a plot that suddenly kicks into overdrive. H.N.I.C does not allow you to catch your breath until you have read the very last word. Pappy wants out of the game but his devotion to his childhood friend Black makes it hard for him to follow through. Black's passion for crime and power is beginning to destroy his friendships and relationship. Tonya, like Pappy, is devoted to Black and accustomed to his constant abuse. Pappy, Tonya, and their crew find out the Black's evilness has no limits or loyalties. H.N.I.C is classified as a novella but it lacks nothing. I got a feel for each character with out a lot of detail. This novella was perfectly crafted. Not giving too much without being vague. Pappy's character really came off the page. He did not display a lot of raw emotions like Black but he possessed a quiet resolve. The profanity was a bit much but overall H.N.I.C did not disappoint. A copy of this book was provided by the publisher. The views and opinions shared are strictly my own.
    • 5/5
      I quickly got wrapped up in the story as the pages flew past and I became engrossed. A high-powered drama filled with interesting characters that add dimension to a tightly paced story with a good kick at the end. Intriguing twists keep the reader poised at ever page. Emotional without being overly sentimental. A great mystery and page turner. You won't be able to put this one down.
    • 5/5
      This novella brings to life the obsession of greed over even the strongest loyalty of lifelong friends. Based in the seedier side of town, with friends so close they could be brothers. It is a cut and dry story, which works great here. There are not many descriptive details as to location, allowing the reader to use their own imagination in placing this into any city/state you desire. Just because this story talks about crimes committed by villains on the lower economical rungs of the ladder - it is no different from what drives the criminals on the top of that same ladder. Greed kills! I do not recommend H. N. I. C. for kids - but I DO recommend it for adults. Ugly reality, but a very good read.
    • 4/5
      I won a copy from library thing. I was excited to win and read Prodigy's fiction debut. Always been a huge fan for Mobb Deep.Bank robbery, betrayal, and street talk what I expected, but the whole story turned out to be a page turner. When everything goes perfect for the heist, greed comes into play and one man "Black" thinks he is free walking.....Prodigy shows he is a writer and I'm sure he has more to come, not as a series but other tales from the hood or "Summer Houses".
    • 5/5
      Pappy wants out of the life that he never felt truly comfortable with but only one thing is stopping him, his loyalty to Black. With only one more job to do, Detroit seemed more like a reality than a dream. When everything goes wrong, Pappy is left with a decision. His decision will change his life along with Black, Tonya, and three friends they all grew up with. Will he listen to his inner self or sacrifice everything for his best friend?Albert "Prodigy" Johnson writes beautifully and eloquently in his debut novella. It has suspense, greed, love, deception; it keeps you breathless and turning the page. The story flows without effort and speaks to any audience. He is detailed with situations and language that may not be familiar to everyone in his audience while no dumbing down his novella.This is well worth the read. It's poignant and truth-telling as well as truth-seeking.
    • 4/5
      Albert "Prodigy" Johnson, of the rap duo Mobb Deep, creates a short readable piece of crime fiction with Steven Savile.The novella is brisk, and introduces the reader to Pappy, a computer whiz looking to get out of his bleak inner-city existence for a better life in...Detroit? He is friends with the seemingly unbalanced Black, and they commit petty crimes trying to fund their drugs-and-women lifestyles. A bank job goes wrong, and Black kills a man, forcing Pappy to hang around longer to make some money to start a new life. Pappy is also concerned for Tonya, the beaten addict Black claims as his own. Following the tried-and-true formula, Black talks Pappy into committing "one last job," which is rife with double-crosses and senseless murder.What Johnson has written here certainly feels modern (there is an Obamacare reference), but the plot has been around since the days of the Old West. I don't think you are supposed to root for the criminals, but I did sympathize with Pappy's plight. The writing style spends no time on physical appearances or setting, and instead quickly throws the reader into the action. There is no "Ocean's Eleven"-type minutiae about the two robberies in the novella because the planning that goes into them are haphazard.Full of profanity and bloody violence, Johnson tells his story efficiently. Like I said, the plot has been done before, and that is the book's main drawback. I wanted something unexpected to happen, but familiarity was outweighed by the suspense of what would happen to Pappy. Maybe because of who Johnson is, the story felt very realistic, and you know this has happened before in real life.I don't know gangster rap from plastic wrap, every time I try to type Mobb Deep, my fingers want to spell out "Mos Def," but Johnson's story is a brutal and quick read. "H.N.I.C." is also a cautionary tale, custom-made for the big screen.