Indecent

Ethan Brant

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

Being a criminal isn’t as simple as it seems!

There was a time when six countries were united by one man named Tito. He defended the country from the tyranny of Hitler, thus establishing himself as a leader. His system of government was Socialism controlled by his Secret Police - the UDBA. Most of the population was thrilled to live such a life and they considered the agents their protectors, but one brilliant kid disagreed.

Zlatan, at the age of sixteen, decides to live outside the system, but that leads him to prison, to serve a sentence of five years. Inside he meets his teacher, Uncle, a former spy for Tito’s Gestapo, who arranges an early release for him, but it comes with a high price. In front of the prison gates, two agents catch him and give him an ultimatum - do or die. Zlatan agrees to their criminal requests but not for ‘King and Country’ but for the freedom he craves. His actions lead him to discover something dark in the pit of his mind. He learns there are greater things to fear than the police and other criminals.

He must answer the question... is he actually free?

Be the first one to find out in this debut novella by a young author, filled with suspense and psychological battles of an abnormally self-aware man.

Review by Paul Lappen (300419) Rating (8/10)

Review by Paul Lappen
Book Source: Not Known
Rating 8/10
Inspired by true events, this book is about one man's journey through the criminal and political underworld of present-day Yugoslavia.

As a teenager, Zlatan (born in Bosnia, raised in Serbia) is sentenced to several years in prison for putting another teenager in the hospital. While inside, he is introduced to the criminal underworld. He becomes friends with an older ex-security agent who he calls "Uncle." He is suddenly let out of prison. Agents of the State Security Service pick him up and make it clear to him that his freedom is not free. He is expected to kill several government opponents living all over Europe. Saying no is not an option.

Zlatan finds it easy to pull the trigger; it does not mean that he likes it. After several such murders, he is under the impression that his obligations to The Service are fulfilled. Zlatan and a couple of friends get into the drug business with money from the robbery of a Cartier jewellery store. After several years of success, one day, The Service calls, and makes it clear that his obligations to them are not fulfilled.

Zlatan spends the next several years as the "power behind the throne" to President Koshtunica, the last President of Yugoslavia and then Prime Minister of Serbia. Zlatan wants, and gets, police protection for his drug shipments. After several more years, Zlatan leaves, and hides with a friend in an isolated cabin, away from everyone. The phone rings.

This is a novella, so it is a quick read. It gives an interesting look inside a very turbulent part of the world. It also has plenty of violence, and it is really good and worth reading.
Paul Lappen (30th April 2019)