Many know the name of Vincent “Rocco” Vargas. He’s one of the founding members of Article 15 clothing, host of the Vinny Roc Podcast, and actor on Mayans M.C. He’s also very open on his life, from his time in the Army to becoming a Border Patrol Agent. And it’s with this openness and experience that Rocco can add author to his list with his book Sugarman.
Vincent “Rocco” Vargas
Sugarman is about former Army Ranger turned Border Patrol Agent Dominic, whose life is nearly destroyed after a body is found on the border. This sends Dominic on a plot for revenge as he goes to war with the darker side of life on the border. Dominic uses his life experiences to ensure he keeps a promise, but will it be a mission that leads to death for everyone?
This story of action and suspense is straight from Rocco with assistance from Geraint Jones. Now personally I’m not the biggest fan of stories that are told in the first person, as it can tend to limit the world-building needed to support the story. But I found myself drawn to this story despite it being a first-person story. It was incredibly hard to put down as I want to know Dominic’s next step. How would he complete his mission? Who would stop him? Would he survive?
Well slight spoiler, because on the Amazon page to buy the book it says Sugarman Book 1. So it’s safe to say that this is just the first in a new franchise. And that thought excites me. Rocco has taken his experiences both in the Army and in the Border Patrol and mixed them to create Dominic and a story that sounds like it could be true. Having not lived near the U.S. Mexican Border, Rocco paints a blunt and haunting picture of life on the border as a Border Patrol Agent. He does this without introducing any real political undertone.
I feel that it’s this disconnect that makes this story so real. That and the blunt dialogue Dominic uses when talking to others or plotting out his mission. This novel is not for the faint of heart. Anyone that has any conversations with a veteran knows this blunt and dark dialogue. A colorful mixture of curse words, disgusting verbs, and often offensive terms truly sell the authentic character of Dominic.
But it’s also this dialogue that paints a vivid picture. Now Sugarman is no Lord of the Rings in terms of scope. But this rather small story is read so easily that I saw what I read, rather than just taking in the words. It would not be a surprise to see this become adapted into a film or series. That’s how visual this story reads, and all the praise needs to go to Rocco and Jones for that.
Currently, Sugarman is sitting at 4.9 on Amazon, but I feel that this book is 5 out of 5. It’s a must-read for action fans or anyone that wants a unique perspective of life at the border. I know I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.
