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"Like one of his own characters, Mr. Yates is a bruho, endowed with magical vision that allows him to see the invisible strands of fate and luck that bind people to each other. He is also a sharpshooter, able to survey an entire city of millions, and then, in an instant, train his sights on an individual target, focusing with great precision on delicate movements of the head and the heart."
— Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe "Moondogs is an electric and fierce debut novel where strangers share a world with the estranged, and their hidden secrets and open hostilities are equally combustible. Alex Yates writes with a sense of color and heat that crackles in the voices of his star-crossed characters and adds a vivid glow to the streets of Manila and waters of the Philippines. Moondogs beckons, drawing readers onward with a vibrant intensity that is both lyrical and thrilling."
— Ravi Howard, author of Like Trees, Walking "Alex Yates is the real thing, a unique literary
voice and a genre of one. This is a wonderwork, a work of stature
and significance, a work of beauty and grace. Yates is a bright
star in the firmament, his very 1st novel a blessing that reminds
us why literature, under pressure like never before, still reigns
supreme. A master storyteller at work, with indelible characters,
thrillride geopolitics, narrative mastery and a magical rooster,
what more could you ask. Whatever it is you think a novel should
do, Alex Yates delivers. Not only a good story but what will clearly
be the first of many. Alex Yates renews our faith in what literature
can do, what it must do. Once again, just when we needed it most,
the gods of literature have been good to us."
—— Arthur Flowers, author of Another Good Loving Blues "The greatest of Yates' many talents is
his ability to make us feel like insiders in so many different
worlds and minds. He has Elmore Leonard's logistical chops and
Charles Portis' sense of humor but the juggling act of Moondogs is entirely his own—and nothing ever touches the ground."
—— Roy Kesey, author of All Over and two other titles "Moondogs is the thrilla in Manila, a rollicking mash-up of magic and mayhem that grabs you by the collar and won't let go. Alex Yates sizzles."
— Keith Donohue, bestselling author of The Stolen Child and Angels of Destruction "Yates' accomplished debut is an unlikely mix
of folktale, Tarantino-esque pulp fiction island adventure and
geopolitical novel... Yates handles the multiple points of view
and fragmented narrative flawlessly. As outrageous as the action
gets, he keeps his distinctive voice consistent and his tone measured,
masterfully modulating the comic and violent effects... An unusual
and unusually involving first novel with strong characters and
nifty supernatural effects."
— a Starred Review from Kirkus Reviews |