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Ben Rogers
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The Heavy Side: a novel Kindle Edition

by Ben Rogers (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 38 ratings
Silicon Valley Tech meets The Cocaine Trade.
Can you program yourself into a winner?

In the San Francisco Bay Area, tech innovation is King, and money is God.

Vik Singh watched his immigrant parents work their fingers to the bone chasing the American Dream. But standing at his father's funeral, he realizes one thing - hustling will get you nowhere. All you need to get rich is one big idea.

And when he meets Los, a small-time drug lord with visions of grandeur, Vik makes a plan worthy of Jobs and Zuckerberg:

Design a drug sale app.
After all, market disruption is everything.

From his comfortable cottage in Lake Tahoe, Vik writes the code that builds a cocaine empire. When his app attracts an infamous drug cartel leader, it seems like a natural expansion move. And for a while, life is Swiss bank accounts, luxe coke parties, and falling in love with Remi, a beautiful and ballsy woman with secrets of her own.

Then he discovers he is being watched.

The DEA is closing in, the cartel is getting suspicious, and he can trust no one. As things heat up, Vik discovers the real price of easy money.

And that price could be his life.

If you're a fan of Breaking Bad, Mr. Robot, and Dark Mirror, this is the book for you. Get your copy right now!
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  1. Print length
    263 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    November 16, 2019
  4. File size
    813 KB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

well reviewed crime thrillers
san francisco literary fiction
clever fiction about coding in a world of love sex and rock n' roll
mens action and adventure fiction

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A literary thriller that's as original as it is mesmerizing."
--Matt Gallagher, author of Youngblood, Dayton Literary Peace Prize finalist

"A vivid thriller made all the more engrossing by its narrator...Lyrical...Haunting. Very highly recommended."
--Midwest Book Review

"Original, modern and refreshing."
--The BookLife Prize

"Fantastic. An absolute page turner."
--The Biggest Little Library Podcast

"One of the smartest and best literary works you will read this decade."
--Caleb Cage, Nevada Writers Hall of Fame Silver Pen recipient

"Rogers' precise language makes the twists of Vik's code as involving as the particulars of his getaway plan in this astute thriller."
--Jenny Shank, author of The Ringer

"This is carefully crafted fiction that springs from the well-organized mind of an engineer with the soul of a storyteller."
--Mark Maynard, author of Grind

"Filled with tremendous writing about the meaning of Code, and what coding a masterpiece might be like...It fills a spot on the book shelf next to the mesmerizing works of James Ellroy."
--Joseph G. Peterson, author of The Rumphulus

About the Author

Ben Rogers is the author of the novels The Flamer and The Heavy Side. His work has been published in The Rumpus, PANK, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, The Portland Review, Arroyo Literary Review, The Nevada Review, and Wag's Revue, and has earned the Nevada Arts Council Fellowship and the Sierra Arts Foundation grant. He is also the lead author of Nanotechnology: Understanding Small Systems, the first-ever comprehensive textbook on nanotechnology, and Nanotechnology: The Whole Story, both of which earned the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award from the American Library Association. He studied engineering and journalism in college and has worked as a business analyst, a newspaper reporter, a teacher, and a scientist at various labs, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is currently the Director of Engineering at NevadaNano. He lives in Reno with his family.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B081LZY3X4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CQ Books (November 16, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 16, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 813 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 263 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 38 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Ben Rogers

Ben Rogers

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Ben Rogers is the award-winning author of the novels The Daughters, The Heavy Side, and The Flamer, as well as the short story collection, The Mayfly. He is also the lead author of Nanotechnology: Understanding Small Systems and Nanotechnology: The Whole Story. He lives in Reno.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
38 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book entertaining, with one mentioning it's a perfect distraction during the pandemic. They also appreciate the character development.

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4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable to read, with one mentioning it's a perfect distraction during the pandemic, while another describes it as a terrific page-turner.

"...to it because of the Lake Tahoe setting and what unfolded was a terrific page-turner, with unexpected twists and turns...." Read more

"I had so much fun reading this book! Exciting and full of surprises. Ben Rogers can really write...." Read more

"Great read, good characters ! I would have liked a different ending, this one just makes you think, wonder how the characters ended up" Read more

"...A perfect read to distract from COVID or election blues!" Read more

3 customers mention "Character development"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the characters in the book.

"...I really enjoyed the characters, the plot and unforeseen happenings. I found this book to be "Most enjoyable!"" Read more

"...The characters were fun and clever. Looking forward to his next endeavor." Read more

"Great read, good characters ! I would have liked a different ending, this one just makes you think, wonder how the characters ended up" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Brentwood_Steve
    5.0 out of 5 stars Most enjoyable!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    My first time with this author. I was drawn to it because of the Lake Tahoe setting and what unfolded was a terrific page-turner, with unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoyed the characters, the plot and unforeseen happenings. I found this book to be "Most enjoyable!"
    One person found this helpful
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  • Jeannie Agee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Twists and turns
    Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I had so much fun reading this book! Exciting and full of surprises. Ben Rogers can really write. He was even able to explain enough computer technology that I was able to comprehend. The characters were fun and clever. Looking forward to his next endeavor.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Our Town Books
    4.0 out of 5 stars techie-writing
    Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2021
    An interesting thriller. Any story set in Lake Tahoe makes for a good start. It was obvious the author knew technology and programming and was very nice to read appropriate terminology.
    Helpful
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  • Thomas Kelley
    3.0 out of 5 stars A quick thriller read.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2021
    Vik Singh is good at what does in fact he is very good. What does he do he writes code . He comes from a family with strong work ethic and a desire to be the next Steve Jobs or the next Bill Gates. When he is in the groove he goes for days before he takes a break. Vik after meeting a drug wholesaler at a party decides he can help improve this wholesaler's business and become somebody in the process. He seems to have it all money and nice place at Lake Tahoe and apparently a new girlfriend. But things start to take a turn when Vik notices someone has been in his house. Whose was it and what are they after ? The new girlfriend has secrets of her own that are revealed and he is also starting to get squeezed on finishing the program by his partner who has his own ambitions. Apparently there are no honors among thieves. And with all this he finds that the DEA is interested in him. This is a quick read that you will have to pick up to see how it turns out and find out what are the girlfriend's intentions are, does he finish the program ?, does the DEA catch up with him and for what and most of all whom was in the house. At times I did find the switching of the thoughts of the characters in almost mid-sentence a little annoying. I would rate this book 3 1/2 stars out of five
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  • MEGAN E.
    5.0 out of 5 stars The business side of street drugs
    Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Great read, good characters !
    I would have liked a different ending, this one just makes you think, wonder how the characters ended up
    One person found this helpful
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  • RTM
    2.0 out of 5 stars Computer Geek Breaks Bad
    Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This "thriller" novel tells the story of Vik, a computer programmer living at Lake Tahoe, who decides to act out a geek fantasy: become rich and notorious. He creates a computer program (a drug sale app) which becomes a valuable tool for a drug cartel. What could go wrong? Although I liked the story, I found the writing style distracting and frustrating. The author shifts the story's timeframe and perspective frequently. Sometimes Vik's woman friend narrates; at other times we get the author's narration. This confusing approach to storytelling ruined the book's climax for me. I also did not find the main character of Vik likable, or care about what happened to him.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Heather Rogers
    5.0 out of 5 stars Just fascinating
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    The detail were remarkable. The pace of the story perfect. Loved the ending and I am never satisfied with endings. A perfect read to distract from COVID or election blues!
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  • Laura Pincolini
    5.0 out of 5 stars The imagery and literary elements really make this book more than just a story.
    Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This book was so engaging. I melted into it and had a very hard time putting it down. I’m ready for the next one!
    One person found this helpful
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