First Blood

In the novel "First Blood," one family is caught up in the never-ending cycle of gang violence after seeking a fresh start in Los Angeles, California. Ever since he was a small boy in Texas, Rodney "Neon" Robinson always called the shots. But when his newly-single mother moves him and his six siblings to southern California, their new life introduces them to more than a new urban existence. Twelve-year-old troubled Neon falls victim to the streets and becomes incarcerated, spending the better portion of his adolescent life inside the Los Angeles criminal justice system where he discovers the beginnings of a new family-the Bloods. Neon manages to slip under the radar of law enforcement while slowly building a loyal following, beginning with his cellmate. When he finally emerges from prison, Neon spawns one of the gravest epidemics of modern life: the curse of modern gang violence. As the Bloods and the Crips begin a vicious rivalry like no other, another heartbreaking story is taking place behind the scenes as Neon's family suffers the devastating results that come from a young man's choices in a city that shows no mercy.