"London's East End was rather a dicey place, but that's where I found myself, a fifteen-year-old youngster with more sand than sense, on the night of 8 November, 1888. That was some twenty years back, so it's high time I put pen to my story before I commence to forget the particulars, or get snakebit."

In Savage, the young Englishman Trevor Bentley tells the wild, adventurous tale of his run-in with the serial killer Jack the Ripper in London, a meeting which changes Trevor's life forever. After being shanghaied to America, Trevor determines to find and bring the Ripper to justice before more victims, this time American, fall to his blade. A hefty task for anyone, let alone a teenager with "more sand than sense."

Savage was a book that I would not normally pick up and was suggested by my book club. After starting it, it quickly became apparent that Savage wasn't for me. Much like [b:The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America|21996|The Devil in the White City Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America|Erik Larson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1312066724s/21996.jpg|3486041], I found myself frustrated and irritated by a story in which I had very little interest. While Jack the Ripper features heavily at the bookends of the story, the bulk of Savage is a boy's adventure story taking place in the American West. It felt like if Mark Twain had been obsessed with the West but had insisted on telling the story via stereotypes. This is not to say that Savage is all bad. Laymon is quite good at describing action and gruesome details and I think anyone who enjoys the classic, pulpy, boy's adventure tales on which it's clearly based will enjoy it. As a word of warning, this is apparently one of Laymon's least gruesome stories but the sections with Jack the Ripper were almost at my gore limit.

It's certainly not the worst book I've ever read and at points, the adventure had me intrigued. Ultimately, Savage just didn't hold my interest and might be enjoyed more by people who like books like the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Treasure Island.