This book, the novel takes place inside a fictional British motorcycle gang. From the very beginning just the feel of the book from the description of the characters, the countryside, and the narrator of the story you have the sense of being told the story as someone who is in the gang or club as an informant not as a member. The dark way it is told adds to the story and really shows how the club and Damage the person telling the story will go through in the choices that need to be made. Will it be worth it all of the club decisions? Does Damage follow the club because he has to or does he find the strength to leave and be with his love? There also will be another book this one though is a very good story, with good characters and makes you feel like you are there with them.

Heavy duty people by Iain parke.
The brethren outlaw motorcycle club book 1 of the series.
Really good read. Great story. 4*.

Wow, I didn't know what to expect with this book. It definitely wasn't my usual style of reading material but it was very good. Iain Parke did not hold back as he exposed the nitty gritty of the bikers' underworld in the UK, all that goes on behind closed doors, while avoiding the law, unbeknownst to us naive public who live and breathe and function along side them. It was gar hitting but I was enthralled right from the off and it kept my interest throughout. I couldn't wait to learn how the story would unfold. I actually could see this being adapted for TV, something along the lines of Line of Duty or the Wire. I really enjoyed this and look forward to installment number 2.

I really enjoyed this read - a memoir style account told from the perspective of 'Damage', a man who when unsure where he was going with his life, became a member of a motorcycle clube and found it gave him a sense of purpose and belonging which had previously been missing.
Damage tells us how the small independent and democratic club he belonged to, changes direction after a takeover by a larger club - The Brethren, which had a different way of working.

Superbly written, Damage tells us of the crime, violence and dealings that went on and how he managed to cleverly manipulate people and situations to reverse things to work out more in his favour.

I initially thought this was a biography rather than fiction and, without spoiling the twist at the end which put a different slant on things, I am still not entirely sure. This book is very interesting, well-written, refreshing and an original, enjoyable read - a wonderful inside glimpse into the closed world of the motorbike groups.
I am looking forward to reading the other books in this series

This book has heavy issues. Damage is in the gang he will protect his brothers. Damage lost some of his friends and revenge their deaths. I highly recommend this book.

The story is fiction but feels and reads very much like a biography it is so well written.

It is a story of a British biker and the inside world of outlaw Motorcycle Clubs, think Sons of Anarchy but in the UK!
It's nice to finally get a biker gang set in the UK, most things written or shown on tv are mostly set in the US.

It is a world where loyalty is number one. Written in the first person, outlaw biker gang member Martin "Damage" Robertson takes us into the fascinating and secretive world of the biker gangs. His story takes us from his early beginnings as a young biker taken under the wing of the local bike gang, The Reivers, threw The Legion and onto one of the big 6 world-renowned outlaw biker gangs, The Brethren.

From the rights of passage, gang member structure and brotherhood. How loyalty and honour are the tools of survival. And how by managing your reputation, your reputation will manage your business for you.

This was not like any other MC book out there, that I have seen.

I didn't realise when i started reading this book that it was in a series of books, but i am so glad that it is as this one leaves you with a massive cliffhanger!!!

Now I am off to find the next book, and i would advise you do too, probably before you finish this one so you can crack on straight away and not have to wait to find out what happens next!! (I wish I had!)

This felt more like a biography than a fictional book. The story also reminded me of Sons of Anarchy. It was hard to get into at times, but the parts that were good held my interest.