Shoutout to GMMTV and The Heart Killers!!!

  

The Heart Killers, based off the GMM series of the same name starring FirstKhaotung and JoongDunk. I read the preface of this book and had no idea that this book was literally based off the series. Usually, GMM will find a BL novel and then adapt that into a series, not the other way around. I do want to also mention that this post will contain spoilers.

The blurb says that the evidence that proves killers have hearts has now appeared right before us. Fadel and Bison are assassins – who also happen to be the owners of a burger joint called Heart Burger. They live a seemingly normal life until two friend, Kant and Style, start barging into their world. At first, Fadel and Bison try not to pay them much attention, but for some reason, whenever these two appear, something stirs inside. They can’t help but feel a strange attraction every time they meet. Eventually, they find themselves developing feelings for them, all while suspecting that Kant and Style may have ulterior motives, such as working with the police. The truth about whether they’re involved with the police is yet to be uncover, and the real question remains – are these feeling between them genuine?

We open on the prologue, Bison and Fadel have just killed someone, and Bison mentions that he’s tired of killing people – doesn’t want to do it anymore – and wants his freedom. Then since this book follows the events of the show, we head to the first chapter where Bison goes out to this bowling alley and meets Kant and then proceeds to sleep with him. I’m going to have to mention, the sex scene that ensued. Did I laugh at one point? I did. When I’m seeing the phrase “manhood” used in place of a penis, I have to laugh. I think any of the regular words for penis are fine. Use the Tati Westbrook, “dick and cock”, of Bye Sister fame, that Katya Zamolochikova has adopted – they’re fine as well. Anyway, next chapter goes to Kant’s POV, post-sleeping with Bison (who he doesn’t know is called Bison as he doesn’t tell Kant his name), where we find out he works with the police – specifically this guy, Captain Chris – because he was caught stealing a car and is essentially being forced, so he doesn’t go to prison. Chris wants him to find out whether these two men are killers and shows Kant their photos. Then, gagatrondra, the photos are of Fadel and Bison. So, Kant gags himself, having just slept with Bison.

As to be expected, there were a few bits that were different in the book compared to the show. However, normally it’s the case that a book will have more to it than a show or movie will. This book felt like it somehow had less than the show did, despite the book being 400 pages. One major difference was that towards the end of the show, there is a whole prison arc in the show, where Bison and Fadel are imprisoned after they take down their boss. They end up in prison, shockingly for what they’ve done, but get a shortened sentence for helping the police, and in the show, there’s a whole section of Kant and Style trying to basically live being apart, and sections of Bison and Fadel in prison, but the book just did not have any of that. Like, yes, they went to prison, but the book ends and we get an epilogue of them the day they get out – which does also happen in the show – and that’s about it. Oh, the book has graphic sex scenes. Now, don’t get me wrong, the show definitely does have sex scenes. From memory, in the first episode, you see Bison and Kant sleep together in the hotel, but mama, the book was so much more explicit because, why did I need to know how many times Fadel bred Style in one night? I didn’t.

Something I definitely didn’t like was the casual mention of Kant assaulting a very drunk Bison – especially when it wasn’t in the show. I understand assault is shown in media sometimes as it’s something that does, unfortunately, happen in the real world, but I just don’t like when it gets thrown around needlessly, or romanticised. Don’t get me wrong, from memory, all of the main characters (except for Style, I think) were absolutely rotted, but in the book they were worse (once again, except for Style). Because what do you mean Kant went and had sex with Bison in a bar toilet after he got him drunk and drugged him? Why would he do that? Why would that be written if you want me to route for him? I don’t think Fadel did anything that rotten to Style, if you ignore the kidnapping – however, that was because Fadel thought Style was a police informant, so I get it. Then again, Bison also kidnapped and beat Kant so…? Anyway, to circle back, hated the casual use of rape in this book when it didn’t happen in the show.

To speak about Fadel and Style, loved those two. Bison and Kant, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t that bothered about. But Fadel and Style were just so perfect for each other. Where Kant and Bison were sort of just there, Fadel and Style were the epitome of opposites. Fadel was the stoic, silent type and Style was just so annoying. I do mean this in a good way. He was the kind of annoying that wouldn’t shut up, and the type of annoying that really was the only kind of person that would be able to get Fadel to open up in any way. He was annoying to the point where he made Fadel get used to him being annoying so he ended up missing him when he wasn’t there. I think the author of this book managed to make Style more annoying than he was in the show which, honestly? That’s such a skill. I was a huge fan of it, and out of the four, I think Style was my favourite. Then again, in terms of the plot, he was the only one left out in a sense. Fadel and Bison were killers, and Kant was a police informant. Style was just Kant’s best friend who got dragged into everything which, for me, made for a really interesting character – especially when he was lied to by Kant, thinking he just had to seduce Fadel for Kant to get Bison.

Like I mentioned in the Last Twilight post, I’ve noticed with translations from GMM, things definitely get lost in translation. It felt like it was the case of while things were happening, that was very much how it felt. Things were happening and it didn’t feel like there was all that much feeling in it. I do think that is literally the case of, like I’m mentioned before, the voice and nuance that would have been in the original Thai version will definitely have been lost in the translation. Think if you read something in its original English language, I feel as though you can pick up on the nuance and tones and voice, and that’s something I thought there was a lack of reading this. There definitely were some things that I wouldn’t have ever thought of reading in English language books – things just like Kant being described as having peach blossom eyes. It hit in the bits when Bison and Fadel got out of prison. I read it, and it was cute on the page, but that was about it. It was cute.

Okay, bye!