The Power of the Dog

The Power of the Dog is a 2005 crime/thriller novel by American writer Don Winslow, based on the DEA's involvement with the War on Drugs. The book was published after six years of writing and research by the author. Plot summary Winslow's novel describes three decades of the United States' war on drugs by following several main characters: The DEA agent Art Keller; Adán Barrera, who controls large parts of the drug trade from Mexico to the United States of America; the prostitute Nora Hayden; and Sean Callan, a gangster from the streets of New York. Agent Keller becomes obsessed with the Barrera family after they torture and kill a DEA agent in Mexico. Trying to avenge his colleague, Keller discovers massive involvement of the US and the Mexican governments in drug trade operations. The CIA prevents him from taking revenge on the drug cartels to combat left-wing activists in Latin America. Winslow's novel exposes the brutality of the war of drugs with graphic scenes of torture and massacres. It also navigates through the inner workings of the drug trade and how different organizations collaborate to achieve their respective goals, from the Mexican drug cartels to the Vatican. Characters Arthur "Art" "Arturo" Keller: DEA agent, participant in the Operation Condor, obsessed with hunting down the Barreras, and other people responsible for killing his friend. Husband to Althea. Father of two children. Adán Barrera: Nephew of Don Miguel Angel Barrera, brother of Raúl. Drug trafficker. Nicknamed Lord of the Skies. Based on Benjamín Arellano Félix, although Amado Carrillo Fuentes is "The Lord of the Skies." Barrera is also partly based on Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Nora Hayden: Prostitute. Friend of Juan Parada. In love with Sean. Professional lover of Adán and Jimmy Piccone. Sean Callan: Irish mobster and hitman for the Italian mafia. Don Miguel Angel "Tío" Barrera: El Patrón, head of the drug trafficking organization. Uncle of Adán and Raúl. Based on Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo. Juan Ocampo Parada: Cardinal, priest of the Barrera family. Nora's friend. Based on Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo. Güero Méndez: Drug trafficker, first an ally, then an enemy of the Barrera family. Husband of Pilar and father of her children.