Honor Few, Fear None: The Life and Times of a Mongol

• #45 in Best Motorcycles Books

25 Reviews

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Cavazos is angry because the ATF raided his home and took his guns, bikes, and money. Angry is what he should be, because the guns, bikes, and money belonged to him, therefore they're important to him. You might say they're not important, but all property is important to the people that own it.

This is why I don't feel any sympathy for him.

Did he feel the same way about the people he stole from? When he stole cars, did he think about the people who owned them? When he stole clothes, did he think about the store owner that lost money (or the sales clerk who may have gotten her pay docked)? When the ATF raided his home, made a mess, and took his property, did he think of the people he shot for "disrespecting" him? I don't think so!

I read the first 80 pages, then decided not to by the book. I rarely believe stories by people like these; they write self-serving arrogance just to stoke their own egos. I'm glad Cavazos had a well-paid career as an x-ray specialist, but he put his son in danger through his own ignorance. He claims the Mongols aren't bad people, but lets face it, a sizeable number of their members commit violent crimes that effect non-members. The ATF raids on his house were really his own fault. He who lies with dogs wakes up with fleas.

While it's true that the Mongols are growing quickly, they've also lost a number of old time members who have quit in disgust or been shouldered out under duress due to this guy's new leadership. Anyone who brings in street gangs off the avenues of L.A. (la Eme) in order to rapidly boost membership and in a number of cases- waived the "must have motorcycle to be a biker" rule ain't gonna tell the truth in any book.He has his own agenda and one not in keeping with what the Mongols have been.Save your money.

"Honor Few, Fear None" by Ruben "Doc" Cavazos is a well written albeit quick read about both the author and the Mongols Motorcycle Club. This is the first such general public book on this particular club, the second coming from a major 1%er outlaw motorcycle club president (the first, "Hell's Angel", was published in 2000 and is the life story of Ralph "Sonny" Barger, the ultimate Hells Angel leader and spokesman).

The first thing noticed about Cavazos' book is its title. The Mongols' credo is "Respect Few, Fear None" and the book's title is a version of this, perhaps to avoid copywrite/product registration issues with the club.

The author provides a fast-paced history of himself and the Mongols, the challenges the club has faced over the years, and Cavazos' vision of and for the club since becoming a full-patched member. General readers interested in the outlaw motorcycle gang and 1%er persona will find this book a straight-forward insight into one of the top six such clubs in the country. Coupled with the recent History Channel "Gangland" special on the Mongols in which Cavazos is well interviewed, much of the secrecy and mystery of the club is brought out into the open...at least as much as the Mongols may wish exposed.

Of notable interest is the chapter dedicated to the author's recollections and observations about retired ATF undercover agent William "Billy" Queen, who successfully infiltrated the Mongols' San Fernando chapter and later wrote the book "Under and Alone" about his 2 1/2 year experience living and riding with the club. Queen's book came out in 2005 and became a best-seller, as was Barger's book. Cavazos' views and observations regarding "Under and Alone" will likely sell a few more books for Queen for those interested in his side of the story.

"Honor Few, Fear None" is a bold book by a man dedicated to his chosen lifestyle and club. It is sure to raise eyebrows and it leaves no doubt as to where the Mongols stand and who the Mongols are.

Honor Few, Fear None is neither well written nor interesting. It really isn't comparable to William Queen's Book, Under and Alone, which was better written, even if you don't appreciate ATF infiltrating a motorcycle club.

This book should be an embarrassment to the Mongols MC and any other 1% club. It may cater to those who don't know anything about motorcycle clubs, but for those who do, it is one man's self-serving example of his ego and does not come close to the truth. For example, most people in Doc's position would not put down other brothers in the club just to build their own ego. No 1% club would allow another member to speak poorly of its own members.

Doc's version of the events at Laughlin gloss over the fact that he fled and left brothers on the floor of the casino to die after doing nothing to avoid the conflict that was building. The extensive sections about everything he stole as a kid are another example of his distorted sense of bravado. Then, he talks about doing "hard time" at Wayside, a Los Angeles County jail, for inmates sentenced to short term, local sentences.

Don't hold your breath waiting for Doc to write another book about the inner workings of the Mongols MC since he is now out of the club with the dishonor that he deserves.

Save your money and don't bother with this book.

A standard 1%er pose is the wide-eyed "We're not all saints, but we're just a club of guys who like to party and ride." (As long as they're sure you won't believe this.) Ex-gangbanger and current outlaw president Calvos takes this line in his rejoinder to Billy Queen's Under and Alone, with just a few details left in to make sure you do realize that the Mongols are heavily armed and kill people who piss them off.

Don't expect a realistic picture of the outlaw life in this book. Calvos wants to respond to the criticism in Queen's book (Queen was an ATF agent who infiltred the Mongols) for growing the club by flooding it with his street gang friends and connections, rather than recruiting bikers. He's unapologetic--look at the results! Facing down the Angels! Chapters everywhere!

Sherman Alexie said that Indians spend their time arguing who's entitled to call themselves an Indian, and bikers to the same. This entertaining book is in the grand tradition, responding to Queen's Mongol's chapter's accusion of "We're real bikers and you're not." After all, Queen's chapter let in Queen, make him treasurer unasked, and gave him access to all the books. How lame is that?

A very good read for anyone interested in the topic of one-percenter clubs. The book is a quick read and clips along at a fast pace. Makes a good companion to "Under and Alone".

This book did keep me interested enough to read it, but took only a few hours to do this. Not very insightful about the working of this club, but if you're interested in how the author thinks, you'll get a little bit of insight....and alot of whining about law enforcement.

I guess it was only a matter of time before the Mongols MC, similar to Sonny Barger and the Hells Angels MC, embarked upon a public relations campaign of their own. In "Respect Few, Fear None" Mongols MC president Ruben "Doc" Cavazos presents his side of the story concerning the rivalry and clashes with the Hells Angels MC, the ATF undercover operation, and the history of the club.

Doc's version of events concerning agent Bill Queen is corroborated by details in Queens book "Under and Alone" and by Queen's testimony in court and in interviews which lends credibility to "Respect Few, Fear None". During the trial Doc asked Billy outside the courtroom if he missed riding with the Mongols and Billy replied "Yeah, I do". In "Under and Alone" Billy Queen admitted to feeling a real brotherhood within the Mongols MC and even felt more of a kinship with the Mongols than with other federal agents! The San Fernando Valley chapter were idiots (Doc's words) but Bill Queen took a genuine liking to many Mongol members in the L.A. and other surrounding chapters.

This isn't to say the Mongols are really great guys who, when not riding their Harley's, are getting cats out of trees or giving free violin lessons. But, the government failed to produce compelling evidence of many of the crimes they accused the Mongols MC of committing. While the Mongols MC aren't exactly knights in shining armor, they're probably not as evil and criminally inclined as the media, police and feds lead the general public to believe.

Doc appears to have been instrumental in vastly increasing the membership and cleaning up the club's image by instituting a code of conduct of sorts. The only problem is that most of the new members are ex-Mexican gang bangers from the mean streets of East and South L.A. While the Mongols MC was historically a mixed white and Mexican club it seems with Doc's new recruiting strategy it's being turned into an exclusively Mexican club with a few white hangers on. White one percenters looking to join a club should keep that in mind.

Overall this is a very interesting book and fast read. I could say more but don't want to spoil it for everyone. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in "outlaw" motorcycle clubs.

I bought the book because I was curious. I also like to read. The book moves along quickly and does offer some insight into the writers world. However It is written from the perspective of someone who does not view their world as deeply and disturbing as others might. I also felt the writer was more passionate about describing his childhood, which I found fascinating and well written. The rest of the book I felt the writer skimmed over important details that would have made it meatier and a better read. It felt like he was trying to cover, or justify things or at least it just came across as that. I can understand why the writer wouldn't want to write in detail some of the occurances which were mentioned, but from the readers perspective this is where it got weak and boring. For example, when the writer described being initiated into his first gang, he was very specific as to how he was led into that direction, He led the reader along a journey where the initiation became part of his world. I thought that was interesting and good reading. The details of his Mongol life were less interesting and more skimmed over. I still recommend the book, I think the perspective is very interesting. I wish the writer would have penned a fictional book really detailing out the passion and intensity of the what the title of the book suggests you to consider. I am thinking that perhaps he didn't do so to prevent liability. For the reader it just felt flat. I am sure there is a very passionate and intense story there somewhere. If not, then it explains exactly how someone can be involved in a lifestyle where denial and skewed perspective prevents you from truly understanding what you are involved in. I'd like to see him write fictional stories with more passion and detail that might grip you and take you on the real journey. In some instances he was flat out emotionless - although this might be the only way to survive conflict, it doesn't make for good reading.

Read this book a second time and have to say it is disrespectful of the club and specific members in it - a gross "no-no" in the 1%er world on both counts.

If, as one other review offers, Cavazos is out of the club in lieu of his book that's a wise move on the Mongols' part.

Ok book but the author does try to pull your leg trying to get you to believe that 1% are just good guys that do their own thing. People do not go to war with each other over just patches.

DOC DID A VERY GOOD JOB IN WRITING THIS BOOK. I READ IT IN 1.5 DAYS COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. HE SHOWED THAT THERE IS A DIFERENT SIDE TO THE MONGOLS MC THEN WHAT BILLY QUEEN MADE THEM OUT TO BE. I REALLY ENJOYED THE BOOK.

I thought Doc did agood job with the telling of the Mongols MC and how it works. I do believe he may have left out some of the more incriminating details but I guess that is to be expected. He seems like a stand-up guy and a good guy to have on your side when trouble arrives. Overall a good read.

This book is very easy to read. I read in two nights. Doc provides some information on the club but not much. I was hoping to find out what all the various patch meanings on the front of their cuts were, but the book doesnt say.

Unlike Sonny Barger and Billy Queen, Ruben Cavazos' writing style is very choppy and clumsy. It was at times, hard to understand. Almost all of the events are described without dates, so I was unable to envision a timeframe of his experiences. Throughout the book, Cavazos comes off as a serious prima donna.

Important points in the history of the club, such as the war against their rivals, or the conflicts with a prison gang are glossed over and minimized.

Whereas Barger's books all portray his club almost like the Salvation Army with a couple quirks, Cavazos described his club as dysfunctional and its members as "idiots." This, I was not expecting. I think the History Channel's "Gangland" TV series which covered the Mongols gives a better understanding of the organization.

Other than having read "Under and Alone "- the Billy Queen story and having come accross the reference to the biker club Mongols I really knew nothing of the club but now I have an idea of how large the group actually is and their ties to other outlaw clubs.It is a good introduction to a club the average person doesn't think of when bikers are mentioned unlike the Hells Angles,Bandidos,Outlaws or Pagans.

I had read the book, "Under and Alone" years ago. This book is a great look at the other side of the story from an opposing point of view. Anyone with a brain understands that the WHOLE story of the Mongols MC isn't told here, but it's still an interesting peak into the club and an interesting story told from a unique viewpoint. I'd definately recommend this book to bikers and anyone within the biker subculture....just remember that anything written about an organization by a ranking member of said organization is going to hava a propaganda-like flavor to it.

Doc wrote a down to earth and well written book about one of the "baddest" of the clubs. It would take alot of "B****" to wear that patch on your back!

Well Doc, I think you've done it. This is the only book I've found that tells the Mongol story. You've done a good job of writing it and it seems to tell the tale Quite well. If anyone is interested in the 'History' of the 1% clubs, this book should be in the mix.

I ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK VERY MUCH. IT FASCINATES ME. THE AUTHOR SEEMS SO DOWN TO EARTH, EVEN THOUGHT HE IS IN A MOTORCYCLE CLUB. I HAPPENED TO KNOW SOME OF THESE GUYS IN THE MC, THEY ARE NOT AS BAD AS THE POLICE MAKES THEM OUT BE.I'M HOPING RUBEN CAVAZOS WRITES ANOTHER BOOK.

This was a phenomenal book, finally written by a member and leader of a 1%club that didn't embellish,snitch or try to cover up his plans for the future. Cavazos presented such a rare look inside that the feds had to come down on the club and have outlawed their patch. Not even the Hells Angels has had to endure such persecution and discrimination. MFFM ride on!

As a proud member of an American Nation Motorcycle Club there are a lot of rules you must go by but I am an American first and Motorcycle Clubs MC with foreign ancient names and philosophy (and there are many of them out there) turn most Americans off. When we all live in the greatest and strongest Country on Earth and Doc in his Book does not address this or any American History about the True American Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs in our Country. Maybe some day I will write a book and explain the difference between Street Gangs and Motorcycle Clubs yes there is a big difference. The Wolfman

Read this book while deployed. I found it easy to read and truthful.
It does seem that Doc has a bit of an ego.

Great book couldn't put it down haven't read a book in 25 years. A friend
borrowed ti I'll read it again when i get it back. Wish Icould 've got it signed (Doc)
Al

I thought this book was very well put together. I didn't want to put it down until I finished it. I'm a huge supporter of the Mongols MC!! It's a black and white world and if you don't like oh well!!