Son of Escobar: First Born

I was really surprised when I stumbled across this book on NetGalley, I thought after having watched Narcos and doing some follow-up research, I knew all the main points to Pablo Escobar’s life. However, learning there is a prologue of sorts I was desperate to read it.
This book is recounting everything that leads up to Escobar being as notorious as he was and is also introducing his firstborn son and his fate.
I wasn’t entirely convinced on the style of writing, at times it jumped all over the place and others the timeline was fluid. I also got lost a little bit with the technicalities of what was happening.
It was very frustrating when Roberto/Phillip was asking for clarification but then said ‘I didn’t find this out for years to come’, but he didn’t give us, the reader, the outcome. It may have come at the end, but by then I’d forgotten what I’d wanted to know 100 pages earlier! So the young boy may not have known then, but we could have been filled in. This is really my only major gripe with the book.
It was very gripping, and it was great to get more of Pablo Escobar’s story and even to find out more about Columbia. It doesn’t just focus on Escobar’s escapades but the bigger picture of how everything developed.
Once I’d settled down into the book and was used to the writing style, I was utterly fascinated by this true story. The ending is very sombre and heartbreaking, but I’m glad we got to see everyone’s fates. I really felt invested in what was happening with Roberto/Phillip and wanted to know how his life panned out.
A great read and an excellent addition and prelude to the Narcos series that I have watched.

The Son of Escobar: First Born is a thrilling and fascinating true crime autobiography written by the elusive son of notorious criminal and drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar. It charts the making of a man who was universally feared and who became one of the most-wanted criminals in the world before moving on to what happened to his oldest son. Rescued as a baby from a fatal shoot out at which his mother died, adopted by an MI6 agent working out of Colombia, kept in the dark about his true identity until the age of 24, sent to boarding school in the UK to avoid escalating kidnapping attempts, and finally given the location of Escobar’s hidden millions. Pablo Escobar’s firstborn son, Roberto Sendoya Escobar, tells his unbelievable true story.

In 1965, a secret mission by Colombian Special Forces, led by an MI6 agent to recover a cash hoard from a safe house used by a young Pablo Escobar, culminates in a shoot-out leaving many dead. Escobar and several of his men escape. Only a baby survives, Roberto Sendoya Escobar. In a bizarre twist of fate, the MI6 agent takes pity on the child, brings him home and later adopts him. Over the years, Pablo Escobar tries, repeatedly, to kidnap his firstborn son. Flanked by his trusty bodyguards, the child, unaware of his true identity, is allowed regular meetings with Escobar and it becomes apparent that Roberto’s adopted father and the British government are working covertly with the Escobar in an attempt to control the money laundering and drug trades. Many years later in England, as Roberto’s father lies dying in hospital, he hands his son a coded piece of paper which, he says, reveals the secret hiding place of Escobar’s ‘missing millions’. The code is published in this book for the first time.

This is a completely compulsive, riveting and gritty real-life thriller with the same twists, turns and shocks as fiction but you must keep reminding yourself that this is real life. There is barely a moment to breathe as Escobar relays the story to you complete with full-on high-stakes action and an abundance of exciting, on the edge-of-your-seat moments throughout. It's very readable and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish and once it has you gripped there is no possibility of placing it down. It's a truly engrossing true tale and a cracking page-turner in which we learn more about Pablo, Roberto, their wider family and the impact Pablo and the Medellin Cartel’s escapades had on Colombia. If you're a true crime connoisseur then this is an unmissable book. Many thanks to Ad Lib for an ARC.

After having read a few books on Pablo Escobar, when I saw this one, I was immediately intrigued and requested it with fingers crossed. And before long the next day I was reading it; devouring every word. This was the first I’d heard about a first born son, who was scooped up as the mother was breathing her last, what a story. He’s rescued and adopted by an undercover agent who is there on assignment. The agent and his wife had always wanted a child, but had been unable to conceive.

Even after some digging, they learned little more about the boy. The mother who sadly was killed was just a young teenager. The father was an older teen named Pablo Escobar, who lived 350 miles away was early in his career. I think most will find this a good book written from the son’s perspective, growing up with his adoptive family. It’s got plenty of action and excitement, I know I enjoyed the heck out of it and would recommend it for anyone who is interested in the Pablo Escobar story.  Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author Roberto Sendoya Escobar, and Ad Lib Publishers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ad Lib for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so intrigued when I saw this true-crime autobiography written by the son of notorious Pablo Escobar
It was very interesting and gripping, and it was great to get more of Pablo Escobar’s story and even to find out more about Columbia. There are lots of twists which plays out in the book. Personally I enjoyed reading about how MI6 was entangled with Columbia and how the impact of drugs began to dominate the world. I really felt invested in what was happening with Roberto/Phillip.
If you're into true crime stories, you should read this book!

Son of Escobar: First Born is a thrilling story detailing Roberto Escobar's life story and growing up as the adopted son of two English diplomats. Renamed Phillip by his parents - we read about his Fathers (Pablo Escobar's) repeated attempts to kidnap his son. There are lots of interesting and edge of the seat drama which plays out in the book - and I particularly enjoyed reading about how MI6 was entangled with Columbia and how the impact of drugs began to dominate the world.

Well written, the characters were richly described and jumped off the page.

Five big fat stars!! What a story! What's the saying? "Truth is stranger than fiction" - and that is certainly the case with Son of Escobar: First Born by Roberto Sendoya Escobar. This is the strange and scary story of Pablo Escobar's first born son who was adopted by a very involved secret service agent. I really don't know how to say more without spoiling the story for a potential reader, so I won't. To take an unbelievable topsy turvy adventure and thrilling ride into the life of Roberto Sendoya Escobar - Read this book!! It's due out on October 1st. A huge thank you to Ad Lib Publishers and Net Galley for this great read! Don't miss out on this true story, it's well worth anyone's time!!

This is a remarkable story and makes for some truly riveting reading – but is it true? I took it all at face value whilst I was reading the book, however incredible it all seemed, but having delved a little deeper I see that doubts have been cast on the veracity of the tale and so I reserve my judgment. That doesn’t prevent the book being a great read, however. It tells the story of a little boy who is adopted by an Englishman working for a private security firm in Colombia and this little boy turns out to be the first born son of drug lord Pablo Escobar. The adoptive father Pat Witcomb was also working, apparently, for MI6 as a secret agent which led him into some very murky waters indeed. It’s not a brilliantly written book but has the power of a true adventure story and seems to be a deeply felt memoir – or is some, or indeed all, of it made up? There’s even a code for finding some missing millions – so the story is by no means over. Read it, then watch some of the YouTube clips – and decide for yourselves.