Toy Soldiers

The novel takes place in a small town named Waipaha located on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The main character is a Filipino High School student named Felano. Felano is the Waipaha High School gang leader. He is constantly in danger of being killed by the opposing gang of Samoan High School students. Felano is joined by his neighbor Estacion entered the gang long ago when it was just a group of boys hanging together in the junior high so that the Samoans could not steal their lunch money. Felano and Estacion have been ordered by the adult gang leader, Alegang, to kill a rival gang member called Billy-boy. They accept the order, but Felano questions whether he should take part in murder. Before the murder, Felano is approached by an undercover narc at high school and he tells Alegang. The adult leader kills the narc, but is caught by the police. Alegang, a heavy crystal meth user, dies in jail from drug withdrawal. Felano and Estacion attack the Samoans home turf but the lookout spots them and shoots in their direction. Felano experiences many dangerous encounters and goes though changes in the story.