Legendary "New York Times" bestselling author Elmore Leonard returns with three of his favorite characters: Jack Foley from "Out of Sight," Cun... read full description
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Aug 07, 2010
Kemper
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Out of Sight was one of my favorite Elmore Leonard novels (and a great movie despite having Jennifer Lopez in it) so I was really excited to hear that Jack Foley would be a character in this one along with a couple of other Leonard characters from other books, Dawn Navvaro from Riding the Rap and Cundo Rey from LaBrava.
Unfortunately, half of what made Out of Sight so fun was Karen Sisco and Jack’s crazy romance, and with no Karen in this one, the whole book doesn’t have the same zing More...
Unfortunately, half of what made Out of Sight so fun was Karen Sisco and Jack’s crazy romance, and with no Karen in this one, the whole book doesn’t have the same zing More...
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Feb 06, 2012
Jim
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The NME-christened "poet laureate of wild assholes with revolvers", Elmore Leonard, fires up another hugely enjoyable crime caper that sees most of the major players planning to double or triple cross one another within about two paragraphs of them being introduced. This novel "stars" Jack Foley, who George Clooney played in the movie version of "Out of Sight", involved in plot that snakes around itself and is much tighter than the average bowline knot. Barely a wor
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Jul 04, 2011
June
rated it:
"Road Dogs" is my second Elmore Leonard book I've listened to on CD and I really enjoyed it, couldn't wait to get more. The criminal characters each have a certain something that made me want to get into their heads and the story line moved along keeping my interest. Each chapter eagerly leads the reader forward - bada bing bada boom - let's go to the next one and learn what will Jack Foley, the notorious bank robber cook up next? Or Cundo Rey the Cuban Hollywood drug lord. Little J
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Dec 09, 2010
J.j.
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(For a more detailed review of this book, go to <http://blog.jjwylie.com/2010/06/road-dogs-by-elmore-leonard.html>)
Road Dogs brings back characters from several previous novels, most notably the character of Jack Foley, the charming bank robber from Out of Sight. He was played by George Clooney in the movie, and it's easy to visualize Clooney reprising the role. In Road Dogs, Foley is as cool, and as conflicted, as ever. He also gets more than his share of attention from the ladi More...
Road Dogs brings back characters from several previous novels, most notably the character of Jack Foley, the charming bank robber from Out of Sight. He was played by George Clooney in the movie, and it's easy to visualize Clooney reprising the role. In Road Dogs, Foley is as cool, and as conflicted, as ever. He also gets more than his share of attention from the ladi More...
Jun 28, 2009
Al
rated it: 
I knew Elmore Leonard books. Elmore Leonard books were friends of mine. Road Dogs, you're no Elmore Leonard book.
Elmore Leonard is proud of starting his books with no real idea of where they're going to come out, and his varied and entertaining array of successes is proof that that method has worked for him. But even the greats have off days, and this is one of them. This is a book without a point, one that wanders aimlessly and winds up nowhere. We've met Jack Foley bef More...
Elmore Leonard is proud of starting his books with no real idea of where they're going to come out, and his varied and entertaining array of successes is proof that that method has worked for him. But even the greats have off days, and this is one of them. This is a book without a point, one that wanders aimlessly and winds up nowhere. We've met Jack Foley bef More...
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Jun 03, 2009
Christy
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Elmore Leonard brings back three characters from previous books for an encore performance in his latest comedic foray into the criminal world. Bank robber Jack Foley (Out of Sight), and Cundo Rey (LaBrava), meet in prison and quickly become friends, referring to themselves as Road Dogs. Rey’s lawyer has arranged for his early release from prison and Rey offers her services to Foley, who’s in for thirty years. She manages to get Foley’s prison term reduced to thirty months and Foley is released t
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May 24, 2009
Tony
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Leonard, Elmore. ROAD DOGS. (2009). ****. In spite of all the blurbs, Leonard is not a “thriller” writer. He is the master of the caper novel, and you have to realize that all of his characters in all of his stories cannot be trusted to mean or do what they say. They are all out for themselves. In this caper, we meet Jack Foley, a charming bank robber, one who has robbed over 170 banks during his career. We also meet his cell-mate, Cundo Rey, an extremely wealthy Cuban criminal. They ha
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Sep 24, 2009
Migdalia
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OK. So, I picked up the latest Elmore Leonard book because he is one of my favorite authors, and I hadn't read his stuff in a while. Yes, it's true: You'd be hard pressed to find a better writer who such a great ear for dialogue. Michael Chabon is the only other one who comes to mind at the moment who has that talent. Regardless, as Dennis Lehane notes, Leonard is in a class of one. All I can write about this book is that he has not lost his touch.
The story picks up after jack More...
The story picks up after jack More...
Jul 21, 2010
Dashiell Hammitt and Raymond Chandler often get cited as creating noir fiction, but neither of them wrote as many as ten books, even counting story collections and posthumous pastiches. Elmore Leonard has written 40, remarkably consistent, state-of-the-art tough guy crime novels. He’s a national treasure. He’ll tell you how it’s done, too.
His latest brings back three characters from earlier novels–Reverend Dawn, a psychic con woman from Riding the Rap; Cundo Rey, short, fast-talking More...
His latest brings back three characters from earlier novels–Reverend Dawn, a psychic con woman from Riding the Rap; Cundo Rey, short, fast-talking More...
Jun 16, 2009
Steve
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Leonard started out a great writer, and 40-some books in to his career he continues to improve, which is difficult to imagine until you read his most recent novel. He's writing literature disguised as crime fiction (or is it the other way around?), with no repetition of theme or lack of inspiration. Even Leonard's minor characters are stronger, stranger, and more interesting than those in novels by many other authors. In this book, for example, we have Zorro the driver, and Mike Nesi the skinhea
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Dec 02, 2009
Jim
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Elmore Leonard has written many entertaining books over the years. This is one of his lesser efforts. The gimmick is that he brings together 3 characters from different books from the past. Jack Foley, the hunky and somewhat chivalrous bank robber (127 banks over his career) from the popular book (and film) Out of Sight befriends Cundo Rey, a sexist Cuban con, in prison. Although Foley is serving a 30-year sentence, Cundo directs Foley to a very capable lawyer (and pays the freight) so that Fole
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Jun 14, 2009
Tim
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This was waay better than my first brush with Elmore Leonard, Pronto. For starters, the main character is charming and funny rather than tedious and unlikable, and the plot is twisty and never lags. The protagonist here would be Jack Foley from Out of Sight, the world's coolest bank-robber. While reading, it's hard not to picture George Clooney reprising his role from the movie version. (Reportedly Leonard wrote this one with a movie deal in mind, but Clooney didn't want to be typecast as a t
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Aug 05, 2011
Elmore Leonard is one of those authors, like Stephen King, John Grisham, Joyce Carol Oates or Jeffery Deaver, whose ability to churn out novels on a regular basis is truly amazing. Sometimes I can barely muster the creativity for a blog post, and they're turning out novel after novel.
Leonard's latest brings together characters from three previous books: Jack Foley (George Clooney's character) from Out of Sight, Cundo Rey from La Brava and Dawn Navarro from Riding the Rap. Foley and Rey meet in More...
Leonard's latest brings together characters from three previous books: Jack Foley (George Clooney's character) from Out of Sight, Cundo Rey from La Brava and Dawn Navarro from Riding the Rap. Foley and Rey meet in More...
May 24, 2009
Tim
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Suave and debonair bank robber Jack Foley who never pulled a gun during any of his 100+ heists is finally collared and sent up the river where he meets Cundo Rey, Cuban exile, murderer and con artist. Setting Jack up with a hotshot lawyer that gets him released on a technicality, Rey tells Jack to find his common law wife and await his release and next move. Foley and Dawn, Rey's wife, begin a torrid affair and plot to see if they can relieve Rey of his ill gotten money. This was a fun book - Le
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Nov 29, 2010
Derek
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A nice little bit of escapism, but nowhere near Leonard's best. While to a certain extent noir writing always depends on stereotypes for shortcuts to paint pictures of the protagonists, the descriptions in Road Dogs crossed over into caricature. From the African-American gangsta teen with the sideways baseball hat and the low hanging pants to the sympthetic tough guy criminal hero to the wealthy blonde Hollywood actress, the whole thing felt like a rote caper story where the reader is left wonde
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Jun 04, 2010
Woodge
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Road Dogs is the 19th novel I've read by Elmore Leonard. That's a record number by one author that I've read. The reason is that Elmore Leonard's stories are just consistently entertaining. You can't tell exactly where the story is headed and the journey there is just so much fun. In this story he revisits the main character of Out of Sight -- haven't read it, but the movie adaptation is a favorite -- Jack Foley, convicted bank robber. The title refers to prison buddies. In this case, Jack's
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Jul 08, 2009
R.G.
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How could I have almost made it to 46 years old without reading an Elmore Leonard novel? I've seen so many movies based on his novels or screenplays (3:10 to Yuma, Mr. Majestyk, Joe Kidd, Get Shorty), but for some reason I never cracked one of his books before. I happened to be in Traverse City, MI, last month on a night when he and his son, Peter (also a crime novelist), were holding a panel discussion. It was a very entertaining evening, so I bought Road Dogs. Everything critics write about
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May 03, 2009
Laura
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This is the 1st book by Elmore Leonard I've read. I really enjoyed it. The characters are easy to get to know are are interesting. They have a lot of quirks and interact in interesting ways. It is about a man, Jack Foley, who is just getting out of prision, again and has dreams of not going back in. He is a man who is generally liked by both men and women. (Apparently, he is a character from another of Leonard's books, as are several in this story. I need to read more of his work.) He gets in
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Jun 30, 2009
Ken
rated it:
I wonder if Elmore Leonard, now at 83, looks back on his career and considers the legacy he has built through his writing. He has published over 40 novels, numerous short stories, defined a unique literary style, and provided source material for a variety of films (some not so good, some very very good). His response would most likely be spoken in the smart street banter spoken used by any one of his many colorful characters. It would be a tightly worded quote that stuck in your brain and cl
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Jul 30, 2009
Bookmarks Magazine
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"The critics, thrilled with Leonard's latest novel, unanimously praised it as another success in a long line of groundbreaking successes. Leonard's revolutionary, minimalist style -- including his disdain for long descriptions and tedious scene setting -- sends the plot racing along on deliciously deadpan dialogue between vivid, engaging characters, a few of whom readers already know and love. Amid the murder and mayhem, Leonard also poses larger questions about the varying degrees of loyal
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Jul 03, 2009
Michael
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Another very good Elmore Leonard story of low life hustlers trying to Hustle one another. As usual the dialog is crackling with the reality of the street.
The book suffers in the first part set up because Leonard decided to use characters from previous books "La Brava" and "Out of Sight" which seemed forced at the beginning. Leonard could have used new characters since these two had no history together. He does weave together themes from those two books with a lothario b More...
The book suffers in the first part set up because Leonard decided to use characters from previous books "La Brava" and "Out of Sight" which seemed forced at the beginning. Leonard could have used new characters since these two had no history together. He does weave together themes from those two books with a lothario b More...
Jul 15, 2009
Bill
rated it:
This book started well. Of course, it has the baggage (in a good way) of characters from previous novels, including Foley from Out of Sight, and that helps to draw you in. After all, everyone wants to know what happens between George and J-Lo, excuse me, Jack and Karen, but Leonard gets past that in a hurry. At first I thought this book was going to be a return to form for Leonard after his two rather dull forays into historical fiction, but ultimately, this book also falls short. The plot,
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Jun 16, 2009
Ryan
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This is essentially a sequel of sorts to a number of Leonard books, but most directly to Out of Sight. And I couldn't help but picture George Clooney playing Jack Foley again. Several Leonard characters from other books (some I haven't read) show up here. But if you haven't read them, don't worry. This story stands on its own.
This is vintage Elmore Leonard for sure. It does take more of a minimalist approach to the typical Leonard story, with a relatively short page count, and a sc More...
This is vintage Elmore Leonard for sure. It does take more of a minimalist approach to the typical Leonard story, with a relatively short page count, and a sc More...
Jul 21, 2009
Barry
rated it:
I admire the old pros. Elmore Leonard, now in his eighties, throws off an inconsequential tale with recycled characters and I loved it. Leonard, and his cohorts Don Westlake and Lawrence Block, honed their craft in the ‘50s by writing a lot. The result is the fabled Leonard dialogue and a style that looks quick and easy. But to every wannabe Leonard’s peril, imitating Leonard is like copying Hemingway – it takes a little more than just terseness.
Leonard brings back Jack Foley, me More...
Leonard brings back Jack Foley, me More...
May 31, 2010
Heather
rated it:
I havn't read many of Elmore Leonard's books, which may be why I enjoyed it more than his other fans. I wasn't familiar to two of these leading characters before I read the book, and had no idea what to expect.
Performing as a good mystery story, this book did rather well. I was unfortunately expecting a sequel to Out of Sight. I didn't see how the two stories connected very well other than a few brief mentions to a character or two from the first book. I also desperately wanted Ka More...
Performing as a good mystery story, this book did rather well. I was unfortunately expecting a sequel to Out of Sight. I didn't see how the two stories connected very well other than a few brief mentions to a character or two from the first book. I also desperately wanted Ka More...
Oct 24, 2009
Barry
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Elmore Leonard hasn't hit my shelf for a while. I used to enjoy his crooks who couldn't shoot straight. This latest installment on the society inhabited by the scofflaws twists and turns as each character remains self absorbed.
The story spins from the jail time shared by two men and the greed of a woman who comes between them when they are released. The resulting comedy of errors leaves a couple bodies and a drifting hero who has the money but no sense of purpose.
It More...
The story spins from the jail time shared by two men and the greed of a woman who comes between them when they are released. The resulting comedy of errors leaves a couple bodies and a drifting hero who has the money but no sense of purpose.
It More...
Jul 16, 2009
Frederick
rated it:
Though the actual situation is grim, and the protagonists criminals, Elmore Leonard again manages to create a story where the reader cannot help but smile at the thoughts and antics of the cast. Jack Foley, always cool and ahead of his opponents mentally and physically, is the lovable bank-robber; Cundo Rey his wealthy prison-buddy is naive in some ways, totally sinister in others; and the trickster Dawn Navarro a nasty chameleon whose mind and behavior can hardly be more devious. It's a delight
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Aug 23, 2011
Elmore Leonard creates another great character and dialogue-driven novel. Road Dogs starts just after "Out of Sight" ends and reunites us with Jack Foley. He also brings back Cundo Rey and Dawn Navarro from two other books. It was funny that when I started reading the book I kept seeing George Clooney in the role of Jack. I heard last week in an NPR interview with Elmore Leonard that he wrote that part with George in mind; talk about weird.
Back to the story. Jack meets Cundo Rey More...
Back to the story. Jack meets Cundo Rey More...
Sep 12, 2010
Tom
rated it: 
Probably a bad way to introduce myself to Elmore Leonard. Pretty formulaic and not all that interesting. Character double-cross each other because they exist in a world in which they have no choice but to double-cross each other, and they all innately understand the complexities of each other's personalities and schemes, pretty much immediately. So what you're left with is a book that's supposed to be gripping and have a compelling plot, but really it's a lot of people not making interesting
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Nov 05, 2010
Lovesmukiwa
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Listened to on audio.
Foley and Cundo Rey are friends in prison. They spend time together every day for more than 3 years. Cundo pays for a laywer for Foley and gets his sentence reduced. Foley goes to LA to wait for Sundo. Fresh out of prison, Foley hooks up with Dawn Navarro, the common-law wife Cundo Rey, in a plan to relieve Cundo of his fortune.
The character development is great for Cundo and Foley, but other characters are flat.
The book had a lot of possibilities in the More...
Foley and Cundo Rey are friends in prison. They spend time together every day for more than 3 years. Cundo pays for a laywer for Foley and gets his sentence reduced. Foley goes to LA to wait for Sundo. Fresh out of prison, Foley hooks up with Dawn Navarro, the common-law wife Cundo Rey, in a plan to relieve Cundo of his fortune.
The character development is great for Cundo and Foley, but other characters are flat.
The book had a lot of possibilities in the More...
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