In the tradition of Raymond Chandler's crime fiction comes this story of three tortured souls in the 1950s LAPD: a clean-cut cop who lives shiverin...
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Oct 22, 2009
Kasia
rated it: 
The never-ending parade of homogenous macho cops; the weak, dependable women - perfect victims for any crime; the overwhelmingly complex story line, sub-plot within sub-plot, twist upon twist - all that delivered in a flat, dry style. That's an Ellroy novel for you.
I know that it's supposed to add up to this intricate, dark story interwoven with sex and violence and thus gripping, like nothing else. But I, frankly, was bored to death. The scheming was a tad too elaborate for my tast More...
I know that it's supposed to add up to this intricate, dark story interwoven with sex and violence and thus gripping, like nothing else. But I, frankly, was bored to death. The scheming was a tad too elaborate for my tast More...
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Dec 15, 2011
Miss Karen Jean
rated it: 
This book sustained our cross-country road trip - from LA to Chicago for new beginnings and my new job. 3 adults and 2 cats in the cab of a U-Haul truck. And our "stories," which gave birth to such in-jokes as "Roller Skating Mom Porn."
I had seen the movie, but the audio book was great - a great reader and just the right amount of plot-heavy movement that makes for a great audiobook. I find Ellroy's prose to be a bit much when I'm reading it, but put it in the mo More...
I had seen the movie, but the audio book was great - a great reader and just the right amount of plot-heavy movement that makes for a great audiobook. I find Ellroy's prose to be a bit much when I'm reading it, but put it in the mo More...
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Oct 24, 2008
Gemma
rated it: 
I can't do it. I hate the jivey style-- it tries too hard. It is a parody of itself.
I know that white cops in the 50s were racist-- I get it-- but the racism is almost sadistic in this book. Like, did we really need all that detail? All those epithets? Really?
Maybe I started reading this under false pretenses. I was like "Old Hollywood! True crime! Pavement-pounding cops!" I love the idea of L.A. in the 50s, the seedy underbelly of all that glamor. I love crime More...
I know that white cops in the 50s were racist-- I get it-- but the racism is almost sadistic in this book. Like, did we really need all that detail? All those epithets? Really?
Maybe I started reading this under false pretenses. I was like "Old Hollywood! True crime! Pavement-pounding cops!" I love the idea of L.A. in the 50s, the seedy underbelly of all that glamor. I love crime More...
Feb 06, 2008
Andy
rated it:
This is a review of the audio cassette, not the book. The book's pretty cool, okay?
The audio cassette is an abridged version of the book read by David Strathairn, and he does a pretty boring job. He reads at a very hurried, quick pace with nothing your brain pan can hold on to because it sounds so rushed. His voice is a very nasal monotone, too. How someone can make an exciting book sound dull is beyond me. If you see this tape at a yard sale, pass it by. If you see "White Jazz" More...
The audio cassette is an abridged version of the book read by David Strathairn, and he does a pretty boring job. He reads at a very hurried, quick pace with nothing your brain pan can hold on to because it sounds so rushed. His voice is a very nasal monotone, too. How someone can make an exciting book sound dull is beyond me. If you see this tape at a yard sale, pass it by. If you see "White Jazz" More...
Sep 06, 2011
K
rated it:
The fiction I can think of, short-stories and novels, which is worse in prose than rendered on the screen includes, The Godfather, LA Confidential, The Duellists, possibly Ben-Hur. To Have and Have Not offers a case where the film shares the same title as the novella but is just different. One could argue that is true a lot, most movies are different from the literary sources, but to leave the thinking only that far would be a sign of mental laziness, a common condition among our contemporaries.
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Jul 28, 2011
Sean
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Feb 08, 2011
Steven
rated it:
In terms of perfection, I give this one a slight nod over The Black Dahlia, and the only reason I can give you is that I got that feeling as I was reading it. You just get this strong sensation that you are reading something great, something unique that will stand as the best of its type. Perhaps some of it is in retrospect, as I finished this long ago, and certainly the excellent movie helps the idea. (The movie is perhaps a classic of its type as well.)
To give you an idea of how c More...
To give you an idea of how c More...
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Jan 01, 2011
John
rated it: 
James Ellroy effectively mixes a variety of styles (inner monologue, police reports, newspaper accounts) in the telling of his sprawling 1950s detective story. The short, staccato sentences that make up the bulk of the book effectively set up the subjective perspective that dominates the proceedings. As the chapters alternate between the three main characters, it becomes clear that the truth of the matter--truth that will eventually lead to absolute justice--continually eludes them. Each of the
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Sep 18, 2010
J
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Aug 19, 2011
Knowledge Lost
rated it:
I remember the movie from a while ago, and I do enjoy a good James Ellroy novel, so I was excited to read LA Confidential. To my surprised this book seems a bit all over the place, more so than usual and at times I struggled to keep up with what is happening. I know Ellroy likes to have a lot happening at his complex plots do come together but I did feel like it was a bit too much like a chore to keep up in this book.
LA Confidential is about organized crime, politics, corruption, dr More...
LA Confidential is about organized crime, politics, corruption, dr More...
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May 11, 2010
James
rated it:
I remember reading when the film was made that they never thought anything so complex could be succesfully made into a film and I now know what they mean. The film was complex and fantastic and the book is even more so.
We are taken on a journey to a slightly alternate 1950s where Walt Disney and his creations have been replaced by Raymond Dieterling and his creations. A seedy and corrupt 1950s LA is the backdrop for the story. The entire plot stems from a killing in a 24/7 Coffee sho More...
We are taken on a journey to a slightly alternate 1950s where Walt Disney and his creations have been replaced by Raymond Dieterling and his creations. A seedy and corrupt 1950s LA is the backdrop for the story. The entire plot stems from a killing in a 24/7 Coffee sho More...
Mar 25, 2008
Theo
rated it:
This book taught me a lot about racist slang and police corruption. I'm glad I don't live in L.A. anymore. I have problems with books that have a lot of characters. I'd like to think it's a mental disability so for those of you who want to call me your 'special friend' I'm used to it. My friend Nate's sister called me that in high school so I'm already use to it. I can see why J-Ho likes this book so much; it's like a Grand Theft Auto book.
Nov 12, 2011
Andrés
rated it:
Debe ser una de las 5 mejores novelas negras de todos los tiempos: adelanto de la corrupción que ya en Latinoamérica existe. Los norteamericanos dan las pautas y el resto simplemente copia, hasta en las malas acciones. Aquí es la policía de Los Ángeles, a mediado de los años cincuenta, mucho antes que lo viéramos en México, Brasil, Colombia y/o Argentina, convirtiéndose sus fuerzas de Orden, Estado y Prensa en una salvaje jauría de mafiosos hambrientos de poder y dinero. La droga, la prostitució
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Jul 02, 2011
Sarah
rated it:
It should be noted this is a genre book, that the dark and twisted streets here aren't for everyone. If as a child you weren't willing to poke corpses with a stick or pick up rocks to watch the squirming, seething masses of insects swarm - maybe you should pass on Ellroy.
Darker than dark, Ellroy's noir makes other noir books look like silver in comparison. He's true to his era - go watch some movies from the 50s if you don't agree. I'll wait. See how the slang was different? Yea More...
Darker than dark, Ellroy's noir makes other noir books look like silver in comparison. He's true to his era - go watch some movies from the 50s if you don't agree. I'll wait. See how the slang was different? Yea More...
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Jun 30, 2010
Taka
rated it:
Intense and complex--
James Ellroy keeps you on the toe with constant tension and a complex plot with awesome twists. This one was no exception, and I liked it more than his earlier The Black Dahlia whose long prelude I thought was irrelevant and unnecessary.
Ellroy's style in this book becomes choppy and shows the first signs of what the critics call his "telegraphic" prose style. Most sentences don't have verbs and only paint significant details in their raw nou More...
James Ellroy keeps you on the toe with constant tension and a complex plot with awesome twists. This one was no exception, and I liked it more than his earlier The Black Dahlia whose long prelude I thought was irrelevant and unnecessary.
Ellroy's style in this book becomes choppy and shows the first signs of what the critics call his "telegraphic" prose style. Most sentences don't have verbs and only paint significant details in their raw nou More...
Mar 22, 2011
Pam
rated it:
I bought this book because it was on the "If you liked ... you'd like this" feature at Amazon. The book that got me there was Clockers by Richard Price (awesome book!) so I was psyched.
I managed a few chapters and gave up on it. I can't get a feel for the characters, time, or place. It's jerky, disjointed, unfocused, and hard to read.
If someone tells me it's worth it and to try again, I will.
I managed a few chapters and gave up on it. I can't get a feel for the characters, time, or place. It's jerky, disjointed, unfocused, and hard to read.
If someone tells me it's worth it and to try again, I will.
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Apr 13, 2011
Arun
rated it:
It's a little boy's dream : grow up and become a Cop. Beat up the bad guys, Shoot'em up, walk around in uniform. The little boys grow up, they see the real life cops and the dreams begin to fade and lose color. It's probably a life of dealing with what society calls scum that pushes many men over the edge into corruption and outright thuggery. L.A. Confidential is cops, all about cops and nothing but cops.
There is a heinous crime which acts as the fulcrum and the entire story revolve More...
There is a heinous crime which acts as the fulcrum and the entire story revolve More...
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May 30, 2010
Ardee
rated it:
Fantastic crime thriller, with a beautifully written cast of flawed and complex characters.
As with many of Ellroys novels the characters are often unsympathetic, brutish and dishonest, but he manages to round them out so perfectly, that they always come off believable. It's the same with the tone. Some readers find it off putting an jarring, however, because it is done so consistently throughout not just La Confidential, but all of the LA Quartet novels, it rings very true to me. I More...
As with many of Ellroys novels the characters are often unsympathetic, brutish and dishonest, but he manages to round them out so perfectly, that they always come off believable. It's the same with the tone. Some readers find it off putting an jarring, however, because it is done so consistently throughout not just La Confidential, but all of the LA Quartet novels, it rings very true to me. I More...
Aug 02, 2011
Phil
rated it:
Third of the quartet and the best by far (or perhaps I mean so far).
It’s immensely satisfying to follow the genesis of a writer’s craft through a series of novels and Confidential clearly marks the near perfection of his style. It seems as though Ellroy misunderstood what made The Black Dahlia great when writing the second novel, focusing on the gore and horror of the crimes more than the characters, giving it an uncomfortable feel and leaving some decent characters at the periphery More...
It’s immensely satisfying to follow the genesis of a writer’s craft through a series of novels and Confidential clearly marks the near perfection of his style. It seems as though Ellroy misunderstood what made The Black Dahlia great when writing the second novel, focusing on the gore and horror of the crimes more than the characters, giving it an uncomfortable feel and leaving some decent characters at the periphery More...
Aug 02, 2009
Meghan
rated it:
Reading this made me appreciate just how good a job the screenwriters did when adapting it for film. Don't get me wrong, the book is good--suspenseful, expansive, a proper *big* novel--but it feels, particularly at the end, like everything including the bloodied kitchen sink has gone into it. Drugs? Check. Prostitution? Check. Child molesters, women haters, police corruption, organised crime, Los Angeles highway system? Cheeeeck. Also, a few of the characters feel like near-carbon copies of each
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May 27, 2011
CC
rated it:
I've read it before; I love reading it again. This book forever grabs me by the neck, and I will tell you why: I don't read it for the color (which is great), for the plots (which are labyrinthine and a touch confusing) or even the immersion into a world which Ellroy is a master at. I read for the characters, and this book has possibly my favourite character of all time: Edmund Jennings Exley. The man is an amalgam of everything real men are: at turns hard, calculating, crazy, desperate. He's a
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Apr 08, 2010
Josh
rated it:
If you've watched the movie, you know only a fraction of the story (and a variation of it at that). Despite it's nearly 500 page length, the book was a fairly quick read. The beginning felt a bit slow, but the pace picks up throughout until it's nearly a sprint to the end. It got harder and harder to put the book down. The only challenges are 1) keeping the 100+ characters straight and 2) understanding the 50s slang.
There aren't any clear-cut good guys here, and only a few definite b More...
There aren't any clear-cut good guys here, and only a few definite b More...
Feb 09, 2012
Luke
rated it:
If you only know the movie version of this book, you only know a small part of the story. There's a lot more to it! Once more, Ellroy mixes fact and fiction, placing his hard-nut creations in historically accurate settings, and occasionally mixing it with real individuals. Johnny Stompanato and Mickey Cohen rub shoulders with a thinly-disguised Walt Disney clone, for example.
The skeins of story - and this takes place over years - draw together by the end in a conspiratorial tale of More...
The skeins of story - and this takes place over years - draw together by the end in a conspiratorial tale of More...
Apr 25, 2010
Dhiren
rated it:
The pace of L.A. Confidential became tiresome towards the end of the book. Ellroy’s rapidly undulating style of story telling ensures that you’re continually gripped, whilst he immerses you in character and plot details.
The book is clearly well researched and he seems to write from experience when referring to the LAPD modus operandi.
At points the story is gritty—if not disturbing. The darkness of some of the crimes lead you to question where Ellroy gained is his inspir More...
The book is clearly well researched and he seems to write from experience when referring to the LAPD modus operandi.
At points the story is gritty—if not disturbing. The darkness of some of the crimes lead you to question where Ellroy gained is his inspir More...
Aug 06, 2008
Zepp
rated it:
sprawling, unconfined, weirdly innocent.
more sad than sick.
One of the great novels of the West.
Blood Meridian is a cornerstone.
more sad than sick.
One of the great novels of the West.
Blood Meridian is a cornerstone.
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Jul 01, 2011
gaby
rated it:
I could not put this book down. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could -- it doesn't hit the 5 star mark only because I loved American Tabloid so much, even more than this one. LA Confidential is by far the best of the three LA Quartet books I've read thus far. Ellroy writes in short, declarative sentences, sometimes just fragments - the book reads like a screenplay a lot of the time because of this style. It's visceral and unerringly confident - a literary swagger that takes guts and grit and t
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Jan 18, 2012
Peter
rated it:
An excellent story, but being by Ellroy not one that's for the faint hearted.
As with all his books his style can be difficult to get to grips with; I find that the first chapter or so can be a test, but if you fight your way through it does become easier.
His view of society and people in general are evident throughout the book and that makes for lots of tough, damaged guys and abused women.
I didn't live in 50's LA and I have no real idea of what it was like, I assum More...
As with all his books his style can be difficult to get to grips with; I find that the first chapter or so can be a test, but if you fight your way through it does become easier.
His view of society and people in general are evident throughout the book and that makes for lots of tough, damaged guys and abused women.
I didn't live in 50's LA and I have no real idea of what it was like, I assum More...
Jun 07, 2011
Dan
rated it:
It's a 500+ page imitation of Raymond Chandler, as interpreted by a gifted 8th-grader. There's real talent in the writing, but the characters and plot lines lack maturity even by pulp crime thriller standards. A few dozen Noir crime-fiction cliches are incoherently shuffled together and all resolved deus ex machina so extreme it flirts with parody. Ellroy even spoils major plot twists by putting chapters chronologically out of order. That's not clever, it's pedantic. Somehow his genuinely gifted
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Jan 26, 2011
Mat
rated it:
Almost nothing like the movie (which I loved) since, well, you'd need to make an HBO miniseries just to fit everything in that went on in this book. And even then it wouldn't be worth the effort of doing it; this is simply a fantastic book with too much going on to translate into video.
Like the two books that preceded it in the LA Quartet series, LA was the perfect backdrop to a book that I had trouble putting down. And I found it complex and engaging from cover to cover; it kept m More...
Like the two books that preceded it in the LA Quartet series, LA was the perfect backdrop to a book that I had trouble putting down. And I found it complex and engaging from cover to cover; it kept m More...
