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LA Quartet
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David
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rated it 5 stars
Dec 17, 2013 12:44PM
It might be a bit of a departure from the other great series mentioned here, but I love the LA Quartet series by James Ellroy and the recurring sinister Dudley Smith. He puts the fear of got into even the bravest of heroes such as Bud White from LA Confidential. Each book stands alone as an amazingly complex mystery thriller but together they are amazing.
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David, this is my all-time, lead pipe lock for a favorite series. Period.
Hi Daniel,I wrote a review of 'L.A. Confidential' https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... but it could just have easily been about any of the 4 books. I struggle to think of any crime/thriller books that have impressed me more. I was not as fond of the later series around Kennedy and The Bay of Pigs etc. but still though there were some powerful passages and sections. I think even when he is not at 100%, Ellroy is better than 99% of other thriller and crime writers.
regards
David
Agreed. You mentioned Dudley Smith, he makes an early appearance in a non LA Quartet book, Clandestine. Not sure if you read that one. I tend to favor Buzz Meeks myself.
I liked Meeks, felt sorry for him when he met his end. It's a long time since I read The Big Nowhere but I am watching the latest series of Boardwalk Empire at the moment and I always envisaged Meeks, rightly or wrongly, looking a bit like the actor that plays Al Capone or perhaps Bob Hoskins.
LA Quartet is magnificent. I personally prefer the politics of his LA Underworld trilogy, but the LAQ was the first complete set of his I read and it blew me away. I didn't know people wrote that way.
It's a shame he pretty much stopped writing. As much as I like many other crime and thriller writers, Ellroy at his best sometimes seemed a cut above them all.
According to this article he has another quartet coming, set in 1940s LA, with the first novel published in Autumn 2014.http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketco...
I hope he goes back to the style of 'American Tabloid' or 'LA Confidential' I felt after 'Tabloid' he went overboard on the staccato, stylized speech and narrative.
I read the trilogy. LA Confidential is my favorite. the best ending though I thought was in Big Nowhere - Meeks's revenge, well he reached mythic. In fact for rogue cops - and Elroy does not spare anything or anyone, White, Vincennes and Exley all seem mythical.Also, Elroy is not afraid to let the women be as smart as the men and that is good.
Totally agree with all the posts here, I loved the LA quartet and thought la confidential was the best, in fact its one of my favourite books of all time.Also liked the character meeks but in the movie he was s slimy character but in the big nowhere I had some empathy for him.I much prefer this series of books to the underground trilogy eventhough they were excellent.
Totally agree with all the posts here, I loved the LA quartet and thought la confidential was the best, in fact its one of my favourite books of all time.Also liked the character meeks but in the movie he was s slimy character but in the big nowhere I had some empathy for him.I much prefer this series of books to the underground trilogy eventhough they were excellent.
Totally agree with all the posts here, I loved the LA quartet and thought la confidential was the best, in fact its one of my favourite books of all time.Also liked the character meeks but in the movie he was s slimy character but in the big nowhere I had some empathy for him.I much prefer this series of books to the underground trilogy eventhough they were excellent.
Sorry for putting the same comment 3 times just had a problem with my computer and couldnt tell if the message went so pressed 3 times.Sorry
David wrote: "I hope he goes back to the style of 'American Tabloid' or 'LA Confidential' I felt after 'Tabloid' he went overboard on the staccato, stylized speech and narrative."I agree David. That 50's beat-talk style he uses can be a bit tiresome. But i adore his L.A. Quartet series. It would be in my top 5 series.
Sean wrote: "Sorry for putting the same comment 3 times just had a problem with my computer and couldnt tell if the message went so pressed 3 times.Sorry"You can edit them out if you want Sean. Or not. Let them stay for posterity, i say!
