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Liked It “Felt very satisfied with the end despite being the beginning of a three- book story arc. Worth every second. |
Didn’t Like It “This book is just incomprehensible. I saw the movie first, and it is much much better.” see full review » see other reviews » |
Newest Reviews
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“Felt very satisfied with the end despite being the beginning of a three- book story arc. Worth every second.
Ken S wrote this review Sunday, August 2 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Terriffic characters and plenty of them. his previous, The Big Nowhere, was bursting at the seams - here he has opened up his stride, and he's completely comfortable.
The best trilogy with only three books in it which I've ever read.
(and those who got that one - I look forward to meeting you all.)”
“Here's how good this book is: I consider the movie to be one of my top 5 favorites of all time, and I believe that the book is even better. A sprawling, amazingly tight book that is James Ellroy at his best.”
Marc H wrote this review Monday, February 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Page turner! I stayed up all night reading this one. This is one of the few instances where the book and movie are both excellent. James Ellroy does a great deal of research and doesn't shy away from going into gory details. If you have a weak stomach you may need to skip a few pages but, otherwise, it's incredibly well-written featuring strong characters and plenty of intrigue.”
WodieGirl wrote this review Friday, November 7 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“This book is just incomprehensible. I saw the movie first, and it is much much better. ”
Ray A wrote this review Thursday, August 21 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Los Angels, The city of Angels, the 50’s, you can almost hear the Jazz, see the shimmering lights and the glamour, only it’s all a ruse.
Eric P wrote this review Friday, June 27 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Hollywood’s streets aren’t paved with gold; it’s a trick of light.
It a land where power, money, and who’s calling the shots can send the errant detectives of the LAPD off the rails, and into the darkness.
L.A. Confidential is the story of men whose motives are not always pure: they seek to sate the demons that haunt them. They seek revenge. They act to measure up. They are in the thrall of guilt and are driven to repay moral debits. This isn’t just a story, it’s a map of the darkness of the human soul and the quest to bring at least a sliver of light into that darkness.
The film version is great, mainly in that it takes the least dark elements of this master work and distills them into a story that keeps the theme of the book alive…
This is truly a case of ‘Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? ’it’s slight of hand, it’s about the blood that made the city, and it’s that blood that will keep all the elements in place, and the players in their positions.
LA Confidential is the quintessential American crime drama, the story of that line between Law & Order and fascism. It’s the juxtaposition between crimes for money and crimes of pleasure, and it’s the story of the people that negotiate those dark dreamlike waves what ever their quest.”
“A dark book (darker than the film for sure) and a fine effort overall. There are some great ideas here, and I'm glad I read it. But, and this is unusual for me, I actually prefer the film. There is just WAY too much going on here at times. ”
Jen wrote this review Wednesday, May 21 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is a dense, dark and somehow totally fun crime novel. If you like this sort of thing (and I think you either do or you don't, in terms of Ellroy), it's one of the best of the bunch. ”
Angelina S wrote this review Friday, March 21 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Ellroy is a master at the crime noir genre, and this is probably his masterpiece. Dark, cynical, and brutal.”
Chad K. wrote this review Tuesday, February 12 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“The apex of James Ellroys Los Angeles in the 50's series. May be one of the few cases where the movie perfectly captured and streamlined an impossibly complex story. It is a story of violence, obsession, and corruption, noir writing at its very best. The most likeable characters are inevetibaly the most dangerous, and there are no gaurentees that anybody will get what he deserves. Think Chinatown, but less uplifting, The Big Sleep with more cursing.”
Ian D wrote this review Thursday, January 31 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
