Driven

Drive #2

by James Sallis

Driven is the sequel to Drive, now also an award-winning film. As we exit the initial novel, Driver has killed Bernie Rose, “the only one he ever mourned,” ending his campaign against those who double-crossed him. Driven tells how that young man, done with killing, later will become the one who goes down “at 3 a.m. on a clear, cool morning in a Tijuana bar.” Seven years have passed. Driver has left the old life, become Paul West, and founded a successful business back in Phoenix. Walking down the street one day, he and his fiancee are attacked by two men and, while Driver dispatches both, his fiancee is killed. Sinking back into anonymity, aided by his friend Felix, an ex-gangbanger and Desert Storm vet, Driver retreats, but finds that his past stalks him and will not stop. He has to turn and face it.

Genres: Crime, Fiction, Noir, Thriller, Mystery, Novels, Audiobook

158 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

James Sallis (born 21 December 1944 in Helena, Arkansas) is an American crime writer, poet and musician, best known for his series of novels featuring the character Lew Griffin and set in New Orleans, and for his 2005 novel Drive, which was adapted into a 2011 film of the same name.

Reviews

[Berengaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Original English title: Driven

short review for busy readers:
The "sequel" to the experimental fiction crime thriller Drive, which isn't really a sequel but a rounding off of the original story.

in detail:
The last time we saw Driver, he'd just killed mafiosi Bernie Rose and thought that was the end of the caper gone wrong that made up the plot of Book 1. Done and dusted.

But like with most complicated stories, that wasn't the end.

Far from it.

It's been a little while now, and Driver has finally stuck his head up out of the rabbit hole he's been hiding in...only to find killers on his tail. They seem to know an uncomfortable amount about him and the old friends who have been helping him out...but who sent them and why? Hasn't he eliminated everyone who would know about what happened before?

More clearly written and moving at a somewhat slower pace, "Driven" makes sense of some of the more blurry events in "Drive," even explaining the phenomenal in media res opening scene of that novel. It's more philosophical, but still with a high body count and some excellent stunt driving.

And it answers a lot of pressing questions from the current tale, too.

I was impressed by how logical and understandable those answers turned out to be. It's easy to see how the likes of someone like Driver would have provoked such an expenditure of money and manpower. And why he'll never really be safe, given who he is and what he's capable of.

Highly recommended to read these two short crime novels back-to-back so that the details in Book 1 are still fresh while reading Book 2. I very much enjoyed both!

[Steve Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can a sequel be better than the first book? In this case, I think so, though there's more to it. This might take a minute to make my point, but follow me here.

This is the sequel to novel DRIVE, which was made into a movie starring Ryan Gosling. (hey girl, read the fucking books, too) I fucking loved that movie. I saw it before I read the book, and I'm kind of glad I did. After reading DRIVE post-movie-viewage, I found the book to be quite a bit more distracting and random, less focused than I had been expecting. The movie, of course, changes quite a bit while still maintaing the tone of the novel, but after being able to compare the two stories side by side, I preferred Hollywood's plot, which almost never happens. It was tighter, less random, more focused.

About a month after I finally read DRIVE, I got the sequel DRIVEN from the library. It's really more of a continuation than a true sequel. This isn't a new story that happens to be about the character Driver, it's a conclusion to one of the storylines from the original novel, giving it more of a focus than the first. But without the original, there would be no DRIVEN, so the two really go hand-in-hand. This book finishes what the first started and really gives more of a fleshed-out image of Driver.

So, I liked this book more than the first, but only because of the first and what this one carried to a conclusion. Therefore, my advice is read them both, back-to-back, then go rent the movie if you haven't seen it yet.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Drive, the writing, style and non-linear story, so I was interested to see where this story will go with the sequel. The first major issue with Driven is that it tries to continue a story that really didn’t need to be continued. But now, Driver seems different. Driver’s campaign against those who double-crossed him has ended; now seven years have passed and driver has a new life and a successful business. One day he and his fiancée were attacked by two men and while Driver can defend himself, his fiancée is killed. Driver finds that his past is catching up him. Will he face it?

I feel let down by this book, like this was more of a gimmick to follow the success of the movie adaptation of drive rather than a continuation of Driver’s story. The noir voice is still there but the non-linear story has disappeared and the book ends in an unsatisfying way. Even Driver has undertaken a transformation, but his personality doesn’t seem to suit the character I got to know in the first book. The plot never lived up to its predecessor and this just made this book a weak attempt of a sequel.

I’m not going to lie, I did enjoy this book but having recently read Drive, this book just can’t live up. Personally I think there is no real reason to continue the story of Driver; he is a great character but trying to tell the readers what happened to him after he got his revenge seems redundant and unnecessary. The new characters weren’t that great and the shady Felix had so much potential. I wanted to enjoy this book so much more but I continually compared it to Drive and in the end that was this books downfall.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others have observed, there wasn't an obvious reason for this to become a sequel. Much of the same happens in the second book as the first. But it happens seven years later, after the pretty satisfying double cross and revenge that concludes the first book, Drive. And it features good, lean writing from Sallis, though just not that action-filled and entertaining as one might hope from a noirish crime thriller. I think of it as a kind of noir tribute written by a "literary" (which is to say non-genre) novelist. A good book by a good writer, though just not as memorable as works from the guys like Stark and Block and McBain that he is attempting to honor in these works.

In this book Driver has changed his life, now we know him as Paul West, left his old life behind where he was a stunt and getaway driver, begins a successful business, has a fiance, but then all that changes early on when two guys ambush him and her, killing her. In the first book revenge is a motive, and now it is again for both the bad guys and West. But along the way the existential philosophizing continues:

"Change? No. What we do is adapt. Get by. Time you’re ten, twelve years old, it’s pretty much set in you, what you’re going to be like, what your life’s going to be."

"We so rarely understand what effects our actions have. Or will have. We are in some strange power's employ."

So, the past is never the past, as Faulkner says. Fate rules. Violence begets violence. You're more driven than driver. The writing is good in Driven, but the plot, compared to Drive, pales. But it's even shorter than Drive, so there's that about it. You get a bit of a noir book without its being Crime and Punishment.

[Malum · Rating 2 out of 5]

High on talk and light on action, this unnecessary sequel just screams "I was quickly written and pushed out to promote the movie".

[Toby · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't much care for the first book but this sequel feels so unnecessary and completely unlike the quality I've come to associate with Sallis and his Lew Griffin novels. Passages from the perspective of a loner in his early 30s sounding like a grouchy old man upset that the world has moved on, and other observations are so on the nose that I wonder if Sallis even self-edited let alone had somebody else look over his work before sending it to the printers, are just two examples of why this feels like a quick a relatively painless waste of time. It's just a shame that this kind of thing might be somebody's first introduction to a writer of great, contemplative, noir fiction.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm being hard on this one, largely because of the promise it held. For about 2/3 of this book, I was rating it pretty high, but then the wheels came off (sorry). I've not read the first book, Drive, but I tried. At the time I almost thought it a parody, because of it's hyper clipped delivery. It was like reading a shorthand version of Elroy (post White Jazz). If I'm going to do that, I'll just read the real thing. I need the extra hundred pages or so to fill things in. But then the Drive movie came out, and I was blown away. Awesome. Perhaps I misjudged? Wouldn't be the first time.

Now I'm starting to think my original impression was correct. Sallis does write well, even poetically. But he tries to do too much with too many characters in too few pages, all the while maintaining a hyper cool style that is at first highly attractive. This high wire act can really strain a novel as you head toward the payoff, and that's what happened for me. On style alone, I'd rate this 4 stars, easily. But you have to tell a story, or at least fill things in a bit more. And that's where I thought Driven faltered. I also thought that Driver's tracking back to the source of his problems, grew increasingly improbable as the novel progressed. Seems like at some point some one would picked up the phone and said, "Hey, a badass is coming your way."

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

DRIVEN, the sequel to the highly entertaining DRIVE starts with a bang as Driver's partner is brutally gunned down and Driver himself attacked by a couple of hired thugs. That sort of blistering opening really set the scene for what should have been a bloody story of revenge filled with heartache and pain - and ultimately, satisfying revenge; a form of judge, jury and executioner rolled into one big pile of cordite smelling vendetta. Unfortunately, things didn't quite turn out how I had hoped.

For me, the audio book was greatly hindered by James Sallis's writing style. DRIVEN doesn't have chapters, making it difficult to find a definitive change of perspective and/or place setting. Narrator Paul Michael Garcia also didn't handle the different characters well making it hard to distinguish between who was who and what was dialog verse internal thought verses narrative. However, the narration did improve towards the later stages of the book - either that or I got used it...

Narrator aside, DRIVEN didn't work for me due to the repetitive nature of the plot; Driver survives an attempted murder, beats-up some bad guys, drives around, reminisces on the past - repeat until ending.

I had such high hopes for DRIVEN given the way it started. Unfortunately the beginning is where it ended for me.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars for Driven: Drive, Book 2 (audiobook) James Sallis read by Paul Michael Garcia.

I think the story is alright but what I enjoyed the most is that it’s set in Phoenix. Most of the book takes place in my hometown. Restaurants that I eat at are mentioned and even the hospital that I was born in is in there too. And I can’t believe that the suburb that I live in now is in there. It’s fun being able to really picture where the action is taking place in the story.

[Alan (on December semi-hiatus) Teder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sequel to James Sallis's "Drive" which was also made into the 2011 film by director Nicolas Winding Refn.
The plot of "Driven" finds the Driver character in Phoenix, Arizona, seven years after the events of "Drive", where he has tried to start a new life away from movie stunt and getaway car driving. Hoodlums start to follow him around and seem intent on killing him and his loved ones for unknown reasons. Driver enlists the help of a shady character named Felix to help him hide out and to also dig for information through his underworld and mercenary connections. Although this is well written in the noir style by Sallis, the final payoff was a letdown and Driver himself wasn't really directly involved in putting together the pieces of the mystery which was mostly happening off-the-page in New Orleans or Brooklyn. Driver's actions are mostly involved in fighting off his assailants and hiding out. In the end this wasn't quite as satisfying as the original "Drive" for those various reasons. You have to have read the original book in order to understand who the characters Bernie Rose, Nino and Blanche are in order to follow this book as well.

[Adriana Scarpin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Change? No. What we do is adapt. Get by. Time you’re ten, twelve years old, it’s pretty much set in you, what you’re going to be like, what your life’s going to be.

É seguindo as derradeiras considerações de Bernie Rose que Sallis continua a saga do nosso Driver, não há mudanças, apenas adaptações: o estilo não-linear e minimalista, a essência e sina do protagonista entre o silêncio, o trágico e a violência.

[Mohammed Abdikhader Firdhiye · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars in Goodreads say its ok read and this was an ok read at best to me. I have come to expect much better,more even writing,storytelling than this by a great writer like Sallis. I have read Drive and 4 Lew Griffin books,Devil Have Your Eyes and this is his weakest effort so far.

He is known for short less than 200 pages non-linear,existential crime,noir writing that have meaning,strong characters,atmosphere and i rate him highly for books like that. This one didnt have anything like that. Driver was interesting character in the book but the story was so uneven that it was like just counting the pages until the end. If it was another author i might have rate this 3 stars and said it was an enjoyable read but his normal level writing,story,characters makes this a disappointment. I expect much more from any new book by Sallis. It is only semi interesting to hardcore fans of Sallis. I hope this was only temporary slump and not the quality of all his new books.

[Joe Kraus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sallis’s Drive is one of my favorite contemporary noir novels. I admire it so much that I have taught it regularly in my first-year seminar on the hardboiled tradition. My students tend to like it, too; I often pair it with the excellent film, and a surprising number of students prefer the novel to the film.

This sequel is both a repeat of the original and an extension. Too much of it is been-there/done-that for it to be as stunning as the original, but it extends the excellence of the project. It’s good stuff, better than I expected since it looked as if it might be a bit of a cash-grab after the success of the movie.

Sallis writes like a real artist. I don’t mean so much that he crafts his sentences, although he does that well. Instead, I mean that he’s clearly interested in exploring an aesthetic. He has a story to tell, and he has a character to unveil, but those feel almost like secondary issues next to exploring the bleak world that underlies Driver’s motivations.

In other words, Sallis begins with the hardboiled vision, one that may have been born in Hemingway, codified in Hammett and Chandler, and taken to its more recent extreme by Ellroy. It’s a philosophical recognition that the universe is indifferent to us. Moreover, it’s an attempt to answer perhaps the central question that grows from that recognition: in the absence of a divine that effectively defined (or, to use the language of the deconstructionists, that stood as a transcendental signifier for) the good, how can we act ethically?

Each generation of the best of noir inches that answer lower. Chandler’s knights give way to Ross Macdonald’s half-a-step late Lew Archer. And Ellroy sees almost no answer at all; the best of us seem to sense they’ve fallen from a better state, but that doesn’t keep them from killing and stealing with the worst of us.

Sallis seems to me to explore the nature of numb-ness in that space. It’s possible that Driver represents something like decency in a coarsened world – that’s how the film interprets him – but we can never be sure. He is so reticent, so reluctant to trust words, that we have little sense of what he’s actually thinking. He’s at his best when he acts, when he simplifies the world into the physics of making a car do things others cannot make it do.

At the same time, he’s drawn to what words can do. The film cuts out some of the key secondary characters of the novel, most significantly Manny, the screenwriting friend who turns Driver onto many of the philosophers and writers he missed out on without a traditional education. He clings to Manny here (and, to a degree, in the original) as someone who can broaden his understanding.

In this sequel, we get more of the same – but it’s a same I am happy for second helpings of. Driver hasn’t learned anything in his seven years of subterranean life, but that seems more a consequence of there being nothing for him to learn. Attachments make you vulnerable. They cause other people to get hurt. Better, instead, is to live with as few consequences as possible. Say little. Connect to as few people as possible.

Of course, this opens with the consequences of his failing to live by the code he’d developed. It’s not a spoiler to say that the first sentences tell of the murder of “Billie,” the almost-up-to-his-level fiancé he’s found. Thugs come for her and, taking her first, leave themselves open to getting killed by a man who does that exceptionally well.

The why of all that takes a long time to unfold and it’s not all that compelling. [SPOILER: I’d go so far as to call it contrived. The father of a minor character, Blanche – who is killed in the opening pages of the original and who is played by Christina Hendricks in the movie – wants to punish Driver by taking from him the one person he most loved. Too pat and too easy in my book, but who cares. It’s a mcguffin of an excuse for why the bad guys are after Driver all over again.)

What matters here is that fundamental question: how can a human be humane in a world so indifferent to all our suffering?

Sallis may not take his insights much further in this one than in the last, but to his substantial credit he still doesn’t go soft on us.

[Craig Sisterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't yet read DRIVE, which was made into a Hollywood movie, so I approached the sequel, DRIVEN without any preconceptions or comparisons to be made between the two tales. Reading DRIVEN cemented my appreciation for James Sallis's talent, which I'd first experienced last year with SALT RIVER. This is a similarly short book, packed with powerful prose and a keen eye for the nooks and crannies of human nature. I loved the way Sallis described Driver's world, and although his plotting style can be rather loose in some ways (while his prose is very lean, tight, and sharp), that wasn't an issue for me. I tore through this book in a night and early morning.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable sequel. The story was much better than the first book. It would be awesome if they adapted Driven into a movie as well! The side characters were much better. I loved Billie and the side characters seemed more complex than in the first book. Look forward to trying more James Sallis books.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the many things I love about James Sallis is that he writes his characters as he finds them.  They are dysfunctional, not always likeable, definitely broken but also incredibly compelling.  So it is with Driver, who you meet as he watches his fiancé get gunned down in the street, seemingly for no reason.
In Driver’s world though, there is always a reason, and so there is here if he can just figure it out in between fighting for his life and constantly trying to stay one step ahead of a seemingly endless supply of hired guns determined to earn their money.   It involves talking to shady people, hitting shadier people and never giving up.  I like that about Driver – he doesn’t stop.
Like him, this book is relentless, never letting up for a second.  It’s dialogue heavy with not much in the way of descriptive scenes bar the odd flashback to his childhood or earlier life, before he tried to start again.  And it’s short (only 155 pages), meaning there isn’t much time to breath.
The language seems simple on first reading but then you realise that a picture is being painted, of men (mainly) who believe in action versus trying to talk things out.  It’s not a world I understand but it’s lived by a code and it’s best not to break it.  It’s a world where you don’t go to the police, you sort out your own problems. And it’s a world where people live with the idea of an eye for an eye.
It’s a world I was drawn into quickly and was quite sad to see the end of, especially as it was left open so you don’t know what is going to happen to Driver next and whether it will be good or bad.  Perhaps it’s good for me as I will get to meet him again…I just hope it’s not another seven years before I get the chance.  Loved this one and a recommended read!

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick and enjoyable novella. Watched DRIVE this week and looked for sequel, and upon not finding it, turned to the written one that I knew was out there. I like the main character. I also like Sallis's prose and delivery. I've read some of his Griffin and Turner books, so I was already familiar with his work, but this series had escaped me somehow, so I'm glad I caught up. Sallis is pretty prolific, so there is a lot more of him to delve into.

[Zora · Rating 2 out of 5]

As short as this is, I could only make it through 50% of the audio book. I felt bored, and the only time I jerked to attention was for a simile, some of which were good, and some of which made me feel as if I was watching the author labor over them. It's probably the right book for someone, but that someone isn't me.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

My experience of reading, on its publication, James Sallis's Drive, of which this is a sequel, was somewhat colored by the fact that I read it more or less back-to-back with another noirish outing, published at the same time, that likewise concerned a specialist driver and that I enjoyed more. So I was interested to see how, years later, I'd respond to this.

To my pleasant surprise I enjoyed it more than my memories suggest I enjoyed Drive.

It's seven years after the events of the last book, and Driver has set himself up with a new identity. One evening while he's out walking with his fiancee, the pair of them are attacked. She's murdered and, after dealing with the assailants mercilessly, Driver goes undercover and on the run again. It soon becomes apparent that his pursuers are relentless and almost preternaturally well informed about his movements, and that there's more than one powerful party who wants to see him out of the picture. On the other hand, he's almost uniquely skilled in dealing with the goons, usually lethally.

Matters are complicated by the intervention of an enigmatic figure, Mr. Beil, who claims to have common ground with Driver and thus, on purely pragmatic grounds, to have Driver's best interests at heart. But can he be trusted?

Rightly or wrongly, I was reminded quite often of the works of David Goodis while I read this. (Driven, like its predecessor, is pretty short, which further encouraged this perception.) There's also something of Robert B. Parker's Spenser series in here, partly in the clipped, fluent writing style, partly in Driver's circle of acquaintances, old and new.

This is well worth the couple of hours or so it takes to read. I'm not sure it's a classic, but I found it very satisfying.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was no need for Drive to have a sequel, but there it was and I had to see what happens to the Driver. This one I listed to on audio, it's only three discs, I finished it in one day or walking and errands. It isn't as good as the first one, simply because the first one covered Driver's basis and established his personality already and those were the most interesting parts. Plot wise it's somewhat similar, once again someone's after the Driver for sins of his past and he must resolve the situation. It might possibly be read as a standalone, but I would strongly suggest reading them in order. As with all Sallis' books, this is all about the writing. The man can write, subtle, succinct, direct, tough but never overpoweringly so and very engaging. The reader of the audio book did a very good job. Entertaining and enjoyable way to spend a few hours. Recommended.

[Bobby Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much better than the first one. Although Sallis still jumps around during the story, it is much easier to follow, and I never found myself getting confused about where we were in the timeline. He also does a fantastic job of keeping you guessing right until the very end. The ending was much different than I had expected, and pleasantly so. Both of these books are really quick reads, and well worth the small investment of time. Now I find myself hoping that there will be another book.

[Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few well chosen tidbits of life wisdom embedded in this 147 pages.

Fine sequel to Drive (which should definitely be read first).

James Sallis is a rare treasure.

[Bonnie Morse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Driven isn't a bad book but it is a sort of frustrating one. There was clearly a demand for a sequel after the success of the movie Drive, but author James Sallis didn't seem to have much of a story in mind. Years have passed since the events in Drive and Driver, now Paul West, is a respectable businessman with a home and a fiancé. Until they're attacked on the street and she's murdered. We spend the next 130 pages following Driver as he dodges more hit men, trying to figure out where they're coming from and why they're even after him. There's very little driving and not much other action, either. The bright spot is the frequent appearances of Shannon in Driver's memory, playing a larger part in this story than he did in Drive. He's very much modeled now on Bryan Cranston's portrayal of the character, which was also a bright spot in the film.

Ultimately it seemed overdone, overly complicated and drawn out, even at under 140 pages, with a competent but unsatisfying conclusion. I don't regret reading it, but I'm glad I got it from the library.

[David Ärlemalm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uppföljaren till Drive och inte alls i samma klass. Sallis kan bättre, mycket bättre. Två svaga stjärnor.

[Dan Lofaso · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think i liked it. remember being annoyed that the paper back is a different size than drive paperback, so they don't fit next to each other well on the bookshelf.

[Elli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good hard-boiled noir read. A local author with a strong knowledge of southern AZ will also give you a setting that is very familiar, especially for a long term resident itself who knows who places have developed (and undeveloped). The story is through the eyes of the intended victim who hasn't exactly grown up and lived in the sterling life. He was a killer and now someone is after him, but who! Seems to be coming from all directions and each new "advantage" brings more questions. It's a fast read because the action is fast and at a feverish pitch. Would recommend this for those who like contemporary noir or/and the Phoenix and Tucson area. You won't be bored!

[Robert Enright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to read the book 'Drive' after seeing the brilliant film adaption and was slightly let down when it was in my opinion, inferior.

I picked up the sequel, Driven, and again, I found it a bit of a let down.

There is a great character in this unknown 'Driver', but it just doesn't seem to get explored to the depths it should and the writing in this one felt a little too much like it was trying to be 'cool'.

A disappointment.

[Sir Nicho · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason this book was written is because the first one was made into a movie. The story is frankly, ridiculous and convoluted. This book could have easily been under 90 pages. That's how much filler there is. I don't mind the writing style so much as how poorly it was all held together. It could be more concise and succinct and that alone would make for a better read. I suppose if you enjoyed the first one you'll enjoy this one. Other than that I see no reason to read it.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yep, this story didn't need to go any further.

[Michael Dault · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay book. Not as exciting or fresh as the first book. Other than 'Driver' there aren't as many memorable characters.