Pulp Fiction discussion

I found this guy after I started getting into modern neo-noir writers. His name popped up on Goodreads and so I started reading.

The first book I read of his was Drive, because I had seen the film. I enjoyed the movie very much, but the book blew me away.

Tight dialogue, tight narration, man, the whole story is tight as hell. I think I started reading it one morning, read it on the subway on the way to work, then some at lunchtime, back home on the subway, then finished it all in the evening.

That was it, I had to get his other books.

That's when I started the Lou Griffin series. I've only read the first two of this series. I keep meaning to work methodically through all of them, but things keep getting in the way.

I love the character Lou Griffin. And the writing style is very different from Drive. Much more of a philosophical slant as Lou comes to terms with his life and his son.

Sallis is a great writer in my opinion. A rare find.

I would love to hear others thoughts on him.

Drive

Well, the reviews are very mixed.

That makes me think some readers were steered to the book who wouldn't normally read something "noir."

Maybe via the movie? I'm afraid that includes me.

Shane wrote: "Maybe via the movie? I'm afraid that includes me."

Well, you make it sound interesting. I'm all for 150 pp. books.

Sallis is in the very top of my fav modern crime/hardboiled PI,noir writers. Im a huge fan of Lew Griffin books because like few greats in this field he makes the city of his PI hero come alive so well. The culture,atmosphere of New Orleanes is as important.
He is also a truly great writer, prose stylist outside the crime story.

I came to his writing because Drive blew me away just few years before i saw the film. So i expected lean,mean short noir novel that is a great one. The movie is very good, very visually,stylistic strong but not near the writing of Sallis.

Drive and the Lou Griffin series are like they are written by entirely different authors.

Like you said, Drive is lean and sparse. It only needs to be 40,000 words. That is all that Sallis needs to write that.

Then Lou Griffin he exposes the city and the meandering thoughts of the main character. He gets into the real heart of Lou Griffin and who he is as a man.

Sorry, but i guess i'm in the minority. Sallis' writing strikes me as long winded and self indulgent.

I like the Lou Griffin series--well written, sharp observations. The troubled sleuth reminds me a bit of Ken Bruen's books. I like those as well.