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Summary: Complex, brutal, and unrelenting--a modern crime classic!
Review: Whew! Ellroy is truly untouchable! For some reason I put off reading this book for years, and not until recently did I get around to it. I loved the movie--but the book, good God man! You have to be careful not to get papercuts and bleed all over the pages you turn 'em so fast (although I think that'd be appropriate for this one). I'm glad Vincennes' character was explored more in the book (note: the one instance where the film outdoes the novel is in the case of Vincennes' death--those who've seen the movie know what I mean). I couldn't believe that "Black Dahlia" or "White Jazz" could be topped, but "LA" does it. Ellroy explores nearly every filthy depraved activity a person can do--from drug addiction and alcoholism to extortion, racism, murder, snuff porn (blech), incest, and random beatings. This is all the stuff Chandler, Cain, et. al. could only hint at. All that stuff with Dieterling/Disney was so over the top it was genius! The movie couldn't even hint at the darkest crime that is the heart of the book, so it was dropped altogether-- it's more "horror" than anything Stephen King could ever come up with! A blistering, white-hot read of chilling intensity. Somebody tell Oprah!
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Summary: Ellroy's Illiad - The Greatest of the Great
Review: I don't have the vocabulary to praise this book enough. I first read this book because I loved the movie (I've seen it more than 10 times!). I read it the second time to go deeper into Ellroy's obsessive, psychotic L.A. And while the movie (amazingly) prepared me for the Ellroy experience, the book's plotting is infinitely richer, more vast, more all-embracing of the "dark places" of the American psyche. The characters are tortured and infinitely complex. The three-cop structure is the same as in the film, but on paper, Ed Exley, Bud White and Jack Vincennes are among the most profound and interesting characters in American fiction. A caveat: The book is not easy. There are so many characters, I found myself wishing for a "dramatis personae" at the beginning of the novel, something I could reference when I got temporarily lost in this vast maze of a novel. But don't let this intimidate you. The serpentine plots converge; the horror unfolds, and nothing can prepare you for the tragic denoument. Don't miss it. One thing I promise: if you finish this book, you'll go back to the beginning, to the "Dahlia" herself, mute muse of your own dark places.
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Summary: Noir saga with mythic journey at its heart
Review: It's a spider web. It's a labyrinth, and the minotaur at its heart is both a psychotic murderer and the central selves of its three main characters. As a surface read, this novel is a stellar exemplar of the noir California genre. The Los Angeles it conjures up is both a nightmare and a reality (Johnny Stompanato, the gangster lover of Lana Turner, is a character, and his murder by Turner's daughter provides a final knife-twist in the plot). Ellroy's dark city exhibits more seething, foul vice crawling over itself than I have ever encountered between the covers of one book. Yet it turns out to be about the ultimate redemption, or at least coming to terms with self, of the three primary characters. Ed Exley, a privileged son whose apparently burnished war record is a sham; Jack Vincennes, whose weakness for pills and booze has led him into a shameful error he can't shake; and Bud White, who is trying to overcome his powerlessness to prevent his mother's brutal murder by finding wife-beaters and rapists and punishing them all to a bloody pulp. This trio of damaged and damaging cops all converge on an insanely ramified late night slaying at the Nite Owl cafe. It lines to prostitution, drugs, plastic surgery as a racket, harder than hard-core porn, organized crime, blackmail, extortion, and a host of petty and major criminals both inside the LAPD and outside. Ultimately, though, the lines go way further back by 35 years, to a series of child murders done to create a grotesque little eros--a thing composed of the wings of birds and parts of children. This horrific image should tip you off--you are in the presence of something more epic and mythic than mere noir. What these policemen are searching for and combating is the destruction of innocence and love--their own innocence and ability to love as well as the long-dead children. Ultimately, despite distrust, rivalry and even hatred, they combine forces and experience to untangle the whole ghastly mess. Vincennes dies redeemed by full confession to his loving wife, Bud pushes through tremendous temptations to succumb to Neanderthal violence to actually use his mind to fight evil, and Exley confronts his own and his father's secrets. The psychotic murderer at the root of it all proves to have been the kind of monster we keep inside ourselves--repeatedly altered by plastic surgery and imperfectly controlled by drugs, he keeps destroying until he is unmasked and dis-enabled. Finally--this IS a noir novel--the consciously wicked man remains standing, and powerful, at the close. Read it if you can. It's a hell of a trip to redemption.
Rating: 
Summary: What a ride he takes the reader on.
Review: If you start reading this book better strap yourself in for the ride of your life. If you like L.A. in the '50s with crooked cops, beautiful hookers that look like movie stars ( thanks to a plastic surgeon) stupid criminals and a rather eclectic assortment of walk ons, you'll love this story. The three main cops are polar opposites in many areas except for the ability to run amok of the rules and regulations of the LAPD when to do so furthers thier case or career. Interesting side plot with Exley's father and the cadre of hangers-on building theme parks and interstate highways mixed with slasher porno and a few tender moments. I'm not a huge fan of the crime genre, but the reviews led me to this while hunting for a book for airplane reading. It's tough to put down, but even tougher to pick back up if you've not read for a day a two. Elroy seems to think the reader will read non-stop or has an incredible memory. Many times I had to go back and check earlier parts of the story to make it all fit. It does take sometime to get the style of his prose so it makes sense. My suspiscion is since I don't read many books in this genre my picky complaints are those of a novice in this area. I believe this would be a much rewarding experience if read another time.
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Summary: Confidentially Awesome!
Review: I saw the movie first and loved it, so when I read the book I was even more impressed. It had everything the movie had plus some. One things about the book that I liked better than the movie is that Ed Exley is portrayed in a more sympathetic light. Yes, he's still a do-gooder rich boy, but you can 'see' more into his character. It's the same with Bud White. The story is rich with detail, there's tons of action to keep you interested, and the plot is extremely complex, with multiple layers to it (which I like a lot!) The ending was very satisfying and similar to the movie. I have to warn you though. If you like simple, straightforward stories, with clear language (Mr. Elloy writes in an odd staccato rhythm that takes a while to get used to) with no offensive racial slurs (this book has a ton of them, used to convey realism, I'm sure) you probably won't like this book. But if like extremely complicated stories like I do, you'll have a wonderful time digesting this story. I didn't know the book was a series until I read some reviews on this site. I look forward to reading all of Mr. Ellroy's stories, especially the books in this particular series!
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Summary: The underside of 50's Los Angeles
Review: James Ellroy's L.A. Confidential is a facinating look at Los Angeles in the 50's as seen through the intertwining stories of three LAPD cops. Plot and style are very much in the hard-boiled tradition. However Ellroy's clipped narrative style takes a bit of getting used to. As good as the book is, this is one of the few instances where the movie is better than the film. Mainly because the plot in the movie is much tighter and the ending more satisfying.
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Summary: Still Reccomending yet a bit dissapointing...
Review: "L.A Confidential" is the perhaps the most famous novel in Hollywood, L.A noir mystery writer James Ellory's career. After being made into an Oscar Award Winning novel of a screen play written by the author itself, many fans of the movie may rush out to read the novel whilst having no idea as to what exactly they are getting into. The plot is similar to that of the movie, Mickey Cohen. L.A's most famous ganster has just been thrown in jail for tax evasion. While Cohen is away, eager and ambitious mafia crime lords from all over the U.S as well as oridinary citizens and small time crime hoods make their movie like carrion birds to a corpse in attempt to pick clean and ultmiatley domniate the crime empire left by Cohen. While some maybe called desperate enough to claim Cohens' racket, apparently someone has enough courage to go to the ulitmate lengths to gain control of his prostitution and drug ring empire. Methodically assasinating Cohens closest men, while giving the newly formed L.A.P.D a run for their money. The story focuses on two cops, ambitious poster boy Edmund Exely and hard edged muscled cop Bud White. The two characters as different as can be become unwhitting partners as a well developed conspiracy in the newly formed L.A.P.D comes forward with ties to the methodic assasinations of Cohens closest men, as well as strange totally unrelated rape, murder, and robbery crimes around L.A that all have a tie in this utterly brilliant noir crime novel. The story, rings true to the movie though fans of the movie who aren't well developed readers may find Ellory's novel (extremely) hard to swallow. His slang dialogue which was pleantiful in "The Black Dahlia", is seemingly taken to the exterme in this novel. There seems to be not one line of pure straight un'slanged' bit of dialogue or story telling. Though Elleroy is a genius of a crime novel story teller, his hard to follow dialogue as well as his rather detailed painting of semi-unsympathetic main characters may also dissapoint fans of the movie. Ed Exley who Ellory made the ultimate good guy in his movie adapation, is painted in a more human light which may dissapoint some movie fans of (Guy Pearce's excellent portrayl) of the young ambitious cop. While the Bud White character is given more more good aspects to his portrayl in the novel and perhaps would have made a better strong focus of the novel then Ex Exley who's 'fallen golden boy' stick in the novel was rather dissapointing and sometimes uninteresting to read. Notorious for his 'slang' dialogue that is scatted in pleantful amounts in his storytelling. Ellory's novel "L.A Confidential" is a virtual oasis of hard edged slang that grows sometimes annoying and hard to follow. Leaving a perhaps strong desire for a more staright forward delivery of a description of a scene. Despite the abundence of hard to follow diaolgue and the rather sharp twisting of symapth delivered to certain characteres. The fact remains, Ellory still has himself a brilliant novel with a well earned award winning plot. His story of the early days of the L.A.P.D never cease to amaze. If one can wade through the endless slang writing style, this novel is well worth the money spent on it. Definately a keeper.
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Summary: Excellent Book!
Review: I've just finished "The Big Nowhere" (the book before "L.A. Confidential") and it's a marvelous read! But "L.A. Con" is still the GREATER book, in my opinion. Love the 2 books, though. Danny Upshaw from "The Big Nowhere" and Sergeant Exley from "L.A. Confidential". Heroes, both... in my heart.
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Summary: Sergeant Edmund J. Exley
Review: In the MOVIE adaptation, the character of Bud White, the "thug"-cop who is only half-intelligent (in detective work, I mean) and prefers "speaking" with his fists, is given prominence as the "bigger" hero while the other 2 good cops, Ed Exley and Jack Vincennes appear to be more in supporting roles. But if you have read the BOOK, you will know (and appreciate) who the real hero is - yes, Ed Exley - the neat, bespectacled, rich-kid, straight-arrow cop. Note also that the cover of the book (rightly) features the figure of Exley (and not Bud White) in a scene taken from the movie. I loved the movie and have watched it many times (on video, cable TV and now DVD), but I love the book a million times more. The story is so original and exciting. The praise by "The Village Voice" (as printed on the back cover) probably sums up the book perfectly: "You can get sliced just turning the pages." I have never read a book written in a style like James Ellroy's before. It is unique, effective and quite easy to get used to. I have no difficulty understanding most of the cop-language, 1950s American talk/slang used. However, I still cannot figure out how much a "C-note" is. But I want to write more about Ed Exley (the police sergeant who works his way up the LAPD ranks with great speed). He is a great cop - good looking, incredibly smart, intelligent, a great strategist (just loved the clever way he conducts interrogation interviews on criminal suspects), a true upholder of police justice, who spurns graft and is someone so highly principled and reliable. When you have finished the novel, I believe, like me, you will come to really know and admire Exley more than any of the other characters. I feel I understand Exley's character thoroughly. The author created such a believable "person". People don't generally like Exley, he works best alone, he is often misunderstood, people think him snobbish and overrated just because he is a rich man's son. He always succeeds in staying calm in the face of danger or uncertainty, although deep inside, he is scared. He will tell himself, "Be a captain" and then succeed in leading the situation and earning great respect along the way. I wish the movie had given his character more prominence. The MOVIE actually took quite a lot of liberty in adapting Ellroy's novel. It focuses more on the "Nite Owl" homicide although the novel is much deeper than that (there are also a related story on a psychotic murderer and a complex pornography business angle). More than a dozen important characters from the novel are missing/downplayed in the movie. Most notably, those of Preston Exley (retired cop, construction magnate and Ed's father) and Inez Soto (the gutsy Mexican gang-rape victim who later has an affair with Ed Exley). And oh, that "Rollo Tomasi" scene in the movie (which is really quite brilliant) was created by the screenwriters; you will not find it in the book. My favourite scenes (both book and movie): when all 3 good cops decide to put their differences aside and join forces to track down the real bad guys. What a great adrenaline rush these scenes gave me! I think the only way to please all fans of the book is to have it adapted into a 6-hour miniseries! But after finishing the last page, I asked myself: Is there a sequel? Where's that "final showdown" scene between Ed Exley and the criminal mastermind? I checked at Amazon.com and understand that the story continues in "White Jazz", the last novel in Ellroy's L.A. quartet. "L.A. Confidential" is one of the best books I have read and is a story I will never forget. Do not hesitate - do yourself a favour and get this book!
Rating:
Summary: Graphic and Exhilirating!!
Review: James Ellroy is likely America's best active crime fiction writer. In his dark and disturbing vision of Los Angeles in the 40's and 50's the bad guys are pretty bad, but the cops are even worse. Partially based on real incidents, and interwoven with real historical characters, Elrroy finely crafts a thrilling fictional story. If you liked the movie, you will like the book even more. Although quite long, I couldn't put this book down until I was finished.
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