Piggs (Hardcover)

by Neal Barrett Jr. (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The lowlifes of Piggs Bar and Chinese Restaurant (Mexican Wells, Tex.) in this crime novel from veteran Barrett (The Hereafter Gang) make the regulars of the bar in The Iceman Cometh look classy by comparison. At least O'Neill's characters had hope. These people have nothing to live for. Cecil R. Dupree, the proprietor, rules his subjects like a Caligula in overalls, among them such dregs as Rhino, who runs the restaurant, and Ahmed, the Arab-Chinese chef. Jack, an ex-con who washes dishes and is about as close as Barrett gets to a hero, hasn't been able to get his life together since he left prison, but at least he's found a new purpose in life: Gloria, the stripper/go-go girl. He wants to take her away from this sordid life, but he can't see that she's not interested in him or in any alternative existence he could offer her. For Gloria, Piggs is a chance to dance, and dancing is what matters to her most. Jack's dream is to commit a couple of robberies that will give him enough to escape. When he finally gets his chance, he predictably fails to rise to the occasion. The author's portrait of the denizens of Piggs is deliciously sordid, if just a bit tedious, in the last half before the big shoot-'em-up climax. Still, his array of dismal characters is fascinating to watch, his novel fun to read. (Sept. 10)Forecast: Chiefly known for his offbeat fantasy fiction, Barrett will appeal to the same audience that appreciates the dark humor of Joe R. Lansdale.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Subterranean Press (January 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931081239
• ISBN-13: 978-1931081238
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,277,071 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Piggs in the pink in Mexican Wells, Texas, June 29, 2002

By	Madam Pince "Madam Pince" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

The dustcover describes "Piggs" as the Sopranos in overalls and bare feet, but a better comparison is Carl Hiaasen in Texas. Nearly every character in this story is a lowlife, and many are murderous, but good wins out in the end and everybody gets what they deserve. At the heart of the action are Jack, an ex-con who dreams of a better life while washing dishes in a takeout Chinese joint next door to the strip joint of the title, and Gloria, the dancer of every man's fantasies, who lives in her family's abandoned theme park. Along for the ride are Cecil R. Dupree, a redneck mobster who runs the little town of Mexican Wells, and his band of merry pranksters, Grape and Cat, as well as the suave Ricky Chavez, who pines for Gloria with boxed chocolates in his hand and French condoms in his pocket. The story follows a number of conventional lines, but the characters are so memorable that readers can forgive author Neil Barrett, Jr. for treading down a predictable path.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PIGS, THE TYPE JOE LANSDALE WOULD RAISE, July 24, 2003

By	Kenneth Epstein "huntercat" (Lake Oswego, OR United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Pigs is my first Neal Barrett book and I was more than pleased. I am a huge Lansdale fan and Pigs came across to me as the type of story you would get if Joe Lansdale and Edward Lee wrote a Texas tale together. Not as hardcore as Lee's usual stuff but it doe's have a good edge to it. The story takes place around a strip joint called pigs and all the low lifes that work, play, and hang around the place. The only problem with the book it that it was too short, I wanted more. Neil Barretts THE HEARAFTER GANG is touted as being one the best books out there and I can't wait to read it. I will be building a Neal Barrett collection as fast as I can. READ IT!!!!