Galveston: A Novel Kindle Edition

Deeply satisfying and disturbing.

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Richard Sutton

April 16, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I rarely give a novel five stars, unless I know that it's going to embed itself in my brain for some time to come. The author first came to my attention through HBOs True Detective. The first season was one of the most disturbing storylines that TV had ever produced. I found the characters utterly believable, repellent and still very familiar. All weakness and mortality was deeply, intimately portrayed. When I heard Pizzolatto had written a novel, I was all in. The characters were again, as disturbingly real as in TD, but this story, an extended escape, led through territory I thought I knew. As I've found it very hard to focus on much of anything the past year, I didn't expect this to be the page turner it was for me. Two sittings and I read it through. It was as if two of my favorite authors, James Lee Burke and H. P. Lovecraft had collaborated on a dream from which there was no waking. If you enjoy a deliciously dark read and don't need any promise of redemption to carry you, this is the book for you.

One person found this helpful

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True Galveston

June 12, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Nic Pizzolato's "Galveston" reminds me very much of the works of Cormac McCarthy, James Ellroy and his own "True Detective" due to the general noir tone of it. It tells the gritty, sad tale of Roy Cady, a career bagman who finds himself on the wrong end of his employer over trivial matters and winds up on the run with a young girl and her younger sister. Pizzolato's writing is sparse yet detailed enough to say that I actually feel like I know exactly what the actual city of Galveston would be like now that I've read this book. Moments of it read like poetry and although it's a quick read and is over before you know it, it sticks with you long after you've read it. Crime novel enthusiasts would enjoy this book and fans of Pizzolato's wonderful HBO series "True Detective" would definitely find elements in this to love. It's dark and depressing stuff for sure but you can't help but fall in love with everyone you meet in this tragic story and you'll remember them fondly once you've finished reading it. Recommended.

3 people found this helpful

Enjoyable crime novel from the writer behind HBO's True Detective series

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Frank Errington

March 13, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

With the resounding success of True Detective, and the recommendation of writer Harry Shannon, I decided to check out Galveston, a novel written by Nic Pizzolatto, the creator and writer of the acclaimed HBO series.

Although I enjoyed the TV series more, there was a lot to like in this story of a down on his luck bag man trying to hide from his crazy ex-boss who would like nothing more than to go to his funeral.

Roy Cady, called Big Country without affection, believes he's dying and befriends a young hooker and her three year old "sister," as he hides from those who would hasten his death. Try as he might, Cady can't break away from the girls. The story itself is fairly simple, but it's not the tale that makes this a good read, it's the telling of the story that wins over the reader. Gritty and filled with the harsh realities from the underbelly of the underworld, Galveston is a book which left me wanting more.

Aside from great writing there are really no similarities between True Detective and Galveston, with one notable exception, "The girl sat in the living room's single chair, a large La-Z-Boy where I'd end up sleeping most nights. An army of empty High Life cans covered the floor around the chair--an actual army, because I'd used a knife to cut little strips out of the can sides so that they folded down, like arms, and I'd pulled the tops upright to resemble heads."

Galveston was Nic Pizzolatto' s first novel and was published by Scribner in 2010 and is widely available in a number of formats.

If you enjoyed watching True Detective, I'm all but certain you'll enjoy reading Galveston.

2 people found this helpful

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June 18, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

It's a first novel from the creator of "True Detective". It's a good noir that provides all the necessary aspects of noir. It just left me wishing for more. No offense to Mr. Pizzolatto, it has hints of a movie treatment. And truthfully, it probably would have made a better movie than novel. Nonetheless I think he is a talented guy with a great future and if you're a completest like me you will want to be read it. The story is a quick read.

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From the author of True Detective - but don't judge it by the show.

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thewhitespace

November 2, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Having watched True Detective, I had great expectations for this book. But I also knew having overblown expectations would spoil the experience, so I deliberately left this in my pile of shame for months before finally reading it.

And read I did. Book was fairly short and I finished it in two sittings.

Compared to the drama series, the writing isn't as sharp or deep - but the emotions were. I found myself rooting for the main characters as they struggle to make sense of this ____ed up world they have meandered themselves into.

Great, tight pacing, and though some of the twists were kind of expected and some things were explained too well, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Definitely a recommended read.

One person found this helpful

To start off I’m a huge fan of True Detective S1, I’ve watched it about six times so far. I found Galveston to have similar overtones to the show.Read more

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