Pulp Fiction discussion

Does anyone recall the titles of the 1st two recently published novels in a proposed series about a long haul truck driver delivering goods to a group of off-the-grid personalities who reside in the American desert area somewhere out West?

I'm afraid I don't, Still. If you can't get your question answered here, have you tried the "What's the Name of That Book" stub?

Still wrote: "Does anyone recall the titles of the 1st two recently published novels in a proposed series about a long haul truck driver delivering goods to a group of off-the-grid personalities who reside in th..."

Could it be
The Never-Open Desert Diner and Lullaby Road, by James Anderson?

Nancy wrote: "Still wrote: "Does anyone recall the titles of the 1st two recently published novels in a proposed series about a long haul truck driver delivering goods to a group of off-the-grid personalities wh..."

Nancy, you are amazing!

Paul wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Paul wrote: "Currently reading Black Dahlia Avenger: A Genius for Murder, having previously completed [bookcove..."

I think Hodel lost credibility when he claimed his dad was probably the Zodiac killer. And then there were a string of murders in Chicago he said were the work of his father.

ALLEN wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Still wrote: "Does anyone recall the titles of the 1st two recently published novels in a proposed series about a long haul truck driver delivering goods to a group of off-the-grid pe..."

No, I'd just recently read something about that series somewhere. But I do have a brain overflowing with entirely useless information.

Nancy wrote: "ALLEN wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Still wrote: "Does anyone recall the titles of the 1st two recently published novels in a proposed series about a long haul truck driver delivering goods to a group of o..."

One of my talents, too. I've found that some people are impressed, others annoyed.

Nancy wrote: "Paul wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Paul wrote: "Currently reading Black Dahlia Avenger: A Genius for Murder, having previously comple..."

Yes, it does seem to rather neatly wrap up a few cases. Still, you have to wonder what his motive would be. Other than book sales. I can't quite accept it could be a complete fabrication though.
I have the book by Hodel Most Evil: Avenger, Zodiac, and the Further Serial Murders of Dr. George Hill Hodel you're referring to where he accuses his father of being the Zodiac killer in addition to killing the Black Dahlia and other victims. Hodel has certainly gotten some mileage having written 'follow-ups' to both his Dahlia and Zodiac books. Don't know if i'll read them yet. I used to be interested in all that serial killer lit years ago. Until i read the tk Killer - The Story of Dennis Rader and went 5right off them. It seems all you need to be a 'successful serial killer is the will to kill total strangers with no motive. A genius IQ is not really a requirement.

Finished Nesbo's Macbeth -- turning Shakespeare's play into a beyond-gritty crime thriller; now starting He Died With His Eyes Open by Derek Raymond.

Nancy, how did you find Jo Nesbo's Macbeth? Is it good enough as his first books?

Sonali wrote: "Nancy, how did you find Jo Nesbo's Macbeth? Is it good enough as his first books?"

That's a tough call for me, Sonali. It was written as part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series, and Macbeth is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, so I was more focused on his take on the play rather than the book as a crime thriller. It's still, as I said in my GR post, "Nesbo does noir," but in my opinion you'll get way more out of it if you have some familiarity with the play itself before going into it. It's different than his other novels, for sure.

Nancy wrote: "Sonali wrote: "Nancy, how did you find Jo Nesbo's Macbeth? Is it good enough as his first books?"

That's a tough call for me, Sonali. It was written as part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series, and ..."

i'm just starting what you would call act V of the novel and am enjoying it. I'm not sure if I would like it as much if I weren't familiar with both Nesbø and Macbeth. It has all the lightness and charm of the Glasgow tenements that it is set in but that is a perfect fit for The Scottish Play which, is another interesting thing about it. The one Hogarth Shakespeare play to use the title of the play that it is drawn from is the one play whose name tradition and/or superstition says should never be spoken.

Tom wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Sonali wrote: "Nancy, how did you find Jo Nesbo's Macbeth? Is it good enough as his first books?"

That's a tough call for me, Sonali. It was written as part of the Hogarth Shakespear..."

"I'm not sure if I would like it as much if I weren't familiar with both Nesbø and Macbeth. "

exactly, Tom.

Giilian Flynn is next with Hamlet. That ought to be weird.

Hi all. I wondered if any of you readers could recommend any genuinely good escape novels - there's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest I guess - but any others???

Geoff wrote: "Hi all. I wondered if any of you readers could recommend any genuinely good escape novels - there's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest I guess - but any others???"

Geoff: can't lose with Breakout by Richard Stark.

On a lower plane, there's Strongarm by Dan Marlowe.

Here's what Goodreads recommends:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Personally, I thought PAPILLON was wonderful -- fine movie, too!

Note that the no. 1 choice on the GR list, Stephen King's DIFFERENT SEASONS, contains a novella that became a famous prison-escape movie: "(Rita Hayworth and) The Shawshank Redemption."

For something a little different, here's an Argentinian novel about two men sharing a prison cell, and why only one of them is likely to get out: Kiss of the Spider Woman. It, too, became a successful motion picture with William Hurt and the late Raul Julia.

I might add an older "dystopian future" sci-fi novel:


Chris, would you or someone else care to recommend a Kafka novel?

ALLEN wrote: "Here's what Goodreads recommends:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Personally, I thought PAPILLON was wonderful -- fine movie, too!

Note that the no. 1 choice on the GR lis..."

Kafka's The Castle is a no-miss.

Finished He Died With His Eyes Open by Derek Raymond. Oh my god. What an excellent book.

Can't say I'm currently reading it, but I just picked up Crooked Little Vein from the library.

I can hardly imagine how the legendary underscripter Warren Ellis managed to write a book, but color me curious.

Here is a page from a Warren Ellis comic:

Geoff wrote: "Hi all. I wondered if any of you readers could recommend any genuinely good escape novels - there's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest I guess - but any others???"

I loved that book but I'm not sure I'd call it an "escape novel." That would be like calling Moby Dick a "fishing story."

Nancy wrote: "Finished He Died With His Eyes Open by Derek Raymond. Oh my god. What an excellent book."

I'm reading interested in trying this one now since you've been gushing about it. It sounds terrific. I wonder why I'd never heard of it before.

Right now I'm reading
March Violets by the recently deceased Philip Kerr - the 1930s Germany setting is really interesting and adds a lot to the story.

Christopher wrote: "Can't say I'm currently reading it, but I just picked up Crooked Little Vein from the library.

I can hardly imagine how the legendary underscripter Warren Ellis managed to write a boo..."

It reminds me of MAD magazine's original tagline:
"Humor in a jugular vein."

Nancy wrote: "Finished He Died With His Eyes Open by Derek Raymond. Oh my god. What an excellent book."

That is an EXCELLENT book - we did it as a group read back in November 2012. Here's the discussion thread, if anyone's interested - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Nancy wrote: "Finished He Died With His Eyes Open by Derek Raymond. Oh my god. What an excellent book."

Derek Raymond's "Factory" series is the best thing ever written in the history of the genre.
Read each entry in order of publication.
Darker than Hubert Selby!
More hardboiled than Chandler's "Marlowe".

Randy wrote: "Right now I'm reading
March Violets by the recently deceased Philip Kerr - the 1930s Germany setting is really interesting and adds a l..."

I had this on my wishlist for years and I keep hoping its time will eventually come. It was in the monthly polls several times.

Randy wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Finished He Died With His Eyes Open by Derek Raymond. Oh my god. What an excellent book."

I'm reading interested in trying this one now since you've been gushing about ..."

I liked it so much that I'm reading the rest of Factory books starting today.

In case anyone's interested:

The Devil's Home on Leave
How the Dead Live
I Was Dora Suarez
Dead Man Upright

Randy wrote: "Geoff wrote: "Hi all. I wondered if any of you readers could recommend any genuinely good escape novels - there's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest I guess - but any others???"

I loved that book but..."

Randy wrote: "Geoff wrote: "Hi all. I wondered if any of you readers could recommend any genuinely good escape novels - there's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest I guess - but any others???"

I loved that book but..."

Randy it is not the same at all. Moby Dick is clearly not a fishing story. Whales are not fish. Moby Dick is a whaling story.

Whenever anyone comes up to me and says , "Goddamnit Geoff, I want to read me a good whaling story", I always say, "Moby Dick - that's a damned good whaling story." ;-)

Christopher wrote: "Geoff wrote: "Hi all. I wondered if any of you readers could recommend any genuinely good escape novels - there's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest I guess - but any others???"

Geoff: can't lose wit..."

Thanks Christopher - I reckon I'll give the Stark one a try.

I concur on the Factory series. One of the best series I've read.

Nancy wrote: "I liked it so much that I'm reading the rest of Factory books starting today...."
You are so lucky to be reading the Factory series for the 1st time. The narrator is one of the greatest characters in fiction.

When you get to "Dora Suarez" go on YouTube and check out a few of the videos of Derek Raymond reading passages from that particular novel.

Geoff wrote: "Randy wrote: "Geoff wrote: "Hi all. I wondered if any of you readers could recommend any genuinely good escape novels - there's One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest I guess - but any others???"

I loved..."

:) That cracked me up, Geoff.

Just out of curiosity, how many people actually ask for a recommendation for a "good whaling story?"

Still wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I liked it so much that I'm reading the rest of Factory books starting today...."
You are so lucky to be reading the Factory series for the 1st time. The narrator is one of the greate..."

I'd started He Died With His Eyes Open some time ago and for some reason put it aside. Doesn't matter -- it was great. And I'll take your advice after I finish Dora Suarez. Thanks.

Geoff wrote: "Whenever anyone comes up to me and says , "Goddamnit Geoff, I want to read me a good whaling story", I always say, "Moby Dick - that's a damned good whaling story." ;-) "

You should be recommending Star Trek IV. ;-)

Nancy wrote: "Just out of curiosity, how many people actually ask for a recommendation for a "good whaling story?" "

If they did, I would recommend In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex. Best whaling story I ever read.

Randy wrote: "Geoff wrote: "Whenever anyone comes up to me and says , "Goddamnit Geoff, I want to read me a good whaling story", I always say, "Moby Dick - that's a damned good whaling story." ;-) "

You should ..."

.................................
Isn't BILLY BUDD a kind of whaling story? Sans the whale and the Calvinist sermon and tedious disquisitions about whaling equipment in a culture that had not quite figured out how lockjaw works?

Billy Budd and Other Stories

Nancy wrote: "Just out of curiosity, how many people actually ask for a recommendation for a "good whaling story?.."

No often, just maybe two or three times a year, you know.

Got a few more answers for those suckers now though! Thanks guys (Randy and Allen) - who I readily admit are better read than I am (!)

You can add the first-hand narrative that In the Heart of the Sea is based on, The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex, by Owen Chase. That's a good one as well.

Nancy wrote: "You can add the first-hand narrative that In the Heart of the Sea is based on, The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex, by Owen Chase. That's a good one as well."

I hadn't read that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Nancy wrote: "Kafka's The Castle is a no-miss.

Sorry I missed your May 1 post, Nancy. I agree: THE CASTLE by Franz Kafka should work very well. Thank you!

ALLEN wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Kafka's The Castle is a no-miss.

Sorry I missed your May 1 post, Nancy. I agree: THE CASTLE by Franz Kafka should work very well. Thank you!"

You're welcome.

I learned the hard way not to read a Factory novel just before going to bed. About midway through The Devil's Home on Leave.

I've just finished a Cliff Janeway thriller, the fourth I think. "The Sign of the Book" is a good title since the main mystery has something to do with expensive autographed books.
The combination between hardboiled detective and nerdish bookstore owner continues to interest me, especially with the current setting in the small town of Paradise, Colorado.

Finished How the Dead Live; on to I Was Dora Suarez, by Derek Raymond. These books mess with my head. No question.

I've just finished reading Righteous , quite as good as it's predecessor, IQ . Reminiscent of Joe R. Lansdale's 'Hap & Leonard' series, in that it combines at times gritty action with humor.
I recommend both IQ and Righteous, particularly to fans of the 'Hap & Leonard series, although i hope the author, Joe Ide, doesn't rest on his laurels and only turn out endless IQ sequels.

Okay. I finished I Was Dora Suarez yesterday. Did anyone else think this was the saddest book of the entire series? I felt so sorry for the nameless one that I almost cried. By the way I also wanted to puke reading the crime scene, but the way Raymond wrote that was some of the best writing of the entire series so far.

We should read that one as a group. I'd definitely read it again.

I finished my re-read of by Gerald Clarke, although the newest pbk. reissue has Capote back on the cover (not sure I'm entitled to call it a "trade" pbk. because the photos were printed on ordinary paper, not slick), unlike this version with Phil. Seymour Hoffman on the cover, the role that nabbed him the 2005 Oscar. Now I have to go back to Chapter 20, when the coast is clear, and quote a graf about Capote's first novel, in the "aftermath" section of the Southern Heritage discussion of the book, still continuing.

Dabbling in , authored by a novice physician during what we here would call his "residency." Occasionally savagely funny, occasionally savage, it makes me realize that the Britain's National Health Service may be easy for the populace to afford, but often hard to tolerate, whether for physicians or inpatients.

There are literally dozens of books with "Dambusters" in the title but this one by Paul Brickhill was the basis for the 1955 movie:

And I'm liking it a lot!

When I'm through having novelistic/historical fun, I intend to return to Ronan Farrow's
.

I just finished Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury, and I am currently reading both The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. What can I say? I'm a mood reader. LOL!

The Factory series -- done. I will never, ever in my life forget these books.