Galveston

A Novel

By: Nic Pizzolatto

Narrated by: Michael Kramer

From the creator, writer, and executive producer of the HBO series True Detective and soon to be a major motion picture comes a dark and visceral novel set along the wastelands of Galveston.

On the same day that Roy Cady is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he senses that his boss, a dangerous loan-sharking bar-owner, wants him dead. Roy is alert to the possibility that a routine assignment could be a deathtrap. Yet what the would-be killers do to Roy Cady is not the same as what he does to them, and after a smoking spasm of violence, they are mostly dead and he is mostly alive.

Before Roy makes his getaway, he realizes there are two women in the apartment, one of them still breathing, and he sees something in her frightened, defiant eyes that causes a fateful decision. He takes her with him as he goes on the run from New Orleans to Galveston, Texas—an action as ill-advised as it is inescapable. The girl's name is Rocky, and she is too young, too tough, too sexy—and far too much trouble. Roy, Rocky, and her sister hide in the battered seascape of Galveston's country-western bars and seedy hotels, a world of treacherous drifters, pickup trucks, and ashed-out hopes.

Recalling the moody violence of the early novels of Cormac McCarthy and Denis Johnson, this powerful, potent, and atmospheric thriller is impossible to put down.

©2010 Nic Pizzolatto (P)2010 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Impressive.... Pizzolatto's insightful portrayal of the heroic Roy...is rough and tumble real." ( Publishers Weekly)

Extremely mediocre with terrible narration

I guess I am one of the few who was very disappointed in this audio. Perhaps reading it would have been better. I had really high hopes as a big fan of the True Detective Series that Nic PIzzolatto wrote for HBO.The narration was absolutely monotone in my opinion, one dimensional and BORING. I was tempted to stop listening and then re-read some of the reviews and thought, "well maybe I am missing something". So I perservered till the end. What a waste of time. The storyline was nothing original and I really did not care what happened to any of the characters as they were mostly unlikeable. I will agree that his writing is very descriptive and at times beautiful, you can see and feel the places he describes. However, the reader ruined it for me- with his monotone drawl. Glad that this was a special bargain book and I didnt waste an entire credit on this one. Perhaps the movie will be better or maybe he will evolve as a novelist in the future. He certainly did a great job with True Detective!

A Dark, Atmospheric Novel

I’ll preface this by saying that I’m from Port Arthur, TX and spent most of my young adulthood ranging back and forth from Anahuac to New Iberia. So I was predisposed to enjoy this book and Season One of True Detective. At any rate, this novel is Gulf Coast Noir at its finest. One thing that really stands out is Pizzolatto’s description of the fleabag motel in Galveston and its occupants. It’s like the last outpost of the desperado and the down on their luck.

I really enjoyed this book but a large part of that is because I’m familiar with the setting. Your mileage may vary. But I think this book offers something for everyone.

Wow

I LOVED this book. Raw, gritty. Real. Even the narration didn’t bother me like it did some people. I felt it created this character in my mind really well.

Pizzolatto tears at your heartstrings!

I came to this book through the author’s work with True Detective. He does an amazing job at bringing characters to life. “Life is barely long enough to get good at one thing… so be careful what you get good at.

Brutal violence and brooding lyricism

A masterpiece of the form. A tale of brutal violence shot through with brooding lyricism. Simply one of the best crime novels I've ever read. Great narration adds atmosphere and authenticity.

A Great Read

This is a terrific book. I read a review of the novel, I believe, in the NYTimes before making the purchase. It described the book as possessing a rare combination of exceptional story-line and writing that rises to the level of literature. I couldn't agree more.

Add a perfect narrator to the audio version of the text and you have something rather special.

Over the past several years, I have listened to who knows how many books -- a lot. Only three have caused me to sit in my car to continue listening after arriving at my destination. This is one of the three books. (I even had someone at my office tap on my window to make sure that everything was okay.)

Final note: I wondered if it was just me, so I purchased the CD version and asked a friend to give the book a listen. He reports that he listened to Galveston twice. During the second listen, he noted that the quality of the writing -- especially the subtle foreshadowing of what was to come -- was even better than he initially thought. The book became richer and more complex the second time around.

Easy Read and Compelling Characters

This is Pizzolatto's first novel and it is an interesting read. It involves a Roy Cady is a strong-arm man for a New Orleans gangster. He picks up a girl, Raquel Arceneaux, who is caught up in a job and flees to Galveston, Texas. Roy is dying of cancer and he is caught with Arceneaux who he just can't quite leave behind. If you are looking for a lot of Galveston in this book - you'll not find it. It is just the setting for Roy Cady's demise. If you are looking for an interesting story, this might be a story for you.

Wildly complicated story

Devastating circumstances, natural occurrences and bowels of dispair but some new self awareness and redemption?

Good story

The story was great. Loved it. Listened frequently. The narrator was perfect for this novel. Enjoyed it a lot. Give it a read.

Richly Layered

This is a book that can be enjoyed on so many levels. The writing is first rate and the narrator couldn't be more perfect for the story. It is a pretty decent noir-type crime story but succeeds the most as a rich character study of a flawed man.