Drive (2005) is the best known novel by James Sallis, mainly thanks to the 2011 movie, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Ryan Gosling. It's the story of the unnamed Driver who runs away to Hollywood as a teenager with dreams of being a stunt driver in the movies. With the help of established stunt man Shannon, he gets a chance. Driver himself develops a sideline as a getaway driver. He doesn't want to know about the crime; he just drives. One heist goes badly wrong. Crime boss Nino refuses to pay Driver's fee. Bad idea...
Drive is contemporary US noir at its very best. James Sallis is the best US writer of noir crime since James Ellroy. Some of us would argue that he is as good as Ellroy in the early novels, a lot better than Ellroy this century. Drive is short, taut, cleverly structured, and packs a terrific punch.
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