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NoirNovels.com - A unique repository for all things noir
Blood On The Moon
Reviewed By Rogue In Blood on the Moon, James Ellroy launches us into the world of Detective Sergeant Lloyd Hopkins, a highly intelligent and successful detective. Unfortunately for Hopkins, he is also sex obsessed and has a violent streak which has dogged him throughout his career. Hopkin's personal life is imploding as a result of his obsession with his job. In this first chapter of the Lloyd Hopkins trilogy, Ellroy puts Hopkins on the trail of a sexually-motivated killer, responsible for at least twenty homicides. At the beginning of the story, the murders appear to be unconnected, but Hopkins begins to suspect otherwise, and his investigation draws him into a horrific world of sexual violence. The world of Lloyd Hopkins is set in 1980s Los Angeles, a departure from many of his other works which are set in the 1950s. The transition is a successful one though, and gritty, mob-culture 50s LA becomes downright seedy 80s LA. It is far more in keeping with the character of Hopkins, who has more flaws than he has redeeming qualities. You get the impression that Ellroy wants the reader to take an active dislike to Hopkins as an individual, yet respect him for what he holds true; the infliction of justice and retribution to every low-life scum bag he encounters. Ellroy makes much reference to Thomas Harris' Red Dragon in his introduction to Blood on the Moon, citing Harris' work as a far superior novel, and in many ways it is. However, Blood on the Moon should not be dismissed as in any way second-rate. Far from it in fact, as it is a fantastic book in its own right. All comparison serves to prove is just how good Red Dragon is, as there are not many other books that I have read which come close to Blood on the Moon, let alone surpass it. What makes Blood on the Moon so special is that it is part of an evolving trilogy. Although when he wrote Blood on the Moon, Ellroy had not planned to write a trilogy, his craft is so good that unless he had told us you wouldn't have guessed. In fact this first book could not have provided a better introduction to the character of Hopkins. Intentional or not, the way Ellroy moulds Hopkins, presenting us with what is the beginning of the character's ultimate denouement, is pure literary brilliance. By the end of Blood on the Moon, you are thankful that Ellroy wrote a further two Hopkins novels, because whether you like the character or think him to be a fascistic dinosaur, you just want to know what happens to him. Hopkins may be a philandering, violent "fuckhead", but he is also a hugely complex personality, and it is this complexity that will make you come back for more. James Ellroy would be pleased...I may not like Hopkins but I dig the books he's in. And so will you. |
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