Surprise! It's Elmore Leonard.
A few weeks ago I knew two things about Elmore Leonard: he existed as some sort of novelist, and Gene Wolfe said he was a master of dialogue. Years ago I added one of his books, Swag, to my ereader and promptly forgot about it. I recently rediscovered it, opened it out of curiosity, and was sucked into a world and a genre I didn't expect to enjoy, but absolutely did thanks to Leonard's skill with words.
Most things about Swag seem like they would annoy me. A crime story about two losers who (politely) hold up shops and empty the cash registers, then go home to drink, smoke, be trashy with trashy women, and eventually do it all again. I don't have anything against characters like that on the level, it's just that I find their arcs uninteresting. Why read about a junkie who got clean when there are tales of heroes who transcend the limits of mankind?
Something about the way Leonard writes these characters, though, really pulled me in. They're pulp for sure, with no deep transformation or monumental story revolution, but they're so believable I can't help but keep reading. You can feel the collapse of their little crime empire looming. One character feels it, too, leaving you wondering with each chapter...is this it? Is this the job where he cracks? He's bragging to that lady, will she turn them in? There's an inevitability there that's entirely predictable but wholly enjoyable to read through.
And yes, Leonard's skill with dialogue and language is tremendous. I don't think the story would have worked without it, and I'm pretty sure I'll notice other authors' lack of skill in this area now that I've experienced it. Thanks, Elmore.
I finished Swag with a nod and an appreciative frown. The book didn't deeply affect me, but I also didn't feel like I was reading utter trash. There's artistry there, even if it's still pulp crime fiction. I'm torn on whether or not I'll read more Leonard in the future. Maybe there's something to be said about stopping on this high. Then again, I might be in the mood for a simple romp-style story, and I'm notoriously bad at picking out (and enjoying) these types of reads. If Elmore Leonard's talent makes that possible, who am I to say no?