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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Even better the second time
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
I love Nick Harkaway's writing (Gnomon is one of my favourite books of all time) and this didn't disappoint. The cyber-y/neo-noir atmosphere was executed well, and the thoughtful and steadily paced revelations in the central mystery worked really well with the more action-filled moments of violence or discomfort. The worldbuilding was also great - it felt like an uncomfortably real possibility of a near future if a few conditions were fulfilled.
Also loved the nods to Greek myth - not least from the name of the Titans being Titans, but also the hospitals named after Asclepius and Demeter, a lake named Othrys, and many other little references. It made the world feel cohesive and historically rooted somehow.
Also loved the nods to Greek myth - not least from the name of the Titans being Titans, but also the hospitals named after Asclepius and Demeter, a lake named Othrys, and many other little references. It made the world feel cohesive and historically rooted somehow.
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Set in a fictional American city tucked away in the mountains, Titanium Noir follows Cal Sounder, a detective who helps the police with only the most unique of cases: those that involve Titans, people who have attained the closest thing to immortality that capitalism can provide. I love science fiction and I love film noir, so a book that combines these two genres is going to be right up my alley. The inspiration and influence from Altered Carbon are clear and obvious, but the book wears this on its sleeve. The film noir archetypes fit well into this futuristic science fiction setting, and I loved the world building and hard boiled tone. The investigation aspect of the story was done well here and had my attention from the first chapter. The world building was interesting and I liked the little bits of history and how the author chooses to flesh out the world through technology and culture. The plot was well done, with lots of twists that I really did not see coming. I kept having this feeling though, that this book was part of a series. There were times when things that happened in the past were alluded to in such a way that the narrator assumed you knew what he was talking about, but I didn’t have a clue. There were also a few times when I felt that I had missed something along the way in the plot, especially towards the end. There were also some minor storylines that didn’t totally feel wrapped up by the end either, but this was not super important to the final conclusion. The ending itself sounds interesting on paper, but I found myself uninterested with it. Overall, I did enjoy this story, but I didn’t connect with it as much as I had wanted to. It was innovative and very well crafted. I loved the 30’s detective noir vibes mashed with a futuristic setting. I think this will appeal to a wide range of readers who like their detective stories with a complex plot and futuristic setting.
I found this to be a very enjoyable read. The premise is original, and the story is well-plotted. The main character is appealing. I'll be interested to see what comes next from Nick Harkaway.