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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This will need another read. It lives up to the noir, but the world building is so staccato that a second read will either reveal brilliance or fall apart. I hope the former, but the latter is definitely a possibility.
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Nick Harkaway's Titanium Noir is a well-written sci-fi detective novel. Cal Sounder is a detective who specializes in cases dealing with "Titans", a small subset of humanity wealthy enough to have taken advantage of a life extension technology called T7. When a Titan is found dead in his apartment, Sounder is called in, but nothing makes sense. How did this common schlub get access to T7, and why would anyone kill such a boring guy anyway?
Harkaway sends us on a journey from the gutters to the towers of society looking for the answers. Cal has his own demons to confront and he does it with the expected noir aplomb. The ending wasn't much of a surprise, but it's a lot of fun getting there.
Harkaway sends us on a journey from the gutters to the towers of society looking for the answers. Cal has his own demons to confront and he does it with the expected noir aplomb. The ending wasn't much of a surprise, but it's a lot of fun getting there.
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Still spinning in the chair. Look up, look down, look around. There is no part of the crime scene that is not interesting. Cobwebs on the ceiling, but they're new. I can see the spider working. No dirt anywhere else except the tiny blush of ejecta on the carpet where he died, and the diffuse grime that settles wherever humans live, the little tracks of a thousand daily journeys from kitchen to lounge chair to bathroom to bedroom that Roddy Tebbit will not be making ever again.
<23/04/2025>
It would have been rude not to re-read this favourite of mine before diving into the sequel, [b:Sleeper Beach|202330671|Sleeper Beach (Titanium Noir #2)|Nick Harkaway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1732978793l/202330671._SY75_.jpg|207694826]. I had forgotten just how good this is and how it straddles genres with a consummate ease.
Playing on the classic noir private detective style, it follows Cal Sounder who works outside the law to help police investigate sensitive cases. What makes them sensitive is that they involve the elite of society, the Titans. Humans who have received a dose of T7, or possibly more, grow in stature and de-age. An immortality of sorts. But this treatment is only reserved for the select few, the richest of the rich and occasionally those we can benefit them.
When a Titan is found murdered, Cal is soon on the case. The investigation will see him having to liaise with his ex, Athena, daughter of the head Titan, call in long overdue favours, and survive murder attempts.
It is a thrill a minute ride with the sarcastic Cal's narration adding comic interludes. Thoroughly enjoyed again. Onto the next one! 5 stars.
-------------------------------------------------------
<04/07/2023>
Knowing I had previously enjoyed [b:The Gone-Away World|3007704|The Gone-Away World|Nick Harkaway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328322676l/3007704._SX50_.jpg|3038235] and [b:Angelmaker|9860471|Angelmaker|Nick Harkaway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1315816998l/9860471._SY75_.jpg|14751763], a close friend alerted me to this new [a:Nick Harkaway|1100593|Nick Harkaway|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1251220475p2/1100593.jpg], saying that it was a spectacular return to his very best.
A real mix of genres are combined together to form this gritty noir dystopian sci-fi murder mystery. Cal Sounder is a private detective who deals with a very specific set of crimes for the local police. He is called in when the crime involves a Titan. Humans who have received an injection of T7 to increase their size and prolong their lives. Only available to the mega rich, the Titans also control the interests of humanity. Some have had more than one dose, becoming ever bigger and largely unstoppable.
When a seemingly unknown Titan is found murdered, Cal must use all of his resources and tricks to navigate the web of lies and discover the truth behind the time. Being played from all sides, he also has to face threats from unknown parties and attempts on his life.
Thrilling with plenty of twists and turns, this kept me gripped throughout. I can't recommend it enough. 5 stars.
<23/04/2025>
It would have been rude not to re-read this favourite of mine before diving into the sequel, [b:Sleeper Beach|202330671|Sleeper Beach (Titanium Noir #2)|Nick Harkaway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1732978793l/202330671._SY75_.jpg|207694826]. I had forgotten just how good this is and how it straddles genres with a consummate ease.
Playing on the classic noir private detective style, it follows Cal Sounder who works outside the law to help police investigate sensitive cases. What makes them sensitive is that they involve the elite of society, the Titans. Humans who have received a dose of T7, or possibly more, grow in stature and de-age. An immortality of sorts. But this treatment is only reserved for the select few, the richest of the rich and occasionally those we can benefit them.
When a Titan is found murdered, Cal is soon on the case. The investigation will see him having to liaise with his ex, Athena, daughter of the head Titan, call in long overdue favours, and survive murder attempts.
It is a thrill a minute ride with the sarcastic Cal's narration adding comic interludes. Thoroughly enjoyed again. Onto the next one! 5 stars.
-------------------------------------------------------
<04/07/2023>
Knowing I had previously enjoyed [b:The Gone-Away World|3007704|The Gone-Away World|Nick Harkaway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328322676l/3007704._SX50_.jpg|3038235] and [b:Angelmaker|9860471|Angelmaker|Nick Harkaway|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1315816998l/9860471._SY75_.jpg|14751763], a close friend alerted me to this new [a:Nick Harkaway|1100593|Nick Harkaway|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1251220475p2/1100593.jpg], saying that it was a spectacular return to his very best.
A real mix of genres are combined together to form this gritty noir dystopian sci-fi murder mystery. Cal Sounder is a private detective who deals with a very specific set of crimes for the local police. He is called in when the crime involves a Titan. Humans who have received an injection of T7 to increase their size and prolong their lives. Only available to the mega rich, the Titans also control the interests of humanity. Some have had more than one dose, becoming ever bigger and largely unstoppable.
When a seemingly unknown Titan is found murdered, Cal must use all of his resources and tricks to navigate the web of lies and discover the truth behind the time. Being played from all sides, he also has to face threats from unknown parties and attempts on his life.
Thrilling with plenty of twists and turns, this kept me gripped throughout. I can't recommend it enough. 5 stars.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I know it’s in the title but it is very “noir” in style. Very classic, Maltese falcon-esque.
It’s a funny juxtaposition with how UN-flowery the writing is in this, compared to other books I’ve read lately.
There are lots of layers being set up in this but I would be surprised if we see the results of most of them in this first book.
The mystery itself is pretty intriguing and I like Cal, your detective. His self-assurance and confidence hint at an interesting past we know nothing about yet.
The fight sequences in this a super interesting. Very scrappy.
The fight sequences in this a super interesting. Very scrappy.
I liked the resolution of the mystery but I don’t know that I liked the conclusion. I could see myself continuing the series though