Mazarin Blues

Hep Cats of Boise #1

by Al Hess

A '21-22 SPSFC semifinalist!

Introvert Reed Rothwell is part of a subculture of art deco era enthusiasts, pushing back against bland mainstream society and its mandated technology. Stuck with an AI assistant in his head is bad enough, but when he's inflicted with a forced upgrade to a new beta version, named Mazarin, the navigator starts to take on feelings and opinions of his own.
​
When rumors spread of beta navs turning on their pilots, Reed is determined not to become a victim. Mazarin hasn’t become violent yet—the AI is sympathetic and understanding—but with beta participants coerced into slitting their own throats, it’s only a matter of time before Reed is next.

The AI megacorporation already has an unhealthy interest in Reed, and all the beta testers who have sought help for their navigators have disappeared. The swingin' cats of the deco scene have the means to illegally terminate Reed's AI. But Mazarin has never tried to harm Reed—he loves Reed.

Grappling with ridding himself of intrusive technology, the morality of hurting his self-aware AI, and avoiding the attention of a company that wants to sweep Reed’s existence under the rug might be too much for one hep cat to handle.

Genres: Science Fiction, Queer, Fiction, Romance, LGBT, Mystery, Adult

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Author of World Running Down, Key Lime Sky, Yours Celestially, and the award-winning Hep Cats of Boise series.

Reviews

[Kit (Metaphors and Moonlight) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Review:
This was so good and different, and I loved it!

A unique premise that put a really cool twist on the "self-aware artificial intelligence with emotions" theme.

Great writing.

A likeable, interesting, witty, anxious, realistic, imperfect but trying his best, developed main character.

A sexy, sweet, rebellious, tattooed, eyeliner-wearing love interest.

A complex, caring, sensitive AI secondary main character.

A gruff and stony but good-hearted supporting character / secondary love interest.

A believable m/m romance that had struggles and mistakes as well as chemistry and sweetness.

A sweet enby/enby romance with a character who doesn't open up easily.

Diversity and representation that felt so organic and well done and was just part of the characters. Reed, the main character, was autistic and had anxiety. Jax, the love interest, was diabetic (he had some sort of futuristic insulin mod that took care of it, so that was just a brief mention) and Latinx. Mazarin, the AI character, was genderfluid (she/her and he/him) and asexual (not sex-repulsed, and according to the author's site, I think gray ace). Em, one of the main supporting characters, was nonbinary (they/them) and disabled. And I think they were all either pan or bi, except Reed who was gay.

Side note: Man, Mazarin is living the dream! He has a body that can switch between genders whenever he wants! You might think the fact that his body is a hologram would be an issue for me, but considering my chronic illness and chronic injuries, not having a solid body would just be a nice bonus. Anyway, back to the review...

Humor.

Emotion.

Mystery.

An unpredictable plot.

A setting in the future but with Art Deco-inspired subculture.

This is one of those books that managed to break the mold and really stand out for me, which is saying a lot considering I read roughly 150 sci-fi/fantasy books a year. This had a cool take on AIs having emotions, likeable and developed characters, lots of great inclusivity, sweet romances, and was overall a great story!

*Rating: 4.5 Stars // Read Date: 2021 // Format: eBook*

Recommended For:
Anyone who likes AI with emotion, future settings, the Art Deco Era, LGBTQIA+ characters, disabled and neurodivergent characters, complex characters who are imperfect but good people, sweet romance side plots, and unpredictable stories.

Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight

[Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
Lots to love here—a well-realised AU where coloured clothes, jazz, outdated slang (anything that isn't beigely mainstream) have all been marginalised & all but criminalised. I liked Reed's quiet rebellion, the connection he makes with his implanted AI assistant, Mazarin; Mazarin's deferential voice gradually taking on more individuality & autonomy. It's a fascinating world, with lots of possibilities.

I'm just not sure that the plot is quite up to its surroundings. There's no coherent direction—is the book about trying to bring down Big Brother? Or uncovering Big Brother's mistakes? Or rescuing those affected by the mistake? Or Reed's insta-relationship with mildly-annoying Jax? Or Mazarin's "transformation" into a "real boy" (or NB, rather)? The plot flirts with all these tantalising options, but ultimately IMHO doesn't quite manage to nail any of them down into a satisfying shape.

This is the first book in the wonderfully-named series "Hep Cats of Boise" and (in spite of my reservations about the plot) I enjoyed it enough to try book 2 to see whether Al Hess will give it a little more definition.

Cover painting and design by Al Hess, so (ironically) no A.I. here.

[Terri · Rating 1 out of 5]

18% in: Intriguing. The slang is throwing me, but I suspect it's because I'm old enough to remember it was old and dusty when I was young. But, what goes around comes around, as they say.

But, I am DNFing at 28%.

Not only is this subculture thing not making enough sense to me, including that it's apparently set in Boise, Idaho, but the plot is just. So. Slow, while the prose is very explainy, which is a terrible combination.

Honestly, I'm kinda mad. That cover is brilliant. The story just did not measure up for me.

[WillowRaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 of 5 stars!!
This story really is swell, so fine, the "bee's knees", even!!
Ok, ok... So maybe I'm not as "hep" as Reed, Jax and Emery, however this book is, and much more. Quite enjoyable - another creative work of fiction by Alia Hess with such a touch of realism, especially in these current times ... Makes you wonder how far we are from this becoming our reality, even to some degree. Without giving away spoilers, I *will* say that the people and relationships featured in this book highlight alternative choices and lifestyles, so if that is a problem for you, then this might not be the book for you. However if you enjoy "cool, crazy cats and kittens" with colorful personalities, then this is "right up your alley"!!

In closing, I wish to say that I received this ebook as an ARC edition in exchange for an honest review.  I wish to thank  the author for the chance to read a most wonderful and fascinating story. 

[Benjamin Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful story of love and friendship rendered in stylish prose that jives right off the page. My favourite aspect was the near-future worldbuilding, putting a sci-fi spin on all our current headaches with forced software updates, license agreements, customer services, data collection, etc. It was a lot of fun, and very believable.

Hess doesn't get bogged down by the usual "what does it mean to be human" themes, which I really appreciated. Instead we have humans and AI accepting each other for who they are, all wrapped up in smooth jazz and lots of bourbon. Great stuff.

(I hope the sequel explains the difference between a "hep cat" and a "hep gator", but I have a feeling I'm not hep enough to get it)

[Al]

Hey hep cat! If a story about rogue AI, speakeasies full of illegal disability tech, and a jazz era subculture sound copacetic to you, you're in the right place. There's deadpan humor, creeping dread, a moody winter atmosphere, and the sunniest AI assistant you'll ever meet (who is very insistent that he doesn't want to kill you, no matter what his peers are doing.)

Rep: gay, bi/pansexual, gray ace, and non-binary characters; M/M and NBi/NBi romance
Autistic main character with anxiety/panic disorder

CWs: blood, death, brief biphobia, hospitalization, stalking, profanity, M/M and NBi/NBi open door sex and sexual elements, anxiety/panic disorder, depression, alcohol use, house fire, brief description of a corpse (protagonist works in a morgue), mentions of people (offpage) being coerced into suicide, electrocution, several brief violent scenes including a fist fight and stabbing

[Catherine Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a delight. I really like Reed and could very much identify with his anxiety. And I loved Mazarin even more, with his good heart and desire to be as human as possible. The world is unique and interesting, the writing is smooth and easy to fall into, and the book keeps you turning pages. You can tell this is #ownvoices for anxiety/depression, as those aspects of the characters are done to perfection. At times felt almost too real (well done! but yikes, I could relate!), so if these issues are a trigger for you, go in aware. And know that our heroes will be okay in the end. <3

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

This story grabbed my attention right away from the blurb, with the mix of futuristic AI and the retro Art Deco worlds. Al Hess does a nice job here really creating an interesting dynamic with the AI “navigators” and their human “pilots.” I found this part of the story the most interesting, seeing how the humans interact with their navigators and how Reed slowly comes to tolerate, then trust, then care for Mazarin. Even as he chafes at being forced to have this technology (laws for the last 15 years make having a navigator a requirement), he comes to befriend Mazarin and gain comfort from their interaction. There isn’t much additional world building from the futuristic sense beyond the AI and the use of holographs, however. The story takes place about 45 years in the future, but it doesn’t go into much detail about other things that might have changed. But I still found this aspect interesting and think the story deals nicely with both the way Mazarin and Reed develop a connection, as well as the idea of Mazarin having a sense of humanity in general. Mazarin isn’t only able to think and feel independently from their programming, but also to have a sense of self, which is explored really nicely.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

[VVivacious · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been a thoroughly entertaining read, one I just couldn't stop reading. I read the entire book in one go because the story is just that engrossing and fascinating.

We follow Reed a person rather out of time in his interests in 2065 as he navigates a new beta AI that has been forced onto him by Wave, the multimillion megacorporation that produces navigators. This new beta AI has a glitch and as reports of an increasing number of their pilots meeting grizzly ends hit the news, Reed finds himself increasingly paranoid of his own beta AI, Mazarin who surely couldn't hurt him seeing as he proclaims to love him.

The premise of the story isn't anything new but the way the story unfolds and the way this world is presented is just fascinating. It really intrigued me and I found myself extremely invested in the story.

All the characters in this story were rather intriguing. I immediately identified with both Reed and Mazarin who serve as our focal characters and that really made the story that much more enjoyable and it was interesting how my perception of the other characters would change as these interacted with Reed and Mazarin.

Reed's anxiety and fear make him so relatable. I understand his fear of technology in a world increasingly dominated by it and just experiencing life as Reed brought a whole new dimension to the story. Mazarin was a fascinating character I could see where they made missteps from a human POV but I could understand how as an AI they didn't actually truly understand how their actions would be perceived by the humans in their vicinity. Mazarin also served as an intriguing counterpoint to the story being told.

The niche deco culture that exists in this world is rather fascinating because it embodies a familiar culture but I also see why the world hates it because it truly was a time of excess and we did a lot more harm than good most of the time. But being labelled just for your like or dislike of something feels so familiar like the world is always going to find reasons to "other" one group of people causing people to split into us or them with both groups getting further radicalized to no foreseeable end. Is it weird that I lament the possibility of a world where we never grow over our prejudices just see them evolve into a new facade... Em is in all ways a gatekeeper, they keep the non-decoists out of the club and while I agree it is their right to protect themself and their interests, just the fact that at the end of the day their attitude is fueled by fear is disheartening. Even in science fiction, we seem to never outgrow our prejudices.

This book made me think a lot but it also managed to provide a whole new perspective on sentient AI and I'm truly fascinated and excited to see where this story goes next.

[grimmbeing · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️’s

I loved Mazarin more than Reed, I won’t lie. I also found the second pairing kind of sudden but I’m not complaining. I don’t think I’ll be reading the rest of the series but I hope her (Mazarin’s) character and personhood gets more fleshed out in the later books. He needs character development outside of Reed.

[Jax · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing was fine, story just wasn't of much interest to me.

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Why were people so hard to understand? Working with corpses was so much easier.”

All Reed Rothwell wants is privacy. But how Reed be alone with an upgraded beta in his head who calls itself Mazarin. This is set in the future where you can’t be alone: forced to be part of a crowd, to accept nothing different. Reed struggles against this. He’s been labeled a “decoist”, going out of his way to be alone. He’s riddled with anxiety, and that ramps up as most of the beta testers have gone missing...will Reed be next? Will “Maz” go off as the others have and attack him?

Alia Hess’ writing is fascinating. I’ve read and reviewed almost everything she’s published. Her work is blatantly LGBTQA+ with no apologies, and it’s overarching themes are acceptance and the world of the future. I can’t say enough good about an intelligent interesting author who continues to push my boundaries. Highly recommended 5/5

[disclaimer: I received this book from the author and voluntarily reviewed it]

[Brittni Brinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! In the near future, mainstream American society is the definition of blah: beige, polite, and boring. The protagonist Reed, however, has a secret love of colourful clothes, old records, and paper books. Afraid of mainstream's prejudice against Decoists, Reed keeps his interests under wraps. Everything begins to change when he's chosen for the beta upgrade to his A.I. navigator. Mazarin is nothing like his old A.I. For one thing, it seems to have feelings. A detailed world full of vibrant characters, high-stakes encounters, tender love stories, and a hidden world of music and illegal tech that challenges the status quo, "Mazairn Blues" is a must-read.

[Tiny Elf Arcanist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent pace, likeable characters, and lots of great rep (race, gender, mental health, disability) made this book surpass my expectations. With a bonus of queerness allegories and a charming little AI.

Read my full review: Tiny Elf Arcanist's Review of Mazarin Blues

[J E]

Mind. Blown.

Just finished this book in a little over a day. A-Maze-Ing!
I love stories with a good, snarky AI but I never read anything that hit all the feels like this before.
Just when you think you have a handle on where this story is going, it takes another swing leftfield and surprises you again.
For the first part of the story Reed drove me crazy and I just wanted to shake him, even though I understood some of his anxieties too well.
Mazarin is brilliant and just broke my heart. I've never cried over an AI before so this is a first.
The worldbuilding is cool. The decoist trend and Em's Gator Club reminiscent of the underground clubs of Germany in the 1920s and 30s. (Think Cabaret, with a harder, Blade Runner edge.)
The cast of characters is wonderfully diverse. Grumpy enby, Em really spoke to me. I loved how kind Jax was to Reed, even when everything was going crazy. Olive is a sweetheart and I hope she finds a special someone in book 2.
The threat from Wave is something I think we can all relate to.
This has the making of an amazing series. I'm off to read Sable Dark now.

[Doemonica Fedoruk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. It's been a long time since I've binged a book, but I just had to keep being a part of this crazy Boise! I think Reed is so relatable to a huge chunk of people out there, that it makes this book a great fit for everyone. The story is fun, it can have some messages if you want it to, but can stand on its own if you don't. Tech and love explored, with a hint of danger and mystery, I had an amazing time reading this book! I'm excited to see what comes out of this series!

[AMHH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reed loves deep colors, jazz music, and physical objects like books and records, so his society deems him a decoist, somehow morally suspect because he doesn’t like bland colors and electronic everything. He’s also the owner of a beta AI assistant, Mazarin, who has more interiority than AIs are supposed to. Plus there’s a new love interest and a shady corporation lurking in the background…

This is such an immersive read. The unfairness of way society views decoists definitely resonates as a solid but not heavy-handed indictment of some twenty-first century stereotypes and prejudices. Reed is a compelling character— doing the best he can in a society that doesn’t love the things he does while managing his anxiety and trying to thread the needle of a healthy relationship with an artificial intelligence tasked with seeing to his every need— but it’s Mazarin who broke my heart. Mazarin’s struggles with a sense of self, detached from physical identity, and a purpose, detached from Reed’s needs, on top of dealing with unrequited love, were so poignant that they instantly won my empathy, and I wanted more than anything for things to work out. No spoilers, but it’s a heck of a ride, and well worth a read.

* I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful read, with a cast of gorgeous, complex characters who aren't usually portrayed on mainstream media.

The worldbuilding on this future Boise, Idaho, with AI, mandatory implants, secret retro clubs, and non-binary characters is simply great. The plot is thought-provoking, the writing superb and main thematic of acceptance and hope is uplifting.

I simply can't recommend this series enough.

[Jennifer Lane]

Hess brings bold characters, vibrant settings, and tons of heart to her new series. Here, the characters fight against a system that seeks to integrate humanity with intrusive technology. But Reed is a lover, not a fighter, and it's harder to cut the cord than he hoped it would be. This is another book that will stick with you. Frankly, I just want to live in Reed's apartment.

[Shaitanah · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*. I really wanted to like this, but it didn't work for me, unfortunately. Insta-love, awkward dialogues, unsatisfying conflict with a somewhat bewildering resolution, and the whole idea of decoist discrimination (like, why? The world-building wasn't clear enough about how that even came to pass) made the book a hard sell for me.

[William Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for SPSFC Semifinalists!

Overall Thoughts
Hey, cool cats, a little birdy told me about the heppest dystopia this side of the nuclear family. Wanna dig it? ‘Course you do! Don’t be a square—call dibs on a seat and let me lay it on you!

Ok, I’m going to stop the lingo before I embarrass myself, but I was warned ahead that I might like this book very much, and so I made sure to save it to the end. It’s set in the rockin’ 2060’s, where the trend is to wear bland clothes, have colorless furniture and pictures, and let the megacorporations do their thing and install whatever updates they want to your Navigator—a bit like an internal Alexa or Siri. Now, some people rebel against The Man and have turned back to art deco and the ways of a century earlier. The combination of the retro vibes and futuristic lack of privacy lend a great setting to this story already, and I haven’t even gotten to the quirky, anxiety-ridden, very queer cast of characters!

Plot
We start out with the birth of a new, and unwanted, AI, as their anxiety-prone Pilot, Reed tries to go about his daily life working at the mortuary. We quickly find out that many people have gotten an unwanted upgrade, which is causing the Navigators to become sentient. Many are doing terrible things to their Pilots, and now Waze, the corporation that wrote them, wants them back. But Mazarin, Reed’s Navigator, has fallen hopelessly in love with him, even as Reed is trying to work out his life, and maybe even see some new people or (gasp) get a boyfriend. Honestly, the plot is probably the most standard part of this story, though it’s solidly written, with some great twists and a satisfying conclusion, even as it leaves space open for sequels. But let me get on to the real fun stuff.

Setting
This story oozes setting. We immediately get a conflict between Reed and his surroundings, as we learn he’s very particular about his carefully maintained bland house…except for his den, full of decoist material. Society in general seems like an accurate progression of our own, with large corporations doing whatever the heck they want, including stepping on privacy and individuals’ rights whenever they can get away with it. For example, it’s illegal not to have a Navigator. And of course where something’s illegal, there are those who get around it. The decoist society is partially hidden, and partially just reviled as being weird. They like to use 1950’s and 60’s slang, wear bright clothes, listen to jazz, and disable their Navigators. This is where Reed turns as his becomes sentient, which leads him to meet Jax and Emery. But that means I must move on to…

Character
Oh my. This story lives on its characters. We’re in Reed and Mazarin’s POV most of the time, and Reed is just so helpless, you want to just give him a hug (although he’d hate it). So switching to Mazarin’s POV is a really great way to show Reed’s flaws and strengths from the outside, while we also ride along with a developing AI, finding out what it can and can’t do, as it’s literally trapped inside someone else’s body. This journey of discovery, as both Reed and Mazarin learn to become better people, is so well written. Later we also get Jax, a full-on decoist who falls for Reed, and Emery, the non-binary owner of the local decoist speakeasy and purveyor of not-so-legal goods and mods. There are themes of love and growth, acceptance and self-discovery, learning to love yourself, differently-abled people, neurodivergence, straight, gay, and ace relationships, and really, just a whole lot of people (human or not) learning to be people. Overall, if you want an unreal bash, pony up the bread and eyeball this boss story. Just don’t tell The Man, dig?

Score out of 10 (My personal score, not the final contest score)
A future dystopia with developing AI’s, full of odd and delightful characters, with an overabundance of style. 8.75/10.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

2023/132: Mazarin Blues — Al Hess

I was only a navigator, and no amount of love I showered on Reed would make up for the fact that I wasn’t human. I wasn’t even real. [p. 161]

Reed Rothwell dislikes many things: people, bland decor, AI -- and especially the new beta upgrade of his state-mandated AI 'navigator', which seems to have developed a personality: it's decided that it wants to be called Mazarin, adopted 'he/him' pronouns, and claims to want to alleviate Reed's anxiety. Which is no small task.

America in 2065 is a bland hellscape of New Era beige and oatmeal, everything monochrome and unexceptional. Reed, despite his mild-mannered demeanour, is something of a rebel: his basement is stuffed with colourful wooden furniture, old books and jazz records. He's a decoist, a deviant subculture devoted to more colourful times ('glorifying a time of gross excess, when people didn’t recycle, when they drove petroleum cars, contributed to global warming, and flicked cigarette butts on sidewalks') -- and after Mazarin encourages him to go out to a club with his workmates, he encounters other decoists and discovers there's a thriving community in his home town, Boise. Reed strikes up a relationship with another decoist named Jax... and Mazarin begins to wonder if his programming is operating correctly. He realises that he's in love with Reed, and closer to him than Jax could ever be, but he's not human. Is this a glitch in his software, or something more sinister? There are rumours around town of faulty navigators endangering their pilots, of mysterious visits from the company that makes the navigators, of suspicious deaths. Can Mazarin keep Reed safe? And vice versa?

Mazarin Blues felt like two stories imperfectly fused: there's Reed's anxiety and paranoia (and perhaps autism), his discovery of decoist clubs and his romance with Jax, and then the focus of the story shifts to Mazarin and his interactions with non-binary bar-owner and biohacker Em. Both are intriguing plots, and they're interdependent, but I'd have liked more of Reed and Jax (the latter of whom doesn't really get developed as a character), especially in the second half of the novel. Great characters, though, and just enough hints of the wider world -- campaigns for AI rights in Canada and Germany, colourful socks ordered from Japan -- to intrigue. Mazarin, who narrates part of the novel, is a fascinating character, credibly inhuman: Reed, though really not suited to life in this near future, grows and changes over the course of the story. An intriguing read -- I've bookmarked the author's website, which promises more cosy queer SF.

[Sydney Blackburn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book didn't make a lot of sense. There's no reason why "Decoists" chose to focus on the decades from 1920s - 50s just because "colourful clothes" like hello, the 80s happened! Neon pink and green? Animal prints?

Not only does their chosen fixation occur both pre and post war, but their interest is presented as harmless but essentially history as future counter-culture--except flappers, rockabilly, greasers--that stuff was never mainstream, never the norm, never societally acceptable, and nobody, characters or author, seems aware of that. Additionally, it makes little sense that a future counter-culture would be so devoid of creativity as to latch onto historical counter-culture. Where is the modern counter-culture music? Clothing?

And then the main character buys a rotary phone and it just *works* so I guess in this future where people are legally required to have AIs in their head and those AIs make all their calls, land lines are not only still a thing, but apparently they work without having to call the phone company.

"They had to research things on Jax's ancient computer" yeah, author try booting up a computer from the 90s and tell me how that's working for you on the internet. Even assuming this "ancient computer" is wifi capable, how is that internet access won't change in the next sixty years like it has in the past forty years? This is not science fiction in the sense that future science is extrapolated from present science. In fact technology isn't really considered, which strange given that an AI is one of the primary character.

It felt like the author's research consisted of looking up historical slang, music, and clothes and never looked into context (or counter-culture, or how landline phones work). Never thought about how quickly technology changes. Superficial research at best. It most definitely wasn't enough to suspend disbelief as a reader.

It verges on "It doesn't have to make sense, it's fiction!" territory.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Al Hess is now one of my favorite authors. So much so that I'm even paying for his books, which I never do. (If neither the local library nor the wider library system has a book, I rarely read it.)

This book is set in a future where Americans are very conformist. Clothes and furnishings are bland; people look askance at anyone who pursues colorful options or unusual hobbies. Reed is a young gay man who is in the closet about his art deco preferences (deco, a retro hep cat style, is the underground counterculture). He keeps his antique record and book collections in a hidden room in his white-and-beige-furnished house. He's also anti-social since an earlier breakup, and rarely goes out.

Reed is one of 25 people chosen for a beta release of a new version of the interface that almost everyone uses. This new version crosses over into self-awareness. Reed's interface decides to call itself Mazarin. Its intense attachment to Reed is sweet but gets intense enough to be scary. It turns out that the other betas are out of control, to the point of damaging or even killing their people. The corporation wants them back, but it is disappearing the people. Reed is later on the corporation's list, and figures out that he can't let them take him away.

Meanwhile, Reed gets a boyfriend and becomes involved with a deco group that hangs out at a speakeasy. They use slang and clothes and music from the 1930s or 40s. Though some of them are hacker types, they are also suspicious of the interface technology; the corporation is monitoring everyone through it (not unlike cellphones today).

The story is told from both Reed's and Mazarin's viewpoints. There's a lot of action - romance, intrigue, and technology - but no spoilers here. If you look closely, some things don't quite fit together, but I didn't care. I love Al Hess's writing style and viewpoint, and this book and its characters. I will read the rest of the series as it comes out, and anything else he writes.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a fair review. All opinions are my own.

This book was…odd? But in a good way. It’s so charming and unlike anything I’ve ever read before, even though there are bits and pieces of the familiar in it.

Reed is an incredibly relatable lead character, and I could relate to his experiences with anxiety and depression through living with tbose issues and having family who deal with mental illness. Seeing him grow more comfortable in his skin was beautiful.

While sci-fi tech has always been a bit hit-or-miss for me, I love Mazarin as a character. There’s something fun about an AI with a personality that makes them seem real, and Mazarin is perfect in that regard, with a great sense of humanity and a deep capacity to love.

The world is still consistently interesting, and I really liked that there was a balance between a sense of the near future and a hankering back to the past with some of the vintage style. And the characters come together in a community that is unapologetically inclusive, especially when it comes to sexuality and gender, including a prominent supporting role for the prequel’s protagonist, Emery.

I enjoyed this book, and am glad the release for the next book is occurring simultaneously, so I can dive right into it afterwards. And if you’ve always wanted to try dystopians, but find them a bit too dark for your taste, I think this is a great alternative. I would also recommend it to anyone looking for a sci-fi story with a primarily LGBTQ+ cast.

[Garth Mailman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book begins with Reed cleaning an autopsy table. Why his basement was flooded and needs repair remains a mystery.

Mazarin is the name Reed’s self-aware AI Personal assistant program has given itself. Having worked for 11 yrs with a GPS unit I have some concept of what a Chatty Cathy it can be. My favourite Ziggy cartoon has his talking car telling him his fly is open. Opening the garage door and starting the morning coffee is one thing but nagging about your BP and heart rate.... It has a sleep mode--bonus.

Reed is what I’d call a worrywart. Strange to think of an AI program talking to itself.

If lovers both have AI’s do they have to be compatible? You know the old saw about his MAC and her Windows. Today add IOS and Android. And Mazarin is gay.

The author uses the third person plural rather than he which has become a thing.

What happens when built-in Apps malfunction and even do their owner harm or report on their “navigators”. How does a self-aware AI survive outside it’s human host or for that matter how does it “live” inside its host.

And story ends up being told from the point of view of the AI. The elephant in the room as always with Artificial Intelligence is what lengths will it go to in protecting itself. We’ve all read enough doomsday accounts.

So not so much about Hep Cats but artificial intelligence.

Spoiler Alert

Separated from Reed the AI survives in a computer and eventually acquires a solid holographic programme and working in Em’s bar.

[Reese Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having recently connected with another author who wrote about a robot in someone’s head, I was eager to check out what we’d done the same, what we’d done differently, and if we had different messages we were exploring. There were definitely a lot of similarities, especially in the first half, and then it started diverging more in super interesting ways. The setting is a future world where wearing color or patterns is considered brazen and off-putting because of the conformity of the world, so the underground “decoists”, with their secret bars and clubs, become a shunned part of society. This was a brilliant parallel to queer culture and prejudices. It also reminded me of France’s Zazous during WWII. There is wonderful representation of anxiety, in Reed’s character, and great nonbinary rep as well, in a character who ended up playing a bigger part than I expected. Reed’s and Maz’s relationship was spectacular. Overall, a great and refreshing new read. I’m excited to check out Hess’s newest novel from Angry Robot next.

[Alex Townley · Rating 5 out of 5]

New favourite author for me!

Al Hess has created a fascinating world in his Hep Cats of Boise series, and not only are the characters, plot, and overall writing style just superb, but the representation across intersectional diversity is incredible.

I personally feel so seen in these characters, it makes me feel warm reading how they describe their thoughts and experiences as they navigate the strange near-future world (set in 2065) and the intriguing plot. There's plenty of excitement, reflection, and connection between characters, I feel like this is series so many people could love.

Al Hess also wrote the popular World Running Down, which is on my table to read next, and has two exciting new books coming out - Celestially Yours (which I'm thrilled to have an eARC for!), and Key Lime Sky. Highly recommend you go check him out!

And to top it all off, the stunning character illustrations are also created by the author, and they are beautiful! A very talented person, and I'm for sure an avid new fan!

[avis03 · Rating 4 out of 5]

MM (Reed x Jax) NBi x NBi (Mazarin x Em), Sci-Fi, Dystopian, 2060s, Romance Sub-plot, 3rd POV (Reed), 1st POV (Mazarin)

Status: Non-KU, Series, Conflict - Internal, External

Reed: Autistic, Anxiety/Panic Disorder, Gay, Autopsy Tech, Ginger Hair, Wears Glasses, Has a Cat, Nipple Ring, Art Deco Era (1930s) Enthusiast

Jax: Tattoo Artist, Diabetic, Latino, Bi, Heavily Tattooed, Painted Nails

Mazarin: AI in Reed's Head, NBi (Genderfluid) (He/Him, She/Her), Gray Ace, Obtains Holographic Body

Em: NBi, Bar Owner, Deals in Illegal Tech, Disabled

Rep: Autistic MC, Anxiety/Panic Disorder, Gay, Bi/Pansexual, Gray Ace, M/M and NBi/NBi Romance

CWs: blood, death, brief biphobia, hospitalization, anxiety/panic disorder, depression, alcohol use, house fire, brief description of a corpse (protagonist works in a morgue), mentions of people (off page) being coerced into suicide, electrocution, graphic violence, discussions of an emotionally abusive ex

[Ken Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strongly appealing with a mix of technology and jazz culture, this story set in the future in Boise is an entertaining lark. With 4 major male characters, one of whom is a sentient AI, I laughed and cringed as the narrative twisted and tweaked the plot. The author has evolved society to a state of neutrals controlled by monopolies, "pilots and navigators", with outliers bringing color and jazz to counter. The characters are interestingly oddballs and the situations that evolve keep the tale interesting and advancing. I'm intrigued to read the next in this series.

Ms Hess has kindly provided me with an ARC ebook. I offer this review as I nearly always offer fair reports on my readings as my practice.