馬克白的命數

by 譚劍, Gami (Illustrator)

為了不讓壞預言成真，
你願意做到什麼程度？

台北國際書展書展大獎首獎得主
讀墨「這本超好推！」年度選書TOP1得主
暢銷作家譚劍，全新挑戰。

擺盪於「命數註定」和「自由意志」之間的犯罪小說

「人面對的命運，就是懸疑。」——譚劍

世上只有兩種事情比殺人更困難，一是起死回生，二是處理屍體。
馬克白沒有能力做第一種，所以只能做第二種。

這具屍體是意外造成，但必須妥善處理，避免命理師的預言成真。
很多人都對命理之說嗤之以鼻，可是他見識過那位師傅的本領，一開始是佩服，現在卻覺得毛骨悚然。
那位命理師對他講了三個預言，一好兩壞，他必須盡力令後面兩個落空。

「為了不讓壞預言成真，你願意做到什麼程度？」

台北國際書展大獎首獎得主、年度暢銷作家譚劍，全新力作《馬克白的命數》，由三個突如其來的預言，深入狗仔隊的追索、查緝凶案的交鋒。透過對香港三十餘年寫實的世相觀察，極擅掌握時代與社會變遷氛圍的他，不僅建構出不同時空各自的獨特魅力，更將小人物在命運前的逃避和直面、抉擇和因果，密密織進懸疑的網，揮就成一則擺盪於「命數注定」和「自由意志」之間的犯罪小說。

304 pages, Paperback

Published February 12, 2025

Reviews

[anchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

在《PUZZLE》雜誌讀過譚劍的短文，而這次要推薦的長篇作品《馬克白的命數》非常好看，讓我一晚就看完，熬夜也要看完。書裡借用了莎士比亞經典作品《馬克白》裡的三則預言的元素，描述馬克白為了逃避1990年代偶然遇見的一個命理師的預言成真，而不擇手段的做出各種決定，直到2024年，馬克白算是成功扭轉命運了嗎？

「雖然命運無法改變，但可以改變心態，給自己的人生增加意義。」

雖然故事本身沒有太大驚喜，但是故事有著一股魔力，讓人只想廢寢忘食的讀到最後。我個人很喜歡的是作者描寫1990年代的香港，還有紙本傳媒由極盛轉衰的過程。除了討論宿命論以外，書裡也側寫了香港的命運。在書裡讀著這座我成為家的城市，可以說是既熟悉又陌生。結論：很好看、想讀好故事的人請加書單。

[Maya · Rating 1 out of 5]

If the protag was any less dumb this whole story would never have existed in the first place. The fact that the protag made an illogical decision at the most critical moment (deciding to help someone to get rid of a corpse) was already a fatal flaw in a suspense / detective novel (I expect to be wowed by the characters' wits in a suspense / detective story -- imagine if Light Yagami is a total dumbass in Death Note). In short, I don't see the point of this story happening plot-wise and it irritates me that it does happen just because the protag was too dumb.

Worse still, there just isn't enough tension after the protag made the poor decision mainly because the story spans too many years with too little ominous hints that the protag will get his ultimate downfall. Instead, the long years between the critical incident (corpse handling) and the time when the consequences catch up are diluted by inane stuff that's not exactly boring (if you're into HK's modern history) but definitely makes the story loses focus.

The author claims the story is a study of human effort and fate, and it's what makes me bought this book impulsively at a local bookstore. Turns out the events in the story are just not dramatic enough to wager a full-blown Oedipus existential crisis.

In the end, the author just falls back onto discussing how mindsets affects your own decision and there's not really a "fate" out there that renders all human efforts futile... which, duh, such a cliche. So it's all quite disappointing. I'd rather spent the time reading this rewatching Nazhe, which actually was a more interesting story with a clearer focus and a more in-depth discussion on will vs fate.

Also it's just a bad taste of the author to proclaim himself a fan of Shakespeare then follow up by the statement that he hasn't read any of his plays... I'm absolutely shocked by the shamelessness.

[Percy Yue · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, the story itself is not particularly special. It mainly conveys the idea that fate cannot be changed, and the only thing that can change is one’s mindset and emotions—an age-old truth. However, the writing flows smoothly, and through the story, one can observe the evolution of Hong Kong’s media industry from the 1980s to the present, which evokes a unique sense of nostalgia.

[Josh Huang · Rating 3 out of 5]

#馬克白的命數
#原來這是我看譚劍的第二本書了，其實看第一休「姓司武的....」我印象中沒有很喜歡，有點虎頭蛇尾。這一本也有一樣的感覺，前面撲陳的很有那一回事，但是最後要破解案情有太多沒有交帶清楚的地方。1、因為女角的一本日記就讓警方完全對嫌疑人放棄疑慮；2、突然出現在監視錄影帶備份的存在，還被Copy成數位檔；3、原本見過主角的命理師太太可以在被警方詢問時很堅定地說不認識主角。我喜歡這本書的地方是，他把主角這些年的職涯變化貼合香港從港英到回歸，從SAAS到武漢肺炎，從香港獨特的國際金融中心到中國的某一個城市。這是我這個世代人對於「昨日香港今日台灣」的恐懼

[Vivian Chuang · Rating 5 out of 5]

很精彩，看到上半場中段之後會開始停不下來。

[Indy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another superb story about fate, free mind and determinism. A great page turner.

[queenie m. · Rating 3 out of 5]

情節單薄且重覆

[Sara Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

讀起來滿有趣的，算是對馬克白故事的重新詮釋，讀的當下津津有味。書裡面對於周刊記者工作的描寫滿精彩。
不過整體來說算是平淡的書。