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Dewey Decimal #3
The Immune System
The Immune System is the explosive final installment in the Dewey Decimal trilogy. Picking up months after the events of The Nervous System, Dewey finds himself running dirty operations for the crooked Senator Howard. When Dewey is tasked with disrupting unrest from a growing group of outcast civilians, and simultaneously given the assignment of protecting a pair of Saudi royals, he is forced to look within and make some impossible choices. Ultimately, this puts him at odds with his benefactor and the powers that be.
In the course of the novel, we learn the true nature of the 2/14 cataclysm that decimated New York City, and by the end of it, Dewey must choose whether or not to face his own past. He must also decide if he is to be part of the elite control system, or if he's willing to commit himself to the unknown, without the protections he enjoys in the good favor of the landlords of the new New Order.
In the course of the novel, we learn the true nature of the 2/14 cataclysm that decimated New York City, and by the end of it, Dewey must choose whether or not to face his own past. He must also decide if he is to be part of the elite control system, or if he's willing to commit himself to the unknown, without the protections he enjoys in the good favor of the landlords of the new New Order.
288 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2015
8 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Nathan Larson
10 books55 followersNathan Larson is best known as an award-winning film music composer, having created the scores for over thirty movies, such as Boys Don't Cry, Dirty Pretty Things, and Margin Call. He was deeply involved in the hardcore punk scene in Washington D.C., and in the 1990s, he was the lead guitarist for the influential prog-punk outfit Shudder to Think. THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM is his first novel, the first of three in a series. The second installment, THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, is Larsons latest work.
Larson lives in Harlem, New York City, with his wife and son.
Larson lives in Harlem, New York City, with his wife and son.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 26, 2015
Author Larson’s distinct, choppy style takes some getting used to, but it befits his spooky, semi-disturbed narrator, Dewey. With some sort of governmental implant in his neck, Dewey is all “[d]ark chocolate flesh pulled tight, shrouded in a trim suit, coat, and hat, Auschwitz skinny, surgical gloves, procedure mask, etc., anywhere from thirty-five to fifty….” Despite, or maybe due to, his former life as a black-ops type, Dewey is as “mortally wounded, defaced, irreparable” as the dystopic, near-future NYC where he lives. “Those with the means,” he notes, “be it private, state, or corporate backing, rebuild the environs according to their needs.” There don‘t seem to be many people left, and those who remain are, regrettably, as disposable as ever. Part soldier, part damaged goon, all obsessive-compulsive, Dewey is pretty much lost in the supermarket keeping sane only with his “system”; “By its rules I am guided and kept.” Commands include “[l]eft turns STRICTLY prior to eleven a.m.” and “[f]requent and vigorous cleansing with Purell™.” He loves the NYPL and when not working, is like some sort of demented Wall-E, busily setting straight the scattered collection. Dewey ‘makes things happen’ for dirty politician Clarence Howard, who assigns him to “encourage” some occupiers in Central Park to move on and to also guard two Saudi royals. These tasks dim his willingness to cooperate with The Machine and put his own well-being at risk. Readers also learn about the Valentine’s Day catastrophe that destroyed NYC in the first place. VERDICT This final installment of the “Dewey Decimal” trilogy (The Nervous System, etc.) capably stands alone as a quirky, sparkly read that will embiggen your cerebellum.
Find this review and others at Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal here. Copyright Library Journal.
Find this review and others at Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal here. Copyright Library Journal.
June 23, 2015
I love dystopian fiction. The Handmaid’s Tale, I Am Legend, Divergent, it’s all good stuff. The Immune System by Nathan Larson provides the creepiest image of a fallen society out of everything I’ve read of the genre to date: the main branch of the New York Public Library with its “damp marble stairs”, “dead computer monitors”, its bathroom sinks “overflowing with musty river water.” Larson’s main character, Dewey Decimal, can now sit in his underwear and contemplate piles of microfiche in this once iconic institution of learning and culture without being asked to kindly put on pants. Because there’s no one else there to care.
Dewey Decimal’s New York City doesn’t seem to have a use for libraries. Its infrastructure is crumbling, the air is noxious, its boroughs controlled by violent gangs. Ordinary people are more focused on the business of surviving. They don’t have the luxury of seeking out information, culture, or entertainment.
Having started with the third book of the trilogy, I feel like I missed out on a lot of the world building that usually occurs in the first one, as well as two-thirds of the story arc. When we first meet Dewey, he’s in the middle of killing a soldier who did the same to one of Dewey’s friends, Dos Mac, in a previous book. He goes on to have a meeting with his employer, a corrupt and evangelical senator who gives him tasks that puts him at odds with his conscience and eventually leads him to a lot of truths about himself, the government, and his world. It bothered me to not know the full significance of Dos Mac’s death, or how Dewey came to be under the power of the senator. I wanted to know more about the Valentine’s Day cataclysm that brought the city down and whether it affected the rest of the country. Despite the confusion, it was all compelling enough to make me want to get my hands on the first two to fill in those gaps.
As lost as I sometimes felt in the world and as many plot threads that I missed, I knew I had the complete and complex Dewey right from the start. He is equal parts librarian, professor, soldier, and gangster. He will outright tell the reader as well as other characters exactly who he is and what he’s feeling at any given time. “It’s a disgusting f—ing world. I’m just the narrator, cheesecake.” He’s quick-witted and profane in a very lyrical way. He’s brutal and empathetic. He sometimes sacrifices safety for style, admits it’s a bad idea and does it anyway. This book was well worth reading just to get to know him.
The tone and style of The Immune System very much matches Dewey and his NYC. Brutal, fast-paced, insistent, sometimes confusing, it took me a few chapters to fully integrate myself into the rhythm of the prose. Dewey narrates with a mixture of street slang, profanity, and educated discourse, almost creating his own custom language that, once you acclimate yourself to it, is perfect for the story.
If you’re sensitive to profanity and violence, you might want to give this one a pass. However, readers who enjoy noir or hardboiled mystery, dystopian fiction, or gritty urban fantasy should absolutely try the series. I do recommend starting with The Dewey Decimal System followed by The Nervous System before moving on to this one.
Reviewer: Mel Hiers spends her days at Smyrna Public Library’s circulation desk, pushing books on the good people of Rutherford County. She also writes for Linebaugh Library System’s Read This Next blog.
Killer Nashville's Review of The Immune System
Killer Nashville's Past Book Reviews
Dewey Decimal’s New York City doesn’t seem to have a use for libraries. Its infrastructure is crumbling, the air is noxious, its boroughs controlled by violent gangs. Ordinary people are more focused on the business of surviving. They don’t have the luxury of seeking out information, culture, or entertainment.
Having started with the third book of the trilogy, I feel like I missed out on a lot of the world building that usually occurs in the first one, as well as two-thirds of the story arc. When we first meet Dewey, he’s in the middle of killing a soldier who did the same to one of Dewey’s friends, Dos Mac, in a previous book. He goes on to have a meeting with his employer, a corrupt and evangelical senator who gives him tasks that puts him at odds with his conscience and eventually leads him to a lot of truths about himself, the government, and his world. It bothered me to not know the full significance of Dos Mac’s death, or how Dewey came to be under the power of the senator. I wanted to know more about the Valentine’s Day cataclysm that brought the city down and whether it affected the rest of the country. Despite the confusion, it was all compelling enough to make me want to get my hands on the first two to fill in those gaps.
As lost as I sometimes felt in the world and as many plot threads that I missed, I knew I had the complete and complex Dewey right from the start. He is equal parts librarian, professor, soldier, and gangster. He will outright tell the reader as well as other characters exactly who he is and what he’s feeling at any given time. “It’s a disgusting f—ing world. I’m just the narrator, cheesecake.” He’s quick-witted and profane in a very lyrical way. He’s brutal and empathetic. He sometimes sacrifices safety for style, admits it’s a bad idea and does it anyway. This book was well worth reading just to get to know him.
The tone and style of The Immune System very much matches Dewey and his NYC. Brutal, fast-paced, insistent, sometimes confusing, it took me a few chapters to fully integrate myself into the rhythm of the prose. Dewey narrates with a mixture of street slang, profanity, and educated discourse, almost creating his own custom language that, once you acclimate yourself to it, is perfect for the story.
If you’re sensitive to profanity and violence, you might want to give this one a pass. However, readers who enjoy noir or hardboiled mystery, dystopian fiction, or gritty urban fantasy should absolutely try the series. I do recommend starting with The Dewey Decimal System followed by The Nervous System before moving on to this one.
Reviewer: Mel Hiers spends her days at Smyrna Public Library’s circulation desk, pushing books on the good people of Rutherford County. She also writes for Linebaugh Library System’s Read This Next blog.
Killer Nashville's Review of The Immune System
Killer Nashville's Past Book Reviews
June 4, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from LibraryThing.
Nathan Larson does an amazing job of creating an original noir detective character, the self-named Dewey Decimal, in a future dystopian setting. Dewey is a former soldier that was recruited for a private paramilitary force that later opted out---and survived, against all odds. Now he's a low level and somewhat disposable fixer for a NYC politician and he tidies up the NYC library as a hobby to maintain his sanity.
This is the third novel in the Dewey Decimal series. While the book's plot is intriguing and the Dewey Decimal character simply amazing in all his quirks and nuances---it's all a little too much. By the 10th time Dewey clears non-existent sand out of one orifice or another or washes his hands with sanitizer his quirks get old---and that's just a few chapters into the book. I definitely admire Larson's writing ability but it's just a little too much detail for me. Great concept and setting, he just needs to dial back the quirkiness a little.
Nathan Larson does an amazing job of creating an original noir detective character, the self-named Dewey Decimal, in a future dystopian setting. Dewey is a former soldier that was recruited for a private paramilitary force that later opted out---and survived, against all odds. Now he's a low level and somewhat disposable fixer for a NYC politician and he tidies up the NYC library as a hobby to maintain his sanity.
This is the third novel in the Dewey Decimal series. While the book's plot is intriguing and the Dewey Decimal character simply amazing in all his quirks and nuances---it's all a little too much. By the 10th time Dewey clears non-existent sand out of one orifice or another or washes his hands with sanitizer his quirks get old---and that's just a few chapters into the book. I definitely admire Larson's writing ability but it's just a little too much detail for me. Great concept and setting, he just needs to dial back the quirkiness a little.
April 24, 2015
Dewey Decimal, the hero of The Immune System is a stone-cold killer with a soft spot for people in a jam. He’s OCD, prone to seizures and lives in a secret chamber in the New York Public Library…. two years after the Valentine Occurrence wiped out all but one of Manhattan’s bridges and turned the island into a feudal war zone. Part Warriors part Third Man, The Immune System is fast-paced novel with a hero whose lips are always a step ahead of his wits. That’s the real star of the show: Dewey’s nonstop give no slack, take no smack chatter as he tries to stay one step ahead of the bad guys. You can call it neo-noir, retro pulp, hardboiled dystopian, postapocalyptic rock em sock em. I call it really fucking good.
July 31, 2015
third installment of dewey decimal, hired enforcer for a corrupt politico, lives in nypl (after the shit goes down) main branch and is re-classing all the books during his spare time, defender of the downtrodden. i think readers familiar with nyc probably can get the most from these gritty urban dystopian mystery thrillers, as author minutely describes the buildings, neighborhoods and streets of the future, wrecked, but re-building manhattan and other boroughs. as freaky as these tales are, seems there is always a moral conundrum as all good noir should have. writer has a fascinating choppy style too that is both too verbose and stripped to essentials at same time.
April 4, 2019
This is the third book in the Dewey Decimal series and it is even edgier that the previous two.
Most books in a series have some type of introduction, review, or recap to get the reader up to speed. In The Immune System Nathan Larson just tosses you into the deep end and the water is quite cold and jarring. If you haven’t read either of the first two books please read them first or you will be missing a great deal of necessary background information and will be totally lost by page two.
Repeating from what I have said in my earlier reviews, The Immune System, like the other two Dewey Decimal books, is an apocalyptic story that takes place in New York City after a flu pandemic that has wiped out the vast majority of the population. It is told through the eyes of Dewey Decimal - a physically and emotionally damaged former soldier who lives in what is left of the main branch of the New York Public Library. To deal with his obsessive compulsive issues and PTSD, Dewey has set himself to re-shelving the books in the NYPL while constantly washing his hands with Purell® hand sanitizer and taking some unknown pills to stave off his PTSD flashbacks. To keep himself in pills and Purell®, he uses his special ops skills to get occasional work from dubious politicians.
Dewey is a very damaged protagonist but you get the feeling that he has a deep moral code of ethics. Despite littering the landscape, both past and present, with dead bodies, Dewey takes on the bad guys and tries to protect the innocent. He does all of this despite blackouts and trying to adhere to his unclear OC system that includes such rules as only taking left turns before eleven AM.
I like this series for a number of reasons. First and foremost, Larson is a great writer and the word pictures he paints of the characters and the settings put you right in the action, and there is a lot of action! Second, Dewey is the ultimate antihero - trying to make sense of a broken world despite major gaps in his memory, a sense that he done horrible things in the past, and working with unethical people while clearly having a strong moral code himself. Third, Larson loves New York City. His books are full of historical references to the city’s past and he peppers his stories with information about obscure events and people that are quite interesting.
This third book introduces a whole cast of new characters built on top of a small group of returning bad guys. It twists and turns even more than the previous two and, as a reader, you are given very little “inside information” so you are often as lost as Dewey himself. I was disappointed that there was only a superficial amount of time in the NYPL in this book as Dewey’s musings and insights about the Decimal System, libraries, and books in general are some of his best moments. While reading about Dewey’s exploits can be exhausting, I wish that this book had been about fifty pages longer so that Larson could have given us some more time in the library, some more of Dewey’s musings about life outside of the case, and even more NYC tidbits.
While I loved this book I would rank it in third place in the series. Even third place puts it heads and shoulders above many other books of the genre, which I would describe as apocalyptic, detective, science fiction. If you have read the other two Dewey books, you need to read this one. If you haven’t read any of the series yet, do yourself a favor and get a copy of The Dewey Decimal System ASAP.
Most books in a series have some type of introduction, review, or recap to get the reader up to speed. In The Immune System Nathan Larson just tosses you into the deep end and the water is quite cold and jarring. If you haven’t read either of the first two books please read them first or you will be missing a great deal of necessary background information and will be totally lost by page two.
Repeating from what I have said in my earlier reviews, The Immune System, like the other two Dewey Decimal books, is an apocalyptic story that takes place in New York City after a flu pandemic that has wiped out the vast majority of the population. It is told through the eyes of Dewey Decimal - a physically and emotionally damaged former soldier who lives in what is left of the main branch of the New York Public Library. To deal with his obsessive compulsive issues and PTSD, Dewey has set himself to re-shelving the books in the NYPL while constantly washing his hands with Purell® hand sanitizer and taking some unknown pills to stave off his PTSD flashbacks. To keep himself in pills and Purell®, he uses his special ops skills to get occasional work from dubious politicians.
Dewey is a very damaged protagonist but you get the feeling that he has a deep moral code of ethics. Despite littering the landscape, both past and present, with dead bodies, Dewey takes on the bad guys and tries to protect the innocent. He does all of this despite blackouts and trying to adhere to his unclear OC system that includes such rules as only taking left turns before eleven AM.
I like this series for a number of reasons. First and foremost, Larson is a great writer and the word pictures he paints of the characters and the settings put you right in the action, and there is a lot of action! Second, Dewey is the ultimate antihero - trying to make sense of a broken world despite major gaps in his memory, a sense that he done horrible things in the past, and working with unethical people while clearly having a strong moral code himself. Third, Larson loves New York City. His books are full of historical references to the city’s past and he peppers his stories with information about obscure events and people that are quite interesting.
This third book introduces a whole cast of new characters built on top of a small group of returning bad guys. It twists and turns even more than the previous two and, as a reader, you are given very little “inside information” so you are often as lost as Dewey himself. I was disappointed that there was only a superficial amount of time in the NYPL in this book as Dewey’s musings and insights about the Decimal System, libraries, and books in general are some of his best moments. While reading about Dewey’s exploits can be exhausting, I wish that this book had been about fifty pages longer so that Larson could have given us some more time in the library, some more of Dewey’s musings about life outside of the case, and even more NYC tidbits.
While I loved this book I would rank it in third place in the series. Even third place puts it heads and shoulders above many other books of the genre, which I would describe as apocalyptic, detective, science fiction. If you have read the other two Dewey books, you need to read this one. If you haven’t read any of the series yet, do yourself a favor and get a copy of The Dewey Decimal System ASAP.
September 8, 2020
I had to do it. After reading "The Nervous System" I was left with too many unanswered questions, too many loose ends, too many possibilities. I ordered the 3rd book of the trilogy; a rare paperback buy for me, unsigned and used. But that was what was.
It came and my resistance crumbled. I practically began reading it on the way back from the mailbox. Almost. But my enthusiasm soon paled. Perhaps it was too soon after episode two, perhaps it really is not the out of control rollercoaster the first two were. I felt Mr. Larson was struggling to deliver a promised finale. Yes, Dewey Decimal's world remains post-apocalyptic and yes, he is extraordinarily resilient and yes, again, though it was published in 2015 it resonates with the fear in today's headlines.
I will say Mr. Larson delivered a grown up ending.
It came and my resistance crumbled. I practically began reading it on the way back from the mailbox. Almost. But my enthusiasm soon paled. Perhaps it was too soon after episode two, perhaps it really is not the out of control rollercoaster the first two were. I felt Mr. Larson was struggling to deliver a promised finale. Yes, Dewey Decimal's world remains post-apocalyptic and yes, he is extraordinarily resilient and yes, again, though it was published in 2015 it resonates with the fear in today's headlines.
I will say Mr. Larson delivered a grown up ending.
December 26, 2017
Solid series set in dystopian New York. Larson’s version of NY is dynamic and interesting. The “hero” of the series has too many issues to list. I really liked how he was developed. Definitely recommend this series. Larson keeps the action intense until the very end. Well done.
February 25, 2017
Got bored, too much of the same thing over and over. But the last third of the book was good and I really like how it ended
November 21, 2019
NICE BOOK.
Want to Read
April 8, 2023to-read
June 2, 2015
THE IMMUNE SYSTEM is the third in the Dewey Decimal series by Nthan Larson. For those of you who've never read this series before, I have to warn ou there is cussing with a few racial slurs throughout the story. That being said, I enjoyed reading this story and although I'd never read the rest of the series, had no trouble following this one. The one thing I really didn't care for is the ending.
Dewey Decimal lives in a library spending his time cleaning books and restocking the shelves, in the hopes of returning things to normal in some small sense of the word. Along with this, to support his lifestyle, he takes a mission or two. For you see, Dewey Decimal has suffered loss form past adventures, yet he continues on without really knowing why. He just does. He is constantly takin ghis little pills, cleaning his hands with his beloved Purell and all the while trying to ignore the throbbing mass at the back of his head.
As Dewey accepts his latest assignment from the Senator, in the back of his mind he is wondering just how long he can keep his condition from his boss for he knows that the minute his usefulness ends, he is dead. The latest job is a relatively simple escort case and just a little too late Dewey realises he has been set up. He was never meant to reach his destination. With all his flaws, you find yourself hoping old Dewey will pull through just one more time.
One of the things I would have liked to see more of is Dr Kavan's story and how he fit into everything. How the two knew each other and just how deep their relationship was. Just how the doctor ended up where he was. More technical details with his job.
If you like science fiction you should definitely give this story a try. New York is changed in ways one finds easy to imagine today. ( )
Dewey Decimal lives in a library spending his time cleaning books and restocking the shelves, in the hopes of returning things to normal in some small sense of the word. Along with this, to support his lifestyle, he takes a mission or two. For you see, Dewey Decimal has suffered loss form past adventures, yet he continues on without really knowing why. He just does. He is constantly takin ghis little pills, cleaning his hands with his beloved Purell and all the while trying to ignore the throbbing mass at the back of his head.
As Dewey accepts his latest assignment from the Senator, in the back of his mind he is wondering just how long he can keep his condition from his boss for he knows that the minute his usefulness ends, he is dead. The latest job is a relatively simple escort case and just a little too late Dewey realises he has been set up. He was never meant to reach his destination. With all his flaws, you find yourself hoping old Dewey will pull through just one more time.
One of the things I would have liked to see more of is Dr Kavan's story and how he fit into everything. How the two knew each other and just how deep their relationship was. Just how the doctor ended up where he was. More technical details with his job.
If you like science fiction you should definitely give this story a try. New York is changed in ways one finds easy to imagine today. ( )
September 2, 2015
My first impression of the third installment of the Dewey Decimal series by Nathan Larson gives me a feel like the classic A Clockwork Orange. The main character Dewey is fighting a battle between being controlled and being independent. Larson's brilliant, inventive writing takes the reader on a wonderful adventure. Detective Dewey Decimal is a multi-dimensional character who is intriguing at first and then grows to be considered a hero with a heart. He is struggling to keep control of anything, such as his health and his library, during a time when the world, especially New York City is in chaos. I absolutely love Dewey's sentiment for books, literature, history and his desire for organization, as well as preservation.
It should be noted that this book speaks to a mature audience for language and violence. It has a slow start, but once you get used to the beautiful descriptive language to get to know the characters, hang on for the ride! The novel explores two mysteries at once - the past and present both rivaling for justice. I recommend this series and the ending was actually a complete surprise - which is rare.
It should be noted that this book speaks to a mature audience for language and violence. It has a slow start, but once you get used to the beautiful descriptive language to get to know the characters, hang on for the ride! The novel explores two mysteries at once - the past and present both rivaling for justice. I recommend this series and the ending was actually a complete surprise - which is rare.
June 3, 2015
A strong ending to the trilogy, filling in some of Dewey Decimal's backstory that he himself hadn't been able to remember. In all, the series provides a suitable noir hero for the 21st century, carrying on the traditions of Hammett's and Chandler's great detectives but with a modern feel and sensibility.
August 25, 2015
Satisfying conclusion to the series but a less satisfying stand-alone story than the other two books in the series.
April 16, 2016
Dystopian noir at its best.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews