Petya and the tooth-eating imps are dispatched to Arabasia: another land of lucre and new forms of corporate corruption. Under the directives of the new President, they are tasked to find Neon Essence, the most powerful resource known to humanity.
With new additions to the team and a gaping hole, Petya battles between pleasing his superiors and searching for the Naoma, who has been sold to a new entertainment company with hidden motives.
Will Petya and the Imps survive serving their master who hunts them as much as their enemies?
Conspiracies are spiraling. Ghosts are speaking. Corruption is creeping.
Me? Obsessed with this weird little bunch of imps? Why yes, thank you for noticing.
I don't even know where to start, maybe with the fact that this book is over 500 pages long, and I easily could have read 5000 more, because I haven't had enough of this world or its characters.
Every single page was a delight to read, from the action-filled ones, to Petya's introspective musings, and the (long awaited) conversations between him and Naoma.
I actually really like the direction their relationship took in this one, it shows that both of them are maturing in their own way, by taking things slow.
I hope Naoma will be in more scenes in the next book though, because I, like Petya, enjoy having her around.
We got someone new added to the fold, and I already love her to bits. Or should I say bites? Ba dum tss. Terrible joke, I know. But seriously, I can't imagine the team without Akna, it's like she's always been there.
The plot threw me for a loop, there were so many things that I wasn't expecting, slowly being revealed. Just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any stranger, it did.
All of those ending reveals too...suddenly, everything from before makes so much sense. I feel the need to reread the series with all the knowledge I have now.
Ok confession, after finishing I DID indeed go back to some scenes to reread them, and all I'm gonna say is that Love connected each and every thread meticulously.
As always, I loved the social commentary, and the subtle (sometimes purposely not so) real world references. I burst out laughing at the "small plush monster shaped like a rabid rabbit", my niece is OBSESSED with them, and has like, 15 different ones?
While reading I had the thought that this would appeal to fans of Kpop Demon Hunters (don't ask me why), and fans of The Grand Illusion series, completely different books, but trust me, if you like that, you'll like this.
Also, if you are a horror fan, you really gotta pick this series up. It's so wacky.
Lastly, I have to compliment the cover. All of Kaden's covers are beautifully drawn, but it's the symbolism of this one in particular that's making it my favourite (so far).
I can't wait to see where this series goes from here, I need book three preferably today.
*Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Chromatic Creep delivers on so many levels. The main character battles the juxtaposition of feeding the beast inside with the ethical conundrum of his circumstance. All the while dealing with interpersonal relationships, political schemes, capitalistic empires and global crisis. This is all packed within a cyberpunk world with tooth eating vampires. I can’t recommend this series enough.
With Chromatic Creep, Kaden has yet again shown that where the rest of our "weird" dials stop at ten, his goes to eleven. This book is an escalation of all the same themes that were in Toothsucker, although definitely amplified, but it's also a more mature work that sees Love slowing down to reflect on the humanity of his protagonists. What does it mean for them to have to kill to survive? Can their best intentions be worth it if the cost is measured in body count that grows daily? It's the physical embodiment of the quote "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism", and I loved it for that.
Chromatic Creep reads a bit like injecting adrenaline and taking a roller-coaster ride through a cybernetic haunted house built by a mad scientist. But these moments are offset well by the exploration of found family, the lived experience of finding love when you're damaged, and what it means to try and live morally in a fundamentally immoral world.
What I found most fun in Chromatic Creep is how far it leans into this satire of hyper-capitalism. It reminded me of scenes from Bioshock and Outer Worlds where the absurdity of rampant consumerism is turned up to such a level that the horror of it becomes even more clear. It's honestly terrible stuff that's kept enjoyable and light by the incessant juvenile humor, breakneck pacing, and dazzling weirdness of it all.
If you're a cyberpunk fan that loves a bit of weirdness and absurdity, or just a sci-fi fan that's looking for something certified fresh, Kaden's series doesn't disappoint.
His best work yet! Kaden Love brings us deeper into the political plots and intrigue of his world but this time on Arabasian soil! We have old faces and new friends joining the Imps and most importantly, he blasts us a boat load of revelations in this novel!
Somehow the attack on the warehouse of Teru was devastatingly saddening. On one side you have these young people fighting to right the wrongs of society but it was at the cost of their own morals and, as Petya kept repeating, their humanity. Also, the children! Those poor unfortunate souls (you’ll understand why when you get to that part and why my reference. Haha!) That place they had to close and that thing Petya saw gave me chills just because of how ingenious the entire setup was! I refuse to reveal any more details, despite my want to discuss this further, because I believe you all have to read it yourselves.
Kaden has become a master at what he does and this novel proves that he’s not only extremely creative but that he’s also thorough when it comes to research! The different levels of the Arabasian language tells you he delved into the finer points of different existing Asian languages. (This coming from being an Asian able to speak several Asian languages.)
I cannot wait to see what else he has to offer! (Although according to some sources, Beef2 makes a comeback in Book 3 and I don’t know how to feel about that! Haha!) Once again, kudos to you, Kaden Love!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Kaden Love continues to be one of the most unhinged, bonkers, and wildly (wildly somehow seems an understatement) imaginative authors I've read in the last few years. I do not know where this guy gets his ideas, but they are always way out there structurally, and I love it. I'm constantly in awe of the zigs he commits to when I'm certain he'll zag.
The pace and over-the-top cyberpunk frenetic energy that was so palpable is still very much present here, but with a better understanding of the world as a reader, Kaden takes bigger risks within the sandbox that definitely work. The pace and frenzy is a definite plus for me, but I would definitely understand if your mileage varies.
One of my only big complaints from the last book was the editing, or need for another pass, but rest assured, that problem is NOT present here. This thing is far more polished than Toothsucker.
This is a series I definitely recommend for all the freaks (imps) in my life. It's wild, man. Kudos Kaden
kaden love delivers yet again. i am not usually one for the cyber punk setting. but he pulled me in with toothsucker and i could not stop thinking about it. so i was beyond excited when there was a second book. it hooked me right from the get go. The levels within this book were amazing. i can honestly say that i am a forever supporter of kaden love! if you enjoy the depth and story telling of fantasy and the setting of cyberpunk i cannot recommend this book enough thank you so much for the arc opportunity!!
If you read the first Toothsucker book, then you'll know what to expect with Chromatic Creep. With Creep, Love leans even more into the bonkers/unhinged aspects of this incredibly unique world that he created, diving deeper into plot, story, characters and the political climate.
It is evident to me that Kaden Love is having so much fun writing these books. That infectious fun translates directly into the reader experience.
If you're not following this guy, what's wrong with you?
Chromatic Creep is full of action, mystery, and unexpected revelations. It’s a truly strange follow-up to Kaden Love’s Toothsucker, which made me reconsider what I thought I knew about the series. Read the full review on FanFiAddict.
I was quite literally getting whiplash from all the twists in this book. It takes book one and elevates to a new level. This was INSANE and incredible. keep em comin Kaden🙂↕️