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Disgraced ex-cop Rocket Malone makes a living collecting the memories of the rich. How does he do it? Simple. He cracks open their skulls and yanks out the implanted hardware. It pays the bills. At least, it would if he wasn't swimming in gambling debts.
Called to the scene of a grisly murder, Rocket runs into a small problem. His client's head is missing, along with the memories it contains. A beautiful woman, a mysterious foreigner, and an eccentric billionaire all believe Rocket can find the missing memories, and each is willing to pay dearly for the information.
Finding this dead man's memories just might be the solution to Rocket's problems.
And if Rocket can't find the missing head in time? The people who've hired him aren't the sort who take "no" for an answer.
Called to the scene of a grisly murder, Rocket runs into a small problem. His client's head is missing, along with the memories it contains. A beautiful woman, a mysterious foreigner, and an eccentric billionaire all believe Rocket can find the missing memories, and each is willing to pay dearly for the information.
Finding this dead man's memories just might be the solution to Rocket's problems.
And if Rocket can't find the missing head in time? The people who've hired him aren't the sort who take "no" for an answer.
- GenresScience FictionMystery
203 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2015
12 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 1, 2015
I’d be the first to admit that I do not have the best track record with books that merge sub-genres, but hallelujah, saints be praised, I have been converted. Oh Yes. With the serendipity that arises from random contacts made through social media, Shawn Kobb appeared on my radar, and jolly glad I am too…
Herein lies a seamless blending of hard-boiled crime, absolutely channelling the spirit of Raymond Carver, playing perfectly alongside a distinctly futuristic and disturbing vision of the sinister world of memory mining from implanted chips. As you can see from the synopsis, our erstwhile hero Steven ‘Rocket’ Malone has his work cut out, reuniting an errant head with a body, evading gambling-debt collectors, trying to resist the charms of a femme fatale and -oh- trying not to get killed or swindled by the nefarious individuals also seeking the contents of said missing head, in downtown Washington DC. Yes, as a plot its a little outlandish, a little quirky, and at times very strange indeed, but do you know what? It works. I thought the storyline was great- tightly written, well-structured and totally entertaining, with its pastiche of the gumshoe era, the hardboiled, spare dialogue, and the little clever nuances of the plot which made this a real read in one night book. Also there was a wonderful feeling that perhaps in part to its overall strangeness you really had not a clue how, and if, it would resolve itself at the end. It was twisty and surprising, with a great sense of the author genuinely enjoying the whole creative process of the book, and taking his readers on a bit of a day trip to Oddityville. Great.
It’s funny and violent in equal measure with a colourful cast of characters, all pulling at, and trying to manipulate Malone this way and that, as he tries to feather his own nest, and keep his own head intact. He’s a really well-formed character, exuding a mix of roguish charm and street smarts, with a nifty line in caustic humour. I loved the interplay between him and Tony Lee, the resident nerd at Infinity Corp, the malevolent Attila The Hun and his henchman Ladykiller Lou, and his seemingly utter powerlessness in the rarefied air of Selene Belle- the resident femme fatale. Not to mention the unerring antagonism between Malone and the local law enforcement, due to his previously chequered career in the police force. Malone is not a popular chap, but makes for a brilliant protagonist, by turns bruised, abused, but never broken, and bolstered by an entertaining and amusing cast of ne-er-do-wells all the way.
Having recently had a gruelling repetition of grief and angst in my last few reads, this was an absolute tonic. Smart, sassy and entertaining, Shawn Kobb is one to watch. An excellent book, that I very much hope will develop into a series. A return for Rocket please.
Herein lies a seamless blending of hard-boiled crime, absolutely channelling the spirit of Raymond Carver, playing perfectly alongside a distinctly futuristic and disturbing vision of the sinister world of memory mining from implanted chips. As you can see from the synopsis, our erstwhile hero Steven ‘Rocket’ Malone has his work cut out, reuniting an errant head with a body, evading gambling-debt collectors, trying to resist the charms of a femme fatale and -oh- trying not to get killed or swindled by the nefarious individuals also seeking the contents of said missing head, in downtown Washington DC. Yes, as a plot its a little outlandish, a little quirky, and at times very strange indeed, but do you know what? It works. I thought the storyline was great- tightly written, well-structured and totally entertaining, with its pastiche of the gumshoe era, the hardboiled, spare dialogue, and the little clever nuances of the plot which made this a real read in one night book. Also there was a wonderful feeling that perhaps in part to its overall strangeness you really had not a clue how, and if, it would resolve itself at the end. It was twisty and surprising, with a great sense of the author genuinely enjoying the whole creative process of the book, and taking his readers on a bit of a day trip to Oddityville. Great.
It’s funny and violent in equal measure with a colourful cast of characters, all pulling at, and trying to manipulate Malone this way and that, as he tries to feather his own nest, and keep his own head intact. He’s a really well-formed character, exuding a mix of roguish charm and street smarts, with a nifty line in caustic humour. I loved the interplay between him and Tony Lee, the resident nerd at Infinity Corp, the malevolent Attila The Hun and his henchman Ladykiller Lou, and his seemingly utter powerlessness in the rarefied air of Selene Belle- the resident femme fatale. Not to mention the unerring antagonism between Malone and the local law enforcement, due to his previously chequered career in the police force. Malone is not a popular chap, but makes for a brilliant protagonist, by turns bruised, abused, but never broken, and bolstered by an entertaining and amusing cast of ne-er-do-wells all the way.
Having recently had a gruelling repetition of grief and angst in my last few reads, this was an absolute tonic. Smart, sassy and entertaining, Shawn Kobb is one to watch. An excellent book, that I very much hope will develop into a series. A return for Rocket please.
April 3, 2018
I received this Kindle edition through a Goodreads giveaway.
A lot of action in just 197 pages. Rocket Malone was not a "good" cop and left the force in disgrace after he was discovered shaking down petty criminals to support his gambling habits. His current job is collecting electronic thought-and-image recorders from the brains of clients of his employer, Infinity Corporation. It pays well enough but Rocket is still in hock to a loan shark. When called by the police to the scene of a double homicide with both victims having Infinity tattoos, Rocket discovers one is missing a head. It seems this particular head, with the information it contains, is in high demand. Rocket will either profit from finding it or die trying.
A lot of action in just 197 pages. Rocket Malone was not a "good" cop and left the force in disgrace after he was discovered shaking down petty criminals to support his gambling habits. His current job is collecting electronic thought-and-image recorders from the brains of clients of his employer, Infinity Corporation. It pays well enough but Rocket is still in hock to a loan shark. When called by the police to the scene of a double homicide with both victims having Infinity tattoos, Rocket discovers one is missing a head. It seems this particular head, with the information it contains, is in high demand. Rocket will either profit from finding it or die trying.
February 11, 2016
Old school film noir-stye detective work mixed with a vision of the future state of our society, with more than a dash of humor and self-depreciation... This book had me from the start!
March 16, 2016
Good read
Set in near future, some good twists. Probably would have liked more had I started from beginning of series. Enjoyed
Set in near future, some good twists. Probably would have liked more had I started from beginning of series. Enjoyed
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews