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Ray Electromatic Mysteries #1.5
Standard Hollywood Depravity
The moment Raymond Electromatic set eyes on her, he knew she was the dame marked in his optics, the woman that his boss had warned him about.
Honey.
As the band shook the hair out of their British faces, stomping and strumming, the go-go dancer’s cage swung, and the events of that otherwise average night were set in motion. A shot, under the cover of darkness, a body bleeding out in a corner, and most of Los Angeles’ population of hired guns hulking, sour-faced over un-drunk whiskey sours at the bar.
But as Ray tries to track down the package he was dispatched to the club to retrieve, his own programming might be working against him, sending him down a long hall and straight into a mobster’s paradise. Is Honey still the goal—or was she merely bait for a bigger catch?
Just your standard bit of Hollywood depravity, as tracked by the memory tapes of a less-than-standard robot hitman.
Honey.
As the band shook the hair out of their British faces, stomping and strumming, the go-go dancer’s cage swung, and the events of that otherwise average night were set in motion. A shot, under the cover of darkness, a body bleeding out in a corner, and most of Los Angeles’ population of hired guns hulking, sour-faced over un-drunk whiskey sours at the bar.
But as Ray tries to track down the package he was dispatched to the club to retrieve, his own programming might be working against him, sending him down a long hall and straight into a mobster’s paradise. Is Honey still the goal—or was she merely bait for a bigger catch?
Just your standard bit of Hollywood depravity, as tracked by the memory tapes of a less-than-standard robot hitman.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2017
21 people are currently reading
811 people want to read
About the author
Adam Christopher
48 books706 followersAdam Christopher is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith and Master of Evil, Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town. He has also written official tie-in novels for the hit CBS television show Elementary and the award-winning Dishonored video game franchise.
Co-creator of the twenty-first-century incarnation of Archie Comics superhero The Shield, Adam has also written for the universes of Doctor Who and World of Warcraft, and is a contributor to the internationally bestselling Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View anniversary anthology series and the all-ages Star Wars Adventures comic.
Adam’s original novels include Made to Kill and The Burning Dark, among many others, and his debut novel Empire State was both a SciFi Now and Financial Times book of the year.
Co-creator of the twenty-first-century incarnation of Archie Comics superhero The Shield, Adam has also written for the universes of Doctor Who and World of Warcraft, and is a contributor to the internationally bestselling Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View anniversary anthology series and the all-ages Star Wars Adventures comic.
Adam’s original novels include Made to Kill and The Burning Dark, among many others, and his debut novel Empire State was both a SciFi Now and Financial Times book of the year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
March 24, 2017
Raymond Electromatic is the last robot in earth's alternate 1960's in Adam Christopher's place holder between novels. Beginning his lifecycle in book 1 "Made to Kill" as a PI, and now turned killer for hire in "Standard Hollywood Depravity".
The events in this installment pretty much take place in one evening on Hollywood's not quite mean streets and mostly in a bar filled with unsavory characters. Although British author Christopher gives it a good shot, he doesn't quite bring it off and seems to be stuck in describing and then re-describing the same thing over and over, ok we get it.
As in the first book there is an obligatory scene at the Hollywood sign, to better insure a feeling of place. And just dropping street names does not set the place properly.
I'm glad I read "Standard Hollywood Depravity" however I could not overly recommend the book to any suspense or detective reader without a certain amount of guilt.
The events in this installment pretty much take place in one evening on Hollywood's not quite mean streets and mostly in a bar filled with unsavory characters. Although British author Christopher gives it a good shot, he doesn't quite bring it off and seems to be stuck in describing and then re-describing the same thing over and over, ok we get it.
As in the first book there is an obligatory scene at the Hollywood sign, to better insure a feeling of place. And just dropping street names does not set the place properly.
I'm glad I read "Standard Hollywood Depravity" however I could not overly recommend the book to any suspense or detective reader without a certain amount of guilt.
March 26, 2017
"This seemed to be my lucky night for going undercover, which was something I rarely did on account of the fact that I was not only a robot but the last robot, which tended to make me stick out in a crowd just somewhat."Robot noir? Just those words and I'm already a fan. Raymond (get it?) is the last robot in Hollywood. Intended to replace the human police, general robophobia left Raymond a lone and lonely robot, his only friend the profit-obsessed supercomputer Ada, these day he makes his money as a hitman (hitrobot?): "Private detective by day. Private killer by night." Raymond's newest job is a dancer at a club--doesn't matter who or why she is wanted dead, just that someone is willing to pay for it. But when Raymond finds himself within a web of instincts, his detective instincts take over.
Christopher's noir pastiche is pretty perfect. Femme fatales and fast-talking gangsters abound. Fast-talking gangsters abound, and there's the standard noir sexism and proliferation of femme fatales, despite a near-but-not-quite-successful subversion of the trope.But what was most important to me was that he has the patter down perfectly. It's hilarious. Some of my favourites:
"I thought it all went rather well against my chassis , which was bronzed and the color of those sculptures by that guy who did sculptures in bronze."
"Being a hit man— hit robot—is an interesting business. It requires a certain level of what I like to call not being caught. There were ways to avoid that particular outcome and I liked to think I was pretty good at a few of them. I had several advantages in my favor. I didn’t leave fingerprints, for a start."Despite the comedy and all of the noir spoofiness, there are also some really interesting elements I'd love to see Christopher expand upon. Raymond has been reprogrammed--by Ada-- to be a hitman. As he puts it:
"A little adjustment and I was invited to the party. Which was also fine. Because I was programmed to think it was fine."His personal memory is constrained to a short tape reel that is overwritten when he returns to Ada, which reminded me a bit of Person of Interest. And how did Ada become the ultimate evil scheming femme fatale in the first place? I'd love to better understand her background and how she interacts with her clients.
Overall, it's a great little novella, and I'm looking forward to another adventure with Raymond the Robot. The plotting is tight, the story moves fast, and the ending manages to be both somewhat ambiguous and, to me at least, entirely unexpected, which was fun. If you're looking for a short punch of scifi noir, Standard Hollywood Depravity is well worth a look.
I received this ebook through Netgalley from the publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, in exchange for my honest review. Quotes were taken from an advanced reader copy and while they may not reflect the final phrasing, I believe they speak to the novel as a whole.
~~Cross-posted on BookLikes.~~
January 22, 2021
This is a "in fill" novella based in the pastiche world of Ray Electromatic a homage to the world of Raymond Chandler if he wrote science fiction (now that is a whole story in its own right).
According to the authors notes these books were intended to be a trilogy however you also have a Tor original story which gives you Ray's back story and this a standalone novella which fits in between books 1 and 2 (the 1.5 does sort of give that away).
So why the mediocre rating well I think for me this book felt a little too much style over substance - while the others I have read move the story along and where an interesting story in their own right this one relied I felt a little too much on the dialogue - especially that going on within Ray's head (interesting concept for the last Robot on earth).
This certainly allowed for the exploration of some suitably atmospheric one liners however it did feel at times like the scene was set specifically for a line (rather than you would have hoped the other way around).
Now there are 2 other books in the series I wonder how they will measure up as I am sure their place in the original trilogy will redeem themselves.
According to the authors notes these books were intended to be a trilogy however you also have a Tor original story which gives you Ray's back story and this a standalone novella which fits in between books 1 and 2 (the 1.5 does sort of give that away).
So why the mediocre rating well I think for me this book felt a little too much style over substance - while the others I have read move the story along and where an interesting story in their own right this one relied I felt a little too much on the dialogue - especially that going on within Ray's head (interesting concept for the last Robot on earth).
This certainly allowed for the exploration of some suitably atmospheric one liners however it did feel at times like the scene was set specifically for a line (rather than you would have hoped the other way around).
Now there are 2 other books in the series I wonder how they will measure up as I am sure their place in the original trilogy will redeem themselves.
April 12, 2017
Received to review via Netgalley, publication date 7th March 2017
Just like Made to Kill and Brisk Money, this is an entertaining story — imagine Chandler’s noir detectives, that kind of world, but add in one robot detective-become-assassin and his profit-orientated handler (actually a computer). It’s full of references and hat-tips to Chandler’s era, and though it doesn’t have Chandler’s flair with words (few people do), it’s well written and goes down easy. It’s also reasonably clear of sexism, racism, and Chandler’s other such vices.
This story in particular involves Raymond getting tangled up in the antics of various criminal cartels, and all that sort of thing implies. Bullets and assumptions fly, garnering a possibility of some grudges being held against Raymond and Ada, his handler — and we end the story with Ada and Raymond in a pretty good position. All ready for the next novel, since this is marked as 1.5 in the series on Goodreads?
In any case, this is readable whether or not you’ve read Made to Kill and the short story Brisk Money, but it is worth reading those for extra background and a better understanding of Raymond, his capabilities, and his limitations. The ARC version I read bundled in Brisk Money, so you could comfortable skip to that and read it first before going back to read Standard Hollywood Depravity.
Meanwhile, I never seem to have reviewed Brisk Money itself, and the release of this novella seems like a prime opportunity to do so — so watch out for that review coming sometime soon as well.
Originally reviewed here.
Just like Made to Kill and Brisk Money, this is an entertaining story — imagine Chandler’s noir detectives, that kind of world, but add in one robot detective-become-assassin and his profit-orientated handler (actually a computer). It’s full of references and hat-tips to Chandler’s era, and though it doesn’t have Chandler’s flair with words (few people do), it’s well written and goes down easy. It’s also reasonably clear of sexism, racism, and Chandler’s other such vices.
This story in particular involves Raymond getting tangled up in the antics of various criminal cartels, and all that sort of thing implies. Bullets and assumptions fly, garnering a possibility of some grudges being held against Raymond and Ada, his handler — and we end the story with Ada and Raymond in a pretty good position. All ready for the next novel, since this is marked as 1.5 in the series on Goodreads?
In any case, this is readable whether or not you’ve read Made to Kill and the short story Brisk Money, but it is worth reading those for extra background and a better understanding of Raymond, his capabilities, and his limitations. The ARC version I read bundled in Brisk Money, so you could comfortable skip to that and read it first before going back to read Standard Hollywood Depravity.
Meanwhile, I never seem to have reviewed Brisk Money itself, and the release of this novella seems like a prime opportunity to do so — so watch out for that review coming sometime soon as well.
Originally reviewed here.
February 27, 2017
A slight caper for the Electromatic Detective, but worth a read as in-betweenquels go. VERY glad Roberts didn't pull a Kiss Me Deadly with that suitcase.
December 30, 2018
Standard Hollywood Depravity reads well as both a standalone and introduction to the last robot detective (or hired killer as is the case here) while also linking in nicely with the other books. For readers familiar with Ray and Ada, there's a fair amount of repetition as author Adam Christopher fills in the blanks of Ray and Ada's back-story and some of the unique elements that make Ray the robot that he is - i.e. his limited memory, former occupation, and working arrangements with Ada (the supercomputer who assigns his cases).
The story is pretty straightforward, Ray is hired to take down Honey, a go-go dancer at a club full of mobsters. Why? He doesn't know, but that's nothing new for Ray. As the story unfolds Ray learns that there's more to this job than meets the eye and the simple hit on Honey is anything but. It's a nice side-bar to the series' full lengths and adds another notch to Ray's belt.
My rating: 3.5/5 stars.
First reviewed on my blog: http://justaguywholikes2read.blogspot...
The story is pretty straightforward, Ray is hired to take down Honey, a go-go dancer at a club full of mobsters. Why? He doesn't know, but that's nothing new for Ray. As the story unfolds Ray learns that there's more to this job than meets the eye and the simple hit on Honey is anything but. It's a nice side-bar to the series' full lengths and adds another notch to Ray's belt.
My rating: 3.5/5 stars.
First reviewed on my blog: http://justaguywholikes2read.blogspot...
November 1, 2017
Standard Hollywood Depravity is a book of two shorter novellas that go along with the LA trilogy of noir robot detective novels. If you’ve read any of the series - the third novel comes out next year - then you know Raymond is the last robot on earth. He works with supercomputer Ada as a robot hitman in a world of go-go dancers, hoods, guns, and money. He also has a limited memory tape that is wiped out every 24 hours so each day is all brand new for him. It’s sort of tongue-in-cheek when the metal man thinks he can go undercover but these stories are lots of fun, filled with the proper noir attitude, etc. even though the ultimate resolution is not entirely satisfying. Most of all, it’s great fun.
October 12, 2020
I loved the first book in this series and always meant to check back in with it but here we are, five years after I read the original and I'm just now reading the follow-up: "Standard Hollywood Depravity." I know, I know, but give me a break! There's a lot of books to read out there!
SHD is a super quick read. It's a novella in fact. We once again follow the adventures of Ray Electromatic, the world's last robot, who used to be a detective by day and assassin by night and now mostly seems to be just an assassin. Ada, the computer that forces him to do these killings, erases his memory every night. But she can't seem to erase his natural curiosity and some snippets of memories he thinks he retains from his dead creator.
In SHD, he's dispatched to a club to kill a Go Go dancer and (predictably) things go a little sideways. Ray gets roped into a mob land auction and a band of mop top mercenaries. Adam Christopher packs an awful lot of fun in just a few short pages. A high recommend.
SHD is a super quick read. It's a novella in fact. We once again follow the adventures of Ray Electromatic, the world's last robot, who used to be a detective by day and assassin by night and now mostly seems to be just an assassin. Ada, the computer that forces him to do these killings, erases his memory every night. But she can't seem to erase his natural curiosity and some snippets of memories he thinks he retains from his dead creator.
In SHD, he's dispatched to a club to kill a Go Go dancer and (predictably) things go a little sideways. Ray gets roped into a mob land auction and a band of mop top mercenaries. Adam Christopher packs an awful lot of fun in just a few short pages. A high recommend.
December 10, 2017
Enjoyable. I liked the premise more than this particular storyline.
Imagine robots being created in the '40s and eventually phased out of use, ending up as PIs or hit men. Finally, by the '60s there's only 1 (or 2) left with very '40s noir sensibilities. Such is Raymond, a robot PI turned hitman who only has 24hours worth of memory. He has a sassy noir relationship with Ada, a supercomputer who manages him, but he wonders what she's hiding from him. He spends a crazy amount of time in the LA underworld wandering into a strange auction and deciding what to do as he goes along.
Oh, and the author seems to be obsessed with similes. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.
I'd consider reading another--I'd like to see Ray vs. Ada rather than the simple noir plot--but there's no hurry.
Imagine robots being created in the '40s and eventually phased out of use, ending up as PIs or hit men. Finally, by the '60s there's only 1 (or 2) left with very '40s noir sensibilities. Such is Raymond, a robot PI turned hitman who only has 24hours worth of memory. He has a sassy noir relationship with Ada, a supercomputer who manages him, but he wonders what she's hiding from him. He spends a crazy amount of time in the LA underworld wandering into a strange auction and deciding what to do as he goes along.
Oh, and the author seems to be obsessed with similes. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.
I'd consider reading another--I'd like to see Ray vs. Ada rather than the simple noir plot--but there's no hurry.
October 28, 2025
Sometimes you just want to read something fun and short. This novella was a real treat! I don't remember where or when I got it, but I'm glad I picked it up. Such an interesting character to follow, a robot P.I., and a great story. Full of gangsters, a dame who isn't as she appears, and a heist. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
November 30, 2017
A light read. Detective Noir with a robot out of place. Ye olde school electronics were fun. The story was a little pointless and disjointed.
March 23, 2019
In the name of Black Mask! Finally I'm through with Raymond Electromagnetic!
Believe me, the corny dialogues, and overexerted set-up had started getting on my nerves. So much so, that the mildly interesting mystery also appeared hackneyed.
Anybody! Please give me Hammett, Chandler, Macdonald, even Parker anytime, anywhere, over this.
Believe me, the corny dialogues, and overexerted set-up had started getting on my nerves. So much so, that the mildly interesting mystery also appeared hackneyed.
Anybody! Please give me Hammett, Chandler, Macdonald, even Parker anytime, anywhere, over this.
November 3, 2018
Review originally published on my blog: https://literaryportals.blogspot.com/...
What Made Me Read It
It's the second novelette in the "Ray Electromatic Mysteries" series, about a robot private-eye-turned-hit man in the 1960's Hollywood. After the events of book 1 ("Made to Kill"), Ray's short memory problem seems to have been solved so I'm curious to see how the author will play with that.
The Plot
Raymond Electromatic is the last working robot in 1960's Hollywood, after the US government scrapped the robotic labor program. He was initially programmed to be a private detective but when his handler, the profit-thirsty supercomputer Ada, realized the real money was in the killing business, Raymond changed occupations. Now he's a hit man for hire. His latest job - to kill a go-go dancer named Honey.
Raymond doesn't care who Honey is or why someone wants her dead. It's just another paying job, one he's very good at. And with only 24hours worth of memory those details are made irrelevant anyway. But when that simple job gets complicated by the presence of gangsters from every single cartel in town, Raymond can't resist putting his old detective skills to good use.
The Good
"Standard Hollywood Depravity" is the second novelette in the "Ray Electromatic Mysteries" series (including a trilogy of novels and 2 novelettes), set between book 1 ("Made to Kill") and book 2 ("Killing is my business") of the trilogy. My copy includes the first novelette "Brisk Money" and if that is also your case, I suggest you start with "Brisk Money" before reading "Standard Hollywood Depravity", since it introduces the main characters Raymond and Ada in greater detail, explaining how and why Ray changed careers from private eye to private killer. Still, each novelette stands well on its own so you don't need to read the previous books for background knowledge on the characters, the author recaps enough of the essential details in each volume of this series.
"Standard Hollywood Depravity" is a first person telling of Raymond Electromatic’s assignment to take out his target, on a nightclub that is filling up with rival gangsters from all over the country. This second novelette takes place over the course of a single night, the pacing is fast but the story has enough mystery, intrigue and danger to keep us engrossed despite its short length. The author does a good job in capturing the noir atmospheric mood with all the expected clichés - femme fatale, gangsters and crime bosses, trench coats and fedoras - and plenty of witty humor from the main character Raymond - an emotionless robot set out to do a job but with enough human curiosity to investigate a secret auction that gets in the way of completing his mission.
The Not So Good
Raymond seemed to have solved his short memory problem by the end of book 1 ("Made to Kill") but in this novelette he's back to square one, having to download his daily events to big external reel tapes and wipe clean his own smaller unit, starting each day renewed with no memories before his 6 o'clock wake up call.
Either that is one gigantic plot hole meant to keep the character's unique limitations throughout the whole series, or it's a clue to the mystery surrounding Ada, the supercomputer AI who handles Raymond. She does seem to have a personal hidden agenda (besides making a profit) that doesn't involve Raymond becoming an independent agent, and Ray himself is growing more and more suspicious of Ada, even without his memories to back up his instinct, so hopefully this particular mystery will be solved in the remaining novels.
Final Rating
4 of 5 stars
"Standard Hollywood Depravity" is a fun and gripping novelette with a mix of noir mystery and classic sci-fi. Recommended for those who enjoy hard-boiled genre and classic robot stories.
What Made Me Read It
It's the second novelette in the "Ray Electromatic Mysteries" series, about a robot private-eye-turned-hit man in the 1960's Hollywood. After the events of book 1 ("Made to Kill"), Ray's short memory problem seems to have been solved so I'm curious to see how the author will play with that.
The Plot
Raymond Electromatic is the last working robot in 1960's Hollywood, after the US government scrapped the robotic labor program. He was initially programmed to be a private detective but when his handler, the profit-thirsty supercomputer Ada, realized the real money was in the killing business, Raymond changed occupations. Now he's a hit man for hire. His latest job - to kill a go-go dancer named Honey.
Raymond doesn't care who Honey is or why someone wants her dead. It's just another paying job, one he's very good at. And with only 24hours worth of memory those details are made irrelevant anyway. But when that simple job gets complicated by the presence of gangsters from every single cartel in town, Raymond can't resist putting his old detective skills to good use.
The Good
"Standard Hollywood Depravity" is the second novelette in the "Ray Electromatic Mysteries" series (including a trilogy of novels and 2 novelettes), set between book 1 ("Made to Kill") and book 2 ("Killing is my business") of the trilogy. My copy includes the first novelette "Brisk Money" and if that is also your case, I suggest you start with "Brisk Money" before reading "Standard Hollywood Depravity", since it introduces the main characters Raymond and Ada in greater detail, explaining how and why Ray changed careers from private eye to private killer. Still, each novelette stands well on its own so you don't need to read the previous books for background knowledge on the characters, the author recaps enough of the essential details in each volume of this series.
"Standard Hollywood Depravity" is a first person telling of Raymond Electromatic’s assignment to take out his target, on a nightclub that is filling up with rival gangsters from all over the country. This second novelette takes place over the course of a single night, the pacing is fast but the story has enough mystery, intrigue and danger to keep us engrossed despite its short length. The author does a good job in capturing the noir atmospheric mood with all the expected clichés - femme fatale, gangsters and crime bosses, trench coats and fedoras - and plenty of witty humor from the main character Raymond - an emotionless robot set out to do a job but with enough human curiosity to investigate a secret auction that gets in the way of completing his mission.
The Not So Good
Raymond seemed to have solved his short memory problem by the end of book 1 ("Made to Kill") but in this novelette he's back to square one, having to download his daily events to big external reel tapes and wipe clean his own smaller unit, starting each day renewed with no memories before his 6 o'clock wake up call.
Either that is one gigantic plot hole meant to keep the character's unique limitations throughout the whole series, or it's a clue to the mystery surrounding Ada, the supercomputer AI who handles Raymond. She does seem to have a personal hidden agenda (besides making a profit) that doesn't involve Raymond becoming an independent agent, and Ray himself is growing more and more suspicious of Ada, even without his memories to back up his instinct, so hopefully this particular mystery will be solved in the remaining novels.
Final Rating
4 of 5 stars
"Standard Hollywood Depravity" is a fun and gripping novelette with a mix of noir mystery and classic sci-fi. Recommended for those who enjoy hard-boiled genre and classic robot stories.
August 23, 2017
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
While I wasn't thrilled with author Adam Christopher's book Hang Wire, I'm having a blast with his tongue-in-cheek mystery/detective series 'Ray Electromatic Mysteries.'
Raymond Electromatic is a robot. He's the last of his kind ... a programmed assassin created by the U.S. government. But the program is what got killed and Ray is the only survivor. He masquerades as a private detective, doing odd P.I. jobs in between assassinations. He's got a twenty-four hour memory tape limit, but he works with a room-sized computer named Ada who is connected to him wirelessly, often offering unwanted advice, and on occasion just a little bit pout-y (he can move around and she's stuck in the office).
In this novella, Standard Hollywood Depravity, Ray is hired to put a hit on Honey ... a go-go dancer in a Hollywood club. Ray's a robot and he doesn't have any feelings about this one way or the other, and he certainly shouldn't ever be questioning his directives, but when the club is filling up with gangsters serving different bosses from all around town, the hit becomes much harder and Ray can't help but wonder if Honey is truly the target.
Ray and Ada have a busy night, full of danger and intrigue.
Christopher does a really splendid job of capturing the noir mystery mood. The story feels like it's set in the 1950's but with a robot and wireless connectivity available. And the guest characters and setting (such as a Hollywood club, complete with coat-check station) keep us in the noir-mystery mode.
I don't always believe in the locations that Christopher describes, but there's just the right balance between the characters, the mystery, and the humor, with the characters driving the story (which I prefer) that I don't mind walking through a back alley or a visit to the Hollywood sign that doesn't quite feel right.
This series is proving to be a lot of fun and I look forward to the next adventure (already on my Kindle).
Looking for a good book? Mix a little sci-fi, with some hard-boiled noir mystery, add a jigger of fun and you get Adam Christopher's Standard Hollywood Depravity.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
While I wasn't thrilled with author Adam Christopher's book Hang Wire, I'm having a blast with his tongue-in-cheek mystery/detective series 'Ray Electromatic Mysteries.'
Raymond Electromatic is a robot. He's the last of his kind ... a programmed assassin created by the U.S. government. But the program is what got killed and Ray is the only survivor. He masquerades as a private detective, doing odd P.I. jobs in between assassinations. He's got a twenty-four hour memory tape limit, but he works with a room-sized computer named Ada who is connected to him wirelessly, often offering unwanted advice, and on occasion just a little bit pout-y (he can move around and she's stuck in the office).
In this novella, Standard Hollywood Depravity, Ray is hired to put a hit on Honey ... a go-go dancer in a Hollywood club. Ray's a robot and he doesn't have any feelings about this one way or the other, and he certainly shouldn't ever be questioning his directives, but when the club is filling up with gangsters serving different bosses from all around town, the hit becomes much harder and Ray can't help but wonder if Honey is truly the target.
Ray and Ada have a busy night, full of danger and intrigue.
Christopher does a really splendid job of capturing the noir mystery mood. The story feels like it's set in the 1950's but with a robot and wireless connectivity available. And the guest characters and setting (such as a Hollywood club, complete with coat-check station) keep us in the noir-mystery mode.
I don't always believe in the locations that Christopher describes, but there's just the right balance between the characters, the mystery, and the humor, with the characters driving the story (which I prefer) that I don't mind walking through a back alley or a visit to the Hollywood sign that doesn't quite feel right.
This series is proving to be a lot of fun and I look forward to the next adventure (already on my Kindle).
Looking for a good book? Mix a little sci-fi, with some hard-boiled noir mystery, add a jigger of fun and you get Adam Christopher's Standard Hollywood Depravity.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2018
A novella and part of the Ray Electromatic Mysteries, a short series of three novels and two novellas. It's 1960s L.A. and Ray, the last of the robots, is on the job. Ray was made to be a law enforcement robot but then the government stopped the robot program because people didn't like them, particularly voters, they didn't like robots much at all, so Ray became a private detective, you know, L.A. In the late 50s where a PI could find a home but Ray wasn't much good as a PI so he did the next best thing which was to kill people for money. Ray's conscience doesn't bother him because , first, being a robot and all he doesn't have a conscience and second, his memory banks are only good for twenty-four hours making each day a new day. Author Christopher knows his noir and placing Ray in the Marlowe/Archer role is wickedly clever. The reverse Groundhog effect increases the humor.
August 6, 2017
I'm enjoying this series, and I think it does a better job of being a sort of tribute to Raymond Chandler than others who have tried. Although he's a robot, Ray is conflicted, torn between his curiosity, which tends to make him want to return to his detective programming, and his current programming as a hitman. And how perfect is it to have a hitman that wipes his memory every 24 hours. I think that is the main focus for this novella, as the plot here is not at all complex. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, but I won't give it away here.
February 8, 2018
Raymond Electromatic is the last robot in a world of humans. We find him in little dive bar in West Hollywood sitting among shady characters with the brims of their fedoras pulled low as they watch the Go-go dancers move to the beat of the British band. But Ray's not there for the music, the dancing, or the booze. He's there to kill someone.
I liked this quick novella in the Raymond Electromatic series (# 1.5), just not quite as much as the others. Looking forward to the third novel in the trilogy this spring.
I liked this quick novella in the Raymond Electromatic series (# 1.5), just not quite as much as the others. Looking forward to the third novel in the trilogy this spring.
March 7, 2018
As much as I liked Made to Kill, Standard Hollywood Depravity is a refreshingly interesting take. It works better as a prequel than it does as a sequel, though. The whole point of the end of the previous story was to eliminate the silly 24 hour memory MacGuffin, which has been returned as a plot point in this book with hints as to why, but no real explanation. That being said, the story is tight and works well given what is going on. A paid killer, a gathering of mobsters, a mysterious auction, and so much crime you are swimming in Hollywood's filth? Yeah, it's title says it all.
January 5, 2023
More of a novella than a book. If you enjoy the hard boiled detective stories, with a twist, the Ray Electromatic Mysteries is a series to read. This is the next one in the series and Adam Christopher does a great job of continuing the story, keeping on par with the previous entries. Even though this is a novella, you still get great character development and an interesting case to be resolved. In addition it has enough twists to keep you guessing on the outcome. A quick read as well, if you don't have time for a full story.
October 9, 2017
A later Chandler novel with a robot included. A decent, short read, but I'd recommend mainlining the real deal, either Chandler's The Big Sleep or Hammet's The Glass Key.
June 25, 2017
This was a Goodreads Giveaway ...2.5 stars. It was a short and entertaining read with a specific style that was well-written but not my favourite type of style. The rating was solely based on the fact that it was not the type of book that I typically enjoy reading. It did make me feel like I was in another time and place though - which was good!
March 18, 2021
This probably doesn't speak very highly of the series, but it shouldn't be taken that way... However, the truth is that I have enjoyed the short stories, this one and 'Brisk Money', more than the first main novel 'Made to Kill'. Both of these novellas have excellent plots. And this one in particular has such an odd twist that I don't think anyone will see it approaching.
May 26, 2017
Retro robot noir? Yup. Fun characters and inventive world building are Adam Christopher's m.o. Not as deep as some of his other series, but just as fun. Sometimes the femme fatale is just a voice in a robot detective's head.
July 30, 2017
I am definitely here for anything about robot detectives, and I liked the noir style but I had the feeling a few times that I shouldn't have picked this up without first going to the effort of acquiring the first book in the series.
September 1, 2017
Nice, fast pace to the story. Once again, the conclusion just...happened. I've enjoyed all three adventures (which is why four stars) but the endings always seem abrupt, the outcomes undeserved. But maybe that's just me.
July 17, 2018
This is the most recent of the Ray Electromatic Mysteries. It was OK, but there really wasn't much plot development, and there were very few good characters. If you've read the others, then you should read this one, but it was a bit of a disappointment.
March 14, 2017
2.5/5.0
May 15, 2017
I love any Ray Electromatic story.
July 28, 2017
Christopher's style and wit is always fun. Great addition to the series.
November 29, 2017
A little too heavy on the "noir"
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