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Moreau #1
Forests of the Night
Set in Cleveland 100 years in the future, this debut novel is the story of Nohar Rajasthan, Private Eye, who's a moreau--descended from genetically manipulated tiger stock. When Nohar is hired by a being illegally created from human stock to look into a murder, he finds himself caught up in a conspiracy of awesome proportions.
284 pages, Paperback
First published July 22, 1993
6 people are currently reading
378 people want to read
About the author
S. Andrew Swann
39 books118 followersS. Andrew Swann is the primary pseudonym of Steven Swiniarski, who also writes as S.A. Swiniarski, Steven Krane, and S.A. Swann.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 30, 2022
Delightful and fun read by Swann, which introduces us to the 'Moreau' universe. Forests of the Night is set about mid 21st century in Cleveland and our main protagonist is a huge genengineered tiger 'moreau' or 'morey' who works as a private detective. About 30 years or so ago before the story takes place, humanity had been experimenting with genetics, both humans and animals. 'Moreys' were created as hominid soldiers by various nations (tigers were Indian special force members) in what became known as the pan-Asian war, which pitted India and its ally Japan against China and other nations. Many 'Moreys' were also created for various Latin American conflicts as well. The species involved were many and the better engineered ones are even fertile and can procreate.
Flash forward a few decades and millions of moreys live in the USA, largely in ghettos. The 29th amendment gave them rights like humans, but they are marginalized, especially after an uprising a decade or so ago. Base humans, or 'pinks' in the morey's derogatory slang, mistrust them and there are many in congress who are pushing to have them deported and/or sterilized. Our lead, Nohar, lives in 'Moreytown', a ghetto just outside Cleveland, and works as a P.I., only accepting morey cases. One day when his is just about broke he gets an offer that is hard to refuse, but unfortunately, it concerns the murder of a 'pink'. His employer whats to find out who killed him, but most importantly, if the killer worked for his employer's firm. He takes the case, but things start going pear shaped right away.
Forests of the Night has a whiff of cyberpunk about it and a gritty feel that reminded me of Mike McQuay's excellent Mathew Swain seriesThe Deadliest Show in Town, which also features a hard-boiled detective in a future dystopia. The various species of moreys are great and well thought out for sure. There are also the human genetic experiments (called 'franks', short for Frankensteins) who if possible are even more marginalized that moreys. Amazingly enough, this does not have much of a dated feel to it, except perhaps the geopolitics (remember in the 90s when Japan was going to be the next superpower?). Fun read and I am looking forward to the sequels. 4 roaring stars!!
Flash forward a few decades and millions of moreys live in the USA, largely in ghettos. The 29th amendment gave them rights like humans, but they are marginalized, especially after an uprising a decade or so ago. Base humans, or 'pinks' in the morey's derogatory slang, mistrust them and there are many in congress who are pushing to have them deported and/or sterilized. Our lead, Nohar, lives in 'Moreytown', a ghetto just outside Cleveland, and works as a P.I., only accepting morey cases. One day when his is just about broke he gets an offer that is hard to refuse, but unfortunately, it concerns the murder of a 'pink'. His employer whats to find out who killed him, but most importantly, if the killer worked for his employer's firm. He takes the case, but things start going pear shaped right away.
Forests of the Night has a whiff of cyberpunk about it and a gritty feel that reminded me of Mike McQuay's excellent Mathew Swain seriesThe Deadliest Show in Town, which also features a hard-boiled detective in a future dystopia. The various species of moreys are great and well thought out for sure. There are also the human genetic experiments (called 'franks', short for Frankensteins) who if possible are even more marginalized that moreys. Amazingly enough, this does not have much of a dated feel to it, except perhaps the geopolitics (remember in the 90s when Japan was going to be the next superpower?). Fun read and I am looking forward to the sequels. 4 roaring stars!!
May 6, 2020
Мрачно бъдеще, в което половин Азия е изпепелена, животни ходят изправени на два крака и говорят като хора, а един тигър разследва убийството на крайнодесен екстремист по поръчка на мистериозен киборг.
Какво има човек да не хареса на такава книга? Колкото по-шантаво, толкова по-яко!
Подробно ревю на линка:
https://citadelata.com/forests-of-the...
Great book for adult furry fans, ideal for readers of authors like Simon R. Green - weird, smart and wonderful.
Какво има човек да не хареса на такава книга? Колкото по-шантаво, толкова по-яко!
Подробно ревю на линка:
https://citadelata.com/forests-of-the...
Great book for adult furry fans, ideal for readers of authors like Simon R. Green - weird, smart and wonderful.
October 28, 2013
S.A. Swann's first novel -- the beginning of a thematic trilogy -- is set in a (by now) near-future America. It's a 1990s cyberpunk-ish future, actually, where future-tech is still wired and location-based, the nation's cities are in decline, and a world war involving nuclear weapons don't necessarily mean the end of civilization as we know it. Japan and India are wastelands now, and the soldiers who were genetically engineered to fight in these wars have settled into an uneasy peace-time where they're second-class citizens.
Nohar Rajasthan is the descendant of one of those soldiers, a human-animal hybrid named a 'moreau' for obvious reasons. He's scraping together a good-enough existence as a private eye, living in the ghetto reserved for his kind. One day, a genetically-engineered human (called "frankensteins") approaches him about investigating the murder of a baseline human. And if that didn't make him uneasy enough, the victim just so happens to be linked to a well-known anti-moreau politicians with dreams of becoming a Senator. Despite his better judgement, he takes the case and quickly gets involved in a much bigger situation, because that's how these things go.
Forests of the Night is a straightforward hybrid of detective noir and cyberpunk thriller, and it works pretty well. Swann has a solid handle on the tropes and structure of a good detective story, and he plugs in his own imaginative spins quite easily. This type of story hinges on the personality of its main character, how well the motivations of its supporting cast stays hidden (and seems plausible once they're revealed) and how well you're able to keep up with the many twists in the plot. I think it works on at least two of three levels, though I imagine your mileage may vary with the third.
Nohar is an uplifted tiger, essentially; a massive guy (around 8 feet and 500 pounds) who wants to do his work while staying out of trouble. In the grand noir tradition, however, trouble seems to find him no matter what. What's interesting about Nohar, obviously, is his physical difference -- we really buy into his character whenever Swann thinks through how life would be different for a guy with fur and claws. For the most part, that's the only thing that really serves to set Nohar apart. He follows the template of your basic noir detective -- gruff and stoic, with reserves of inner pain and a heart of gold. He doesn't get in many fights because of a mental block, of sorts. When a switch gets flipped, he's fantastically deadly, but turning on The Beast leaves him drained and shaky afterwards. It's kind of interesting that we have a protagonist who is more than physically capable of wrecking house, but doesn't do so because the drawbacks are far too high.
The world that Nohar inhabits is pretty interesting as well. There's a lot of social parallels between moreaus and just about any other minority with its own insular culture, and that part in particular helped to draw me in to the setting. Moreytown is a run-down area in Cleveland long ago abandoned by most humans, patrolled by a single pair of policemen to make sure any trouble inside the neighborhood doesn't spill out into the rest of the city. Crumbling buildings, a thriving set of street gangs, bars with its own set of regulars and addicts -- Moreytown has the works. And the people who get along inside of it are largely accepting of their fate, generally disinterested in a wider world that they see as hostile. Any involvement with humans, whether or not it's positive on the surface, is a harbinger of trouble. It reminds me of my neighborhood growing up, come to think of it. The black urban community thinks the same way of the larger, white-dominated world around them.
Which is why it's so odd that the one black person encountered in Forests of the Night -- a cab driver that Nohar hires when he needs to check out a bunch of places around town -- seems right out of central casting for an 80s cop movie. She's a minor character in every possible way, but she still peppers her speech with outdated slang. "Sheeeee-it," she says when she sees that her fare is a moreau.
The supporting cast, in general, are unquestionable allies of Nohar and his quest to uncover the truth. There's Stephanie Weir, a human romantically connected to the victim fulfilling the femme fatale role. Manny, a mongoose moreau and Nohar's best friend, is the voice of reason. And Angel is a lepine moreau who offers street-level pieces of the puzzle while being generally "tough" and obnoxious. Imagine a little rabbit voiced by Michelle Rodriguez, and you get the idea. We get a better sense of Nohar through his interactions with these people, and they offer vastly different perspectives of the world that help to deepen it and give it weight. For the most part, the world-building is deftly handled through character arcs and interactions, so well done there.
The mystery itself is a bit of a head-scratcher. There are so many players involved in so many different layers that it's a little difficult to follow how one piece of the puzzle fits into the next. We don't really get a good high-level view of what's going on until the final confrontation, where Nohar puts everything together in a few pages of really late (and sort of convoluted) exposition. Still, it makes sense once things are figured out, and once it was all laid out I figured out the final twist perhaps a page or two ahead of the protagonist. The twists could stand to be a little more clearly sketched so it's easier to know which direction Nohar has just been turned, but it's also clear that Swann has a clear idea of what's happening and it's easy to trust in him to tie everything together. And to his credit, he does.
Ultimately this is a great little pot-boiler of a novel; nothing deep or thoughtful, but the action moves along at a rapid pace, the characters are intriguing enough to be taken along for the ride, and the world is fascinating enough that you'll want to spend some time there. Forests of the Night is the first book in a trilogy featuring various characters in mid 21st-century America, and I'm looking forward to dipping back into the setting with the follow-up, Emperors of the Twilight. Nohar is a minor character there, alas, but it'll be good to see how he's doing.
Nohar Rajasthan is the descendant of one of those soldiers, a human-animal hybrid named a 'moreau' for obvious reasons. He's scraping together a good-enough existence as a private eye, living in the ghetto reserved for his kind. One day, a genetically-engineered human (called "frankensteins") approaches him about investigating the murder of a baseline human. And if that didn't make him uneasy enough, the victim just so happens to be linked to a well-known anti-moreau politicians with dreams of becoming a Senator. Despite his better judgement, he takes the case and quickly gets involved in a much bigger situation, because that's how these things go.
Forests of the Night is a straightforward hybrid of detective noir and cyberpunk thriller, and it works pretty well. Swann has a solid handle on the tropes and structure of a good detective story, and he plugs in his own imaginative spins quite easily. This type of story hinges on the personality of its main character, how well the motivations of its supporting cast stays hidden (and seems plausible once they're revealed) and how well you're able to keep up with the many twists in the plot. I think it works on at least two of three levels, though I imagine your mileage may vary with the third.
Nohar is an uplifted tiger, essentially; a massive guy (around 8 feet and 500 pounds) who wants to do his work while staying out of trouble. In the grand noir tradition, however, trouble seems to find him no matter what. What's interesting about Nohar, obviously, is his physical difference -- we really buy into his character whenever Swann thinks through how life would be different for a guy with fur and claws. For the most part, that's the only thing that really serves to set Nohar apart. He follows the template of your basic noir detective -- gruff and stoic, with reserves of inner pain and a heart of gold. He doesn't get in many fights because of a mental block, of sorts. When a switch gets flipped, he's fantastically deadly, but turning on The Beast leaves him drained and shaky afterwards. It's kind of interesting that we have a protagonist who is more than physically capable of wrecking house, but doesn't do so because the drawbacks are far too high.
The world that Nohar inhabits is pretty interesting as well. There's a lot of social parallels between moreaus and just about any other minority with its own insular culture, and that part in particular helped to draw me in to the setting. Moreytown is a run-down area in Cleveland long ago abandoned by most humans, patrolled by a single pair of policemen to make sure any trouble inside the neighborhood doesn't spill out into the rest of the city. Crumbling buildings, a thriving set of street gangs, bars with its own set of regulars and addicts -- Moreytown has the works. And the people who get along inside of it are largely accepting of their fate, generally disinterested in a wider world that they see as hostile. Any involvement with humans, whether or not it's positive on the surface, is a harbinger of trouble. It reminds me of my neighborhood growing up, come to think of it. The black urban community thinks the same way of the larger, white-dominated world around them.
Which is why it's so odd that the one black person encountered in Forests of the Night -- a cab driver that Nohar hires when he needs to check out a bunch of places around town -- seems right out of central casting for an 80s cop movie. She's a minor character in every possible way, but she still peppers her speech with outdated slang. "Sheeeee-it," she says when she sees that her fare is a moreau.
The supporting cast, in general, are unquestionable allies of Nohar and his quest to uncover the truth. There's Stephanie Weir, a human romantically connected to the victim fulfilling the femme fatale role. Manny, a mongoose moreau and Nohar's best friend, is the voice of reason. And Angel is a lepine moreau who offers street-level pieces of the puzzle while being generally "tough" and obnoxious. Imagine a little rabbit voiced by Michelle Rodriguez, and you get the idea. We get a better sense of Nohar through his interactions with these people, and they offer vastly different perspectives of the world that help to deepen it and give it weight. For the most part, the world-building is deftly handled through character arcs and interactions, so well done there.
The mystery itself is a bit of a head-scratcher. There are so many players involved in so many different layers that it's a little difficult to follow how one piece of the puzzle fits into the next. We don't really get a good high-level view of what's going on until the final confrontation, where Nohar puts everything together in a few pages of really late (and sort of convoluted) exposition. Still, it makes sense once things are figured out, and once it was all laid out I figured out the final twist perhaps a page or two ahead of the protagonist. The twists could stand to be a little more clearly sketched so it's easier to know which direction Nohar has just been turned, but it's also clear that Swann has a clear idea of what's happening and it's easy to trust in him to tie everything together. And to his credit, he does.
Ultimately this is a great little pot-boiler of a novel; nothing deep or thoughtful, but the action moves along at a rapid pace, the characters are intriguing enough to be taken along for the ride, and the world is fascinating enough that you'll want to spend some time there. Forests of the Night is the first book in a trilogy featuring various characters in mid 21st-century America, and I'm looking forward to dipping back into the setting with the follow-up, Emperors of the Twilight. Nohar is a minor character there, alas, but it'll be good to see how he's doing.
July 31, 2021
I came across this book in a clearance section in a half price books. I thought the art style/author looked familiar, and i realized that it was the first book in the series that i had read the third one a little over a year ago. So, i decided to give it a shot.
the result? A resounding......meh.
This book is a standard PI "Has to take a job because he has no money but quickly gets in over his head" story.
The only real difference with this book to other ones in the genre is the hook. The fact that the world this takes place on an earth in the distant-ish future (a few hundred years) where humans created animal/human hybrids to fight in a war and now it's after the war and the animal people have to adjust to life after the war.
It's an interesting world building idea and honestly, i wish the book had been more about THAT rather than it being just the world and us focusing on a murder mystery.
The main character, Nahar was fine. He's your stereotypical actiony stoicy dude. only difference this time is that he's a TIGER dude rather than a wizard or something.
The other characters in the story were fine if nothing special. The only real character i liked was the rabbit girl angel, and she's the one who got her own spinoff book that i read already. So there's that.
As per usual in these kinds of books there was a bunch of death and violence, which is fine, but if the main character either went to the hospital or saw a doctor ONE MORE time in this book, we were going to have words. (i swear he went to get patched up at LEAST five times in this book).
There were portions my brain kind of skimmed over involving building descriptions and the like, and this book made me feel tired more than once.
It was definitely a "how many more pages do i have left?" kind of book, and that's never a good sign.
All in all, the book was serviceable, and it was interesting enough that i wanted to finish it, but i won't be RUSHING out to read this next one, although i probably will end up reading it eventually because i also found it in the clearance section for ~$2 (shocker i know) and bought it at the same time
A very 'meh' 2.5/5 rounded up to a 3.
the result? A resounding......meh.
This book is a standard PI "Has to take a job because he has no money but quickly gets in over his head" story.
The only real difference with this book to other ones in the genre is the hook. The fact that the world this takes place on an earth in the distant-ish future (a few hundred years) where humans created animal/human hybrids to fight in a war and now it's after the war and the animal people have to adjust to life after the war.
It's an interesting world building idea and honestly, i wish the book had been more about THAT rather than it being just the world and us focusing on a murder mystery.
The main character, Nahar was fine. He's your stereotypical actiony stoicy dude. only difference this time is that he's a TIGER dude rather than a wizard or something.
The other characters in the story were fine if nothing special. The only real character i liked was the rabbit girl angel, and she's the one who got her own spinoff book that i read already. So there's that.
As per usual in these kinds of books there was a bunch of death and violence, which is fine, but if the main character either went to the hospital or saw a doctor ONE MORE time in this book, we were going to have words. (i swear he went to get patched up at LEAST five times in this book).
There were portions my brain kind of skimmed over involving building descriptions and the like, and this book made me feel tired more than once.
It was definitely a "how many more pages do i have left?" kind of book, and that's never a good sign.
All in all, the book was serviceable, and it was interesting enough that i wanted to finish it, but i won't be RUSHING out to read this next one, although i probably will end up reading it eventually because i also found it in the clearance section for ~$2 (shocker i know) and bought it at the same time
A very 'meh' 2.5/5 rounded up to a 3.
August 27, 2015
The book that started the excellent Moreau series. Absolutely first rate, near future detective noir with a twist. And a tail...not to be missed! The Moreau series is one of my favorite SF series of all time. The only one that rivals it is the Expanse by James S.A. Corey, and the Carlucci series by Richard Paul Russo.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
Read
July 30, 2011Bio-engineered "Moreaus", "Franks", and corporate and political conspiracies, what's not to like?
July 23, 2024
A promising setting with intriguing themes is sadly too derivative for its own good. Swann wears his influences proudly upon his sleeve: Neuromancer, Blade Runner, classic literary sf novels and film noir. Though it doesn't take the closest look to reveal these badges of honour are formed from tracing paper rather than a gleamingly novel material.
The archetypal characters are all here: the jaded detective, his scolding cop frenemy, the femme fatale love interest and a spattering of nameless street thugs to add to the body count. But apart from them being genetically enhanced animals, there's nothing new here.
The voice used to tell the story is one with many flaws; if Swann committed to a first person narration then the novel would work. Unfortunately, he resorts to third person omniscient while interjecting his own opinions rather than the characters'. There is far more telling than showing, to the point of actually telling the reader what to think about certain characters and events.
Instead of leaving the reader guessing, this ruins any potential mystery as the answers are spelled out as soon as the plot thickens (the plot thinnens?)
I really wanted to like this book, there are plenty of good ideas here and as a fan of hybrid genre fiction I thought this'd be right up my street. It doesn't have enough faith in the reader to let them follow and remember narrative plot points without constantly pausing the plot to explain everything to them, making the whole experience redundant.
The archetypal characters are all here: the jaded detective, his scolding cop frenemy, the femme fatale love interest and a spattering of nameless street thugs to add to the body count. But apart from them being genetically enhanced animals, there's nothing new here.
The voice used to tell the story is one with many flaws; if Swann committed to a first person narration then the novel would work. Unfortunately, he resorts to third person omniscient while interjecting his own opinions rather than the characters'. There is far more telling than showing, to the point of actually telling the reader what to think about certain characters and events.
Instead of leaving the reader guessing, this ruins any potential mystery as the answers are spelled out as soon as the plot thickens (the plot thinnens?)
I really wanted to like this book, there are plenty of good ideas here and as a fan of hybrid genre fiction I thought this'd be right up my street. It doesn't have enough faith in the reader to let them follow and remember narrative plot points without constantly pausing the plot to explain everything to them, making the whole experience redundant.
February 26, 2022
I've been meaning to read this for years. It's what I expected from the cover, some kind of fantastical thriller with furry animals. It's actually pretty violent. Maybe Ralph Bakshi can adapt it into an animated movie. There's some politics mixed in too and even a sex scene, and it's science fiction. I like these traditional one man detective stories that stick with the hero's point of view, and he partly solves a murder mystery with brains. Nice and short too. You can only get it now in the first Moreau Quartet omnibuses. You aren't allowed to buy short books anymore. Think of this like Shaft, if he was a tiger. I also liked the author's Apotheosis trilogy, especially the middle book, Heretics, which I read first. Maybe I'll try the Hostile Takeover trilogy which has an anarchist world.
September 27, 2024
I’ll be honest — I read this book entirely because of the cover.
The other day, I was browsing an amvets thrift store when I came across the greatest piece of art my eyes have yet laid eyes on.
It showed a tiger with a gun, accompanied by a leather-clad Winona Ryder in a burning city (which I soon learned was, hilariously, Cleveland, Ohio.)
I HAD to read this book. There was simply no other option.
After closing the cover of that battered thrift store paperback, I can certainly say that the cover is an accurate reflection of the novel.
And what a novel — I mean that both as a statement and a question.
This is one of the most bizarre books I’ve ever read and it’s entirely played straight.
As ridiculous as much of this book is, I would be lying if I said the book was only enjoyable through the lens of irony. The author has a strong sense of world building and cultural allusion, and while his prose is not exactly literary, there are many clever turns of phrase. The author is well acquainted with sci-fi and defective fiction, and this shows in his ability to craft a pulpy adventure which is of those genres and, frankly, of no genre whatsoever.
This is a cyberpunk. sci-fi, hard boiled defective, gritty, urban, racially charged, political thriller.
Those last two characteristics are some of the most striking, and most awkward.
This book is rife with hamfisted social and political commentary, a total relic of the middle-class American anxieties of early 1990s. Published in 1993, I’m sure the LA riots, the aids epidemic, and the Japanese economic bubble (which had burst years before) were on the author’s mind.
I was expecting a book for teenagers, so all of that came as a shock. The book takes itself and its world surprisingly serious.
I cannot say if this was a good book, but I can say it was marvelously entertaining, sincere, and outrageous. I mean this book has talking animal/people/hybrid/things saying unnecessary swear words and drinking beer at least two decades before Netflix’s Bojack Horseman earned critical acclaim. Maybe the author was ahead of his time, rather than firmly of his time as I seem to be suggesting.
This is the edgiest book ever written, a crossover between a direct-to-video action movie starring Sylvester Stallone and Disney’s Zootopia.
And yet, it kept my attention.
The other day, I was browsing an amvets thrift store when I came across the greatest piece of art my eyes have yet laid eyes on.
It showed a tiger with a gun, accompanied by a leather-clad Winona Ryder in a burning city (which I soon learned was, hilariously, Cleveland, Ohio.)
I HAD to read this book. There was simply no other option.
After closing the cover of that battered thrift store paperback, I can certainly say that the cover is an accurate reflection of the novel.
And what a novel — I mean that both as a statement and a question.
This is one of the most bizarre books I’ve ever read and it’s entirely played straight.
As ridiculous as much of this book is, I would be lying if I said the book was only enjoyable through the lens of irony. The author has a strong sense of world building and cultural allusion, and while his prose is not exactly literary, there are many clever turns of phrase. The author is well acquainted with sci-fi and defective fiction, and this shows in his ability to craft a pulpy adventure which is of those genres and, frankly, of no genre whatsoever.
This is a cyberpunk. sci-fi, hard boiled defective, gritty, urban, racially charged, political thriller.
Those last two characteristics are some of the most striking, and most awkward.
This book is rife with hamfisted social and political commentary, a total relic of the middle-class American anxieties of early 1990s. Published in 1993, I’m sure the LA riots, the aids epidemic, and the Japanese economic bubble (which had burst years before) were on the author’s mind.
I was expecting a book for teenagers, so all of that came as a shock. The book takes itself and its world surprisingly serious.
I cannot say if this was a good book, but I can say it was marvelously entertaining, sincere, and outrageous. I mean this book has talking animal/people/hybrid/things saying unnecessary swear words and drinking beer at least two decades before Netflix’s Bojack Horseman earned critical acclaim. Maybe the author was ahead of his time, rather than firmly of his time as I seem to be suggesting.
This is the edgiest book ever written, a crossover between a direct-to-video action movie starring Sylvester Stallone and Disney’s Zootopia.
And yet, it kept my attention.
May 24, 2013
Like many genre authors Swann appears to have wanted to take a swipe at a Chandleresque mystery. The initial problems with that are he does not have Chandler's way with words, or the ability to make his characters sound witty. At the same time a relatively complex mystery does not hit its stride until about 2/3rds of the through the title.
This is not a bad read, and I think Swann would have better served his reader if some of the small exposition dumps about this world had been spread more evenly throughout the book and not back loaded towards the end (and I know some will disagree with me on this).
Nohar is a bidpedal tiger. In a near future world humans bio-engineered animals to turn them into weapons of war. Tigers, lions and bears oh my (and literally). Nohar is descended from two combat veterans, and is scratching out a living as a private invetsigator.
Then Nohar is approached by a representative from a company who wants him to look into the murder of a political campign manager. Things do eventually progress in a reasonable manner to build an entertaining mystery/suspense tale.
Isham and Aagel are introduced who play larger roles in Swann's other Moreau books. Eventually Swann ties together the Moreau and Hostile Takeover books into his Apotheosis trilogy.
This is not a bad read, and I think Swann would have better served his reader if some of the small exposition dumps about this world had been spread more evenly throughout the book and not back loaded towards the end (and I know some will disagree with me on this).
Nohar is a bidpedal tiger. In a near future world humans bio-engineered animals to turn them into weapons of war. Tigers, lions and bears oh my (and literally). Nohar is descended from two combat veterans, and is scratching out a living as a private invetsigator.
Then Nohar is approached by a representative from a company who wants him to look into the murder of a political campign manager. Things do eventually progress in a reasonable manner to build an entertaining mystery/suspense tale.
Isham and Aagel are introduced who play larger roles in Swann's other Moreau books. Eventually Swann ties together the Moreau and Hostile Takeover books into his Apotheosis trilogy.
September 6, 2016
Picked up this book when my husband recommended it. Absolutely loved it. The writing created a gritty, however futuristic world. I loved it. (I'm actually going to start reading the next book right now).
Forests of the Night tells the story of Nohar (a humanoid/tiger stock anthropomorphic creature, typically referred to as a moreau) leading his run down life until he is given the dangerous job of investigating a human murder. The struggle of species rights creates barriers for Nohar and his moreau friends, as well as the attention from the local gang and the cops. Following Nohar's investigation of a political murder, and also trying to cope with his own life / relationships was a thrill ride.
Warning however that this book includes murder, gore, sexual themes and drug use (if anyone is put off by that).
Another warning for those who want to read this book. The printed version I have (Moreau Omnibus) has MANY typos within it. This didn't bother me, but it is clear that the book wasn't looked over too well because there is even a typo in the second sentence of the back cover of the book. If something like this bothers your reading style, perhaps try to find a more updated version with less mistakes.
Forests of the Night tells the story of Nohar (a humanoid/tiger stock anthropomorphic creature, typically referred to as a moreau) leading his run down life until he is given the dangerous job of investigating a human murder. The struggle of species rights creates barriers for Nohar and his moreau friends, as well as the attention from the local gang and the cops. Following Nohar's investigation of a political murder, and also trying to cope with his own life / relationships was a thrill ride.
Warning however that this book includes murder, gore, sexual themes and drug use (if anyone is put off by that).
Another warning for those who want to read this book. The printed version I have (Moreau Omnibus) has MANY typos within it. This didn't bother me, but it is clear that the book wasn't looked over too well because there is even a typo in the second sentence of the back cover of the book. If something like this bothers your reading style, perhaps try to find a more updated version with less mistakes.
August 25, 2011
It may not be a fandom book, but Forests of the Night by S. Andrew Swann is a great read for any fan of anthropomorphic characters. The first novel in his Moreau series, it's the story of Nohar Rajasthan, a genetically engineered human/tiger hybrid working as a private investigator. But when he is asked to look into the murder of a congressman's campaign manager, Nohar is thrust into the human world he has spent so many years trying to avoid. Before long, he is faced with dangers from both sides, including terrorists, moreau gangs, and even the federal government, as he tries to unlock a secret he was never supposed to discover. I was a little disappointed with the ending, but if you like action novels with a hint of mystery, this book is for you.
October 27, 2016
The book had a great world but it just didn't know where to focus the story on. The racial message, the sins of the father story, the murder mystery, the political stuff, the inner beast story, the racial romance, or the romance crisis. It has all of these plot lines and it never chooses one and it does get a annoying and the story would have been much better if they chose only a few of the arcs to focus on instead of juggling all of the. Great world but not the greatest execution.
December 23, 2020
A middling sci-fi story with some interesting concepts, but a plot that tied up poorly towards the end. The central mystery is decently intriguing, and the moreau concepts are too, but the reveal at the end feels ham-fisted, and the villains' plan makes almost zero sense for how convoluted it is. Action scenes are decent, dialogue is a little too cliche hard-boiled detective stuff, but not awful. I think a better ending could have elevated this a lot.
July 16, 2023
Certainly an older example of actual published anthro/furry fiction. The near future world the author sets up is interesting and the culture and relationship with humans the anthropomorphic characters have is somewhat thought provoking.
Idk if I'm into mystery detective stories but it didn't really feel boring at any point. some of the mystery/detective dialogue seems a little "cut to the chase, toots." level of silly.
Honestly wish some secondary characters had more page time but I think that actually happens in a later book?
Littered with outdated racial slang and a couple stereotypes that had me rolling my eyes.
The interspecies romance was lukewarm but not awful and probably pretty derivative for it's time. Some of the dialogue and descriptions leading up to romance seemed rather strange.
The twist at the end had me like "Pfft, okay. Sure."
3.75/5
Idk if I'm into mystery detective stories but it didn't really feel boring at any point. some of the mystery/detective dialogue seems a little "cut to the chase, toots." level of silly.
Honestly wish some secondary characters had more page time but I think that actually happens in a later book?
Littered with outdated racial slang and a couple stereotypes that had me rolling my eyes.
The interspecies romance was lukewarm but not awful and probably pretty derivative for it's time. Some of the dialogue and descriptions leading up to romance seemed rather strange.
The twist at the end had me like "Pfft, okay. Sure."
3.75/5
February 12, 2021
While there are a few things that are a bit quaint this is a solid pulp noir story with a decent main character and a twist that I only half guessed (it would have likely been a bigger twist when the book came out in 1993.)
There are a couple of problematic elements but on the whole it was a decent page turner.
There are a couple of problematic elements but on the whole it was a decent page turner.
March 11, 2022
I had this random memory from my teen years about reading a sci-fi action book with a bio-engineered tiger as the main character, Google helped to find it.
It's a decent sci-fi action blockbuster with cool characters, constant action, a simple plot and quite an interesting world in the not-that-far future.
It's a decent sci-fi action blockbuster with cool characters, constant action, a simple plot and quite an interesting world in the not-that-far future.
July 15, 2024
Reads like a terrible 80s action film. Enjoyable, but rushed at times.
March 11, 2017
I enjoyed this different style of private detective story in a unique setting. The sci-fi take of the story is subtle but it doesn't take away from the story. There are unique creatures, "moreys and franks" to be unique and keep things very interesting.
Nohar is an interesting character, being a tiger morey with a spotty background. He meets up with other characters along the way, Angel the bunny morey and Stephie the human. As well as an FBI agent who is also a frank. The characters were very interesting if not very in depth.
I am not big into private detective stories, but have always found that sci-fi detective stories are usually pretty good because of the sci-fi aspect of the story. There was also quite a bit of action, like gunfights, to keep it interesting the whole time.
Overall 3 out 5 stars, for solid story telling, good characters and only a few minor things like editing errors, etc.
Nohar is an interesting character, being a tiger morey with a spotty background. He meets up with other characters along the way, Angel the bunny morey and Stephie the human. As well as an FBI agent who is also a frank. The characters were very interesting if not very in depth.
I am not big into private detective stories, but have always found that sci-fi detective stories are usually pretty good because of the sci-fi aspect of the story. There was also quite a bit of action, like gunfights, to keep it interesting the whole time.
Overall 3 out 5 stars, for solid story telling, good characters and only a few minor things like editing errors, etc.
March 4, 2025
Damn, what a ride. Animals have been humanized as soldiers of war. But now the wars are over, and these “moreaus” are citizens of society. Not exactly equals to humans, but they live, work and play alongside them. The back story is delivered gradually as the story progresses, and these facts are never directly spelled out. Small pieces of information are dropped on the reader, and it’s up to us to absorb them. It’s very well-done, but that’s just the back story. The story is about Nohar, a tiger moreau who is also the only moreau in Cleveland with a private eye license. He’s assigned a case that he knows is way over his head, but he takes it anyway because like all private eyes, he needs the money desperately. The mystery he unravels is insanely complex, barely makes sense, and climaxes on a revelation that is unexpected but maybe a little too far-fetched. Given the world the book sets up—humans altering genetics—it doesn’t feel quite right to introduce in act 5. But it gets the job done. I sure didn’t see it coming. It’s well-written, an exciting read, and creates a believable world for humanoid-animals to exist.
February 22, 2024
CW: Book includes some scenes of
Swann does a good job of introducing his bio-engineered animals and the politics surrounding them. The treatment of Moreys begs the question; if a species is as intelligent as humans, should they have the same rights? The book explores this dilemma a little, but the focus is on Nohar collecting evidence and trying his damnest to keep his loved ones alive.
One irksome thing; Swann occasionally gets choppy with his wording and overuses Nohar's name in lieu of pronouns or other descriptors.
"Briefly, Nohar wondered if he needed the money that badly--he did. Nohar began to feel warmth from the back of the van. Nohar realized the frank had the heat on in the van, all the way."
However, the plotting of the mystery is easy enough to follow and the unexpected ending left me excited for the sequels!
Swann does a good job of introducing his bio-engineered animals and the politics surrounding them. The treatment of Moreys begs the question; if a species is as intelligent as humans, should they have the same rights? The book explores this dilemma a little, but the focus is on Nohar collecting evidence and trying his damnest to keep his loved ones alive.
One irksome thing; Swann occasionally gets choppy with his wording and overuses Nohar's name in lieu of pronouns or other descriptors.
"Briefly, Nohar wondered if he needed the money that badly--he did. Nohar began to feel warmth from the back of the van. Nohar realized the frank had the heat on in the van, all the way."
However, the plotting of the mystery is easy enough to follow and the unexpected ending left me excited for the sequels!
April 18, 2008
I loved this book when I discovered it (at, of all places, my scout troop's garage sale). The premise is admittedly unusual- the world is populated with humans and genetically engineered animals with human-like intellects. The main character is a tiger/ private investigator, his friend is a mongoose/surgeon and another pivotal character is a rabbit/gangbanger. The cover alone is enoough to grab your attention and say, "what the..."
Nevertheless, it's a good story and Swann paints a very rich picture of his created future. It is in some ways a classic detective tale, with several twists at the end.
Nevertheless, it's a good story and Swann paints a very rich picture of his created future. It is in some ways a classic detective tale, with several twists at the end.
June 22, 2009
If any picture is truly worth a thousand words, it must be that cover, with a hot girl and a tiger holding a shotgun.
This was kind of fun, though even when I read it the writing did seem very dry. I guess livelier writing might make the reader ask why someone would genetically engineer Siberian tiger soldiers. Or rat workers. Or bunny-rabbit junkies.
Maybe I'll reread this someday. But its worrying how I can't recall the plots of the other books in the series... So maybe not.
This was kind of fun, though even when I read it the writing did seem very dry. I guess livelier writing might make the reader ask why someone would genetically engineer Siberian tiger soldiers. Or rat workers. Or bunny-rabbit junkies.
Maybe I'll reread this someday. But its worrying how I can't recall the plots of the other books in the series... So maybe not.
September 30, 2016
Probably the thing I like the most about this book is anthropomorphised animals as characters but in an adult manner, a bit reminiscent to childish cartoons but without being childish about it.
The book starts off in a film-noir style, about half way through gets into gear of an action type plot, and ends with proper sci-fi aliens and conspiracy. Non of it feels great or amazing, but it all feels well done and enjoyable.
The book starts off in a film-noir style, about half way through gets into gear of an action type plot, and ends with proper sci-fi aliens and conspiracy. Non of it feels great or amazing, but it all feels well done and enjoyable.
February 28, 2022
A detective novel with a difference! Our hard-boiled hero, Nohar Rajasthan, is an anthropomorphic tiger, who shares the not-too-distant future world with other anthropomorphic animals, genetically modified humans, and even (it emerges) aliens. After being hired to investigate a murder, he uncovers secrets and conspiracies beyond anything he’s imagined. This book is a great read, combining mystery and sci-fi and introducing a cast of strange and interesting characters.
November 14, 2014
A great little book with enough twist to it that I didn't guess the solution until very nearly the end. The author keeps the plot moving, creates an interesting world, and has characters I can sympathise with. If you like unusual detective mashup novels I highly recommend this one.
May 10, 2015
good book... (review from memory,as I was just reminded of it)... very intriguing... enough so that i am going to read the series again!!!
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