This Ragged, Wastrel Thing

Sonaya Nights #1

by Tomas Marcantonio

This Ragged, Wastrel Thing: Book One of
Tomas Marcantonio’s Sonaya Nights Trilogy

After serving eleven years in The Heights for the murder of his childhood sweetheart, one-eared vagabond Daganae Kawasaki is finally free. But beneath the neon glare of a sprawling Sonaya, he soon discovers the backstreets are bursting with strange new shadows. Confronting plucky street orphans, bitter biker girls and down-and-out expats, Dag is swiftly embroiled in a fresh homicide case – and finds his murky past isn't done with him yet.

“The Rivers. A spiderweb of alleys for the drunk and destitute, weaved together from stones and shadow. Winding backstreets forking off like rotten veins plunging into every shady corner. The greasy smell of glass noodles and exhaust fumes from late night scooters. Neon blinking on every grimy surface and crooked alleys disappearing into a black and sorry night. Home.”
- Daganae Kawasaki, This Ragged, Wastrel Thing -

252 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2020

About the author

Tomas Marcantonio was born in Brighton, England. He graduated from the University of Sussex with a BA in English Language and Film, and received his Master's degree in Creative Writing from Teesside University.

Tomas has had short stories, flash fiction, and poetry published in over thirty magazines and journals in print and online. He has also placed in several competitions, including being longlisted in the 2017 Cambridge Short Story Prize. In 2017 Tomas also won The Telegraph's 'Just Back' travel writing competition for a piece on South Korea. In 2020, Tomas was nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net.

He is the author of three novels, two short story collections, and two travelogues.

Tomas splits his time between the seaside cities of Brighton, England, and Busan, South Korea.

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooooh!  This is one slick story, you are quickly drawn into a world of dark squalor, flashing neon and a big old helping of booze & violence.  If you are a fan of In the Miso Soup by Ryū Murakami then you'll gonna love this, you get that same feeling of seediness and the lack of general remorse at death from the characters,  in Sonaya death happens every day,  if you're weak you ain't gonna make it. 

The point of view from this book is from Daganae Kawasaki, it reads like the old Philip Marlowe detective novels, you have that constant internal monologue going on and at times he can be quite witty.  Seeing everything from Dagenae's point of view worked well for me, you only know what he knows and even though you can see others plotting you're stuck inside his head for the ride.  The are plenty of wonderful characters in the book and one of the best bits is, you've know idea who is on what side.

Sonaya itself is one hell of place, very futuristic, drones flying around filming everything you do, that gap between rich and poor is greater than ever.  Marcantonio brings in some interesting ideas, a new type of taxation depending on how hot you are, the higher the rating the tougher life will be....personally being a 10 I would find this future quite a tough place to survive.

I have enjoyed this story big time,  I'm so looking forward to the next one in the series, the only issue is I can't see all my favourite characters surviving to the end...there be dark times ahead.

Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2020...

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tomas Marcantonio has written an entertaining noir that sits comfortably between ‘In the Miso Soup’ by Roy Murakami and ‘The Plotters’ by Un-SunKim. Dark black shadows splashed with blade runner neon nuances provide the perfect backdrop to a world alien to even the most adventurous tourist. Easy to read, at times with clever turn of phrase This Ragged, Wastrel Thing could be the start of a bold series developed with approachable characters. Enjoy !

[Wayne Turmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gritty future noir

The author creates a filthy, gritty, future part Blade Runner and part Sin City. Vivid description of the city of Sonaya contrast with the bleak noir story. I have been a fan of his short work and am thrilled at what he's done in his debut novel.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This witty, futuristic, dystopian noir has some fucking pair of legs! It hits the ground running and doesn't let up until the very last page. It's all drugs and guns and soju and sake; grungy bars and rooftop parties, metalhead biker chicks and corrupt politicians; revenge and deception and dark city underbelly.

Personal cars, books, pagers/cell phones, meat - YES MEAT!!! - things we take for granted are pretty much contraband here. People are taxed on their looks - can you IMAGINE?!? - the better looking you are, the more you get taxed. They have contests in which the city pays out a prize sum of money to women who birth babies on Independence Day. Prisons are skyscrapers and the greater the crime, the higher your cell. Not to mention that the fictional city is an absolutely brilliant and fascinating character all its own, and our protagonist Dag is one of the most strangely likeable leads I've read in ages.

Go on and get yer mitts on this one!

[John Bowie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Day two of my honeymoon I stayed in a Micro Hotel in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong. It was a beautifully ugly cell, compounding the effects of our jet lag and hangover. The noises and smells bombarded us from outside and echoed through the grills of that tiny windowless square tiled room – it was immense.

This Ragged, Wastrel Thing by Tomas Marcantonio brought all this back. Marcantonio’s first outing in the Sonaya Nights trilogy is so rich in its description… It resonates, echoes around and envelopes you as you read.

A cinematic and theatrical neo-noir painting dripping old-school masters of the genre on to a new canvas using rare concentrated pigments. With beautifully rich backdrops, scenes and characters – it’s a real treat for the imagined senses.

Full of such sharp vivid rich lines and dialogue… The essence of James Ellroy, James Sallis and Charles Willeford… Ryu Murakami… And Robert Towne’s Chinatown screenplay are all here.

Neo-noir escapism to a perfectly believable place filled with dark damp alleys below shiny neon-filled tower blocks. The contrasts, twists, turns and manipulations by untrusted authorities are wrapped in the context of a much-needed escape, whilst managing also, a sharp commentary on our times.

Dark dank alleys jar perfectly against neon flashes and high-class LA style pool parties as drones track overhead.

The noirish hard-boiled heavy drinking and cynical down on his luck tropes are all here in glorious colours. Celebrated, emulated and enhanced in technicolour in Tomases great writing here. You can taste it. I felt it in the first few lines and it goes on like that. I found it addictive waiting for the next canny metaphor or lush description to take me away. Looking forward to each chance I got to pick it up to read.

It’s Bladerunner, with some pure James Ellroy style noir magic.

But, more than the genre masters it comfortably echoes, it conjures up a uniqueness; taking you somewhere new and perfectly crafted to get lost in. Sonaya is well shaped, tangible and it firmly exists here. Seamlessly imagined steps are taken as your guided from high-end gloss to despair from one well-realised district to another.

Tomas Marcantonio has started a crime noir gift for readers here. It was a joy to get lost in. I’m so looking forward to his next Sonaya Nights book.

This Ragged, Wastrel Thing will be out 1st August and is available here with STORGY BOOKS. It’s beautiful on the outside and there’s a real neo-noir treat on the inside.

Now, wheres those noodles to wash down with a sake and bucket of red wine chaser?

[Ross Jeffery · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This Ragged, Wastrel Thing is a neon distorted, gritty reflection of humanity and its quest to find belonging – dystopian novels haven’t had it this good since Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale.”

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daganae Kawasaki is a free man. Having served an eleven-year sentence for the murder of his childhood sweetheart, he’s finally released back onto the streets of Sonaya, a port city that is a denizen of crime and poverty. It’s not long though until he’s embroiled in another murder case, and soon his path is crossing that of street orphans who carry messages for various unsavoury people, biker girls, washed-out expats, street gangs and corrupt police.

What to do if one wants to write noir of the old school, something Dashiel Hammet, Jim Thompson, or Raymond Chandler might have penned? A writer can either set the novel in the past or try to create a noir feel in a modern city (often difficult, though not impossible, as police procedures have modernised, crime trends have changed and red light districts have either been cleaned up or moved online). A bold move and one that Tomas Marcantonio has opted for is to totally invent a new place.

Sonaya is a breakaway region of Japan, a fictional port city where the internet has been banned, where crime is rife, where the red light district and the city centre rival any of the past. This setting allows the author to have his cake and eat it. This is a novel set today, but eschewing the modern technology that is the bane of a writer’s life. Mobile phones, for example, are a great problem to crime writers, for readers or viewers ask why doesn’t the victim just dial the emergency services? Hence the number of books and movies where reception is poor, or batteries run low, the characters having not charged their phones. The world the author creates in this novel allows him to neatly step around this tricky problem, for phones are not available and messages are delivered by messenger boy. But it also allows him to pick and choose. So the police still have drones and CCTV and his protagonist has to flit from building to building and wear disguise.

This futuristic world gives the author plenty of space to play with new ideas. Men are taxed on how good looking they are, people are paid to have children, while meat is banned. Set in the future as it is, there’s a hint of a climate crisis in the background and wars that have occurred between the two Koreas. Perhaps there’s also a commentary on Brexit. Sonaya has broken away from Japan and things haven’t been a success. Independence is celebrated with a mixture of stubborn pride and regret, though again the author hints that Japan hasn’t fared too great either.

Most importantly however is the feel of this novel and its dialogue. This story is told from Daganae Kawasaki’s point of view and it’s imbued with the style of Chandler: the dialogue, the to-and-fro between characters, the narration, all are Chandleresque in the extreme and the author succeeds magnificently in living up to such a mantel.

This is a brilliant novel and Tomas Marcantonio is a truly gifted author. This is the first novel to be published by Storgy, who until now, has published anthologies, and I really hope it’s widely read. Tomas Marcantonio is an author to watch and one who deserves to go far and This Ragged, Wastrel Thing really does deserve success. Apparently, it’s the first in a trilogy and I really look forward to the sequel.

[Awais Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense and fast-paced, this is storytelling at its very best! Marcantonio has created a captivating world populated with a host of memorable characters. The novel starts off with a bang and the pace doesn't relent until you turn the final page. With his trademark swagger and wit, you can't help but like Dag Kawasaki. He is a deeply flawed man, but he takes it all in his stride, even revels in it. The reason everything works so well is that Tomas Marcantonio doesn't sugarcoat anything. From the start, we're made aware of the fact that Sonaya is quite unlike any city we've ever known. It may bear similarities to certain Asian cities, but full marks to Marcantonio for breathing new life into the setting and making it unique. In the seedy backalleys and decrepit surroundings, Kawasaki blooms like a rare flower. He is completely at home in Sonaya and although he contributes to the bloodshed and unrest, there is something redeeming about him. You can see the real Kawasaki beneath the heavy layer of swagger and sarcasm. I really enjoyed reading this book and was utterly immersed in the story world. Sonaya comes completely alive through Marcantonio's expert writing. If you're looking for a compulsive, unputdownable thriller, check this book out!

[Hollie ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

After eleven years of imprisonment in ‘The Heights’ for murdering his girlfriend Hana, Daganae Kawasaki is finally free; released back into Sonaya, a gritty dystopian city of immense contrasts, from the powerful and the powerless, the rich and the impoverished, lavish rooftop parties and cramped slums bursting with deserted, neglected children, Daganae sets out to discover the truth behind his incarceration. Yet, upon his release, it becomes increasingly apparent that Daganae’s freedom does not suit some people’s agenda, and a new murder case is pinned on him; entangled in this situation, Daganae comes face-to-face with his past, and must navigate the corruption of the city and the individuals that stand in his way, in order to truly take hold of his freedom.

This is the first time I have read a book like this, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Perhaps my favourite aspect of This Ragged, Wastrel Thing was the construction of the world in which the story is set; Sonaya, with all of its strange and dystopian rules, from the taxation rates based upon attractiveness that results in inhabitants striving for ugliness in order to achieve employment and lower tax rates, the banning of meat, internet and phones, to the plethora of government drones that scan the city to monitor and control any activity. The descriptions of the setting were well-balanced with the narrative and plot, and were extremely vivid and captivating; the blinding neon-lit streets, the dingy, seedy bars and alleyways, as well as the smells and sounds of the city all served to create an atmosphere and tone that were incredibly unique and realistic, despite its fictionality.

Another element of This Ragged, Wastrel Thing that I really enjoyed was the range of fascinating and quirky characters; each added a unique dimension to the plot and contributed to the overall impression of Sonaya. By extension, interpreting these characters through the eyes and mind of Daganae was also interesting, as it reveals information about him as much as it does them. The pace of the book was also spot on; Marcantonio does a fantastic job at building a sense of tension throughout the book that culminates in the final 50 or so pages, and I genuinely did not see the twists and turns coming – I cannot wait to jump back into the bizarre but wonderful world of Sonaya in the next two books of this trilogy

Thanks so much to Storgy for sending me a review copy of the book; it is released August, and I cannot recommend it enough!

[Michael Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book so quickly and so engaging in my life. I’ve already finished it at a lightning pace, as I have been glued to it since it arrived. Amazing book.

In my imagination, it reminds me of the dark streets of Itaewon, with the shady quarter of Fukuoka. It also reminded me of the time I spend exploring Angeles city in the Philippines. The fact that Tom left so many characters names unnamed until the climax, ade the book continuously gripping.

An utterly amazing book... I’m sad I’ve finished it so soon. I see it’s a trilogy. By God, I’m looking forward to the next instalments.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing I need to talk about in this review is the extraordinary work Tomas Marcantonio has done in creating the world for the story to exist in. Creating a fully realised, believable place is easier said than done but in Sonaya, he has managed to contain an iconic setting for his story, one which I would be happy to dive back into for the next two books of this trilogy. The tone of the book is created wonderfully through this setting, the characters, and their actions. They all feed back to the mood of the writing which encapsulates what Marcantonio is trying to do delightfully. Fluorescent signs reflecting in puddles at night, the dingy bars, cramped filthy living conditions, the sterile corporate environments. They are all fully realised and really added to my enjoyment of the story. It isn’t just the setting though. There are tonnes of interesting ways in which Sonaya is distinguished from any real place. The men are all rated on looks with higher ratings meaning more tax for both you and anybody who employs you. Leading to a strange situation where men will often seek to appear less attractive to better their chances of finding work. A population crisis means that people are paid to have babies, creating huge slums filled with abandoned or neglected children. There is no meat, no cigarettes, no phones, and no internet in Sonaya. Not many futuristic noir novels could be described as retro but somehow This Ragged, Wastrel Thing has pulled it off. It gives the book a really unique feeling.
Another aspect I enjoyed of the book was the shifting timeline. It goes back and forth between Daganae out of The Heights and his time behind bars, waiting for release. It offers great context to what is currently happening in the story as well as allowing the reader a breather from the often very intense situations unfolding in the main plot. It is a subtle, but enjoyable way of giving the reader more information about Sonaya and Daganae without it ever feeling like exposition just for the sake of exposition. Often books set in fictional locations can spend far too many words trying to describe the place to us, trying to make it believable. This leads to huge chunks of writing which do nothing to progress the plot and can often leave me bored. This book, however, very cleverly weaves all the information the reader needs throughout these passages. It is a very skilful way of doing it and I came away from the book with a very clear image in my mind of what I believe Sonaya to look like.
Of course, the book isn’t perfect. I found the ending to be slightly rushed. Having spent the best part of 230 pages learning these characters, living in the world, feeling their pain, for it then to be all over in another 30 pages didn’t quite sit right. I understand why it is done; the plot quickens in a reflection of the excitement of the events happening but it just felt a little bit too fast for me. There was a lot more to unpick in what was going on and often I hadn’t finished digesting one twist before the next was thrown in front of you. The twists were another element of the book which I feel could have been improved upon. I obviously won’t reveal the twists involved, but there is numerous littering the final pages. I don’t mind a twist, if executed correctly it gives the reader a nice little thrill and leaves you baffled. However, by the time you have reached the fourth twist it feels a little bit like it is been done just to get a reaction from the reader. Some of them felt much better thought out than others as well with one not making much sense to me. All of that is not to say I didn’t enjoy the climax of this story, I really did, it just could have probably been a little bit slicker.
By far the strongest quality of this book is the escapism. It allowed me to be completely absorbed in the world, had me turning pages frantically and left me desperately wanting more. Daganae is an enthralling character and like all in this book, is beautifully written and thought out. As I mentioned at the start of this review, I have found reading difficult lately, but this book reminded me why I loved it so much. This Ragged, Wastrel Thing is a brilliant debut, wonderfully executed by Tomas Marcantonio. The odds are it wasn’t on your radar previously, but it needs to be. The good news is as well it is part of a trilogy so we will be able to dive back into this world at some point in the future!

[Lisa Lambropoulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the moment you open the book, you get swept up in the grim lives of those living in the gritty city of Sonaya. The reader gets pulled along with the egotistical, yet strangely lovable Dag on a twisted, fast-paced journey that you won’t want to end. The author’s unique writing style brings every page to life like you are watching it all unfold on the big screen.
Get comfortable, you won’t want to put this book down.

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did like this book & it was really well written, just unfortunately not my cup of tea.

[Adrian Lord · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a friend, and although I wouldn't usually choose sci-fi, I decided to give it a go. It really isn't sci-fi at all, more of a crime thriller set in the near future.

The great strength of this book is in the setting, an island between Korea and Japan, which enjoys a fusion of both cultures. The author's descriptions of the island are highly immersive, and the ideas and concepts of the futuristic society are not only thought provoking, but only a few decades away from being reality.

The characters are also relatable and likable, and the author does well to cause the reader to become invested in them. You want them to succeed.

The story moves along at a fast pace, and the chapters are of a manageable length. There is no reader fatigue here. The one issue I had with the plot was that two similar characters had two similar events happen to them, which left me a little confused as the story unfolded. This was likely my fault for not paying greater attention to the names, and was easily remedied by flicking back a few pages. Another minor flaw was the author's effort to raise awareness of some social justice issues, which felt a little forced, and perhaps could have been done in a more subtle way.

Overall an enjoyable read, particularly for the escapism that the immersive setting provides. I look forward to the next book in the series.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb debut novel! Sonaya is one bad-ass place that comes alive at night, and anyone who's anyone needs to watch their backs or they'll end up dead.
You are immediately sucked right into a dystopian world where your success in life is determined by your ugliness, and your every move is recorded by drones.
The stark contrast between the rich and the impoverished, those with influence and those under the influence, shines as brightly as the neon strips of the city.
The writing is slick; the mood is dark. Told from the point of view of the main protagonist, Daganae Kawasaki, the reader is treated to his internal monologue of what he's thinking and feeling. This works well until you want to scream at him for making wrong choices when it comes to who to trust - which is difficult because there are so many twists in who is on your side or not.
The characters are well developed, and they all serve a huge part in keeping the novel alive and moving. I'm looking forward to the next in this series - even if it is to see who is still alive ...

[Lex Nande · Rating 5 out of 5]

As honest as I can be, I read sports and simple stuff. I got to know of Tomas, the author, through his work covering South Korean football. I highly enjoyed his coverage, so much so that when he announced via social media that he had written a book, I thought it was about sports. I was shocked, needless to say. But through the first chapter, I was already hooked. Sonaya... how do I describe a place that seemed to be so lawless, yet so familiar to the time I had spent in Japan and Korea? I literally turned the apartment lights out so I could full embrace those dark and dirty streets. I could hear the emptied shot glasses slamming down and smell the tequila. I'm a sports fan, but this book did something for me. It will look out of place next to all my sports books, but I'll be going back to this one next time I need a change of pace.

To Mr Tomas,
Your descriptions place me right there in the scene next to the characters. I heard the girls down the halls screaming. I could feel the cold air on the roof top. And I constantly check to make sure my ears are intact. Truly enjoyed this one, sir!

[Jack Arkell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time in a long, long time that I've encountered a book that so consistently manages to produce an original turn or phrase or a poetic sentence; there is one on every single page. It's full of sentences that you wish you'd written or that you want to annotate to look over again later.

One of the recommendations on the inside pages is that Rorschach's diary from Watchmen comes to mind when reading this book. I can absolutely see that, but there is something very original to the writing style too; poetic and gritty in a combination I haven't seen anyone achieve better than this.

I absolutely lapped this up although I wanted it to last longer than a few sittings. Dystopian, dark and extremely cool stuff. It deserves to be very well known indeed.

[Matthew Binns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Ragged, Wastrel Thing is a engrossing read and one I could not put down from start to finish. Tomas Marcantonio takes you on an adventure that breathlessly ducks and dives through the murky backstreets of Sonaya, with narrative developments that will leave you itching to read just one more chapter before you put it down.

The only thing that matches the plot twists are the elegant turns of phrase that bring this vivid world to life. It is written with such a love of language that I often found myself lingering on a sentence just to fully appreciate the author's craft.

This Ragged, Wastrel Thing was a refreshing delight and I cannot wait for book two.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! I read Dune right before I read This Ragged, Wastrel Thing. And wow, what a refreshing change of pace. The fast pace of the story had me unable to put the thing down.

For me, this novel had a real Hunter S. Thompson vibe mixed in with some ambiguous (in a good way!) futuristic social scenarios. Sprinkle in some King-esque slow trickled reveals and foreshawdowing and Tomas's own unique ability to interweave the real-life cultures of Korea and Japan into his fictional world and boom! You've got "This Ragged, Wastrel Thing."

If you need a fun novel set in a crazy fictional world in order to distract you from our own crazy world, this book is for you.

[Branko Belan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tomas Marcantonio is a uniquely talented writer and his first book This Ragged, Wastrel Thing is definitely a page-turner; extremely difficult to put down once you've started the journey. The plot anticipation and character development are the things that really stand out in this work. Set amidst a dark landscape, the reader is pulled through the book, eager to know what's around the next corner. If walking through side streets in search of the unknown is to your liking, this one is for you.

[Paul Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Ragged Wastrel Thing is full of surprises, both in terms of plot & character & also in the ever-glowing richness of language - a triumph of imagination & imagery. Dag is a great anti-hero, a loser we can all associate with & whom we come to love as the story unfolds. A great beginning to the trilogy!

[Steve McDonnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable read, a real page turner. The characters jump off the page and the dystopian setting hints at a future we could all find ourselves in. Deceptively readable, I read through half the book before I even realised night had fallen outside. Find a comfortable corner and some low light and enjoy!

[Angela L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the dystopian area of Sonaya this book does a really good job of vividly painting the corrupt, the disparity between rich and poor and has some really good premises (the idea that you are heavily taxed if you're good looking - to make employment easier for the ugly being just one).
In some ways though, I felt the attention to detail paid to the setting was almost at the expense of the main character, Dag. He's just been realised from a stretch in prison - a sentence you always suspect was not deserved. Despite the feeling he's been the victim of a miscarriage of justice he's not a character to warm to and there are times when the dizzying amount of support characters is a bit confusing.
However it is fast paced and you really get absorbed into the fictional location of Sonaya. Whilst I didn't love it I would certainly check out a follow up as the ending leaves plenty of possibilities to see more from Dag.

[Pauline Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great page turner! I was quickly drawn into the intriguing, dark, dystopian world of Sonaya. The author has created a world with a web of characters that weave their way through paths paved with perils & sewers that are seeped in blood. The beautiful, rich language creates imagery so vivid, that I could almost visualise it on a big screen. I can't wait to catch up with Dag in the next instalment of what I believe is going to be a terrific trilogy!

[Jung-Mi BAk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has become one of my favorite books. I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed the rich metaphor writing style. Although it wasn't always easy to follow, the story was exciting, and I cant wait for the next book.

[Tom Howes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read that I struggled to put down!! I have read the earlier shorter stories about Dag and enjoyed this book even more as I became fully immersed into the world of Sonaya that Tomas has so creatively brought to life. Looking forward to the next book in the trilogy!!!

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this story. It was dark and gritty and I can't wait for more! I felt myself getting lost in Sonaya. It sort of gave me like... Akira vibes? It was dark like that movie and incredibly complex. I know this is only the beginning and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcantonio creates such an imaginative and rich world that is an absolute pleasure to explore. His writing style keeps you gripped and invested in the characters and I was constantly bookmarking pages with phrases that caught my eye. If you’re looking for a gritty read in an unusual setting, this is the one for you!

[Elliot J Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great gritty cyberpunk noir novel that’s packs a decent punch. The author has a way with words and crafts a vivid setting filled with dark scenes and darker characters. I enjoyed it and look forward to the next in the series.

[Louisa Cornford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dystopian dream. Read from cover to cover in one sitting. Bring on book 2... and 3!