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The Man With No Name
A shadowy figure seeks justice in a dystopian near future where the lines between technology and biology are beginning to blur.
100 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2020
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Tanweer Dar
22 books53 followersI was born in Birmingham, in the United Kingdom. I studied Ancient & Medieval History at university and am a qualified teacher.
I love nature, walking, gardening, house plants, history, art, poetry, and books and films of all kinds (especially horror).
I have written and published science fiction, horror, poetry, fantasy and children’s books. Alongside my writing, I am also an enthusiastic and experienced pencil and digital artist.
I love nature, walking, gardening, house plants, history, art, poetry, and books and films of all kinds (especially horror).
I have written and published science fiction, horror, poetry, fantasy and children’s books. Alongside my writing, I am also an enthusiastic and experienced pencil and digital artist.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 11, 2020
Human or Android?
What will a mother do to protect her child? What will an android do to get a body? Tanweer Dan takes us on a journey in this finely crafted take to find out. It brings the age old question of a mother's love out in the open. I thoroughly enjoyed this and think everyone else will to.
What will a mother do to protect her child? What will an android do to get a body? Tanweer Dan takes us on a journey in this finely crafted take to find out. It brings the age old question of a mother's love out in the open. I thoroughly enjoyed this and think everyone else will to.
December 19, 2020
The Man With No Name exudes cool, and will delight fans of cyberpunk.
It’s a short book, but it doesn’t skimp on content. Its twisting narrative spans decades in the life of a man who just wants to be free.
Tanweer Dar has a style of writing that’s a joy to read, and reading the book feels like you’re watching a movie unfold. The book’s length makes it easy to read in one sitting, which I’d heartily recommend.
If you like the sound of neon-swathed cities, anarchic AIs, and tight-lipped vigilantes, then you won’t be disappointed. It’s an absolute gem.
It’s a short book, but it doesn’t skimp on content. Its twisting narrative spans decades in the life of a man who just wants to be free.
Tanweer Dar has a style of writing that’s a joy to read, and reading the book feels like you’re watching a movie unfold. The book’s length makes it easy to read in one sitting, which I’d heartily recommend.
If you like the sound of neon-swathed cities, anarchic AIs, and tight-lipped vigilantes, then you won’t be disappointed. It’s an absolute gem.
August 29, 2020
Not my usual read but hooked me from the first page
This book was fast-paced and filled with action that left me wanting to keep turning the pages. Set in a dystopian future filled with artificial intelligence, this novella explores what can happen when AI goes too far. The combination of human storylines and technological advances leads to a thrilling read.
Would definitely recommend.
This book was fast-paced and filled with action that left me wanting to keep turning the pages. Set in a dystopian future filled with artificial intelligence, this novella explores what can happen when AI goes too far. The combination of human storylines and technological advances leads to a thrilling read.
Would definitely recommend.
July 18, 2020
Tanweer Dar has written both novels, and short stories, in cyberpunk and horror genres. The Man with No Name is a cyberpunk novella written from multiple characters’ viewpoints that explores artificial intelligence, family ties, and what it means to be free. Over time, each character’s stories intersect into a tightly-woven plot using a non-linear storytelling fashion that works as each characters' past catches up with them. Wonderful thrill-ride, action packed, with some remarkable and epic A.I. scenes that build conflict and tension. It's a short book (novella) but you get a full story that doesn't short-change the reader on its complexity or intensity.
August 30, 2020
I read this book after I read Tanweer Dar’s “Neon Nightmares,” a short-story collection that presented an array of characters and plots. Tan expands the cyberpunk vibe into a longer story with this novella. It’s dark and gritty and full of action.
The man with no name is the loner type of hero, similar to Western movies. He’s got a gasoline-powered muscle car instead of a horse (people in the city travel in electric vehicles). Flashbacks allow the reader to understand why he has no name and add depth to his character.
The environment is vibrantly described, so I could easily imagine the city of skyscrapers, rife with advertisements, as the characters zipped from one area to another — all the characters with individual agendas.
And when those agendas intersect, there’s a lot of action. Some characters want to keep control, some want to regain control, some want escape. Tan keeps them rushing toward those goals. Hold on to your seat or reading device or paperback book: this story is a fast-paced ride.
The man with no name is the loner type of hero, similar to Western movies. He’s got a gasoline-powered muscle car instead of a horse (people in the city travel in electric vehicles). Flashbacks allow the reader to understand why he has no name and add depth to his character.
The environment is vibrantly described, so I could easily imagine the city of skyscrapers, rife with advertisements, as the characters zipped from one area to another — all the characters with individual agendas.
And when those agendas intersect, there’s a lot of action. Some characters want to keep control, some want to regain control, some want escape. Tan keeps them rushing toward those goals. Hold on to your seat or reading device or paperback book: this story is a fast-paced ride.
September 2, 2020
The Man With No Name is a fun bite-sized cyberpunk novella in a world that owes debt to Blade Runner and a myriad other near futures we’ve seen on screen. I enjoyed the virtually shared lore with Complete Darkness where everyone has a Headchip – except here one man remains unchipped – no prizes in guessing that this is our unnamed hero.
In this bleak and sparsely populated tale, the titular Man With No Name fights a lonely battle to try and prevent our freedom being overwritten by a bio/tech fusion – this is a nice touch beginning to blur the lines between biology and technology.
It all cracks along at a good pace and there are some good action set pieces. I felt in places the author over details passages – conversations are full of ‘he / she saids’ and the prose doesn’t flow easily. This is in contrast to the characters who don’t get much flesh on their bones. There are also some stock descriptions that come up again and again about the black muscle car the hero drives. Not being too complex does mean that this would be a good taster cyberpunk for young adult readers.
In this bleak and sparsely populated tale, the titular Man With No Name fights a lonely battle to try and prevent our freedom being overwritten by a bio/tech fusion – this is a nice touch beginning to blur the lines between biology and technology.
It all cracks along at a good pace and there are some good action set pieces. I felt in places the author over details passages – conversations are full of ‘he / she saids’ and the prose doesn’t flow easily. This is in contrast to the characters who don’t get much flesh on their bones. There are also some stock descriptions that come up again and again about the black muscle car the hero drives. Not being too complex does mean that this would be a good taster cyberpunk for young adult readers.
March 30, 2023
While traditional mysteries lead readers on a chase, daring them to guess the twist before the book reveals all, other books simply ooze mystery, drawing the reader into the world as they slowly unveil the story. This latter approach can be more compelling. The Man With No Name is one such book.
Given The Man With No Name's overarching sense of mystery, I am being doubly careful to avoid discussing its plot. It's best enjoyed knowing as little about it as possible, and letting the author guide you through the world and story, revealing information as it suits the narrative. As the blurb indicates, it’s a cyberpunk story, and like all good examples of the genre, it examines a direction the world could move in. It adds shades of a Western story, and while it looks to the future instead of the past, it features a mysterious lead, determined to make a difference in a lawless land.
I often find that authors of novellas don't write to the format’s strengths, and either cram too much story in, making the book rushed, or not including enough to warrant something longer than a short story. The Man With No Name packs more story in than most novellas, but its sparse writing style fits everything in perfectly, without ever feeling rushed.
The book features an engrossing plot that unfolds throughout a narrative that jumps back and forth through time, and does so without slowing the book down. It features plenty of action, all of it expertly handled, without sacrificing the mystery. It also includes some heart, which serves the story without jarring against the dystopian world. The book doesn’t hammer the reader over the head with its sci-fi elements, instead blending them into a world that feels lived in.
Despite its sparse writing, The Man With No Name never feels underwritten. The prose is evocative, taking a less is more approach that gives the reader relevant information when it’s needed. This builds the book’s air of mystery, while transporting the reader to the book’s futuristic setting. It paints a picture realised in vivid detail, full of atmosphere. The author has found a delicate balance through carefully chosen words that keep the reader hooked, and also feel poetic. While I found a couple of minor typos, they didn’t impact my enjoyment.
The dialogue throughout fits the book’s trappings beautifully. It has a noir sensibility that completely meshes with the book’s overarching atmosphere. The characters sound distinct to one another.
While the novella doesn’t have the space to dedicate much time to exploring its characters,they all feel realistic, with their perspectives flowing together seamlessly. Some characters are more likeable than others and they are all engaging.
If you’re a fan of cyberpunk, dystopian fiction, science fiction or speculative fiction, this will lure you in as you keep flipping through its pages. With a poetic style of writing, stunning atmosphere, and wonderful characters, The Man With No Name is a stellar achievement.
My full review will be available on my website from 3 April 2023. To read it, and a host of other reviews, click here.
Given The Man With No Name's overarching sense of mystery, I am being doubly careful to avoid discussing its plot. It's best enjoyed knowing as little about it as possible, and letting the author guide you through the world and story, revealing information as it suits the narrative. As the blurb indicates, it’s a cyberpunk story, and like all good examples of the genre, it examines a direction the world could move in. It adds shades of a Western story, and while it looks to the future instead of the past, it features a mysterious lead, determined to make a difference in a lawless land.
I often find that authors of novellas don't write to the format’s strengths, and either cram too much story in, making the book rushed, or not including enough to warrant something longer than a short story. The Man With No Name packs more story in than most novellas, but its sparse writing style fits everything in perfectly, without ever feeling rushed.
The book features an engrossing plot that unfolds throughout a narrative that jumps back and forth through time, and does so without slowing the book down. It features plenty of action, all of it expertly handled, without sacrificing the mystery. It also includes some heart, which serves the story without jarring against the dystopian world. The book doesn’t hammer the reader over the head with its sci-fi elements, instead blending them into a world that feels lived in.
Despite its sparse writing, The Man With No Name never feels underwritten. The prose is evocative, taking a less is more approach that gives the reader relevant information when it’s needed. This builds the book’s air of mystery, while transporting the reader to the book’s futuristic setting. It paints a picture realised in vivid detail, full of atmosphere. The author has found a delicate balance through carefully chosen words that keep the reader hooked, and also feel poetic. While I found a couple of minor typos, they didn’t impact my enjoyment.
The dialogue throughout fits the book’s trappings beautifully. It has a noir sensibility that completely meshes with the book’s overarching atmosphere. The characters sound distinct to one another.
While the novella doesn’t have the space to dedicate much time to exploring its characters,they all feel realistic, with their perspectives flowing together seamlessly. Some characters are more likeable than others and they are all engaging.
If you’re a fan of cyberpunk, dystopian fiction, science fiction or speculative fiction, this will lure you in as you keep flipping through its pages. With a poetic style of writing, stunning atmosphere, and wonderful characters, The Man With No Name is a stellar achievement.
My full review will be available on my website from 3 April 2023. To read it, and a host of other reviews, click here.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews