What do you think?
Rate this book
To Kill a Unicorn
A wild, page-turning ride through the crazy, high-tech world of Silicon Valley, where startup founders aided by venture capitalists and blockchain tycoons are out to make their billions no matter what the cost. A unique novel with scenes in manga where a pair of aging elephants hold the key to stopping the murders.
SüprDüpr is the hottest startup in Silicon Valley until one of the company’s physicists disappears and hacker Ted Hara sets out to find his missing friend.
Led by a glamorous young scientist and funded by billionaire crypto investors, SüprDüpr promises to revolutionize transportation. But as Ted investigates the secretive company, nothing is what it seems.
Are the millions the company is spending building a homeless shelter truly corporate philanthropy? Or is the company a complex real estate scam? As the homeless residents of San Jose begin disappearing, too, it appears something far more sinister is happening downtown. But why was his friend searching for a pair of elephants before he disappeared?
Days away from the technology unveiling that will confer unimaginable riches on the company’s investors, Ted becomes trapped in a web of corruption protecting its founder. While avoiding the police, he has to find out why people are disappearing before it’s too late.
SüprDüpr is the hottest startup in Silicon Valley until one of the company’s physicists disappears and hacker Ted Hara sets out to find his missing friend.
Led by a glamorous young scientist and funded by billionaire crypto investors, SüprDüpr promises to revolutionize transportation. But as Ted investigates the secretive company, nothing is what it seems.
Are the millions the company is spending building a homeless shelter truly corporate philanthropy? Or is the company a complex real estate scam? As the homeless residents of San Jose begin disappearing, too, it appears something far more sinister is happening downtown. But why was his friend searching for a pair of elephants before he disappeared?
Days away from the technology unveiling that will confer unimaginable riches on the company’s investors, Ted becomes trapped in a web of corruption protecting its founder. While avoiding the police, he has to find out why people are disappearing before it’s too late.
- GenresMystery
354 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2023
17 people are currently reading
2431 people want to read
About the author
DC Palter
5 books25 followersDC Palter is a startup founder and venture investor, with twenty-five years experience leading tech companies. His articles on venture funding are followed by tens of thousands of startup founders.
Living in Japan for many years as a research engineer, he became the first non-native person certified by the Japan Society as a Japanese language instructor. He’s the author of Colloquial Kansai Japanese, a guidebook to the Osaka-Kyoto dialect published by Tuttle, and editor-in-chief of Japonica, a daily journal of Japanese culture.
He is the first-ever winner of the Little Tokyo Fiction Contest for short stories in both Japanese and English. His first novel, To Kill a Unicorn, was a 2023 American Fiction Awards finalist for Best Mystery Novel and Best Debut Novel.
DC holds an MFA in creative writing along with degrees in engineering, marketing, and law. Together with his wife, a leading ikebana artist, he splits his time between Kobe, Japan and the Silicon Beach area of Los Angeles.
Living in Japan for many years as a research engineer, he became the first non-native person certified by the Japan Society as a Japanese language instructor. He’s the author of Colloquial Kansai Japanese, a guidebook to the Osaka-Kyoto dialect published by Tuttle, and editor-in-chief of Japonica, a daily journal of Japanese culture.
He is the first-ever winner of the Little Tokyo Fiction Contest for short stories in both Japanese and English. His first novel, To Kill a Unicorn, was a 2023 American Fiction Awards finalist for Best Mystery Novel and Best Debut Novel.
DC holds an MFA in creative writing along with degrees in engineering, marketing, and law. Together with his wife, a leading ikebana artist, he splits his time between Kobe, Japan and the Silicon Beach area of Los Angeles.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
June 16, 2023
rating: 3
i received an advance review copy for free, and i am leaving this review voluntarily.
to kill a unicorn is a story about a simple man, ted/tatsu hara and the world of big tech and start-ups in silicon valley. one day, his ex/kinda friend comes to him looking for her missing older brother, who also happens to be ted's old friend. thus, ted is thrown into this wild mystery to look for his friend who had strangely disappeared after joining a too-good-to-be-true start-up. throughout this journey, many strange details are uncovered, some too crazy to comprehend.
to kill a unicorn is certainly one of the more fascinating books i have read recently. this book was interesting because at any given point, i was either actively hating or loving. so, i have taken the liberty to make a pro/con list for those of you who are thinking about reading this book!
pros:
this book deals with the topic of systemic homelessness, specifically in the tech capital that is silicon valley. it shows the conflict between the mega-rich tech moguls and the homeless people. dc palter works to humanize the homeless people; instead of blaming the homeless for being lazy, he shows how many of them were veterans and that the american government is the one that is failing them by not providing healthcare, affordable housing, and mental health resources. in addition, he shows that these people are not necessarily "lazy" or "incompetent." they had dreams just like everyone else.
the mystery and the science was interesting. as a stem person, i enjoyed it. however, maybe toning it down a little would make the book more enjoyable to others, because even i started getting annoyed with all of the science/quantum physics/coding jargon. the mystery was only interesting around half-way through the book. then, around the last 10 chapters of the book, it became really obvious what had happened, but the characters apparently still couldn't figure it out. so, solving the mystery earlier in the book would have aided the progression of the plot a lot. but i was hooked nonetheless.
kind of a spoiler: at the end of the book, ted comes up with this plan to help solve the homelessness problem in silicon valley by creating a "school" that teaches people how to code and deeper computer literacy. the school is supposed to be all inclusive and give the people a second chance. i like that palter shows that education and a fresh start is the best way of breaking the poverty cycle. however, i do believe that ted is too confident in this idea, because although it sounds good in theory, the implementation of a system like this will be extremely difficult.
cons:
this might be a deal breaker for many people, but the characters. i really, really disliked the lead character. something about the way that ted thinks and talks and acts just irked me so, so much. he acts like a man child and never listens to other people. for a supposed mit tech genius, he makes very dumb decisions and i hate listening to his thoughts.
the beginning of the book took way too long to get through. i feel like half of the exposition and the setup for the mystery could just be deleted as it was more unnecessary than the thirty hundred seasons of grey's anatomy (sorry not sorry!). this book only started getting interesting about 60 pages in, so i really had to push myself to finish this book.
like i was talking about before, the characters really needed a lot of work. because this is a missing person book, there were many encounters with the police of san francisco. all of the police officers and police chiefs were so weird. i know that they are supposed to be villains, but something about naming the evil corrupted police chief “jesus” just gives this book a weird vibe. i think this is supposed to be ironic or commentary on how the police are supposed to be our savior but that they are often corrupt, but this commentary falls flat because the police characters are flat.
why was this book called to kill a unicorn if it had no relationship to the book to kill a mockingbird? like if you are going to make the title of the book similar to one of the most influential books in american literature, i would hope that some of the themes would be the same, or it would at least pay homage to the book. note: maybe the connections just flew over my head, and in that case, they should have been made more clear i guess.
i received an advance review copy for free, and i am leaving this review voluntarily.
to kill a unicorn is a story about a simple man, ted/tatsu hara and the world of big tech and start-ups in silicon valley. one day, his ex/kinda friend comes to him looking for her missing older brother, who also happens to be ted's old friend. thus, ted is thrown into this wild mystery to look for his friend who had strangely disappeared after joining a too-good-to-be-true start-up. throughout this journey, many strange details are uncovered, some too crazy to comprehend.
to kill a unicorn is certainly one of the more fascinating books i have read recently. this book was interesting because at any given point, i was either actively hating or loving. so, i have taken the liberty to make a pro/con list for those of you who are thinking about reading this book!
pros:
this book deals with the topic of systemic homelessness, specifically in the tech capital that is silicon valley. it shows the conflict between the mega-rich tech moguls and the homeless people. dc palter works to humanize the homeless people; instead of blaming the homeless for being lazy, he shows how many of them were veterans and that the american government is the one that is failing them by not providing healthcare, affordable housing, and mental health resources. in addition, he shows that these people are not necessarily "lazy" or "incompetent." they had dreams just like everyone else.
the mystery and the science was interesting. as a stem person, i enjoyed it. however, maybe toning it down a little would make the book more enjoyable to others, because even i started getting annoyed with all of the science/quantum physics/coding jargon. the mystery was only interesting around half-way through the book. then, around the last 10 chapters of the book, it became really obvious what had happened, but the characters apparently still couldn't figure it out. so, solving the mystery earlier in the book would have aided the progression of the plot a lot. but i was hooked nonetheless.
kind of a spoiler: at the end of the book, ted comes up with this plan to help solve the homelessness problem in silicon valley by creating a "school" that teaches people how to code and deeper computer literacy. the school is supposed to be all inclusive and give the people a second chance. i like that palter shows that education and a fresh start is the best way of breaking the poverty cycle. however, i do believe that ted is too confident in this idea, because although it sounds good in theory, the implementation of a system like this will be extremely difficult.
cons:
this might be a deal breaker for many people, but the characters. i really, really disliked the lead character. something about the way that ted thinks and talks and acts just irked me so, so much. he acts like a man child and never listens to other people. for a supposed mit tech genius, he makes very dumb decisions and i hate listening to his thoughts.
the beginning of the book took way too long to get through. i feel like half of the exposition and the setup for the mystery could just be deleted as it was more unnecessary than the thirty hundred seasons of grey's anatomy (sorry not sorry!). this book only started getting interesting about 60 pages in, so i really had to push myself to finish this book.
like i was talking about before, the characters really needed a lot of work. because this is a missing person book, there were many encounters with the police of san francisco. all of the police officers and police chiefs were so weird. i know that they are supposed to be villains, but something about naming the evil corrupted police chief “jesus” just gives this book a weird vibe. i think this is supposed to be ironic or commentary on how the police are supposed to be our savior but that they are often corrupt, but this commentary falls flat because the police characters are flat.
why was this book called to kill a unicorn if it had no relationship to the book to kill a mockingbird? like if you are going to make the title of the book similar to one of the most influential books in american literature, i would hope that some of the themes would be the same, or it would at least pay homage to the book. note: maybe the connections just flew over my head, and in that case, they should have been made more clear i guess.
May 13, 2023
3.5
As long as nobody expects me to comment on the high techie techie jargon I should be okay.
To Kill A Unicorn seems to be about several things. Tatsu's (Ted) feelings of abandonment by a mother who committed suicide, a father who drank himself to death, a girlfriend who dumped him and now Ryu, the aforementioned girlfriend's brother who seems to have disappeared. However it's also about the ethics of the tech giants and start-ups, the honesty of those in power including the police and also a bit of human and animal rights thrown in for good measure.
The story was, for me, okay. It felt very disjointed at times but I eventually gathered where we were going. Ted is not the world's most likeable of characters but he does garner sympathy.
I'd be interested to see what DC Palter comes up with next because there's definitely an interesting imagination there.
As long as nobody expects me to comment on the high techie techie jargon I should be okay.
To Kill A Unicorn seems to be about several things. Tatsu's (Ted) feelings of abandonment by a mother who committed suicide, a father who drank himself to death, a girlfriend who dumped him and now Ryu, the aforementioned girlfriend's brother who seems to have disappeared. However it's also about the ethics of the tech giants and start-ups, the honesty of those in power including the police and also a bit of human and animal rights thrown in for good measure.
The story was, for me, okay. It felt very disjointed at times but I eventually gathered where we were going. Ted is not the world's most likeable of characters but he does garner sympathy.
I'd be interested to see what DC Palter comes up with next because there's definitely an interesting imagination there.
February 12, 2023
Palter’s wildly entertaining debut delves into hardboiled crime in the world of high tech start-ups via Tatsu a.k.a Ted a.k.a Teddybear Hara, a sake-sipping, bunny-slipper-wearing IT employee with hacking skills. When ex-girlfriend Sumire shows up begging him to find her missing brother, Ted becomes a reluctant cyber-sleuth and gets sucked into the evil doings of a nefarious unicorn. Oh, and there are elephants! Prepare to have your mind blown!
February 3, 2023
I read To Kill A Unicorn as an ARC courtesy of Netgalley & Pandamoon Publishing. 🫶
To Kill A Unicorn is a true genre mash for me and I LOVED every second, this was the most imaginative book I have read in a long time. Our main character Tatsu AKA Ted is pulled into a mystery that even he can’t imagine the depths of when an old friend Ryu goes missing shortly after joining a new tech start-up and Ryu’s sister (and Ted’s ex-girlfriend) seeks out his help in finding her brother. SüprDüpr is the newest start-up headed by an enchanting redhead & backed by billions in cryptocurrency that no one can figure out the goal of BUT with the company building homeless shelters and promising to clean up the community, no one feels the need to question it all that much.
Ted, a programmer by day, and a hacker and an alcoholic by night, dives head first into SüprDüpr to find his friend and discover the impossible: is teleportation possible; SüprDüpr discovered it; what is the cost of the greatest transportation advancement in human history? There a few sinister turns in this book as the reader realises the lengths people will go to when they stand to become the richest people on Earth.
DC Palter created so many layers and it was just exciting to read. The themes that they explore include corruption, addiction, grief, sacrifice and beating the odds in a city where the truth is fighting to stay hidden. I just loved everything about it - the characters were well-constructed, the sci-fi elements were made very easy to understand, and if you know me you know I need a cry at the end of the book which I got. 🥹
Side note: there were even a few manga entries in the book which were so beautiful and added a lot of the story.
To Kill A Unicorn is out now & I 100% recommend you pick up a copy! 📚
To Kill A Unicorn is a true genre mash for me and I LOVED every second, this was the most imaginative book I have read in a long time. Our main character Tatsu AKA Ted is pulled into a mystery that even he can’t imagine the depths of when an old friend Ryu goes missing shortly after joining a new tech start-up and Ryu’s sister (and Ted’s ex-girlfriend) seeks out his help in finding her brother. SüprDüpr is the newest start-up headed by an enchanting redhead & backed by billions in cryptocurrency that no one can figure out the goal of BUT with the company building homeless shelters and promising to clean up the community, no one feels the need to question it all that much.
Ted, a programmer by day, and a hacker and an alcoholic by night, dives head first into SüprDüpr to find his friend and discover the impossible: is teleportation possible; SüprDüpr discovered it; what is the cost of the greatest transportation advancement in human history? There a few sinister turns in this book as the reader realises the lengths people will go to when they stand to become the richest people on Earth.
DC Palter created so many layers and it was just exciting to read. The themes that they explore include corruption, addiction, grief, sacrifice and beating the odds in a city where the truth is fighting to stay hidden. I just loved everything about it - the characters were well-constructed, the sci-fi elements were made very easy to understand, and if you know me you know I need a cry at the end of the book which I got. 🥹
Side note: there were even a few manga entries in the book which were so beautiful and added a lot of the story.
To Kill A Unicorn is out now & I 100% recommend you pick up a copy! 📚
February 12, 2023
What happens when your former best friend disappears from the face of the earth, completely, leaving no trace, not even a telephone trail? If you’re an expert hacker, and something of a slacker, like Ted Tatsu Hara, you’ll put your skills to work trying to find him. In this fast-paced cyber thriller, To Kill a Unicorn, DC Palter carries readers along on this quest through the glittering and increasingly menacing urban landscape of Silicon Valley. We careen through a maze of hidden hurts and private dreams chasing a menagerie of cryptic characters from unicorns and elephants to geeks, beauties, and a Japanese billionaire.
At first glance the novel reads like a hardboiled detective story, only our damsel in distress is a gutsy attorney with some mean aikido moves. And our would-be detective is hardly a “man’s man,” or even a “lady’s man.” He’s the kid that was bullied in high school, the nerd who no one ever fully understood. The further he goes in tracking his missing friend, the closer he comes to finding himself. To Kill a Unicorn conceals an existential depth behind a narrative rich with sarcasm, smart-alecky humor, and lively dialogue. Plus, there are panels of manga!
At first glance the novel reads like a hardboiled detective story, only our damsel in distress is a gutsy attorney with some mean aikido moves. And our would-be detective is hardly a “man’s man,” or even a “lady’s man.” He’s the kid that was bullied in high school, the nerd who no one ever fully understood. The further he goes in tracking his missing friend, the closer he comes to finding himself. To Kill a Unicorn conceals an existential depth behind a narrative rich with sarcasm, smart-alecky humor, and lively dialogue. Plus, there are panels of manga!
January 3, 2023
I really do not have any notes for this book. I was hooked pretty early and had trouble ever putting it down. If I do have one issue, it is with the ending. It fits, and I guess that it is perfectly fine; I just thought the feeling of " they all lived happily ever after" was a weird way to end the book, considering that Sumire lost her brother, Ted lost his friend, his job, and is lucky not to have an extended prison sentence, and Katie is still on the loose with what appears to be billions of dollars at her disposal. Additionally, I felt that the whole coding school angle could have been omitted from the story, and nothing would have been lost other than maybe a sense of closure that Ted landed on his feet. Besides that, no additional notes. Great book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2022
This was a fun read! It had all the good stuff I love in a book: funny, atmospheric, and mystery. It took my brain on a joy ride. and. Definitely recommend if you are looking for something spontaneous to read. The writing was so good!!
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 10, 2022
This book was amazing. It had everything I want in a novel: Silicon Valley, mystery, elephants, time travel and beautiful girls. DC is an amazing writer and many of his descriptions made me laugh out loud. This is a must read for those looking for something different. I couldn’t put it down.
February 8, 2023
To Kill a Unicorn is a cautionary tale of what happens when greed and technology ultimately collide when lofty ideas come in contact with real-life consequences.
In Silicon Valley speak, a technology unicorn is a mythical beast of a startup that reaches a billion dollars in valuation without being listed on the stock market. Popular and former unicorns include Airbnb, Facebook and Google. In chasing the next big thing, the stakes are high for the investors and the employees for the idea to succeed.
And that’s where the problem starts.
The book opens with Ted - a brilliant Japanese American silicon valley programmer/hacker struggling with life, work and a vice for whiskey. His high school sweetheart asks him to help find her programmer brother who has gone missing after he joined a secretive startup named SüprDüpr. Ted is pulled into a mystery and uncovers an unbelievable technology and business model that could change the world. However, like the mythical unicorn, the tech may or may not exist and the business model might be too difficult to sell to wall street or even main street if the truth was revealed.
To Kill a Unicorn is part mystery, part love story and a not too off-the-mark story when the promise of technology advancement meets real world and deadly consequences.
In Silicon Valley speak, a technology unicorn is a mythical beast of a startup that reaches a billion dollars in valuation without being listed on the stock market. Popular and former unicorns include Airbnb, Facebook and Google. In chasing the next big thing, the stakes are high for the investors and the employees for the idea to succeed.
And that’s where the problem starts.
The book opens with Ted - a brilliant Japanese American silicon valley programmer/hacker struggling with life, work and a vice for whiskey. His high school sweetheart asks him to help find her programmer brother who has gone missing after he joined a secretive startup named SüprDüpr. Ted is pulled into a mystery and uncovers an unbelievable technology and business model that could change the world. However, like the mythical unicorn, the tech may or may not exist and the business model might be too difficult to sell to wall street or even main street if the truth was revealed.
To Kill a Unicorn is part mystery, part love story and a not too off-the-mark story when the promise of technology advancement meets real world and deadly consequences.
February 1, 2023
One of the books I had set aside to read after publishing my own books this year.
DC Palter’s To Kill A Unicorn reads like a Dashiell Hammett hard-boiled detective novel, except the part of Sam Spade—the quintessential private detective—is portrayed by an unwilling Japanese-American mathematician/ computer hacker who goes by the name of Ted (the loosely Americanized version of Tatsu). Both men are hard-drinking protagonists, but where Spade loves his rum, Ted would rather spend the night nursing a bottle of Mu (Yaegaki Mu Sake). Unlike Spade however, Ted does not have a right-hand woman like Effie Perine. Instead he shares the story with a woman named Sumire, a former girlfriend, who walks back into his life after her brother Ryu mysteriously disappears.
After doing some digging around, Ted finds his own Brigid O’Shaughnessy, a femme fatale named Dr. Katherine Deauville (or Katie D). She is a “knockout” who holds a Ph.D. in particle physics from Stanford and also happens to be the CEO of a startup company where Ryu worked prior to his disappearance.
Trying not to succumb to her sexual charms, Ted must persevere to find out why his best friend Ryu has vanished without a trace, leaving no record of his existence and what role the alluring doctor played in his disappearance.
To Kill A Unicorn is a masterfully written story introducing readers to Japanese-American culture while putting a modern spin on an old-fashioned fiction genre that flourished in the 1930s–50s. A real page-turner that spurs the reader on to keep reading to find out what happens next. Fast-paced and high-energy storytelling that will make it difficult to put the book down.
DC Palter’s To Kill A Unicorn reads like a Dashiell Hammett hard-boiled detective novel, except the part of Sam Spade—the quintessential private detective—is portrayed by an unwilling Japanese-American mathematician/ computer hacker who goes by the name of Ted (the loosely Americanized version of Tatsu). Both men are hard-drinking protagonists, but where Spade loves his rum, Ted would rather spend the night nursing a bottle of Mu (Yaegaki Mu Sake). Unlike Spade however, Ted does not have a right-hand woman like Effie Perine. Instead he shares the story with a woman named Sumire, a former girlfriend, who walks back into his life after her brother Ryu mysteriously disappears.
After doing some digging around, Ted finds his own Brigid O’Shaughnessy, a femme fatale named Dr. Katherine Deauville (or Katie D). She is a “knockout” who holds a Ph.D. in particle physics from Stanford and also happens to be the CEO of a startup company where Ryu worked prior to his disappearance.
Trying not to succumb to her sexual charms, Ted must persevere to find out why his best friend Ryu has vanished without a trace, leaving no record of his existence and what role the alluring doctor played in his disappearance.
To Kill A Unicorn is a masterfully written story introducing readers to Japanese-American culture while putting a modern spin on an old-fashioned fiction genre that flourished in the 1930s–50s. A real page-turner that spurs the reader on to keep reading to find out what happens next. Fast-paced and high-energy storytelling that will make it difficult to put the book down.
Read
May 28, 2023If you are looking for a fun vacation ready I definitely recommend To Kill A Unicorn. It is classic mystery that has a tone of Hithcock and nicely bends old San Francisco with the new world of start-ups and tech giants. Ted, the unassuming hero is a self-depricating, fun and smart and as a reader we are routing for him the whole time.
February 6, 2023
An ingenious coder disappears soon after taking a job at a Silicon Valley unicorn on the brink of a world-changing invention. To find the missing man, it will take another brilliant coder to track the cyber footprints of a secretive startup founder who’s run amok.
The original plot, featuring a smart-mouthed coder-turned-hacker/sleuth with predilections for fine Japanese sake and pure mathematics, makes To Kill A Unicorn a highly entertaining mystery. A great read with colorful atmospherics and an intriguing premise.
The original plot, featuring a smart-mouthed coder-turned-hacker/sleuth with predilections for fine Japanese sake and pure mathematics, makes To Kill A Unicorn a highly entertaining mystery. A great read with colorful atmospherics and an intriguing premise.
September 6, 2024
Think you've read it all when it comes to detective fiction? You haven't and that's a good thing. Meet Ted Hara a Japanese American Hacker Detective who's the opposite of hard-boiled. In fact he prefers a warm bowl of udon noodles and some high class sake to late night coffee in a greasy spoon. You're going to love unravelling this Silicon Valley mystery with Hara—he's a hacker/detective for our times!
February 6, 2023
To Kill a Unicorn is a noir romp about the Silicon Valley of the near future and the ethical parody of itself that it is rapidly becoming. For readers in the Venn diagram middle of Douglas Adams and Tom Robbins. Step right up and get your heart broken by an elephant!
April 26, 2023
Look, no Unicorns were killed in the making of this book. Can’t say the same of elephants. Rest in Peace, Apple.
January 8, 2023
I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that this is Palter's first novel. The writing was well done, and I especially loved the clever chapter names. The plot is really solid and makes for an engrossing experience. I would highly recommend this book, it had me hooked.
November 26, 2022
A page-turning wild ride through the crazy world of Silicon Valley startups.
June 25, 2024
A fun take on the tech industry. Pretty entertaining. I like the author's imagination, which is put to good use here. Recommended.
I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!
I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!
June 3, 2024
I only picked up this book because I have been reading DC Palter's Japonica publication on Medium. Palter is a venture capitalist who apparently lives off and on in Japan, speaks Japanese with native fluency, writes lots of articles about Japanese language and culture, and apparently decided he wanted to write a novel. In other words, he's an old school weeaboo.
To Kill a Unicorn is a "Silicon Valley murder mystery," and one of the pleasures of reading this book for me was reading about the area I grew up in - Cupertino, San Jose, Palo Alto, Los Gatos, Stevens Creek Boulevard and Half Moon Bay - so many places I used to drive around in. It also reminded me of early (late 90s era) Salon articles and short stories, when Silicon Valley was an optimistic glittery place high on its own supply and stonks always go up. In other words, kind of like now.
The inspiration, according to the author, was Haruki Murakami's The Elephant Vanishes, and Bad Blood, the story of the fraudulent start-up Theranos and its beautiful blonde sociopathic founder, Elizabeth Holmes. To Kill a Unicorn combines a Murukami-like protagonist and a villain who is practically a carbon copy of Elizabeth Holmes.
Tatsu "Teddy" Hara is a Japanese-American computer programmer working for a FAANG company and turning into an alcoholic borderline hikikimori. He's got abandonment issues (his father drank himself to death, his mother was an angry, bitter neurotic who committed suicide) and his best friend Ryu has disappeared. Ryu's sister (who used to be Teddy's girlfriend) shows up asking Teddy to help find him, leading Teddy down a rabbit hole investigating a mysterious startup called SüprDüpr which is going to "revolutionize transportation." The story takes us on a satirical ride through the Bay Area's homeless problem, Silicon Valley's absurd startup culture, elephant preserves, Japantown, and every techbro trope (Bitcoin, blockchain, Soylent, gourmet ramen-topped pizza).
Teddy is a mess, and is an extremely annoying protagonist in the same way that Murakami's protagonists are annoying: he's a passive schmuck who keeps making shocked-Pikachu faces when the police don't take his stories of a billionaire using a teleportation device to murder homeless people seriously, and despite being a dweeby alcoholic loser, his hot lawyer ex is still into him.
Much of the story was a bit implausible (besides the central conceit of a working teleportation device), but it was pretty fun, and the Elizabeth Holmes expy villain was more Hollywood than the real Holmes. To Kill a Unicorn is probably more enjoyable if you are into the culture of Silicon Valley. Like many debut novels, it's sometimes over-described and the characters over-emote, but if you are willing to stretch your suspension of disbelief, it's also funny and touching.
To Kill a Unicorn is a "Silicon Valley murder mystery," and one of the pleasures of reading this book for me was reading about the area I grew up in - Cupertino, San Jose, Palo Alto, Los Gatos, Stevens Creek Boulevard and Half Moon Bay - so many places I used to drive around in. It also reminded me of early (late 90s era) Salon articles and short stories, when Silicon Valley was an optimistic glittery place high on its own supply and stonks always go up. In other words, kind of like now.
The inspiration, according to the author, was Haruki Murakami's The Elephant Vanishes, and Bad Blood, the story of the fraudulent start-up Theranos and its beautiful blonde sociopathic founder, Elizabeth Holmes. To Kill a Unicorn combines a Murukami-like protagonist and a villain who is practically a carbon copy of Elizabeth Holmes.
Tatsu "Teddy" Hara is a Japanese-American computer programmer working for a FAANG company and turning into an alcoholic borderline hikikimori. He's got abandonment issues (his father drank himself to death, his mother was an angry, bitter neurotic who committed suicide) and his best friend Ryu has disappeared. Ryu's sister (who used to be Teddy's girlfriend) shows up asking Teddy to help find him, leading Teddy down a rabbit hole investigating a mysterious startup called SüprDüpr which is going to "revolutionize transportation." The story takes us on a satirical ride through the Bay Area's homeless problem, Silicon Valley's absurd startup culture, elephant preserves, Japantown, and every techbro trope (Bitcoin, blockchain, Soylent, gourmet ramen-topped pizza).
Teddy is a mess, and is an extremely annoying protagonist in the same way that Murakami's protagonists are annoying: he's a passive schmuck who keeps making shocked-Pikachu faces when the police don't take his stories of a billionaire using a teleportation device to murder homeless people seriously, and despite being a dweeby alcoholic loser, his hot lawyer ex is still into him.
Much of the story was a bit implausible (besides the central conceit of a working teleportation device), but it was pretty fun, and the Elizabeth Holmes expy villain was more Hollywood than the real Holmes. To Kill a Unicorn is probably more enjoyable if you are into the culture of Silicon Valley. Like many debut novels, it's sometimes over-described and the characters over-emote, but if you are willing to stretch your suspension of disbelief, it's also funny and touching.
January 10, 2024
To Kill a Unicorn” is a highly anticipated mystery by DC Palter. It follows Ted Hara, a programmer with MeCan Mobiles who is approached for help by his former lover. She’s a lawyer and sister to his friend Ryu who suddenly disappeared after acquiring a new job in a promising startup.
Ted’s first stop is at Kenta’s, Ryu’s confidant, who discloses private information about his friend’s new job. This friend now works at a new startup in Silicon Valley called SüprDüpr, which intends to develop some revolutionary new transportation technology. Ted begins investigating the firm only to realize that the SüprDüpr boss, Katie, has been benevolently donating houses to the homeless while also buying buildings with what seems like the investor’s money. He feels that this may be a fraud project. He suspects at some later date, this woman may cook up a story about the technology project not working and, thereafter, walk away with millions of dollars after disposing of the investments.
Ted plans to apply for a job at the firm to enable his investigation of Ryu’s disappearance and the company’s possible involvement from the inside. His endeavor uncovers a deliberate and worrisome scheme by senior management to use the homeless to solve the issue of conservation of mass in teleportation discontinuities. This may just be what Ted needs to follow to track down his missing friend and save the targeted group from a hideous, life-ending conspiracy.
Palter paints a vivid picture of the startups’ attractive nature to talents and investors in this highly elucidating novel. His protagonist, Ted, does a great job unpacking deceit while going to unimaginable levels of sacrifice and despair for the sake of friendship. Through him, the author left me enlightened about the highly paranoid tech industry.
“To Kill a Unicorn” by DC Palter depicts bone-chilling themes of death, greed, duplicity, and depravity that tell what has been well hidden from many people for decades behind tantalizing advertisements and charitable events. I loved the author’s blend of concepts and characters from Japanese culture as well as the manga themes. This is a novel that was fun to read and one whose facts left me enlightened. I highly recommend it to all mystery and fantasy lovers, as well as tech enthusiasts.
Ted’s first stop is at Kenta’s, Ryu’s confidant, who discloses private information about his friend’s new job. This friend now works at a new startup in Silicon Valley called SüprDüpr, which intends to develop some revolutionary new transportation technology. Ted begins investigating the firm only to realize that the SüprDüpr boss, Katie, has been benevolently donating houses to the homeless while also buying buildings with what seems like the investor’s money. He feels that this may be a fraud project. He suspects at some later date, this woman may cook up a story about the technology project not working and, thereafter, walk away with millions of dollars after disposing of the investments.
Ted plans to apply for a job at the firm to enable his investigation of Ryu’s disappearance and the company’s possible involvement from the inside. His endeavor uncovers a deliberate and worrisome scheme by senior management to use the homeless to solve the issue of conservation of mass in teleportation discontinuities. This may just be what Ted needs to follow to track down his missing friend and save the targeted group from a hideous, life-ending conspiracy.
Palter paints a vivid picture of the startups’ attractive nature to talents and investors in this highly elucidating novel. His protagonist, Ted, does a great job unpacking deceit while going to unimaginable levels of sacrifice and despair for the sake of friendship. Through him, the author left me enlightened about the highly paranoid tech industry.
“To Kill a Unicorn” by DC Palter depicts bone-chilling themes of death, greed, duplicity, and depravity that tell what has been well hidden from many people for decades behind tantalizing advertisements and charitable events. I loved the author’s blend of concepts and characters from Japanese culture as well as the manga themes. This is a novel that was fun to read and one whose facts left me enlightened. I highly recommend it to all mystery and fantasy lovers, as well as tech enthusiasts.
May 3, 2023
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
I did finish this book, I just wish I liked it more.
Ted is a programmer for a multi national phone company, a rival to Apple. Ted is bored with his job but the perks are good so he stays. He is Japanese living in Japan town in the Silicon Valley, both his parents are dead, both in sad circumstances. He has no siblings. Unfortunately Ted drinks too much, however he doesn’t believe he’s an alcoholic.
His ex girlfriend Sumire contacts him one day to say her brother, Teds friend, has gone missing. No one has seen him for days but no one seems at all perturbed by this. She had reported him missing to the police but they’re not bothered.
Ryu or Ray as he’s also known had taken a new job with a major start up company called SuprDupr. Start ups are called Unicorns in the business. The company is run by a glamorous scientist Katie D. The start up is promising a revolution in the transportation business, but surprisingly part of Ryu’s job was to find 2 elephants!
Ted has little luck in finding Ryu so after he is sacked from his job with the telephone company, he manages to be hired on at SuprDupr and hopes this will help him to find out what has happened to his friend.
What is the revolution in transportation promised, where has all the money for the start up come from and why are the unhoused population disappearing, and what does it have to do with elephants?
This is quite a long complex book. It’s very dense with tech speak , so if like me you’re of average tech ability it gets very confusing. I also felt the mash up with Japanese manga which at times was quite sweet, however I’m not sure it really worked. I also learned a lot more about the Japanese rice wine Saki than I really wanted to, although learning a little more about Japanese life was interesting.
I felt that there was an interesting story desperately trying to get out but the author doesn’t seem to know his readers. I don’t know if many manga reading Japanese tech experts would actually read this book, so I don’t quite know who he’s trying to reach.
I did finish this book, I just wish I liked it more.
Ted is a programmer for a multi national phone company, a rival to Apple. Ted is bored with his job but the perks are good so he stays. He is Japanese living in Japan town in the Silicon Valley, both his parents are dead, both in sad circumstances. He has no siblings. Unfortunately Ted drinks too much, however he doesn’t believe he’s an alcoholic.
His ex girlfriend Sumire contacts him one day to say her brother, Teds friend, has gone missing. No one has seen him for days but no one seems at all perturbed by this. She had reported him missing to the police but they’re not bothered.
Ryu or Ray as he’s also known had taken a new job with a major start up company called SuprDupr. Start ups are called Unicorns in the business. The company is run by a glamorous scientist Katie D. The start up is promising a revolution in the transportation business, but surprisingly part of Ryu’s job was to find 2 elephants!
Ted has little luck in finding Ryu so after he is sacked from his job with the telephone company, he manages to be hired on at SuprDupr and hopes this will help him to find out what has happened to his friend.
What is the revolution in transportation promised, where has all the money for the start up come from and why are the unhoused population disappearing, and what does it have to do with elephants?
This is quite a long complex book. It’s very dense with tech speak , so if like me you’re of average tech ability it gets very confusing. I also felt the mash up with Japanese manga which at times was quite sweet, however I’m not sure it really worked. I also learned a lot more about the Japanese rice wine Saki than I really wanted to, although learning a little more about Japanese life was interesting.
I felt that there was an interesting story desperately trying to get out but the author doesn’t seem to know his readers. I don’t know if many manga reading Japanese tech experts would actually read this book, so I don’t quite know who he’s trying to reach.
June 20, 2023
This book was quirky and interesting - I haven’t read this type of thriller/mystery before, so it was fun to read! I did, however, feel like the book dragged for me at times. Maybe it’s the subject matter not fully hitting for me, or maybe it was the length, I’m not quite sure. I think two of my biggest hang ups for this book were 1) A lot of explanations for what certain terms or vocabulary were. I think explanations are great, but sometimes it got very tedious and broke the flow of the story for me. I’ve seen other authors add these explanations in footnotes and I think that would have been preferable for me. There’s a lot of tech terms and Japanese vocabulary that people may not be familiar with and I agree with explaining them, but I think it could have been incorporated a bit better. I also think 2) Sumire’s character kind of felt like The Love Interest instead of a woman trying to find her brother. There wasn’t much of a reaction for Ryu to me after the premise was set up? I wish I got more on Ryu as a character, and Sumire & our main’s dynamic with him. A really great character dynamic is when you can really feel why the characters are doing something - even if you don’t see a character - and I didn’t really get it besides the book saying Ryu is their sibling/best friend respectively. Sumire felt more relegated to who she was going to date and an attempt to root for a relationship with our main rather than feeling like a fully developed character.
I did have some fun with this book, though. It was an interesting premise and I liked the concept of it a lot. I was also a big fan of the comics that opened up a few chapters - really set up a nice vibe that I appreciated.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I did have some fun with this book, though. It was an interesting premise and I liked the concept of it a lot. I was also a big fan of the comics that opened up a few chapters - really set up a nice vibe that I appreciated.
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 17, 2023
Quite nice, quite entertaining. The plot is relatively interesting, although I haven't understood how the SuprDupr technology worked or rather, what actually happened, when activated (sorry for being so vague; I don't want to spoil). Basically, "To Kill a Unicorn" (made available to me by netgalley.com) is just another Silicon-Valley-Start-up novel, not bad, but not convincing, either. I am a bit surprised about the insistence on everything Japanese on almost each and every page of the book, since the author is not Japanese himself (if I'm not mistaken). I don't want to insinuate that only a Japanese author could write a story, whose main protagonists are Japanese or US-Japanese, eat Pizza with Ramen on top (really?), read mangas and drink sake all the time. However, the fact that he is apparently a big fan of everything Japanese does not justify a book full of clichés. Or does he mean it satirically? It definitely reminds me of the famous books, the Englishman Peter Mayle wrote about his time in "La Provence", which were also full of bizarre stereotypes about French people in southern France. Seemingly knowledgable, but actually rather patronising / arrogant. So, my conclusion would be (once again): taking creative writing lessons doesn't make you a great writer. But for an afternoon on the beach or commuting from LA to SF or elsewhere in CA "To Kill a Unicorn" t might be an acceptable read.
February 11, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and the published for a complimentary ARC for my unbiased review.
3.5 stars
Review contains spoilers.
Overall I found this to be an entertaining read. The concept was really great, and I enjoyed the fake science behind the transportation system. It seems like it would make sense, but also brought to light the consideration of how much we value human life when it comes to making a profit. The main character was interesting, and had a boatful of flaws that made him more interesting and put a few obstacles in his way. I remain very interested in his relationship with his mother. It was well written, although the beginning was a little awkward as the author introduced the characters and concept. Once that was out of the way, it clipped along at a great pace.
The Japanese cultural references throughout felt a little odd. Was it respectful? Was it fetishization? I'm still not entirely sure. Also there's obviously flaws in the science fiction part.
(Again, spoiler!)
The transporter requires someone to die for each trip that is made. It seems like they would run out of people real quick, right? I mean, the founder herself is basically using it to commute. That would be two deaths a day per person who would use it.
But all science fiction requires some suspension of disbelief, I was just struggling with the math of it all.
Overall, fun read.
3.5 stars
Review contains spoilers.
Overall I found this to be an entertaining read. The concept was really great, and I enjoyed the fake science behind the transportation system. It seems like it would make sense, but also brought to light the consideration of how much we value human life when it comes to making a profit. The main character was interesting, and had a boatful of flaws that made him more interesting and put a few obstacles in his way. I remain very interested in his relationship with his mother. It was well written, although the beginning was a little awkward as the author introduced the characters and concept. Once that was out of the way, it clipped along at a great pace.
The Japanese cultural references throughout felt a little odd. Was it respectful? Was it fetishization? I'm still not entirely sure. Also there's obviously flaws in the science fiction part.
(Again, spoiler!)
The transporter requires someone to die for each trip that is made. It seems like they would run out of people real quick, right? I mean, the founder herself is basically using it to commute. That would be two deaths a day per person who would use it.
But all science fiction requires some suspension of disbelief, I was just struggling with the math of it all.
Overall, fun read.
August 9, 2023
Silicon Valley Noir
To Kill a Unicorn is equal parts The Prestige and Mr Robot. Silicon Valley startup murder mystery with fascinating technology.
I highly recommend this, especially to fans of mystery or thrillers.
It's written with an excellent eye for scene, set in a refreshingly modern version of our world, complete with NFT/Crypto drama and social media.
It deals with high concept themes from the relatable single POV of an alcoholic hacker tracking down his missing friend, wading into the seedy underbelly of a $100 billion startup.
It heavily involves concepts and characters (like Satoshi Nakamoto) that I had no knowledge of, but my lack of foreknowledge about these things never got in the way of the story.
It feels like a cyberpunk novel, just moments before the dystopia declares itself. Maybe that's where we are.
I really loved the heavy influence of Japanese-American culture, the use of manga in the chapterbreaks, and all of the nods to Murakami and The Beatles. It's a novel rich with the authors favourite things.
Absolutely solid work, I'll be checking out whatever else Palter writes
To Kill a Unicorn is equal parts The Prestige and Mr Robot. Silicon Valley startup murder mystery with fascinating technology.
I highly recommend this, especially to fans of mystery or thrillers.
It's written with an excellent eye for scene, set in a refreshingly modern version of our world, complete with NFT/Crypto drama and social media.
It deals with high concept themes from the relatable single POV of an alcoholic hacker tracking down his missing friend, wading into the seedy underbelly of a $100 billion startup.
It heavily involves concepts and characters (like Satoshi Nakamoto) that I had no knowledge of, but my lack of foreknowledge about these things never got in the way of the story.
It feels like a cyberpunk novel, just moments before the dystopia declares itself. Maybe that's where we are.
I really loved the heavy influence of Japanese-American culture, the use of manga in the chapterbreaks, and all of the nods to Murakami and The Beatles. It's a novel rich with the authors favourite things.
Absolutely solid work, I'll be checking out whatever else Palter writes
July 1, 2023
Trippy lil novel encompassing corporate greed & silicon valley start-up, mixed with Japantown culture & a smidge of existential horror. Throw in some cute elephant cartoons as scenic breaks and mix well.
Ted Tatsu Hara, MIT graduate, computer programer/hacker is coasting thru life on a wave of sake’, video games and ennui when his old flame Sumire waltz’s back into his life asking for help finding her missing brother (& his former best friend) Ryu. And thus the madness begins.
Equal parts Sam Spade/The Matrix/The Manhattan Project/Chinatown and The Prestige. Ted blunders his way thru copious amounts of sake. Swinging like a pendulum between the upper echelons of San Jose’s elite investors along with the homeless dregs of society, in search of Ryu.
He contends with memories of his unhappy family life growing up, his inability to move forward, tethered to his past and his resurfacing feelings for Sumire.
It’s a fun ride, and in the end Ted ‘does’ kill a unicorn and finds his way.
Ted Tatsu Hara, MIT graduate, computer programer/hacker is coasting thru life on a wave of sake’, video games and ennui when his old flame Sumire waltz’s back into his life asking for help finding her missing brother (& his former best friend) Ryu. And thus the madness begins.
Equal parts Sam Spade/The Matrix/The Manhattan Project/Chinatown and The Prestige. Ted blunders his way thru copious amounts of sake. Swinging like a pendulum between the upper echelons of San Jose’s elite investors along with the homeless dregs of society, in search of Ryu.
He contends with memories of his unhappy family life growing up, his inability to move forward, tethered to his past and his resurfacing feelings for Sumire.
It’s a fun ride, and in the end Ted ‘does’ kill a unicorn and finds his way.
June 17, 2024
A new start-up, nothing new in the tech world, except that this one is full of secrets. Instead of boasting what it will do, it instead, everything is a secret. It has venture capitalist throwing money at them by the billions. When a long-time friend goes missing without a trace, and all of his accounts have been deleted, it leads back to this company where he was recently hired.
Ted Hara, a computer wiz, starts investigating the company, but nothing is as it seems. They give millions to build a homeless shelter, but instead of being sheltered, they are disappearing. As he pieces together what happened, it seems impossible – but is it? How far is this new start-up willing to go in order to make the billions of dollars it expects.
An interesting tech thriller. Love the characters, and the setting. I hope to see more from this writer. Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC of this book.
Ted Hara, a computer wiz, starts investigating the company, but nothing is as it seems. They give millions to build a homeless shelter, but instead of being sheltered, they are disappearing. As he pieces together what happened, it seems impossible – but is it? How far is this new start-up willing to go in order to make the billions of dollars it expects.
An interesting tech thriller. Love the characters, and the setting. I hope to see more from this writer. Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC of this book.
February 1, 2023
Thanks to Pandamoon Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
To Kill a Unicorn is set in Silicon Valley, where someone goes missing and it's up to his friend and his sister to find out where he is, and how his job at a secretive startup may be linked.
As someone who has previously worked in the startup and tech space, I thought it was a humorous look at the industry. The characters, however, felt really one-dimensional, and the ending seemed abrupt. There were a lot of instances where the narrative seemed to drag on and I got disinterested. It wasn't until the action portions that the story really seemed to thrive. Those that enjoy Murakami will probably like the references to his work in this. Also, some of the references to Japanese culture made it obvious to me this was not someone who was actually Japanese, so take with that what you will.
To Kill a Unicorn is set in Silicon Valley, where someone goes missing and it's up to his friend and his sister to find out where he is, and how his job at a secretive startup may be linked.
As someone who has previously worked in the startup and tech space, I thought it was a humorous look at the industry. The characters, however, felt really one-dimensional, and the ending seemed abrupt. There were a lot of instances where the narrative seemed to drag on and I got disinterested. It wasn't until the action portions that the story really seemed to thrive. Those that enjoy Murakami will probably like the references to his work in this. Also, some of the references to Japanese culture made it obvious to me this was not someone who was actually Japanese, so take with that what you will.
July 3, 2023
the most imaginative book I have read this year. an amazing first work by DC Palter. Tatsu the protagonist is so well fleshed out with his backstory motives and views of the world was a breath of fresh air in a genre populated with thin characters. DC writes Tatsu so well to the point where I as the reader became annoyed / invested / concerned with his actions or inactions. At times I literally cheered or cried over his story progressed.
other side characters are also given lots of time to shine through.
a true mass up of mystery and techo nior thriller. the central McGuffin is believable once enough of the math and science behind it are explained and its use at the end made me upset (in a good way).
i fully recommend this blistering fast read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
other side characters are also given lots of time to shine through.
a true mass up of mystery and techo nior thriller. the central McGuffin is believable once enough of the math and science behind it are explained and its use at the end made me upset (in a good way).
i fully recommend this blistering fast read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 20, 2023
Thank you to the author, Pandamoon Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This debut novel about a hot new Silicon Valley start-up working with a high degree of secrecy, and the intersection between a mysteriously missing childhood best friend and Japanese culture starts off slow and never really builds up enough speed to make it compelling. The premise was interesting, but the writing is fairly clichéd and the characters are not developed well enough to make them in any way relatable. Yes, the tenderness of childhood relationships and their hold into adulthood is moving, and there are various oblique references to Murakami - but since I am not necessarily a fan they didn't mean much to me.
This debut novel about a hot new Silicon Valley start-up working with a high degree of secrecy, and the intersection between a mysteriously missing childhood best friend and Japanese culture starts off slow and never really builds up enough speed to make it compelling. The premise was interesting, but the writing is fairly clichéd and the characters are not developed well enough to make them in any way relatable. Yes, the tenderness of childhood relationships and their hold into adulthood is moving, and there are various oblique references to Murakami - but since I am not necessarily a fan they didn't mean much to me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews