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Manhattan has been split in two.
A war rages between Downtown and Uptown, with two mega-corporations, TegaLyfe and Kaizen Sciences at the forefront.
Meanwhile, a former bounty hunter named Cade is serving a life sentence in jail for a murder he didn’t commit. The CEO of TegaLyfe, Rodrigo Ortega sees this as an opportunity. Nueva York’s most powerful man gives Cade a lifeline.
The brief is simple. Do the job, no more jail time. Only one catch. Cade has seventy-two hours to complete the mission, or he’s back in prison forever. Question is, can Cade take out the head of Kaizen Sciences, Ichiro Nishikawa, and live to tell the tale?
Cade needs to navigate the dangerous streets of Nueva York, which are filled with augmented humans desperate to survive in the dystopian future of 2082. Friends are scarce, enemies are everywhere. Rival bounty hunters like Tayo Akinyemi look to undermine Cade at every turn, and all the while, the clock is ticking.
Cade must remember his past skills to get the task done. As he plummets into the depths of Nueva York, he’s going to come face-to-face with dark secrets, which could unravel a tangle of lies that run deeper than he can imagine. Will Cade know who to trust and where to turn when the moment comes?
Fans of Blade Runner, Altered Carbon, Neuromancer, and Deus Ex will love this exciting cyberpunk action thriller!
A war rages between Downtown and Uptown, with two mega-corporations, TegaLyfe and Kaizen Sciences at the forefront.
Meanwhile, a former bounty hunter named Cade is serving a life sentence in jail for a murder he didn’t commit. The CEO of TegaLyfe, Rodrigo Ortega sees this as an opportunity. Nueva York’s most powerful man gives Cade a lifeline.
The brief is simple. Do the job, no more jail time. Only one catch. Cade has seventy-two hours to complete the mission, or he’s back in prison forever. Question is, can Cade take out the head of Kaizen Sciences, Ichiro Nishikawa, and live to tell the tale?
Cade needs to navigate the dangerous streets of Nueva York, which are filled with augmented humans desperate to survive in the dystopian future of 2082. Friends are scarce, enemies are everywhere. Rival bounty hunters like Tayo Akinyemi look to undermine Cade at every turn, and all the while, the clock is ticking.
Cade must remember his past skills to get the task done. As he plummets into the depths of Nueva York, he’s going to come face-to-face with dark secrets, which could unravel a tangle of lies that run deeper than he can imagine. Will Cade know who to trust and where to turn when the moment comes?
Fans of Blade Runner, Altered Carbon, Neuromancer, and Deus Ex will love this exciting cyberpunk action thriller!
314 pages, Paperback
Published November 28, 2022
4 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Chris Kenny
9 books6 followersChris is a London based author who has had a passion for writing ever since he was a young boy. This joy has existed alongside a pursuit in physical activity, from playing competitive sports such as football to bodybuilding.
In recent times, these worlds have combined as Chris has written two fitness books (The Prep Diaries: A Candid Bodybuilding Journey and The Transformation Blueprint: 12 Weeks To a New You). Chris has applied the knowledge that he has gained over the years to these books with the goal to simply help out others like him; those who lack confidence or who are not sure how or where to begin, and ultimately who want to become the very best version of themselves.
Chris now writes fiction novels, debuting with "The Love Story", due in early Q1 2021.
Stay up to date by visiting his website;
www.chriskennyauthor.com
Or get in touch via social media;
Instagram - @chriskennyauthor
Facebook - chriskennyauthor
In recent times, these worlds have combined as Chris has written two fitness books (The Prep Diaries: A Candid Bodybuilding Journey and The Transformation Blueprint: 12 Weeks To a New You). Chris has applied the knowledge that he has gained over the years to these books with the goal to simply help out others like him; those who lack confidence or who are not sure how or where to begin, and ultimately who want to become the very best version of themselves.
Chris now writes fiction novels, debuting with "The Love Story", due in early Q1 2021.
Stay up to date by visiting his website;
www.chriskennyauthor.com
Or get in touch via social media;
Instagram - @chriskennyauthor
Facebook - chriskennyauthor
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 15, 2023
This was far more than I expected from this genre. Chris has crafted an immersive world and incredible characters to go with it. There are stakes constantly being raised and consequences for actions. If you’re a fan of futuristic sci-fi, this is for you! Also. The ending????? Are you kidding???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2024
4.5
This book presents a fully realised dystopian, corporate, cyberpunk world. In the aftermath of nuclear war, two corporations have divided Manhattan, NYC, using crime and consumerism to keep their boroughs under control.
Enter Cade. After eight years in prison, he's offered a chance at a fresh start. The price? He has to kill one of the corporate overlords.
I very much enjoyed this book. It presents a well-crafted story in an interesting world. There is plenty of underlying complexity, and mysteries emerge as the story advances.
We get great characters, too. They are (mostly) realistic and complex, never falling in caricature, and it's easy to connect to them. The story rolls along at a good pace, with twists and turns, never straightforward but never confusing.
There are some downsides. The ending, whilst good and nicely setting up the next entry in this series, did feel a little clunky in places. Some of the writing quality dropped here, and I can't help feeling it could have benefitted from another editing run to flesh it out.
I also felt like some depictions felt a little dated without feeling like homage, dropping a little into stereotyping without subverting them. Cade is also a very horny character, which though somewhat logical considering his time in jail and therefore understandable from a thematic standpoint, his thoughts were a little "cringey" to read.
What made it worse was the two female characters instantly fawning over him, their interactions involving jealousy. It felt like a reduction of their characters, cheapening their own development, with their motivations impacted by their infatuations.
Typos and grammatical errors can be excused in indie books (and anyone who marks an indie book down for a handful of errors needs to get over themselves - I've read plenty of indie books with less errors than you'll find in traditionally published novels). That being said, there are some moments in here that were a little jarring - including incorrect names for characters and some odd sentences structures - but they certainly weren't significant enough to impact my enjoyment.
These issues aside though, a great read, and a fine example of the cyberpunk genre. I'm looking forward to the second book.
This book presents a fully realised dystopian, corporate, cyberpunk world. In the aftermath of nuclear war, two corporations have divided Manhattan, NYC, using crime and consumerism to keep their boroughs under control.
Enter Cade. After eight years in prison, he's offered a chance at a fresh start. The price? He has to kill one of the corporate overlords.
I very much enjoyed this book. It presents a well-crafted story in an interesting world. There is plenty of underlying complexity, and mysteries emerge as the story advances.
We get great characters, too. They are (mostly) realistic and complex, never falling in caricature, and it's easy to connect to them. The story rolls along at a good pace, with twists and turns, never straightforward but never confusing.
There are some downsides. The ending, whilst good and nicely setting up the next entry in this series, did feel a little clunky in places. Some of the writing quality dropped here, and I can't help feeling it could have benefitted from another editing run to flesh it out.
I also felt like some depictions felt a little dated without feeling like homage, dropping a little into stereotyping without subverting them. Cade is also a very horny character, which though somewhat logical considering his time in jail and therefore understandable from a thematic standpoint, his thoughts were a little "cringey" to read.
What made it worse was the two female characters instantly fawning over him, their interactions involving jealousy. It felt like a reduction of their characters, cheapening their own development, with their motivations impacted by their infatuations.
Typos and grammatical errors can be excused in indie books (and anyone who marks an indie book down for a handful of errors needs to get over themselves - I've read plenty of indie books with less errors than you'll find in traditionally published novels). That being said, there are some moments in here that were a little jarring - including incorrect names for characters and some odd sentences structures - but they certainly weren't significant enough to impact my enjoyment.
These issues aside though, a great read, and a fine example of the cyberpunk genre. I'm looking forward to the second book.
December 6, 2022
In Proto, the first outing in Chris Kenny’s new Manhattan Split series, we’re introduced to a lavishly-crafted and sublimely realised cyberpunk reimagining of New York, with anti-hero Cade as our guide through a gripping and heartstopping tale of action, deceit, heartbreak, and betrayal that’s not one to miss.
With every page of Manhattan Split: Proto, the prose oozes a tenacious confidence that’s totally arresting. Vivid, lurid detail jumps off the page and wraps you in through all the senses into the cyberpunk world the author has supremely crafted with stylish flair and aplomb.
We follow Cade and a cast of memorable characters through his quest – from bounty hunter Cade’s apparent retribution at the hands of mysterious billionaire Rodrigo Ortega who seeks to capitalise on an opportunity to tip the fine balance in the cyberpunk hellscape that is Nueva York finally in his favour by contracting him to finally take out his greatest rival, Ichiro, and dominate the city – and beyond.
From the opening line I was hooked, and through deft prose and illuminating storytelling we get to know Cade, the city and his plight and past. There’s thoughtful and innovative twists to the world Chris has created that really shone through to make it unique and this author’s clear love of the genre seeps into the very core of his writing – this book is an infusion of the DNA of Blade Runner, Neomancer, Deus Ex, combined with the author’s clear passion and panache for his genre.
Chris Kenny hits a new stride after a series of high-quality books and the quality of his prose and writing hits the stratosphere with this impressive entry that I struggled to put down from page one to the breath-taking end. I, for one, can’t wait one minute more for the next book from this impressive and talented author.
With every page of Manhattan Split: Proto, the prose oozes a tenacious confidence that’s totally arresting. Vivid, lurid detail jumps off the page and wraps you in through all the senses into the cyberpunk world the author has supremely crafted with stylish flair and aplomb.
We follow Cade and a cast of memorable characters through his quest – from bounty hunter Cade’s apparent retribution at the hands of mysterious billionaire Rodrigo Ortega who seeks to capitalise on an opportunity to tip the fine balance in the cyberpunk hellscape that is Nueva York finally in his favour by contracting him to finally take out his greatest rival, Ichiro, and dominate the city – and beyond.
From the opening line I was hooked, and through deft prose and illuminating storytelling we get to know Cade, the city and his plight and past. There’s thoughtful and innovative twists to the world Chris has created that really shone through to make it unique and this author’s clear love of the genre seeps into the very core of his writing – this book is an infusion of the DNA of Blade Runner, Neomancer, Deus Ex, combined with the author’s clear passion and panache for his genre.
Chris Kenny hits a new stride after a series of high-quality books and the quality of his prose and writing hits the stratosphere with this impressive entry that I struggled to put down from page one to the breath-taking end. I, for one, can’t wait one minute more for the next book from this impressive and talented author.
July 30, 2025
This is how cyberpunk should be written. No flashy gimmicks, no neon for the sake of neon. Just raw, high-stakes storytelling set in a brutal sprawl of gangs and corrupt corporations of Manhattan. Cade the main character, moves through with grit and I can't help but cheer for him. His arc wasn’t just cool, it's character depth I love in any book genre.
The story doesn't just end, it takes you out with a cliffhanger and a plot twist that changes everything you thought you knew when nearly finishing Proto. I’m locked in now, and I need books 2 and 3!
The writing by Kenny was superb. An easy read, pages flowed and I didn't feel bunkered down. A real testament to the author's craft. To have a cool ideas is great but then to land them with top shelf writing. Well done.
From one cyberpunk writer to another, respect. I tip my hat. This one has teeth.
The story doesn't just end, it takes you out with a cliffhanger and a plot twist that changes everything you thought you knew when nearly finishing Proto. I’m locked in now, and I need books 2 and 3!
The writing by Kenny was superb. An easy read, pages flowed and I didn't feel bunkered down. A real testament to the author's craft. To have a cool ideas is great but then to land them with top shelf writing. Well done.
From one cyberpunk writer to another, respect. I tip my hat. This one has teeth.
July 22, 2023
Brilliant cyberpunk book which I highly recommend. A well written, interesting world which is action packed and overall, a really entertaining read.....which I now wish I could watch as a movie!
August 3, 2023
My first cyberpunk read, and I am ADDICTED. Book 2 has gone straight onto my TBR list. I need to know more! Those two final twists were simply delicious!!
OK so, what did I love/what can you expect from this novel?
• Really good descriptions - I could visualise this future world like a movie (someone please make a movie of this!!!)
• Tonnes of action and violence
• Fast pace, helped along by the deadline Cade has to complete his mission, which literally counts down on his arm
• Amazing ideas for a future world with "humes" (people with mods) and meal pills and all sorts of AI etc.
• Lots of super-villains! Scientists and Mafia - who should you believe/trust??
• A cheeky splash of romance on the side
• A truly brilliant MC who is a bit troubled and definitely motivated by anger, but also a good guy
If you're still reading this, why haven't you clicked "buy" yet?
If you like the sound of any or all of the above, go check it out!
OK so, what did I love/what can you expect from this novel?
• Really good descriptions - I could visualise this future world like a movie (someone please make a movie of this!!!)
• Tonnes of action and violence
• Fast pace, helped along by the deadline Cade has to complete his mission, which literally counts down on his arm
• Amazing ideas for a future world with "humes" (people with mods) and meal pills and all sorts of AI etc.
• Lots of super-villains! Scientists and Mafia - who should you believe/trust??
• A cheeky splash of romance on the side
• A truly brilliant MC who is a bit troubled and definitely motivated by anger, but also a good guy
If you're still reading this, why haven't you clicked "buy" yet?
If you like the sound of any or all of the above, go check it out!
December 3, 2022
Awesome
The found this story to be awesome. Full of action, suspense, intrigue and deceit throughout the story. If you like action packed stories this one is for you.
The found this story to be awesome. Full of action, suspense, intrigue and deceit throughout the story. If you like action packed stories this one is for you.
November 28, 2022
A really fun Cyberpunk novel that reads like a fast-paced Neil Stephenson or William Gibson. It reminded me a lot of Blade Runner 2049.
The author paints a really detailed future New York of 2082 that feels High Tech and Low Rent from the very start.
Bring on Book Two!
The author paints a really detailed future New York of 2082 that feels High Tech and Low Rent from the very start.
Bring on Book Two!
April 5, 2025
2.5
Great story and concepts. The action scenes were very well written. The overall worldbuilding Kenny has created here in a futuristic Cyberpunk dystopia of Manhattan is remarkable. Two megacorps going at it and a protagonist bounty hunter named Cade getting pulled into taking the opposing corp down otherwise he loses his freedom forever. I've been heavily into Cyberpunk and Sci-Fi in general for most of my life so I was really looking forward to this series. Unfortunately I wasn't too fond of how some things went in this book. I heavily felt I needed to have a very strong suspension of disbelief during many instances throughout the story. It had nothing to do with the Cyberpunk universe itself, but the way the characters interacted with each other, their actions, and development. Dani and Karla for example, meeting Cade and trusting him too easily, caring about him way too much, even falling for him after knowing each other for such a short amount of time didn't sit well with me. It just seemed ludicrous. This is supposed to be a fully developed cyberpunk dystopia. Trust doesn't come easy. Another example is Cade's character as a bounty hunter, making many mistakes, not thinking about his actions properly, but still getting through as much as he did didn't make sense to me. He became quite unlikable at times. Dani takes Asher's word for what happened between Cade and her father Rodrigo without asking for proof or trying to question anything...especially when she is being portrayed to the reader as the intelligent daughter of TegaLyfe's founder? Nothing kept me emotionally invested in the story or the characters. I felt the ending came way too fast and wish it was spread out more. 300 pages was not enough for this story. Maybe this book just wasn't for me. I did however enjoy the twist near the very end and with Olivia it was one I didn't expect. Asher I'd say is my favourite character. His writing was enjoyable. Would I continue the series? If you asked me halfway through it would've been a definite no, but now that I've finished I feel slightly more inclined to see where this story goes.
Great story and concepts. The action scenes were very well written. The overall worldbuilding Kenny has created here in a futuristic Cyberpunk dystopia of Manhattan is remarkable. Two megacorps going at it and a protagonist bounty hunter named Cade getting pulled into taking the opposing corp down otherwise he loses his freedom forever. I've been heavily into Cyberpunk and Sci-Fi in general for most of my life so I was really looking forward to this series. Unfortunately I wasn't too fond of how some things went in this book. I heavily felt I needed to have a very strong suspension of disbelief during many instances throughout the story. It had nothing to do with the Cyberpunk universe itself, but the way the characters interacted with each other, their actions, and development. Dani and Karla for example, meeting Cade and trusting him too easily, caring about him way too much, even falling for him after knowing each other for such a short amount of time didn't sit well with me. It just seemed ludicrous. This is supposed to be a fully developed cyberpunk dystopia. Trust doesn't come easy. Another example is Cade's character as a bounty hunter, making many mistakes, not thinking about his actions properly, but still getting through as much as he did didn't make sense to me. He became quite unlikable at times. Dani takes Asher's word for what happened between Cade and her father Rodrigo without asking for proof or trying to question anything...especially when she is being portrayed to the reader as the intelligent daughter of TegaLyfe's founder? Nothing kept me emotionally invested in the story or the characters. I felt the ending came way too fast and wish it was spread out more. 300 pages was not enough for this story. Maybe this book just wasn't for me. I did however enjoy the twist near the very end and with Olivia it was one I didn't expect. Asher I'd say is my favourite character. His writing was enjoyable. Would I continue the series? If you asked me halfway through it would've been a definite no, but now that I've finished I feel slightly more inclined to see where this story goes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2023
This dystopian future makes for the best page turners. Cade is a bounty hunter scooped up from a prison sentence and charged with hunting the rival to the most powerful man in New York (called Nueva York).
He is forced to overcome mafia enforcers, enhanced humans, rebellion soldiers, and a race against time. The more he learns about the city he hasn't lived in in almost a decade, the more he gets closer to the reason why the city is imploding.
The action is well written and the gadgets are cool. This was a great all-around futuristic science fiction novel.
He is forced to overcome mafia enforcers, enhanced humans, rebellion soldiers, and a race against time. The more he learns about the city he hasn't lived in in almost a decade, the more he gets closer to the reason why the city is imploding.
The action is well written and the gadgets are cool. This was a great all-around futuristic science fiction novel.
August 10, 2023
The overall story was good and I enjoyed all of the characters. I did not like the absolute s…show it turned into in the end. I’m now forced to read book two when this should have wrapped up in one book. Also, I didn’t like how the book tried to be woke about midway through. Thankfully it stopped there. It’s like the author went out of his way to include gender neutral characters and a sexually questionable character. Just don’t.
On the plus side, Cade was great and well developed. As was Dani and Asher. Loved all of the characters.
On the plus side, Cade was great and well developed. As was Dani and Asher. Loved all of the characters.
July 6, 2025
In the era where we’re just barely scratching the surface of what AI can do, and with potential nuclear conflict seemingly looming in the horizon, this book gives a chilling glimpse into a possible future for humanity where technology is so advanced it is used to control the masses for the benefit of the elite who develop said tech.
The twists and turns in the book are interesting, some predictable and others not so much, especially not the two right at the end. I look forward to reading the second book in the series soon to find out how things play out next.
The twists and turns in the book are interesting, some predictable and others not so much, especially not the two right at the end. I look forward to reading the second book in the series soon to find out how things play out next.
December 5, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed the latest book from this talented author. This was a gritty, dark tale set in the not so distant future, where Cade, a former bounty hunter, is hired by the formidable Ortega family after he is released from prison. I loved all the characters, Cade, Danni and Asher were so well written and I also loved the inclusion of AI characters too. Everything was bright, colourful and harsh in this world and I was fully immersed and can't wait for book two! If you love Blade Runner, or anything with AIs you'll love this!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews