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Repo Men
In a brave new world, you'll never have to die . . . as long as you keep up with the payments. Thanks to the technological miracle of artiforgs, now you can live virtually forever. Nearly indestructible artificial organs, these wonders of metal and plastic are far more reliable and efficient than the cancer-prone lungs and fallible kidneys you were born with—and the Credit Union will be delighted to work out an equitable payment plan. But, of course, if you fall delinquent, one of their dedicated professionals will be dispatched to track you down and take their product back. This is the story of the making—and unmaking—of one of the best Repo Men in the extraction business, who finds his soul when he loses his heart . . . and then he has to run.
328 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 31, 2009
39 people are currently reading
1092 people want to read
About the author
Eric Garcia
48 books73 followersEric Garcia grew up in Miami, Florida, and attended Cornell University and the University of Southern California, where he majored in creative writing and film. He lives outside Los Angeles with his wife, daughter, and dachshund. He is also developing a series for the Sci Fi channel based on the Rex novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
April 9, 2010
So let's talk about a genre of science fiction I like to call "Days of Future Past."
Recently Julia was planning an exhibit of science fiction novels at the library where she works. We were dividing scifi into sub-genres (dystopia, space opera, etcetera) and I said that there should be a sub-genre for "books that were written long enough in the past that the author's attempt to create an extrapolative near-future Earth has been contradicted by the reality of present day." The most obvious example is a book like 1984 but it's a little more than just reading a book in 2010 that says, "and then on January 1, 2001 we all got jet-packs and the world was forever changed and it was awesome." It's not just the post-datedness and the failure of early twentieth century lunar colonies, but also the sense that the book was written with the intent to mirror a certain political/social/cultural climate that doesn't exist any more (see: any scifi book written in the 1980s that was really about the Cold War).
Is The Repossession Mambo a "days of future past" novel? Nope, it's something else entirely: it's a contemporary book that is written like it wants you to think it was actually published thirty years ago. Some lag can be blamed on the protracted writing process; apparently the original short story that is the basis for the novel was written in 1997 and the novel was published in 2009. But the technology just feels ... off. It's a book about retrieval of artificial organs, but nobody uses computers or the internet or cell phones. The main character is supposedly "writing" the book on a typewriter. When was the last time you saw a typewriter acting as something other than a twee paperweight in an independent coffee shop?
There is also a macho swashbuckling "I'm a bastard but at least I know it" attitude in the main character that feels very, very dated, like it would be more at home in a Heinlein novel. The plot, also, feels almost painfully Phillip K Dick. This isn't to say that the book was bad. It was enjoyable and moved quickly; I read it over the course of five days because I only picked it up during my commute, but it would be a good read for a cross-country flight. Still, I think I would think it was a better book if it had been published in 1979 instead of 2009. This would have been an imaginative near-future 30 years ago, but today it seems a little bit too simple.
Recently Julia was planning an exhibit of science fiction novels at the library where she works. We were dividing scifi into sub-genres (dystopia, space opera, etcetera) and I said that there should be a sub-genre for "books that were written long enough in the past that the author's attempt to create an extrapolative near-future Earth has been contradicted by the reality of present day." The most obvious example is a book like 1984 but it's a little more than just reading a book in 2010 that says, "and then on January 1, 2001 we all got jet-packs and the world was forever changed and it was awesome." It's not just the post-datedness and the failure of early twentieth century lunar colonies, but also the sense that the book was written with the intent to mirror a certain political/social/cultural climate that doesn't exist any more (see: any scifi book written in the 1980s that was really about the Cold War).
Is The Repossession Mambo a "days of future past" novel? Nope, it's something else entirely: it's a contemporary book that is written like it wants you to think it was actually published thirty years ago. Some lag can be blamed on the protracted writing process; apparently the original short story that is the basis for the novel was written in 1997 and the novel was published in 2009. But the technology just feels ... off. It's a book about retrieval of artificial organs, but nobody uses computers or the internet or cell phones. The main character is supposedly "writing" the book on a typewriter. When was the last time you saw a typewriter acting as something other than a twee paperweight in an independent coffee shop?
There is also a macho swashbuckling "I'm a bastard but at least I know it" attitude in the main character that feels very, very dated, like it would be more at home in a Heinlein novel. The plot, also, feels almost painfully Phillip K Dick. This isn't to say that the book was bad. It was enjoyable and moved quickly; I read it over the course of five days because I only picked it up during my commute, but it would be a good read for a cross-country flight. Still, I think I would think it was a better book if it had been published in 1979 instead of 2009. This would have been an imaginative near-future 30 years ago, but today it seems a little bit too simple.
July 18, 2012
I was an angst-filled teenager who felt completely different from the world, self-absorbed with my emotions, unable to understand my place in the world, and a boatload of esteem issues.
You know, I was completely normal.
One thing I was obsessed with was my looks. I hated them. I wanted to look like just about anyone else, except for the really ugly kid in my class. Not him. If there was one thing I could use to comfort myself through those awkward years, was that I wasn’t nearly as ugly as that kid. His nickname was “Ugly,” for crying out loud. I hope he found a great therapist. I still can’t find him on Facebook; he’s probably gorgeous now. Or dead.
I suppose if Jude Law had been doing movies during my formative years, I probably would have wished I looked like him every night as I cried into my pillow. He’s pretty dreamy. Lean body, sexy accent…the guy has it going on. No wonder he’s a successful movie star.
Jude Law did a fun little sci-fi move a couple years ago, Repo Men, with Forest Whitaker. The basic concept is that in the future, artificial organs of all varieties are readily available, and grotesquely expensive. It’s easy to get one, and soon afterwards you are buried in payments you can’t afford. When you fall behind, a few company toughs come and rip it out of your body and leave you for dead.
If you bought a house in 2005, you probably know how this feels.
In the film, Jude is one of those toughs, has the tables turned on him, goes on the run, and fights the system. All the while, he is writing a book about his experiences. Everyone wants to write a frakking memoir! Even fictional people…how tiresome.
The title of his tell-all book is The Repossession Mambo. This is a nice Meta touch. I always loves me the Meta.
The Repossession Mambo, the book you can actually buy, which you might think is a narrative version of the film, or perhaps the inspiration, is actually neither. What’s fairly interesting is that the book and the film were developed at the same time, and although most of the story is the same, the final act is different. In this case, if you have seen the movie, you don’t know the book.
That’s kind of refreshing and fun because if you liked the movie, you’ll actually like the book for other reasons. Works in reverse too.
The book itself is a fine little read. It’s dark and satirical, and also as grisly as you would expect considering the story. It’s a future that is plausible, and almost somewhat likely.
You know, I was completely normal.
One thing I was obsessed with was my looks. I hated them. I wanted to look like just about anyone else, except for the really ugly kid in my class. Not him. If there was one thing I could use to comfort myself through those awkward years, was that I wasn’t nearly as ugly as that kid. His nickname was “Ugly,” for crying out loud. I hope he found a great therapist. I still can’t find him on Facebook; he’s probably gorgeous now. Or dead.
I suppose if Jude Law had been doing movies during my formative years, I probably would have wished I looked like him every night as I cried into my pillow. He’s pretty dreamy. Lean body, sexy accent…the guy has it going on. No wonder he’s a successful movie star.
Jude Law did a fun little sci-fi move a couple years ago, Repo Men, with Forest Whitaker. The basic concept is that in the future, artificial organs of all varieties are readily available, and grotesquely expensive. It’s easy to get one, and soon afterwards you are buried in payments you can’t afford. When you fall behind, a few company toughs come and rip it out of your body and leave you for dead.
If you bought a house in 2005, you probably know how this feels.
In the film, Jude is one of those toughs, has the tables turned on him, goes on the run, and fights the system. All the while, he is writing a book about his experiences. Everyone wants to write a frakking memoir! Even fictional people…how tiresome.
The title of his tell-all book is The Repossession Mambo. This is a nice Meta touch. I always loves me the Meta.
The Repossession Mambo, the book you can actually buy, which you might think is a narrative version of the film, or perhaps the inspiration, is actually neither. What’s fairly interesting is that the book and the film were developed at the same time, and although most of the story is the same, the final act is different. In this case, if you have seen the movie, you don’t know the book.
That’s kind of refreshing and fun because if you liked the movie, you’ll actually like the book for other reasons. Works in reverse too.
The book itself is a fine little read. It’s dark and satirical, and also as grisly as you would expect considering the story. It’s a future that is plausible, and almost somewhat likely.
April 21, 2011
This is one hell of a trip. What if artificial organs could be repossessed after someone falls behind on their payments, leaving the people dead on the floor? This book is the stream of consciousness story of a bio-repo man who rose to the top of the bio-repossession business, only to fall victim to the same business.
It outlines his time in the military, his marriages, various repossession jobs, the works! The first half of the book is almost entirely back story, and it’s so random. One section our main character is talking about his second ex-wife; the next paragraph jumps back in time to his years in the military. The entire book reads this way; random jumps back and forth in time. Complete stream of consciousness. I’ll admit the first half of the book is a little hard to get through because the sheer amount of back story is overwhelming and I kinda wanted something to happen. It was easy to put down when the main character was just rambling on about his past, but soon enough, something did happen, and with a little front story to balance the back story, the book picked up the pace.
I love the nonchalant way he views cutting people up, taking their liver, spleen, lungs or heart and leaving them dead…with a yellow repossession receipt on the body. I especially like the passage when he describes a time when he repossessed an organ, only to find out that the guy actually did make the payment; a screwup with the paperwork resulted in a false repossession. It’s so ordinary to this guy that it’s funny. Eric Garcia has this sense of humor, and it’s so appropriate for a story like this.
The last half of the book kept me turning the pages; I had to know how the hell this situation could possibility wrap up. It’s a good ending, too. A much better ending than the movie adaptation delivered.
It outlines his time in the military, his marriages, various repossession jobs, the works! The first half of the book is almost entirely back story, and it’s so random. One section our main character is talking about his second ex-wife; the next paragraph jumps back in time to his years in the military. The entire book reads this way; random jumps back and forth in time. Complete stream of consciousness. I’ll admit the first half of the book is a little hard to get through because the sheer amount of back story is overwhelming and I kinda wanted something to happen. It was easy to put down when the main character was just rambling on about his past, but soon enough, something did happen, and with a little front story to balance the back story, the book picked up the pace.
I love the nonchalant way he views cutting people up, taking their liver, spleen, lungs or heart and leaving them dead…with a yellow repossession receipt on the body. I especially like the passage when he describes a time when he repossessed an organ, only to find out that the guy actually did make the payment; a screwup with the paperwork resulted in a false repossession. It’s so ordinary to this guy that it’s funny. Eric Garcia has this sense of humor, and it’s so appropriate for a story like this.
The last half of the book kept me turning the pages; I had to know how the hell this situation could possibility wrap up. It’s a good ending, too. A much better ending than the movie adaptation delivered.
February 18, 2016
The promise of a higher quality of life for the people with damaged organs sounds too good to be true. All you need is a loan from the Credit Union, and your new heart/kidney/eye?/tongue?!/anything! will work better, faster and stronger for the new healthier you.
Even if there's nothing wrong with your body, you can seek to augment it. Move faster, see farther, remember... everything.
But better keep a close eye on your bank status, because as much as a bounced check can very quickly show you the dark side of the artificial organs industry.
Extremely interesting read, well imagined and put together. Chances are people will first see The Repo Men movie before spotting the book (like I did), but it should not deter anyone from reading it. Actually, the very last line in the movie - Based on The Repossession Mambo novel by Eric Garcia - prompted me to look for it. I was unaware it existed.
Oh, am I glad I read it! Up to this point I haven't realized it's written by the same man who wrote The Matchstick Men (seen the movie, as surely also have you) and the Anonymous Rex (heard so much about it it's on my to-read list for ages).
So, a bit about the book :-)
Dark and gloomy at the best of moments, very dark and very gloomy at worst. Writing style is an A-grade and the story grabs your attention and doesn't let go. You'll go to toilet with this book and have it on your table during lunch.
Characters are rich. Emotional response and moral choices are often in a sharp contrast to the situation people found themselves in. Spite and defiance are well presented as a core of a survival mechanism.
The main character doesn't introduce himself in the most obvious way so we'll follow his narration up to a certain point. Like when a movie starts with the main character facing certain death and decides to rewind the story to let you in on a significance of the present moment. And all of the choices that put him there.
It's all a nicely laid out turn of events - strange, unexpected and otherwise surprising. But whatever he endured so far surely couldn't kill him, as he's the one telling the story, right? Right?
And when the narration is over and it brings us up to speed with all the events in our main protagonist's life, we're in the unknown - anything can happen. Anything will happen. We know it. We're expecting it. We're just not sure when. Or how. We know by whom.
So much has happened that I was caught thinking what in the world would I do in that situation?! And then the situation turns yet again and I find myself fighting and running and thinking what the hell is going on?! Our guy lives a life filled with moments of breaks interrupted by hours of sheer panic. Or the other way around. Pacing of the story is very well done.
I can't really say much without risking any spoilers, but if you're a fan of a dystopian future ran by large profit-driven corporations you'll feel right at home.
4.5* from me, but since GR doesn't allow ambiguous scoring, I'll settle for 5*.
Even if there's nothing wrong with your body, you can seek to augment it. Move faster, see farther, remember... everything.
But better keep a close eye on your bank status, because as much as a bounced check can very quickly show you the dark side of the artificial organs industry.
Extremely interesting read, well imagined and put together. Chances are people will first see The Repo Men movie before spotting the book (like I did), but it should not deter anyone from reading it. Actually, the very last line in the movie - Based on The Repossession Mambo novel by Eric Garcia - prompted me to look for it. I was unaware it existed.
Oh, am I glad I read it! Up to this point I haven't realized it's written by the same man who wrote The Matchstick Men (seen the movie, as surely also have you) and the Anonymous Rex (heard so much about it it's on my to-read list for ages).
So, a bit about the book :-)
Dark and gloomy at the best of moments, very dark and very gloomy at worst. Writing style is an A-grade and the story grabs your attention and doesn't let go. You'll go to toilet with this book and have it on your table during lunch.
Characters are rich. Emotional response and moral choices are often in a sharp contrast to the situation people found themselves in. Spite and defiance are well presented as a core of a survival mechanism.
The main character doesn't introduce himself in the most obvious way so we'll follow his narration up to a certain point. Like when a movie starts with the main character facing certain death and decides to rewind the story to let you in on a significance of the present moment. And all of the choices that put him there.
It's all a nicely laid out turn of events - strange, unexpected and otherwise surprising. But whatever he endured so far surely couldn't kill him, as he's the one telling the story, right? Right?
And when the narration is over and it brings us up to speed with all the events in our main protagonist's life, we're in the unknown - anything can happen. Anything will happen. We know it. We're expecting it. We're just not sure when. Or how. We know by whom.
So much has happened that I was caught thinking what in the world would I do in that situation?! And then the situation turns yet again and I find myself fighting and running and thinking what the hell is going on?! Our guy lives a life filled with moments of breaks interrupted by hours of sheer panic. Or the other way around. Pacing of the story is very well done.
I can't really say much without risking any spoilers, but if you're a fan of a dystopian future ran by large profit-driven corporations you'll feel right at home.
4.5* from me, but since GR doesn't allow ambiguous scoring, I'll settle for 5*.
December 22, 2010
The Repossession Mambo... The premise of this book is awesome. I saw the movie first and absolutely loved it. When I found the book in the book section of my local Meijer market, I was thrilled. This book feels so real, it's like one of the repo men is just sitting down and talking to you and telling a cool story. Garcia really gives you time to get to know the character very well. At the end, it felt like I have known the guy for my whole life. The story is really more of an account of the past with all of the flashbacks and random stories. Not too much happens in the present time but what does is memorable. The book does jump around a lot, it doesn't have the structure of a regular novel. Overall, the book was funny and good. I'd watch the movie if you haven't seen it because Garcia also wrote the screenplay for it. I liked the ending of the movie better because it seems to fit it all together more but the book did have a nice heartfelt ending... With that, I'll let you go read it yourselves.
July 28, 2020
Why do interesting books become generic boring movies?
This book was almost nothing like the Jude Law flick, save for names of maybe 4 characters, and most barest of bones plot. Very very bare bones - artiforgs, Union, old school mate BFF. Oh, and unlike the movie the book actually has a competent woman character! (lets pretend movie-Beth never happened, k?)
The story jumps around as our "hero" types out his lil diary - he remembers Army days, ex-wives and previous Bio-Repo jobs. Good way of fleshing out character. One giant info dump in first chapter wouldn't have cut it, non-linear really shines here.
The idea of a thriving industry in manufactured organs (with ridiculous features like MP3 player in a heart, or record-and-replay with choice of colors for a voicebox) is surprisingly easy to dive into. And all good businesses have accounting and repossession departments, don't they (altho it did put me into a disturbing train of thought imagining not paying dental bills & some guy coming to rip out all root canal fillings... Terrifying!)
Not full 5 stars 'cause the Acknowledgements page promised The Tell-Tale Pancreas short story after it, and its not there. You lied to me book!
This book was almost nothing like the Jude Law flick, save for names of maybe 4 characters, and most barest of bones plot. Very very bare bones - artiforgs, Union, old school mate BFF. Oh, and unlike the movie the book actually has a competent woman character! (lets pretend movie-Beth never happened, k?)
The story jumps around as our "hero" types out his lil diary - he remembers Army days, ex-wives and previous Bio-Repo jobs. Good way of fleshing out character. One giant info dump in first chapter wouldn't have cut it, non-linear really shines here.
The idea of a thriving industry in manufactured organs (with ridiculous features like MP3 player in a heart, or record-and-replay with choice of colors for a voicebox) is surprisingly easy to dive into. And all good businesses have accounting and repossession departments, don't they (altho it did put me into a disturbing train of thought imagining not paying dental bills & some guy coming to rip out all root canal fillings... Terrifying!)
Not full 5 stars 'cause the Acknowledgements page promised The Tell-Tale Pancreas short story after it, and its not there. You lied to me book!
October 21, 2011
I wasn't really impressed. It was a good concept, but there was so much time-jumping that it really distracted from the story. I got bored quickly with the seemingly unrelated stories from the past, and I just couldn't click well with the author's style of writing. Obviously I wasn't the target audience for this book.
January 12, 2020
Didn't get on with this one. There was a machismo running through it that grated and a frequent digression that distracted the reader from the lack of a plot.
December 31, 2014
Un roman care se citește cu sufletul la gură, chiar dacă este fracturat în sute de fragmente, ce par puse alandala. Toate se încadrează perfect, sunt macabre, comice, tragice și delicioase și nu e de mirare că povestea a fost ecranizată într-un film cu buget și actori de prima mână. Un personaj central înfiorător, dar totuși inimos, care pare că i s-a potrivit lui Jude Law ca o mănușă. O surpriză extrem de plăcută ca pentru final de an, așa că voi viziona și filmul (știu, rușine, îl am de când a apărut, dar nu încă nu l-am vizionat, ca pe atâtea altele) cu prima ocazie!
August 14, 2022
I initially felt that I was being unfair about constantly comparing this book to the film, but then I found out at the end of the book that Garcia wrote both the novel and the script for the film, so I no longer feel bad about saying that this is a novel with a much better film adaption.
I feel like I'm the only one on the planet who's a big fan of the movie Repo Men. I've shown the film to several friends and family, but it has always ended up being too dark, too violent, and too hopeless for them. Most of them are on board, stomaching the organ removal and knife fights for most of the movie, only to get turned off by the scene near the end. If you've seen the film, you know which scene I'm talking about. THAT scene.
Oh well. Anyway...
The film makes several changes that are a vast improvement over the novel, including:
Remy is a family man. He cares about his wife and son and wants to make things work with them. This makes him much more likable than the several-times divorced protagonist of the novel. He's already committing murder for a living. The audience needs something to like about him throughout the story.
The movie focuses on Remy's job as a Repo Man rather than giving his whole life story. I was disappointed to find that large swaths of the novel are dedicated to the protagonist's experiences as a soldier, none of which are that unique or interesting. The film presents a much tighter story.
Secondary characters talk on their own and feel like real people in the film, whereas in the novel we only see them through the main character's eyes. This is especially true with Jake, who is perhaps the best character in the film: someone who is a psychopath, but he's also loyal and believes in what he does. Forest Whittaker's performance as this character is truly underrated. In the novel, other characters get very little dialogue, giving a feeling that the (already unlikable) protagonist is the only character in the story.
The film ends with the punch to the gut that a story like this needs. The novel's ending is toothless by comparison.
I feel like I'm the only one on the planet who's a big fan of the movie Repo Men. I've shown the film to several friends and family, but it has always ended up being too dark, too violent, and too hopeless for them. Most of them are on board, stomaching the organ removal and knife fights for most of the movie, only to get turned off by the scene near the end. If you've seen the film, you know which scene I'm talking about. THAT scene.
Oh well. Anyway...
The film makes several changes that are a vast improvement over the novel, including:
Remy is a family man. He cares about his wife and son and wants to make things work with them. This makes him much more likable than the several-times divorced protagonist of the novel. He's already committing murder for a living. The audience needs something to like about him throughout the story.
The movie focuses on Remy's job as a Repo Man rather than giving his whole life story. I was disappointed to find that large swaths of the novel are dedicated to the protagonist's experiences as a soldier, none of which are that unique or interesting. The film presents a much tighter story.
Secondary characters talk on their own and feel like real people in the film, whereas in the novel we only see them through the main character's eyes. This is especially true with Jake, who is perhaps the best character in the film: someone who is a psychopath, but he's also loyal and believes in what he does. Forest Whittaker's performance as this character is truly underrated. In the novel, other characters get very little dialogue, giving a feeling that the (already unlikable) protagonist is the only character in the story.
The film ends with the punch to the gut that a story like this needs. The novel's ending is toothless by comparison.
November 26, 2017
O distopie superbă, un umor negru savuros, destine condiționate implacabil de vicii și obsesia unui stil de viață din care moartea este alungată, cu banii potriviți. Am citit cartea într-o singură zi, pentru că efectiv n-o poți lăsa din mână. Traducerea este impecabilă (cred că am văzut o singură greșeală de ortografie - de fapt, un "a" în loc de "ă" sau un plural nepotrivit), ceea ce este lucru rar, în goana după bani a editurilor din ziua de azi, care mucifică opere celebre (vezi Jules Verne sau Alexandre Dumas). Acțiunea este cursivă, se vede de la o poștă că este lucrată cu atenție și cu răbdare (comentariile autorului de la sfârșitul cărții confirmă acest lucru). Pe scurt: o capodoperă, cu mențiunea: pentru adulți. Subiectul cât și anumite descrieri nu sunt potrivite minorilor, dar, cu siguranță că vor delecta publicul matur cu ceva nou, verosimil și impecabil realizat.
November 10, 2022
3.5 rounded up because I really liked the ending!!
December 13, 2024
Repo Men is sheer awesomeness. It really is. Why? Well, allow me to explain...
First, the world-building, while not new in concept, it still solid. It takes a modernized healthcare system and morphs it into a capitalistic entity. The premise goes like this: imagine if you could replace every organ in your body with an artificial counterpart. You could own a new liver, lungs, even a larynx that could never succumb to aging or disease. Sounds good, right? Well...only if you keep up with the payments. If you do, then your artiforg (artificial organ) is yours for life. If you don’t, you’ll be called upon by the not-so-friendly Bio-repo man with scalpel in hand, ready to reclaim your past due ‘forg and return it to the Union. For an outrageous sum of money (plus interest), every facet of your body can be replaced and repossessed. And with that understanding in place, readers are thrown into a world where one's life is literally tied to one's bank account.
Story-wise, Repo Men follows a non-sequential plot driven by flashbacks told by one of the Union’s top Bio-repo men who never gets a name, which is intriguing. For an author not to name a character is one thing, but to never have the character name himself nor have other characters call him by name is interestingly unsettling. There’s symbolism at play here where the no-named Bio-repo man clearly serves as an Everyman character – a literary figure embodying universal struggles. Hence, the fact he's never called by name is meant to make him blend into his world yet his tale of tribulations and trials truly makes him stand out.
Life for our Bio-repo man is good until an accident earns him a new heart, which he can’t pay for, which drives him into hiding. But if it isn’t bad enough to always be looking over your shoulder, he fears the Bio-repo man who might come to call on him in the end. (But I’m not telling lest I ruin the surprise.) It’s the classic hunter-turned-hunted theme where the main character is a sympathetic jerk yet remains a likable jerk, and you find yourself hoping against the odds that he can outsmart, or at least outrun, those who come to claim his life.
The Bio-repo man is a very universal character. He often wants to do what's good and right but struggles over it. Reader sympathy comes from this frustration of making choices, finding out you've made bad ones, and having to live with the consequences. The Bio-repo man’s life is a series of events that, much like the mambo itself, maneuvers back and forth in a morally grey zone: some choices he makes are good, others acceptable for the situation, others not-so-good, and others the lesser of several evils. Kind of sounds like life, doesn’t it? Well, except for the organ repossession bit.
Garcia's Bio-repo man is clearly intelligent and observant. Sure, he has street smarts, probably more so than book smarts, but he’s no idiot. He learns from his mistakes and eventually realizes that while he might have lost his heart, he has uncovered his soul. And it’s this soul that colors the way he views his past as he retells it, from his time at war, to his failed marriages, to his Bio-repo work. The most poignant portions are when the Bio-repo man laments over his first wife, Beth, a prostitute. Though he certainly suffers from a lack of sexual self-control, he actually regrets her choice of occupation and reveals she’s one of his few wives he genuinely loved. He clearly carries a torch for her as Beth never seems to reciprocate his sentiments. The Bio-repo man’s unrequited love is something that pulls on a deep emotional level. Overall, Garcia really gets inside this character’s head and draws out every conceivable conflicted emotion, yet it all blends and works without becoming sappy or overwhelming.
Garcia’s dark wit also weaves threads of deeper messages. What if we could prolong our lives – does that mean we should? When faced with moral grey areas, where does one draw the line? Since we can’t go back to the past, how should we live in the present? Repo Men is definitely a product of a postmodern age where the “little man” defines his own sense of freedom and takes on something bigger than himself. There is a dose of redemption in the novel as well, a serendipitous moment if you will, when the Bio-repo man comes to grips with his situation and recognizes the power and importance of personal sacrifice.
I was hesitant to read Repo Men, especially after the opening line, which I won't print here. But trust me - it’s an eye-popper. I wondered what I was getting myself into but plunged in it anyway. And I loved every minute of it and I regretted it only when I finished it.
Repo Men might not be the most recognized work of modern sci-fi and it tends to receive its share of criticism; but it blew me away, and there are very few books I can say that about. The novel is dark, funny, violent, thought-provoking, and moving, not to mention its payoff is definitely worth the ride. I dread most book endings because they never close out the way I think they should, but Repo Men pulls a twist that is a surprise but fits. Overall, this is a different take on a dystopian theme yet hits much closer to home than you might expect.
Overall, Repo Men is a great choice if you’re hunting for a sci-fi read that is off the beaten path and features an engaging writing style and interesting narrative structure though, as you might have presumed, it's strictly for adult readers. The main character is relatable, strange as it sounds, as he struggles with decisions of all shapes and sizes and has to come to terms with the consequences. Needless to say, he has an awakening that is both unexpected and fulfilling, both for his character and the reader.
Content:
Language - Language is frequent but not pervasive with uses of PG-13 and some R-level language, including vulgarities.
Violence - Regarding violence, this novel isn't a shock-fest but it does possess some violence (organ repo isn’t a clean job, you know) though often times these scenes are set up to be darkly humorous. Thus, references to blood and organs (artificial ones, mind you) are referenced throughout. For those of you thinking organ repossession equals a gore-fest, you will be sadly disappointed. Or relieved, depending how much blood and guts you like in your stories (I prefer as minimal as possible). Repo Men (the novel) isn’t very violent at all for the most part.
Sexual Content - The narrator makes it no secret that he "loves" the ladies (that's "love" used in a very loose way). Though most of his sexual encounters are recounted in brief (often with vulgarities), the most prolonged scene is when he partakes in Beth's "services." However, the scene cuts away and what happens is left up to the reader's imagination. Overall, sex is primarily hinted at or heavily implied but avoids becoming explicit.
First, the world-building, while not new in concept, it still solid. It takes a modernized healthcare system and morphs it into a capitalistic entity. The premise goes like this: imagine if you could replace every organ in your body with an artificial counterpart. You could own a new liver, lungs, even a larynx that could never succumb to aging or disease. Sounds good, right? Well...only if you keep up with the payments. If you do, then your artiforg (artificial organ) is yours for life. If you don’t, you’ll be called upon by the not-so-friendly Bio-repo man with scalpel in hand, ready to reclaim your past due ‘forg and return it to the Union. For an outrageous sum of money (plus interest), every facet of your body can be replaced and repossessed. And with that understanding in place, readers are thrown into a world where one's life is literally tied to one's bank account.
Story-wise, Repo Men follows a non-sequential plot driven by flashbacks told by one of the Union’s top Bio-repo men who never gets a name, which is intriguing. For an author not to name a character is one thing, but to never have the character name himself nor have other characters call him by name is interestingly unsettling. There’s symbolism at play here where the no-named Bio-repo man clearly serves as an Everyman character – a literary figure embodying universal struggles. Hence, the fact he's never called by name is meant to make him blend into his world yet his tale of tribulations and trials truly makes him stand out.
Life for our Bio-repo man is good until an accident earns him a new heart, which he can’t pay for, which drives him into hiding. But if it isn’t bad enough to always be looking over your shoulder, he fears the Bio-repo man who might come to call on him in the end. (But I’m not telling lest I ruin the surprise.) It’s the classic hunter-turned-hunted theme where the main character is a sympathetic jerk yet remains a likable jerk, and you find yourself hoping against the odds that he can outsmart, or at least outrun, those who come to claim his life.
The Bio-repo man is a very universal character. He often wants to do what's good and right but struggles over it. Reader sympathy comes from this frustration of making choices, finding out you've made bad ones, and having to live with the consequences. The Bio-repo man’s life is a series of events that, much like the mambo itself, maneuvers back and forth in a morally grey zone: some choices he makes are good, others acceptable for the situation, others not-so-good, and others the lesser of several evils. Kind of sounds like life, doesn’t it? Well, except for the organ repossession bit.
Garcia's Bio-repo man is clearly intelligent and observant. Sure, he has street smarts, probably more so than book smarts, but he’s no idiot. He learns from his mistakes and eventually realizes that while he might have lost his heart, he has uncovered his soul. And it’s this soul that colors the way he views his past as he retells it, from his time at war, to his failed marriages, to his Bio-repo work. The most poignant portions are when the Bio-repo man laments over his first wife, Beth, a prostitute. Though he certainly suffers from a lack of sexual self-control, he actually regrets her choice of occupation and reveals she’s one of his few wives he genuinely loved. He clearly carries a torch for her as Beth never seems to reciprocate his sentiments. The Bio-repo man’s unrequited love is something that pulls on a deep emotional level. Overall, Garcia really gets inside this character’s head and draws out every conceivable conflicted emotion, yet it all blends and works without becoming sappy or overwhelming.
Garcia’s dark wit also weaves threads of deeper messages. What if we could prolong our lives – does that mean we should? When faced with moral grey areas, where does one draw the line? Since we can’t go back to the past, how should we live in the present? Repo Men is definitely a product of a postmodern age where the “little man” defines his own sense of freedom and takes on something bigger than himself. There is a dose of redemption in the novel as well, a serendipitous moment if you will, when the Bio-repo man comes to grips with his situation and recognizes the power and importance of personal sacrifice.
I was hesitant to read Repo Men, especially after the opening line, which I won't print here. But trust me - it’s an eye-popper. I wondered what I was getting myself into but plunged in it anyway. And I loved every minute of it and I regretted it only when I finished it.
Repo Men might not be the most recognized work of modern sci-fi and it tends to receive its share of criticism; but it blew me away, and there are very few books I can say that about. The novel is dark, funny, violent, thought-provoking, and moving, not to mention its payoff is definitely worth the ride. I dread most book endings because they never close out the way I think they should, but Repo Men pulls a twist that is a surprise but fits. Overall, this is a different take on a dystopian theme yet hits much closer to home than you might expect.
Overall, Repo Men is a great choice if you’re hunting for a sci-fi read that is off the beaten path and features an engaging writing style and interesting narrative structure though, as you might have presumed, it's strictly for adult readers. The main character is relatable, strange as it sounds, as he struggles with decisions of all shapes and sizes and has to come to terms with the consequences. Needless to say, he has an awakening that is both unexpected and fulfilling, both for his character and the reader.
Content:
Language - Language is frequent but not pervasive with uses of PG-13 and some R-level language, including vulgarities.
Violence - Regarding violence, this novel isn't a shock-fest but it does possess some violence (organ repo isn’t a clean job, you know) though often times these scenes are set up to be darkly humorous. Thus, references to blood and organs (artificial ones, mind you) are referenced throughout. For those of you thinking organ repossession equals a gore-fest, you will be sadly disappointed. Or relieved, depending how much blood and guts you like in your stories (I prefer as minimal as possible). Repo Men (the novel) isn’t very violent at all for the most part.
Sexual Content - The narrator makes it no secret that he "loves" the ladies (that's "love" used in a very loose way). Though most of his sexual encounters are recounted in brief (often with vulgarities), the most prolonged scene is when he partakes in Beth's "services." However, the scene cuts away and what happens is left up to the reader's imagination. Overall, sex is primarily hinted at or heavily implied but avoids becoming explicit.
March 30, 2017
In the near future (or the future of a different past), artificial replacement organs have become commonplace. They're sold by huge corporations under less than generous contracts for huge amounts of money, so when customers stop paying, it's the job of Bio Repo Men to break into their homes, taze them, and extract the organ so it can be sold to someone else. Since it's the "future" that means death for the customer, a cynical receipt is left on the body.
It's the story of one of the top repo men (naturally) who falls from the company's grace and becomes hunted himself (naturally) and grows as a person while being hunted (naturally), luckily he never becomes the complete "turned around" cliché. He still cites company procedure when he finds yet another decapitated body.
The book's similar in tone and setting to Jack Womack's books (especially Random Acts of Senseless Violence), or the Judge Dredd comics, so if you're a fan of those, you probably can't go wrong here, all others might want to skip this.
It's the story of one of the top repo men (naturally) who falls from the company's grace and becomes hunted himself (naturally) and grows as a person while being hunted (naturally), luckily he never becomes the complete "turned around" cliché. He still cites company procedure when he finds yet another decapitated body.
The book's similar in tone and setting to Jack Womack's books (especially Random Acts of Senseless Violence), or the Judge Dredd comics, so if you're a fan of those, you probably can't go wrong here, all others might want to skip this.
June 13, 2009
Good storytelling but an otherwise meh book that I spent about an hour in a fast read at a bookstore cafe to get out the mood of a previous superb book and be able to move to another such
The main problem of the book is that its subject bored me and I found it completely preposterous that such a system to enable repo men to pull organs out of people and essentially kill them for non-payment would be allowed to develop; you can argue that in a corporate dystopia all is possible but I just don't buy it for a myriad of reasons; so overall a popcorn book, good for its ilk but not worth more than an hour of your time...Though it should make a good popcorn movie
The main problem of the book is that its subject bored me and I found it completely preposterous that such a system to enable repo men to pull organs out of people and essentially kill them for non-payment would be allowed to develop; you can argue that in a corporate dystopia all is possible but I just don't buy it for a myriad of reasons; so overall a popcorn book, good for its ilk but not worth more than an hour of your time...Though it should make a good popcorn movie
March 11, 2010
Definately formed with a screenplay in mind, but what I'm keen to know is how this book ties in with 'Repo: The Genetic Opera'. Note to self - pick up another book by this author to see if he can actually write well or if this was a fluke.
July 25, 2016
It's a story as old as mankind - an artificial organ repo man is on the run from the very company he used to extract them for.
It's a bit silly, and has some internal consistency issues, but is surprisingly entertaining.
It's a bit silly, and has some internal consistency issues, but is surprisingly entertaining.
January 16, 2012
I found this book quite slow, although that's probably just me. the ending was unexpected. Probably wouldn't read it again but it's definately interesting
August 15, 2021
3/5
As fi dat un rating mai mare cartii, asta daca nu as fi ramas atat de dezamagita in urma lecturii. Unul din lucrurile care a salvat-o a fost executia cartii, modul de scriere al autorului, glumele cu un umor negru si felul in care este descrisa actiunea cartii (actiune fiind mult spus, dar despre acest lucru voi vorbi cateva randuri mai incolo). Probabil ca acesta este singurul lucru care a mai aslvat cat de cat. Pacat ca talentul autorului si o idee chiar interesanta au fost risipite undeva in neant.
Deci, cartea porneste de la premisa ca undeva in viitorul mai mult sau mai putin indepartat, lumea si stiinta se vor dezvolta atat de mult incat va fi posibil transplantul de organe artificale (orice fel de organe, de la plamani, la inima si pana la buze si ochi; absolut orice fel de implant). Insa, aici intervine partea dificila, atunci cand persoana care a beneficiat de un astfel de transplant nu isi mai poate plati ratele pentru organul transplantat, ei bine, exista un pret... iar acela este pretul vietii. Astfel, exista niste baietii tare draguti, cunoscuti sub numele de recuperatori, care vin si au grija ca organul rau-platnicului sa ajunga de unde a venit, adica de la aceeasi companie care a fost de acord sa acorde un credit persoanei in cauza pentru ca transplantul sa aiba loc. Suna interesant pana acum, insa problema ca doar atat stim si pe parcursul cartii plus/ minus cateva detalii despre aceasta lume. In rest, cartea se concentreaza pe personajul principal Remy, un fost recuperator, care din nefericire se afla in aceeasi situatie ca multi alti oameni care au ajuns in situatia de a nu a-si mai putea plati creditele pentru organul transplantat.
Spoiler-alert: situatia lui Remy difera totusi fata de situatia altor persoane care au beneficiat de un transplant de orgartif, intrucat Remy a ajuns in aceasta situatie fara sa vrea. In sa acest detaliu si motivul din spatele- sa-l numim "incident"- incidentului care a dus la situatia de fata sunt prezentatea abia catre sfarsitul cartii.
Dar de ce m-a dezamagit atat de tare aceasta carte? Unul din motive ar fi acela ca eu ma asteptatm sa aflam mai multe detalii despre lumea in care traieste personajul principal, cum de a evoluat atat de mult stiinta incat s-a ajuns la creare organelor artificiale, care sunt motivele pentru care oameni sanatosi alegeau sa faca astfel de transplanturi si ei bin, din motive necunoscute, sa ajunga sa fie vanati de recuperatori pentru ca intarziasera cu plata creditelor? Si multe alte intrebari de acest gen. In schimb, am primit povestea lui Remy: cum a ajuns sa lucreze ca recuperator, cum a ajuns sa isi cunoasca cel mai bun prieten, cum a ajuns in armata, cum au esuat toate cele 5 casnicii ale lui si alte cateva detalii inutile despre vecinii si colegii de armata pe care nici macar nu ii avea la inima. Practic, personajul nostru principal se doreste a fi un antierou care isi scrie propria poveste dintr-un hotel dezafectat in timp ce este urmarit de catre fostii sai colegi de serviciu, recuperatorii.
Nu m-a deranjat povestea de viata a lui Remy, de fapt, am gasit-o destul de interesanta pana la un anumit punct. Pana in punctul in care aceleasi povesti si detalii au tot inceput sa se repete din nou si din nou si din nou.
Pe langa acesta aspect infim, despre repetita povestii vietii lui Remy, enervanta de la un punct in colo, " adevarata" actiune incepe de abia in ultimele 150 de pagini sa zicem.
Spoiler-alert: pe parcusrul cartii, Remy o intalneste pe Bonnie, o femeie cu o poveste trista de viata (intrucat 75% din corpul ei era reprezentat de organe artificiale, deoarece femeia suferise de cancer. Singurul organ care nu era inlocuit din coprul era inima), care la randul ei era urmarta de recuperatori. Si nu numai ca era urmarita, as putea spune ca era chiar ravnita, intrucat se afla pe lista a celor 100 cei mai cautati oameni care nu isi mai platisera datoriile.
De la momentul in care personajul o cunoaste pe Bonnie nu se intampla prea multe. Acestia decid sa se ascunda in continuare, insa impreuna de aceasta data. Remy isi scrie povestea vietii in continuare si isi destainuie unul dintre momentele care il bantuie cel mai tare din viata lui ca recuperator. De asemena, sa nu uitam, se infiripa si o poveste de dragoste intre cele 2 personaje. Avem parte de o scena de lupta si apoi lucrurile se desfasoara atat de repde, deoarece personajul principal este prea obosit sa mai detalieze probabil cele mai interesante lucruri...
Fast forward, cel mai previzibil final se petrece. Remy primeste inima sanatoasa a lui Bonnie, iar de ea nu se mai stie nimic.A reusit sa scape de recuperatori? A fost prinsa? Nu vom sti niciodata.
pe langa faptul ca finalul a fost banal si previzibil, am ramas si cu intrebari al caror raspuns nu il voi afla niciodata.
Sa mai adaug faptul ca mi-a luat ani lumina sa termin aceasta capodopera pentru ca nu puteam si nu credeam ca voi mai scapa de partea de descriere inutila?
As fi dat un rating mai mare cartii, asta daca nu as fi ramas atat de dezamagita in urma lecturii. Unul din lucrurile care a salvat-o a fost executia cartii, modul de scriere al autorului, glumele cu un umor negru si felul in care este descrisa actiunea cartii (actiune fiind mult spus, dar despre acest lucru voi vorbi cateva randuri mai incolo). Probabil ca acesta este singurul lucru care a mai aslvat cat de cat. Pacat ca talentul autorului si o idee chiar interesanta au fost risipite undeva in neant.
Deci, cartea porneste de la premisa ca undeva in viitorul mai mult sau mai putin indepartat, lumea si stiinta se vor dezvolta atat de mult incat va fi posibil transplantul de organe artificale (orice fel de organe, de la plamani, la inima si pana la buze si ochi; absolut orice fel de implant). Insa, aici intervine partea dificila, atunci cand persoana care a beneficiat de un astfel de transplant nu isi mai poate plati ratele pentru organul transplantat, ei bine, exista un pret... iar acela este pretul vietii. Astfel, exista niste baietii tare draguti, cunoscuti sub numele de recuperatori, care vin si au grija ca organul rau-platnicului sa ajunga de unde a venit, adica de la aceeasi companie care a fost de acord sa acorde un credit persoanei in cauza pentru ca transplantul sa aiba loc. Suna interesant pana acum, insa problema ca doar atat stim si pe parcursul cartii plus/ minus cateva detalii despre aceasta lume. In rest, cartea se concentreaza pe personajul principal Remy, un fost recuperator, care din nefericire se afla in aceeasi situatie ca multi alti oameni care au ajuns in situatia de a nu a-si mai putea plati creditele pentru organul transplantat.
Spoiler-alert: situatia lui Remy difera totusi fata de situatia altor persoane care au beneficiat de un transplant de orgartif, intrucat Remy a ajuns in aceasta situatie fara sa vrea. In sa acest detaliu si motivul din spatele- sa-l numim "incident"- incidentului care a dus la situatia de fata sunt prezentatea abia catre sfarsitul cartii.
Dar de ce m-a dezamagit atat de tare aceasta carte? Unul din motive ar fi acela ca eu ma asteptatm sa aflam mai multe detalii despre lumea in care traieste personajul principal, cum de a evoluat atat de mult stiinta incat s-a ajuns la creare organelor artificiale, care sunt motivele pentru care oameni sanatosi alegeau sa faca astfel de transplanturi si ei bin, din motive necunoscute, sa ajunga sa fie vanati de recuperatori pentru ca intarziasera cu plata creditelor? Si multe alte intrebari de acest gen. In schimb, am primit povestea lui Remy: cum a ajuns sa lucreze ca recuperator, cum a ajuns sa isi cunoasca cel mai bun prieten, cum a ajuns in armata, cum au esuat toate cele 5 casnicii ale lui si alte cateva detalii inutile despre vecinii si colegii de armata pe care nici macar nu ii avea la inima. Practic, personajul nostru principal se doreste a fi un antierou care isi scrie propria poveste dintr-un hotel dezafectat in timp ce este urmarit de catre fostii sai colegi de serviciu, recuperatorii.
Nu m-a deranjat povestea de viata a lui Remy, de fapt, am gasit-o destul de interesanta pana la un anumit punct. Pana in punctul in care aceleasi povesti si detalii au tot inceput sa se repete din nou si din nou si din nou.
Pe langa acesta aspect infim, despre repetita povestii vietii lui Remy, enervanta de la un punct in colo, " adevarata" actiune incepe de abia in ultimele 150 de pagini sa zicem.
Spoiler-alert: pe parcusrul cartii, Remy o intalneste pe Bonnie, o femeie cu o poveste trista de viata (intrucat 75% din corpul ei era reprezentat de organe artificiale, deoarece femeia suferise de cancer. Singurul organ care nu era inlocuit din coprul era inima), care la randul ei era urmarta de recuperatori. Si nu numai ca era urmarita, as putea spune ca era chiar ravnita, intrucat se afla pe lista a celor 100 cei mai cautati oameni care nu isi mai platisera datoriile.
De la momentul in care personajul o cunoaste pe Bonnie nu se intampla prea multe. Acestia decid sa se ascunda in continuare, insa impreuna de aceasta data. Remy isi scrie povestea vietii in continuare si isi destainuie unul dintre momentele care il bantuie cel mai tare din viata lui ca recuperator. De asemena, sa nu uitam, se infiripa si o poveste de dragoste intre cele 2 personaje. Avem parte de o scena de lupta si apoi lucrurile se desfasoara atat de repde, deoarece personajul principal este prea obosit sa mai detalieze probabil cele mai interesante lucruri...
Fast forward, cel mai previzibil final se petrece. Remy primeste inima sanatoasa a lui Bonnie, iar de ea nu se mai stie nimic.A reusit sa scape de recuperatori? A fost prinsa? Nu vom sti niciodata.
pe langa faptul ca finalul a fost banal si previzibil, am ramas si cu intrebari al caror raspuns nu il voi afla niciodata.
Sa mai adaug faptul ca mi-a luat ani lumina sa termin aceasta capodopera pentru ca nu puteam si nu credeam ca voi mai scapa de partea de descriere inutila?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2025
The narrator is a man who did a tour of duty as a Marine during a war in Africa, then got a job repossessing artificial body organs from people who are too far behind in their payments. He's typing a sort of memoir while he lives in hiding - after he became too far behind on his own payments for an artificial heart. The narration keeps bouncing around between his time in the Marines (basic training and the war), the various wives he's had, what he did in his repo job, his friendship with another repo man, and his situation as a fugitive from the repo people.
While he was still working as a repo man, he viewed his job as reasonable and appropriate - despite it only being his job to remove the unpaid artificial organs, not to see that the person had medical care afterward. It's either stated or implied that they generally die. At first, I interpreted his attitude as meaning that the artificial organs replaced a failing body organ, so the person would have died earlier if not for the artificial organ. But as I read more, it indicated that many people got the artificial organs as "upgrades" to body organs that weren't failing. (There is even mention of artificial organs being designed with features that weren't "bodily functions" in order to market them to more consumers.)
Once he's on the run for being behind on payments, there are even conversations in which he speaks justifications for what repo men do. It seems like he evolves some, but how far that may go, we never know. Nor do we know what changes he would or wouldn't make if not for someone's sacrifice for him.
It's worth thinking about the repo business with this as a metaphor for today's and a view of possible future ones. When a person's home is repossessed, they won't die the way the people do in this book. But losing your home can have a domino effect on your life - possibly homelessness, possibly unsafe housing, possibly housing further from work, possibly housing with a higher monthly price... then those things can have effects on your health, employment, being able to afford other necessities... In areas without proper public transportation, car repossession can prevent getting to work or going to the store. And what about artificial body parts? There are already certain kinds of these and there will be more in the future. What if there's a business that pays the relatives of dying people to get their organs and then sells those biological organs to people needing transplants?
I'd have liked the book more if the narration hadn't bounced around so much. I don't know if this constitutes "stream of consciousness" writing, but those who like that style might try the book in case it does fit.
While he was still working as a repo man, he viewed his job as reasonable and appropriate - despite it only being his job to remove the unpaid artificial organs, not to see that the person had medical care afterward. It's either stated or implied that they generally die. At first, I interpreted his attitude as meaning that the artificial organs replaced a failing body organ, so the person would have died earlier if not for the artificial organ. But as I read more, it indicated that many people got the artificial organs as "upgrades" to body organs that weren't failing. (There is even mention of artificial organs being designed with features that weren't "bodily functions" in order to market them to more consumers.)
Once he's on the run for being behind on payments, there are even conversations in which he speaks justifications for what repo men do. It seems like he evolves some, but how far that may go, we never know. Nor do we know what changes he would or wouldn't make if not for someone's sacrifice for him.
It's worth thinking about the repo business with this as a metaphor for today's and a view of possible future ones. When a person's home is repossessed, they won't die the way the people do in this book. But losing your home can have a domino effect on your life - possibly homelessness, possibly unsafe housing, possibly housing further from work, possibly housing with a higher monthly price... then those things can have effects on your health, employment, being able to afford other necessities... In areas without proper public transportation, car repossession can prevent getting to work or going to the store. And what about artificial body parts? There are already certain kinds of these and there will be more in the future. What if there's a business that pays the relatives of dying people to get their organs and then sells those biological organs to people needing transplants?
I'd have liked the book more if the narration hadn't bounced around so much. I don't know if this constitutes "stream of consciousness" writing, but those who like that style might try the book in case it does fit.
May 31, 2023
"The Repossession Mambo" by Eric Garcia is the basis for the movie "Repo Men" (2010) starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker, dealing with the effects and excesses of privatized, for-profit transplant medicine.
The book is a lot better than the movie (which is really no great feat given the grisly subject matter). Because of Garcia’s writing style, I liked the protagonist right away despite his gruesome profession, as he has a healthy dose of self-irony, and his basic motivation of wanting to survive makes him a hero you sympathize with despite or precisely because of his past.
Most of the novel takes place in the former "Repo Man's" hideout from his former colleagues who now try to track him down while he is writing his memoirs on a mechanical typewriter, a process which does not follow a straight line. The protagonist's description of his current situation alternates with seemingly random recollections, most of which are "coincidental" and only form an overall picture as the novel progresses, making it somewhat difficult to provide a plot summary in the conventional sense. For the most part, the protagonist's reminiscences have an ironic undercurrent, demonstrating a sense of wit on the part of the author which is kept up consistently over the course of the novel and does not wear thin.
For people whose first language isn’t English, I’d say the book is probably not easy to read due to many colloquialisms, but it’s worth making the effort, as both the subject and the writing style have something very authentic about it which will not leave you unaffected. The book is outstandingly funny and gut-wrenchingly shocking at the same time. And - spoiler alert - the book has an unambiguously positive ending, which is quite in contrast to what you usually might expect from this kind of stories.
The book is a lot better than the movie (which is really no great feat given the grisly subject matter). Because of Garcia’s writing style, I liked the protagonist right away despite his gruesome profession, as he has a healthy dose of self-irony, and his basic motivation of wanting to survive makes him a hero you sympathize with despite or precisely because of his past.
Most of the novel takes place in the former "Repo Man's" hideout from his former colleagues who now try to track him down while he is writing his memoirs on a mechanical typewriter, a process which does not follow a straight line. The protagonist's description of his current situation alternates with seemingly random recollections, most of which are "coincidental" and only form an overall picture as the novel progresses, making it somewhat difficult to provide a plot summary in the conventional sense. For the most part, the protagonist's reminiscences have an ironic undercurrent, demonstrating a sense of wit on the part of the author which is kept up consistently over the course of the novel and does not wear thin.
For people whose first language isn’t English, I’d say the book is probably not easy to read due to many colloquialisms, but it’s worth making the effort, as both the subject and the writing style have something very authentic about it which will not leave you unaffected. The book is outstandingly funny and gut-wrenchingly shocking at the same time. And - spoiler alert - the book has an unambiguously positive ending, which is quite in contrast to what you usually might expect from this kind of stories.
February 14, 2019
"
The Repossession Mambo
Currently Reading
My rating:
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars[ 4 of 5 stars ]5 of 5 stars
The Repossession Mambo
by Eric Garcia
3.73 · Rating details · 716 ratings · 96 reviews
Thanks to the technological miracle of artiforgs, now you can live virtually forever. Nearly indestructible artificial organs, these wonders of metal and plastic are far more reliable and efficient than the cancer-prone lungs and fallible kidneys you were born with—and the Credit Union will be delighted to work out an equitable payment plan. But, of course, if you fall del ...more
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Paperback, 336 pages
Published March 31st 2009 by Harper (first published 2009)
Original TitleThe Repossession Mambo
ISBN 0061802832 (ISBN13: 9780061802836)
Edition LanguageEnglish
Literary AwardsPhilip K. Dick Award Nominee (2010)
Other Editions (12)
Repo Men
Repo Men
The Repossession Mambo
Repo Men
Recuperatorii
All Editions | Add a New Edition | Combine
...Less Detailedit details
EditMY ACTIVITY
Review of ISBN 9780061802836
Rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars[ 4 of 5 stars ]5 of 5 stars
Shelves currently-reading, read-2019 edit
Format Paperback edit
Status
Reading for the 2nd time
February 14, 2019 –
100.0% "It was also shown and "The Matrix Concept""
February 14, 2019 –
100.0% "Stabing... blood... surgeons...
...
Romance
...
IT'S HARDCORE SEX... ROMANCE"
February 14, 2019 –
100.0% "Starting from addictions and ending up to fetishes..."
February 14, 2019 – Shelved as: read-2019
February 14, 2019 – Shelved
February 14, 2019 – Started Reading"
The Repossession Mambo
Currently Reading
My rating:
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars[ 4 of 5 stars ]5 of 5 stars
The Repossession Mambo
by Eric Garcia
3.73 · Rating details · 716 ratings · 96 reviews
Thanks to the technological miracle of artiforgs, now you can live virtually forever. Nearly indestructible artificial organs, these wonders of metal and plastic are far more reliable and efficient than the cancer-prone lungs and fallible kidneys you were born with—and the Credit Union will be delighted to work out an equitable payment plan. But, of course, if you fall del ...more
GET A COPY
AmazonOnline Stores ▾Book Links ▾
Paperback, 336 pages
Published March 31st 2009 by Harper (first published 2009)
Original TitleThe Repossession Mambo
ISBN 0061802832 (ISBN13: 9780061802836)
Edition LanguageEnglish
Literary AwardsPhilip K. Dick Award Nominee (2010)
Other Editions (12)
Repo Men
Repo Men
The Repossession Mambo
Repo Men
Recuperatorii
All Editions | Add a New Edition | Combine
...Less Detailedit details
EditMY ACTIVITY
Review of ISBN 9780061802836
Rating
1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars[ 4 of 5 stars ]5 of 5 stars
Shelves currently-reading, read-2019 edit
Format Paperback edit
Status
Reading for the 2nd time
February 14, 2019 –
100.0% "It was also shown and "The Matrix Concept""
February 14, 2019 –
100.0% "Stabing... blood... surgeons...
...
Romance
...
IT'S HARDCORE SEX... ROMANCE"
February 14, 2019 –
100.0% "Starting from addictions and ending up to fetishes..."
February 14, 2019 – Shelved as: read-2019
February 14, 2019 – Shelved
February 14, 2019 – Started Reading"
May 22, 2022
Repossession Mambo
Uno speciale sulla natura del moderno agente di biorecupero lo descriverebbe più o meno così: onnivoro, quasi sicuramente maschio, molto probabilmente non accopiato. Si nutre di cibi e bevande artificiali o, quando il tempo scarseggia, di avanzi commestibili dei clienti. Si guarda costantemente alle spalle per individuare qualche invisibile avversario; è cauto, saggio, astuto. Porta l'orologio, a volte due, sempre sincronizzati su l'ora locale. Con il suo arsenale di armi e strumenti, la gente di biorecupero può vedere nel buio, rilevare oggetti sconosciuti a grande distanza e battere i clienti in quasi tutte le condizioni podistiche. Tende a bere troppo, fumare troppo, maltrattare il proprio corpo in tutti i modi possibili e immaginabili, e quando la sua creatività si è prosciugata chiede consiglio ad altri come proseguire ad abusare di sè.
IL'agente di biorecupero segue i suoi clienti mescolandosi alle ombre, stabilendo un amichevole collaborazione con la notte. Pochi riescono a vederlo, pochissimi a sfuggirgli. L'unico rumore che mette il fischio di una delle sue bombolette di etere, e quando il cliente non riconosce di solito troppo tardi. Il biglietto da visita dell'agente di buorecupero è una ricevuta gialla posata sul corpo esanime del cliente e firmata in triplice copia.
L'agente di biorecupero è un animale notturno.
Uno speciale sulla natura del moderno agente di biorecupero lo descriverebbe più o meno così: onnivoro, quasi sicuramente maschio, molto probabilmente non accopiato. Si nutre di cibi e bevande artificiali o, quando il tempo scarseggia, di avanzi commestibili dei clienti. Si guarda costantemente alle spalle per individuare qualche invisibile avversario; è cauto, saggio, astuto. Porta l'orologio, a volte due, sempre sincronizzati su l'ora locale. Con il suo arsenale di armi e strumenti, la gente di biorecupero può vedere nel buio, rilevare oggetti sconosciuti a grande distanza e battere i clienti in quasi tutte le condizioni podistiche. Tende a bere troppo, fumare troppo, maltrattare il proprio corpo in tutti i modi possibili e immaginabili, e quando la sua creatività si è prosciugata chiede consiglio ad altri come proseguire ad abusare di sè.
IL'agente di biorecupero segue i suoi clienti mescolandosi alle ombre, stabilendo un amichevole collaborazione con la notte. Pochi riescono a vederlo, pochissimi a sfuggirgli. L'unico rumore che mette il fischio di una delle sue bombolette di etere, e quando il cliente non riconosce di solito troppo tardi. Il biglietto da visita dell'agente di buorecupero è una ricevuta gialla posata sul corpo esanime del cliente e firmata in triplice copia.
L'agente di biorecupero è un animale notturno.
March 9, 2019
A job's a job
I decided I had to give this book a shot after noticing it referenced in the Jude Law movie "Repo Men." This was the end result of the manuscript he was typing throughout the film. After looking up the book I discovered that this was a convoluted project by Eric Garcia who penned both the screenplay and this book as a literary device. His intention was to create two unique works that reinforce but don't necessarily mirror one another.
Like the movie, the story centers on Remy, a master repossession agent of the hottest product on the consumer market: artificial organs, known as artiforgs, and set in the not too distant future where credit companies now have a literal license to kill, because a contract is a contract.
Remy is one of the best in his business because he has absolutely no emotional response to what he's doing until circumstances put him in the shoes of the type of prey he routinely hunts.
The book and the movie share most critical plot points but diverge enough to make both unique stories.
High literature it ain't. But if you like dark, dystopian stories with a rye sense of humor. The movie, though panned rather brutally, lap has its moments.
I decided I had to give this book a shot after noticing it referenced in the Jude Law movie "Repo Men." This was the end result of the manuscript he was typing throughout the film. After looking up the book I discovered that this was a convoluted project by Eric Garcia who penned both the screenplay and this book as a literary device. His intention was to create two unique works that reinforce but don't necessarily mirror one another.
Like the movie, the story centers on Remy, a master repossession agent of the hottest product on the consumer market: artificial organs, known as artiforgs, and set in the not too distant future where credit companies now have a literal license to kill, because a contract is a contract.
Remy is one of the best in his business because he has absolutely no emotional response to what he's doing until circumstances put him in the shoes of the type of prey he routinely hunts.
The book and the movie share most critical plot points but diverge enough to make both unique stories.
High literature it ain't. But if you like dark, dystopian stories with a rye sense of humor. The movie, though panned rather brutally, lap has its moments.
January 7, 2018
This book actually surprised me. It was waaaaay better than the movie, but I had Jude Law in mind while reading it, so there was something good out of that one.
The book presents an almost dystopian world, where few people die of natural causes. Most of them die because of other people, of these repo men that reposses the artificial organs from those who can't afford to pay them anymore. It was such an easy read, with past memories from the protagonist and action pacted scenes from the present. The parts when he talks about his ways of escaping his ex-colleagues who recover organs for a living are trully exciting. His self is also remarcable! He is but a man who learned to remove his emotions from his everyday life, in order to continue to do what he was doing. I found it fascinating, his natural state of being so cinic about life in general. Loved the character!
I would recommend this book to anybody who is not afraid to be afraid of what our world might become.
The book presents an almost dystopian world, where few people die of natural causes. Most of them die because of other people, of these repo men that reposses the artificial organs from those who can't afford to pay them anymore. It was such an easy read, with past memories from the protagonist and action pacted scenes from the present. The parts when he talks about his ways of escaping his ex-colleagues who recover organs for a living are trully exciting. His self is also remarcable! He is but a man who learned to remove his emotions from his everyday life, in order to continue to do what he was doing. I found it fascinating, his natural state of being so cinic about life in general. Loved the character!
I would recommend this book to anybody who is not afraid to be afraid of what our world might become.
Read
May 19, 2021Перш ніж прочитати книгу бачила колись її екранізацію. І хоча події фільму вже стерлись з пам'яті, проте не очікувала, що книга буде історією життя героя разом із шлюбами, службою в армії і т.п. Розповідь ведеться непослідовно і хоча це не заважає скласти загальну картину, проте через це трохи переплутались образи дружин головного героя, хоча може це ще й через те, що їх було п'ятеро, а достатньо детально описана лише перша. Чи є мораль в цій історії? Важко відповісти, бо це історія людини в пошуках якоїсь мети чи то покликання, людини, що вчиняла різні вчинки і віддавалася справі. Людини, що так і не знайшла того, що очікувала, але знайшла на цьому шляху свою душу. Найемоційніша, як на мене, вийшла сцена, коли головний герой приходить по нирки своєї колишньої дружини і знаходить її у наркотичному дурмані і вона наспівує колискову, що вони колись склали для сина.
Книга цікава, хоча якесь однозначне враження скласти важко.
Книга цікава, хоча якесь однозначне враження скласти важко.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2025
An slightly odd combination of in depth character study and relentless meaningless violence. It's a near future where mechanical organs can be bought much like a nice car, and also repossessed like a nice car. The catch being repossession is generally fatal so the repo men are generally morally challenged. Our "hero" is one such man. This premise reminded me of the old Larry Niven short story "Jigsaw Man", but the tone is very different.
We get to know our "hero" in snatches that race back in forth in time. Youth to adult to youth and back again. He's a fascinating character, mainly for his complete lack of empathy, and generally shallow outlook on life. There is some character growth, but this is mainly a a train wreck of a life that and we are voyeurs. A restless youth, an stint in the army, multiple failed marriages, a son, and his repo job.
A fun ride of an odd sort, but at the end an empty shell of a story.
We get to know our "hero" in snatches that race back in forth in time. Youth to adult to youth and back again. He's a fascinating character, mainly for his complete lack of empathy, and generally shallow outlook on life. There is some character growth, but this is mainly a a train wreck of a life that and we are voyeurs. A restless youth, an stint in the army, multiple failed marriages, a son, and his repo job.
A fun ride of an odd sort, but at the end an empty shell of a story.
January 16, 2019
The main protagonist's cynical attitude with his job gets in the way of making him feel like a genuine character. Sometimes, it's difficult to reconcile his lack of empathy, especially with his detachment to his humanity when performing his repossessions, with his sober, conscious, and "type-writing" demeanor in the aftermath of his accident. I suppose that's how it is. So it goes, he did end up having a soul.
Overall, it's an enjoyable read. The narrative is non-linear and it can cause some confusion as the story moves on. But, I think it's more important to figure out (or make sense of) the protagonist than have clear sight of the progression of the novel.
Overall, it's an enjoyable read. The narrative is non-linear and it can cause some confusion as the story moves on. But, I think it's more important to figure out (or make sense of) the protagonist than have clear sight of the progression of the novel.
December 10, 2024
This is one of those books that really causes you to stretch your imagination, yet at the same time shows how things truly are- especially in today's society (I know, THAT phrase, but it rings true in this example).
I was entertained the entire way through and that ending... I wasn't expecting it to end like that (having seen the Repo Men movie before reading the book but hearing that the book's ending was an entirely different thing of its own). The world didn't change for the better in the end; nothing of note was truly accomplished in the grand scheme of things. But the main character changed. His world improved. He was able to see how things truly can be if we learn from our mistakes and make better decisions. And really, isn't that we're all trying to do? Improve our own little world and hopefully by doing so, change the world for just a bit better.
I was entertained the entire way through and that ending... I wasn't expecting it to end like that (having seen the Repo Men movie before reading the book but hearing that the book's ending was an entirely different thing of its own). The world didn't change for the better in the end; nothing of note was truly accomplished in the grand scheme of things. But the main character changed. His world improved. He was able to see how things truly can be if we learn from our mistakes and make better decisions. And really, isn't that we're all trying to do? Improve our own little world and hopefully by doing so, change the world for just a bit better.
April 25, 2018
This was a book that needed an editor. The story about a repo man who rips out artificial organs whose owners are behind in payment is all over the place, jumping around in time, pursuing a variety of subplots that go nowhere, and all in service to a protagonist who isn't especially sympathetic. In an afterword the author makes clear that this was what he intended (and that the movie connected with the book, "Repo Men," was developed at the same time). So he got what he wanted, but it wasn't very satisfying.
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