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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Like Jason Halstead’s Kat Wimple series, Addict is set in the future. Unlike Halstead’s books though, Addict doesn’t really feel like it’s set in the future. For one thing, his protagonist, Cassie Tam, doesn’t really like modern conveniences; she likes real blinds, for instance and normal furniture. You’ll find very little Blade Runner futureism here. The few futuristic things he mentions, like tech shifting and online addiction, are light on description. Cassie’s “protector,” a robot gargoyle named Bert, night just as well be a man or, as I have seen elsewhere, “a man substitute” whose job is to rescue Cassie. Even the modern city of New Hopeland—which I assume is meant to be something like the new city Elon Musk has envisioned creating—is given short shrift in its description. If something takes place in the future, we are going to need a lot more creation and a lot more description.
The mystery is quite a good one in theory, but on paper it seems overly—and unsatisfactorily—explicated. In other words, it’s hard to figure out what’s actually going on. It’s the old showing instead of telling bugaboo. The author’s explanation of the mystery takes longer to tell than the denouement, and even that is dependent on our old friend, the seemingly normal person who is actually a criminally insane religious fanatic. In addition, the reasoning and execution of the crime is so convoluted that all you can do it blink and turn the page.
And I guess Cassie is a lesbian; she says she is and at the very end of the book she may even think about asking someone out. But again, she is a permutation of another of our old friends, a lesbian on the run from a bad relationship and terrified of being hurt a second time—although in this case, her old relationship is described as a good one and as far as I can tell without rereading, she wasn’t dumped by her ex. Oh well. In any case, the author is content with Cassie not having a real relationship. It is easier that way. However, for lesbian readers this choice is far from satisfactory.
Addict is not something I can recommend. At less than 56,000 words, it is about 20,000 words too short. And those words could have been used to very good advantage to spruce—and possibly eliminate—the problems. I'll give this one about a 2.2 rating.
Note: I was kindly provided a review copy of this book in electronic form from the author through Lesbrary.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
The mystery is quite a good one in theory, but on paper it seems overly—and unsatisfactorily—explicated. In other words, it’s hard to figure out what’s actually going on. It’s the old showing instead of telling bugaboo. The author’s explanation of the mystery takes longer to tell than the denouement, and even that is dependent on our old friend, the seemingly normal person who is actually a criminally insane religious fanatic. In addition, the reasoning and execution of the crime is so convoluted that all you can do it blink and turn the page.
And I guess Cassie is a lesbian; she says she is and at the very end of the book she may even think about asking someone out. But again, she is a permutation of another of our old friends, a lesbian on the run from a bad relationship and terrified of being hurt a second time—although in this case, her old relationship is described as a good one and as far as I can tell without rereading, she wasn’t dumped by her ex. Oh well. In any case, the author is content with Cassie not having a real relationship. It is easier that way. However, for lesbian readers this choice is far from satisfactory.
Addict is not something I can recommend. At less than 56,000 words, it is about 20,000 words too short. And those words could have been used to very good advantage to spruce—and possibly eliminate—the problems. I'll give this one about a 2.2 rating.
Note: I was kindly provided a review copy of this book in electronic form from the author through Lesbrary.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a solid first book in an interesting new series. I enjoyed the world building and the characters. It's so refreshing to find a positive lesbian scifi story. This story is YA accessible (no sex or excessive gore, will definitely recommend to my 15 year old cousin). Highly enjoyable as an adult read. Recommend to everyone. Also, Bert is awesome. Can't wait to hear more of Cassie and Lori's adventures.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. But I'm weird so I went and bought it off Kobo anyway. Glad I did. :)
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. But I'm weird so I went and bought it off Kobo anyway. Glad I did. :)
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
Overall this was a decent story but there were definitely some bits I didn't really care for. I like Cassie as a protagonist and the cyber-punk setting is really cool and well-developed. There was not a lot of romance in this first book but I thought it was handled well because Cassie was still getting over her ex while dealing with a possible new attraction to someone else so it make sense for her to move slow. The mystery aspect was pretty fun and I definitely didn't guess who did it so I suppose that's good as well.
The part I could have done without, well ...this is clearly a case of 'my bad' because I apparently did not even read the entire book summary [I mean you had me at lesbian cyber-punk detective] and totally missed the part where her new love interest / client is a 'tech shifter' which is [and I'm definitely simplifying here but] basically a fancy way to say 'sci-fi furry' and I am just so not here for that. I mean one of the big parts of the book is how you should be more open and accepting and not judge people for stuff like that but still ...when you've got a woman who is running around in a giant cat exo-skeleton and eating / drinking from a bowl on the floor then that is the point where I'm officially out.
I know there's a second book out or coming out soon but I'm kind of torn on whether or not to continue with it. I like the world and the main character but I definitely am not into the tech shifting stuff and if Cassie and Lori are going to be together I'm guessing that's going to be a large part of it. If you're into that sort of thing you will probably love this though.
Overall this was a decent story but there were definitely some bits I didn't really care for. I like Cassie as a protagonist and the cyber-punk setting is really cool and well-developed. There was not a lot of romance in this first book but I thought it was handled well because Cassie was still getting over her ex while dealing with a possible new attraction to someone else so it make sense for her to move slow. The mystery aspect was pretty fun and I definitely didn't guess who did it so I suppose that's good as well.
The part I could have done without, well ...this is clearly a case of 'my bad' because I apparently did not even read the entire book summary [I mean you had me at lesbian cyber-punk detective] and totally missed the part where her new love interest / client is a 'tech shifter' which is [and I'm definitely simplifying here but] basically a fancy way to say 'sci-fi furry' and I am just so not here for that. I mean one of the big parts of the book is how you should be more open and accepting and not judge people for stuff like that but still ...when you've got a woman who is running around in a giant cat exo-skeleton and eating / drinking from a bowl on the floor then that is the point where I'm officially out.
I know there's a second book out or coming out soon but I'm kind of torn on whether or not to continue with it. I like the world and the main character but I definitely am not into the tech shifting stuff and if Cassie and Lori are going to be together I'm guessing that's going to be a large part of it. If you're into that sort of thing you will probably love this though.
I am always on the lookout for new authors, and I think I found one. This book was well-written, had a good plot, and very interesting characters. I liked how this book had a really different look at an interesting futuristic world, one I would like to have gotten to know a little better, but maybe in future books. While this takes place in the future, it isn’t too far out of reach to feel different than today or to be too complicated, something I worry about not liking in sci-fi genres. Not only were the characters interesting, they were diverse, something fiction could use more of. Add to that, we had a non-stop action plot, with a mystery that wasn’t too simple. Everything came to together to form a great book, and I really enjoyed it from the beginning to end and I can't wait to read more! Highly recommend! I was provided the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.
What a great read this was! It is a rare thing to have a book that you enjoy from page one. Usually it takes a while until the story gets interesting and most books have a slow start that can make some readers DNF it. Not the case here, just one paragraph and I was already immersed in a futuristic noir story. If you haven’t watched a noir film before (black and white detective movie) you might miss some of the charm of this story, at least at the beginning.
The story is about Cassie Tam, a Chinese-Canadian private investigator. Business has been low, so when a prospect customer comes knocking at her door in the middle of the night, she takes the job. Her new client is Lori Redwood, a tech shifter. Tech shifters are those who have had their body modified so they can use metal exo-suits that enables them to shift into animals. The reason she is seeking help from a P.I. is because her brother died, apparently of an over-dose, but she refuses to accept the official story and believes that he was murdered. As Cassie and Lori try to solve this mystery, they come to learn more about each other and about the truth behind the dead of Lori’s brother. Oh, almost forgot the cute yet deadly character of the story: Bert, Cassie’s protector class AI familiar; head-sized, with metal wings and claws ready to do deathly damage and protect his owner. It reminds me of toothless and I fell in love with it, I want my own~
I liked a lot the combination of a mainly detective story with sci-fi elements (which are not only believable but interesting and thought-provoking), a retro/nostalgia feeling, diverse MC and a F/F relationship. Everything fits nicely within the story and it is well balanced for my taste: not too much romance distracting from the main plot (aka. fan service), well explained and relevant sci-fi elements, an interesting mystery with twists and turns and a satisfying ending. Even if this is the first book of the Cassie Tam Files series, it works perfectly as a stand-alone, no danger of cliffhangers!.
*I got my eArc from the author
The story is about Cassie Tam, a Chinese-Canadian private investigator. Business has been low, so when a prospect customer comes knocking at her door in the middle of the night, she takes the job. Her new client is Lori Redwood, a tech shifter. Tech shifters are those who have had their body modified so they can use metal exo-suits that enables them to shift into animals. The reason she is seeking help from a P.I. is because her brother died, apparently of an over-dose, but she refuses to accept the official story and believes that he was murdered. As Cassie and Lori try to solve this mystery, they come to learn more about each other and about the truth behind the dead of Lori’s brother. Oh, almost forgot the cute yet deadly character of the story: Bert, Cassie’s protector class AI familiar; head-sized, with metal wings and claws ready to do deathly damage and protect his owner. It reminds me of toothless and I fell in love with it, I want my own~
I liked a lot the combination of a mainly detective story with sci-fi elements (which are not only believable but interesting and thought-provoking), a retro/nostalgia feeling, diverse MC and a F/F relationship. Everything fits nicely within the story and it is well balanced for my taste: not too much romance distracting from the main plot (aka. fan service), well explained and relevant sci-fi elements, an interesting mystery with twists and turns and a satisfying ending. Even if this is the first book of the Cassie Tam Files series, it works perfectly as a stand-alone, no danger of cliffhangers!.
*I got my eArc from the author
The mystery of the investigation was really good and it was almost impossible to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together until the very end.
Click here to read my full review.
I really enjoyed the storyline and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Cassie Tam Files.
Click here to read my full review.
I really enjoyed the storyline and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Cassie Tam Files.
NOTE: I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NineStar Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
For the most part I found this book really interesting. I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to technology and sci-fi and while I would have liked a little bit more sci-fi in this book, the tech talk was spot on and really interesting.
It took me a little while to connect with the main character, Cass, but slowly throughout the book she won me over until I really liked her by the end.
One thing in particular that I liked about this story is that romance wasn't a main factor, it's more background noise than anything else, and I love that. But I am very interested to see how her relationship with Lori develops in the next book and I enjoyed this one enough that I might even buy a physical copy if I can find one on sale!
For the most part I found this book really interesting. I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to technology and sci-fi and while I would have liked a little bit more sci-fi in this book, the tech talk was spot on and really interesting.
It took me a little while to connect with the main character, Cass, but slowly throughout the book she won me over until I really liked her by the end.
One thing in particular that I liked about this story is that romance wasn't a main factor, it's more background noise than anything else, and I love that. But I am very interested to see how her relationship with Lori develops in the next book and I enjoyed this one enough that I might even buy a physical copy if I can find one on sale!
DNF at 35%. Semi-interesting attempt at tech noir, but I never really got into the characters in any meaningful way. I think I picked it up because someone was talking about the tech-gargoyle sidekick, and so far it hasn't actually done anything. Presumably it will by the end of the book? I'm just not invested enough to keep reading and find out.
RATING: 4.5 stars
When I was studying English Extension as a Year 12 student, we spent the year focused on a genre study of crime fiction. One of our set texts was Marele Day's The Life and Crimes of Harry Lavender, a gritty urban crime fiction written in a very traditional style, but with a unique (for the time) female protagonist. The reason I bring this up, is that I couldn't help thinking about that book quite a lot whilst I was reading ADDICT. You need to ignore the GoodReads ratings of Day's book, because it's been skewed heavily by resentful teenagers who were tired of the book after studying it. It's dated now (over 30 years later), but Harry Lavender infused pre-WWII crime fiction conventions with fresh, contemporary elements of gender, as well as a real sense of place, with the city of Sydney treated as a character in its own right.
Matt Doyle's ADDICT, though a rather different beast from Harry Lavender, is intelligent and fresh in much the same way Day's book was in the late 80s. A crime is committed and, of course, as time goes on, our detective is led through a series of twists and turns to finally lead her to a thrilling conclusion, where all the puzzle pieces fall into place - a satisfying conclusion is provided, as you'd expect from a detective story.
Set in the near future, Addict combines the engrossing, tenebrous elements of 1930s noir crime fiction with the spectacle and possibility of science fiction. Cassie Tam is, in many ways, a traditional sleuth protagonist, right down to the glock, the dingy apartment, and the social isolation. But Cassie also has a metallic gargoyle as her security guard, and has to delve into the nefarious world of technology addiction as a means to solve the case at the heart of the story. Her client also happens to be a Tech Shifter, someone who uses specially designed machinery to transform into an animal as a form of escapism. Cool, right?
The characters are engaging and memorable, slowly building relationships and inviting us into their psyches. Given this is the first story of a series, the characterisation has been handled well. There's a sweet romance developing by the end of the book, but it hasn't been explored so much as to make subsequent books almost pointless, Doyle has left space to move with the romance -- a wise move, I think!
Setting and atmosphere are amongst the strongest elements of ADDICT. By the end of the novel, I felt connected to the city of New Hopeland. I understood its history, its evolution, and its almost fetishist underbelly, where even crime is driven by zealotry. I'd have no reservations recommending this book!
***REVIEWED FOR CELESTIAL BOOKS***
When I was studying English Extension as a Year 12 student, we spent the year focused on a genre study of crime fiction. One of our set texts was Marele Day's The Life and Crimes of Harry Lavender, a gritty urban crime fiction written in a very traditional style, but with a unique (for the time) female protagonist. The reason I bring this up, is that I couldn't help thinking about that book quite a lot whilst I was reading ADDICT. You need to ignore the GoodReads ratings of Day's book, because it's been skewed heavily by resentful teenagers who were tired of the book after studying it. It's dated now (over 30 years later), but Harry Lavender infused pre-WWII crime fiction conventions with fresh, contemporary elements of gender, as well as a real sense of place, with the city of Sydney treated as a character in its own right.
Matt Doyle's ADDICT, though a rather different beast from Harry Lavender, is intelligent and fresh in much the same way Day's book was in the late 80s. A crime is committed and, of course, as time goes on, our detective is led through a series of twists and turns to finally lead her to a thrilling conclusion, where all the puzzle pieces fall into place - a satisfying conclusion is provided, as you'd expect from a detective story.
Set in the near future, Addict combines the engrossing, tenebrous elements of 1930s noir crime fiction with the spectacle and possibility of science fiction. Cassie Tam is, in many ways, a traditional sleuth protagonist, right down to the glock, the dingy apartment, and the social isolation. But Cassie also has a metallic gargoyle as her security guard, and has to delve into the nefarious world of technology addiction as a means to solve the case at the heart of the story. Her client also happens to be a Tech Shifter, someone who uses specially designed machinery to transform into an animal as a form of escapism. Cool, right?
The characters are engaging and memorable, slowly building relationships and inviting us into their psyches. Given this is the first story of a series, the characterisation has been handled well. There's a sweet romance developing by the end of the book, but it hasn't been explored so much as to make subsequent books almost pointless, Doyle has left space to move with the romance -- a wise move, I think!
Setting and atmosphere are amongst the strongest elements of ADDICT. By the end of the novel, I felt connected to the city of New Hopeland. I understood its history, its evolution, and its almost fetishist underbelly, where even crime is driven by zealotry. I'd have no reservations recommending this book!
***REVIEWED FOR CELESTIAL BOOKS***
Matt Doyle has created a world, in which, technological advances are more a part of everyday use than they are today. His future thoughts on technology are not so far-fetched, as most of what's written about already exist in some shape or form.
In New Hopeland, where the novel takes place, there are Virtual Reality addicts, where drug addicts quite literally live in a different dimension when getting high and there are Tech Shifters, who are people who decide they'd be better suited to live a life as an animal. While they don't live this life 24 hours a day, it still is a way that they identify. These are just some of the advances.
We're introduced to Cassie Tam, who is a private investigator. She's known for taking cases that the local police department writes off, and even some that they've "investigated" but maybe not to the furthest potential, enter storyline here.
Lori Redwood is a Tech Shifter who by day is a human woman and in her downtime, she shifts into a panther. Her brother, on the other hand, is considered a Virtual Reality Addict, who has been found dead at the beginning of the book. However, Lori doesn't believe that her brother overdosed like the police department claims. So she hires Cassie to help her investigate further.
It's a fascinating concept, with the development of this world as its base, and then creating this complex storyline on top. As humans, we often stereotype, so of course, when we hear that a drug addict has been found dead, it's almost always written off as an overdose or suicide.
Matt Doyle brings you along for the ride of the corrupt world that they live in--but also, far too similar to the corruption happening today. He has you questioning your own stereotypes, debating who you'd be in this world, and on the fence about how you really believe that Lori's brother died. You're introduced to relationships that Cassie has in order to do her job well, but the trust and loyalty she has to those who should easily be locked up, but without them, other crimes wouldn't be able to be solved. Corruption is a tangled web, my friend.
There's more to this story than just the investigation as we learn about relationships between siblings, parents, and lovers. Do you really know your sibling? Parent? Lover? Friend? What could they truly be hiding from you? Do they genuinely believe in you?
With an unexpected twist that has you placing together each and every puzzle piece, you're brought through to a full circle. As the first in the series, I'm interested to see where else Matt Doyle leads Cassie Tam, and how her story continues unfolds. You won't want to miss out!
In New Hopeland, where the novel takes place, there are Virtual Reality addicts, where drug addicts quite literally live in a different dimension when getting high and there are Tech Shifters, who are people who decide they'd be better suited to live a life as an animal. While they don't live this life 24 hours a day, it still is a way that they identify. These are just some of the advances.
We're introduced to Cassie Tam, who is a private investigator. She's known for taking cases that the local police department writes off, and even some that they've "investigated" but maybe not to the furthest potential, enter storyline here.
Lori Redwood is a Tech Shifter who by day is a human woman and in her downtime, she shifts into a panther. Her brother, on the other hand, is considered a Virtual Reality Addict, who has been found dead at the beginning of the book. However, Lori doesn't believe that her brother overdosed like the police department claims. So she hires Cassie to help her investigate further.
It's a fascinating concept, with the development of this world as its base, and then creating this complex storyline on top. As humans, we often stereotype, so of course, when we hear that a drug addict has been found dead, it's almost always written off as an overdose or suicide.
Matt Doyle brings you along for the ride of the corrupt world that they live in--but also, far too similar to the corruption happening today. He has you questioning your own stereotypes, debating who you'd be in this world, and on the fence about how you really believe that Lori's brother died. You're introduced to relationships that Cassie has in order to do her job well, but the trust and loyalty she has to those who should easily be locked up, but without them, other crimes wouldn't be able to be solved. Corruption is a tangled web, my friend.
There's more to this story than just the investigation as we learn about relationships between siblings, parents, and lovers. Do you really know your sibling? Parent? Lover? Friend? What could they truly be hiding from you? Do they genuinely believe in you?
With an unexpected twist that has you placing together each and every puzzle piece, you're brought through to a full circle. As the first in the series, I'm interested to see where else Matt Doyle leads Cassie Tam, and how her story continues unfolds. You won't want to miss out!