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marklpotter's review
3.0
Well, while it didn't end as I expected and I was annoyed at the deus ex machina keeping the protagonist alive through all sorts of careless desicions I can honestly say that the ending was better than I expected.
Look, this series isn't for everyone. It's brutal and Alexander doesn't hold back on language or sexuality. However the cyberpunk ethos is very alive under all the shock value. I'm just going to leave it at that and make this short and sweet. If you're looking for good cyberpunk and aren't even a little bit prude then you'll enjoy both books.
Look, this series isn't for everyone. It's brutal and Alexander doesn't hold back on language or sexuality. However the cyberpunk ethos is very alive under all the shock value. I'm just going to leave it at that and make this short and sweet. If you're looking for good cyberpunk and aren't even a little bit prude then you'll enjoy both books.
titania86's review
4.0
Riko is back and more vulgar than ever. Her cred is almost completely destroyed and she's working for a corporation. If anyone else knew, the saints would kill her for it. She still has months of missing memories and the blame for killing her girlfriend Nanji. Now, someone has a grudge against her sells her out, causing other gangs to view her as weak and ripe for killing her to collect more cred. It's all evil corporations, no help, and violence at every turn for Riko.
Nanoshock is the sequel to Necrotech and takes things even further. The very first scene has unconventional sex and blasphemy in one memorable and graphic package. Riko narrates the story and has the most inventive disgusting language I've read. Her outward emotion is to be constantly angry and wants violence to solve everything. She's frankly pretty immature and impulsive, but the story inside is different. Her separation from her core group hurts a lot. They still speak, but they aren't really friends anymore and it crushes Riko. Her situation makes her feel emotionally and physically vulnerable, which only makes her more angry. Her inner monologue betrays the depth of her emotions. Throughout the novel, Riko experiences betrayal after betrayal and keeps fighting. Her drive to keep going is something to admire even if sometimes she makes the wrong decisions and alienates almost everyone around her.
The background of this world is expanded a bit. It started with rollbacks of environmental regulations and a small ice age that had many disbelieving global warming until it was too late. The suns rays are so toxic that no one can live outside the shields even with nanos. We find out more about Riko's background. She was born into the Good Shepherds, a deranged religious group that takes Catholicisms and makes it even crazier. Transubstantiation now means that all the men in the group are Jesus (which means their sins of rape and pedophilia are forgiven) and the women are left as servants (as usual). Lucky saved her from that and she joined a crew (that almost killed her) before she joined Indigo. Her life makes a lot more sense and some of what she knew to be true turned out to be false.
There aren't as many zombie scenes as the first book, but one is particularly spectacular. Just like in the last book, corruption can set in due to overworked nanos that leads to nanoshock. This overwhelms the system and leads to possible corruption, which is when the nanos inadvertantly kill the person and power their corpse. Metacorp experiments with weaponizing corruption and rumors that it could spread to other vectors, maybe including bandwidth. Riko experiences nanoshock multiple times as she gets her ass kicked throughout the book, but gets saved from turning each time. she is forced to move on before she truly heals or gets her tech fixed, risking corruption each time. The end scene is a wonder of zombie violence with an explosive, crazy ending.
Nanoshock is just as fun to read as Necrotech. However, there are too many unanswered questions, compounded by the fact that this a sequel. No answers are given to the mysteries of the first book including why Nanji stayed sentient after turning necro, what happened during 4 months of Riko's life, why that blackout even happened, why she has a voice in head, and on and on. The novel ends with Chapter 1 and the first lines of the first book. What's with that? Is the series continuing? This book answered no questions and created a whole slew more. So much of the book went by without a whole lot happening and it felt like many wasted opportunities. If there is another book, I will read it. However, if it's just another book of no answers and more questions, I'm done with the series.
Nanoshock is the sequel to Necrotech and takes things even further. The very first scene has unconventional sex and blasphemy in one memorable and graphic package. Riko narrates the story and has the most inventive disgusting language I've read. Her outward emotion is to be constantly angry and wants violence to solve everything. She's frankly pretty immature and impulsive, but the story inside is different. Her separation from her core group hurts a lot. They still speak, but they aren't really friends anymore and it crushes Riko. Her situation makes her feel emotionally and physically vulnerable, which only makes her more angry. Her inner monologue betrays the depth of her emotions. Throughout the novel, Riko experiences betrayal after betrayal and keeps fighting. Her drive to keep going is something to admire even if sometimes she makes the wrong decisions and alienates almost everyone around her.
The background of this world is expanded a bit. It started with rollbacks of environmental regulations and a small ice age that had many disbelieving global warming until it was too late. The suns rays are so toxic that no one can live outside the shields even with nanos. We find out more about Riko's background. She was born into the Good Shepherds, a deranged religious group that takes Catholicisms and makes it even crazier. Transubstantiation now means that all the men in the group are Jesus (which means their sins of rape and pedophilia are forgiven) and the women are left as servants (as usual). Lucky saved her from that and she joined a crew (that almost killed her) before she joined Indigo. Her life makes a lot more sense and some of what she knew to be true turned out to be false.
There aren't as many zombie scenes as the first book, but one is particularly spectacular. Just like in the last book, corruption can set in due to overworked nanos that leads to nanoshock. This overwhelms the system and leads to possible corruption, which is when the nanos inadvertantly kill the person and power their corpse. Metacorp experiments with weaponizing corruption and rumors that it could spread to other vectors, maybe including bandwidth. Riko experiences nanoshock multiple times as she gets her ass kicked throughout the book, but gets saved from turning each time. she is forced to move on before she truly heals or gets her tech fixed, risking corruption each time. The end scene is a wonder of zombie violence with an explosive, crazy ending.
Nanoshock is just as fun to read as Necrotech. However, there are too many unanswered questions, compounded by the fact that this a sequel. No answers are given to the mysteries of the first book including why Nanji stayed sentient after turning necro, what happened during 4 months of Riko's life, why that blackout even happened, why she has a voice in head, and on and on. The novel ends with Chapter 1 and the first lines of the first book. What's with that? Is the series continuing? This book answered no questions and created a whole slew more. So much of the book went by without a whole lot happening and it felt like many wasted opportunities. If there is another book, I will read it. However, if it's just another book of no answers and more questions, I'm done with the series.
chronotope's review
3.0
Really well written, with great characters and a great world. All the style is here and it's clear that, for the author, this was an intensely personal book (see: https://whatever.scalzi.com/2017/11/14/the-big-idea-k-c-alexander-2/?amp). And l have to say the intent, to portray a character with PTSD is well executed. As a writer, it feels like the author set out to do something very specific and accomplished it really well.
But as a reader, I found this book frustrating. Often the extra long action scenes didn't feel like they moved characterization or plot forward, and the parts of the book that did often felt all too short. As a result it is really hard to not feel like I just finished a long, well written, action-infused cul-de-sac. And perhaps this frustration is by design. But it didn't feel necessary.
I don't really know how to rate this as a result. Did the writer accomplish a difficult task, executed it well, did something different and rare and did it with style? Absolutely. It's clear that the reader is supposed to feel frustration *by design*. Did I enjoy reading it as someone coming into this book looking for a novel with a legible strong clear plot that I could hook into? Not really. I didn't have any problem with it stylistically. It's bleeding great cyberpunk style, and I enjoyed the hell out of all of that. But the substance just felt lightweight to me.
If you liked the first book, you'll likely enjoy the ride of this book. It absolutely kept me engaged. But it doesn't catch me the same way.
But as a reader, I found this book frustrating. Often the extra long action scenes didn't feel like they moved characterization or plot forward, and the parts of the book that did often felt all too short. As a result it is really hard to not feel like I just finished a long, well written, action-infused cul-de-sac. And perhaps this frustration is by design. But it didn't feel necessary.
I don't really know how to rate this as a result. Did the writer accomplish a difficult task, executed it well, did something different and rare and did it with style? Absolutely. It's clear that the reader is supposed to feel frustration *by design*. Did I enjoy reading it as someone coming into this book looking for a novel with a legible strong clear plot that I could hook into? Not really. I didn't have any problem with it stylistically. It's bleeding great cyberpunk style, and I enjoyed the hell out of all of that. But the substance just felt lightweight to me.
If you liked the first book, you'll likely enjoy the ride of this book. It absolutely kept me engaged. But it doesn't catch me the same way.
infinitefreetime's review
3.0
Add a point if you're a Language Person. Thoroughly enjoy the prose but I felt like the story consistently gets lost.
frasersimons's review
4.0
"A bleeding sun in a nuclear haze"
I enjoyed my time with the previous novel, Necrotech, a lot. Be forewarned that if you don't like the "unlikeable" protagonist trope, this might not sway you. But then again, it just might. Necrotech was the day after a hangover. Riko was figuring her shit out and although the emotional reaction was there...it didn't hit me as hard as Nanoshock.
"...was half out the door when the chipset installed at the base of my skull thrummed; a haptic tap, like a finger poking at the top of my spine. A projected call, right to my personal frequency."
In broad strokes, Riko woke up naked, alone, and angry. In this cyberpunk world, everyone has Nanos in their bloodstream. They facilitate a bunch of tech and also heal your wounds. There's a catch, though. The Nanos work too hard, you go necro. Essentially, they take over your chipset, a microchip fused to your mind, and you turn into a kind of cyber-zombie. It sounds a bit tropey but I fully enjoyed it. Not because I hadn't read a cyberpunk zombie novel, but because Riko herself is incredibly likable...in an unlikeable way?!
"Any children born within the city are squeezed out with the standard nano package. It’s programmed in, parent to kid. First thing they do is carve a Security Identification Number into the fetal brain, upload that data to the system."
Her reaction is human and her character is crass beyond words, has some toxic masculinity to her--makes sense since she is a runner. Think Shadowrun and you'll have most of the terminology in the book, as well as what the criminal underworld mostly looks like. Chummers, runners, fucking the corporations over, etc. Riko wears this label in such a way that only a feminist could. I don't think a male writer could have pulled off this character as well. She's angry, her reactions are honest, and her own difficulties are interrogated via the people she knows in the story.
"She flinched. I tore the part of me that cared out and stomped it bloody into the spreading liquid on the floor."
We see the ramifications of the previous book as Riko struggles to maintain her relationships while she is mad. But this "madness," so to speak, is put under a microscope. And it's done very well. I was entirely happy to have another quick read where she tore shit up and punched guys in the face that asked her to smile more. K.C Alexander places some normal bullshit women have to deal with in the book as a form of catharsis, as Riko wrecks. Fucks. Their. Day. Up. And I tell you what, I am here for it.
"I breathed. Took in a gulp of air I didn’t know I was missing until her voice crashed into my daze and oxygen tore my world back into pulsating, vibrant color."
It transitions into unfamiliar territory not too far in, though. Where Riko is getting her ass handed to her and nevertheless, persisting. She is also dealing with what I can surmise as some form of PTSD, as well as the loss of her team. This was surprisingly affecting for me. I already enjoyed Riko as a character for her subversion of typical tropes, especially in first wave cyberpunk. But this additional layer felt like an examination of the politics worn on its arm. Not incredibly in-depth, but it is there; I appreciated it.
"...a Bolshovekia. Beautiful assault rifle, kicked like a drunk and killed like a dream."
Riko is still badass. Still gets her ass handed to her. Still is trying to figure out what happened to her and her girlfriend, as in the first novel. But we also get a much clearer picture of where she is at emotionally, as well as more structure to this criminal underground. I don't even like Shadowrun and I had a hell of a good time with the book. I am always pleasantly surprised when a cyberpunk decides to say more, and I'm glad the author made space to examine some aspects of the "angry feminist," while still unequivocally flying the middle finger at most everybody.
"Keep your eye on your side,” I shouted. She whipped back around. “Lo siento!” “Sorries are for funerals"
Come for the viscera being splayed, the angry, fuck off protagonist. Stay for a story that has you rooting for her to knock the teeth out of a guy that grabs her ass, all the while missing her family, her lover, and her home. I was going to talk about it a bit more than these broad strokes, but I think it is enough to say it surmounted my expectations and has more to say than Riko being angry and killing things. Check it out~
"...the core of my whole fucking world – sank through my fingers, something inside me broke. This time, I felt it."
I enjoyed my time with the previous novel, Necrotech, a lot. Be forewarned that if you don't like the "unlikeable" protagonist trope, this might not sway you. But then again, it just might. Necrotech was the day after a hangover. Riko was figuring her shit out and although the emotional reaction was there...it didn't hit me as hard as Nanoshock.
"...was half out the door when the chipset installed at the base of my skull thrummed; a haptic tap, like a finger poking at the top of my spine. A projected call, right to my personal frequency."
In broad strokes, Riko woke up naked, alone, and angry. In this cyberpunk world, everyone has Nanos in their bloodstream. They facilitate a bunch of tech and also heal your wounds. There's a catch, though. The Nanos work too hard, you go necro. Essentially, they take over your chipset, a microchip fused to your mind, and you turn into a kind of cyber-zombie. It sounds a bit tropey but I fully enjoyed it. Not because I hadn't read a cyberpunk zombie novel, but because Riko herself is incredibly likable...in an unlikeable way?!
"Any children born within the city are squeezed out with the standard nano package. It’s programmed in, parent to kid. First thing they do is carve a Security Identification Number into the fetal brain, upload that data to the system."
Her reaction is human and her character is crass beyond words, has some toxic masculinity to her--makes sense since she is a runner. Think Shadowrun and you'll have most of the terminology in the book, as well as what the criminal underworld mostly looks like. Chummers, runners, fucking the corporations over, etc. Riko wears this label in such a way that only a feminist could. I don't think a male writer could have pulled off this character as well. She's angry, her reactions are honest, and her own difficulties are interrogated via the people she knows in the story.
"She flinched. I tore the part of me that cared out and stomped it bloody into the spreading liquid on the floor."
We see the ramifications of the previous book as Riko struggles to maintain her relationships while she is mad. But this "madness," so to speak, is put under a microscope. And it's done very well. I was entirely happy to have another quick read where she tore shit up and punched guys in the face that asked her to smile more. K.C Alexander places some normal bullshit women have to deal with in the book as a form of catharsis, as Riko wrecks. Fucks. Their. Day. Up. And I tell you what, I am here for it.
"I breathed. Took in a gulp of air I didn’t know I was missing until her voice crashed into my daze and oxygen tore my world back into pulsating, vibrant color."
It transitions into unfamiliar territory not too far in, though. Where Riko is getting her ass handed to her and nevertheless, persisting. She is also dealing with what I can surmise as some form of PTSD, as well as the loss of her team. This was surprisingly affecting for me. I already enjoyed Riko as a character for her subversion of typical tropes, especially in first wave cyberpunk. But this additional layer felt like an examination of the politics worn on its arm. Not incredibly in-depth, but it is there; I appreciated it.
"...a Bolshovekia. Beautiful assault rifle, kicked like a drunk and killed like a dream."
Riko is still badass. Still gets her ass handed to her. Still is trying to figure out what happened to her and her girlfriend, as in the first novel. But we also get a much clearer picture of where she is at emotionally, as well as more structure to this criminal underground. I don't even like Shadowrun and I had a hell of a good time with the book. I am always pleasantly surprised when a cyberpunk decides to say more, and I'm glad the author made space to examine some aspects of the "angry feminist," while still unequivocally flying the middle finger at most everybody.
"Keep your eye on your side,” I shouted. She whipped back around. “Lo siento!” “Sorries are for funerals"
Come for the viscera being splayed, the angry, fuck off protagonist. Stay for a story that has you rooting for her to knock the teeth out of a guy that grabs her ass, all the while missing her family, her lover, and her home. I was going to talk about it a bit more than these broad strokes, but I think it is enough to say it surmounted my expectations and has more to say than Riko being angry and killing things. Check it out~
"...the core of my whole fucking world – sank through my fingers, something inside me broke. This time, I felt it."
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