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Titanium Noir

A detective's hunt for truth in a world of Titans

Nick Harkaway author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Little, Brown Book Group

Published:1st Feb '24

Should be back in stock very soon

Titanium Noir cover

In Titanium Noir, a detective investigates the murder of a Titan, uncovering a web of betrayal and power in a dystopian society.

In a dystopian future where genetic enhancement has created a class of superhumans known as Titans, Titanium Noir follows detective Cal Sounder as he navigates a complex murder investigation. When a Titan is found dead in a local apartment, Cal is drawn into a world of intrigue and danger. Initially, the victim may seem like an ordinary techie, but the shocking realization that he stands over seven feet tall reveals the gravity of the situation. Titans are rare and powerful, and their murder sends shockwaves through society.

The story delves into the implications of the controversial T7 genetic therapy that has elevated a select few to near godlike status, courtesy of the Tonfamecasca family. With only a few thousand Titans in existence, the stakes are incredibly high. Cal's personal connections add another layer of complexity, especially as his ex-girlfriend, Athena, is a Titan and the daughter of the very man whose empire looms over this dark narrative. As he digs deeper into the case, Cal uncovers a web of betrayal and vengeance that intertwines with the elite's power struggles.

Titanium Noir is a masterful blend of genres, combining elements of science fiction, noir, and mystery. The novel explores themes of power, identity, and morality in a world where the lines between human and enhanced blur. As Cal races against time to solve the murder, he must confront not only the darkness of the crime but also the shadows of his own past.

Titanium Noir is deft and hectic and so damn fun. It's a story-telling amphetamine laced with social commentary and it's terrific * Lauren Beukes, author of THE SHINING GIRLS *
Titanium Noir is a beautifully twisted, fast-paced new-cyberpunk fairy tale. The perfect blend of Raymond Chandler and William Gibson * Terry Miles, author of RABBITS *
Cross-genre brilliance from the superbly talented Nick Harkaway * William Gibson, author of AGENCY *
Nick Harkaway's Cal Sounder is everything I could want in a new sci-fi detective: he's smart and resourceful, good in a fight, needling of power and capable of irritating damn near everyone he meets, and willing to risk everything he has to solve his case. Maybe it's always been true that the rich and powerful take pleasure from living life better than the rest of us: in Titanium Noir, Harkaway imagines what might happen when they decide they also want to live forever, taking us on a breakneck tour of one infuriatingly plausible future's corruption and vice * Matt Bell, author of APPLESEED *
Titanium Noir is a fun, twisty detective novel with a big science-fiction idea at its centre. Harkaway puts a new spin on classic noir themes * Dexter Palmer, author of MARY TOFT; OR, THE RABBIT QUEEN *
An SF-tinged romp that blends elements of the noir thriller and the picaresque novel... An entertaining shaggy dog of a futuristic whodunit * Kirkus Reviews *
I picked up Titanium Noir and then it returned the favor, sending me reeling with thrilling velocity through Nick Harkaway's latest world of dark wonders until it set me down at the last fine Harkaway sentence with all the lightness, strength and brilliance of its hard bright titular element * Michael Chabon, Pulitzer Prize winning author *
A highly entertaining, satisfying blend of classic detective noir and inventive speculative fiction * Guardian *
A wonderfully expansive and visionary piece of speculative fiction... Titanium Noir blends the best of the science fiction and crime genres to create something vibrant and new. Captivating from start to finish * The Big Issue *
Nick Harkaway novels are electric. Titanium Noir is a short, sharp shock, punchy and strange and vibrant. And sizzling in a way that makes other novels feel slightly asleep. * Patrick Ness, author of A Monster Calls *
Cal Sounder crashes like a wrecking ball through a world of privilege and secrets. . . . If Titanium Noir turns out to be the first book in a series of Sounder's adventures ... I'd welcome more * The Washington Post *
A detective tries to investigate a killing in a dystopian city where the haves and have-nots are divided by more than just money. . . . Surprising and gratifying * The Wall Street Journal *
An exemplar of its genre * New York Times, Best New Books to Read This Summer *
A fabulous thought experiment . . . The characters, who, as in other Harkaway books, arrive fully formed and linger long in the memory. Luckily, Harkaway has hinted this won't be the last we see of Chersenesos. * New Scientist *
Very entertaining . . . The eclectic cast includes Stefan's towering daughter Athena, who is also Sounder's ex-girlfriend, a criminal Titan of skewed proportions named Doublewide, and a drunk, blind codebreaker. All are gifted with snappy dialogue, and the mystery resolves with a sharp twist. * The Spectator *

ISBN: 9781472156907

Dimensions: 196mm x 126mm x 24mm

Weight: 205g

256 pages