A book begging to be read on the beach, with the sun warming the sand and salt in the air: pure escapism. Cal Sounder himself is, as one Titan observes, "A nobody, and yet somehow also a pin around which the city turns. Of course you're only a small businessman, but you are, undeniably, something of a figure in all of this, and I cannot for the life of me see how it comes to be so. You walk with giants. Are you on a mission? {...}" The tone is set in the first few opening lines, in the sparse, take no prisoners, non conversation between Cal and the Captain as they head towards the crime scene. titanium noir” has a fantastic description and premise. people are turning into titans with a t7 serum that allows them to become bigger, faster, and stronger. when a titan is found murdered, it’s cal’s job (though he’s not a cop) to solve the murder. Thank goodness I try not to judge a book by its cover, but even so that GREEN caused me to leave this on my "should I or shouldn't I?" list for far too long. Because it turns out this way just what I needed after a spell of too much non-fiction and too many memoirs.

Titanium Noir - Better As An Alloy - The Quill to Live Titanium Noir - Better As An Alloy - The Quill to Live

It's worth remembering that angry and ridiculous people can do bad and effective things just like anyone else. As Cal delves deeper into the truth about Roddy Tebbit's murder, he finds himself facing threats from the dark heart of the elite world. He realizes that nothing is as it seems, and he finds himself in a more dangerous position than he can handle. But, I believe that since I did follow through, I should warn you that darkness lay ahead, and its shadow swallows what little light chooses to grace this godforsaken city. Sounder is a straight shooter, except for when he isn’t. The man is a real pain in the ass, the kind that just decides to do his job without really digging too deep. Sure he acts all suspicious, and will even lay out the case to you with skepticism, but it always feels like a cynical ploy. I call that hedging one’s bets, and let me tell you, the house always wins. He skulks around, playing the fence as if he hasn’t already made a choice, his gruffness acts a shield for inquiry. What should be a self deprecating honesty comes off as an excuse. Which would really make him interesting if I truly gave a damn about his plight, which he made damn sure I didn’t. As Cal digs deeper into the murder investigation, he begins to unravel the complicated threads of what should have been a straightforward case, and it soon becomes clear he’s on the trail of a crime whose roots run deep into the dark heart of the world. Titanium Noir is a tightly woven, intricate tale of murder, betrayal, and vengeance. What if each dose resulted in the recipient becoming larger and heavier until they were several times the size and weight of an undosed human?R.F. Kuang, Sue Lynn Tan, Rebecca Ross, Kate Heartfield, N.E. Davenport, Saara El-Arifi, Juno Dawson and Sunyi Dean

Titanium Noir review: Gripping, philosophical science fiction

I loved Cal and the all the Titan stuff was terrific. However, it also works wonderfully as a crime/detective novel and I was completely engaged in a very dark murder investigation. Learning to live with a body that’s been extended is no joke. Some (not many) have had several T shots over time—a long time. A highly entertaining, satisfying blend of classic detective noir and inventive speculative fiction' the Guardian What if there was a drug, available only, from one source, that could extend human lifespans by centuries?Cal Sounder is a detective working for the police on certain very sensitive cases. So when he’s called in to investigate a homicide at a local apartment, he is surprised at first to see that the victim appears to be a rather typical techie. But on closer inspection, he finds the victim is over seven feet tall. Clearly, he is a Titan – one of this dystopian, near-future society’s genetically-altered elites. Cal Sounder is a detective working for the police on certain very sensitive cases. So when he’s called in to investigate a homicide at a local apartment, he is surprised at first to see that the victim appears to be a rather typical, milquetoast techie. But on closer inspection, he finds the victim is over seven feet tall. And even though he doesn’t look a day over thirty, he is actually ninety years old. Clearly, he is a Titan—one of this dystopian, near-future society’s genetically-altered elites. But Titans are Cal’s specialty. In fact, his ex-girlfriend, Athena, is a Titan. And not just any Titan—she’s Stefan’s daughter, heir to the Tonfamecasca empire. As Cal digs deeper into the murder investigation, he begins to unweave the complicated threads of what should have been a straightforward case, and it soon becomes clear he’s on the trail of a crime whose roots run deep into the dark heart of the world. Cal Sounder is a detective working for the police on certain very sensitive cases. So when he’s called in to investigate a homicide at a local apartment, he is surprised at first to see that the victim appears to be a rather typical, milquetoast techie. But on closer inspection, he finds the victim is over seven feet tall. And even though he doesn’t look a day over thirty, he is actually ninety years old. Clearly, he is a Titan—one of this dystopian, near-future society’s genetically-altered elites. There are only a few thousand Titans worldwide, all thanks to Stefan Tonfamecasca’s discovery of the controversial T7 genetic therapy, which elevated his family to near godlike status. A dead Titan is big news... a murdered Titan is unimaginable.