Review written for ClubReading.com by Bill
‘Burn’ is a cyber-tech genre look into a high tech, high stakes murder.
noir (nwär) adj.
- Of or relating to the film noir genre.
- A genre of crime literature featuring tough, cynical characters and bleak settings.
- Suggestive of danger or violence.
To create the bleak environment, the author through charactors or direct narration, describes a world where ‘big evil corporations’ and ‘consumer greed’ have wasted the environment, blotted out the sun with dark clouds of pollution, black acidic rain constantly falling, eroding away mans creation.
There were several occasions during the book when I felt I was reading the author’s notes, and not a finished novel. Pages that seemed more like characterizations and plot outlines then finished prose. However, the ’noir’ feel of the book does shine through.
Cage, the ex-cop turned private detective after going too far with a case involving the afore mentioned ’evil corporations’, is paid a visit by the beautiful sister of a dead computer geek. She suspects foul play, but the cops won’t help her:
“Janice,” she said with a little flick of the edges of her mouth – a smile? – he didn’t know. “It does to me, Mr. Cage. My brother, James Gild, died under unusual circumstances in his apartment twelve days ago, and the police have dropped the investigation.”
Cage swallowed. Even today, Expedite was a looming menace in his world.
And this David remembered his bruising at this Goliath’s hands.
“You know Expedite’s got its hands in everything, don’t you Ms. Gild? StellarNet access, credit and debit functionality at businesses. Whole governments heel like Fido when Expedite calls. A sideways glance from them can be devastating.”
“As you well know, Mr. Cage,” she said.
Jonathan Lyons’ ‘Burn’ is a very entertaining, somewhat fresh look at a fantastical near future. I highly recommend it. And this is clearly a new author to keep eyes on. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book.