Another author here that I haven’t yet tried, though I hope
to rectify this later this year, always assuming I ever start doing some
reading towards my challenges I set for myself.
Taylor is a New Zealand author of 4 or
5 novels and a collection
of short stories.His website is here.
Urban noir or entropy noir…….. whatever that is, I suppose I’ll
find out if I pull my finger out and read them!
I suppose I'm anticipating something other than a straightforward crime fiction novel. It's nice to go off page sometimes.
Electric
It's the middle of
February and all over Auckland the lights are going out.
Samuel Usher is a
data-retrieval specialist: a broken man working on broken machines. Sam's
drinking too much, taking too many drugs - trying to get by. Until he meets
Candy and Jules, two drifting mathematicians, each after a Holy Grail - the one
perfect theory that will make their worlds complete. After five years together,
neither is getting any closer to their goal.
As for Sam - he just
wants Candy. And for a while, it looks as if he may have her. Then Jules is
found in a coma, and Candy disappears. All Sam's left with is a strange list of
numbers and three words: ANYWAY FREEDOM GOODBYE.
Sam's pursuit of the
truth will lead him into an underworld of chaos and turbulence, where numbers
rule and love and friendship collide.
Departure Lounge
"Entropy noir. .
. . The hypnotic pull lies in the zigzag dance of its forlorn characters,
casting a murky, uneasy sense of doom."The GuardianA young woman mysteriously disappears. The lives of those she has left behind family, acquaintances and strangers intrigued by her disappearance intersect to form a captivating latticework of odd coincidences and surprising twists of fate. Urban noir at its stylish and intelligent best.
Chad Taylor lives and works in Auckland, New Zealand. He is the author of one collection of short stories and four previous novels. His second novel, Heaven, was made into a feature film by Miramax.
Col - That's an interesting career fora sleuth - a data retrieval specialist. It's an important career these days, and I'll be interested in what you think of Electric Departure Lounge sounds like it's got a solid premise, too.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, I won't bury these under the stacks and I give myself a chance to read them before they disappear (to resurface who knows when), some point soon
DeleteEntropy noir! Best new phrase I've heard all week. As ever, I'll leave it to you to read them and then recommend....
ReplyDeleteEntropy.......... now where did I leave my dictionary? The sort of word they only use at The Guardian!
DeleteOff the top of my head, I would say that these would not appeal to me. Maybe I will feel differently when you review them.
ReplyDeleteNo problem Tracy. I like the sound of the first now less than when I bought it!
DeleteOff topic, sorry, but how are you enjoying Galveston? or you haven't started it yet? I am gonna cry if you hate it (just joking maybe).
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck is entropy noir? Does it mean it is explosively dark?
Entropy........one definition (and without looking it up, I would have struggled to offer anything) is......lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder. Possibly the opposite of explosive then? A slow descent into hell!
DeleteGalveston is 25% done. I am enjoying it, though I'm not sure where it's going yet, which is good.
I wrongly thought entropy was the release of energy. With your definition and from what I read, it is disorder and decadence. I saw one other book categorized like that. Anywho - Galveston is unpredictable which made it all the more enjoyable for me. Hope you like it and if you don't well......glad you gave it a shot at least.
Delete27% done now.....woo hoo I read 2% yesterday! Lethargy rules!
DeleteI'm hoping to finish today, so I can get my numbers up by 1 more for May, but who knows?
I'm reading a Larsson right now, the last one in the Millenium Trilogy just so I can say I've read them all! Great trilogy honestly and moves fast.
DeleteThe 3rd is still unread in my household. Both myself and my son have read 1 and 2. Maybe later in the year when its holiday time.
DeleteI have heard of Chad Taylor but I can't quite place him. New Zealand for a setting? It's one of many, many countries my reading hasn't taken me to yet.
ReplyDeleteNot visited NZ much in my reading really, a few Paul Thomas books and that's been my lot.
Delete