Titanium Noir is a subtly written love letter to classic American PI noir pulp fiction reimagined in a SF setting by Nick Harkaway. Released 16th May 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Knopf imprint, it's 256 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.
The vibe here is definitely techno-noir crime thriller with a dollop of classic Chandler and an immersive deep biotech twist. It's impressively well constructed and readable and the characterizations are often so masterful that they require a moment's contemplation. For fans of vintage crime/Black Lizard/noir -and/or- Philip K. Dick style trippy SF, this is a no-fail winner. For wider audiences, it's a solid story and well worth a look.
Four stars. This would be a good choice for public library acquisition, home use, or gifting (to SF/classic noir friends). This one will unquestionably be short listed for the Hugo 2024.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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