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Parrish Plessis #1
Nylon Angel
The Tert—a toxic strip of humanity outside the city limits—is no longer big enough for bodyguard Parrish Plessis and her sadistic boss, Jamon Mondo. So with Mondo's dingoboys on her tail, Parrish cuts a deal with a rival gang lord to steal some files that could send Mondo to death row. At the same time, she's sheltering a suspect in the murder of news-grrl Razz Retribution. In a networld run by the media, the truth isn't relevant. It's bad for ratings, which is why Parrish finds herself tagged for the murder—and up to her tricked-out leather tank top in trouble....
297 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 2004
9 people are currently reading
597 people want to read
About the author
Marianne de Pierres
37 books487 followersMarianne de Pierres is the award winning author of the acclaimed Parrish Plessis, Sentients of Orion and Peacemaker science fiction series.
Marianne is an active supporter of genre fiction and has mentored many writers. She lives in Brisbane, Australia. Her Night Creatures series, Burn Bright, Angel Arias and Shine Light has been very popular among young adult fiction readers.
Marianne is also the Davitt award-winning author of the Tara Sharp humourous crime series under the pseudonym Marianne Delacourt.
Visit her websites at:
www.mariannedepierres.com
www.mariannedepierresbooksforchildren...
www.burnbright.com.au
www.glitterrose.wordpress.com
www.sentientsoforion.com
www.colonelthorn.home.blog
Marianne is an active supporter of genre fiction and has mentored many writers. She lives in Brisbane, Australia. Her Night Creatures series, Burn Bright, Angel Arias and Shine Light has been very popular among young adult fiction readers.
Marianne is also the Davitt award-winning author of the Tara Sharp humourous crime series under the pseudonym Marianne Delacourt.
Visit her websites at:
www.mariannedepierres.com
www.mariannedepierresbooksforchildren...
www.burnbright.com.au
www.glitterrose.wordpress.com
www.sentientsoforion.com
www.colonelthorn.home.blog
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
July 23, 2018
"Book, you have the right to a speedy trial" review
THE DEFENSE
- Finally! A science-fiction cyberpunk novel that I can actually understand - I don't claim to be the smartest person in the world...mainly because there are loads of online posts by me that will immediately prove I'm a liar! But when I reach a point in a novel where I have no idea what the fudge is going on, (in Grant Morrison's case, this usually occurs around page one), I tend to blame the author more than myself. Such was NOT the case this time around! Marianne de Pierres presented many intelligent concepts, but did so in a way that I was always able to comprehend everything that was going on.
- Loads of action - In addition to being able to present technological inventions and trippy experiences in a crystal clear manner, De Pierres is also able to describe action sequences in such a fluid manner, it's just as exciting to read as the Indiana Jones trilogy was to watch! (A fourth Indiana Jones movie?!? Never happened!) The motorcycle escape and the underwater chase scenes were particularly breath-taking!
- Unique and exciting world - People with three-dimensional holographic tattoos and hair styles molded into geographical designs. The media is equipped with its own personal army and is authorized to assassinate anyone they deem to be a criminal. A gang that uses dingo-human hybrids as bodyguards. Parrish Plessis's homeland at The Tert can be a very dreadful place to live, but you can't say it's ever dull.
- Greatest evil master plan ever?!? - I appreciate it when a book can catch me off guard with one really good twist...this book managed to do it multiple times! I can't get into detail since it's much too spoilerish (Spoiler-like? Spoilery? Spoilertastic?), but my favorite one was when it was revealed exactly why one of the villains wanted to trigger a gang war. Much more original than the usual "I steal stuff because I want stuff" or "I want power because power is powerful" motives!
THE PROSECUTION
- Very unpleasant subject matter at times-
TRIGGER WARNING - Rape
Rape is a very difficult subject to talk about, considering it's such a vile and painful crime that happens to far too many people. (Of course, one person being raped is already far too many) Some authors are able to write about rape in a sensitive way, in which they focus on the strength of the victims who were able to put the pieces of their lives back together after having their control stolen away from them in that horrible moment. Unfortunately, here it feels more like rape is being used as a plot device, or even worse yet, as a motivator. Sporadically throughout the book, a character references being raped. However, the way the book is written, it comes across like she is saying she does certain things because she was raped. She talks about not letting people control her because she won't be raped again, when just not wanting to be controlled by someone else is more than reason enough. I just think that if an author is going to explore a weighty subject like rape, they need to do so in a thoughtful way, and here it felt more like it was being used as a shortcut to establish this person's motives. My discomfort at this mishandling of such a sensitive topic was enough to make me deduct a star from what would otherwise have been a five-star book for me.
THE VERDICT
Equal parts science fiction and adventure, "Nylon Angel" is a brilliant and exciting journey into a world filled with both wonder and horror. But be warned, the inappropriate use of rape as a plot device does make it an uncomfortable read at times.
THE DEFENSE
- Finally! A science-fiction cyberpunk novel that I can actually understand - I don't claim to be the smartest person in the world...mainly because there are loads of online posts by me that will immediately prove I'm a liar! But when I reach a point in a novel where I have no idea what the fudge is going on, (in Grant Morrison's case, this usually occurs around page one), I tend to blame the author more than myself. Such was NOT the case this time around! Marianne de Pierres presented many intelligent concepts, but did so in a way that I was always able to comprehend everything that was going on.
- Loads of action - In addition to being able to present technological inventions and trippy experiences in a crystal clear manner, De Pierres is also able to describe action sequences in such a fluid manner, it's just as exciting to read as the Indiana Jones trilogy was to watch! (A fourth Indiana Jones movie?!? Never happened!) The motorcycle escape and the underwater chase scenes were particularly breath-taking!
- Unique and exciting world - People with three-dimensional holographic tattoos and hair styles molded into geographical designs. The media is equipped with its own personal army and is authorized to assassinate anyone they deem to be a criminal. A gang that uses dingo-human hybrids as bodyguards. Parrish Plessis's homeland at The Tert can be a very dreadful place to live, but you can't say it's ever dull.
- Greatest evil master plan ever?!? - I appreciate it when a book can catch me off guard with one really good twist...this book managed to do it multiple times! I can't get into detail since it's much too spoilerish (Spoiler-like? Spoilery? Spoilertastic?), but my favorite one was when it was revealed exactly why one of the villains wanted to trigger a gang war. Much more original than the usual "I steal stuff because I want stuff" or "I want power because power is powerful" motives!
THE PROSECUTION
- Very unpleasant subject matter at times-
TRIGGER WARNING - Rape
Rape is a very difficult subject to talk about, considering it's such a vile and painful crime that happens to far too many people. (Of course, one person being raped is already far too many) Some authors are able to write about rape in a sensitive way, in which they focus on the strength of the victims who were able to put the pieces of their lives back together after having their control stolen away from them in that horrible moment. Unfortunately, here it feels more like rape is being used as a plot device, or even worse yet, as a motivator. Sporadically throughout the book, a character references being raped. However, the way the book is written, it comes across like she is saying she does certain things because she was raped. She talks about not letting people control her because she won't be raped again, when just not wanting to be controlled by someone else is more than reason enough. I just think that if an author is going to explore a weighty subject like rape, they need to do so in a thoughtful way, and here it felt more like it was being used as a shortcut to establish this person's motives. My discomfort at this mishandling of such a sensitive topic was enough to make me deduct a star from what would otherwise have been a five-star book for me.
THE VERDICT
Equal parts science fiction and adventure, "Nylon Angel" is a brilliant and exciting journey into a world filled with both wonder and horror. But be warned, the inappropriate use of rape as a plot device does make it an uncomfortable read at times.
September 19, 2015
3.5 Stars
"Nylon Angel" is the first book in the 'Parrish Plessis' sci-fi series by Marianne de Pierres. I don't read an awful lot of sci-fi but when I do it's usually been a male author, with male characters and rather hard core sci-fi at it's root. Because of this, although I enjoy it, I have to be in the mood for it and the mood doesn't come along that frequently.
When deciding which book to read for my "women of science fiction" event, I decided on "Nylon Angel" and it was this quote that clinched the deal: 'A kick-ass girl surviving in an ultra-violent world run by the media... This is a character driven series that should gather a strong following in much the same way as Anita Blake' THE BOOKSELLER - this book was exactly what I was looking for for my event...and it didn't disappoint.
It had everything I love about urban fantasy but in a sci-fi setting: character driven story, check - kick-arse girlie, check - similar to Anita Blake, double check. The quote is totally on the money. Parrish is real, strong, independent and kick-arse, and has some seriously cool moves, but she's also flawed and vulnerable and has an interesting background which gives her the depth of character I love in my urban fantasy heroines, and now I have it in sci-fi! I honestly didn't know it existed!
There are two cities the story revolves around: Vacinity and Tert. The former is for the rich and the latter for everyone else, where gangs dominate and food is hard to come by. It begins with Parrish trying to escape the clutches of Jamon Hondo, a horrid character that rapes and abuses her. She's given a way out by stealing something from Vacinity only to become a scapegoat and accused of murder.
I loved Parrish from the first page - this is a girl after my heart. She's a determined soul and doesn't stop until she finds out the truth. She has a seriously troubled past which keeps her guarded towards others and makes her the independent woman she is. I loved her feisty, fighting nature.
There is a lot of action in "Nylon Angel", a bit of mystery and a smidgen of romance. All these threads kept me turning the pages; each story is exciting and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.
The romantic aspect is very secondary to Parrish and her plight, but it's still good. Parrish meets a mysterious guy called Dark (but eventually finds out his real name is Daac). The chemistry is instant for me, although it wasn't to them. This is a romance that I feel will be a slow burner. I'm also very interested in how the relationship evolves as things don't end well between them and the ending is certainly intriguing.
The supporting cast of characters are also well written and each one has their own story. But I never knew who to trust - they all have their own game plan.
VERDICT:
This is a very good start to a series and sets the scene nicely for further books. The characters are brilliantly written and I just can't wait to read how Parrish evolves. I really enjoyed this book and if you love character driven stories that are gritty, dark and exciting, then look no further. I've already bought book two - 'Code Noir' :)
"Nylon Angel" is the first book in the 'Parrish Plessis' sci-fi series by Marianne de Pierres. I don't read an awful lot of sci-fi but when I do it's usually been a male author, with male characters and rather hard core sci-fi at it's root. Because of this, although I enjoy it, I have to be in the mood for it and the mood doesn't come along that frequently.
When deciding which book to read for my "women of science fiction" event, I decided on "Nylon Angel" and it was this quote that clinched the deal: 'A kick-ass girl surviving in an ultra-violent world run by the media... This is a character driven series that should gather a strong following in much the same way as Anita Blake' THE BOOKSELLER - this book was exactly what I was looking for for my event...and it didn't disappoint.
It had everything I love about urban fantasy but in a sci-fi setting: character driven story, check - kick-arse girlie, check - similar to Anita Blake, double check. The quote is totally on the money. Parrish is real, strong, independent and kick-arse, and has some seriously cool moves, but she's also flawed and vulnerable and has an interesting background which gives her the depth of character I love in my urban fantasy heroines, and now I have it in sci-fi! I honestly didn't know it existed!
There are two cities the story revolves around: Vacinity and Tert. The former is for the rich and the latter for everyone else, where gangs dominate and food is hard to come by. It begins with Parrish trying to escape the clutches of Jamon Hondo, a horrid character that rapes and abuses her. She's given a way out by stealing something from Vacinity only to become a scapegoat and accused of murder.
I loved Parrish from the first page - this is a girl after my heart. She's a determined soul and doesn't stop until she finds out the truth. She has a seriously troubled past which keeps her guarded towards others and makes her the independent woman she is. I loved her feisty, fighting nature.
There is a lot of action in "Nylon Angel", a bit of mystery and a smidgen of romance. All these threads kept me turning the pages; each story is exciting and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.
The romantic aspect is very secondary to Parrish and her plight, but it's still good. Parrish meets a mysterious guy called Dark (but eventually finds out his real name is Daac). The chemistry is instant for me, although it wasn't to them. This is a romance that I feel will be a slow burner. I'm also very interested in how the relationship evolves as things don't end well between them and the ending is certainly intriguing.
The supporting cast of characters are also well written and each one has their own story. But I never knew who to trust - they all have their own game plan.
VERDICT:
This is a very good start to a series and sets the scene nicely for further books. The characters are brilliantly written and I just can't wait to read how Parrish evolves. I really enjoyed this book and if you love character driven stories that are gritty, dark and exciting, then look no further. I've already bought book two - 'Code Noir' :)
April 25, 2014
Al principio estaba muy indecisa de leer este libro; la portada y la sinopsis decían muy poco y vagamente me di una idea de lo que trataría, así que investigué en goodreads y vi que lo pintaban como muy bueno. Así que dejé la decidía atrás y me adentré en sus páginas.
El inicio del libro me confundió, no sé sí sería porque no presté demasiada atención o porque en verdad no entendí el principio, o ambas. Al principio estaba leyendo que Parrish quería escapar de Jamon Mondo, que la tenía como "prisionera", a su merced, y de repente ya estaba leyendo que Parrish era perseguida por la policía. El inicio realmente me confundió y no supe como surgieron las cosas; me estaba aburriendo y lo dejé por unos días. Después, ya todo tomó sentido, se explicó el por qué de las cosas, y eso fue un respiro para mí.
La historia está dividida en tres partes, y cada parte está narrada en diferentes "barrios" del Terc. Parrish Plessis es una chica que es como la prisionera de Jamon Mondo, y un día, por casualidad, se le presenta una oportunidad de escapar y, tal vez, encarcelar a Mondo. Así, Parrish emprenderá una búsqueda de una objeto muy valioso con el que podrá inculpar a Mondo, una búsqueda que pone en peligro su vida. No podrá confiar en sus amigos, ni en su hogar, y ni en la comida.
Creo que leí este libro en mal momento; es una historia buena, con una protagonista intrépida, y escenas que te dejan sin aliento, pero hubo algo que no me gustó y que hizo que me aburriera. Como dicen por ahí: buen libro, mal momento.
Ángel de Nailon es una novela con muchísima acción en cada páginas, con personajes decididos, valientes, con bastante personalidad y carácter; con un final bastante inesperado y muy sorprendente. Un buen libro para pasar un excelente rato.
El inicio del libro me confundió, no sé sí sería porque no presté demasiada atención o porque en verdad no entendí el principio, o ambas. Al principio estaba leyendo que Parrish quería escapar de Jamon Mondo, que la tenía como "prisionera", a su merced, y de repente ya estaba leyendo que Parrish era perseguida por la policía. El inicio realmente me confundió y no supe como surgieron las cosas; me estaba aburriendo y lo dejé por unos días. Después, ya todo tomó sentido, se explicó el por qué de las cosas, y eso fue un respiro para mí.
La historia está dividida en tres partes, y cada parte está narrada en diferentes "barrios" del Terc. Parrish Plessis es una chica que es como la prisionera de Jamon Mondo, y un día, por casualidad, se le presenta una oportunidad de escapar y, tal vez, encarcelar a Mondo. Así, Parrish emprenderá una búsqueda de una objeto muy valioso con el que podrá inculpar a Mondo, una búsqueda que pone en peligro su vida. No podrá confiar en sus amigos, ni en su hogar, y ni en la comida.
Creo que leí este libro en mal momento; es una historia buena, con una protagonista intrépida, y escenas que te dejan sin aliento, pero hubo algo que no me gustó y que hizo que me aburriera. Como dicen por ahí: buen libro, mal momento.
Ángel de Nailon es una novela con muchísima acción en cada páginas, con personajes decididos, valientes, con bastante personalidad y carácter; con un final bastante inesperado y muy sorprendente. Un buen libro para pasar un excelente rato.
October 10, 2018
Po prvej tretine som myslela, že ju odložím...veľmi mi štýlom pripomínala Šerochodca. Ale potom to všetko konečne začalo dávať zmysel 😁. Na čo som si dlho zvykala bolo rozprávanie v 1. osobe, ale tak budiž. Celkom fajn zamotaná fantasy 😉.
March 6, 2019
I bought this series a few years back and have finally read number one. I really enjoyed it. I do like Parrish character. She is strong can kick butt but does have a soft side to her
June 14, 2018
Holy fuck! The sentence structure. And punctuation. I! can't! take! it! any! longer!
Yes, that's kind of an example of how bad it is.
Yes, that's kind of an example of how bad it is.
June 16, 2011
Angel de Nailon es el impresionante estreno de Marianne de Pierres en España, de la mano de la editorial Dolmen más conocida por sus aportaciones al mundo del cómic que al de la novela, pero que me está demostrando que tiene buen ojo a la hora de añadir títulos a su catálogo.
En esta novela nos encontramos a una mujer como protagonista, Parrish Plessis, víctima de las circunstancias que le rodean. Después de haber abandonado a su familia y posición acomodada en la ciudad a causa de los abusos que sufría por parte de su padrastro, se encuentra malviviendo en los límites de la urbe donde se esconde lo peor de la sociedad . Intentando sobrevivir al día a día consigue unos trabajillos como guardaespaldas hasta que se topa con Jamón Mondo (si, lo sé, el nombre invita al cachondeo) que es el mafioso de la zona y que la acaba reclutando a la fuerza como una de sus prostitutas (violación incluída). Esta es la vida real... Y la sumisión está al orden del día. Parrish se siente tan desesperada por la situación actual que cuando encuentra una oportunidad para salir de la influencia de Jamón y la posibilidad de encarcelarlo no se lo piensa dos veces, pactando con el diablo para llevar a cabo una misión y por otro lado, aparecen dos extraños en su vida que le podrían abrir las puertas a una poderosa hermandad. Parrish no tiene nada que perder y mucho que ganar así que jugándoselo todo a esas dos bazas decide poner su vida en peligro para ayudar a esos dos extranjeros (¿os he dicho ya que uno de ellos está buenísimo y que tiene la misma pinta que cualquiera de los Cazadores Oscuros de la Kenyon?) y llevar a cabo la misión que le hará libre. Lo que Parrish no sabe es que a partir de ese momento, lo que se abre para ella, es una red tejida de mentiras, poder, manipulación y todo con ella como principal protagonista y víctima ya que se encuentra una y otra vez en situaciones límite que de no resolver la pueden llevar a la muerte o algo peor.
Angel de Nailon es una novela de ciencia ficción que contiene todos los elementos para incluirla en el género del cyberpunk, que para los que no sepan de que trata, os dejo una explicación muy acertada que hay por la red:
"La parte cyber, sería la de los implantes, la realidad virtual, la ingeniería genética y demás parafernalia de alta tecnología donde cobran su razón de ser al servir como instrumento para potenciar las habilidades humanas; y la punk, reflejo de sociedades caóticas, donde la violencia urbana, la contaminación, la balcanización y el individualismo feroz entre otros aspectos muy poco fantásticos dibujan un futuro muy poco esperanzador."
Si os ha gustado esa definición entonces os gustará el libro. Si no es así, olvidaros de él, porque contiene todos los elementos arriba citados. Si le sumas el subidón de adrenalina debido a una acción que no deja sitio al descanso y unos personajes que dentro del estereotipo dejan huella, este libro es de 5 no, 6 estrellas como poco. El personaje me embaucó desde el primer momento pese a no parecerse a la chica de la portada (Parrish tiene la nariz rota y no se ha hecho ninguna operación estética para tener presente que la vida no es un camino de rosas) pero tiene el temperamento fuerte que me gusta de las protagonistas que se encuentran siempre en apuros e intentan resolver las cosas por sí misma sin apoyarse en los demás. El tema de la tecnología me dejó estupefacta desde un principio y los primeros compases de la novela fueron difíciles de digerir. Nunca había leído este género concreto y me pilló por sorpresa pero logré hacerme con él y la lectura resultó muy estimulante. Este ha sido uno de esos libros que no quieres que termine nunca. Me lo merendé en una tarde y tengo que recomendarlo sí o sí, porque si ya la portada impacta, el interior te deja K.O....
En esta novela nos encontramos a una mujer como protagonista, Parrish Plessis, víctima de las circunstancias que le rodean. Después de haber abandonado a su familia y posición acomodada en la ciudad a causa de los abusos que sufría por parte de su padrastro, se encuentra malviviendo en los límites de la urbe donde se esconde lo peor de la sociedad . Intentando sobrevivir al día a día consigue unos trabajillos como guardaespaldas hasta que se topa con Jamón Mondo (si, lo sé, el nombre invita al cachondeo) que es el mafioso de la zona y que la acaba reclutando a la fuerza como una de sus prostitutas (violación incluída). Esta es la vida real... Y la sumisión está al orden del día. Parrish se siente tan desesperada por la situación actual que cuando encuentra una oportunidad para salir de la influencia de Jamón y la posibilidad de encarcelarlo no se lo piensa dos veces, pactando con el diablo para llevar a cabo una misión y por otro lado, aparecen dos extraños en su vida que le podrían abrir las puertas a una poderosa hermandad. Parrish no tiene nada que perder y mucho que ganar así que jugándoselo todo a esas dos bazas decide poner su vida en peligro para ayudar a esos dos extranjeros (¿os he dicho ya que uno de ellos está buenísimo y que tiene la misma pinta que cualquiera de los Cazadores Oscuros de la Kenyon?) y llevar a cabo la misión que le hará libre. Lo que Parrish no sabe es que a partir de ese momento, lo que se abre para ella, es una red tejida de mentiras, poder, manipulación y todo con ella como principal protagonista y víctima ya que se encuentra una y otra vez en situaciones límite que de no resolver la pueden llevar a la muerte o algo peor.
Angel de Nailon es una novela de ciencia ficción que contiene todos los elementos para incluirla en el género del cyberpunk, que para los que no sepan de que trata, os dejo una explicación muy acertada que hay por la red:
"La parte cyber, sería la de los implantes, la realidad virtual, la ingeniería genética y demás parafernalia de alta tecnología donde cobran su razón de ser al servir como instrumento para potenciar las habilidades humanas; y la punk, reflejo de sociedades caóticas, donde la violencia urbana, la contaminación, la balcanización y el individualismo feroz entre otros aspectos muy poco fantásticos dibujan un futuro muy poco esperanzador."
Si os ha gustado esa definición entonces os gustará el libro. Si no es así, olvidaros de él, porque contiene todos los elementos arriba citados. Si le sumas el subidón de adrenalina debido a una acción que no deja sitio al descanso y unos personajes que dentro del estereotipo dejan huella, este libro es de 5 no, 6 estrellas como poco. El personaje me embaucó desde el primer momento pese a no parecerse a la chica de la portada (Parrish tiene la nariz rota y no se ha hecho ninguna operación estética para tener presente que la vida no es un camino de rosas) pero tiene el temperamento fuerte que me gusta de las protagonistas que se encuentran siempre en apuros e intentan resolver las cosas por sí misma sin apoyarse en los demás. El tema de la tecnología me dejó estupefacta desde un principio y los primeros compases de la novela fueron difíciles de digerir. Nunca había leído este género concreto y me pilló por sorpresa pero logré hacerme con él y la lectura resultó muy estimulante. Este ha sido uno de esos libros que no quieres que termine nunca. Me lo merendé en una tarde y tengo que recomendarlo sí o sí, porque si ya la portada impacta, el interior te deja K.O....
January 4, 2014
En ángel de nailon, entramos a un mundo donde casi cualquier cosa te puede matar, donde te encuentras veneno o cosas radioactivas en cualquier parte, es de esos libros que te encuentras acción en cada página, nuestra protagonista Parrish Plessis, quien prefirió abandonar su hogar antes que seguir aguantando los malos tratos que recibía de su padrastro, se va a vivir a los barrios mas bajos y consigue algunos trabajos como guardia de personajes pudientes, entre ellos Jamon Mondo quien intenta dominar a Parrish a toda costa, ella siempre esta tratando de mostrarle a Jamón que no es un objeto de su propiedad, aun así trabaja para él y lo detesta, a Parrish le piden un favor que escolte a una persona acusada de asesinar a una de las periodistas mas famosas se trata de Razz Retribution, en este mundo futuro los medios de comunicación son los que gobiernan, por lo que asesinar a un periodista es un crimen muy grave, Parrish sabe que en esa misión se juega la vida, pero aun así la acepta ya que lo ve como su oportunidad de salir de las garras de Jamon Mondo e incluso poder encarcelarlo.Lo que Parrish no sabes, es que sin querer sera la protagonista de enredos e intrigas que podrían acabar con su vida, ya que en este mundo futurista es imposible mantenerse escondido de los medios de comunicación por la tecnología tan avanzada que utilizan. Reseña completa en http://historiasdepaginas.blogspot.mx...
May 19, 2015
A near-future dystopian novel set in Australia. The media has more power than ever before, and can act as judge, jury, and executioner, all on live television.
This is one of the first books I read set in a post-apocalyptic near future. I have read several books with females as the main character; however, the lead character here, Parrish Plessis, completely breaks the mold. Put simply, she is a badass, while at the same time being portrayed as more than just a 'man in a skirt'. She takes the reader on an all-out thrill ride for nearly the entirety of the book. There are a few former love interests that show their head, but nothing about her needing someone else, especially a man, in her life.
Parrish sets out, in the beginning, to do whatever it takes to free herself from Jamon, her abusive, sadistic boss and crime lord that considers Parrish his 'property'. There is little in the way of character development, though Parrish shows several of her different sides throughout the novel and along the way she meets some people that change her perspective on several things. At the point the novel begins she is already an adult that grew up in a tough, dark world and has had the experiences that make her who she is.
There is a definite film noir/cyberpunk feel to the book. I recommend it for a good, quick, and fun read. There are 2 more books in the series, both of which I plan to read soon.
This is one of the first books I read set in a post-apocalyptic near future. I have read several books with females as the main character; however, the lead character here, Parrish Plessis, completely breaks the mold. Put simply, she is a badass, while at the same time being portrayed as more than just a 'man in a skirt'. She takes the reader on an all-out thrill ride for nearly the entirety of the book. There are a few former love interests that show their head, but nothing about her needing someone else, especially a man, in her life.
Parrish sets out, in the beginning, to do whatever it takes to free herself from Jamon, her abusive, sadistic boss and crime lord that considers Parrish his 'property'. There is little in the way of character development, though Parrish shows several of her different sides throughout the novel and along the way she meets some people that change her perspective on several things. At the point the novel begins she is already an adult that grew up in a tough, dark world and has had the experiences that make her who she is.
There is a definite film noir/cyberpunk feel to the book. I recommend it for a good, quick, and fun read. There are 2 more books in the series, both of which I plan to read soon.
December 29, 2007
The only elements of this book that I found at all interesting were the ones ripped directly off of William Gibson's work. The characters are flat stereotypes; the plot is nothing new to anyone who's read Gibson or Neal Stephenson. De Pierres tries to emulate the style of the former, but doesn't have his talent for prose. The main character is a bad copy of Molly Millions-- although even this is poorly exectued, as her frequent made-for-TV-movie-esque asides to herself about her own rape erode her razorgirl image. And the climax of the book-- a fight with her employer/pimp/stereotypical greasy goomba type-- is sort of a fizzle after Parrish has spent the rest of the book battling media/megacorp/militia hoverdrones that apparently beamed there directly from Neuromancer.
And it wasn't even long enough to get me through the entire airplane flight.
And it wasn't even long enough to get me through the entire airplane flight.
March 23, 2009
This was a very poor story, with a strange plot line and a very weak main character. This author showed some good imagination but terrible story telling abitility. Obviously this is the beginning of a series, or at least I hope it is, because there is no resolution to quite a few of the main story lines. Also the main character is supposed to be very tough and good in hand to hand combat and througout the book refers to how amazingly tough she is, but continually survives conflicts soley through the help from outside agencies. A bad book and I would not recomend it to anyone.
January 7, 2010
OK book. Very eventful, but the plot didn't cohere for me. Also rather too much rape. Note that most of the plotlines started in this one do NOT resolve within it; I assume they do in the next 2 books, but don't think I'll bother finding out.
July 14, 2020
Enjoyed this one immensely -more than I thought I would! This was a bargain pickup which of course, I now found that subsequent books are out of print, Arrgh! I managed to find a copy from a second hand rare book store so hopefully it'll get here safely within the week :)
Parrish Plessis has built a tight multi-layered shell over her big heart and yet, some helpless people and feral children can still worm through to her warm living heart. She left home because it wasn't a safe place and she'd rather make it on her own. Yet, the Tert proves to be just as dangerous if not more as she turns out to be rather convenient as a pawn. However, she's been helpless before and she's never going to be rolled by anyone, ever again.
Set in Australia of 21 century, the world was rendered near unrecognisable as worsening climate has rendered internal regions to be near unlivable and so most lived near the coast. Yet, there is still the rich and the poor. The Tert(iary) is where Parrish lives and it is a poor area with war lords commanding different sections. But a war is brewing with Parrish caught in the midst of it all.
A kick ass heroine with heart and amazing world building, Nylon Angel was an engaging read and I wondered why I don't read many Cyberpunk novels. I believe I am now a convert.
Parrish Plessis has built a tight multi-layered shell over her big heart and yet, some helpless people and feral children can still worm through to her warm living heart. She left home because it wasn't a safe place and she'd rather make it on her own. Yet, the Tert proves to be just as dangerous if not more as she turns out to be rather convenient as a pawn. However, she's been helpless before and she's never going to be rolled by anyone, ever again.
Set in Australia of 21 century, the world was rendered near unrecognisable as worsening climate has rendered internal regions to be near unlivable and so most lived near the coast. Yet, there is still the rich and the poor. The Tert(iary) is where Parrish lives and it is a poor area with war lords commanding different sections. But a war is brewing with Parrish caught in the midst of it all.
A kick ass heroine with heart and amazing world building, Nylon Angel was an engaging read and I wondered why I don't read many Cyberpunk novels. I believe I am now a convert.
May 16, 2018
Overall I liked this novel, the first in a series dealing with heroine Parrish Plessis in a near future Australia that is divided into sections of haves and have nots. Plessis, seeking to escape from under the thumb of a mob boss that controls sections of the slums, is offered a chance to win her freedom by performing a robbery that ultimately leads to get being accused of murder. The story is told in first person by Plessis, and the reader is thrust into her world with acceptance of the way things are with no explanation of how society had devolved into the current situation. The plot moves along quickly, with plenty of action. However, there are sections of the book near the end which are confusing and I'm not going to get into them because of spoilers. The book did keep my interest going throughout and I will check out the next in the series due to curiosity to see what happens to her.
February 14, 2025
I couldn’t get into this. I guess the dystopia idea was once fresh. I know the everyone supposedly has the right to see themselves in books, but I cannot get why such a rapey antagonist gets so much page space. Perhaps ‘show’ the kind of person who reads books? Authors do that don’t they? 😉 Probably, nothing technically wrong with the writing, but that character taints the book- it is quite visceral for me. I also prefer fiction to be speculative. I bought this book used and find it that has already passed its best before date. It was published 20 years ago. Frankly, I think that dystopia counts as ordinary crime/thriller today- but that’s just my opinion.
October 23, 2018
I quite enjoyed this book. Kind of a female mad max sort of thing...
(from Amazon)A near future action adventure with a femme fatal who will gouge her way into your heart and head.
Nylon Angel introduces a startling new femme fatale and all-around bad girl.
While trying to send her sadistic boss to death row, she finds herself sheltering a suspect in the murder of newsgirl Razz Retribution. In a world run by the media, the truth isn't relevant-it's bad for ratings. Which is why Parrish finds herself tagged for the murder-and up to her tricked-out leather tank top in trouble.
(from Amazon)A near future action adventure with a femme fatal who will gouge her way into your heart and head.
Nylon Angel introduces a startling new femme fatale and all-around bad girl.
While trying to send her sadistic boss to death row, she finds herself sheltering a suspect in the murder of newsgirl Razz Retribution. In a world run by the media, the truth isn't relevant-it's bad for ratings. Which is why Parrish finds herself tagged for the murder-and up to her tricked-out leather tank top in trouble.
February 1, 2025
La idea está buena, el mundo está bueno, los personajes son buenos, la protagonista es re buena y la historia historea.
Por momentos estuve perdidasa pq no entendía qué me decía la autora, y recién a partir d la página 150 comprendí. Pero siguen habiendo conceptos y nombres q ni idea. Supongo q con los próximos libros me voy a ambientar más.
2.5
Por momentos estuve perdidasa pq no entendía qué me decía la autora, y recién a partir d la página 150 comprendí. Pero siguen habiendo conceptos y nombres q ni idea. Supongo q con los próximos libros me voy a ambientar más.
2.5
November 1, 2022
Great first book. I read the whole thing in a couple of days. Not a perfect novel but a fun easy sci fi novel. Of course I want to punch a certain someone in the face but that’s just good writing in my opinion
October 23, 2013
This review was originally posted on my blog Another World.
At its core, the first book of the Parrish Plessis trilogy is a cyberpunk thriller (at least it starts out that way) set in a near future, dystopian Australia. A setting which is not ruled by a militaristic totalitarian regime, or even a capricious, amoral mega-corporation, but by an all-pervasive and powerful media. Not content with just reporting the news, these media organisations have taken to creating, shaping and controlling the people's everyday reality; it's good for ratings.
It's against this background that Nylon Angel introduces its protagonist, Parrish Plessis, a giant of a woman―good with her feet and fists―who has spent the last three years earning a living as a bodyguard in The Tert, (a sprawling network of ramshackle villas and slums built upon the toxic wasteland outside the city limits of Vivacity).
Much to her displeasure, Parrish is currently an employee of Jamon Mondo, a leading figure of The Tert's criminal underworld; at least in theory she's an employee. The harsh reality is that Parrish is little more than a paid slave and unwilling sexual plaything, and she wants out. The trouble is, while killing Jamon would be very easy for Parrish, doing so would mean spending the rest of her short life looking over her shoulder, waiting for Jamon's genetically modified minions to avenge their master's death.
The story begins on the day that opportunity knocks for Parrish. Celebrity news anchorwoman, Razz Retribution, is murdered in a professional hit―a major incident, as no one fucks with the media and lives long enough to regret it. Word on the street is that the death is the work of the Cabal Coomera, but the nerdy suspect that the media are hunting for, is merely an expendable patsy that they have setup.
The Cabal Coomera is a shadowy organisation who wield the most power and influence in The Tert, while remaining unseen. If Parrish can join their ranks she would finally be able to escape Jamon's clutches, without fear of retaliation. But first she has to locate the murder suspect―before the media can apprehend him and publicly eliminate him live on TV―and hope that his memories will help her track down the Cabal Coomera.
Shortly after deciding to pursue the Cabal Coomera angle, Parrish is presented with a second opportunity, courtesy of Io Lang, a rival crime-lord to Jamon Mondo. Lang wants to hire Parrish to break into an address in Vivacity, access the computer there, and copy all the files on it. Initially, Parrish isn't enthusiastic about accepting the job, but once Lang informs her that the contents of those files will put Jamon Mondo on death row, she is sold.
If Nylon Angel had followed its initial simple premise―Parrish Plessis pursuing the opportunities to free herself from Jamon Mondo's employ―it could have made for a very good novel. Unfortunately, the author decides to unnecessarily overcomplicate matters; going off on wild tangents in the process.
I actually do enjoy intricately woven plots with lots of unexpected twists and turns―with the proviso that they are executed well; but this is not the case with Nylon Angel, however. About halfway through the book, the narrative starts to stray far from its initial premise, until it quickly descends into an incoherent mish-mash of genetically and cybernetically modified freaks; religious devotion; urban gang-warfare; illegal medical experimentation; supernatural visions; feral street children; a bodyguard turned messianic saviour; warmongering parasitic lifeforms; and a shape-shifting criminal “mastermind”.
Nylon Angel's inconsistent narrative is not its only weakness. World building is an important element of any speculative fiction, and Nylon Angel falls down in this area also. It's not so much that Nylon Angel is lacking in respect of its world building, it's more that Marianne De Pierres' prose just isn't strong enough to bring the story's setting to life. Subsequently, at no point in the book does it really feel like events are unfolding in a post-apocalyptic future.
Sometimes a strong ensemble of compelling characters can make up for flaws in a book's narrative, but Nylon Angel doesn't have any; even protagonist, Parrish Plessis, fails to impress. At a time when “kick-ass” heroines in science fiction and fantasy are ten-a-penny, Parrish is rather unremarkable to say the least. She is easily played and manipulated throughout the story, and it's doubtful whether she would anticipate the duplicity and double-crossing of the bad guys, even if they had “I am not to be trusted” tattooed on their foreheads.
In summation, it would be easy to dismiss Nylon Angel as a title to be avoided, but the truth is that it is still an entertaining read in spite of its shortcomings; just not one that will live long in the memory.
If you have a day or two to spare for a quick and easy book to read, you could do a lot worse than Nylon Angel. However, if you want to read a cyberpunk tale done right, check out Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon.
At its core, the first book of the Parrish Plessis trilogy is a cyberpunk thriller (at least it starts out that way) set in a near future, dystopian Australia. A setting which is not ruled by a militaristic totalitarian regime, or even a capricious, amoral mega-corporation, but by an all-pervasive and powerful media. Not content with just reporting the news, these media organisations have taken to creating, shaping and controlling the people's everyday reality; it's good for ratings.
It's against this background that Nylon Angel introduces its protagonist, Parrish Plessis, a giant of a woman―good with her feet and fists―who has spent the last three years earning a living as a bodyguard in The Tert, (a sprawling network of ramshackle villas and slums built upon the toxic wasteland outside the city limits of Vivacity).
Much to her displeasure, Parrish is currently an employee of Jamon Mondo, a leading figure of The Tert's criminal underworld; at least in theory she's an employee. The harsh reality is that Parrish is little more than a paid slave and unwilling sexual plaything, and she wants out. The trouble is, while killing Jamon would be very easy for Parrish, doing so would mean spending the rest of her short life looking over her shoulder, waiting for Jamon's genetically modified minions to avenge their master's death.
The story begins on the day that opportunity knocks for Parrish. Celebrity news anchorwoman, Razz Retribution, is murdered in a professional hit―a major incident, as no one fucks with the media and lives long enough to regret it. Word on the street is that the death is the work of the Cabal Coomera, but the nerdy suspect that the media are hunting for, is merely an expendable patsy that they have setup.
The Cabal Coomera is a shadowy organisation who wield the most power and influence in The Tert, while remaining unseen. If Parrish can join their ranks she would finally be able to escape Jamon's clutches, without fear of retaliation. But first she has to locate the murder suspect―before the media can apprehend him and publicly eliminate him live on TV―and hope that his memories will help her track down the Cabal Coomera.
Shortly after deciding to pursue the Cabal Coomera angle, Parrish is presented with a second opportunity, courtesy of Io Lang, a rival crime-lord to Jamon Mondo. Lang wants to hire Parrish to break into an address in Vivacity, access the computer there, and copy all the files on it. Initially, Parrish isn't enthusiastic about accepting the job, but once Lang informs her that the contents of those files will put Jamon Mondo on death row, she is sold.
If Nylon Angel had followed its initial simple premise―Parrish Plessis pursuing the opportunities to free herself from Jamon Mondo's employ―it could have made for a very good novel. Unfortunately, the author decides to unnecessarily overcomplicate matters; going off on wild tangents in the process.
I actually do enjoy intricately woven plots with lots of unexpected twists and turns―with the proviso that they are executed well; but this is not the case with Nylon Angel, however. About halfway through the book, the narrative starts to stray far from its initial premise, until it quickly descends into an incoherent mish-mash of genetically and cybernetically modified freaks; religious devotion; urban gang-warfare; illegal medical experimentation; supernatural visions; feral street children; a bodyguard turned messianic saviour; warmongering parasitic lifeforms; and a shape-shifting criminal “mastermind”.
Nylon Angel's inconsistent narrative is not its only weakness. World building is an important element of any speculative fiction, and Nylon Angel falls down in this area also. It's not so much that Nylon Angel is lacking in respect of its world building, it's more that Marianne De Pierres' prose just isn't strong enough to bring the story's setting to life. Subsequently, at no point in the book does it really feel like events are unfolding in a post-apocalyptic future.
Sometimes a strong ensemble of compelling characters can make up for flaws in a book's narrative, but Nylon Angel doesn't have any; even protagonist, Parrish Plessis, fails to impress. At a time when “kick-ass” heroines in science fiction and fantasy are ten-a-penny, Parrish is rather unremarkable to say the least. She is easily played and manipulated throughout the story, and it's doubtful whether she would anticipate the duplicity and double-crossing of the bad guys, even if they had “I am not to be trusted” tattooed on their foreheads.
In summation, it would be easy to dismiss Nylon Angel as a title to be avoided, but the truth is that it is still an entertaining read in spite of its shortcomings; just not one that will live long in the memory.
If you have a day or two to spare for a quick and easy book to read, you could do a lot worse than Nylon Angel. However, if you want to read a cyberpunk tale done right, check out Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon.
October 22, 2019
2,5 stars rounded up.
A few too many rape scenes.
A little written-in-crayon.
But a surprising number of fresh ideas and a MC I could mostly get behind.
A few too many rape scenes.
A little written-in-crayon.
But a surprising number of fresh ideas and a MC I could mostly get behind.
December 23, 2020
Entertaining action/thriller grrl
April 23, 2021
I forget when I read this... a long time ago. It was alright.
November 16, 2023
I loved this and then devoured the next two books
April 9, 2014
Entertaining book. Actually it really reminds me of the first few Kate Daniels books (which i love) except just not quite in the same league yet.
The Characters were mainly great. Parrish seemed rather easy to read but became more and more complicated as the book continued. I love how she started off pretty much on her own then she slowly started picking up allies and friends (usually other victims) left, right and center. My fave definitely had to be The Feral's.
Some of the other characters felt a little lacking to me. Daac was very interesting and never what you thought, actually im still not really sure about him, though i think we finally settled on him being a bad guy. lol.
Description i felt overall were pretty good, could of been better. I wish i had more descriptions on the more unique characters and half animal... things that were running around the place and would pop up occasionally. If i could imagine some of the beings in this world more clearly this book would of leapt from its pages, terrifyingly.
Marianne clearly has a fantastic and somewhat disturbing imagination. I just wish she could show it to us with words.
The World was incredible and horrid. i love it.
Nylon Angel is set in the 25th century in Australia (how cool is that?). Tech has become pretty insane, You can alter your appearance pretty much however you can imagine or could ever want, enhance any and all of your senses.
Want to run faster? Sure thing.
Want to have a keener sense of smell? no probs.
Want zebra skin? cool, thats really popular right now.
Want an extra limb? $100 bucks thanks.
okay so im not sure on that last one but i wouldn't be the least surprised id it was an option.
So not only is the tech advanced, so are the drugs. on top of that there completely legal. this place is pretty much ran by a bunch of mob bosses.
Its cruddy, dirty and dangerous, just how i like my fictional worlds. plus i said it was set in Australia right????
One main issue i did have with this book was the Sci-Fi tech speak. Im rather new to the more Sci-Fi books, most of the books i read only have a dash of sci-fi here, and a splash there. So all this tech talk just left me in the dust. I have no doubt if i was a more hard core Sci-fi-er i wouldn't have any issues, but sadly i am not.
Now talk about Mysteries! which i wasn't expecting from this book at all. One moment you totally thought you knew what was happening the next someone threw you in the deep end without caring as to if you could swim or not. This happened so frequently throughout this book which i thought was great.
I also just happen to love when someone goes stumbling into some giant scheme only to fuck everything over by mistake! then comes to realize what happened by the end, magically surviving and out maneuvers the bad guys.
Whats not to like about that right?
Overall pretty good book. The ending was great. So why am i only rating this book 3.5 stars you ask? well for one something is missing... im not clever enough to put my finger on it and name it, but something vital is deff missing from this book.....
Would i recommend this book?
Why not. Give it a shot, quick read and enjoyable.
Will i be reading the next book?
Sure will!
The Characters were mainly great. Parrish seemed rather easy to read but became more and more complicated as the book continued. I love how she started off pretty much on her own then she slowly started picking up allies and friends (usually other victims) left, right and center. My fave definitely had to be The Feral's.
Some of the other characters felt a little lacking to me. Daac was very interesting and never what you thought, actually im still not really sure about him, though i think we finally settled on him being a bad guy. lol.
Description i felt overall were pretty good, could of been better. I wish i had more descriptions on the more unique characters and half animal... things that were running around the place and would pop up occasionally. If i could imagine some of the beings in this world more clearly this book would of leapt from its pages, terrifyingly.
Marianne clearly has a fantastic and somewhat disturbing imagination. I just wish she could show it to us with words.
The World was incredible and horrid. i love it.
Nylon Angel is set in the 25th century in Australia (how cool is that?). Tech has become pretty insane, You can alter your appearance pretty much however you can imagine or could ever want, enhance any and all of your senses.
Want to run faster? Sure thing.
Want to have a keener sense of smell? no probs.
Want zebra skin? cool, thats really popular right now.
Want an extra limb? $100 bucks thanks.
okay so im not sure on that last one but i wouldn't be the least surprised id it was an option.
So not only is the tech advanced, so are the drugs. on top of that there completely legal. this place is pretty much ran by a bunch of mob bosses.
Its cruddy, dirty and dangerous, just how i like my fictional worlds. plus i said it was set in Australia right????
One main issue i did have with this book was the Sci-Fi tech speak. Im rather new to the more Sci-Fi books, most of the books i read only have a dash of sci-fi here, and a splash there. So all this tech talk just left me in the dust. I have no doubt if i was a more hard core Sci-fi-er i wouldn't have any issues, but sadly i am not.
Now talk about Mysteries! which i wasn't expecting from this book at all. One moment you totally thought you knew what was happening the next someone threw you in the deep end without caring as to if you could swim or not. This happened so frequently throughout this book which i thought was great.
I also just happen to love when someone goes stumbling into some giant scheme only to fuck everything over by mistake! then comes to realize what happened by the end, magically surviving and out maneuvers the bad guys.
Whats not to like about that right?
Overall pretty good book. The ending was great. So why am i only rating this book 3.5 stars you ask? well for one something is missing... im not clever enough to put my finger on it and name it, but something vital is deff missing from this book.....
Would i recommend this book?
Why not. Give it a shot, quick read and enjoyable.
Will i be reading the next book?
Sure will!
March 9, 2014
this book is a hot mess.
on one hand, bonus points for not everyone being white, or not everyone being straight, and not making a big deal out of either of those things. even more on the plus side of the column is the richly detailed setting - you smell the slums our heroine is hauling ass through, and the retro-future thing (thigh-high pink vinyl boots on a drug dealer) is a fun little reminder of gritty sci-fi of days gone by, e.g., William Gibson.
but the plot? eh, it stumbles more than a bit. the thing about first-person narrated stories is that i have to want to spend a few hours in this person's head. ideally, this person should be smart or funny or devious or anything that's interesting enough to keep having this one-sided conversation with her. Parrish is a badass and she knows it - she's super fast and super ready to shove that faux glock under someone's throat - but she's mostly humorless and not the brightest bulb in the box. the plot keeps happening to her, rather than the other way 'round, and even in an action-fueled story, i shouldn't have frequent "wait, now, that makes no damn sense at all" moments. also, grammar nazi nitpick: her internal monologue is peppered with short observational sentences that end in exclamation points, which makes me think of an excitable, bubbly teen, not a hardened street tough.
there's a particularly interesting side plot about some genetic engineering experiments that made me wonder if the polish inherent to other than a first novel would make the 2nd one worth picking up. the several pages' worth of book 2 snippet at the back put that idea to rest, though; apparently, more of the same.
on one hand, bonus points for not everyone being white, or not everyone being straight, and not making a big deal out of either of those things. even more on the plus side of the column is the richly detailed setting - you smell the slums our heroine is hauling ass through, and the retro-future thing (thigh-high pink vinyl boots on a drug dealer) is a fun little reminder of gritty sci-fi of days gone by, e.g., William Gibson.
but the plot? eh, it stumbles more than a bit. the thing about first-person narrated stories is that i have to want to spend a few hours in this person's head. ideally, this person should be smart or funny or devious or anything that's interesting enough to keep having this one-sided conversation with her. Parrish is a badass and she knows it - she's super fast and super ready to shove that faux glock under someone's throat - but she's mostly humorless and not the brightest bulb in the box. the plot keeps happening to her, rather than the other way 'round, and even in an action-fueled story, i shouldn't have frequent "wait, now, that makes no damn sense at all" moments. also, grammar nazi nitpick: her internal monologue is peppered with short observational sentences that end in exclamation points, which makes me think of an excitable, bubbly teen, not a hardened street tough.
there's a particularly interesting side plot about some genetic engineering experiments that made me wonder if the polish inherent to other than a first novel would make the 2nd one worth picking up. the several pages' worth of book 2 snippet at the back put that idea to rest, though; apparently, more of the same.
December 25, 2014
Very enjoyable cyberpunk novel, though I guess these days they are mostly called urban fantasy.
This one would fit either classification well, there was plenty of 'cybering up' augmentation on the characters; biological, electronically and actual cyber. The setting was dystopian, so definitely urban fantasy, and I was very happy to see another author using Australian settings, that always adds a bit of zing to the story for me.
There were strong indications that the author was familiar with many of the sci-fi and cyberpunk writers that I have known and loved over the years. Especially, I think I felt lashings of Terry Dowling as well as strong presence of William Gibson. At no point however, did I feel that this book was leaning too heavily on previous stories or other authors. It was not knocking off ideas but constructing a seemles world/society into which the story fit beautifully.
The main character, Parrish, is the first person vehicle for the story and its fairly complicated plot. I don't try to unravel plots as I read and just as well, this one is layered. I liked Parrish, (though I kept thinking what a strong body dysmorphia syndrome she must be suffering from) and so enjoyed her story.
I was a bit disappointed that the ending screamed so very clearly "To be continued in the next book" But that is my ongoing whinge about modern books and no one else need worry about that unduly since the main story arc was completed quiet satisfactorily. It would be interesting to see where the plot goes next.
This one would fit either classification well, there was plenty of 'cybering up' augmentation on the characters; biological, electronically and actual cyber. The setting was dystopian, so definitely urban fantasy, and I was very happy to see another author using Australian settings, that always adds a bit of zing to the story for me.
There were strong indications that the author was familiar with many of the sci-fi and cyberpunk writers that I have known and loved over the years. Especially, I think I felt lashings of Terry Dowling as well as strong presence of William Gibson. At no point however, did I feel that this book was leaning too heavily on previous stories or other authors. It was not knocking off ideas but constructing a seemles world/society into which the story fit beautifully.
The main character, Parrish, is the first person vehicle for the story and its fairly complicated plot. I don't try to unravel plots as I read and just as well, this one is layered. I liked Parrish, (though I kept thinking what a strong body dysmorphia syndrome she must be suffering from) and so enjoyed her story.
I was a bit disappointed that the ending screamed so very clearly "To be continued in the next book" But that is my ongoing whinge about modern books and no one else need worry about that unduly since the main story arc was completed quiet satisfactorily. It would be interesting to see where the plot goes next.
July 30, 2016
The book has a good setup on the back cover that I picked it up on sale. I hadn't heard of the author, more bonus points. Set in a late 21st century part of eastern Australia, we are given a 1st person narrative of a lady down deep in the filth of living on the edge. But it then falls apart.
The narrative has too many two, three word sentences that end with an exclamation point. Lots of them! (Like that) It pulls from the narrative that this is supposed to be a hard boiled fighter, not a teenager on twitter. The cyberpunk angle is weak. Mainly body augments here, but little else. These folks use disks (one is called a Zip disk, dating the book) and hacking seems to be simply pressing a lot of keys. As our hero does in finding a backdoor in super heavy cyber security.
The main character bounces around in the plot, but she doesn't actually do much. The whole book swirls around her, but she can't get anything together. Plus there is voodoo. I felt the book was trying to hard to be too many things at the same time. Pick a couple and run with it (the media aspect of using the poor as entertainment for the rich is one). Plus build up the characters better. The main character isn't all that interesting to be riding on her shoulder for nearly 300 pages.
There is one point where the book touches 21st century pop culture. The media, whom actually run things and are above any law, say that a specific escape conducted by our heroine was "Mission-Impossible like."
The narrative has too many two, three word sentences that end with an exclamation point. Lots of them! (Like that) It pulls from the narrative that this is supposed to be a hard boiled fighter, not a teenager on twitter. The cyberpunk angle is weak. Mainly body augments here, but little else. These folks use disks (one is called a Zip disk, dating the book) and hacking seems to be simply pressing a lot of keys. As our hero does in finding a backdoor in super heavy cyber security.
The main character bounces around in the plot, but she doesn't actually do much. The whole book swirls around her, but she can't get anything together. Plus there is voodoo. I felt the book was trying to hard to be too many things at the same time. Pick a couple and run with it (the media aspect of using the poor as entertainment for the rich is one). Plus build up the characters better. The main character isn't all that interesting to be riding on her shoulder for nearly 300 pages.
There is one point where the book touches 21st century pop culture. The media, whom actually run things and are above any law, say that a specific escape conducted by our heroine was "Mission-Impossible like."
February 9, 2017
Good book but I struggled a bit with it. Never got a strong grasp on the setting, the book could have used a glossary as concepts and characters were only briefly introduced before being referenced many chapters later. Main character was a bit of a mix, we're repeatedly told she's super-capable but I lost track of the number of times she woke up from being taken down. Overall I wasn't crazy about the book but looking forward to book two
September 7, 2007
In the future Earth, the world has been poisoned into a shadow of its former glory. Normal humans live in city towers away from the poisoned land, but others choose the freedom of living outside the cities. Parrish fled the city to live in The Tert, an area ruled by rival warlords and where cybernetics reign supreme. Her efforts to escape a warlord lead her on multiple escapades, including a run-in with the all powerful Media, who now can act as judge, jury, and executioner upon the public, all in the name of ratings. Like most series written by female authors with a strong female character, it has several strong male characters but no real female balance to Parrish. However, Parrish is a likable character, with her reckless act-before-she-thinks behavior offset by her need to protect those who need her help.
February 9, 2014
Solid and interesting. This kept me captivated despite the fact I tend towards reading Fantasy more often than Science Fiction. I liked the strength of the main character, Parrish and liked the amount to depth she was drawn with. The cyber-punk setting was pretty cool, and I felt it was easy to slip into the slums that were The Tert. I liked that it was set in a future dystopian Australia and that it wasn't too unrealistic as to what could happen in the actual future. I even started picturing a bit of a Blade Runner style setting when many of the characters and locations were described. I sympathised with the main character and all of the sh*t she has to go through in this, and I enjoyed the layers of the overall mystery. A crazy romp full of action and suspense.
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