Anyone read...darn, I don't know how to do a hyperlink and feel pretty foolish, but the book is 1) called Zoo City, it's 2) by Lauren Beukes, and this 3) is the link to the kindle version on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-City-ebook/dp/B003ZSIT0M/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
I'm halfway through and it's all kinds of awesome so far. Urban fantasy? I think? Tho described as science fiction? Anyway: guilt for misdeeds has started manifesting as animal familiars. You do something bad, you get an animal, linked with you for life. They give you a special magical ability, separation caused unbearable pain, and when your animal dies, something called the Undertow comes for you. The main character has a Sloth, from that time she got her brother killed. She lives in the animalled ghetto now, and finds things for people, with her magic talent. She gets hired to find a person.
So...urban fantasy noir. Beukes even has a penchant for Chandleresque similes, and her antihero is also a smart ass.
The world creation is fantastic. Obviously a lot of that is the whole animal Shift thing, but there's also a lot of atmosphere with the Joburg music scene...I'm kind of wondering how much is the author just dreaming up stuff and ow much she managed to capture something.
Anyway. So far it gets my hearty recommendation. Anyone else in here read it?
http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-City-ebook/dp/B003ZSIT0M/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
I'm halfway through and it's all kinds of awesome so far. Urban fantasy? I think? Tho described as science fiction? Anyway: guilt for misdeeds has started manifesting as animal familiars. You do something bad, you get an animal, linked with you for life. They give you a special magical ability, separation caused unbearable pain, and when your animal dies, something called the Undertow comes for you. The main character has a Sloth, from that time she got her brother killed. She lives in the animalled ghetto now, and finds things for people, with her magic talent. She gets hired to find a person.
So...urban fantasy noir. Beukes even has a penchant for Chandleresque similes, and her antihero is also a smart ass.
The world creation is fantastic. Obviously a lot of that is the whole animal Shift thing, but there's also a lot of atmosphere with the Joburg music scene...I'm kind of wondering how much is the author just dreaming up stuff and ow much she managed to capture something.
Anyway. So far it gets my hearty recommendation. Anyone else in here read it?