A Neon Noir Adventure
4 out of 5 stars
When I hit play on Liquid Cool by Austin Dragon, narrated by the phenomenal Shamaan Casey, I wasn’t quite prepared for the electrifying dive into Metropolis—a rain-drenched supercity where gangsters, cyborgs, and corporate chaos create a vibrant yet dangerous playground.
From the moment Cruz, our private detective with an impeccable fashion sense (seriously, the noir-detective-like bit with the hat), stepped into the spotlight, I was hooked. This book has a cinematic quality that transported me right into the heart of its chaotic, neon-lit streets. It was like I could feel and hear the rain soaking through every word.
The story had me riveted. I found myself constantly asking, “How is this all going to end up?” With every twist, shootout, and unlikely encounter, I was kept guessing until the very last page (or, well, chapter, since I was happily immersed in the audiobook).
Dragon’s ability to weave humor into high-stakes moments was impressive. Cruz’s dry wit in the face of danger, whether dealing with cyborgs or fending off trouble in his beloved red hovercar, kept the tone light without diminishing the tension. However, a few instances of unexpected slang that felt outdated or unnecessarily sharp—did pull me out of the moment on occasion. Those moments, while brief, were a bit jarring in an otherwise thrilling ride.
And Shamaan Casey—what a performance. He didn’t just narrate; he became Cruz. His ability to channel the character’s attitude and swagger, while differentiating the eclectic cast of Metropolis, elevated the story into a true auditory experience. Casey’s delivery had me fully engaged, making even the slower moments feel dynamic. His knack for pacing and tone added depth to Cruz’s inner musings and comedic timing, which made the book even easier to sink into.
If you’re already a fan of cyberpunk or detective stories, this is a must-listen. While Liquid Cool leans into the grit and grime of the genre, it’s far from a downer—it’s sharp, witty, and endlessly entertaining. Overall, this was a captivating ride with just a few bumps, but one anyone ready to embrace a world of high-tech, low-life crime-solving with a cool detective leading the charge should enjoy!
Book Description:
The sci-fi detective thriller gets cool…Liquid Cool!
Liquid Cool is the action-packed (and funny) first book in this cyberpunk detective series.
Meet Cruz — a private detective with a cool hat, laser gun, and attitude. But don’t touch his red hovercar — or you could get shot!
Science fiction and crime fiction blend in the high-tech, low-life world of Liquid Cool as Cruz faces off against neon gangsters, sinister cyborgs, corporate samurai soldiers, and laser-gun shootouts solving cases in the rainy supercity of Metropolis. It isn’t a bad place, but it isn’t a good one either.
Uber-governments and megacorporations fight for control of the supercity, but so does crime. It’s here we meet our unlikely hero in this supercity of a million victims and perpetrators.
In the novel that started it all, author Austin Dragon shows why you never want to meet a cyborg in a dark alley.
Download Liquid Cool today and begin your action-filled and funny sci-fi detective adventure with Cruz and company!
Liquid Cool by Austin Dragon
Narrator: Shamaan Casey
Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
on December 18th 2024
Genres: Crime, Cyberpunk, Mystery, Noir
Format: Audiobook
I’ve loved reading since I was little when my dad would read me Dr. Suess books. Fast-forward a little and I noticed that he was always reading on his lunch breaks at work, and I wondered why.Then, I found a book that took me to another place and time, to another feeling,another sense of “being”.It was the first book that I ever fell in love with, and I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since.
