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Kiln people
624 pages
A fast-paced, philosophical noir where a detective literally splits himself into disposable clay copies to solve a murder.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a funhouse mirror version of a classic noir film, where the neon is brighter and the existential questions are baked right into the premise. The narrative moves at a brisk, pulpy clip, driven by a wry, hardboiled voice that juggles multiple perspectives of the same detective simultaneously. It is a frenetic, mind-bending atmosphere that balances gritty murder-mystery tropes with playful, satirical world-building. The prose is punchy and loaded with clever neologisms, keeping the tone surprisingly light even as it probes deep philosophical questions about the soul, identity, and what it means to be disposable. It will thoroughly delight readers who crave high-concept science fiction wrapped in the comforting, cynical trench coat of a hardboiled detective yarn.
- Mood
- gritty yet vibrant
- frenetic
- mind-bending
- noir-tinged
- Tone
- wry
- satirical
- inquisitive
- pulpy
- playful
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- nature of identity · disposable consciousness · class stratification · value of a lived day · existential mystery
- The writing
- Punchy and inventive, blending classic noir detective vernacular with dense, playful science fiction neologisms.
- The arc
- Moves from a hardboiled, cynical curiosity into a dizzying, high-stakes existential awakening.
- Who it's for
- Fans of hardboiled detective fiction who love high-concept, philosophical world-building and do not mind a healthy dose of absurdity.
Content notes
- violence
- existential dread
- death of temporary clones
About the book
"Thanks to the new technology of imprinting, people in a near-future America can copy their personalities into animated clay bodies (called "dittos" or "golems"), which last a single day. Albert Morris, private investigator, is his own sidekick as he attempts to uncover the murderer of a prominent imprinting research scientist."--Amazon.com.
Description from Open Library.
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