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Two Truths and a Lie
From the beloved internet humorist,a debut novel that introduces an unforgettable investigator to the drowned streets of L.A. in a hugely imaginative and heartfelt blend of noir and cyberpunk.
In a mostly underwater near-future Los Angeles, aging combat-drone veteran Orr Vue now lives a simple and small life, trading snippets of what's become the most valuable information. So when the cops show up at his door looking for data on a murder he’s not even aware has happened, things get interesting for the first time in 25 years.
At first, Orr is happy to exchange whatever he knows about the demise of InfoDrip’s top exec to buy booze and pay rent on his memory storage, but that plan goes to hell when Orr’s old boyfriend, Auggie Wolf, shows up as the number one suspect. Forced to stretch his atrophied spy skills and take his illegal horde of drones out of retirement alongside his busted knees,Orr finds himself in the crosshairs of the militarized police, a family of megarich corporate heirs, a clan of emancipated AIs, and a cult. Barely avoiding getting killed with every clue he collects, Orr realizes he's uncovered not just a murder, but a conspiracy that threatens Auggie’s very existence. Ahh, the things we do for love...
But in a world where memories can be bought and sold, how can you truly know who anyone is—or what you yourself are capable of? Fast paced, funny, and shockingly romantic, Two Truths and a Lie is Raymond Chandler reinvented for the 22ndcentury.
In a mostly underwater near-future Los Angeles, aging combat-drone veteran Orr Vue now lives a simple and small life, trading snippets of what's become the most valuable information. So when the cops show up at his door looking for data on a murder he’s not even aware has happened, things get interesting for the first time in 25 years.
At first, Orr is happy to exchange whatever he knows about the demise of InfoDrip’s top exec to buy booze and pay rent on his memory storage, but that plan goes to hell when Orr’s old boyfriend, Auggie Wolf, shows up as the number one suspect. Forced to stretch his atrophied spy skills and take his illegal horde of drones out of retirement alongside his busted knees,Orr finds himself in the crosshairs of the militarized police, a family of megarich corporate heirs, a clan of emancipated AIs, and a cult. Barely avoiding getting killed with every clue he collects, Orr realizes he's uncovered not just a murder, but a conspiracy that threatens Auggie’s very existence. Ahh, the things we do for love...
But in a world where memories can be bought and sold, how can you truly know who anyone is—or what you yourself are capable of? Fast paced, funny, and shockingly romantic, Two Truths and a Lie is Raymond Chandler reinvented for the 22ndcentury.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 4, 2025
22 people are currently reading
4,686 people want to read
About the author
Cory O'Brien
4books145followersCory O’Brien is the author of Zeus Grants Stupid Wishes and George Washington Is Cash Money. He has written for numerous award-winning video games, including Monster Prom and Holovista, and designed multiple tabletop games, including Inhuman Conditions and Hand to Hand Wombat. He lives in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 6, 2024
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: March 4, 2025
Cory O'Brien's fictional debut--two parts murder mystery, two parts cyberpunk, one part speculative fiction--practically radiates genius from page one. The mostly flooded futuristic Los Angeles readers enter in Two Truths and a Lie is strange and hauntingly bizarre. An ironically introverted new culture now revolves around the currency of information, and all data (rumors, gossip, fact corrections) is used to pay the bills. People have altered their brains so that they can process, save, delete, and publish information instantly because of course whoever gets the story out first makes the most. Unfortunately, tech corrodes alongside memory, so what information is trustworthy? In a traditional murder mystery, testimony always offers an important set of clues. But what happens when testimony itself is worth a fortune on an open market? Everyone wants a piece of the information that they can retire on...even the murderer.
Cory O'Brien's world building is beautifully complex, yet the POV he uses acts as an easily intelligible guide. Our first person protagonist, Orr, is immediately endearing and colorful yet comically unreliable. We are told right away that the tech he's installed in his brain to gather, store, and/or delete information is old and faulty. He rarely leaves his home and his body is physically failing. Despite this, it's impossible not to love and cheer on this character. His voice is such a dominant element-- hilarious, quotable, sarcastically biting, deceptively demurring, and even at times philosophical. I couldn't stop reading largely because I just wanted to witness what he was going to say next.
The crux of the conflict driving the plot, an alleged murder and subsequent investigation, is every bit as compelling as Orr's voice. After all, how can police officers (or anyone for that matter) find any sort of truth in a murder mystery when information is money and hoarding that information means paying the bills? For Orr, leaving his tiny home (a crate suspended above water by cables--think the Stacks in Ready Player One but swinging above a water hazard) to talk to the police means losing a month's rent. But when the police show up and tell him they are holding his beloved friend Auggie as a primary murder suspect, Orr's loyalty to Auggie wins out. What follows is enough misadventure and mayhem to make anyone who knows the full story a very wealthy person.
This is a brilliant book, and one of the only murder mysteries I have ever felt compelled to reread all over again to better appreciate all of its layers. It's the sort of book you just keep right on thinking about for weeks, even months to follow, and that's a refreshingly satisfying reaction. I loved it.
Expected publication date: March 4, 2025
Cory O'Brien's fictional debut--two parts murder mystery, two parts cyberpunk, one part speculative fiction--practically radiates genius from page one. The mostly flooded futuristic Los Angeles readers enter in Two Truths and a Lie is strange and hauntingly bizarre. An ironically introverted new culture now revolves around the currency of information, and all data (rumors, gossip, fact corrections) is used to pay the bills. People have altered their brains so that they can process, save, delete, and publish information instantly because of course whoever gets the story out first makes the most. Unfortunately, tech corrodes alongside memory, so what information is trustworthy? In a traditional murder mystery, testimony always offers an important set of clues. But what happens when testimony itself is worth a fortune on an open market? Everyone wants a piece of the information that they can retire on...even the murderer.
Cory O'Brien's world building is beautifully complex, yet the POV he uses acts as an easily intelligible guide. Our first person protagonist, Orr, is immediately endearing and colorful yet comically unreliable. We are told right away that the tech he's installed in his brain to gather, store, and/or delete information is old and faulty. He rarely leaves his home and his body is physically failing. Despite this, it's impossible not to love and cheer on this character. His voice is such a dominant element-- hilarious, quotable, sarcastically biting, deceptively demurring, and even at times philosophical. I couldn't stop reading largely because I just wanted to witness what he was going to say next.
The crux of the conflict driving the plot, an alleged murder and subsequent investigation, is every bit as compelling as Orr's voice. After all, how can police officers (or anyone for that matter) find any sort of truth in a murder mystery when information is money and hoarding that information means paying the bills? For Orr, leaving his tiny home (a crate suspended above water by cables--think the Stacks in Ready Player One but swinging above a water hazard) to talk to the police means losing a month's rent. But when the police show up and tell him they are holding his beloved friend Auggie as a primary murder suspect, Orr's loyalty to Auggie wins out. What follows is enough misadventure and mayhem to make anyone who knows the full story a very wealthy person.
This is a brilliant book, and one of the only murder mysteries I have ever felt compelled to reread all over again to better appreciate all of its layers. It's the sort of book you just keep right on thinking about for weeks, even months to follow, and that's a refreshingly satisfying reaction. I loved it.
March 27, 2025
A near future LA that is mostly underwater where everything revolves around info rather than money is the backdrop to this noir style murder mystery. Cory O’Brien is a debut author and I was eager to give his cyberpunk noir mystery a shot because I was intrigued by this genre blend.
Two Truths and a Lie goes full immersion into decrepit combat veteran Orr Vue’s present life. Like many, he’s living on wit and luck only a hair from starving. Then the police bang on his old cargo container door and he’s plunged into a murder situation involving a former lover as chief suspect. Orr is suddenly up to his processor in danger and the guy sticking his neck out for some of the powerful players in the case to lop it off.
I have to admit that I nearly tossed in the chips on page two. I felt like I was trying to translate a book from a foreign language I only had a nodding acquaintance with. But, I decided to stick it out and eventually I caught onto the lingo of Orr’s world and what it meant. Orr himself was a character I slowly came to appreciate and start to connect with. Nothing and nobody are as they seem and he’s such an underdog. He gets beat down and gets right back up to tough it out. There are so many tangles and twists. I confess that I didn’t even try to untangle most of it. I thought a few of the other principle characters were colorful and fascinating particularly his ex. I couldn’t decide if Auggie was on the up and up or playing Orr to get his help.
There were some great suspense and action sequences especially in the second half when it read like a thriller. First half had some lag as Orr slowly got on the trail of the truth and all the worldbuilding and intros had to happen.
In summary, this was not my usual fare and was a gamble since I’ve never read or watched cyberpunk, but noir has long been a fav so I went with it and it paid out. Will this be for everyone? No, but I think those who enjoy a fully immersive very detailed cyberpunk world and shades of gray characters and situations will be a good bet for Two Truths and a Lie.
I rec'd a print ARC copy from Pantheon Books to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 3.26.25
Two Truths and a Lie goes full immersion into decrepit combat veteran Orr Vue’s present life. Like many, he’s living on wit and luck only a hair from starving. Then the police bang on his old cargo container door and he’s plunged into a murder situation involving a former lover as chief suspect. Orr is suddenly up to his processor in danger and the guy sticking his neck out for some of the powerful players in the case to lop it off.
I have to admit that I nearly tossed in the chips on page two. I felt like I was trying to translate a book from a foreign language I only had a nodding acquaintance with. But, I decided to stick it out and eventually I caught onto the lingo of Orr’s world and what it meant. Orr himself was a character I slowly came to appreciate and start to connect with. Nothing and nobody are as they seem and he’s such an underdog. He gets beat down and gets right back up to tough it out. There are so many tangles and twists. I confess that I didn’t even try to untangle most of it. I thought a few of the other principle characters were colorful and fascinating particularly his ex. I couldn’t decide if Auggie was on the up and up or playing Orr to get his help.
There were some great suspense and action sequences especially in the second half when it read like a thriller. First half had some lag as Orr slowly got on the trail of the truth and all the worldbuilding and intros had to happen.
In summary, this was not my usual fare and was a gamble since I’ve never read or watched cyberpunk, but noir has long been a fav so I went with it and it paid out. Will this be for everyone? No, but I think those who enjoy a fully immersive very detailed cyberpunk world and shades of gray characters and situations will be a good bet for Two Truths and a Lie.
I rec'd a print ARC copy from Pantheon Books to read in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 3.26.25
February 23, 2025
Really enjoyed this read. Shades of William Gibson with a lot of intrigue and comedy thrown in. Orr made for a good main character and his perspective was fun throughout the whole read. This book does not give the reader all necessary details on a silver plate. So if you are looking for an easy cosy read this is not it. But if you want to lose yourself in a strange story this one is for you.
November 15, 2024
Gonzo cyberpunk noir, but a little too gonzo for my tastes. Imaginative, clever, with a great twist, but occasionally hard to follow: not always a lot to hold on to.
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February 15, 2025I’m not the right reader for this book.
We’re dropped into a dystopian world. No world building. No character development. No explanations for the weirdness we encounter in what is, apparently, normal daily life. Just, bam, here we are, figure it out along the way.
I kept muttering, “What am I even reading?�
I was sort of interested, but also supremely irritated. Irritation won out.
DNF
*Thank you (and apologies) to Pantheon Books for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
We’re dropped into a dystopian world. No world building. No character development. No explanations for the weirdness we encounter in what is, apparently, normal daily life. Just, bam, here we are, figure it out along the way.
I kept muttering, “What am I even reading?�
I was sort of interested, but also supremely irritated. Irritation won out.
DNF
*Thank you (and apologies) to Pantheon Books for the free eARC, provided via NetGalley!*
March 29, 2025
3.75/5 rounded up!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! Two Truths and a Lie is a funny, heartfelt, yet dark story that takes place in a future in which a land that may have been the United States is underwater and data is currency. It's both a murder mystery and love story under layers of deception and half truths. I really enjoyed this novel! The format felt fresh, the writing was witty and biting, and I found myself reading 40% of the book in one sitting. The narrative did felt disjointed towards the end and I was confused at points with who crossed who and who different characters worked for. I appreciated some of the ambiguity, but I wish certain aspects were more fleshed out. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! Two Truths and a Lie is a funny, heartfelt, yet dark story that takes place in a future in which a land that may have been the United States is underwater and data is currency. It's both a murder mystery and love story under layers of deception and half truths. I really enjoyed this novel! The format felt fresh, the writing was witty and biting, and I found myself reading 40% of the book in one sitting. The narrative did felt disjointed towards the end and I was confused at points with who crossed who and who different characters worked for. I appreciated some of the ambiguity, but I wish certain aspects were more fleshed out. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!
March 25, 2025
This was Not Good. Overall premise? Gold. Strong start and a hell of a final couple of pages but man oh man all of the meat in this was a massive mess. I love scifi, but the world building was severely lacking here to allow me to suspend any disbelief and there were so many things that just didn't make sense and the characters felt like caricatures.
No thank you.
No thank you.
January 27, 2025
One of the best books I've read lately, a mystery sci-fi thriller meditation on how we live. Exciting, disgusting, very thought provoking, and utterly human, despite all the metal involved.
Thanks you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Thanks you to NetGalley for this ARC.
January 4, 2025
In a distant future where memories are currency Orr Vue is at the bottom of society. When his former lover is arrested for murder of an illustrious member of society, Orr is pulled back into his former life of information investigation, except this time he's helping the cops. Determined to find out who the true murderer is, he slowly realizes there are more layers and players involved than he could possibly imagine.
I really enjoyed this story. It weaves a complex story around a world where memories, truths, and lies are traded like money. Once memories are traded you lose it from your mind. The author played with this concept expertly. The ending has you questioning the lengths the characters would go through for love and power. The sarcasm and wit of Orr made me laugh despite the dangerous situation he finds himself in. Overall i felt this was a strong science fiction story with a very unique premise.
Thank you ŷ for gifting me this book for review.
I really enjoyed this story. It weaves a complex story around a world where memories, truths, and lies are traded like money. Once memories are traded you lose it from your mind. The author played with this concept expertly. The ending has you questioning the lengths the characters would go through for love and power. The sarcasm and wit of Orr made me laugh despite the dangerous situation he finds himself in. Overall i felt this was a strong science fiction story with a very unique premise.
Thank you ŷ for gifting me this book for review.
January 9, 2025
learning this man wrote a lot of the stuff for monster prom and monster camp,, everything has connected. AIDAN and calculester my AI boyfriends
November 22, 2024
🌟🤖 Two Truths and a Lie by Cory O'Brien: A Cyberpunk Noir Thriller that's Out of This World! 🌟🤖
OMG, you guys, I just finished reading Two Truths and a Lie by Cory O'Brien, and I am blown away! 🤯 A massive thank you to Knopf Books for sending me an ARC of this incredible book, which hits the shelves on March 4, 2025. Buckle up, because this review is going to be a wild ride! 🎢🚀
First things first, can we talk about this world? A mostly underwater Los Angeles, where information is the most valuable currency, and memories can be bought and sold? Sign me up! 🌊💻 This book is like Blade Runner meets The Maltese Falcon, with a dash of Inception thrown in for good measure. It's a mind-bending, heart-pounding, rollercoaster of a read, and I couldn't put it down! 📖💥
Our protagonist, Orr Vue, is an aging combat-drone veteran with a troubled past and a heart of gold. When the cops show up at his door looking for data on a murder he's not even aware has happened, things get interesting real quick. And when his old boyfriend, Auggie Wolf, shows up as the number one suspect, Orr is forced to stretch his atrophied spy skills and take his illegal horde of drones out of retirement. Cue the explosions, the chases, and the cyberpunk shenanigans! 💥🛡�
Here's what made this book a 4-star read for me: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ˡ︎.ᐟજ⁶� Compelling premise: The concept of a world where memories can be bought and sold is so unique and intriguing. It's like Total Recall meets Minority Report, and I am here for it! 🎬💭
ˡ︎.ᐟજ⁶� Engaging characters: Orr is a flawed and relatable protagonist with a complex past, and I loved watching him navigate this crazy world. Plus, his dynamic with Auggie is everything! 💘🤖
ˡ︎.ᐟજ⁶� Fast-paced action: This book is a thrill ride from start to finish, with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. I was literally gripping my Kindle like it was a rollercoaster safety bar! 🎢📚
ˡ︎.ᐟજ⁶� Blending genres: Two Truths and a Lie successfully combines elements of cyberpunk, noir, and mystery, creating a fresh and exciting read that's perfect for fans of all three genres. 🌟📚
That being said, there were a few things that kept this book from being a perfect 5-star read for me:
ˡ︎.ᐟજ⁶� Complex world-building: The intricate technological details might be overwhelming for some readers. I consider myself pretty tech-savvy, but even I had to reread a few passages to fully understand what was going on. 💻😵
ˡ︎.ᐟજ⁶� Fast-paced narrative: While I loved the action, I did feel like the plot was moving a little too quickly at times. I would have liked to see a bit more character development and world-building in between the explosions and chases. 💥😐
In conclusion, Two Truths and a Lie is a must-read for fans of cyberpunk and noir fiction. It's a thrilling, action-packed, and thought-provoking read that will leave you questioning the nature of reality and the power of memory. So mark your calendars for March 4, 2025, because this book is not to be missed! 📚💥
Until next time, keep exploring the neon-lit streets of the future! 🌆🤖
March 13, 2025
This was fun. It is a novel full of ideas that have seen the light of day in other sci-fi novels, which are here packaged and woven together in new and novel ways with lovely writing.
Take as a starter that memories can be extracted and stored as data outside our actual brains. This isn’t new, but when those memories become things that can be bought, sold, and “remembered� by others - and “forgotten� by those who originally had the experiential memory - this idea can become the foundation of a complete economic system. And, once that’s in place, there are always bad people who want to exploit that system as criminals for their own profit. And to make the world complete, there are bound to be good guys - whether police or private persons - who try to hold the bad guys to account.
And there you have the framework for a great, and pretty intricate whodunnit. If there’s one downside that makes me take a star away from a full five star review, it’s that the story is so intricate I actually lost track a little bit as the final ends were being tied up. There were just enough characters and novel circumstances that were wildly crazy that I had to work hard to put all the pieces together. Maybe I should give the author credit for making me do that, but as it is, I feel a little unsatisfied.
That is balanced, however, by some language, and imagination are terrific. Example: � The bacon-fat smell of Tijuana dogs competed for airspace with the sweet stink of weed, the French-fry scent of biodiesel, and the methane belch of a local meat factory as my driver wove through foot traffic with deranged confidence.� or, � When you pile up as many memories as I’ve got, it becomes impossible to really know yourself. Am I the things I remember? Am I the way I feel about those memories now? Or, like the sidewalk under the sea, am I the things I don’t remember? The things I’ve chosen to forget?� The latter penetrates to the heart of the ideas examined in the novel.
There are other fun mechanisms, such as the ability of an appropriate enabled person to directly see out of the eyes of devices being used as tools, and the graceful way that such a person slips in and out of thinking they are that device. And more. I don’t want to spoil the book by giving away all the secrets.
If you’re tired of the usual ways that some sci-fi ideas around human extension into technology is used, try this book out. You’ll be satisfied.
I had the opportunity to read an advance review copy of the book, and give my review without obligation or bias.
Take as a starter that memories can be extracted and stored as data outside our actual brains. This isn’t new, but when those memories become things that can be bought, sold, and “remembered� by others - and “forgotten� by those who originally had the experiential memory - this idea can become the foundation of a complete economic system. And, once that’s in place, there are always bad people who want to exploit that system as criminals for their own profit. And to make the world complete, there are bound to be good guys - whether police or private persons - who try to hold the bad guys to account.
And there you have the framework for a great, and pretty intricate whodunnit. If there’s one downside that makes me take a star away from a full five star review, it’s that the story is so intricate I actually lost track a little bit as the final ends were being tied up. There were just enough characters and novel circumstances that were wildly crazy that I had to work hard to put all the pieces together. Maybe I should give the author credit for making me do that, but as it is, I feel a little unsatisfied.
That is balanced, however, by some language, and imagination are terrific. Example: � The bacon-fat smell of Tijuana dogs competed for airspace with the sweet stink of weed, the French-fry scent of biodiesel, and the methane belch of a local meat factory as my driver wove through foot traffic with deranged confidence.� or, � When you pile up as many memories as I’ve got, it becomes impossible to really know yourself. Am I the things I remember? Am I the way I feel about those memories now? Or, like the sidewalk under the sea, am I the things I don’t remember? The things I’ve chosen to forget?� The latter penetrates to the heart of the ideas examined in the novel.
There are other fun mechanisms, such as the ability of an appropriate enabled person to directly see out of the eyes of devices being used as tools, and the graceful way that such a person slips in and out of thinking they are that device. And more. I don’t want to spoil the book by giving away all the secrets.
If you’re tired of the usual ways that some sci-fi ideas around human extension into technology is used, try this book out. You’ll be satisfied.
I had the opportunity to read an advance review copy of the book, and give my review without obligation or bias.
April 7, 2025
Reading this reminded me so much of the first time I read Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash, which also starts fast and dumps you into a dystopian world where everything's radically different from our world in a dark and ugly but also still wryly funny kind of way. In the setting of Two Truths and a Lie, data and information and memories are the only currency, and the protagonist, Orr Vue, is an almost completely sessile 68-year-old who rents out his brain for corporate fact-checking. Which bites him in the ass on page 1, when the cops start calling about a factoid he checked that points to a murder investigation.
This is a classic murder mystery full of big, colorful characters with twisty motivations and twisty identities, but it's also a cyberpunk dystopian novel about the aftermath of the AI wars, the problems (and benefits) of being a military veteran full of old, experimental brain-tech in a world where everyone else's gear is newer and fancier, and the questions of identity that come in a world where people can easily swap memories, but not copy or duplicate them. It takes a lot of attention and focus to read, because there are so many players, they're double-dealing on so many different levels, and things move fast —think Chinatown at double speed with an AR overlay, Shadowrun levels of hacking, and Snow Crash levels of humor. But it's worth that focus� if you can keep up with a story this dense, arch, and full of dick jokes.
This is a classic murder mystery full of big, colorful characters with twisty motivations and twisty identities, but it's also a cyberpunk dystopian novel about the aftermath of the AI wars, the problems (and benefits) of being a military veteran full of old, experimental brain-tech in a world where everyone else's gear is newer and fancier, and the questions of identity that come in a world where people can easily swap memories, but not copy or duplicate them. It takes a lot of attention and focus to read, because there are so many players, they're double-dealing on so many different levels, and things move fast —think Chinatown at double speed with an AR overlay, Shadowrun levels of hacking, and Snow Crash levels of humor. But it's worth that focus� if you can keep up with a story this dense, arch, and full of dick jokes.
February 16, 2025
Two Truths And A Lie by Corey O’Brien, from the beginning when our protagonist is talking about paying his rent with scandals and gossip, I was lost, but having said that I still persisted and finished the whole book, and that is a testament to this authors, humorous writing ability. The mystery is set in a futuristic world where everyone lives and warehouses in containers hanging from the ceiling by rope, although there are some not quite so lucky who live in other accommodations. When the police show up the 67-year-old main character doesn’t stick around, but gets out of there ASAP and takes it up on himself to solve a crime he at first knows nothing about. if you want to read a story by a very imaginative author, who has humorous pros with great world building in an action packed plot, then read this one. I only hope you understand it more than I did, but not to say I didn’t like it because I did they were just a couple of times I was a tad bit confused by what was happening. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #CoryO’Brien, #TwoTruthsAndALie,
February 11, 2025
A blend of noir and cyberpunk, this tale was unique and humorous.
Since memories were currency in this world, it was hard to be certain who anyone really was or what they were capable of, which raised thought-provoking questions about identity and kept the tension up.
I enjoyed Orr’s character from the start but it took a while to get into a rhythm reading this because the world-building was limited. I was dropped into a complex world and given only minimal explanation to get my bearings.
Once the investigation got going, I was hooked. The ending provided some resolution and yet left some open questions about how far you’d go for love, power, money or revenge.
ARC provided by Pantheon Books. Opinions are my own.
Since memories were currency in this world, it was hard to be certain who anyone really was or what they were capable of, which raised thought-provoking questions about identity and kept the tension up.
I enjoyed Orr’s character from the start but it took a while to get into a rhythm reading this because the world-building was limited. I was dropped into a complex world and given only minimal explanation to get my bearings.
Once the investigation got going, I was hooked. The ending provided some resolution and yet left some open questions about how far you’d go for love, power, money or revenge.
ARC provided by Pantheon Books. Opinions are my own.
November 24, 2024
This was a complicated and interesting read. It wasn't always enjoyable—I'd have preferred less grime and goo and gore (though I can't deny it all fit the story world). I'd have to reread the book to fully follow/comprehend the plot, and I didn't like it enough to bother rereading. That said, I was never tempted to put it down and not pick it up again.
The ending was a bit too dark for my taste, but again, it made sense within the world of the story. Overall, if you're looking for a well-written, twisty story that's pretty much bleak from start to finish, I don't think you'll go wrong with this.
My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
The ending was a bit too dark for my taste, but again, it made sense within the world of the story. Overall, if you're looking for a well-written, twisty story that's pretty much bleak from start to finish, I don't think you'll go wrong with this.
My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
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April 21, 2025I really like the story premise and setting of this book. The setting is a fun take on a futuristic LA, where almost the entire city is flooded underwater. The characters are well written and I enjoyed the flow of dialogue between them. Although some characters� witty remarks and humor did get old at times.
My biggest negative for this book is that it was hard to follow at some points in the story, with some chapters, and even paragraphs jumping to a whole new setting without any context.
Otherwise this was a great read and kept me entertained almost every page.
My biggest negative for this book is that it was hard to follow at some points in the story, with some chapters, and even paragraphs jumping to a whole new setting without any context.
Otherwise this was a great read and kept me entertained almost every page.
February 17, 2025
⚡️Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for the ARC⚡️
i won’t lie, i struggled with this one. some of the events of the book were difficult for me to follow and the main character reads like deadpool at retirement age. however, the world building was interesting. the author explores the uses of technology in a way that is unique.
it’s worth a read if you enjoy science fiction and noir.
i won’t lie, i struggled with this one. some of the events of the book were difficult for me to follow and the main character reads like deadpool at retirement age. however, the world building was interesting. the author explores the uses of technology in a way that is unique.
it’s worth a read if you enjoy science fiction and noir.
April 5, 2025
I like the concept of science fiction, noir, cyberpunk fiction. Set in the near future where memories are the best commodity, you can't really trust your memories. They are traded, sold, and bought.
If you like noir and mysteries with some speculative fiction mixed it, check this one out:
If you like noir and mysteries with some speculative fiction mixed it, check this one out:
April 17, 2025
I am afraid to admit maybe I am too old for this book. Definitely on the edge of dystopia with flooded LA, selling thoughts/memories/whatever as well as some old school mind switch. Orr Vue is a relic from an old time (like me) trying to adapt and make a living as a private investigator of sorts while nursing his old body and brain implant. Orr gets dragged into a high level "murder" involving the intelligentsia of LA. At times it is tough to follow but it all makes sense.
November 13, 2024
Cyberpunk noir à la William Gibson is leavened with the screwball comedic imagination of a Terry Pratchett in Cory O'brien's smashing hardboiled scifi Two Truths And A Lie. Who knew dystopia could be this much fun? 8/10
March 29, 2025
The vibe, world, and the authorial voice is great. However, the plot and the consistent need to have a twist harms it. There’s a lot of good ideas in here, but I think just too many ideas muddy the theme, core character arcs, and even the general plot at times.
April 10, 2025
Science fiction noir with enough body/mind melds and AI abuse (by characters, not by the author) to keep the plot rightly twisted and infusing. In the end, the action and revelations came too quickly for my non-augmented mind to process, with or without a drone army
March 6, 2025
It was an enjoyable read, but it had way too many twists, and it was too hard to keep track of everything that was going on.
March 10, 2025
A very good first effort! Love me some crunchy cyberpunk!!
March 13, 2025
for fans of jonathan lethem, bruce sterling and philip k. dick - pretty good queer cyberpunk noir with a messy denouement, but even messy can be fun sometimes
April 14, 2025
Cyber treasure.
April 15, 2025
Thank you for this novel Cory.
April 3, 2025
This is the book I wanted to read after I played Cyberpunk and Detroit: Become Human. It's a great combination of cyber, Android, an augmented hero with already a certain age, LGBTQIA, and no love restrictions, solving a mystery that gave me Watchmen Rorschach vibes. I am glad I discovered this book and its author. A play on memories and erasing memories, a murder mystery to solve, a monastery with secrets...Very cool mood.
I won a copy in a ŷ giveaway. Thank you, publisher.
(Will be posting on Instagram and usually platforms as therearenobadbooks)
I won a copy in a ŷ giveaway. Thank you, publisher.
(Will be posting on Instagram and usually platforms as therearenobadbooks)
April 22, 2025
I picked up this book only knowing it was a mystery. What I found was a fun, noir mystery with a distinct cyberpunk flavor. I did find the worldbuilding took me a bit to pick up on, but not more so than reading a Philip K. Dick or similar type sci-fi setting.
Orr is one of the best unreliable narrators I’ve read in a while, and I already have a soft spot for unreliable narrators. He was funny, smart, but with the too-common-noir flaws of having dubious friends and skills for a “proper� investigation. But what also made Orr stand out was his clear loyalty to those he loved—it’s Auggie, a past boyfriend, that draws him into the narrative, and it’s Auggie that drives him until the end. Also, the ending was fantastic, but no spoilers here.
Orr is one of the best unreliable narrators I’ve read in a while, and I already have a soft spot for unreliable narrators. He was funny, smart, but with the too-common-noir flaws of having dubious friends and skills for a “proper� investigation. But what also made Orr stand out was his clear loyalty to those he loved—it’s Auggie, a past boyfriend, that draws him into the narrative, and it’s Auggie that drives him until the end. Also, the ending was fantastic, but no spoilers here.
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