I had a free ARC of this novella and, upon finishing, immediately bought a paperback and recommended it to my husband. So that should tell you what I thought of it. It helps that the cover is gorgeous.
Aryan’s writing is gorgeously evocative from the beginning. He weaves in details of world-building naturally and unobtrusively. And what a world it is. This is a New York not quite like ours. It’s dark, gritty, and lacks the niceties of modern technology. Instead, we have giant green horses, terrifying medical mysteries, and glimpses of a utopia gone wrong. There might be no guns and helicopters, but it has serious Escape From New York vibes and I’m here for it.
This is the backdrop for a tale with a strong 1930s detective noir vibe as the main character, Cole Blackstone (an ex-cop and current private investigator) is set on a path of almost certain death when the city’s biggest crime boss ‘requests’ his services. I liked Cole, and was even more intrigued by his sidekick, Bracken Hart, a widower with a terminal illness. Their different skills and personalities played well together. I appreciated the strong sense of decency they both showed in a society that’s crossed that word out of the dictionary.
This novella definitely feels like a setup of a larger, ongoing story and, good news, there is a book 2 coming (hopefully next year).
New York Minute is fast-paced, brutal, stunning, and surprisingly philosophical. Genre-blending at its finest. It’s a quick read and I highly recommend it.
It was released earlier in October, so it’s available for purchase via Amazon. Here are the Amazon UK and Amazon US links. You can find Stephen Aryan on Twitter and Instagram.
Also, I got it just in time to have it signed at Fantasycon! Such a nice guy.
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