This thrilling novel about a bio repo man, an agent who hunts down and repossesses artificial body organs when their recipients fall behind on cred...
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Apr 08, 2010
Kelly
rated it: 
So let's talk about a genre of science fiction I like to call "Days of Future Past."
Recently Julia was planning an exhibit of science fiction novels at the library where she works. We were dividing scifi into sub-genres (dystopia, space opera, etcetera) and I said that there should be a sub-genre for "books that were written long enough in the past that the author's attempt to create an extrapolative near-future Earth has been contradicted by the reality of present da More...
Recently Julia was planning an exhibit of science fiction novels at the library where she works. We were dividing scifi into sub-genres (dystopia, space opera, etcetera) and I said that there should be a sub-genre for "books that were written long enough in the past that the author's attempt to create an extrapolative near-future Earth has been contradicted by the reality of present da More...
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Apr 21, 2011
James
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This is one hell of a trip. What if artificial organs could be repossessed after someone falls behind on their payments, leaving the people dead on the floor? This book is the stream of consciousness story of a bio-repo man who rose to the top of the bio-repossession business, only to fall victim to the same business.
It outlines his time in the military, his marriages, various repossession jobs, the works! The first half of the book is almost entirely back story, and it’s so random. More...
It outlines his time in the military, his marriages, various repossession jobs, the works! The first half of the book is almost entirely back story, and it’s so random. More...
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May 27, 2011
Tez
rated it:
I remember adding Eric Garcia to my authorial wishlist. Karin Slaughter was at the Melbourne Writers Festival, and talked of how she was more nitpicky of the locations in the Vincent Rubio series, when really she should've questioned the realism of a dinosaur going undercover in contemporary America. Dinosaurs, crime and humour? I was hooked. Those three books have been long out of print, though, so I've never acquired them.
I have, however, read Matchstick Men (which is okay) and Cassa More...
I have, however, read Matchstick Men (which is okay) and Cassa More...
Dec 22, 2010
Joe
rated it: 
The Repossession Mambo... The premise of this book is awesome. I saw the movie first and absolutely loved it. When I found the book in the book section of my local Meijer market, I was thrilled. This book feels so real, it's like one of the repo men is just sitting down and talking to you and telling a cool story. Garcia really gives you time to get to know the character very well. At the end, it felt like I have known the guy for my whole life. The story is really more of an account of th
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Mar 08, 2011
Jamie
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This book is amazing. I had the movie version "Repo Men" on my Netflix for a long time, and finally watched it. My advice is do not watch the movie first. Set just 20 years in the future, people no longer have to wait for organ donors, companies manufacture them and you put a down payment on them and then pay them off every month, like a car. The problems only arise when you can't pay for it, and they come and literally repossess the organ from you. Two buddies from the wars in Africa
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Jul 23, 2010
Angel
rated it:
This book is a must-read for various reasons. For one, if you like the paranoia element in works by Philip K. Dick and Alfred Bester, then you will probably like this one as well. I would say it falls somewhat in the dystopian genre (the protagonist narrating in first person can be seen as a bit similar to Winston Smith), so if you like that, this work will appeal to you as well. Next, and this is a big reason why I tell this people to read this book: it is one hell of a commentary on why we nee
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May 04, 2011
Heather
rated it:
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. The story structure is chopped up into distinct pieces, brilliantly reflecting the way the protagonist views life in general. And yet, Garcia manages to string them together in a way that makes the whole novel flow and captivate your attention. The premise of the story is intriguing and highly original, which is really refreshing, and the bits of dark humor scattered throughout are entertaining. Sometimes the dialogue felt a bit like stereotypical cop-type
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Jun 12, 2009
Liviu
rated it: 
Good storytelling but an otherwise meh book that I spent about an hour in a fast read at a bookstore cafe to get out the mood of a previous superb book and be able to move to another such
The main problem of the book is that its subject bored me and I found it completely preposterous that such a system to enable repo men to pull organs out of people and essentially kill them for non-payment would be allowed to develop; you can argue that in a corporate dystopia all is possible but More...
The main problem of the book is that its subject bored me and I found it completely preposterous that such a system to enable repo men to pull organs out of people and essentially kill them for non-payment would be allowed to develop; you can argue that in a corporate dystopia all is possible but More...
Apr 05, 2010
Lacy
rated it:
I loved this book. I have a tendency to balk at stories in first person, because they can be pretentious or poorly written, but I like the storytelling here, and the first person really makes it work. I love this sort of scifi, something that's not too far removed from reality. This could be where the world is going, as far as health care. And it's also a little dark, a little morbid, which makes it all the more fascinating to me.
The ending was a little odd - much different from More...
The ending was a little odd - much different from More...
Oct 06, 2009
Ed
rated it:
When reading a book about repossessing organs once payment is defaulted, I can't help but think of our current health care debate. But this book is smart enough not to be a ham-fisted polemic and is instead smart science fiction in the spirit of Phillip K. Dick. I bring him up specifically because this story is like Minority Report done right (speaking of the movie only). It also deals with a man who is on the run from an organization of which he was a dedicated member. What keeps the story on t
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Apr 14, 2010
emily
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i really enjoyed this book. i love main characters who are unapologetic assholes, and the narrator is definitely one of those. and while he's still basically an unapologetic asshole at the end of the book, it's a different sort entirely. he's learned to love someone who actually deserves it, and he values life-- others' lives-- far more. but the transformation isn't done in a saccharine or sappy way, and i'm definitely left wondering if all is really as well and settled as it seems. i'm looking
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Apr 24, 2011
Keith
rated it:
The Reposession Mambo is another winner for Eric Garcia. I've loved his work from the begining, with Anonymous Rex. His work is often silly, irreverent, funny, telling and always entertaining. With The Reposession Mambo, his timing was also inadvertantly impeccable; while not intended as economic commentary, the bank failures of the past several years and attempts at health care reform certainly add levels to the book that an earlier publication would have rendered... not subtle, exactly, but
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Mar 24, 2010
Thomas
rated it:
A very clever and well put together little book. The Repossession Mambo is the story of a man doing the only job he finds worth doing. He repos mechanical body parts in a world that is probably not too far off. I read the first half of this book and then saw the movie before finishing the other half. Even though, I expected good things from the movie since the author wrote and oversaw the screenplay, but it just didn't work out. The plot twist in the book is way more heart wrenching than the cra
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Aug 11, 2011
An engaging SF black comedy.The basis for the Jude Law movie,Repo Men. If you enjoyed this,you'd probably enjoy the work of Michael marshall Smith like Only FOrward,and Spares. You might Also enjoy Joe Haldeman's the Forever War,and the work of John Scalzi. Frederik Pohl and Philip K Dick also have some stories in a similar style.
Oct 21, 2011
Renee
rated it:
I wasn't really impressed. It was a good concept, but there was so much time-jumping that it really distracted from the story. I got bored quickly with the seemingly unrelated stories from the past, and I just couldn't click well with the author's style of writing. Obviously I wasn't the target audience for this book.
Sep 25, 2011
Tim
rated it:
Huh.
Not what I expected.
In the same way that "World War Z" is a far more touching text than you might think, this book, despite the blood and gore, has a heart.
Great pacing, good characters, and a clever use of non-linear story telling keep this alive when it might otherwise falter. Honestly, after reading this, I don't want to see the movie out of fear they missed the point and ruined it.
Not what I expected.
In the same way that "World War Z" is a far more touching text than you might think, this book, despite the blood and gore, has a heart.
Great pacing, good characters, and a clever use of non-linear story telling keep this alive when it might otherwise falter. Honestly, after reading this, I don't want to see the movie out of fear they missed the point and ruined it.
Jun 09, 2009
Kelly
rated it:
I wasn't expecting the somewhat schizophrenic storytelling, but once I got into the flow, I really enjoyed the novel. I think fewer war flashbacks would have picked up the pacing just a little--I found myself skimming those sections, for the most part.
Anyone who's a fan of the film "Repo: The Genetic Opera" will get a kick out of this.
Anyone who's a fan of the film "Repo: The Genetic Opera" will get a kick out of this.
May 13, 2010
Wendy
rated it:
I really liked this book. I was a little overwhelmed by the baggage the main character had, but it all added up to his really finding his heart. HA! Weird pacing, with past and present plot-points all chopped up and jumbled together, but it being Remy's point of view, it fits his personality.
Apr 09, 2010
Amanda
rated it:
This book is definitely not for the meek and mild or anyone not a fan of a good expletive. I loved this book. I bought it on a Friday with the promise to my husband that we could go se the movie on Sunday. (After I finished reading it!) As someone in the medical field I loved the gory anatomical stuff. And I was pleased to find that even with the changes I still did enjoy the movie. But of course the book was better.
Aug 17, 2010
Deathmetalroze
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Apr 24, 2011
Josee
rated it:
I saw the movie first. Of course the book does not compare. Alot is missing, story wise, and the ending is quite different. I suggest reading the book. It gives you more details about the main character in his day to day life and love life.
Aug 03, 2011
Ken
rated it:
Although it has a little bit of everything - gritty action, love, irony, tons of dark humor, self-loathing, razor-sharp dialogue - what impressed me most about this near-future SF novel was that it was told in fragments. The narrator explains that he was shattered into pieces by the military so that they could reshape him into whatever they wanted, which is the shaping device for the novel. The fragments of his life are held together by a narrative voice that is established in the first line.
Jan 15, 2012
Antonia
rated it:
I found this book quite slow, although that's probably just me. the ending was unexpected. Probably wouldn't read it again but it's definately interesting
Mar 15, 2010
Persephone
rated it:
It takes a while to get into the book and a while to stay interested but once you finish, you'll be glad you persisted!
Mar 05, 2011
Travis
rated it:
I couldn't decide wither to give this three or four stars. I finally decided on four. It starts of pretty slow and jumps around a lot. It leaves you hanging in places so that it can fill in the details later which take some getting used to. But after about the half way point it started to pick up and I started to enjoy it more and that’s why I decided on four stars instead of three. If you’re willing to stick out the first half and get used to all the jumping around it’s a pretty decent read. Ho
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Mar 08, 2010
Jason
rated it:
A novel about repo men who repossess artificial organs. Bloody, violent, funny. What's not to like?
Aug 29, 2011
Ron
rated it:
Interesting idea. I don't think Garcia has the chops to make anyone care about this sociopath .
Jul 20, 2011
Invaderxchelsea
rated it: 
Credit needs to be given where credit is due. this story was story was created in 1996 not 2009
Mar 11, 2010
Eric
rated it:
Definately formed with a screenplay in mind, but what I'm keen to know is how this book ties in with 'Repo: The Genetic Opera'. Note to self - pick up another book by this author to see if he can actually write well or if this was a fluke.
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