Michael Sheppard was the best private eye in New Orleans, and then his wife left him. He finds solace in the bottle and his career in the toilet. N...
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reviews
Dec 15, 2009
Debbi
rated it: 
The science fiction and mystery genres are hardly strangers. Several authors notable in one genre have crossed into the other's territory from time-to-time. (Think sci-fi author Isaac Asimov's "Robot" series or sometime mystery author Sharyn McCrumb's Jay Omega books.) RED PLANET NOIR has the distinction of taking an old-fashioned 1940s-era private eye and placing him in the context of a post-apocalyptic Earth, in the city of New Orleans.
When we meet Mike Sheppard, he's ans More...
When we meet Mike Sheppard, he's ans More...
Dec 09, 2009
Daria
rated it:
Red Planet Noir in turn scared me and excited me. It made me cringe and wince and mutter "Oh my God" more than once as I traveled alongside Michael Sheppard, the down, but not out, Private Eye from post-apocalyptic New Orleans, hired to solve a murder on Mars. Falling into the world DB Grady created, I found it, in turn, horrifyingly believable and fantastical. The story is fast-paced and multi-faceted, and the author brings richness and depth to even the minor characters as Mike makes
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Mar 15, 2010
Marian
rated it: 
It's astounding that I liked this book, since it really is a noir mystery, with plenty of cynicism and violence, neither of which I care for at all. But I couldn't help being drawn into the world--or worlds, since the action starts on Earth and moves to Mars. Grady manages to be both timeless and futuristic. At no time could you mistake the setting for LA in the '30s, or any place but Mars at any time but the future, yet the grittiness and griminess were as real and immediate as anything set in
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Jul 29, 2011
"...I pulled on a shirt that wasn't very dirty, but smelled of Scotch and strippers, my signiture cologne...." Thus we meet our hero(?), New Orleans private dick, Mike Sheppard. This is a good old fashioned private-eye story, placed in what really is a distopian future, with a devistated Earth, and a Mars colony replete with all of the vice and corruption that made Sheppard feel right at home. Couple with this a fine, fine wit, that left me truely laughing out loud, and you have one h
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Apr 06, 2011
Jim
rated it: 
Starts out strong. Like the humor, like the pace. It plateaus (not in a bad way) quickly at a good pace, as the story begins to develop. Then the humor becomes all the same, we go places I'm not sure why we went, the story stopped developing as we do a travelogue. Then the mystery is solved and we go home.
I really like mystery based sci-fi, so had great expectations. It is a short book, so I anticipated it maintaining a very fast pace, which it started, then stopped. Could have given i More...
I really like mystery based sci-fi, so had great expectations. It is a short book, so I anticipated it maintaining a very fast pace, which it started, then stopped. Could have given i More...
Jan 03, 2010
Adrienne
rated it:
Grady's debut novel is consistently entertaining, imaginative, and witty. Though sci-fi/crime drama isn't generally a genre I read, I found the book to be well-paced and engrossing, with atmospheric imagery and believable character development. It's also hilarious and delightfully sardonic, with a sort of self-aware campiness that makes it extremely enjoyable to read.
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Nov 01, 2010
Christopher
rated it:
Good read, it is very noir, with a mystery from the start, flawed and interesting characters, twists, awesome settings, and believable bad guys and human weaknesses.
Very much looking forward to a next novel!
Very much looking forward to a next novel!
Oct 30, 2010
Janine
rated it:
This book was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so glad I read it. It has all the great elements of both a sci-fi novel and a classic detective story. And the way certain things are described really made me smile. Sometimes even giggle. They were that good. I would definitely pass on the recommendation to others.
Apr 11, 2011
Jeff
rated it: 
This is sort of like Sam Spade goes to Mars. A down on his luck gum shoe from New Orleans gets a case where he has to go to Mars to investigate the murder of the clients father which was ruled as suicide. The plot thickens and quickly involves powers from th police, Air Force, mob, and union all involved and not liking the investigation. Mars does'nt have much of an atmosphere, but this book sure did as it successfully mixed the Hardboiled P.I. Story in a SF setting. Really quite fun while a
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Mar 22, 2010
Casey
rated it:
I usually don't read sci-fi type books but I actually REALLY enjoyed this one.. I loved the characters that were brought to life and the entire book was so descriptive I could see everything in my head perfectly.
I would definitely love to read more about Michael Sheppard's interesting detective cases. I hope there are more to come! :)
I would definitely love to read more about Michael Sheppard's interesting detective cases. I hope there are more to come! :)
Jan 29, 2012
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