No Dogs in Philly

Special Sin #1

by Andy Futuro

In a futuristic Philadelphia, someone is killing blue-eyed girls and they are good. The mysterious Gaespora have contracted tough-as-nails PI Saru Solan to find a very special girl who may be host to a wrathful alien entity known as the Blue God. Saru must outwit the hunters and find their prey before she becomes just another murder victim. Armed with implants, a brain-linked pistol, and a cattle-prod, Saru must battle the servants of the Hungry God, the zombie-like elzi, and the skin-stealing feasters, in a desperate bid to save the special blue-eyed girl. If Saru fails, all of humankind may face extinction.

Genres: Cyberpunk, Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia, Fiction, Amazon

249 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 8, 2014

About the author

Dark futures. Twisted laughs. Stories you won't forget.

Andy Futuro is an acclaimed American author known for his bold, genre-bending storytelling that fuses elements of science fiction, cyberpunk, horror, noir, and absurdist fiction into something wholly unique. The creator of five riveting books—including "Rooting for the Apocalypse: A Dark Comedy" and the cult cyber-noir hit "No Dogs in Philly"—Futuro’s work is celebrated for its razor-sharp wit, immersive worlds, and unforgettable characters.

About the Author

Andy Futuro transports readers to dystopian futures and gritty cityscapes, unafraid to explore the strange, the darkly humorous, and the profoundly human.
With tales ranging from eerie mysteries told through modern text messages to epic detective sagas featuring tough protagonists and mind-bending tech, Futuro’s books are praised for their stylish prose and captivating ideas.
His writing has drawn comparisons to the likes of Phillip Marlowe, William Gibson, and even H.P. Lovecraft for his blend of noir, speculative fiction, and cosmic horror.
Whether conjuring feverish visions of future Philadelphia or crafting intimate, surreal dramas, Andy Futuro invites readers into worlds where nothing is quite as it seems—and every page holds a new surprise.

Reviews

[Tinfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

H.P. Lovecraft's Epic Cosmic Horror Melded with Gritty Cyberpunk - A Favorite Combination

In many ways, I felt transported into a CALL OF CTHULHU tabletop game campaign I had played a couple decades back - gritty cyberpunk dystopian grimness liberally interspersed with epic, cosmos reaching mystical implications... and I loved it as I do this book. And now that I see NO DOGS IN PHILLY is labeled as "Book 1", I am quite eager to see the follow ups (I was hoping it wasn't going to be left at the ending although I personally found it satisfactorily completing in a sardonic manner often found in dystopian media).

Andy Futuro has a command of description that does bring to mind H.P. Lovecraft's own literary style, especially in his later years as he reached for vaster, revealing vistas, yet with a stronger, more robust treatment of the weird, cosmic, horrific, and just plain bleak that modern readers will find far more accessible than Lovecraft's own formal narrative language of the 1920's and '30s.

There were two very specific plot jumps that seemed a tad rushed, yet it merely adds to the feel of events taking place concurrently of our anti-heroine's struggles, once again bringing forth that same sense I had during that tabletop game - the world moves on event though we may not be. Plenty of graphic gore and street darkness, profanity sprinkled throughout, and brief but not explicitly detailed sexual scenes.

-- I was provided with a physical copy of this book for review purposes. And I must commend on the physical quality of the book itself. The binding on the last handful of pages did begin to come loose as I reached the ending, yet on the whole the paper, printing, and the eye-catching cover are very well done.

[Juushika · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review copy provided by the author.

In dystopic/futuristic Philadelphia, Private Investigator Saru is tasked by a superhuman business corporation to find a young girl who carries the only weapon that can fight an encroaching eldritch enemy. No Dogs in Philly is, obviously, a busy mishmash of genres: cyberpunk, dystopian, noir, urban fantasy, and Lovecraftian--never boring, but not always successful, and no greater than the sum of these parts. Saru is such an unlikable and unconvincing* antihero that she stifles the urban fantasy/noir aspects, rendering them reiterative and joyless. But the cyberpunk dystopia meshes with the Lovecraftian to make for an engrossing, creative world which is easily the book's strength--in all its gruesome glory. I would have been sold on No Dogs in Philly were it from Ria's point of view: there's such potential in a streetsmart girl haunted by eldritch powers in the form of a guard dog, and it goes woefully unexplored; if she were the protagonist, we could dump the tiresome grizzled detective plot and still engage the book's world and themes. As it is, I admire the intent but not the effect, and don't recommend it; readers with more appetite for urban fantasy/noir aspects may have better luck.

This is self-published but adequately edited; there's some incorrect punctuation, most noticeably missing vocative commas, but nothing worse.

* This will seem like bizarre nitpicking, but: people with breasts don't constantly narrate the state of their breasts--and, more than that, they don't get gut feelings ... in their breasts. The spidey-sense "tingling tits" were so outlandish and unconvincing that I was never able to look beyond them.

[Hillary D · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first picked up this book I was a little skeptical of a great sci-fi/dystopian story that was only ~160 pages. Ones this short do not normally have enough character development for me, as I LOVE character driven stories. I was VERY mistaken. In just a quick, ~160 page read, Andy Futuro paints a wonderful character driven novel. You don't learn much about any of the characters' pasts, but in this case that was the point, and it worked beautifully. The protagonist is a strong female PI, who I found it very easy to relate to and sympathize with -- though she needs no sympathy,

As another reviewer points out, it starts off a bit hard to get into, as the language and world take a bit to catch on to, but once you do it is an AMAZING ride. The story is fast paced and not in the least bit predictable. I have found that stories that try too hard to be unpredictable also become unbelievable, and this was not the case here. Every twist and turn made sense and felt completely right.

In my opinion a good dystopian novel really makes you think, and this is one I will be thinking about for a long time.

If you are looking for a quick read with a fantastic story, engaging characters, and will you leave you thinking for quite a long time after, this is definitely a great pick.

[Michelle Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited when I got an email saying I won the giveaway. Now I'm jealous some other poor sucker didn't get it instead. It's in your face and vulgar every step of the way; the most benign things are rendered disgusting, indecent, and nausea-inducing.. The horror elements are the type that make you want to vomit instead of sending a shiver down your spine. I skimmed, to be honest; it was that or total abandonment, which is what I would have done if this was not a review copy. Even if you argued I may have missed any plot that way, my eyes still registered the icky. I can't even. I'm not registering the date read because I don't want to see this every time I check my yearly challenge. So, I finished this on March 7, 2018, if that even matters.

If you want violent, gritty cyberpunk with a strong female protagonist who just happens to be a detective, skip this mess and go watch the anime Psycho-pass. It's an abomination that this book sounds like its parallel, because No Dogs in Philly is an epic fail.

Negetive all the stars.

Book received for free through a Goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own.

[Carl Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. An imaginative blend of cyberpunk, crime noir, and the metaphysical, No Dogs in Philly is an exciting and compelling read that kept me equally entertained and intrigued. The main character, Saru Solan, is a private detective in an amped-up and wrecked-out future version of Philadelphia. She is hired by the other-dimensional Gaespora to save a blue-eyed girl who is being sought by the vampiric Feasters--and the fate of the world rests in the balance as she avoids the clutches of hordes of connected and controlled elzi, a group of cruel and efficient killers ruthlessly slaughtering all blue-eyed girls, and the numbing yet comforting music of the UausuaU that leads to oblivion.

Andy Futuro sinks you into his strange yet familiar world with the shock of a sudden dunk in cold water. Don't worry, things will resolve shortly; just accept the bizarreness of his creation and know that explanations are forthcoming. I'm appreciative of the fact that he mainly avoids infodumps (the exception is a longer conversation with the Gaespora, which really couldn't be presented contextually any other way). The plot moves along at a rapid pace, with few wasted words and a page-turning intensity.

The strength of this book is the tough-as-nails protagonist Saru. She is written with razor wit and burning intensity, and her actions and decisions are believable. Saru is one of those characters who makes an instant impression and will stick with me for a long while.

I also liked the blend of technology and the mystical. Futuro's mythos of interconnecting universes is believably rooted in both science and religion, and presented in a way that shows how different characters' perspective gives them a different view of the universe.

No Dogs in Philly is a creative and fascinating novel, both eminently satisfying and leaving me hungry for more.

Review copy kindly provided by the author.

[The Elves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Futuro’s No Dogs in Philly is a really good detective novel in the vein of Phillip Marlow and Sam Spade updated into a Cyberpunk reality. In it, the private detective Saru is hired by a corporation, possibly owned by Aliens, to track down a blue-eyed girl that is being sought after by another, possibly alien, group bent on killing her. The novel is gritty, raw and has all the elements of the old fashion detective story instilled with tech implants. It was interesting and mysterious from start to finish and Futuro’s enlivens his world with words and terms that give this futuristic world life. We highly recommend it.

The Silver Elves authors of The Elves of Lyndarys: A Magical Tale of Modern Faerie Folk.

[Hoarding Wyrm | Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 ⭐️, because the potential was absolutely there. It just had no idea what to do with it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ I downloaded it for free based on the blurb: a dark noir detective story set in a distant future where people have tech body modifications and can upload their minds to the Net, featuring a grim, world-weary detective and a woman determined to hold her own, hired by gods(?) to track down a girl with unnaturally blue eyes. That premise had so much potential. What I actually got was a graphic body horror, a heavy and largely negative fixation on sex, and a final 50 pages that had me genuinely asking “where on earth is this plot going?”.

[Sarah Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met the author at an open mic in Philly and thought, woah...what a creative genius! When I found out he wrote a book, I bought it immediately. This book is for you if you like sci-fi, mystery or distopian fantasy.

This book made me think. I typically like positive, self-helpy books but I'm glad I gave this one a shot. Get past the beginning and it's quite the page turner!

[Mike Rasbury · Rating 1 out of 5]

Billed as a Lovecraftian Cyberpunk thriller with a tough female lead, I was instantly enticed as those are three of my favourite things.

It is barely any of those things, if at all. It is apparent that Mr. Futuro has in fact read cyberpunk fiction before, but only managed to gleam its near-future dystopian setting. Hardly at all are any of the thematic hallmarks of the genre (transhumanism, the impending deterioration of society, growing ever disconnected, etc.) present.

Even when it does touch on these things, and is about to fulfill that cyberpunk promise, there is this immersion-breaking reliance on sex in a very unrealistic and immature fashion.

In what is perhaps the most rewarding description of cyberpunk life in the book (with the main character confronted for the first time in her life with real peace and quiet without the technological buzz of society, she feels equally at peace and disturbed) the writer doesn't mine any deeper, instead has her make an unwarranted and sophomoric sex joke.

Sex is certainly not without its place in cyberpunk. It can be a great way to explore societal isolation, idolatry, and the loss of both. However, it's never given that purpose here. It's always a distraction.

When the main protagonist first meets one of the major players in the story, it's built up as a tense, unnerving meeting, where she is greatly outmatched and instead of paying off that tension, the writer–through his character–muses about a bug biting up her thigh to the "money spot."

Another example sees the main character ignoring a character she doesn't trust while being led deep into the dangerous heart of the city and so of course she tunes into a TV show on her implants with men smacking each other with their penises. Although the writer refers to them as dicks. Just like breasts are always tits, and the author is preoccupied with ramming things through them.

In fact, the author seems more keen to write like a pornographer, or at least how a twelve-year old would think a pornographer would write. He also mentions that the main character's "tits" tingle around danger as if they have some innate Spidey-sense. Sorry, bud, that's not how nipples work.

The author is so mesmerized by his own juvenile, over-sexed playground that instead of using it to sell his dystopia or give the characters depth or connection with readers, it undermines both.

At one point the protagonist is gearing up to go find a missing kid, so she decides it necessary to put on her dart-launching bra.

...yeah.

What's even worse is that she has a personal aside to say that they're useless unless, essentially, she needed to seduce someone or put down a rapist. Seduction seems highly unnecessary in finding a young girl. In Futuro's over-sexed fiction, rape is a very real possibility (male ego power-trip on overdrive) but then she says she's never needed them, ever. So why waste so many words on such a juvenile concept? Because they author has such a sophomoric fascination with breasts, plain and simple. Therefore, breast darts.

Another example has the main character sharing expensive spirits with an idol of her affection and the writer delivers one of the worst inner monologues I have ever read, something to the effect of "it was like they were kissing, through scotch."

That should be all the indicator of whether the author has the maturity to treat his female protagonist as "tough."

Saru is anything but. She's fragile, petulant, rash and as immature as the author. Sure, she has the hard-living Decker ala Blade Runner (see cyberpunk Chandler) bit down. She's gruff, mean, hard-talking and harder-living, but without any redeeming qualities and no reason to connect with her. Her immaturity and propensity to just throw tantrums sees any real earnestness in her toughness completely taken out at the knee.

She's also completely useless. She doesn't solve the case, or really even make any headway in it. Everything is done for her, or given to her (more male fantasy at work).

She's entirely inept and a victim of her author's sexual fantasy, like a dirty, horny princess in another castle. When she's finally let out of that castle she becomes the man-in-skirt stereotype, as if a few cuss words, a quick trigger finger and being the desire of the entire opposite sex is what makes a character tough. The only heroic payoff Saru gets is in the final pages, and even then she's a victim that needs rescuing.

The Lovecraftian analogies are actually quite well done, and are a wonderful translation to the setting. They even gave the author ample ways to pay off his libido-driven narrative, but none of that comes until the final chapter and even then fails to capitalize.

And while the immensity of the forces feel very Lovecraftian and are at times clever, they lack other Lovecraftian hallmarks like the claustrophobia and paranoia; a refined brand of horror. They're too busy being drowned out by the inner hopes of character sexcapades.

All in all, it's almost as if the author decided upon a book based on the tag line "Lovecraftian-cyberpunk thriller with a tough female lead," and then just did the most superficial genre sweep of them, leaving key thematic and stylistic parts behind. Then again, I'm not sure Mr. Futuro has the patience and emotional maturity to do them justice.

The sad thing is, there are some great ideas and concepts buried here. However, the obsession with disturbing all of those good elements simply to make a juvenile sex joke, and a real lack of understanding how to write a novel, create characters, develop tension, how to plot and how to give each payoff (there is virtually no payoff for any character or idea in the book) those few good concepts are completely lost.

If the author were to mature greatly, work on his craft, and learn to create drama, emotional investment and give both resolution, I feel he probably could deliver a cracking story that lives up to the tag line. It's obvious he's got plenty of ideas on what horrors the near-future holds. As it is now, it's all drowned out in cacophonous, middle-schooler sex jokes and terribly misogynistic concepts of female heroism.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't let the doe-eyed woman on the cover fool you. That's Saru. She'll use that cattle prod on you if you mess with her. While not evident from the cover, she's enhanced with all the doodads that cyberpunk fans would expect of a near future sci-fi heroine. She's connected to the Net 24/7; has a pistol named "Betty" up her sleeve ready to go when adrenaline, pulse rate, and subconscious thought reach a critical threshold; and everything's subdermal. But just as her soft exterior belies the bad ass that she is, her gender hides the fact that she's more macho than most men, certainly the other male characters in the story. She could be Mike Hammer's granddaughter, though with less rage and more cynicism.

I get that she has to be tough. Her world is full of creeps and creepy things. But the hard-boiled persona has its limitations. While Hammer was out for justice, Saru only seems to be out for herself. People can sympathize with vigilantes, not so much the obnoxious brats just looking for a payday. It takes a lot of death before any kind of humanity breaks through the concrete barrier surrounding her heart. Even when it does, I wasn't convinced that she was going to carry through on her promise to set things right.

Futuro's Philadelphia is a complex place with enhanced humans, aliens, and monsters. The aliens and monsters would be right at home in Lovecraft's universe. But whereas Lovecraft's unthinkable creations lurked in the shadows and faraway places, Futuro's creations are out in the open. Considering the obvious menace that some of them pose, I'm surprised that there wasn't more panic among the populace. The elzi seem to be former people that were exposed to dark forces which devolved them into sub-human animals with tech sticking out of their bodies and great appetite (hence the book's title). Sure, there are even worse things lurking underground, but the elzi are out on Broad Street in broad daylight. The city seems to function; why not round them up or put them down?

Futuro is at his best when he taps into that Lovecraft vibe. He reaches out to the infinite and shows how it overwhelms a human mind. There's the plea from a desperate soul that we have to hope that the old, hungry god ignores our world. But it's the elements of indescribable horrors lurking in the dark that do unspeakable things that really fires things up. My favorite part was when Ria took shelter from the rain in a subway tunnel. It was already a tense scene as she sat with a few homeless people around a trash fire while dozens of satiated elzi slept nearby. Will they stay asleep? What if one of them needs a midnight snack? And then there's a rumble that wakes up the elzi, and they scatter. The people start to panic. What could drive an elzi to run away? Then Futuro reveals what that thing is.

Unfortunately, my experience was marred by comma problems (missing or too many) and run on sentences. Sometimes it seemed as if Futuro tried to cram as many adjectives and phrases as possible. These two sentences lack any form of punctuation:

We live as we can can as thoughts within your kind and through thought we drive action and with action we bring your world closer to our own.

She could pound a liter of vodka and walk a line and thread a needle and she remembered exactly what had happened.

Here's an example of a sentence that goes on far too long given its limited punctuation:

She'd tried wearing sunglasses to complete her disguise, but with the clouds and the dark she couldn't see shit, kept stepping in it and glass and syringes and tripping and potholes and the last time she'd had a condom dragging from her heel for about four blocks until the cashier at the liquor store pointed it out by yelling in his angry foreigner language.

While there are more examples, it's not like the whole book is like this. Most of the time, Futuro gets it right. If he had hired a proofreader, I believe that the manuscript would've been much cleaner. If commas and long sentences like these don't bother you, then don't sweat it. Just enjoy the story.

While it might seem from my complaints about grammar and the unsympathetic protagonist that I didn't like the story, that isn't the case. I really enjoyed it. Futuro nicely blends cyberpunk and Lovecraftian horror together in a bleak, near future Philadelphia. While his protagonist is about as warm and cuddly as 80 grit sandpaper, she adds a hard-boiled detective element into the mix that works well given the story's setting and plot.

This review originally appeared on the New Podler Review of Books. A free copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

[Anja Peerdeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelous cyberpunk science fiction story !

I really enjoyed this novel. My dad raised me with reading classic science fiction, but Andy Futuro takes scifi to a whole new level.

The main character Saru was the only character I was sure of, I could not trust any other character in this story. Futuro wrote that magnificently, how someone you relied on for so long has been somebody else all along, with a totally different agenda.

Wil definitely continue with book 2 !

[Keith Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, seriously.

When I first saw a book labelled a ‘Cyberpunk horror noir’, I thought it sounded overstuffed, and in a way it is - but appropriately so. When the setting is a disturbing future Philadelphia, where any and every vice, immoral act, or indulgence is possible and purchasable, it feels fitting that it is jam packed. It’s sort of like opening a webpage to a hijacker virus that takes you to three new tabs of ads and racy websites - that’s sort of the vibe, and it fits with the loud flashing technology and roaring advertisements of this future Philly. The city itself feels like a character of shady disposition and questionable motivations - the man in the trench coat waiting in a dark alley, poised to reveal himself and his ill-gotten merchandise. If you know anything about actual Philly - specifically Kensington Avenue, this version of Philly seems like a reasonable future rendition where greed and technology have fully consumed humanity.

Then there is Saru, a character that feels slimy and immoral and stuck in survival mode. She reminds me slightly of Cormoran Strike (Rowling/Galbraith’s detective) or Mikael Blomkvist (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) or Sal the Cacophany (Seven Blades in Black’s anti-hero). I’m also reminded, both in the world and the main character, of Altered Carbon.

Saru is a well fleshed-out and consistent, but not exactly likable - which is obviously intentional: she’s fun to read/watch just like all those listed above, but at the same time you recognize they’re not really a good person. It is my personal, and as yet unfounded, opinion that this is intentional in order to allow for certain character growth and plot arc.

The story itself is incredibly well thought-out and the universe that the book inhabits is very intriguing. I hit the end of the book and wanted to know much more (I will begin reading Cloud Country soon). It doesn’t feel rushed, it feels well outlined and thought out. The writing itself is -superb- a unique voice, a delicate balance of serious and depravity and lack-of-care-fun. Two funny and clever lines that stuck out to me: a bloody handprint being described as a “wet red turkey”, a smell being described as “orangutan nutsack” - there’s a reason to read the book right there.

I could see how reading it weekly as a serial would render the pacing slightly off, but that it’s all posted now and available so it flows quite nicely. The science and technology of the book is fascinating and thorough. Something I commented on one chapter was that various tech is introduced throughout the book but, in a Black-Mirror-type way, the tech is often shown to have flaws/exploits/limits/and moral questions.

Finally, one more thing I wanted to say is that I was very impressed with the way in which opposing sides are depicted or argued for. There are moments where I agree with, or can see the convincing nature of, each “factions” argument (I say faction to avoid mild spoilers).

[Teresa Vogt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The world needs Dogs and Gods..without a God you can't have good vs evil, without a pet you have to face it alone.

This review is from: No Dogs in Philly: A Lovecraftian Cyberpunk Noir (Special Sin Book 1) (Kindle Edition)

I was asked by a young man named Andy to read his book.. Being the Mom of a Drew myself I couldn't quite say no. I also joked with him that it would be a sad world without dogs, but ours is a feline house hold. I have read Steam Punk, some in between things like the Bookworm that also kind of is fantasy land included. I have read everything from serial killer hunter to erotic fantasy and never found more then 2-3 books that to me were a waste of paper, ink and glue or someone's typing skills.
This tale is a little off center then I expected, and so I backed up and started again and really took my time.. The END Not what I would have guessed in ~ well a thousand years. It keeps you hooked and the complexity makes you go slower to catch it all.. and sad to say there aren't enough dogs in Philly.. Cats either.. but there is a step back and disconnect from technology that we all crave at some point, unless you are like the Andrews I have come to know.. mine couldn't last a day if the power and his battery was out without a major meltdown and possibly his first adult hissy fit..
Take your time. Think of our world, then think of this one with aliens, religion and private eye and almost a Al Capone plot twist. It may make a believer out of you..if not you won't be bored, It is a techie book that is why this 52 yr old took her time..Come on give me a break I have a 33 yr old geek squad I can call on at 3 am and not have a service fee other then feeding him...
As a retired nurse I'd almost like to see some of the implants, but I also think that having a body that works is actually a miracle in and of itself, so I'm not sure I'd spend for the upgrades..but I'd pay for a Dog or a Cat in a heartbeat.
It's fiction, it's not supposed to be real life, it's just supposed to stimulate your brain and make you think. On that..it did a superb job..and when you are finished if it leaves you still thinking about it...it's a successful book, in my book... Thank You Andy, for pointing out something I probably wouldn't have gone looking for on my own..and that would have been my loss.

[Grant Leishman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me just say, in prefacing this review, that this particular book is so, so, far out of my reading comfort zone, that the three stars I allocated ut indicates a good read. I'm not denigrating the style or genre in any way, it is just so not what I would normally read, however, that being said, I did enjoy the novel, despite the ridiculously long title, no doubt designed to get higher rankings in searches. .

I'll admit to being fairly old-school when it comes to genres. Until recently I had no idea even what dystopian was, let alone cyberpunk or one word used here in the title Lovecraftian, which is still very much a mystery to me. Okay, I'm on a learning curve and at least, I know what dystopian means now. This particular book is described as dystopian, cyberpunk and Lovecraftian story. To me, it was a futuristic fantasy, but as I said, I'm not up to speed with all these new-fangled terms for the differing genres. Anyway, it's fair to say, this particular genre is not my cup of tea, sorry!

The book is well written, well edited and although fairly short, did take me some time to read. I suspect that was more the difficulty I was having coming to grips with some of the concepts Futuro was introducing in the story. The writing is good enough to ensure that even I struggled with the concept, I was still able to identify with, admire and enjoy the lead character, Saru.

Set in a dystopian Philadelphia; Saru, a kick-ass, female PI is as strong a female lead character as I've read in recent times and I dud enjoy her laid-back, don't give a sh*t attitude to all the cr*p that was happening around her. I think she was well written and for me lifted the book above my initial expectations.

Futuro does, in this book take a swipe at many of our current-day obsessions with instant gratification and electronic aids and it appears does hark for a simpler, less technological time. I did enjoy the Author's attempt to address that age-old question; what are we here for?

There is a lot to recommend No Dogs in Philly. If this is your genre, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. The writing is crisp, clear and the author does use the story to tackle current moral and societal dilemmas. I liked the book, rather than loved it, but that doesn't mean it's not worth a read.

[Rich Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sci-fi, fantasy, horror paints bleak future for humanity. Yet despite it's dark themes (I normally like things with a much lighter tone) I genuinely enjoys this book. Their is a compelling lore which unfolds throughout the story, serving to give some insight into the larger universe this story takes place in.

At a first glance, there seems to be very few redeeming qualities about the main character Saru; ill tempered, detached, selfish (which is not surprising given the world's setting). But Futuro does a great job of exposing the spark of humanity hidden inside that she desperately tries to conceal from the world.

The villain at the heart of the story is the stuff of nightmares. A monstrous force that has found our world of nihilistic internet junkies a convenient place to thrive. It's motives, simple. It's threat, very real. At first I was confused as to why Futuro would choose such a irate and undiplomatic character as Saru as the main vehicle for the story. But if the abyss starts to stare into your soul you would have to be tough as nails to not be consumed by it.

My only criticism is that the ending seemed out of place with the rest of the book. There are some allusions and foreshadowing as to what might take place, but the tone of the story goes from sci-fi horror to action packed hollywood blockbuster very quickly. Not that I don't love me an epic over the top action braw to settle differences of opinion.

Overall, Futuro uses our modern day, constantly connected internet culture, to create unique and terrifying world where instant self gratification prevents humans from seeing the big picture. Yet there are brief glimpses of hope that not only is it possible to save the future, but that it's worth saving.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creeped Out  
[spoiler]
I picked up a copy for free on Amazon.  This book has more than 50 reviews, many quite positive. It's the author's only Amazon entry and the first of a series.
 
It lives up to its claim of being Lovecraftian cyberpunk noir. The detective noir is well realized, the cyberpunk, appropriate. As for the Lovecraftian bits … well, they creeped me out.
 
Our heroine, Saru, like many noir detectives, makes steady use of whatever alcohol she carries or comes across. She thinks this makes it more difficult to hack her implants. But it doesn't work. She's prone to odd blackouts and dysphoria. But that's understandable. What's attacking her is not of this world, and it wants to incorporate her, along with the multitude it already has.
 
This dismal dystopian story is creepier than a Bosch Hell and as conventional as psychotic delusions:
 

"Looking at his kindly old Santa Claus face it was almost impossible to imagine that he had just shot wires into her neck and sucked out her blood, that he was talking to her above a pit full of thousands of bodies in front of the cathedral of an alien death cult … "

 
If you like this sort of thing, you'll probably enjoy this book. SPOILER ALERT: It doesn't end like a detective story but in a literal Deus Ex Machina.
[/spoiler]
 

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Dogs in Philly cannot be contained within one genre. It's a dystopian, detective, adventure, supernatural, graphic novel all rolled into one. In my opinion it is also reminiscent of noir, in that the style and language Andy Futuro writes in reminds me of the film noir detective movies of the 1940's.

The story follows a young woman named Saru who is a private detective (or mercenary?) hired to find a missing girl. The cast of characters is diverse as is the environment in which they live. I would have preferred a little more background on the actual characters. More so a background of the different types of "people" and how they became what they are.

I enjoyed the prose Futuro writes in and the unique story. The story is dark and gritty and the world in which Saru lives is well developed. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, was the ending. I didn't care for it. I love dystopian novels, but my personal preference does not include metaphysical or supernatural tones, which "No Dogs" has. If that appeals to you, then I'd definitely recommend the book. Even if it doesn't read it anyway, you may find you like it.

I received an autographed copy of the book in an author giveaway and did enjoy reading something quite different.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay Futuristic Crime Noir Fantasy Set in Philadelphia

Author Andy Futuro, when asking me to read his self-published novel, “No Dogs In Philly”, said it was cyberpunk, comparable to anything written by William Gibson. No it isn’t, and nor is it worthy of comparison with Gibson’s work. Instead, it is much more a Philip K. Dick-like fantasy novel combined with classic 20th Century American crime noir, and one that isn’t nearly as memorable as the best from Dick. Futuro introduces readers to a near future Philadelphia ruled by the mysterious Gaespora where down on her luck female detective Saru accepts a case she cannot refuse. While I admire Futuro’s pacing and, at times, his writing, his world building, plot and characters aren’t as memorable as those from Robert Jackson Bennett, the author of “City of Stairs” that may be the great fantasy novel of 2014, or China Mieville (“The City and The City”, “Kraken”). Still, there is enough here that may interest some readers, and I wish Futuro well in perfecting his literary craft, striving to create fiction as memorable as those I have cited.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tough-as-nails PI heroine traverses a dystopian Philadelphia, searching for a blue-eyed girl with a dog that may or may not be a god's avatar. The story is as gritty and deep and dense as our heroine Saru is bad-ass - she's constantly connected to the net, has internal body modifications that can detect poisons, a gun named Betty up her sleeve, and no lack of compulsion to knock out anyone who gets in her way. She's not a very likable person (witness when she tells a potential victim that she'll be safe because she's a nobody - and then returns to find said victim's still warm body), but that's not the point. Saru gets shit done. Sometimes with finesse, but mostly with an electric prod.

I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to more by the author.

[VANGLUSS · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Found the MC unlikable at times.
+ Unconventional plotline and characters for a cyberpunk novel (A good thing)
- Needed some more explanation of the world and its lore (Example: I only have a vague idea of what an Elzi is, how they function, or what they look like)
+ Very gritty stuff
+ The horrfying moments are actually horrifying
- Characters backgrounds needed more meat (Example: Ria and Saru despite being very important)
+ Good knowledge of Philly landmarks and locations

[Sheila Paigly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.

No Dogs in Philly is a sci fi, horror, detective novel. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It was short enough that I read it all in one day, even if it did mean I stayed up late reading. I highly recommend this novel for anyone who is looking for something a little different to read.

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book for free in a goodreads giveaway and it was worth the price. I did not find it especially Lovecraftian, Cyberpunk, or Noir but I read No Dogs in Philly nonetheless. It seems more suited to people who enjoy horror movies like Saw, than to readers who appreciate atmospheric writing and character development.

[Heloise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book even though I'm usually not a sci-fi fan. Andy's way of writing is very stylish and the story catches you immediately. I've found the ending too abrupt but I liked the book as a whole.

[nicholas winney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do I receommend this to anyone that loves sc fi, and ultra vivid gory violent tech noir dystopian metaphysical mind bending weirdness and clever weapons and gadgets in every orifice? ABSOLUTELY.

This Novel is something I found surpringly challenging, the deeper into it I got. The opening scenes are alive with classic tech noir cyber punk excitement. A vivid dystopian world, larger than life characters glistening with greed and bloodstains, bristling with nonchalent weapons and violence and crazy future tech. It lets you feel like you're going to know where it's going...there's shadowy factions, a mystery, murders and Saru is a familiar gun for hire lone anti hero - she's going to kick everything's ass, but somewhere inside there is still a good heart, almost? She's nasty enough to feel right for the dangerous world that we are dropped in.

Mr F. ladles on the descriptive colourful characters and prose and keeps up this style and pace for the first 50% of the book without stopping for breath, and then it begins to transmute into something strange...something very strange. It's obvious by the end that this is not the end, which was a huge relief, because I was begining to have to re read chapters because my mind was like - WHAT IS GOING ON. the latter parts of the book stretch out and time distorts to a freakazoid battle sequence which will have your eyebrows permantely raised and a frown of WTF ploughed deep into your forehead.

I'm sure that, knowing Mr Futuro's writing as I do (of late) there will be reasons for everything he's writing and I will be getting into book two soon in order to find out more.

As I always try to be objective and say both good and not so good for me on any review I think I need to set this out - despite my overwhelming admiration for the novel there was one thing that did grind me to a stop - this is the (for me) hard to pronounce palindromic devices throughout the book - palindromes - things which read the same backward as forwards - there has to be a deeper meaning for this to be revealed- However, I found myself stopping to try and say these things out loud myself to get right in my mind what these things were - it's strangely important for me to know the name of things and characters in order to get a grip on them- not something I realised in myself until reading this book!

Anyway, this effect was to such an extent where I was reading the last sections of the book at a spa retreat, by the pool, and found myself chanting something like oowah-oozu-wah-oowah oozu-wah.... over and over again faster and faster and asking myself - is that right? - and getting some stares I can tell you! - Maybe this is his cunning plan - and it's amusing in retrospect, but at the time, and in several places, it was a struggle to pronounce these things, and it made it difficult for me to latch a clear identity to things. Weird eh? Maybe it is just me! Thankfully, no evil entities were summoned by the chanting. Just strange looks.

Anyway - a small and intriguing niggle aside, the emergence of very strange beings and powers and factions and the concepts behind them is not like anything I have ever read, and it is hard to know who or what is "fighting for good" (or if objective good exists anymore in that world) because they all sell a good shtick- it feels like even Saru might not be fighting for good sometimes - who knows! it's a mystery that I really want to get to the bottom of, that is for sure!

Can I compare it to any other writer? Maybe Charles Stross - and that can only be a good thing.

[astaliegurec · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for Science Fiction when I ran across Andy Futuro's "No Dogs in Philly: A Cyberpunk Noir (Special Sin Book 1)" while the Kindle version was free. So, I grabbed a copy. Unfortunately, the book belongs far more in the Horror genre than in Science Fiction. So, take this review with a grain of salt since the book is of a type I generally dislike. As to the story, itself, I flat-out do not like the protagonist. Heck, I don't like a single character in the whole thing. Every one of them, protagonist, victim, secondary characters, tertiary characters, etc. is a walking collection of low-life, foul-mouthed, chemical-abusing, deviant sex focused, violence crazed, endocrine glands. None of them, including the protagonist, thinks at all. So, the book has no direction. Essentially, it consists of the protagonist thrashing about until she happens upon things, interspersed with lots and lots of nastiness, until we get to the end and a deus ex machina closes some things off in a non-satisfying way. Now, why am I rating the book at a Pretty Bad 2 stars out of 5 instead of all the way down at a Terrible 1 star out of 5? Simply because, as I noted at the beginning of this review, this genre is not mine. I suppose if you actually like Horror books, this one's possibly well done. There's not all that much wrong with it a technical level. It's just the story, itself, that I don't like. So, if you want a Horror book, give this one a chance (and right now, the Kindle version is free). If Horror isn't something you like, then steer clear.

[Kenneth Harrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andy Futuro’s “No Dogs in Philly” is a gripping journey into a dystopian cyberpunk landscape, that seamlessly blends gritty noir with chilling sci-fi horror. From the moment you open the book, it pulls you into an immersive futuristic Philadelphia teeming with dark secrets, alien mysteries, and god-like beings.

The story follows Saru Solan, a hardened, streetwise, tough as nails private investigator armed with advanced implants, a brain-linked pistol, and a razor-sharp wit, as she races against time to locate a girl connected to an entity known as the Blue God. Saru’s journey through the city’s neon-soaked alleys and shadowy depths is fraught with relentless foes, strange associates, and hostile adversaries, including a host of monstrous beings known as the Elzi and the even more terrifying feasters. This environment creates a pulse-pounding narrative that keeps you on edge with the turn of every page.

What sets No Dogs in Philly apart is Futuro’s astonishing world-building and the vivid, haunting atmosphere he weaves. The cityscape pulses with both life and death, chilling, beautiful, haunting, dreamlike, and unforgettable all simultaneously etched into the mind of the reader with an almost hallucinatory clarity. Futuro’s exploration of cyberpunk horrors and the unsettling philosophical undertones surrounding humanity’s declining status resonate long after the final chapter, leaving a profound and lasting mental impact.

Not since Richard Paul Russo’s Destroying Angel have I encountered a narrative so compelling, so alive with intrigue and imagination. For fans of dystopian cyberpunk thrillers, relentless protagonists, and wholly unique worlds that challenge the boundaries of the reader’s sanity, “No Dogs in Philly” is an unmissable masterpiece.

[M. Majeris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hook #1 — The Subtitle

What caught my eye on No Dogs in Philly was it’s subtitle on Amazon:

“A Cyberpunk Horror Noir”

It’s like having a tasting menu consisting of your three favorite dishes.

Fucking sign me right fucking now!

Hook #2 — The Cover

Check this cover out. I mean, if this is not the coolest cover art ever, I don’t know what is.



I bet the book went through several versions of it, as evidenced by a pretty meh one that’s still up on Goodreads, but the one above is rad af, and it gets even better once you’re through.

Hook #3 — Genre Fusion

For me—a hopeless Cyberpunk junkie—the narrative pushes all the right buttons right from the start. You can tell it’s a Cyberpunk story right away. It pulls you in, gets you hooked, and then it starts introducing horror elements gradually.

The raw, gritty, body-mod infused action is augmented with mysterious, mightily fucked up anatomical horror, until you don’t know what exactly it is that you’re reading, but still enjoying the shit out of it.

There are good books out there where you kinda know where it’s going. No Dogs in Philly is not one of those. I honestly didn’t know which way it’s going to go, until the very end.

Hook #4 — New Spin on Paranormal

Exploring divine influences in sci-fi is not new. What sets No Dogs in Philly apart, is how casually it is woven into the narrative. There’s a casual, reasonable, even sciency explanation for gods, which works as another dimension to the story.

The Verdict

Shut up. I’m off to read the sequel: Cloud Country: An Epic Sci-Fi Fantasy Thriller

[Sarah Karasek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need the next book so bad! This book is packed with fantastic one-liners. I'd watch the action movie. The world is really well developed; at one point I found myself thinking, "Wow, that sounds just like Philly" only to suddenly remember this is taking place in some futuristic cyber Philly. Futuro just drops you in and lets you figure out the Net and all the tech that comes with it. I could not get enough of the main character, Saru! She doesn't have any of the "strong female protagonist" stereotype pitfalls that I see so often in books like these. She's deeply flawed, highly badass, and so human I could liken her to a tall tale. I found myself really rooting Ria, a secondary character, as well. She seems so defenseless at first that I just wanted to protect her, and then... no spoilers here.

Highly recommend! I want everyone to read this so we can all talk about it! Be prepared for a lot of death and gore, though.

[Benjamin Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Disclosure: I received my copy of this book for free in a Goodreads giveaway)

No Dogs in Philly is a mostly solid story mixing detective noir, cyberpunk, and lovecraftian horror. Private investigator Saru is hired to track down Ria, a young woman haunted by visions of a phantasmal dog, who is being pursued by the servants of a malign god. The plot was compelling, but I felt it had some significant issues at certain points: not enough exposition about certain aspects of the world at the beginning, and not enough interaction between Saru and Ria before the end. Still, despite these flaws, I enjoyed the book for the most part, and would be interested in reading a sequel.

I wrote a full-length spoiler review for my blog; you can read it at Prof Morbius Book Reviews.

[Greenlamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cyberpunk novel is riveting, blending the rich cyberpunk atmosphere of Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash and the otherworldly mythology of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. It is woven deftly, immersing the reader effortlessly in the rich worldbuilding scene of a grim cyberpunk city sprawl, but at the same time introducing deeply philosophical concepts and metaphysical beings, setting the backdrop for the narrative.

Amid the thrill of the chase, the mounting horror as each layer is peeled like skin being flayed, the sheer breadth of vocabulary paints the picture with just the right hue and the atmosphere is so thick, it suffuses every part of the story. I am so creeped out, intrigued, and mind blown at the same time, that I want to read on hungrily and yet yeet the book out the window.

It's a multi layered cake, whipped together with the deftness of a master.