Empire State is a complex, twisting, genre-mixing novel that combines aspects of noir, speculative fiction and hardboiled detective stories into a satisfying mélange.
At the heart of the story is a detective, Rad Bradley, who is looking for a woman and on the trail of a murderer. His search for answers reveals truths about the nature of the Empire State, his home and all that he knows, and opens more questions as well. Rad is a child of the private eye genre, and seems perfectly placed in the rainy shadowy streets of the Empire State. His strong moral drive and mixture with personal issues create a character worth rooting for and fun to watch.
These revelations occur in a world of robots, superheroes, alternate dimensions, cults and doppelgangers. The mysteries are not just on Rad’s scale, but are global and encompass and threaten the entire Empire State. The details of the ultimate secret are dense, and do create a slowing of the story as they are laid out for Rad. In addition, the multiple twists and layers of mystery require a dedicated reading to completely enjoy the work of the author.
That being said, the book’s overall pace and quick, and you’ll find yourself turning the pages, searching for answers. No more details in this review. Go get the book. If you like any of the genres this book leans on, or simply enjoy a well told tale, check out this bright debut novel.
