Liquid Cool: The Cyberpunk Detective Series

Liquid Cool, Book 1

De: Austin Dragon

Narrado por: Shamaan Casey

The sci-fi detective thriller gets cool...Liquid Cool!

Liquid Cool is the action-packed (and funny) first book in this cyberpunk detective series.

Meet Cruz — a private detective with a cool hat, laser gun, and attitude. But don’t touch his red hovercar — or you could get shot!

Science fiction and crime fiction blend in the high-tech, low-life world of Liquid Cool as Cruz faces off against neon gangsters, sinister cyborgs, corporate samurai soldiers, and laser-gun shootouts solving cases in the rainy supercity of Metropolis. It isn’t a bad place, but it isn’t a good one either.

Uber-governments and megacorporations fight for control of the supercity, but so does crime. It's here we meet our unlikely hero in this supercity of a million victims and perpetrators.

In the novel that started it all, author Austin Dragon shows why you never want to meet a cyborg in a dark alley.

Download Liquid Cool today and begin your action-filled and funny sci-fi detective adventure with Cruz and company!

©2016 Austin Dragon (P)2024 Austin Dragon

Action-packed Cyberpunk Mystery

Liquid Cool is an immersive cyberpunk adventure that masterfully blends film noir-style detective work with futuristic, dystopian storytelling. Author Austin Dragon crafts a vivid world filled with neon-lit skyscrapers, hovering vehicles, and a society dominated by advanced technology. The story follows private investigator Cruz, who is hired to solve a missing person’s case. As he investigates, he uncovers a web of conspiracies involving megacorporations, ruthless criminals, and a mysterious figure known only as “the Big Guy.” The investigation takes him through the city’s dangerous underworld, and he encounters an array of colorful characters, from femme fatales to eccentric inventors, each adding to the layered and unpredictable storyline. The novel nicely balances fast-paced action, mystery, and dark comedy, making for a very entertaining read.

Dragon’s descriptive world-building is one of the highlights of this book, as the futuristic mega cityscape comes vividly to life with its non-stop buzz of activity and rainy atmosphere. There’s a lot to unpack in this futuristic world, with its advanced technology and gritty characters. It should be noted that this book does require a significant amount of attention to detail due to the sheer volume of information presented. If you’re listening to the audiobook, be sure to listen at a slower speed to fully appreciate/grasp all of the extensive worldbuilding. On the positive side, the book’s short chapters and straightforward writing style allow it to be read faster than expected for its length.

The book is also full of unique, memorable characters. Protagonist Cruz is a very likable genius detective, and his detective work includes some ridiculous scenarios that add humor and intrigue to the story. Many of Cruz's friends are flawed, shady characters that readers will find crass and unlikeable—but they all have larger-than-life personas that add entertainment value to the story. The overall narrative of the story is driven by Cruz, with a lot of accompanying action and engaging dialogue that pulls the story together.

The story begins as a mystery after an explosive shootout at Joe Blow’s bar. Soon after, the story shifts to Mr. Cruz and his effort to set up a detective agency. The two storylines don’t come together until late into the story, so readers will have to be patient, but there is a satisfying resolution of how everything ties together. Cruz’s initial case of the murder of “Easy Chair Charlie” is solved quickly, and other cases come his way after word spreads that he is in the detective business. The book, at times, feels like a series of short stories of Cruz solving different cases with new characters introduced in each.

One critique of the novel could be its overwhelming cast of characters. At the beginning of the book, almost every chapter introduces someone new, and it becomes difficult to keep track of everyone or to understand the connections between them. The first three chapters are told in the 3rd person, focusing on different characters. In the 4th chapter, readers discover that these are side characters as the perspective switches to the 1st person POV of the protagonist, Mr. Cruz. On the positive side, there is more clarity later in the novel, and the complex interconnectivity of the characters becomes very intriguing. The author’s ambitious attempt at creating a sprawling, interconnected world is very evident, but the lack of focus on a central cast early on may have readers wanting a more cohesive narrative.

In summary, Liquid Cool is a great option in the cyberpunk genre, offering a refreshing take on classic noir tropes with a futuristic twist. The abundance of characters make it challenging at times, but readers who are patient will find it a very satisfying story by the end. Narrator Shamaan Casey does a fantastic job portraying the characters with distinct voices and brings the complex dystopian world vividly to life. If an action-packed detective storyline set in an expansive dystopian world sounds interesting, don’t hesitate to add this book to your reading list. The 2nd and 3rd books in the series, Blade Gunner and NeuroDancer, are currently available as physical copies, so you can quickly devour the entire series!

🎤Narrator Performance🎤

Narrator Shamaan Casey does an excellent job narrating this audiobook. Casey uses a strong, commanding voice to narrate the central narrative, wonderfully describing the expansive world-building in the story. This book has a large cast of characters, and Casey masterfully uses his vocal talent to provide unique voices, personalities, and pacing for the characters, matching the demeanor and grittiness of each and giving the audiobook the feel of a multicast listening experience.

Energetic, cyberpunk thriller

Liquid Cool by Austin Dragon is a fun, energetic, cyberpunk detective story. Shaman Casey is a fantastic narrator the story is entertaining, interesting, humorous, thrilling, and engaging. Cruz is a private detective who works in the wrong part of the city. Things are not always what they seem.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review

A Cyberpunk Procedural with loads of humor

“Liquid Cool”, authored by Austin Dragon and narrated by Shamaan Casey is a cyberpunk techno-thriller which combines aspects of a solid noir procedural tale along with plenty of humor. The listener is presented with all the fun and guns of cyberpunk action alongside the gritty and grimy parts of a darker detective story. At just under twelve hours, there is quite a bit of professionally narrated entertainment for your Audible credit. If you are a fan of either cyberpunk or detective novels, I think you will find something to like in this audiobook. Although the author has written over thirty books, it appears this is his first Audiobook release on Audible. I have to say that he has selected one of my favorite narrators to tell the story, and I’m glad he did.

The author did a wonderful job of presenting a world where automation is everywhere and, in many ways, it is quite socialistic in its views. I liked the term used to describe the atmosphere as, “ordered chaos of lawlessness”. Here we begin to see and learn about our main character whose purpose in life appears to be someone who wants to make a difference in a world that desperately needs change. Much of the population is down and out having to work in mundane jobs (if they can find one), or they are on the streets selling what they can just to get by. All while some of the corporations that are controlling everything from the law, corruption, and much more lead lavish lives in the penthouses. In this dismal world, one man wants to bring change and help those who cannot fight for themselves. I think this was the main reason that helped me to connect with the character.

All of this is happening when the main character has problems of his own. Meeting his girlfriend’s parents, being of a different social class, etc. Overall, the story was enjoyable with a few things that seemed to stick out to me. I thought the author took too long to ramp up the story. It was a bit slow of a start, but as things got moving, it really fell into place. Second, sarcasm and humor flowed rather freely, and I would have like to of had it more sprinkled in and be a moment when used instead of the norm. There were sometimes when I had to laugh out loud to a given situation, name, or reference, but again, I would have liked to have had these appear less frequently. More balance of action to humor would have been my preference. There were times I felt I was watching a Blade Runner movie which then pivoted to Saturday Night Live.

With that said, I liked the cleverness and smartness of the main character. Not just street smart, but mechanical and intellectual as well. Here I thought there was a good balance. A likeable character who struggles with life’s events yet wants to help the commoner at the same time. This consistency is maintained throughout the story, even when he gets thrown into things he never saw coming. This is when the tale begins to get more compelling and enjoyable. Even as pressure of the role became stronger, we still see the humor run freely. I would have enjoyed a more dark and seedier story as things progressed.

About the audiobook’s narration, Shamaan Casey is a veteran narrator who knows how to bring the listener in with his smooth and deep voice. Such a voice helps to set the scene of our dank and dreary world where the story takes place. Each of the characters are voiced correctly and consistently. The audio quality is professional, and I do not recall any artifacts such as pops, clicks, or background noise. I have enjoyed Mr. Casey’s narration of other audiobook series and would like to see him continue this series as well. A great job on the narration from every aspect.

For parents and younger listeners, please be aware that this story contains some mature themes around alcohol, drug use, gangs, and “pleasure found around every corner”; as the author says. These topics are not heavily focused on, but they are in the story none the less. I would not recommend this audiobook to younger listeners even with the amount of humor used.

In summary, it is a solid procedural that takes some time to ramp up. The narration is solid and professional as I would expect from Mr. Casey. The use of humor may have been a bit over the top, but I believe the author intended the story to have a light-hearted feel in many ways. Overall I enjoyed it and look forward to seeing how the author will progress things in the next audiobook in the series.

A Neon Noir Adventure

When I hit play on Liquid Cool by Austin Dragon, narrated by the phenomenal Shamaan Casey, I wasn't quite prepared for the electrifying dive into Metropolis—a rain-drenched supercity where gangsters, cyborgs, and corporate chaos create a vibrant yet dangerous playground.

From the moment Cruz, our private detective with an impeccable fashion sense (seriously, the noir-detective-like bit with the hat), stepped into the spotlight, I was hooked. This book has a cinematic quality that transported me right into the heart of its chaotic, neon-lit streets. It was like I could feel and hear the rain soaking through every word.

The story had me riveted. I found myself constantly asking, "How is this all going to end up?" With every twist, shootout, and unlikely encounter, I was kept guessing until the very last page (or, well, chapter, since I was happily immersed in the audiobook).

Dragon's ability to weave humor into high-stakes moments was impressive. Cruz's dry wit in the face of danger, whether dealing with cyborgs or fending off trouble in his beloved red hovercar, kept the tone light without diminishing the tension. However, a few instances of unexpected slang that felt outdated or unnecessarily sharp—did pull me out of the moment on occasion. Those moments, while brief, were a bit jarring in an otherwise thrilling ride.

And Shamaan Casey—what a performance. He didn't just narrate; he became Cruz. His ability to channel the character's attitude and swagger, while differentiating the eclectic cast of Metropolis, elevated the story into a true auditory experience. Casey's delivery had me fully engaged, making even the slower moments feel dynamic. His knack for pacing and tone added depth to Cruz's inner musings and comedic timing, which made the book even easier to sink into.

If you're already a fan of cyberpunk or detective stories, this is a must-listen. While Liquid Cool leans into the grit and grime of the genre, it's far from a downer—it's sharp, witty, and endlessly entertaining. Overall, this was a captivating ride with just a few bumps, but one anyone ready to embrace a world of high-tech, low-life crime-solving with a cool detective leading the charge should enjoy!