Gnomon

By: Nick Harkaway

Narrated by: Ben Onwukwe

From the widely acclaimed author of The Gone-Away World and Tigerman, comes a virtuosic new novel set in a near-future, high-tech surveillance state, that is equal parts dark comedy, gripping detective story, and mind-bending philosophical puzzle.

"A Pynchonesque mega-novel that periodically calls to mind the films of Inception and The Matrix…. What a ride!" —The Washington Post

In the world of Gnomon, citizens are constantly observed and democracy has reached a pinnacle of 'transparency.' Every action is seen, every word is recorded, and the System has access to its citizens' thoughts and memories—all in the name of providing the safest society in history.

When suspected dissident Diana Hunter dies in government custody, it marks the first time a citizen has been killed during an interrogation. The System doesn't make mistakes, but something isn't right about the circumstances surrounding Hunter's death. Mielikki Neith, a trusted state inspector and a true believer in the System, is assigned to find out what went wrong. Immersing herself in neural recordings of the interrogation, what she finds isn't Hunter but rather a panorama of characters within Hunter's psyche: a lovelorn financier in Athens who has a mystical experience with a shark; a brilliant alchemist in ancient Carthage confronting the unexpected outcome of her invention; an expat Ethiopian painter in London designing a controversial new video game, and a sociopathic disembodied intelligence from the distant future.

Embedded in the memories of these impossible lives lies a code which Neith must decipher to find out what Hunter is hiding. In the static between these stories, Neith begins to catch glimpses of the real Diana Hunter—and, alarmingly, of herself. The staggering consequences of what she finds will reverberate throughout the world.

A dazzling, panoramic achievement, and Nick Harkaway's most brilliant work to date, Gnomon is peerless and profound, captivating and irreverent, as it pierces through strata of reality and consciousness, and illuminates how to set a mind free. It is a truly accomplished novel from a mind possessing a matchless wit infused with a deep humanity.

Critic reviews

“Gnomon is an extraordinary novel, and one I can’t stop thinking about some weeks after I read it. It is deeply troubling, magnificently strange, and an exhilarating read.”
—Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven

“Opening a novel by Nick Harkaway feels like stepping into a theme park for the mind—every page you turn brings new delights for the mind and the senses. Gnomon is brilliant and terrifying, full of pleasures big and small. Basically, everything I want in a book.”
—Charles Yu, author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

“The best thing he’s ever written. . . It is an astonishing piece of construction, complex and witty. . . It is a magnificent achievement. . . He’s never written a bad book, but this is the one that’ll see him mentioned in the same breath as William Gibson and David Mitchell. . . This book seriously just destroyed me with joy.”
—Warren Ellis, author of Gun Machine

“This huge sci-fi detective novel of ideas is so eccentric, so audaciously plotted and so completely labyrinthine and bizarre that I had to put it aside more than once to emit Keanu-like ‘Whoahs’ of appreciation. . . It is huge fun. And it will melt your brain. . . Whoah, indeed. I wanted to give it a round of applause.”
—Tim Martin, The Spectator (London)

“Beguiling, multilayered, sprawling novel that blends elements of Philip K. Dick-tinged sci-fi, mystery, politics, and literary fiction in a most satisfying brew. . . Fans of Pynchon and William Gibson alike will devour this smart, expertly written bit of literary subversion.”
—Kirkus (starred review)

It’s excellent.

It’s so refreshing. It’s smart and exciting. The characters are robust. What more could one want.

I’m starting another of Nick Harkaway’s books in 5 minutes.

P.S. the narrator is fantastic.

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read.

An absolutely mind blowing and perfectly rendered story. I’ve listened to this book again 5 or 6 times so far—I don’t do that.

A bit overwrought

I like Harkaway, and hoped I'd like this one. I really liked Angelmaker and liked Tigerman. But between the endless basso profundo of the reader and the constantly astonished, I've-discovered-something-new tone, i got tired of Gnomon. Its just not that sinister in EVERY paragraph to warrant that tone. Essentially, there is a bad ghost, and a bad government that tricks us, using all that new internet stuff, and the internet comes alive like HAL 9000. I actually believe that is true, too - the government will inevitably turn bad as they all do, except that we have invented and handed them the most effective tool for oppression ever imagined. We'll regret that, or the next generation will. It'll be hard to undo.

But as a novel, its been done before. He has a lovely vocabulary, and turns of phrase are often engaging and a little funny. that's as far as i can recommend it. Also 300 pages too long. Where was the editor?

Amazing and relevant with a killer ending.

Weaving five stories would be a kiss of death or clunky for many books but this does it and makes it look like magic.

Genius writing

This one throws you for a loop! Super interesting metaphysical questions and science fiction at its finest. Incredible voice acting so well done.

Too much fat

I get the attempt. The story is interesting when you’re able to get at it. This needed a more aggressive edit. Hours and hours of this were completely unnecessary and did nothing to enrich the narrative. When it’s good, it’s good. When the author goes on a tangent, I am sorely tempted to skip entire chapters. I didn’t, but looking back I definitely could have summarized huge swaths of the story into a couple of paragraphs that would have been more favorable.

Narration was fine, I don’t know why people are rating that low. Interesting concept, but the execution was self indulgent and long winded.

Mystery in two senses *and* science fiction

It’s a puzzle about several puzzles; I had to read it once and listen carefully before I saw how all the plot elements fit together. All the voices and pieces are interesting and fun also, so it’s not boring on the way, just confusing.

Full of fancy SF and mythological elements all tied around very real problems.

I can't say enough good things about this book

imaginative. thought provoking. poetic. colorful. complex. brilliant. I listened to it twice and purchased the Kindle edition to read afterwards. one of the best novels i've ever read.

Dizzyingly Complex

This is an extremely deep story. Sadly my mind is too shallow to follow it all the way down.

A lot to swallow

In the end, I’m glad I listened, glad I have this story in my head. There are chapters of brilliance (Ghost books! My gods I could dissect that concept for days.) and chapters so twisty and loosely held together that I maddeningly had to relisten again and again. This book is a commitment. It was worth my commitment.