Tigerman

By: Nick Harkaway

Narrated by: Matt Bates

Lester Ferris needs a rest. He's spent his life being shot at, and Afghanistan was the last stop on his road to exhaustion. Mancreu is the ideal place for Lester to relax. A former British colony, soon to be destroyed because of its very special version of toxic pollution. But Lester Ferris makes a friend: a street kid with a comicbook fixation who will need a home - who might, Lester hopes, become an adopted son. But in a place like Mancreu, just what sort of hero will the boy need?

©2014 Nick Harkaway (P)2014 W F Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"[O]ne of the most enjoyable books I've read in ages… brilliantly entertaining… What a splendid ride." ( Guardian on Angelmaker)

"An entertaining tour-de-force that demands to be adored." ( Independent on Sunday)

Another Harkaway home run

My only complaint with any of Nick Harkaway’s worlds is that there are not dozens more of them waiting for us to discover.

Powerful and accessible

Harkaway's gonzo sci-fi can be daunting; here he balances his P.K. Dick surreal lunacy with a storyline that follows a more straightforward track than most, blending deluberate Marvel, DC, and gaming influences with a legally invisible island perched on a caldera of impending ecological disaster, haven of Byzantine intrigues. What can save the day but a superhero? A reluctant post-colonial administrator and an imaginative, resourceful street kid create a plan that probably only Harkaway could craft into an honest story that would move me, at various times, to both laughter and tears.

A different story in excellent writing

The book is different from any book I have read. The plot weeds together superheroes, comments on government, and a sensitive relationship between a man and a young boy. The book gets better and better and better climaxing in a perfect ending.

Story

Unusual story but absolutely brilliant. Complex plot with more that a few interesting plot twists. I enjoyed it very much.

Slow start - but very touching

Any additional comments?

First of all, the narration is really, really great.

The story starts out really slow as it eases its way under your skin. At some point it just grabs you and at times is very touching. It gets increasingly hard to put down. I can see why other reviewers might give up before that happens. If you are looking for a "slam-bang roller coaster ride" - skip this one.

Immediately after finishing, I had to go back and listen to the first hour or so again to put everything in context. It made so much more sense the second time through that part.

This story will be stuck in my head for quite some time to come. I'm looking forward to the next Nick Harkaway book already (whatever that might be).