Nick Kelly is no stranger to this blog. You may have remembered his blogpost back in March when he talked about “crossing the line” in writing. The book he was talking about then was Catwalk: Messiah, his first novel and one I had the pleasure of reading this summer.
Best described as “cyber-noir” or perhaps Blade Runner if Marvel Studios produced it, Catwalk: Messiah follows Leon “Catwalk” Caliber, a former Washington D.C. cop, now hired hit man on the west coast of the United States. You would think being a gun-for-hire in a sprawling megapolis of the future would be complicated enough, but Catwalk is good at what he does on account of the cybernetics that not only keeps him alive but also enhances his physical abilities.
The cost isn’t too bad…until you take into account that every enhancement replaces part of his humanity. Now, Cat has to keep hold of what makes him human lest he becomes what he hunts.
Nick and I have talked a lot about his first novel; and never at a loss for words, Nick and I will probably be talking over a scotch or three about what’s coming soon from his dark, twisted imagination…
Nitro City, 2034.
Leon “Catwalk†Caliber left his cop job in DC behind, only to find that the City of Angels held more dangers than expected. Treatment for his experimental cybernetics are expensive, and Cat is taking dangerous side jobs to pay the bills.
During one of those jobs, Cat crosses paths with a mysterious female assassin wielding a katana. He is framed for murder and on the run from Corporate Security forces. Cat goes underground, only to find that Nitro City has an infestation…of vampires. He soon finds himself in the front lines of a city-wide war between the creatures of the night. Can the killer with a conscience escape the law, defeat the undead, and live to see another day?
Catwalk: Lineage will be released on Friday, October 31, 2014.
How’s that for a Halloween treat? The cover, it looks like, promises to throw at Cat bigger, badder, and scarier Meta-Humans, pushing his tech and his tolerance to the breaking point.
Wait — did I mention the Meta-Humans? The genetically-enhanced and cybernetically-enhanced outlaws roaming through Nitro City?
Told you — things in Cat’s life get really, really complicated.
Order your copy on Halloween; but if you’re attending Shatterdome Con DC on Sunday, keep an eye out for Nick. He’ll be around, and he’ll gladly get signed book in your hands.