Bard’s Description
Mick crosses paths with a hood named Pan, a femme fatale named Tiger Lilly, and a probate officer by the name of Hooke in this twist on the classic tale.
Peter Pan mythology is given a dystopian kick in this exciting new tale featuring Mick Trubble, a Troubleshooter in the futuristic city of New Haven.
Mick reluctantly takes on a missing child case, which takes a bewildering turn as he encounters a street gang of Lost Boys and their charismatic leader known only as Pan. Enter a probation officer named Hooke, a high flying caper between two airships, and an elixir for eternal youth, and you get just another day on the job for a man whose job description is shooting trouble.
But when past and future collide, sparks are sure to fly. Mick Trubble quickly learns that death might be a great adventure, but living through this caper will hurt like hell.
I’ve read a few of the stories in the Troubleshooter series, and I enjoyed all of them. They are great fun. Fool of action, wit and unexpected turns, they are the perfect read when you want to sit down and chill out after a busy day.
Mick Trubble is a surprisingly sympathetic character despite his roughness. He’s your quintessential noir sleuth, and yet, he seems to take people’s life and fate so much at heart. He doesn’t seem to advertise his ideals too much, but he also certainly seems to act on a solid personal moral, and this is an intriguing mix.
I love New Heaven as a setting. It’s so dieselpunk. With its noir atmosphere, its gloomy mood, its sprawling cities and skies crowded with airships, it is what you expect when you read a dieselpunk story. So if you have never read the dieselpunk genre, this is an optimal place to start.
I also very much enjoyed the Peter Pan retelling. Quite inventive, and it was fun looking for the many nods to the original story.
A good novella. Tried it!
Little White Bird
Excerpt
I flung the confiscated scattergun onto the glass table in front of them. The table shattered on impact, scattering drinks and sending glittering shards sliding across the floor. The dame cringed at the explosion, but Pan didn’t even blink.
“Party’s over, kids,” I said. “Best retire to your milk and cookies.”
Instead of being intimidated, the assorted punks gathered around their leader with sullen expressions and hands straying towards hidden weapons. Pan smiled as he ran fingers over his dame’s smooth brown legs. “You got a lotta nerves coming onto my turf, mister.”
“It’s Trubble. Mick Trubble.”
His slime slipped. “The Troubleshooter.”
“The very same.”
Pan clapped his hands. “You heard the man. I’m gonna need some private time.” The boys faded away, glaring at me as they exited the room. I gave them my most infuriating grin as they passed. In no time it was just Pan, his moll, and me. I pulled up a beanbag armchair and sat across from him. Pan studied me, weighing with his jade-colored eyes. They were the most mature part of him, gazing with an intensity that belied his youthful features. I could almost believe Hooke’s tale of the boy having lived for ages. Almost.
“It wasn’t nice of you to manhandle poor Curly like that.” He gestured to the security screens lining the wall. “You embarrassed the kid.”
“The kid embarrassed himself. And when you pull heat on a man, you deserved a lot more than a sore ear.”
“The scattergun is loaded with salt rock,” Pan said. “It’ll sting like hell but won’t kill you. You think I’d let kids run around with genuine heaters?”
“Might be. You have a rep for being a bit vicious.”
“Exaggerated, I’m sure.” Pan gave an indifferent shrug. “Tiger Lily, why don’t you pour the man a drink? What do you take, Mr. Trubble?”
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