This Ragged, Wastrel Thing

Praise for Tomas Marcantonio “I really enjoyed This Ragged, Wastrel Thing – a dystopian noir set in gloomy, booze-drenched streets crawling with scoundrels. Tomas Marcantonio’s writing is slick and intoxicating.” – Adrian J Walker– Author of The End Of The World Running Club “This Ragged, Wastrel Thing is alive with colour, energy and vibrant language. Marcantonio possesses the rare ability of enticing the reader to turn the page, not only to discover what happens next, but to experience yet another visceral and original turn of phrase. A beautifully vicious read.” – Adam Lock – Author of Dinosaur “This Ragged, Wastrel Thing is a neon distorted, gritty reflection of humanity and its quest to find belonging – dystopian novels haven’t had it this good since Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale.” – Ross Jeffery – Author of Juniper and Tethered “A beautiful mash up of grim noir and Japanese flare with a beating heart of motorhead vigilantes. It’s Sons of Anarchy meets Sin City.” – Dan Stubbings – The Dimension Between Worlds “A cinematic and theatrical neo-noir painting dripping old-school masters of the genre on to a new canvas using rare concentrated pigments. With beautifully rich backdrops, scenes and characters – it’s a real treat for the imagined senses.” - John Bowie- Bristol Noir “Within the first pages of Tomas Marcantonio’s searing new book, we are utterly caught up in the crazed action of a world alight with neon fire. Filled with stunning imagery that blends beauty with horror, and sanity with absurdity, the language gives life to a world that feels so intensely realised it is as though we are walking the streets alongside Dag, Fairchild and co. With elements of Watchmen – particularly Rorschach’s diary – but also of Philip. K. d**k, and Ballard, This Ragged Wastrel Thing is entirely unique and never anything other than compelling and exciting.” - Professor Wu - Nothing In The Rulebook “This Ragged, Wastrel Thing is a brilliant debut, wonderfully executed by Tomas Marcantonio. Not many futuristic noir novels can be described as retro but This Ragged, Wastrel Thing has pulled it off and it gives the book a really unique feeling. The odds are it wasn’t on your radar previously, but it needs to be.” - Fallen Figs Book Blog - “The descriptions of Sonaya are extremely vivid and captivating; the blinding neon-lit streets, the dingy, seedy bars and alleyways, and the smells and sounds of the city which creates an atmosphere and tone that is incredibly unique and realistic. Marcantonio does a fantastic job at building a sense of tension throughout the book that culminates in the final pages – I cannot wait to jump back into the bizarre but wonderful world of Sonaya in the next two books of this trilogy.” - On The Bookshelf - “Tomas Marcantonio has written an entertaining noir that sits comfortably between ‘In the Miso Soup’ by Roy Murakami and ‘The Plotters’ by Un-SunKim. Dark black shadows splashed with blade runner neon nuances provide the perfect backdrop to a world alien to even the most adventurous tourist. Easy to read with clever turns of phrase, This Ragged, Wastrel Thing could be the start of a bold series.” - Sebastian Collier - “This witty, futuristic, dystopian noir has some f*****g pair of legs! It hits the ground running and doesn’t let up until the very last page. It’s all drugs and guns and soju and sake; grungy bars and rooftop parties, metalhead biker chicks and corrupt politicians; revenge and deception and dark city underbelly. Sonaya is an absolutely brilliant and fascinating character all on its own, and our protagonist Dag is one of the most strangely likeable leads I’ve read in ages. Go and get yer mitts on this one!” - The Next Best Book Blog -