Zumaya Publications, 2005

ISBN: 1-55410-266-9

The following review was contributed by:  John Walsh & CLICK TO VIEW John Walsh's Reviews

A good noir story should contain certain features: the possibility of sudden violence, decaying moral sensibilities, sexual desire tainted with ambivalence because the recipient of the desire appears dangerous or possibly malevolent. Apart from this, just about any genre or setting can be used to anchor the action. Indeed, many such settings have been used. Is anything new possible, especially now that technology has led to such an explosion in small press publications? The answer is yes, thanks to this splendid new anthology of short stories exploring the concept of technology in the noir style.

The concept of technology revolves around the organisation of new techniques for relating to and interacting with the world and with other people. In this collection, people use technology, most commonly computer or internet related technology, to investigate and, alternately, hide from other people secret information. The better stories consider the use of technology as a new way of defining our identity and our capabilities within the context of possible crime. Technology both empowers and disempowers. It would have been nice to see some approaches to the subject which moved beyond North America and what are mostly bourgeois concerns but then these are in a sense what defines the genre anyway.  

I have read a number of short story anthologies on related topics and have been dismayed by the quality of the editing. The quality of the physical publication itself is not something that particularly concerns me. I am, consequently, delighted with the way in which Techno-Noir has been edited and presented. No spelling mistakes, no misuse of words (just one verb with which I would quibble) and no sloppy typoes or obvious infelicities. I have to congratulate the editors on their splendid work in this regard and also to the quality of many of the stories contained, which are generally entertaining and enjoyable. Recommended.

John Walsh, Shinawatra University, September 2005