Publishers Weekly
02/18/2019
This near-future technothriller is a breezy around-the-world romp for ex-journalist and “empathy-tracker” Lion Zorn. Lion is hired by British billionaire Sir Richard, head of the high-tech corporation Arctic, to find the mysterious leader of a cult built around the existential mysticism of poet Rainer Maria Rilke. He dodges dragonfly-size surveillance drones while fortifying himself with expensive whiskey, legendary marijuana, and an even more legendary Amex card. Lion is able to recognize the clues that Arctic’s operatives miss, leading him to connect the cult with a new drug, Sietch Tabr, that boosts empathy and that Arctic wants to market. Racing from a spaceport in Truth or Consequences, N.M., to Kuala Lumpur and then to Manhattan, Lion pieces together the truth from clues offered by reclusive Jamaican reggae superstars, Malaysian gangster-artists, and the philosophy of the classic SF novel Dune. Kotler (Stealing Fire) clearly hopes that humans will compassionately open their minds and hearts to the wider world rather than heedlessly destroying it, but Lion’s easy ability to bond with wild creatures and TSA agents may be overly optimistic. Still, it’s a fun story with plenty of SF media references for fans to enjoy. Agent: Paul Bresnick, Bresnick Weil Literary. (May)
From the Publisher
"Both thriller and sf, the latest from Kotler is sure to please....A fascinating read. Highly recommend." —Library Journal (starred review)
"This near-future technothriller is a breezy around-the-world romp for ex-journalist and “empathy-tracker” Lion Zorn.... a fun story with plenty of SF media references for fans to enjoy." —Publishers Weekly
"Kotler crafts an intriguing blend of detective story and social critique.... [He] creates a vivid picture of near-future earth... readers who dig in will find a story that is, at its core, an insightful view on how empathy can connect us to each other and to the living beings that share this planet." —Booklist
"Astounding! I love any book that teaches me about the future and Kotler’s Last Tango is the best I’ve read in a very long time. Incredibly insightful, wildly entertaining, and nearly impossible to put down.” —Peter Diamandis, New York Times bestselling author
“Dazzling! A luminous, diamond-bright thriller of the near future. Sparkling with empathy, packed with wit, and overflowing with catch-your-breath insights into the human condition. I wish I’d written this myself.” —Ramez Naam, Philip K Dick Award-winning author
“With a sharp cyberpunk mind and an empaths’ soul, Last Tango gives us a believable near-future and a story you won’t be able to stop reading. I inhaled in one gulp. Bravo!” —R.U. Sirius, writer, editor, talk show host, musician, and co-founder of Mondo 2000
"Some books give you a peek into what the future may hold, but Last Tango holds you down, tapes your eyes open, and blasts the doors off. More fun than used to be legal in many states.” —Joshua Klein, Hacker, Host of National Geographic’s The Link, Author, and Consultant
"A hardboiled tour-de-force, Kotler’s Last Tango blends sparkling prose, compelling characters, and underline-able insights into a gritty sci-fi epic that balances at the precipice of light and dark.” —Neil Strauss, nine-time New York Times bestselling author
