Gun, with Occasional MusicGun, with Occasional Music
Score Modern
What it's about
In a strange future Oakland, animals have been given intelligence and walk upright, babies have been evolved into talking adults, everyone takes government drugs, and asking questions is illegal without a license. Conrad Metcalf is a private investigator who still asks questions, and a murder case draws him into a conflict with gangsters, including a kangaroo, and the government.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Nebula finalist. It's Jonathan Lethem's wild first novel, a hard-boiled detective story crossed with science fiction.
You'll love it if you liked
Motherless Brooklyn
The Big Sleep
The City & the CityGood to know
It's absurd and violent, with a lot of drug use.
By the numbers
- Readers6 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics24 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller12 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #305 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #453 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #1560 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2795 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Adventurous, Dark
More by Jonathan Lethem
If you like this, read next
Gideon the Ninth
All Systems Red
Promises in Death
Innocent in Death
The Blind Assassin
Jade CityExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Gun, with Occasional Music worth reading?
Yes. It was a Nebula finalist. It ranks #2,795 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 52.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Gun, with Occasional Music about?
In a strange future Oakland, animals have been given intelligence and walk upright, babies have been evolved into talking adults, everyone takes government drugs, and asking questions is illegal without a license. Conrad Metcalf is a private investigator who still asks questions, and a murder case draws him into a conflict with gangsters, including a kangaroo, and the government.
How long does it take to read Gun, with Occasional Music?
About 7 hours (262 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Gun, with Occasional Music?
If you liked it, try Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem, The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler or The City & the City by China Miéville.