In a futuristic, dystopian LA, Blake Fowler assists private investigator Erasmus Keane as they hired to look into the robbery of a genetically modified sheep from a laboratory. As the two try to figure out why a sheep would be a hot commodity, they are also approached by superstar Priya Mistry who is convinced someone is trying to kill her. It turns out there are connections between the two cases and things take a wild turn.

I've had this lined up on NetGalley for quite a while and I was always excited to read it as I really felt like it was something I would enjoy but unfortunately the writing and storyline fell flat for me due to a myriad of reasons. I think the dystopian aspect of this is good in theory and it actually reminded me a little bit of the cities and QZ zones in The Last of Us so picturing the city split down the middle was actually an easy thing for me but we got the Maelstrom information about why it all happened a little bit in a rush near the end, and it was slightly info-dumping.

I just thought the crime/mystery elements in this story were poor and there was nothing particularly exciting or surprising about the cases and I actually felt like it was all a bit ridiculous. I also really hated how all the women were written in this book and it very much felt like a case of 'women written by men.' Whenn Priya Mistry first arrives on the scene and describes why she believes someone is out to get her, she is immediately dismissed by our main character because she is a beautiful woman and obviously people would be watching her and because she was convinced someone was after her, she was therefore paranoid and crazy. How many times have women's fears over their safety or health being dismissed by people (mainly men) and ended up dead? Too many. And pretty much all the scenes with Priya felt a bit yucky as all the characters ever focused on was how beautiful she was and we never really ever got to know who she really was underneath it all.

I'm glad to have this checked off my list to read but I won't be continuing with the series and I don't think I'd recommend.

The first novel in the series of the same name. (Book 2, THE LAST IOTA, is also out now.)

The blurb for this novel suggests that "Kroese's The Big Sheep is perfect for fans of Philip Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Terry Pratchett's Guards! Guards!, and Scalzi's Old Man's War" - that's quite a diverse range of touchstones/comparators.

Is the pitch accurate? Well, sort of. It's a future-tech, science fiction novel with good humour and action, set in a dystopian near(ish)-future. It's accessible and a quick read. The characters are interesting and well-drawn. Not all of the humour worked for me (although, rarely does anything match up to comparisons with Pratchett), but it was certainly amusing.

An interesting, different SF read. Recommended.

This Sci-fi/mystery combo was pretty well done! I can't believe I waited so long to read it. I will definitely be recommending it to friends.

I love the combination of science fiction and mystery, and Robert Kroese’s The Big Sheep is a perfect example of a science fiction detective story, with humor to boot.

The story begins with the mysterious Keane and his partner Blake (our narrator) reporting to a genetics laboratory where a number of enhanced sheep have been stolen. Around the same time, they are hired by TV celebrity Priya Mistry, who believes her life is in danger but might just be paranoid. It will not surprise readers that these two cases quickly become intertwined.

Keane, holding his chin in his hand, began walking around the sheep in a stooped posture that reminded me of a waddling duck. The sheep was nearly as tall as he was, and was looking back at Keane with scientific detachment. It was hard to say which was the odder-looking specimen, the quadrupedal area rug standing in stoic silence on the tiled floor of the lab or the lanky, balding biped creeping awkwardly around it.
This is a fast-paced, fun story with witty dialogue and an interesting plot. Kroese is clearly paying homage to a number of science fiction and mystery writers, notably Philip K. Dick. He acknowledges in a recent Tor article that the name is based on Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep (which may seem obvious). I can’t comment on that, not having read it, but I can say this book has a great noir-ish feel to it. Also Keane has a distinct Sherlock Holmes feel. It’s well written and I really enjoyed the way the story unfolded. I liked that our two detectives face one ethical dilemma after another and just keep plowing forward. I also liked how Blake describes being completely star-struck by Mistry (he can barely look at her) but he gradually gets to know her.

To say any more would give away too much of the story. I was a little worried that this book might be too quirky for me, but it was a perfect baalance (typo accidental but I’m keeping it). Kroese doesn’t sacrifice plot for humor, which I really appreciated. I would have liked more insight into the characters, particularly Blake and Keane, but I’m sensing there’s a sequel coming. I look forward to it.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from publisher St. Martins Press/Thomas Dunne Books. The book published June 28, 2016.