Anonymous

Well written and superbly narrated

Revisado: 11-14-21

In the interest of full disclosure, I was given a promotional copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I am generally more of a non-fiction reader and cyberpunk isn’t a genre I tend to opt for when I do decide to dabble in fiction, so this isn’t a title I would normally select for myself. My expectations weren’t particularly high when I popped my headphones in and laid down to sleep… but before long, the sun was rising and I was eight hours into Cyber Squad- Level 1.

The plot is captivating and I was instantly invested in this array of interesting characters, but I was especially keen on the protagonist- Kai. Kai is a diffident young man working a dead-end job and existing, more than than living, in the real world. In the world of VR, Kai is a handsome Viking and a master fighter who uses his skills to protect his friends. His friends are his virtual teammates and he doesn’t know any of them “irl” …but hey, it’s better than nothing! The appeal of VR is clear: you can be whoever you want to be, do whatever you want to do (seemingly without consequence), and explore unlimited worlds.

An unusual in-game experience exposes Kai to the realities of the virtual world and the necessity of the cyber quad, a VR emergency response team. Targeted ads have (unfortunately) come a long way in this universe and a recruiting notice for the cyber squad alerts him to an opening. Despite his teammate’s objections and the potential danger the position entails, the allure of the squad is undeniable and Kai applies. The opportunities for advancement have real financial implications and represent an escape from the monotonous minutiae of Kai’s daily life. As he settles into his new role, Kai becomes aware of many occupational hazards (not the least of which is a new and completely unattainable romantic interest).

There is something in this book for every kind of reader: engaging battle scenes, camaraderie, conspiracy, lust, lots of swearing, romance, one teabagging, and several formidable arachnids. As other reviewers have already mentioned, some events have been foreshadowed in this book that have built my anticipation for Level 2 and a number of threads are clearly being woven for a later tapestry. Anna has built an impressive and fascinating world for her readers and she navigates them through it with finesse.

Zachary Johnson is a skilled narrator with a highly emotive voice and he was a perfect fit for this story. His narration is smooth, dynamic, and commanding. He is a pleasure to listen to, but more importantly, he portrays each character in a unique way, reflecting their distinct personalities. Small details like the bossy, disembodied voice of Kai’s personal AI and the high-tech headset effects flesh out a universe audiobook listeners are only experiencing auditorily, enabling them to become just as immersed in the plot as traditional readers.

The stellar narration and the compelling plot combined make this audiobook my favorite “read” of the year, by far. I highly recommend you experience it for yourself and I’m eagerly looking forward to Level 2!

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A delightful short story

Revisado: 09-30-15

A well-written narrative and a likable protagonist make this story worth the read. It's short, but action-packed. The narrator was especially skilled at evoking emotion throughout the story. He portrayed John and his struggles with aging perfectly.

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SIMPOC is an oxymoron: apocalyptic, yet uplifting

Revisado: 09-30-15

As others have mentioned, I was wary of narration from the point of view of an inanimate object. It is an idea many authors have experimented with and few have succeeded with. With that in mind, SIMPOC was a delightful surprise.

SIMPOC is indeed a thinking computer- a perfect mix of humanized and mechanized; he (or she, depending on how it's programmed) is capable of self-awareness and, to an extent, even empathy. SIMPOC destroys the common sci-fi trope of the self-aware AI antagonist. The supporting characters are well-written as well. Without giving too much away, I found myself missing a certain programmer, despite his brief appearance in the story.

I bought the audiobook version of the book and found it very easy to listen to. A human voice gives SIMPOC's moments of loneliness and doubt a tremendously different feel. Well-done and worth considering, even if you don't typically listen to audiobooks.

I look forward to the next book in the series. I did not anticipate that I would enjoy this story as much as I did.

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