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r_books_dragons's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lifeinthebooklane's review against another edition
4.0
Riveting, fast-paced, complex and edge-of-your-seat exciting, Mindwalker was a non-stop thrill ride from start to finish. With strong characters, dangerous secrets, wonderful friendships and dire peril this was a book that, once started, I did not want to put down. Great writing, an engaging plot, sympathetic characters and an excellent pace, there wasn't one aspect of the story that didn't work for me. There are many themes explored in the book and each one was executed extremely well.
If you ask I'll always say I'm not a huge fan of YA books, of course, there always has to be an exception to the rule and Kate Dylan's book proves to be just that. Sil is more mature than your average 18-year-old but given both the dystopian setting and her experiences as a Walker, it felt very plausible. I found her to be a very sympathetic character, vital since the entire story is told from her first-person perspective.
I loved how the author allowed the reader some agency, especially in that ending. I don't need everything tied up with a neat bow, life isn't like that, but we are left with a sense of hope for the future. There are some amazing side characters, Aja and Brinn perhaps could have been a little more developed, they were integral to the plot and I would have liked to have spent more time getting to know them. That is a personal preference though and not an issue with the story.
Finally, I can't not mention the utterly swoon-some Ryder. A good man prepared to do somewhat bad things for good reasons, how could I do anything else but love him for it? He and Sil made a delightful pair and whilst the romance aspect felt a little rushed, a little light on emotion, on balance I'm happy that it didn't detract from the main plot.
Mindwalker was an absolute winner for me and is an SF, YA novel I am only too happy to recommend to like-minded readers.
If you ask I'll always say I'm not a huge fan of YA books, of course, there always has to be an exception to the rule and Kate Dylan's book proves to be just that. Sil is more mature than your average 18-year-old but given both the dystopian setting and her experiences as a Walker, it felt very plausible. I found her to be a very sympathetic character, vital since the entire story is told from her first-person perspective.
I loved how the author allowed the reader some agency, especially in that ending. I don't need everything tied up with a neat bow, life isn't like that, but we are left with a sense of hope for the future. There are some amazing side characters, Aja and Brinn perhaps could have been a little more developed, they were integral to the plot and I would have liked to have spent more time getting to know them. That is a personal preference though and not an issue with the story.
Finally, I can't not mention the utterly swoon-some Ryder. A good man prepared to do somewhat bad things for good reasons, how could I do anything else but love him for it? He and Sil made a delightful pair and whilst the romance aspect felt a little rushed, a little light on emotion, on balance I'm happy that it didn't detract from the main plot.
Mindwalker was an absolute winner for me and is an SF, YA novel I am only too happy to recommend to like-minded readers.
palebea's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoyed this.
A dystopian sci fi story with good world building. Wonderful characters and some real twists and turns that I must admit I did not see coming.
A dystopian sci fi story with good world building. Wonderful characters and some real twists and turns that I must admit I did not see coming.
annamickreads's review
4.0
4.5
First, a minute for the cover, which is absolutely gorgeous and shiny to boot
"Mindwalker" is everything I wanted from a cyberpunk sci-fi thrill ride. In a dystopian future where natural disasters, civil war and nuclear war have shot America to hell, tech corporations have risen from the ashes to control commerce and become an essentially military replacement. Syntax, the largest corporation, has even developed a Computer Intelligence Processor (a computer that goes inside the brain!) to create Mindwalkers, problem-solvers who, from a distance, can drop into a soldier's mind/body for an extraction when the soldier can't finish a task.
The only problem? Syntax's technology is flawed, and Mindwalkers burn out around 20 and die when the CIP explodes their brain. When a routine event goes terribly wrong, Captain Sil Serrah decides to infiltrate the enemy in an attempt to return a triumphant hero, and learns that maybe she wasn't a hero all along.
Lately, I've been reading a lot of YA where the "brash, snarky heroine" figure isn't really allowed to be wrong even when maybe she should be, so I was very thankful that Sil, while brash and snarky, was also a developed character in that aspect - she messes up, she makes mistakes, even for someone whose Mindwalker record is 100% success rate (sorry, 99.86.......)
Admittedly, this is a tiny thing that really bugged me, because the rest of the world building is so fun and interesting, but pop culture references always take me out of a story so I had to knock it down a star for Jarvis. I can appreciate the author's fondness for Marvel movies but it just yanked me right out on page 2 and I'm so sorry
The themes "Mindwalker" has especially about abuse of power in the tech industry and the manipulation are extremely timely!!!!!! Especially after someone whose name rhymes with Shmeelon Smush decided to try and create brain implants that ultimately didn't pan out. The pacing of the book runs like a locomotive and there's never a dull moment. Some of the little twists even I didn't see coming so that's really neat!
Ultimately, looking forward to picking up the sequel
First, a minute for the cover, which is absolutely gorgeous and shiny to boot
"Mindwalker" is everything I wanted from a cyberpunk sci-fi thrill ride. In a dystopian future where natural disasters, civil war and nuclear war have shot America to hell, tech corporations have risen from the ashes to control commerce and become an essentially military replacement. Syntax, the largest corporation, has even developed a Computer Intelligence Processor (a computer that goes inside the brain!) to create Mindwalkers, problem-solvers who, from a distance, can drop into a soldier's mind/body for an extraction when the soldier can't finish a task.
The only problem? Syntax's technology is flawed, and Mindwalkers burn out around 20 and die when the CIP explodes their brain. When a routine event goes terribly wrong, Captain Sil Serrah decides to infiltrate the enemy in an attempt to return a triumphant hero, and learns that maybe she wasn't a hero all along.
Lately, I've been reading a lot of YA where the "brash, snarky heroine" figure isn't really allowed to be wrong even when maybe she should be, so I was very thankful that Sil, while brash and snarky, was also a developed character in that aspect - she messes up, she makes mistakes, even for someone whose Mindwalker record is 100% success rate (sorry, 99.86.......)
Admittedly, this is a tiny thing that really bugged me, because the rest of the world building is so fun and interesting, but pop culture references always take me out of a story so I had to knock it down a star for Jarvis. I can appreciate the author's fondness for Marvel movies but it just yanked me right out on page 2 and I'm so sorry
The themes "Mindwalker" has especially about abuse of power in the tech industry and the manipulation are extremely timely!!!!!! Especially after someone whose name rhymes with Shmeelon Smush decided to try and create brain implants that ultimately didn't pan out. The pacing of the book runs like a locomotive and there's never a dull moment. Some of the little twists even I didn't see coming so that's really neat!
Ultimately, looking forward to picking up the sequel
cio96's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Very close to a DNF. Lots of skimming
joosty's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
spellboundbybooks's review
The dnf isn't the books fault but more my mood.I'm afraid I just couldn't click with the main character.
She was just a bit too arrogant and sure of how right she is for me. Then again she is only 18 lol so its not like it was unrealistic in that regard. I just don't have the patience right now to watch her grow up a bit and have her eyes opened to the reality around her.
I did find the world and technologies interesting. And it is a fast paced story. I just can't overlook how I feel about Sil right now. I may try again in the future.
She was just a bit too arrogant and sure of how right she is for me. Then again she is only 18 lol so its not like it was unrealistic in that regard. I just don't have the patience right now to watch her grow up a bit and have her eyes opened to the reality around her.
I did find the world and technologies interesting. And it is a fast paced story. I just can't overlook how I feel about Sil right now. I may try again in the future.
fantasmic_reads's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I don't think scifi is something I fall over myself to read, but this one had been on my radar for a while so I was happy to read it! Strong female MC lead dystopian sci-fi with an AI in the MC's head and a world that seems made for TV? It really had me enraptured.
I do have to say that the romance really fell flat hard for me; it came out of nowhere and it seemed as though there was a real lack of chemistry? This may just be because it was a YA (and I like to make my feelings about YA clear), but I wish it hadn't been so "insta love". Then again, this novel is quite short but even in saying that, I wish the romance hasn't been so rushed.
I also wish there had been deeper moments of platonic intimacy between the friendships, as I kind of built no attachments to anyone that Sil did, except for Jarvis who remains my main man.
I've seen there are a few reviews complaining about the use of "christ-he-was," but like, have you guys ever read a fantasy? This shit comes up all the time as alternatives to "oh my god" like "by the angel" or "praise the goddesses" or whatever. It's just something that's fun and cute.
Mindwalker has a great premise and I really do recommend to give it a go.
I do have to say that the romance really fell flat hard for me; it came out of nowhere and it seemed as though there was a real lack of chemistry? This may just be because it was a YA (and I like to make my feelings about YA clear), but I wish it hadn't been so "insta love". Then again, this novel is quite short but even in saying that, I wish the romance hasn't been so rushed.
I also wish there had been deeper moments of platonic intimacy between the friendships, as I kind of built no attachments to anyone that Sil did, except for Jarvis who remains my main man.
I've seen there are a few reviews complaining about the use of "christ-he-was," but like, have you guys ever read a fantasy? This shit comes up all the time as alternatives to "oh my god" like "by the angel" or "praise the goddesses" or whatever. It's just something that's fun and cute.
Mindwalker has a great premise and I really do recommend to give it a go.