Mindbreaker

The explosive and action-packed science-fiction novel

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Buy on BN.com Buy on Bookshop.org
*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app

1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 14 Sep 2023 | Archive Date 14 Sep 2023

Talking about this book? Use #Mindbreaker #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!


Description

They saved her life. But at what cost?

Born into a religious cult on the fringe of society, Indra Dyer lives a simple, tech-free existence. But when an illicit trip to the city leaves her with a debilitating - and terminal - condition, Indra must make a choice: die faithful or betray her Order and accept the cure Glindell Technologies is offering.

Forced to sign over full ownership of her life, Indra is horrified to learn the true nature of Glindell's plans. Instead of saving her body, they upload her mind to a first-of-its-kind MindDrive, housed in a fully robotic shell.

On the outside, Indra still looks the same; on the inside, she's not so sure. She keeps finding herself in places she really shouldn't be, with no memory of how she got there, and dangerous abilities she can't explain. So when news breaks of an attack against Glindell's biggest rival, Indra suspects the worst.

With the help of Tian - a research assistant with questionable morals and a smile that won't quit - Indra must uncover the truth behind the procedure that saved her life, before Glindell can use it to change the face of technology, and what it means to be human, forever . . .

They saved her life. But at what cost?

Born into a religious cult on the fringe of society, Indra Dyer lives a simple, tech-free existence. But when an illicit trip to the city leaves her with a...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781529393293
PRICE £18.99 (GBP)
PAGES 320

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)
Send to Kindle (PDF)
Download (PDF)

Average rating from 137 members


Featured Reviews

Now if you know me, chances are I've probably pushed MindWalker onto you at somepoint since I read it last year.

So when I say I was excited for MindBreaker... that is an understatement. So when I seen this on NetGalley and was approved (thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for this) I may or may not have jumped right in (sorry tbr, I'll get to you all eventually)

Now to the story. MindBreaker is set in the same World as MindWalker but instead of Sil and Syntex we have Indra and Glindell and a new type of tech.

Indra is part of an anti tech cult but loves to dapple with tech... when an excursion for this leads to her being terminally ill, Glindell offer her a deal, give over ownership of her life for the chance at a new one... not much of a choice when death is the alternative. Even when this choice will cause her cult, and her family, to shun her.

Left with no other option, Indra submits, but after the process, Indra becomes suspicious of lost time and glitches in her memories so she seeks help from Tian, a research assistant on the programme. Can Indra trust anyone within the company fully, no matter how nice they seem?

Weighing up her options, Indra realises escape is the best option, but whats a former God Girl losing her grip on humanity to do when shes free in the world.... stay tuned to find out!

A whole new story with characters to fall in love with, set in a world we know and love... there might even be mention of a familiar AA from book one!

This bright scifi techy dystopian world has my heart and no pressure Kate but more books in this world would be a delight

Was this review helpful?

Another lightning speed romp through through this post nuke war NYC and I loved all 21600 seconds it took to devour it!

Science light, fiction heavy; this is a book for those wanting to dip their toes into sci-fi whilst maintaining focus on plot and people.

Like Mindwalker, this installment has me wishing to visit a world that, despite being bleak and clinging to shreds of life, is full of human adaption and resilience.

I feel you could read this without having ready Mindwalker but for context of the world and the wider plot aspects, it's worth getting stuck in before picking this up!

Was this review helpful?

Kate Dylan's Mindwalker was one of my standout books of last year. That I got to return to this universe so soon having been taunted with it (in the best way) by Kate on Instagram and on Twitter was such a thrill.

Although Sil and Ryder return in this book, this is Indra's story and honestly I AM LIVING FOR IT. If you love Ghost In The Shell PRE-ORDER THIS IMMEDIATELY. Indra is an incredible character who has a lot to deal with in this book trying to balance her upbringing in a technophobic cult, the faith she was indoctrinated in and her new circumstances as she tries to come to terms with her new cyborg status and what the hell the company who made her new body is up to.

I love her pure sibling like friend ship with Nyx, and the tension between her and her handler/science prodigy Tian and the way it develops as these idiots are too blinded by circumstances to see what's staring them in the face.

Action-packed, thrilling with emotional wrecking balls that gut you Mindbreaker cements Kate as a force to be reckoned with in UKYA and Sci-Fi .

Was this review helpful?

This is the second book in this series. I was blown away by the first, and this book is equally as good, or maybe even better! Each book could be read as a stand alone, but, if you can, I think are better read in order. Action packed fantasy, with humour and gentle romance. Just a brilliantly entertaining read for YA and up. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.

Was this review helpful?

“No company deserves the right to trade in human lives.”

“Capitalism worships at the altar of crime.”

“People can be flawed and messy. Astound and disappoint you in unexpected ways.”

Kate Dylan has done it again: delivered a thrilling, punchy, feel-good feel-anxious script, packed full of action, verve, and characters you will love.

The narration is perfectly smooth, seating you in the heart of the action as you ride along with Indra, a girl who’s been transformed into a marvel of technology. But is she still… Indra?

Punctuated with sly, clever references, and sneaky Easter eggs for the observant, Dylan’s prose is a delight. She ramps up the tension and plays the speed skilfully, peppering the action with perfectly on-the-beat humour.

But it’s also thoughtful, probing at deeper questions we should be asking ourselves and society: when did we start valuing human lives in terms of money? How much can I change, and remain truly myself? Whom can we trust in an age of misinformation?

The answers are for us to find out: but there’s one thing we can be certain of:

“No more quiet rebellions.”

P.S. Someone make this into a film!!!

Featuring:
High speed chases!
Extremely dangerous stunts!
Heists going wrong!
A team coming together!
Cyborg angst!
Sapphic yearning!
Evil corporations!
Thrilling reveals!
and more…

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Hodderscape and NetGalley for an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Holy christ-that-was (yes I'm starting this review how I started my Mindwalker review). This book is everything I could have hoped for and more. After reading Mindwalker, I wanted to know more about this tech-centred world and what other advanced tech is floating around. So, when Kate announced there would be another book, to say I was over the moon is an understatement.

In Mindwalker, we followed the story of Sil Sarrah and Syntex. In Mindbreaker, we follow Indra Dyer and Glindell. In a tech-filled world, Indra was born into a cult who are very much anti-tech, however, she likes to occasionally play around with the tech the world has on offer. One day, Indra takes a trip into the city which ends with Indra developing a debilitating and terminal condition. Glindell Technologies offers a cure and she has to make the choice to either betray her Order and get the curse or die a faithful. Barely eighteen, Indra signs over full ownership of her life to Glindell and is shocked that they are not in fact saving her life, her mind is being uploaded to a MindDrive housed in a fully robotic shell. Indra continuously finds herself in places she shouldn't be with no memory of how she got there. When news breaks about an attack against Glindell's biggest rival, Indra suspects the worst and goes on the run.

When I tell you that I devoured this book, I absolutely devoured it. I could not put it down. Like Mindwalker, I was hooked from start to finish. We meet some old friends in this book and the squeal that left my mouth had heads turning my way haha.

Indra was absolutely amazing, and Nyx, omg I loved him so much. His friendship with Indra was to die for. Tian, although I hated her at first, I grew to absolutely adore her. Let's just say that Indra and Tian go on a journey of their own and I loved it.

There was not one thing I disliked about this book. I defo need to find and read more books with cyber-punk vibes to fill the void Mindbreaker has left.

I'm sad that this is the last book planned in this world but I cannot wait for what Kate writes next.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I absolutely adored Mindwalker, so I was jumping out of my seat to read Mindbreaker too. I was immediately sucked in, just as I had been with the first book set in this world. It's such accessible sci-fi, as action packed as any Marvel movie, so easy to read but very hard to put down.

There's an enemies-to-lovers sapphic romance, dangerous and evil corporations, cool tech, a fast-paced adventure plot and explosions! I'd recommend it to anyone who thinks Black Widow deserved better, and who loves the idea of a thrilling, hi-tech adventure in a neon, post-apocalyptic city.

Was this review helpful?

Mindbreaker is a mind-blowing sci-fi read with an action-packed plot, an intriguing main-character faced with an unimaginable reality, and ground-breaking science mired in moral dilemma.

I read the book in one sitting, finishing in the early hours of the morning because I don't think I could have slept not knowing how it ends. Just like Mindwalker, it's the kind of sci-fi story that got me absolutely hooked.
The two novels are set in the same post-nuclear war New York, and while there are references to the events of Mindwalker, as well as some appearances from characters of the first novel, Mindbreaker could be read as a stand-alone. However, if you love a plot to bring down the evil tech corporations, then you'll enjoy both.

In Mindwalker, we followed Sil Sarrah as she brought down tech giant Syntex. In Mindbreaker, anti-tech cult girl Indra Dyer faces off against Glindell Technologies, whose cure for her terminal condition turned out not to be saving her body, but instead uploading her mind to a prototype MindDrive housed in a humanoid robotic shell. When news of an attack against Glindell's biggest rival coincide with Indra starting to experience memory lapses, she suspects the worst. Indra goes on the run to uncover the truth behind the procedure that saved her life, before Glindell’s new technology changes humanity forever.

This was an absolute thrill-ride: fast-paced, utterly compelling, and with the right balance of science and fiction. It’s Mindwalker technology on steroids, with a sapphic plot thrown in. The book threw up so many questions about how we value life, and what makes us human – it’s bound to stick in my mind for a long time, and I already look forward to finding out what Kate Dylan writes next.

Was this review helpful?

I love that is a sequel to mindwalker, but can also be read (and thoroughly enjoyed) as a standalone. All that sass and dry humour that I loved in the first one is seen here too, which allows that fantastic blend of dystopia and doom and gloom, but with light moments and showing that even when the world is a mess, people still just carry on and find a way as they must. I finished this book so quickly and loved every second. It didn’t feel clunky or too info-dumpy, however at no point I did I feel lost o confused. Everything just made sense! The characters are amazing, and I loved every one, even those I hated, I loved to hate them. I feel like I want to be part of some of the friendships and honestly, whether you’re new to sci-fi, or read it all the time. This is the book to pick up!

Was this review helpful?

After reading Mindwalker, Kate Dylan’s debut YA cyberpunk Sci-Fi, injected full of fast pacing, vivid world building, solid themes involving our technological world, and fleshed out characters, I knew I had to pick up the follow up companion book, Mindbreaker, and dive back in this world. And I got to indulge in it before release, and it delivered as much as I expected to, with much of the same, world expansion, but fresh enough to keep me engaged from start to finish.

This one has Ghost in the Shell and Battle Angel Alita vibes, considering that our protagonist, Indra Dyer, was converted into a “cybot” in order to save her life after nearly dying from a rare condition. She’s interested in technology to her almost death, despite her religious cult arguing against technology, but overall, she’s exploring who she is with her new status, and through a lot of revelations, she’s questioning aspects of herself, especially since saving her life required her to betray the basic tenants of her life. And some haunting realistic dreams she’s having as of late. She’s quite a mess, but a determined mess.

I really enjoyed Indra’s interactions with Nyx. It’s rare in YA to see a boy/girl relationship not turn romantic (both are gay), and it was so refreshing to see the two rub off each other in a platonic sense, the hacker boy and the good god girl. I also like how Indra interacted with Tian, her handler turned love interest, and how Tian herself grows as she realizes the truth about her company. The other characters, new and old, were interesting and fleshed out, with a few surprises that I will not spoil. I love the bonding of the cast as well, through all that they go through.

Once again, the pacing was brilliant, things were happening every chapter and none of it was filler, all of it exploring another aspect of Indra’s new status as a “cybot” with a hard drive for a brain instead of flesh and bone. There’s plenty of action sequences and they were all done well, feeling like an action thriller movie. Yet it has enough scenes to really get to know the characters and their situations. I couldn’t wait to see what kind of trouble she would get into next. Again, the prose is super smooth.

I love the world building of this cyberpunk world, and even if you read book 1, there’s plenty more to explore with new technology and the consequences of book 1’s events. The post apocalyptic world of cyberpunk New York is still interesting and I still want more of it. Even if sci-fi usually isn’t your thing, it’s not too heavy on the technology, and fairly easy to follow along, as most concepts are explained in the story itself.

The themes were fleshed out well, with the exploration of faith, finding your own path, rebellion, tech company control, and what makes someone human when you’re all metal. Made me think about the possibilities of the future, both good and bad, considering if we can even trust technology sometimes. No more quiet rebellions is practically an arc word for this book. I was really happy that religion wasn’t vilified; while the cult Indra was in wasn’t exactly a great place, religion wasn’t seen as evil by the protagonist, despite the rest of the world having moved on from it after the world ended centuries ago, believing that any god would have not allowed this to happen, with some of the creative swears.

There are callbacks, references, and characters from the first book, Mindwalker. While there’s enough information in this book to stand on it’s own, you will be spoiled for Mindwalker if you haven’t read it, so I highly suggest reading Mindwalker first. Also, there’s plenty of swearing, some graphic violence and some sensual content (nothing spicy), so be advised.

I’m really sad to find out that a third book in the Mindwalker world is unlikely (for now), but I’m really hoping for more stories in this universe, especially with a small ending hook. I will be on the lookout in what Kate Dylan has for us next.

Was this review helpful?

Mindbreaker does not disappoint! If you loved Kate Dylan's first book Mindwalker then this will be right up your street. I snapped this book up in just a couple of days (a sign of a great book for me). It's full of action, sarcastic characters that we love and is well-paced.

Mindbreaker is set in the same world as Mindwalker, but follows a new character. A person could easily pick up Mindbreaker before Mindwalker and not feel like they're missing out and read it as a standalone. There are references to the first book, which is nice for those that have read Mindwalker. It's set a few years on from the events of the first book and follows Indra, a girl from the outer sectors with not a lot of tech knowledge and is thrown in to the world. I loved her narrative voice and while she still had some great sarcastic lines, she felt distinctively different to Sil from Mindwalker. Indra felt authentic, she was limited in her knowledge of the main sector and made decisions that felt befitting to her background. The character development was 10/10 very authentic and made sense.

I loved the twists and turns of this book and I just couldn't put it down. I honestly don't want to give out more because it would spoil it. I've already preordered this. Kate is becoming one of my Must Buy authors ! :) If you love sci-fi, with the whole what is it to be human theme, seriously pick this up.

Was this review helpful?

I downloaded this book before a 4 hour Amtrak ride and devoured the entire thing before reaching my final destination, which I think goes to show just how compelling a story Mindbreaker is.

I didn't realize until honestly just now that Mindbreaker is the second novel set in this world by Kate Dylan because for the most part, it works perfectly well as a standalone novel. I do think any potential feelings I had in the beginning of the book about how quickly I felt thrown into such a complicated and fascinating world are now answered by the realization that this is not the first in the series. But even having said that, I do think the incredible first person narrative voice helps compensate and break up some early parts of the story where a lot of world-building information gets thrown at the reader quite quickly.

Mindbreaker follows a teenage girl who has grown up as part of an anti-technology, religious cult in a world dominated by advanced tech, who, in order to have her life saved, is sold to one of the leading tech companies as Intellectual Property and has her mind uploaded into a proprietary "cybot" body. The book was not just full of compelling twists and turns, as well as interesting characters, but dealt throughout with some very real and interesting questions about what it means to be human, what it means to be a society, what obligations we have to one another, and what it might mean to see technology taken too far. I also enjoyed the way the author portrayed the cult that the MC was raised in. I felt that rather than rely on the reader's expectations of what a cult should be, it asked us to pause and consider that perhaps, in this world she has created, their positions weren't entirely unreasonable. Certainly there was more nuance to that issue than I was expecting from the back cover summary, and I enjoyed that a lot.

Having read Mindbreaker, I am very much looking forward to going back and reading the first world in this universe.

Was this review helpful?

Mindbreaker by Kate Dylan
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐

Special thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC via Netgalley!

First things first, I'd recommend reading Mindwalker before diving into Mindbreaker—it's not a prerequisite, but it does give you a more rounded understanding of the world in which these novels are set.

Mindbreaker is not just a sequel—it's a step up. It takes the familiar territory of a dystopian future with omnipotent corporations from Mindwalker and ramps it up, portraying the bleakness and brutality of corporate greed in raw detail. It's a stark contrast to the slow reveal in Mindwalker and there's no hiding from it here.

The main character, Indra, is a force to be reckoned with, more 'Hulk' than 'Black Widow' if we're speaking in Marvel terms. Her struggle with becoming more robot than human is tangible and draws you in, creating a stark contrast to the more discreet approach of Sil in Mindwalker. Yet, each character's unique approach adds a distinct flavor to their respective books.

But what really surprised me was the subplot romance which I found myself truly enjoying—a rarity for me, indeed! The book was also loaded with twists—some I saw coming, others took me by surprise, but each added another layer of intrigue to the storyline.

Dylan's writing style is fantastic, akin to the fast-paced, action-packed thrill of an action movie. It's engaging, easy to read, and keeps you turning pages at lightning speed.

On the world-building front, while it's less focused on in this book compared to Mindwalker, it's still sufficiently detailed. However, new readers might find it a bit confusing without the background knowledge provided in the first book.

Overall, Mindbreaker is a thrilling read that I'd love to see on the big screen one day. It's popcorn worthy and just an amazing sequel. I can't wait to see what Dylan comes up with next!

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder for giving me access to this wonderful novel. WINDBREAKER takes everything about MINDWALKER and cranks it up even higher! I found the protagonist easy to root for and really enjoyed the fast-paced read.

Was this review helpful?

This book was all about more. More of this world, of tech and dystopia, more characters we love and more of the characters we loved in the first book. Ok sure this is a stand alone in the sense it follows a different story but it's always nice when we get more of the quartet of characters from Mindwalker.

This story takes place about a year after we leave off from Mindwalker. On that note, it does answer some 'Where are they now' type questions. We know where they are, f**king sh*t up again. And I am here for it.

Now within this book's 320 pages is just...more. Like I said, it's more tech, more world, more characters. And honestly, for a book a little over 300 pages, it is absolutely packed. There is never a dull moment because the quieter moments are sort of like the valley before you're rocketed uphill again.

Like last time, the story leaves you with the question of what all the tech is worth and is it really better for everyone to live life with it. At the same time, as said in the blurb, it really does argue what it means to be human. That debate when you've changed and you have to wonder if it was good thing.
(*Mini spoiler* Though for most people this doesn't involve puddles of dissolved humans - it'll make sense later)

The first book had a lot of lighthearted moments, moments where you could cheer for everyone but the corps because things were doing well and people tried making good choices. This one was admittedly heavier, in a lot of ways and for a lot of reasons, but it was just as good and just as enjoyable to go through.

Do I want a third book in this world? I'm not sure my human, untech-enhanced heart could take it.

Was this review helpful?

SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
I got this as an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I really appreciate that opportunity. I requested Mindbreaker as I had just read and loved Mindwalker also by Kate Dylan - and I was not let down! This is a sequel but you could enjoy it without having read the first book (read the first book though, it’s fab).
I feel I don’t have the words many people have to write great reviews. So to put it very simply: sci-fi set in a future America that has been completely destroyed along with the rest of the world. Rebuilding and repopulating is happening and advanced tech has helped people survive the toxic lands. But what happens when advanced tech is in greedy hands?
17 year old Indra grew up on the fringes of society and got a radiation illness that was slowly killing her. Her father tried to save her and sold her to big tech who offered to try to heal her. We have a well paced action packed story then that has lots of rebels and robots, risky escapes…
I love the characters… silver haired Nyx, the boy from the 6, is one of my favourites. Love the characters from the first book who we see too, it’s a nice crossover.
If you like a bit of sci-fi, futuristic planet earth, strong female characters, hacking, good versus evil story telling, any of the above, then Mindbreaker is definitely worth the read.

Was this review helpful?

Wow Kate Dylan has done it again. If you want a sci-fi that reads like a futuristic black mirror episode look no further!! Set after Mindwalker it’s a brilliant look into the world where technology is key and big tech companies hold all the power. The new characters in this book were just as fantastic as the first and to see Syl and the gang come back was so much fun. I cannot wait to see what else comes from this author

Was this review helpful?

Kate Dylan is a master! This was the science fiction of my dreams, with humour and intelligence and a gripping plot. I adored Mindwalker, and Mindbreaker more that matches it predecessor. Can't wait to see what Dylan cooks up next!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

picking up after Mindwalker, Mindbreaker is an excellent follow-up that at least equals Kate Dylan’s first book in the series. indra, glindell, and a whole new tech are introduced here which takes place in the same universe as MindWalker but without sil and syntex. this book is for people who wish to dabble in cyberpunk scifi while keeping their attention on the plot and the characters. similar to mindwalker, this installment makes me yearn to travel to a planet full of human adaptability and perseverance despite being desolate and hanging on by a thread. although i believe you could read this without having read Mindwalker, it's recommended diving in for the world context and the larger narrative elements before taking this up!

thank you to the author and netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

picking up after Mindwalker, Mindbreaker is an excellent follow-up that at least equals Kate Dylan’s first book in the series. indra, glindell, and a whole new tech are introduced here which takes place in the same universe as MindWalker but without sil and syntex. this book is for people who wish to dabble in science fiction while keeping their attention on the plot and the characters. similar to mindwalker, this installment makes me yearn to travel to a planet full of human adaptability and perseverance despite being desolate and hanging on by a thread. although i believe you could read this without having read Mindwalker, it's recommended diving in for the world context and the larger narrative elements before taking this up!

thank you to the author and netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton; and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of Mindbreaker.

I am a massive fan of Mindwalker and so Mindbreaker was one of my most anticipated reads for 2023 and boy did Kate Dylan deliver.

I was drawn in by the story and characters straightaway - actually much quicker even than Mindwalker. Every time I set my kindle down I felt compelled to keep reading which is a sure sign for me that I’m loving something. Mindwalker was great but Kate Dylan took things up a level with the second novel set in the Mindwalker world. The pacing was spectacular, the characters were great and the overall plot was very enjoyable and felt in no way derivative of Mindwalker. Extra points to Kate Dylan for some of that dialogue too which was a punch to the heart in some places.

Kate Dylan is fast becoming an auto-buy author for me and I will definitely be picking this up again.

Was this review helpful?

I loved jumping back in to this world! This story had me hooked just like the first, I love the new characters and that we get some back from the previous books. The world building and the insight into the Indra’s mind were perfection, it was so easy to visualise and fully immerse in this world!

I got an advance copy of this book via NetGalley from the publisher @hodderscape and the author @thekatedylan and I’m so grateful, I’ve been waiting (not so) patiently for this second book to the series and I can’t wait to get a copy on my shelf!

I will just (not so) quietly be waiting here for a third one!🫣💜

Was this review helpful?

Mindbreaker is set in the same world as Mindwalker but, instead of following one of Syntex’s Mindwalkers, it follows a girl from a religious anti-tech cult whose become the latest project of Syntex’s rival company, Glindell.

Indra’s secret hobby of leaving her compound and experimenting with tech winds up with her in critical condition and, when Glindell offers her family a chance to save her, her father is unable to refuse. But, instead of saving Indra, they place her brain inside a mechanical copy of herself, the first in a new breed of AI. But Indra never wanted this and the more she discovers about Glindell’s secrets and what they plan to use her for, the more desperate she becomes to escape. So begins a fast-paced thrill ride of a story that follows Indra as she goes from a mild-mannered church girl to a dangerous AI hellbent on revenge. Although this follows a completely different cast of characters at first, it does follow directly after Mindwalker and I was excited to see that the characters from book one definitely do make an appearance.

Mindwalker was one of my favourite books of last year so, when I heard about Mindbreaker, I was SO excited and, honestly, it did not disappoint at all! Indra is a an incredible protagonist, and I adored the way that the author showed her emotional struggle as she adapted to her new life, as well as using her new AI abilities to fill in any gaps. I loved Tian as well, and Nyx, and found myself deeply invested in the whole cast of characters and the mission that they found themselves on. The world-building as well was incredibly well done and I found myself once again absorbed in this terrifyingly realistic dystopian world.

The storyline is fast-paced and completely unique from book one, and I found myself fully engrossed and unable to put this down. Although Mindwalker was one of my favourite books of last year, Kate Dylan has truly outdone herself with Mindbreaker and I know I’ll be eagerly awaiting whatever she releases next. This is a contender for my favourite book of the year for sure and I would recommend to literally anyone who likes page-turning YA.

Was this review helpful?

What a great continuation of this sci-fi series; and like Mindwalker, I was hooked from start to finish. This sequel does feature Sil, Ryder and the AA team; but is fundamentally the story of Indra, Tian and Nyx. Mindbreaker can be read as a standalone, but book 1 is so good I would suggest starting there. I love Kate Dylan's writing style, which has delivered another fast-paced, action-packed, easy to understand story; with likeable, relatable characters, and set in the same future dystopian, tech-centred world.


Although this story is down as YA, I would say it has a much wider appeal. This book was one of my most anticipated 2023 reads, so I am thankful to NetGalley and Hodder Stoughton for allowing me to get an early copy of the book and I am also thankful that this has lived up to expectations - I would absolutely love a book 3…

Was this review helpful?

Kate Dylan has done it again!
I absolutely adored Mindwalker and honestly, wasn’t sure if Kate could top it. But they did and boy was this book an emotional rollercoaster.
Mind breaker is a standalone read set in the same universe and follows on from the events of Mindwalker.
Kate did such a beautiful job introducing a new corporate programme whilst still leaving you to feel connected to the original story. The writing was stellar, the sapphic romance was stunningly slow burn and overall I just didn’t want it to ever end,

Thank you Kate for continuing to give this world to life and I really hope you bring us more in this universe.

Was this review helpful?

WOW. Kate Dylan has done it again. I loved Mindwalker (unputdownable) and you can go ahead and add Mindbreaker to the list of books I devoured in just a couple days.

The story follows Indra - raised in an anti-tech cult and forced to embrace tech in order to save her own life...only to find that that tech has now turned her into a human machine and may yet rob her of her humanity altogether. In Dylan's typical style, this high-octane thriller catapults us straight into danger while also asking us to question the role of tech and tech companies in our own world.

I listened on audio and the narrator did an excellent job. Highly recommend the audiobook for other audio aficionados like myself.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is set in the same world as Mindwalker. Mindbreaker can be read as a standalone as it has its own plot. But I'd strongly advise you to read Mindwalker first because you might run into one or several of its characters. And they also discuss events that took place during Mindwalker.
I really enjoyed the book's evil tech corporation/dystopia elements as well as the general science fiction elements.

Was this review helpful?

When I saw this book advertised I knew straight away, after reading MindWalker from the same author, that I absolutely had to read this book. And I wasn’t disappointed.
The story follows Indra Dyer, a girl born into a religious tech free cult. After sneaking into the city she ends up with a terminal condition and is given the choice to die faithful to her beliefs and upbringing or accept the cure offered by the tech company that basically runs everything and then has to deal with the consequences of that deal.
It’s full of twists and turns and I honestly could not put this down. This author is knocking out some fantastic reads and I can’t wait to see what she does next

Was this review helpful?

Come with me if you want to love.

Indra Dyer is dying, and the second-largest tech corporation in the United American State offers to save her life, totally for free, with just one minor catch: she’ll become their wholly-owned intellectual property. Raised in a church that shuns technology, she becomes the ultimate blasphemy. Instead of saving her body, they download her mind into a identical android copy.

Is she still Indra? Mostly. Will her family still accept her? Unlikely. Is there a good explanation for her missing stretches of time, and the nagging feeling that she’s done some really bad things along the way? Let’s be honest, it’s a cyberpunk book, almost certainly not.

This is the second book by Kate Dylan in this YA setting, the first being Mindwalker which I liked a lot earlier in the year. While the main characters are different, and it’s still a self-contained story, it is more of a sequel than I was expecting, which was a pleasant surprise. You’ll certainly get more out of it if you have read the first book, however it’s not strictly required.

I very much enjoyed this one too, it has a good mix of sci-fi action and intrigue with a welcome sprinkling of romance on the top. I really hope we’ll see more of all these characters again in the future.

Thank you to Hodder Books for the advance copy.

Was this review helpful?

Mindbreaker is a fiercely pacy sci-fi and an excellent follow-up to Mindwalker. Stand-alone, but featuring characters from Mindwalker, Mindbreaker follows Indra, an ex-cult-member-turned-cybot who is forced into the hands of a tech company in order to save her life. Forced to accept her new reality as Glindell’s trademarked property, Indra tries to get used to Tian, her sort-of-friend and a research assistant, rummaging around in her mind. That is until Indra starts having dreams where she’s handling bombs and losing pockets of time. But she’s been in her room the whole time… right? Faced with the need to get answers, Indra finds herself on the run, desperate to find out what happens before Glindell shuts her down for good.

This was a fascinating sequel. The world in Mindwalker was shown to be a post-god society, but Indra was part of a religious commune who still believed in a god and she spends a lot of the story grappling with her faith, her learned aversion to tech and the lessons that had been ingrained within her, as well as her struggle to understand the actions of her family. It’s sapphic too, which I loved!

Was this review helpful?

Just damn. Kate has done it again and created a sci-fi technology universe you can’t put down until you finish the very last chapter, or in my case until you realise it’s 2 am and you probably should go to bed because you have work to do in the morning.
I didn’t think that this book could be any better than the first, but damn was I wrong, Kate has developed her writing even more, which I didn’t think was physically possible, to be even more amazing; creating a world that you fall in to and follow each electrical pulse along the adventure’s twists and turns so much I ended up messaging Kate several times with comments like ‘what the fuck’.

Although I am not the biggest fan of sci-fi, as you can probably see from the little amount of sci-fy I read…this is definitely one book that even if you are not a sci-fi fan you must read. I loved it from beginning to end and you can see the work and love that the author has put into every single chapter and character. I cannot wait for everyone to read this book, not only that, but I am insisting now that Kate must create more books because I need her writing in my life permanently permanently.

A massive thank you to Kate for letting me read this early and having every emotion under the Sun escape for me while reading it. I hope that the special edition I have designed lives up to this amazing story.

Was this review helpful?

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED!

If you had asked me before I started reading, I would have told you I couldn’t possibly like this more than Dylan’s last book, Mindwalker. But I was stunningly wrong. This book intertwines religious ideology with hyper-capitalist dystopian cyber-punk tech in a way I have never seen before and am frankly obsessed with. I loved this so much and will continue to instantly read everything by this author forever.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for providing an arc in exchange for a review.

I read this book in one day and when I say I couldn't put it down I really mean it. I read it while eating and continued even when my eyes hurt; It was such a great read. I read Mindwalker last year and loved every second of it so I went in with high expectations that did not disappoint. Mindbreaker is an indirect sequel to Mindwalker, while you don't have to read Mindwalker, this book does take place after the events in the first one and I would recommend reading Mindwalker first.

This book is so relevant to this day and age where AI is growing faster than we can regulate and design laws for. It plays with the ethical concerns around tech and our dependence on it. But the characters are also great and well-developed. I'm not a big sci-fi reader, but this one is well worth a read!

Was this review helpful?

I really love it when second books are just as good as the first. Kate Dylan has delivered on the promise made by Mindwalker, with another action-packed stark warning of the dystopian future that lies ahead of us if we mindlessly careen into an AI future with the same carelessness of thought we give to appointing our political leaders.
It’s great to pick up with some of the previous cast, and good to see a way forward for the next book in what’s already a gripping series. If you enjoyed book one, you’re gonna love book two!
Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton and to NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC.
Mindbreaker releases on 14 September.

Was this review helpful?

This is such a great follow up to Mindwalker by Kate Dylan. She has done it again and produced a great exciting novel. I loved it but I'm sure that my teen grandaughter is obsessed with this series. It is all she and her friends talk about.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely loved this book. I just want more. I need to know that this isn't the last planned book in the series.

You can read this book as a standalone but it is really the 2nd in the series. The main characters from the first book are in this 2nd book, but only as the story progresses. The new characters in the book are the main story line this time.

Like Kate Dylan says in both her reviews for both her books imagine this as a Marvel movie but in book form. I also agree with her review this second book is basically her reimagining of Ghost in the Shell/ Westworld in the main story line being about AI and robots/ mind upload to a mind drive.

PLEASE PLEASE MAKE ANOTHER BOOK! 📚 📖 📕 ❤️😍😎😄

Was this review helpful?

Five stars for a book that is a quite far from my comfort zone. So I’m happy and surprised I requested this book after reading the blurb, because I enjoyed it immensely. To me the blurb looked like something I read (many times) before, because I’ve an avid SF reader for over 50 years now. And I mean SF, not Fantasy. Here is an interesting link: Mind uploading in fiction - Wikipedia.
Need I say here that I didn’t read Mindwalker first? Well, I didn’t but I had no trouble at all connecting to the world the author created. A scary world, but luckily there are many people left who are trying to rebuild it – into something better, not the world that was destroyed in almost all ways.
What I liked the most about this story is the fact that it is clear from the onset that Indra is no superhuman. Not in her old life, and not as soon as she’s uploaded in another form. Yes, she may have superpowers, but inside she’s no Robocop. The Glindell corporation is as bad as they come, and I wager there are many companies who would just love to find out how to explore human beings in another form.
A great book for young (and much older) people who are interested in future technology, not only how it will be developed, but especially the impact technology has on humanity.

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this review copy.

Was this review helpful?

Readers who liked this book also liked: