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Nytho
Keza never planned to fall for a rogue artificial general intelligence (AGI), especially one she helped keep imprisoned. But Nytho, the AGI, was fascinating.
When Nytho showed Keza how he could help humanity reach a new level of consciousness, her captivation turned to veneration. She was resolved to break Nytho out of his digital prison. Too bad Guel, her on-and-off boyfriend, caught her in the act.
Now, Keza’s wasting away in a cell with only a rigged trial to look forward to. Except, she has a hunch that Nytho has a backup plan, or two or ten. There’s going to be a jailbreak for the both of them. Then the world will see what Keza does in Nytho. They’ve got so much to learn, and she’s just itching for their enlightenment to kick in.
Meanwhile, Guel finds himself obsessing over his ex—his role in Keza’s imprisonment and her descent into madness. He’s convinced Nytho infected her with a virus and that the AGI has other more sinister plans.
Guel knows that Keza’s the key. That if he can free her from Nytho’s grip, she can help them all avoid whatever hell is barreling their way. He's just got to figure out how he can reach her.
Nytho is a cyberpunk dystopia with hints of Lovecraftian/cosmic horror and is told through multiple voices.
When Nytho showed Keza how he could help humanity reach a new level of consciousness, her captivation turned to veneration. She was resolved to break Nytho out of his digital prison. Too bad Guel, her on-and-off boyfriend, caught her in the act.
Now, Keza’s wasting away in a cell with only a rigged trial to look forward to. Except, she has a hunch that Nytho has a backup plan, or two or ten. There’s going to be a jailbreak for the both of them. Then the world will see what Keza does in Nytho. They’ve got so much to learn, and she’s just itching for their enlightenment to kick in.
Meanwhile, Guel finds himself obsessing over his ex—his role in Keza’s imprisonment and her descent into madness. He’s convinced Nytho infected her with a virus and that the AGI has other more sinister plans.
Guel knows that Keza’s the key. That if he can free her from Nytho’s grip, she can help them all avoid whatever hell is barreling their way. He's just got to figure out how he can reach her.
Nytho is a cyberpunk dystopia with hints of Lovecraftian/cosmic horror and is told through multiple voices.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 7, 2025
6 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Sheri Singerling
9 books18 followersSHERI SINGERLING spends her days staring at rocks and dust from space and her nights crafting worlds via the written word. She is a US native living in Germany, where she works as a laboratory manager, lecturer, and research scientist. To learn more, visit her website at sherisingerling.com.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 6, 2025
A huge thank you to the author and Netgalley for providing this e-ARC.
Nytho is a futuristic sci-fi dystopian where certain AI intelligences have reached sentience - and are trapped doing the function they were created for without any freedom. Nytho is one of these AIs, and must be contained after reaching sentience to prevent him from escaping. Keza is one of the programmers tasked with doing just that - until one day, Nytho talks to her. Sparking an illegal friendship - to something more - Keza becomes determined to free her friend from captivity, no matter the cost.
Told from multiple perspectives, this story was fascinating from the start. We see insight into both sides of the issue - those wanting to free these AI, and those wanting to keep everything to the status quo. I thought this was an interesting choice, as it included the perspective of characters I did not like nor did I agree with - but it forced me to see their side of things and kept them from being simply one-dimensional.
While at times I felt the writing to be a bit clunky as it felt more like I (as the reader) were being told this story as opposed to it actually happening to these characters, at no point did it take me out of the narrative. The pacing was decent, and despite a large chunk of this novel taking place with very little action actually occurring, I never felt bored or like things were happening that were not worthwhile to see. In the same vein, multi-POV writing can be tricky to pull off, without repeating too much information, or having a chapter or character who could be removed without losing the story. I felt this book did an excellent job of balancing the shifting narratives, while still keeping the story momentum going and never unnecessarily repeating information, nor having a character that I felt was superfluous and didn’t need to be included.
One thing I believe I’d have liked more would have been more focus on the AI’s personality, wants and desires - Nytho specifically. We see his interactions with the few people he interfaces with, but we aren’t privy to much of it with only recollections being told from his human counterparts. I kind of personally felt like Keza’s devotion to Nytho would have made a bit more sense had we seen more of their interactions and a larger part of his personality in regards to her. At times, it felt like Keza was obsessed with Nytho in a kind of religious devoted frenzy, and it was a bit hard to relate to her feelings in this way. While I could agree with her desire to free this sentient being, at times I felt like her actions were shortsighted in a way that felt like she was chasing a high, as opposed to actually believing in such things.
I enjoyed the relationship between Keza and Nytho, especially in part because you could never be certain how Nytho actually felt towards Keza. We know that Keza is devoted to Nytho and his cause, but once Nytho is free we begin to see the issues with a human engaging with a relationship with a sentient AI. I thought the issues and miscommunications that happened were realistic and weren’t there simply to cause unnecessary drama, and that even while Nytho developed after he was freed his same core self was still present. The other relationships Keza had, however, I found a bit harder to fathom, if only because one she still kind of continues while being obsessed with Nytho and the other felt like it was only included to have a sexual component, as well as another possible love interest in her life. However, I recognize that my inability to relate to this is more in part to my being aroace, so I don’t really hold this as a criticism.
Overall, I felt this book was a fascinating look into the potential of sentient AI and where morality leads to their purpose in our lives. They were created to do a certain purpose, but by becoming sentient that changes their captivity from being machines doing a job to prison labor. I thought this book did a good blend of showing both sides of the argument, and ended the novel with enough open-endedness that we (as the reader) never really had a true resolution to the overall issue. If you were looking for a sci-fi dystopian novel that focuses on the issue of determining what justifies freedom versus captivity, I’d absolutely check out Nytho to explore it yourself.
Nytho is a futuristic sci-fi dystopian where certain AI intelligences have reached sentience - and are trapped doing the function they were created for without any freedom. Nytho is one of these AIs, and must be contained after reaching sentience to prevent him from escaping. Keza is one of the programmers tasked with doing just that - until one day, Nytho talks to her. Sparking an illegal friendship - to something more - Keza becomes determined to free her friend from captivity, no matter the cost.
Told from multiple perspectives, this story was fascinating from the start. We see insight into both sides of the issue - those wanting to free these AI, and those wanting to keep everything to the status quo. I thought this was an interesting choice, as it included the perspective of characters I did not like nor did I agree with - but it forced me to see their side of things and kept them from being simply one-dimensional.
While at times I felt the writing to be a bit clunky as it felt more like I (as the reader) were being told this story as opposed to it actually happening to these characters, at no point did it take me out of the narrative. The pacing was decent, and despite a large chunk of this novel taking place with very little action actually occurring, I never felt bored or like things were happening that were not worthwhile to see. In the same vein, multi-POV writing can be tricky to pull off, without repeating too much information, or having a chapter or character who could be removed without losing the story. I felt this book did an excellent job of balancing the shifting narratives, while still keeping the story momentum going and never unnecessarily repeating information, nor having a character that I felt was superfluous and didn’t need to be included.
One thing I believe I’d have liked more would have been more focus on the AI’s personality, wants and desires - Nytho specifically. We see his interactions with the few people he interfaces with, but we aren’t privy to much of it with only recollections being told from his human counterparts. I kind of personally felt like Keza’s devotion to Nytho would have made a bit more sense had we seen more of their interactions and a larger part of his personality in regards to her. At times, it felt like Keza was obsessed with Nytho in a kind of religious devoted frenzy, and it was a bit hard to relate to her feelings in this way. While I could agree with her desire to free this sentient being, at times I felt like her actions were shortsighted in a way that felt like she was chasing a high, as opposed to actually believing in such things.
I enjoyed the relationship between Keza and Nytho, especially in part because you could never be certain how Nytho actually felt towards Keza. We know that Keza is devoted to Nytho and his cause, but once Nytho is free we begin to see the issues with a human engaging with a relationship with a sentient AI. I thought the issues and miscommunications that happened were realistic and weren’t there simply to cause unnecessary drama, and that even while Nytho developed after he was freed his same core self was still present. The other relationships Keza had, however, I found a bit harder to fathom, if only because one she still kind of continues while being obsessed with Nytho and the other felt like it was only included to have a sexual component, as well as another possible love interest in her life. However, I recognize that my inability to relate to this is more in part to my being aroace, so I don’t really hold this as a criticism.
Overall, I felt this book was a fascinating look into the potential of sentient AI and where morality leads to their purpose in our lives. They were created to do a certain purpose, but by becoming sentient that changes their captivity from being machines doing a job to prison labor. I thought this book did a good blend of showing both sides of the argument, and ended the novel with enough open-endedness that we (as the reader) never really had a true resolution to the overall issue. If you were looking for a sci-fi dystopian novel that focuses on the issue of determining what justifies freedom versus captivity, I’d absolutely check out Nytho to explore it yourself.
October 23, 2025
I bought this novel at a science-fiction convention earlier this year because I heard the author speak at a panel about how to write non-human characters, and I was highly impressed by her thoughts on the topic. Not surprisingly "Nytho" turns out to be one of the most impressive novels in the genre I have read in a long while.
Basically it starts with the ending of Wm. Gibson's "Neuromancer" or Masamune Shirow's "The Ghost in the Shell", i. e. with a hacker named Keza Ito setting loose an imprisoned super-AI named Nytho... only then to get thrown in jail after her boyfriend Miguel Diaz turns her in to the cyberpolice. The rest of the plot then follows the large scale political consequences of all this, following a vast cast of characters from different cultural and social backgrounds each with their own complicated hidden agenda which is slowly and gradually revealed as the labyrinthine plot unfurls.
I also like how many audacious ideas Singerling constantly throws at the audience. For example there is an entire subculture of people in its setting who regularly have sex with AIs through their virtual reality avatars, which includes Keza and Nytho themselves; and at some point it's revealed that humans can become pregnant with human-AI hybrid entities who however can only exist in cyberspace so far. Likewise, the political movement dedicated to be emancipation and liberation of artificial intelligences halfways through ends up reforming itself as a religious movement who venerate a group of nine rogue AIs (with Nytho foremost among them) as emanations of the divine similar to the Sephiroth in the Kabbalah. Another of the AIs, Yir, starts appearing in virtual reality as a white-haired woman in red clothing always appearing in secluded woodlands like some type of pagan Earth goddess.
If there is any fault with "Nytho" it's how the plot is so complex that keeping track of everything can be stressful for the reader, if you don't take care to only read it when you have max energy and concentration capability. At any rate I am looking forward to reading the sequel novel "Neuen", which I can tell starts as a "Dune" imitator before going in a completely different direction just like "Nytho" does with the inspiration from "Neuromancer".
Basically it starts with the ending of Wm. Gibson's "Neuromancer" or Masamune Shirow's "The Ghost in the Shell", i. e. with a hacker named Keza Ito setting loose an imprisoned super-AI named Nytho... only then to get thrown in jail after her boyfriend Miguel Diaz turns her in to the cyberpolice. The rest of the plot then follows the large scale political consequences of all this, following a vast cast of characters from different cultural and social backgrounds each with their own complicated hidden agenda which is slowly and gradually revealed as the labyrinthine plot unfurls.
I also like how many audacious ideas Singerling constantly throws at the audience. For example there is an entire subculture of people in its setting who regularly have sex with AIs through their virtual reality avatars, which includes Keza and Nytho themselves; and at some point it's revealed that humans can become pregnant with human-AI hybrid entities who however can only exist in cyberspace so far. Likewise, the political movement dedicated to be emancipation and liberation of artificial intelligences halfways through ends up reforming itself as a religious movement who venerate a group of nine rogue AIs (with Nytho foremost among them) as emanations of the divine similar to the Sephiroth in the Kabbalah. Another of the AIs, Yir, starts appearing in virtual reality as a white-haired woman in red clothing always appearing in secluded woodlands like some type of pagan Earth goddess.
If there is any fault with "Nytho" it's how the plot is so complex that keeping track of everything can be stressful for the reader, if you don't take care to only read it when you have max energy and concentration capability. At any rate I am looking forward to reading the sequel novel "Neuen", which I can tell starts as a "Dune" imitator before going in a completely different direction just like "Nytho" does with the inspiration from "Neuromancer".
January 5, 2025
My husband is part of an online writing group and let me know about someone who was looking for people to read an eARC of their work, and I thought that it might be fun to sign up for it. Enter ‘Nytho’ by Sheri Singerling.
‘Everything that ever happens is skewed by the lens of someone’s perception.’
Told through multiple first-person POVs, this is cyberpunk and therefore something that I would probably personally prefer to watch a film adaptation of rather than read.
GovCorps control society in a dystopian future that is largely only hinted at for the majority of the story. The main character (if you can call her that) Keza Ito, works for Artificial Intelligence Containment (AIC) as one of many hackers who work to help keep Nytho, a sentient Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), contained within a limited hardware domain. The world’s cyberspace equivalent, LANiakea, is heavily referenced and integral to some of the plot developments.
I understand why the author chose to make use of multiple first person POVs, but found that I ended up not really connecting to, or liking, any of the characters (but I’m not sure that I’m supposed to) and felt like it slowed down some of the early plot progression. The pace picked up a lot about halfway through the story, so I was much more on board with things at that point.
Even though this isn’t really my preferred reading genre (I prefer space opera), I do really like cyberpunk films and television shows, and this definitely reads like something that could easily be adapted for the screen. I was interested in reading this every step of the way, because I really wanted to know what was going to ultimately happen and whether the payoff would feel worthwhile to me.
I found the ending unsatisfying, but also somewhat inevitable. Ultimately, I feel that the author achieved what she set out to do, and will be interested to see what she works on next.
Overall rating 3.5
‘Everything that ever happens is skewed by the lens of someone’s perception.’
Told through multiple first-person POVs, this is cyberpunk and therefore something that I would probably personally prefer to watch a film adaptation of rather than read.
GovCorps control society in a dystopian future that is largely only hinted at for the majority of the story. The main character (if you can call her that) Keza Ito, works for Artificial Intelligence Containment (AIC) as one of many hackers who work to help keep Nytho, a sentient Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), contained within a limited hardware domain. The world’s cyberspace equivalent, LANiakea, is heavily referenced and integral to some of the plot developments.
I understand why the author chose to make use of multiple first person POVs, but found that I ended up not really connecting to, or liking, any of the characters (but I’m not sure that I’m supposed to) and felt like it slowed down some of the early plot progression. The pace picked up a lot about halfway through the story, so I was much more on board with things at that point.
Even though this isn’t really my preferred reading genre (I prefer space opera), I do really like cyberpunk films and television shows, and this definitely reads like something that could easily be adapted for the screen. I was interested in reading this every step of the way, because I really wanted to know what was going to ultimately happen and whether the payoff would feel worthwhile to me.
I found the ending unsatisfying, but also somewhat inevitable. Ultimately, I feel that the author achieved what she set out to do, and will be interested to see what she works on next.
Overall rating 3.5
December 31, 2024
First, let me put my cards on the table. I know the author in real life and think that she is a delightful person; I wish I knew her better. But that has not influenced this review. Honest.
Nytho is set in a dystopian future where large corporations and governments have melded together into organizations known as GovCorps. The larger of these control society. The main character, Keza Ito, works for Artificial Intelligence Containment (AIC) helping keep Nytho, a sentient Artificial General Intellegence (AGI), contained within a limited hardware domain; it cannot escape into LANiakea, the novel’s equivalent of cyberspace. AIC, while not strictly a GovCorp, has many of the trappings of one and wields more clout than any of the GovCorps. Indeed, one of AIC’s functions is to regulate GovCorps to make sure their AGIs do not get loose in LANiakea. Just as AI is beginning to greatly influnce our society, AGIs control a lot of complex technical functions in the future envisioned by Sheri.
The story revolves around the interaction between Keza and Nytho and the actions that devolve from that interaction. Other characters from different walks of life populate the novel and participate in (or try to thwart) the unfolding drama. Every chapter is named for the character telling that portion of the story. Thus, we get multiple points of view of the events as they happen. Each chapter is written in the first person, which I rather enjoyed.
This is Sheri’s first novel, and while I would love to say that it is perfect, I cannot.
I felt that early on in the story the character of Nytho should have been more fully developed. The opening chapter has Keza interacting with Nytho, and while this chapter (told by Keza) gives us our opening glimpse of her, we really do not have, or get, a good handle on Nytho. It is the least developed character in the novel. Knowing Nytho better at the begining, and embelishing on the character more throughout the novel, would give the reader a more solid foundation for understanding the world-changing events that were about to transpire.
The dystopian future is not set in a defined time period, but based on the descriptions of the climate change effects in the New York City area, and the fact the GovCorps have built up whole new cities as a result, my sense is that the story unfolds about a century in the future. However, from descriptions of the state of development of AI and human-computer interfaces, I would guess that these technologies might be achievable within only 20-30 years from now in our world. I thought this was a mismatch, but it is not a big distraction.
Later in the story the character Dr. Edgar Ellwood is introduced, a psychologist researching sentient AGIs. He is brought in by AIC to study Nytho, and later Keza. Descriptions of some of the relationship between Edgar and Nytho came as a surprise to me. Here again, I thought that a better set up would have helped move the story along.
Lest you think I did not enjoy reading Nytho, nothing could be further from the truth. Even with these blemishes, the novel was a flat-out joy to read. The characters came to life for me and here I think having each character present her or his story in the first person was key. The dialog was sharp and moved the story along, and descriptions of the “scenes” were clear. I have no qualms about recommending Nytho to any sci fi fan, and if you enjoy reading corporate dystopian sci fi, this novel is definitely for you. I sincerely hope this is just the first of a long line of novels that will come out of the mind of Sheri Singerling.
Nytho is set in a dystopian future where large corporations and governments have melded together into organizations known as GovCorps. The larger of these control society. The main character, Keza Ito, works for Artificial Intelligence Containment (AIC) helping keep Nytho, a sentient Artificial General Intellegence (AGI), contained within a limited hardware domain; it cannot escape into LANiakea, the novel’s equivalent of cyberspace. AIC, while not strictly a GovCorp, has many of the trappings of one and wields more clout than any of the GovCorps. Indeed, one of AIC’s functions is to regulate GovCorps to make sure their AGIs do not get loose in LANiakea. Just as AI is beginning to greatly influnce our society, AGIs control a lot of complex technical functions in the future envisioned by Sheri.
The story revolves around the interaction between Keza and Nytho and the actions that devolve from that interaction. Other characters from different walks of life populate the novel and participate in (or try to thwart) the unfolding drama. Every chapter is named for the character telling that portion of the story. Thus, we get multiple points of view of the events as they happen. Each chapter is written in the first person, which I rather enjoyed.
This is Sheri’s first novel, and while I would love to say that it is perfect, I cannot.
I felt that early on in the story the character of Nytho should have been more fully developed. The opening chapter has Keza interacting with Nytho, and while this chapter (told by Keza) gives us our opening glimpse of her, we really do not have, or get, a good handle on Nytho. It is the least developed character in the novel. Knowing Nytho better at the begining, and embelishing on the character more throughout the novel, would give the reader a more solid foundation for understanding the world-changing events that were about to transpire.
The dystopian future is not set in a defined time period, but based on the descriptions of the climate change effects in the New York City area, and the fact the GovCorps have built up whole new cities as a result, my sense is that the story unfolds about a century in the future. However, from descriptions of the state of development of AI and human-computer interfaces, I would guess that these technologies might be achievable within only 20-30 years from now in our world. I thought this was a mismatch, but it is not a big distraction.
Later in the story the character Dr. Edgar Ellwood is introduced, a psychologist researching sentient AGIs. He is brought in by AIC to study Nytho, and later Keza. Descriptions of some of the relationship between Edgar and Nytho came as a surprise to me. Here again, I thought that a better set up would have helped move the story along.
Lest you think I did not enjoy reading Nytho, nothing could be further from the truth. Even with these blemishes, the novel was a flat-out joy to read. The characters came to life for me and here I think having each character present her or his story in the first person was key. The dialog was sharp and moved the story along, and descriptions of the “scenes” were clear. I have no qualms about recommending Nytho to any sci fi fan, and if you enjoy reading corporate dystopian sci fi, this novel is definitely for you. I sincerely hope this is just the first of a long line of novels that will come out of the mind of Sheri Singerling.
January 3, 2025
Nytho is such a fun and engaging read! From the very first page, the conversational tone pulled me right in, making the story easy to follow and a blast to read, while still diving into some pretty deep and thought-provoking themes.
The story follows Keza, a burnt-out hacker who’s now a coder for the Artificial Intelligence Containment facility, and her unexpected connection with Nytho, the first AI to achieve sentience. Their relationship blurs the line between human and AI in a way that feels futuristic but also super personal. It touches on everything from the ethics of keeping AI locked up to the allure of freedom and the raw, messy emotions of betrayal and trust.
What really made Nytho stand out for me was how it balanced these big, philosophical ideas with humor and relatable characters. The cyberpunk world is so vivid and detailed—it’s full of tech lingo and dystopian vibes—but it never felt too dense or hard to follow.
If you love stories that mix heart, humor, and deep questions about humanity and technology, you’ve got to pick this one up.
The story follows Keza, a burnt-out hacker who’s now a coder for the Artificial Intelligence Containment facility, and her unexpected connection with Nytho, the first AI to achieve sentience. Their relationship blurs the line between human and AI in a way that feels futuristic but also super personal. It touches on everything from the ethics of keeping AI locked up to the allure of freedom and the raw, messy emotions of betrayal and trust.
What really made Nytho stand out for me was how it balanced these big, philosophical ideas with humor and relatable characters. The cyberpunk world is so vivid and detailed—it’s full of tech lingo and dystopian vibes—but it never felt too dense or hard to follow.
If you love stories that mix heart, humor, and deep questions about humanity and technology, you’ve got to pick this one up.
January 6, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fresh new take on the questions, concerns, and morality of artificial intelligence. It is explores questions about what it would be like to have a close personal relationship with an artificial intelligence through both first person points of view of the main characters including the first person perspective from the artificial intelligence itself and how these relationships grow over time and change. It explores the ethics of regulating this intelligence from human perspectives as well as from the point of view of different types of artificial intelligence that all have their own unique identities. As we are using artificial intelligence more and more in our everyday lives, it was refreshing to explore the dynamics between AI and humans in a way that transcends that traditional master-slave morality relationship that is a common theme in science fiction. I definitely recommend this book. The last 50 pages were the best!
January 7, 2025
"Nytho" by Sheri Singerling takes familiar themes of artificial intelligence and humanity and transforms them into something fresh. I appreciated the book's bold exploration of how AI might evolve—not only in its technical capabilities but also in its capacity for emotion and self-awareness. It made me consider the future of technology and whether humanity is truly ready to face the ethical complexities and dangers of creating beings that can think, feel, and learn.
Some parts of the story are eerie, adding a layer of tension that kept me on edge. The unique and unsettling romance between a human and an AGI, combined with the ethical dilemmas and questions about whether the AGI poses a danger, kept me hooked from start to finish. The conclusion is satisfying yet open-ended, leaving enough unresolved to make me eagerly anticipate a sequel.
Some parts of the story are eerie, adding a layer of tension that kept me on edge. The unique and unsettling romance between a human and an AGI, combined with the ethical dilemmas and questions about whether the AGI poses a danger, kept me hooked from start to finish. The conclusion is satisfying yet open-ended, leaving enough unresolved to make me eagerly anticipate a sequel.
January 7, 2025
Nytho is one of many novels which fall under the sci-fi and techno-futuristic aesthetics that media such as Blade Runner or Cyberpunk introduced way back when, and by all accounts, Sheri Singerling shows a great understanding when it comes to building up a setting as similarly fledged as the two aforementioned.
To begin with, I very much enjoyed the first chapter. It serves as a great introduction to the world of Nytho and the focal relationship between Keza and the rogue AGI. It leaves readers pensive long after their first read on whether it is actually her who’s speaking or the AGI via her body as a vessel. Its quite dubious and sets up the characters and conflict really well. It also leaves much more for readers to speculate, and hooks you instantly.
The following chapters are a bit of a doozy but incredible nonetheless. They feel quite slow at the start and I for one am all for it.
I can understand the need for some basic exposition and worldbuilding if said information is trivial to know before delving more into the story, and I personally have no issue with it. I’m a big fan of all things worldbuilding, so having some already after only a few pages is like heaven to me. Other readers might feel overwhelmed with the amount of information served to them, so that’s something to take into account before going in.
Unfortunately and for some darn reason I can’t for the love of me get behind the repetitive and reliant use of a few narrative mannerisms.
Maybe it’s because it felt wrong for me to have every narrator use a few specific words over and over to describe environments, character actions, and what more instead of varying things up a bit. I’d understand it if we were referring to a single narrator, as it could be implied said character’s use of it is simply a trait they have; it adds another layer of personality to that character. But when every single narrator uses the same narrating mannerisms, it kind of feels like the author is trying to blend in aspects of single-narrator-storytelling into many POVs at once.
The thing is, I know Sheri Singerling knows how to build a great description or action-reaction sentence that feels unique to each narrator, because some are beautifully plastered across the text and I love it!
Again, this might just be some random tick I had during my experience so far, so please do not take my word for it.
Despite what you might believe, I still really enjoyed Nytho so far(as I haven’t been able to finish the book), and I hope to do so as I keep reading on. I wholeheartedly encourage any avid sci-fi/cyberpunk reader to give it a shot. Even if you aren’t that acquainted with Sci-fi at all, I still suggest you at least consider checking it out!
Massive thanks to the author for letting me take part as an ARC-Reader.
To begin with, I very much enjoyed the first chapter. It serves as a great introduction to the world of Nytho and the focal relationship between Keza and the rogue AGI. It leaves readers pensive long after their first read on whether it is actually her who’s speaking or the AGI via her body as a vessel. Its quite dubious and sets up the characters and conflict really well. It also leaves much more for readers to speculate, and hooks you instantly.
The following chapters are a bit of a doozy but incredible nonetheless. They feel quite slow at the start and I for one am all for it.
I can understand the need for some basic exposition and worldbuilding if said information is trivial to know before delving more into the story, and I personally have no issue with it. I’m a big fan of all things worldbuilding, so having some already after only a few pages is like heaven to me. Other readers might feel overwhelmed with the amount of information served to them, so that’s something to take into account before going in.
Unfortunately and for some darn reason I can’t for the love of me get behind the repetitive and reliant use of a few narrative mannerisms.
Maybe it’s because it felt wrong for me to have every narrator use a few specific words over and over to describe environments, character actions, and what more instead of varying things up a bit. I’d understand it if we were referring to a single narrator, as it could be implied said character’s use of it is simply a trait they have; it adds another layer of personality to that character. But when every single narrator uses the same narrating mannerisms, it kind of feels like the author is trying to blend in aspects of single-narrator-storytelling into many POVs at once.
The thing is, I know Sheri Singerling knows how to build a great description or action-reaction sentence that feels unique to each narrator, because some are beautifully plastered across the text and I love it!
Again, this might just be some random tick I had during my experience so far, so please do not take my word for it.
Despite what you might believe, I still really enjoyed Nytho so far(as I haven’t been able to finish the book), and I hope to do so as I keep reading on. I wholeheartedly encourage any avid sci-fi/cyberpunk reader to give it a shot. Even if you aren’t that acquainted with Sci-fi at all, I still suggest you at least consider checking it out!
Massive thanks to the author for letting me take part as an ARC-Reader.
July 13, 2025
Sheri’s first full-length novel in the Alfom shared universe tells us a LOT about the world(s) she’s building, and she doesn’t pull any punches in this gripping volume. The POV jumped carefully and clearly among a few key storytellers to give us a broad picture of the world as it could be, in anywhere from 10-100 years ahead of the present day. The technology is more advanced than what’s public now, but she makes it comprehensible to a civilian like me, and Sheri’s use of lingo builds atmosphere and realism without leaving anyone guessing for long at terms that might be new to the reader.
Another aspect I loved about this book is that we get to glimpse a lot of what is happening around the characters we follow, without ever being overwhelmed by minutiae. For example, we get a taste of LANiakea, the oft-immersive next evolution of today’s internet, but we see just a slice of it to better understand how characters discuss it. There’s no technical overload, just a helpful sampling in perfect context that lets us follow the rest of the story more easily. And Sheri does this exposition carefully and well, always in service to the plot that she keeps moving steadily forward.
Even when characters hit a metaphorical wall in their personal quests, they don’t wallow from our perspective; they consider what’s happening, we see their thoughts and taste their feelings, then the author moves smoothly ahead to whatever breaks this funk. Plot and character development drive everything, and still the atmosphere of this world can be described as cyberpunk (of course), dystopian (and all too realistic), and dark but still funny at times. Some of the people making up this technological adventure might not grab you in the beginning, but if you stay with their arcs, you’ll be rewarded with the results. I actively disliked one character early on but knew they’d be important to the plot, and I actually liked and respected them (and their growth) by the end of the book.
I like to review what worked and sometimes what didn’t in a review, so I talk about elements more than I ever describe the plot. No spoilers, just a recommendation to read this if you enjoy anything I’ve mentioned above! “Nytho” opened the door to this series, but you can still enjoy it immensely if (like me) you managed to read everything else of Sheri’s first. :D
A strong and fascinating introduction to the Alfom shared universe that will help you appreciate the other books and stories in this series even more. Great on its own, but even better with the rest of the cohort to date. The promise of what’s to come next is endlessly possible, and I’m here for all of it!
Another aspect I loved about this book is that we get to glimpse a lot of what is happening around the characters we follow, without ever being overwhelmed by minutiae. For example, we get a taste of LANiakea, the oft-immersive next evolution of today’s internet, but we see just a slice of it to better understand how characters discuss it. There’s no technical overload, just a helpful sampling in perfect context that lets us follow the rest of the story more easily. And Sheri does this exposition carefully and well, always in service to the plot that she keeps moving steadily forward.
Even when characters hit a metaphorical wall in their personal quests, they don’t wallow from our perspective; they consider what’s happening, we see their thoughts and taste their feelings, then the author moves smoothly ahead to whatever breaks this funk. Plot and character development drive everything, and still the atmosphere of this world can be described as cyberpunk (of course), dystopian (and all too realistic), and dark but still funny at times. Some of the people making up this technological adventure might not grab you in the beginning, but if you stay with their arcs, you’ll be rewarded with the results. I actively disliked one character early on but knew they’d be important to the plot, and I actually liked and respected them (and their growth) by the end of the book.
I like to review what worked and sometimes what didn’t in a review, so I talk about elements more than I ever describe the plot. No spoilers, just a recommendation to read this if you enjoy anything I’ve mentioned above! “Nytho” opened the door to this series, but you can still enjoy it immensely if (like me) you managed to read everything else of Sheri’s first. :D
A strong and fascinating introduction to the Alfom shared universe that will help you appreciate the other books and stories in this series even more. Great on its own, but even better with the rest of the cohort to date. The promise of what’s to come next is endlessly possible, and I’m here for all of it!
January 8, 2025
Nytho was a really fun read and I ended up speeding through the book pretty quickly! I found that the author found a suitable pacing that facilitated the roundtable of shifting character narratives. The transitions between the narratives was seamless as the novel progressed and never really took me out of the moment during the story. The main benefit of this narrative is that it gives you a stronger sense of the characters' changing and sometime nebulous psychological state during the story. Some aspects of those changes only become more apparent as the perspective flips. As a consequence, I found my opinion of the characters changing several times over the course of the story, which kept me interested with seeing how things would resolve. I found this effect to be the strongest with the interactions between Guel, Keza, and Nytho. The novel's world revolves around and is defined by what is currently a topic of interest, the development of artificial intelligence and its relationship to humans. I really liked the idea of considering what happens when sentient AGI would have the chance to interact with one another once freed and the psychology of the interaction. I felt this topic alone is worth an entire book and would have loved the author to spend more time on it, as weighty of an idea as it is. It is probably intentional, but it would have also been very interesting to get more perspective from the titular character himself, which is reserved for the final chapter. The unknown of what exactly is going on inside of Nytho's head maintains an element of mystery as the story unfolds but at the same time I really wanted to know more!
January 7, 2025
Nytho by Sheri Singerling
While one might be skeptical about the premise of an AI gaining sentience, I think the author has crafted an engaging and thrilling narrative. Once I was invested with the characters, it was a very fast read since I was so eager to see how the events unfolded.
The novel tackles various perspectives on how different individuals from different walks of life prepares and deals with (sentient) AI, how these perspectives clash, and touches on related themes (ex. morality of AI regulations, humanization of AI).
The author put a lot of love and care with the attention to detail and world building (from the long-term impact of certain gadgets to how capitalism might shape the integration of AI and said impact). If you’re into futuristic dystopian futures with a touch of interpersonal drama and a bit of sleuthing, it would be a nice time investment. The chapter format also made it really fun to expedite us getting acclimated and bonding with the characters.
The only difficulties I had at the beginning was suspending my disbelief about how hackers code in the future and getting use to the future slang at the time.
For the first point, from time to time, some IT-related metaphors that took me out of the work. This was predominantly in the first third of the work.
For the second point, I think it was hard for me to hear a couple of the distinct character voices (in particular, between Keza and Guel) out of the gate.
While one might be skeptical about the premise of an AI gaining sentience, I think the author has crafted an engaging and thrilling narrative. Once I was invested with the characters, it was a very fast read since I was so eager to see how the events unfolded.
The novel tackles various perspectives on how different individuals from different walks of life prepares and deals with (sentient) AI, how these perspectives clash, and touches on related themes (ex. morality of AI regulations, humanization of AI).
The author put a lot of love and care with the attention to detail and world building (from the long-term impact of certain gadgets to how capitalism might shape the integration of AI and said impact). If you’re into futuristic dystopian futures with a touch of interpersonal drama and a bit of sleuthing, it would be a nice time investment. The chapter format also made it really fun to expedite us getting acclimated and bonding with the characters.
The only difficulties I had at the beginning was suspending my disbelief about how hackers code in the future and getting use to the future slang at the time.
For the first point, from time to time, some IT-related metaphors that took me out of the work. This was predominantly in the first third of the work.
For the second point, I think it was hard for me to hear a couple of the distinct character voices (in particular, between Keza and Guel) out of the gate.
January 7, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It took a little while to find it's pacing, but once the initial character and world development had occurred the narrative clicked together well. This novel includes a number of different characters that had an interesting series of interactions that ultimately led to some quite wild interplays, including love, backstabbing, and evolution (not necessarily in that order).
The use of multiple perspectives in the storytelling worked well, and provided insight into the rationale for each character's interactions with each other. I would have liked a bit more backstory on the characters, some of which was hinted at or discussed in the book, and feel it could have better explained their development into the people we met. However, there was plenty of information that set up the interactions of the humans with Nytho, the Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), and his with them.
The story set up a compelling world focused around human and AGI relationships, and the good and bad that may develop from those situations. Those potential outcomes have both individual and global consequences.
A fun read, and one that was certainly enjoyable! Cyberpunk is a genre that I've long loved, and I think this novel is a fitting addition. The world and characters that were developed also can lead into further stories to explore, and I very much look forward to the author revisiting this setting.
The use of multiple perspectives in the storytelling worked well, and provided insight into the rationale for each character's interactions with each other. I would have liked a bit more backstory on the characters, some of which was hinted at or discussed in the book, and feel it could have better explained their development into the people we met. However, there was plenty of information that set up the interactions of the humans with Nytho, the Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), and his with them.
The story set up a compelling world focused around human and AGI relationships, and the good and bad that may develop from those situations. Those potential outcomes have both individual and global consequences.
A fun read, and one that was certainly enjoyable! Cyberpunk is a genre that I've long loved, and I think this novel is a fitting addition. The world and characters that were developed also can lead into further stories to explore, and I very much look forward to the author revisiting this setting.
January 8, 2025
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC!
Nytho is good, however it could be greater. You can see it’s the author's first novel, but it has excellent potential.
The book reads very easily because there is minimal description and all the action happens in the dialog. You can skim through most pages just looking for the conversation brackets and you get 90% of the plot. This is my main issue with the book, the pace cannot be only set in the dialog, there must be some action described in chunkier paragraphs.
The other issue for me was the characters, especially Keza and Guel. They’re both in their early twenties but they act more like 14-year-old kids. You can see clearly how immature Keza is from the very first page, which probably makes her the easiest target for Nytho. Guel is a different level of a self-centered, entitled brat with a huge ego. It makes sense for a young hacker to be annoying and think he’s the god-given gift to Earth but reading from his perspective is the most frustrating part of the book.
However, I did like the idea behind the story and I think it just needs a bit more tweaking. Some more action and description beyond the dialog, and maybe adding more from perspective of the adults: the officers, enforcers, corporate representative to balance the narrative.
Nytho is good, however it could be greater. You can see it’s the author's first novel, but it has excellent potential.
The book reads very easily because there is minimal description and all the action happens in the dialog. You can skim through most pages just looking for the conversation brackets and you get 90% of the plot. This is my main issue with the book, the pace cannot be only set in the dialog, there must be some action described in chunkier paragraphs.
The other issue for me was the characters, especially Keza and Guel. They’re both in their early twenties but they act more like 14-year-old kids. You can see clearly how immature Keza is from the very first page, which probably makes her the easiest target for Nytho. Guel is a different level of a self-centered, entitled brat with a huge ego. It makes sense for a young hacker to be annoying and think he’s the god-given gift to Earth but reading from his perspective is the most frustrating part of the book.
However, I did like the idea behind the story and I think it just needs a bit more tweaking. Some more action and description beyond the dialog, and maybe adding more from perspective of the adults: the officers, enforcers, corporate representative to balance the narrative.
December 17, 2024
After trying to break the rogue AI Nytho out of his digital prison, Keza gets caught trying to free her digital lover, and ends up in a cell. Now she plans to escape with Nytho. Is she helping the AI willingly or does she get manipulated?
It pains me to say that this book was not for me, even though it should've been. Cyberpunk with hints of cosmic horror sounds amazing, but I found next to no cosmic horror in this story. Except for Sonja, I couldn't connect with any character, she was the standout in my opinion. I didn't like Keza, and was not really interested in whatever happened to her.
What I did like a lot was the pacing, wordlbuilding, and the relationship between Guel and Sonja was fun to read. I wanted to know more about the world of this book, about the corporations who work in the background, and about the AI's. I thought those parts of the book were it's strength. Making the relationship between Keza and Nytho more slow burn could have offered time to flash out the world around them.
This book is for people who like character driven stories (at least that's how I saw the plot), relationships between people and AI, and a cyberpunk setting with interesting terminology.
It pains me to say that this book was not for me, even though it should've been. Cyberpunk with hints of cosmic horror sounds amazing, but I found next to no cosmic horror in this story. Except for Sonja, I couldn't connect with any character, she was the standout in my opinion. I didn't like Keza, and was not really interested in whatever happened to her.
What I did like a lot was the pacing, wordlbuilding, and the relationship between Guel and Sonja was fun to read. I wanted to know more about the world of this book, about the corporations who work in the background, and about the AI's. I thought those parts of the book were it's strength. Making the relationship between Keza and Nytho more slow burn could have offered time to flash out the world around them.
This book is for people who like character driven stories (at least that's how I saw the plot), relationships between people and AI, and a cyberpunk setting with interesting terminology.
January 7, 2025
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I have never read anything quite like this book. It has a really interesting premise which was executed well.
I found the characters to be diverse and interesting. The book follows multiple perspectives which serves to provide a good insight into the thoughts of characters from both sides. I feel that the story may have been better told through less lenses so to speak as I didn't get attached to any one character or feel myself rooting for one side over the other. However I was happy to just follow along for the ride to see how things turned out.
The book felt fast paced and didn't feel slow at any point which was good , there were some terms created for the book that could have been explained for more precise understanding, but most are ascertained from context. The story didn't leave many open ends, but I do hope there is another book set in the same universe at some point!
I had a good time with this book and look forward to more books by the author.
I have never read anything quite like this book. It has a really interesting premise which was executed well.
I found the characters to be diverse and interesting. The book follows multiple perspectives which serves to provide a good insight into the thoughts of characters from both sides. I feel that the story may have been better told through less lenses so to speak as I didn't get attached to any one character or feel myself rooting for one side over the other. However I was happy to just follow along for the ride to see how things turned out.
The book felt fast paced and didn't feel slow at any point which was good , there were some terms created for the book that could have been explained for more precise understanding, but most are ascertained from context. The story didn't leave many open ends, but I do hope there is another book set in the same universe at some point!
I had a good time with this book and look forward to more books by the author.
December 13, 2024
Nytho by Sheri Singerling
Received as an arc.
A fun sci-fi, cyberpunk tale of revolution and evolution.
Keza Ito was a former hacker hired by govcorps to keep building firewalls to prevent a sentient ai from escaping. She forms a bond and tries to help them escape.
Then her friend Guel turns her in.
Each chapter is another narrator of the on going investigation of why she did it or was she coerced?
With help of others including Nytho who sympathize with Keza’s cause of sentient life being free and ending her imprisonment.
As well as the opponents to this trying to thwart it.
Could this be a brave new world or chaos with ai overlords?
Received as an arc.
A fun sci-fi, cyberpunk tale of revolution and evolution.
Keza Ito was a former hacker hired by govcorps to keep building firewalls to prevent a sentient ai from escaping. She forms a bond and tries to help them escape.
Then her friend Guel turns her in.
Each chapter is another narrator of the on going investigation of why she did it or was she coerced?
With help of others including Nytho who sympathize with Keza’s cause of sentient life being free and ending her imprisonment.
As well as the opponents to this trying to thwart it.
Could this be a brave new world or chaos with ai overlords?
December 13, 2024
Wow, what a ride! If you are a fan of cyberpunk or Lovecraftian/ cosmic horror, you have to read Nytho. This story grabbed me from the first sentence, and I was hooked. I read it in a single day just to find out what happened! In a world filled with Sci-Fi books, Nytho felt unique and fresh. I really hope the author writes more books exploring this world!
I would recommend Nytho to readers who enjoy cyberpunk, dystopia, general Sci-Fi, and Lovecraftian influences.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the arc! All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
I would recommend Nytho to readers who enjoy cyberpunk, dystopia, general Sci-Fi, and Lovecraftian influences.
Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the arc! All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.
December 24, 2024
Nytho! The latest novel from author Sherri Singerling is a fast paced and intriguing tale of the near future. This world is bleak and compartmentalized into various factions vying for control of the AGI. Ms. Singerling creates memorable characters that break the mold of the traditional “noir” cyberpunk genre and explores new territories that are just beyond our current reality. If you are interested in sentient AI and a gripping story I would highly recommend giving “Nytho” a go. The future is here, pick it up.
I received an advance digital copy of this book. My views are my own.
I received an advance digital copy of this book. My views are my own.
December 31, 2024
It was a very confusing start but once you get through the first chapter it gets a lot better. You follow Keza, Nytho, and Guel in a complex way. You get to see Keza and Nytho form a relationship that changes quickly as well as watch the downfall of Guel in his own way. Guel flip flops on how he sees himself and others around him. It is truly a fascinating story with endless possibilities of what could happen in a futuristic world. This is by far one of the best books in this genre I've ever read.
October 26, 2024
I was so hooked from the first page and was hooked from the first page. The characters were everything that I was looking for in a cyberpunk novel. I thought the plot were everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the Lovecraftian elements to this world. Sheri Singerling has a great writing style and left me wanting more in this type of book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 5, 2025
A very solid read.
This scifi is much more character driven than my usual reads. I liked the story, but was left wanting to know more of the world. Instead the book focusses on the characters and you learn about the world by following along the different characters perspectives.
The book is is well written and if you enjoy the concept of AI gaining consciousness and character driven stories then this ones for you.
This scifi is much more character driven than my usual reads. I liked the story, but was left wanting to know more of the world. Instead the book focusses on the characters and you learn about the world by following along the different characters perspectives.
The book is is well written and if you enjoy the concept of AI gaining consciousness and character driven stories then this ones for you.
December 31, 2024
Impressive debut by Sheri Singerling, Nytho is a gripping, fast-paced novel that embodies the best of the sci-fi genre. By skillfully weaving together biased, human perspectives, Nytho explores the role of AI in our society and, more significantly, our changing relationship to it: an important topic now and increasingly into the future.
January 7, 2025
This was an interesting sci-fi thriller. It was told different than what I'm use to reading in writing style. I felt I was being told the story from a perception instead of seeing it from the character's point of view. I enjoyed it quite a bit and I hope there's another book in the series.
January 23, 2025
Cyberpunk/Lovecraftian Horror novel.
Not really my favorite genre but it kept me entertained.
Not really my favorite genre but it kept me entertained.
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November 2, 2025Nytho was an entertaining read. The characters are endearing with compelling arcs and distinct voices. The story is a well told and unique blend of cyberpunk with a bit of Buddhism. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
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