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Cyberside: Second Simulation
WELCOME TO THE CYBERSIDE.
The body is obsolete. Memory is currency. And reality can be rewritten. James Reynolds was one of the engineers who built the Cyberside—a vast digital refuge created after the collapse of the physical world. Now he lives off-grid as a Taciturn, a hired gun with no identity, no allegiance, and no past he’s willing to revisit. Sent to a dying frontier town to eliminate a dangerous digital predator, James expects a routine kill. What he finds is Matilda—a Scry who doesn’t behave like any he’s hunted before, and who knows far too much about the world he helped create. As systems fail and disappearances mount, James and Matilda are drawn into a deeper conspiracy—one that traces back to Fall Water Lake, the origin point of the Cyberside itself. Second Simulation is a sharp, character-driven cyberpunk thriller from two veteran narrative designers.
For readers who remember their dreams in code.
Praise for Second Simulation and previous works
“ Second Simulation reads like a fever dream filtered through a firewall—vivid, tense, and quietly devastating. An exceptional read”
- Chris Riches, Daily Express
“Savchenko and Jennings have built a world as layered and immersive as anything in cyberpunk fiction. Matilda is a standout creation—equal parts threat, mystery and heart.”
— Will Barker, Assistant News Editor, The Sun
“A hauntingly plausible digital dystopia. Cyberside grips from the first page and refuses to let go—part mystery, part memory puzzle, part posthuman Western.”
— John Ward, Daily Star
“A gripping speculative thriller that takes readers deep into the high-stakes world of game development and the dark secrets lurking beneath. A must-read for tech enthusiasts and sci-fi fans alike.”
– Richard Moriarty, The Sun ( Level Zero)
“A masterclass in speculative fiction, blending insider knowledge of the gaming industry with profound insights into corporate ambition and technological evolution. Utterly unputdownable.”
– Chris Riches, Daily Express ( Level Zero)
The body is obsolete. Memory is currency. And reality can be rewritten. James Reynolds was one of the engineers who built the Cyberside—a vast digital refuge created after the collapse of the physical world. Now he lives off-grid as a Taciturn, a hired gun with no identity, no allegiance, and no past he’s willing to revisit. Sent to a dying frontier town to eliminate a dangerous digital predator, James expects a routine kill. What he finds is Matilda—a Scry who doesn’t behave like any he’s hunted before, and who knows far too much about the world he helped create. As systems fail and disappearances mount, James and Matilda are drawn into a deeper conspiracy—one that traces back to Fall Water Lake, the origin point of the Cyberside itself. Second Simulation is a sharp, character-driven cyberpunk thriller from two veteran narrative designers.
For readers who remember their dreams in code.
Praise for Second Simulation and previous works
“ Second Simulation reads like a fever dream filtered through a firewall—vivid, tense, and quietly devastating. An exceptional read”
- Chris Riches, Daily Express
“Savchenko and Jennings have built a world as layered and immersive as anything in cyberpunk fiction. Matilda is a standout creation—equal parts threat, mystery and heart.”
— Will Barker, Assistant News Editor, The Sun
“A hauntingly plausible digital dystopia. Cyberside grips from the first page and refuses to let go—part mystery, part memory puzzle, part posthuman Western.”
— John Ward, Daily Star
“A gripping speculative thriller that takes readers deep into the high-stakes world of game development and the dark secrets lurking beneath. A must-read for tech enthusiasts and sci-fi fans alike.”
– Richard Moriarty, The Sun ( Level Zero)
“A masterclass in speculative fiction, blending insider knowledge of the gaming industry with profound insights into corporate ambition and technological evolution. Utterly unputdownable.”
– Chris Riches, Daily Express ( Level Zero)
331 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2025
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
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July 22, 2025
First of all thanks to Zooloo's book tours and the authors for a copy of this book in exchange of my honest review.
Cyberside is a 2018 cyberpunk, dystopian novel written by Aleksey Savchenko and Bert Jennings. It is a novel set in a future where the world as we know it today has disappeared out of our sight.
Trigger warnings: violence, profanity
The cover design and the blurb were very intriguing and edgy which led me to pick up this book to read without hesitation. The opening lines of this book represented the whole genre and theme of the book so clearly that I had no other option but to delve into the world created by the author's words.
Cyberside is the new realm of existence, a digital refuge for people in a post-apocalyptic world where human beings' wildest dreams could come true in a pixelated simulation. The story starts off with the character James Reynolds - a mercenary in the cyberside living as a taciturn, opening the story for us in a dilapidated version of the simulation - as the author puts it "designed to be a utopia, destined to be a ruin". He has to tell his story against a Scry - a type of mutant created when the humankind had downloaded its collective consciousness first into the ether, and live by devouring other beings' memories. Nice to see consciousness being treaded upon here. Manipulating creatures - the scries would put up a fake facade to lure you into actually welcoming them into your life. The simulation had been created by Fall water lake - North Carolina - the tech firm James used to work at while in the normal planet, before the simulation. The story revs up and takes flight as he realises he's been hired by a Scry herself taking the character Matilda - now wanting the taciturn to kill slavers. There's also Donovan, who was his former boss in the real world, now controlling the pixelated territory in a tower. There are hermits, emotion smugglers, riddlers, the Queen of Neverland and a whole plethora of interesting characters that we meet along the way.
Cyberside is like a market for positive memories - dystopia at its peak. I found this book to be similar to the Pilgrim's Progress and Wizard of Us combined but in the cyber space. It makes us question how far we are willing to be deceived to settle into knowing comfort and familiarity rather than face the reality, how easily we fool ourselves, live our whole lives enslaved to our emotions and fancies climbing up invisible ladders to be better than the person next us, to be more powerful in this big illusion. The big mystery of this story is what or who Matilda really was before she became a Scry in the simulation... Will James and Matilda together be able to rewrite the cyberside and restore humanity back to what it was before the mass migration of their consciousnesses?
Here's my opinion of the book. The writing was okay but I did catch myself just scanning the pages for a few chapters in the middle. If the profanity and violence was left out this could've been a great teenage sci-fi book. And the ethics behind how James at the end plays God and how human it is of him to do what he did is quite grey and may appeal to some even as horrifying. It tried hard to look mystical and deep but became magical and unbelievable at the end as I think it failed somewhere along the way. Towards the latter part the story had lost its spark and had become almost like a children's book. The darkness and deep simulation style had gone to the devil's. The narrative style was in 3rd person with very reflective speech.
It deals with themes of greed, social status, power, superiority intertwining with philosophical themes like impermanence and inner wisdom. It deals with politics in a realm of ones and zeros. A power play that never ends. Artificial intelligence in a gameplay. Makes you wonder whether we're all truly souls playing characters with names and ideas in our heads. Many typos per chapter - can kind of get the grammar nazi on edge. New characters are introduced in nearly every chapter as the story progresses, helping the story unfold and not taking anything away from it. The natural human tendencies still remain despite migrating to the cyber space - instead of world wars now we have data traffic wars. Makes you realise that unless something fundamental changes in the way we interface with the world, nothing really will change, even if we leave the planet.
Cyberside is a digital thriller speaking to the reader in terms of code and data, so close we can actually comprehend it. Great for fans of Black Mirror, Upload and Altered Carbon. Being someone always haunted by memories of my life long past, I wish the method mentioned in the story to get rid of memories we don't want to have anymore, existed with us too, to maybe convert the storage space in our heads for memories into money because what does the past do except keep us from living fully in the now? I have to say I became a quick fan of Matilda. She was adventurous, spirited and a great character to follow along. Wish I had some of her powers. Neverland was the creepiest yet most comprehendible part of the book. It is so believable that the ether has taken over our psyches and how people feed their egos by way of crafting a socially accepted image of themselves on the ether and becoming addicted to it. How would you feel if you migrated your consciousness into a simulation and someone smuggled one of your most cherished memories or buys it and lives it as you did? Cyberside is a novel with a plausible future, hauntingly written and a memory puzzle too, feels like a fever dream, slightly disorienting even. Neverland was a bit like the Wonka factory with oompaloompas. Cyberside is like Alice's Wonderland in the ether. A rollercoaster ride into a manic illusory world where our consciousnesses are enslaved by pixelated psyches. Nice ending although bittersweet. Will the most unlikely team of a taciturn and scry be able to give humanity a makeover and play God, deciding what everyone's fate would be?
My favourite quotes:
"As humans, if we don't go through certain motions, we can't cope with this world not actually being physical"
"Mankind needs a new home and it sure as s*** isn't up in the stars"
"people are simple. They need guidance. They despise making decisions. Path of last resistance. .. we will make the decision when the time comes. And the will thank us for it"
"For a species that emphatically vocalises it's freedom, humanity is so eager to embrace its own enslavement, so desperate to escape a dying world, that it is willing to suffer a dismal recreation like this"
"There are no innocents Taciturn, all are guilty of something"
"In the end, humanity's problematic nature was less fixable than any technical issues they had ever planned for"
"We are constantly sacrificing things as we evolve as species. City life meant sacrificing the skills we learned in the wild. Technology meant sacrificing much of our natural - our physical - movement. Comfort and convenience obviated all our problem-solving faculties "
My overall rating for the book is 3/5 ⭐ s
Cyberside is a 2018 cyberpunk, dystopian novel written by Aleksey Savchenko and Bert Jennings. It is a novel set in a future where the world as we know it today has disappeared out of our sight.
Trigger warnings: violence, profanity
The cover design and the blurb were very intriguing and edgy which led me to pick up this book to read without hesitation. The opening lines of this book represented the whole genre and theme of the book so clearly that I had no other option but to delve into the world created by the author's words.
Cyberside is the new realm of existence, a digital refuge for people in a post-apocalyptic world where human beings' wildest dreams could come true in a pixelated simulation. The story starts off with the character James Reynolds - a mercenary in the cyberside living as a taciturn, opening the story for us in a dilapidated version of the simulation - as the author puts it "designed to be a utopia, destined to be a ruin". He has to tell his story against a Scry - a type of mutant created when the humankind had downloaded its collective consciousness first into the ether, and live by devouring other beings' memories. Nice to see consciousness being treaded upon here. Manipulating creatures - the scries would put up a fake facade to lure you into actually welcoming them into your life. The simulation had been created by Fall water lake - North Carolina - the tech firm James used to work at while in the normal planet, before the simulation. The story revs up and takes flight as he realises he's been hired by a Scry herself taking the character Matilda - now wanting the taciturn to kill slavers. There's also Donovan, who was his former boss in the real world, now controlling the pixelated territory in a tower. There are hermits, emotion smugglers, riddlers, the Queen of Neverland and a whole plethora of interesting characters that we meet along the way.
Cyberside is like a market for positive memories - dystopia at its peak. I found this book to be similar to the Pilgrim's Progress and Wizard of Us combined but in the cyber space. It makes us question how far we are willing to be deceived to settle into knowing comfort and familiarity rather than face the reality, how easily we fool ourselves, live our whole lives enslaved to our emotions and fancies climbing up invisible ladders to be better than the person next us, to be more powerful in this big illusion. The big mystery of this story is what or who Matilda really was before she became a Scry in the simulation... Will James and Matilda together be able to rewrite the cyberside and restore humanity back to what it was before the mass migration of their consciousnesses?
Here's my opinion of the book. The writing was okay but I did catch myself just scanning the pages for a few chapters in the middle. If the profanity and violence was left out this could've been a great teenage sci-fi book. And the ethics behind how James at the end plays God and how human it is of him to do what he did is quite grey and may appeal to some even as horrifying. It tried hard to look mystical and deep but became magical and unbelievable at the end as I think it failed somewhere along the way. Towards the latter part the story had lost its spark and had become almost like a children's book. The darkness and deep simulation style had gone to the devil's. The narrative style was in 3rd person with very reflective speech.
It deals with themes of greed, social status, power, superiority intertwining with philosophical themes like impermanence and inner wisdom. It deals with politics in a realm of ones and zeros. A power play that never ends. Artificial intelligence in a gameplay. Makes you wonder whether we're all truly souls playing characters with names and ideas in our heads. Many typos per chapter - can kind of get the grammar nazi on edge. New characters are introduced in nearly every chapter as the story progresses, helping the story unfold and not taking anything away from it. The natural human tendencies still remain despite migrating to the cyber space - instead of world wars now we have data traffic wars. Makes you realise that unless something fundamental changes in the way we interface with the world, nothing really will change, even if we leave the planet.
Cyberside is a digital thriller speaking to the reader in terms of code and data, so close we can actually comprehend it. Great for fans of Black Mirror, Upload and Altered Carbon. Being someone always haunted by memories of my life long past, I wish the method mentioned in the story to get rid of memories we don't want to have anymore, existed with us too, to maybe convert the storage space in our heads for memories into money because what does the past do except keep us from living fully in the now? I have to say I became a quick fan of Matilda. She was adventurous, spirited and a great character to follow along. Wish I had some of her powers. Neverland was the creepiest yet most comprehendible part of the book. It is so believable that the ether has taken over our psyches and how people feed their egos by way of crafting a socially accepted image of themselves on the ether and becoming addicted to it. How would you feel if you migrated your consciousness into a simulation and someone smuggled one of your most cherished memories or buys it and lives it as you did? Cyberside is a novel with a plausible future, hauntingly written and a memory puzzle too, feels like a fever dream, slightly disorienting even. Neverland was a bit like the Wonka factory with oompaloompas. Cyberside is like Alice's Wonderland in the ether. A rollercoaster ride into a manic illusory world where our consciousnesses are enslaved by pixelated psyches. Nice ending although bittersweet. Will the most unlikely team of a taciturn and scry be able to give humanity a makeover and play God, deciding what everyone's fate would be?
My favourite quotes:
"As humans, if we don't go through certain motions, we can't cope with this world not actually being physical"
"Mankind needs a new home and it sure as s*** isn't up in the stars"
"people are simple. They need guidance. They despise making decisions. Path of last resistance. .. we will make the decision when the time comes. And the will thank us for it"
"For a species that emphatically vocalises it's freedom, humanity is so eager to embrace its own enslavement, so desperate to escape a dying world, that it is willing to suffer a dismal recreation like this"
"There are no innocents Taciturn, all are guilty of something"
"In the end, humanity's problematic nature was less fixable than any technical issues they had ever planned for"
"We are constantly sacrificing things as we evolve as species. City life meant sacrificing the skills we learned in the wild. Technology meant sacrificing much of our natural - our physical - movement. Comfort and convenience obviated all our problem-solving faculties "
My overall rating for the book is 3/5 ⭐ s
July 21, 2025
Well who even am I….. second sci-fi book ever and I loved it!
I did worry going into this book if it would all go over this technology challenged forty something’s head but thankfully I never felt like that. The writing was so immersive and descriptive and even I could keep up with all the technology terminology and didn’t feel lost or confused by it. The story flowed so nicely following James (one of the engineers who built Cyberside) and Matilda (a scry) after James was sent there to kill her the unlikely duo form an alliance and their banter and friendship was so fun to read.
Memory is currency and this I found was such a brilliant concept, the whole locales within Cyberside and all the little details of each locales and how the digital world worked was so fascinating to me. I have never read anything like this, an action packed, character driven cyberpunk thriller that keeps you wanting more. Told in third person narrative helps bring all the digital world description and character development to another level, I found my heart racing through some of the action parts, they were so well written.
I absolutely adored the end. I was worried the writers would go down one route with the pair but Iam so pleased they didn’t (trying to keep this spoiler free!) and the end was so nicely tied up and satisfying.
This is book 2 with Cyberside: Level Zero being the first but you could totally read this book having not read the first…. Because I just did!
I have already added the first to my KU to read.
I did worry going into this book if it would all go over this technology challenged forty something’s head but thankfully I never felt like that. The writing was so immersive and descriptive and even I could keep up with all the technology terminology and didn’t feel lost or confused by it. The story flowed so nicely following James (one of the engineers who built Cyberside) and Matilda (a scry) after James was sent there to kill her the unlikely duo form an alliance and their banter and friendship was so fun to read.
Memory is currency and this I found was such a brilliant concept, the whole locales within Cyberside and all the little details of each locales and how the digital world worked was so fascinating to me. I have never read anything like this, an action packed, character driven cyberpunk thriller that keeps you wanting more. Told in third person narrative helps bring all the digital world description and character development to another level, I found my heart racing through some of the action parts, they were so well written.
I absolutely adored the end. I was worried the writers would go down one route with the pair but Iam so pleased they didn’t (trying to keep this spoiler free!) and the end was so nicely tied up and satisfying.
This is book 2 with Cyberside: Level Zero being the first but you could totally read this book having not read the first…. Because I just did!
I have already added the first to my KU to read.
July 18, 2025
I loved the prequel of this book, so I didn’t say yes fast enough when I had the opportunity to be part of the tour for Cyberside: Second Simulation! I honestly love the world that Aleksey Savchenko and Bert Jennings have created with these books and graphic novels, and I can’t have enough!
This book was an amazing adventure with lots of action, thoughtful dialogues, beautifully written characters and an incredible world building! It is so good how credible all this is, and how possible it all seems. A world where only data matter, especially memories and true emotions of a lived life before the Cyberside. But as long as data flows, anything goes, and the most powerful literally have people at their feet in order to create data traffic, ensuring they remain in power.
How can James, an engineer, and Matilda, a scry (an anomaly in this cyberworld) think they can do anything about it? What happens from the moment these two meet is so enthralling that I wasn’t able to stop reading and kept running ideas in my mind whenever I couldn’t keep reading it. Also, having read the prequel it was quite nice finding the same threads and piecing things together, as well as getting reacquainted with the same characters.
I think any sci-fi fan would love this series, and for some reason, I kept thinking about Westworld (especially the later seasons) and The Matrix, although these books are very different and if made into films, they would easily rival them!
Thanks to the authors and Zooloo’s Book Tours for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
This book was an amazing adventure with lots of action, thoughtful dialogues, beautifully written characters and an incredible world building! It is so good how credible all this is, and how possible it all seems. A world where only data matter, especially memories and true emotions of a lived life before the Cyberside. But as long as data flows, anything goes, and the most powerful literally have people at their feet in order to create data traffic, ensuring they remain in power.
How can James, an engineer, and Matilda, a scry (an anomaly in this cyberworld) think they can do anything about it? What happens from the moment these two meet is so enthralling that I wasn’t able to stop reading and kept running ideas in my mind whenever I couldn’t keep reading it. Also, having read the prequel it was quite nice finding the same threads and piecing things together, as well as getting reacquainted with the same characters.
I think any sci-fi fan would love this series, and for some reason, I kept thinking about Westworld (especially the later seasons) and The Matrix, although these books are very different and if made into films, they would easily rival them!
Thanks to the authors and Zooloo’s Book Tours for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
Read
July 18, 2025Cyberside by Aleksey Savchemko and Bert Jennings is a cyberpunk novel that really grabs you from the first page. The way that the author wrote the society being in a gaming world was really creative. There is so much science in this book, which I loved that the author did not make the story light and fluffy, he made you read the book and think at the same time! Mathilda is a Scry and James is a Taciturn. James is hired to kill Mathilda in the book but finds that Mathilda can not remember who she is and where she came from. And James doesn't feel right killing her after he finds that out and also some other tidbits about the town she is in. Mathilda also has amnesia and powers. Which makes for a deadly combination. The story itself is fast paced and adventure packed. I really liked the characters of James and Mathilda and how they interacted with each other. Mathilda's story is so gripping and sad at the same time that you cannot help but feel sorry for her. The author really wrote a deep story line with a lot about the characters and their emotions, their past, etc. that really takes the readers on a journey. I also loved the world of Cyberside, very cyberpunk and futuristic. I really enjoyed this book and would love to read more of the Cyberside world and the character's stories!
July 14, 2025
This is my first cyberpunk novel and it did not disappoint. Matilda and James are in Cyberside which is like a game/ cyber universe that the population has been uploaded to. Its very weird at first but I enjoyed not having it all explained straight away. Sometimes the science explanations were a little complicated for me but that didn't deter from the story. Matilda cant remember her past so you kind of learn what's going on with her. I found that the her and James to have very distinct personalities, as moody and bitchy as they were, I was routing for them. I loved their banter, the fact that Matilda is strong and independent had me wanting more of her. I had a great time reading this, its different from any sci-fi I have read, it feels refreshing, fun and interesting. This story will pull you in and have you abandoning your to-do list to just read this. I will definitely read more in this series and by these authors.
July 23, 2025
I liked this book! I loved the concept and it made for a really enjoyable cyberpunk thriller.
I love the cover so much! The colours pop. It was a really great design.
The book is well written and flows nicely. The writing itself is strong. I love the authors gaming backgrounds. Quizzed my husband about the studios!! I apologise for the tangent! You can tell there is a gaming influence in the writing.
The setting was brilliant and the world building was absolutely magnificent. It's an interesting idea living in a digital refuge.
The characters were excellent. I loved James and Matilda. Both characters were interesting and I loved their interactions. It was enjoyable seeing how their story unfolded.
I definitely recommend this book and the Cyberside series!
I love the cover so much! The colours pop. It was a really great design.
The book is well written and flows nicely. The writing itself is strong. I love the authors gaming backgrounds. Quizzed my husband about the studios!! I apologise for the tangent! You can tell there is a gaming influence in the writing.
The setting was brilliant and the world building was absolutely magnificent. It's an interesting idea living in a digital refuge.
The characters were excellent. I loved James and Matilda. Both characters were interesting and I loved their interactions. It was enjoyable seeing how their story unfolded.
I definitely recommend this book and the Cyberside series!
July 20, 2025
Years ago, I picked up a book called ‘Neuromancer’ by William Gibson. It was a bit confusing at first, blurring the line between a techno-reality and this one, but I quickly grew to love how original, sharp and somehow grounded it was.
Reading ‘Cyberside’ gave me a similar feeling - just if it was set in the Wild West.
We follow the journey of James, a former programmer-turned Taciturn (think a Clint Eastwood wanderer meets Neo from ‘The Matrix’) and Matilda, a techno-vampire Scry who feeds on your data, as they traverse the Cyberside. This is a reality that humanity has been forced to retreat to because the world as we know it is no longer liveable. And the Cyberside is not a friendly place.
This is clearly written by guys who know their tech - but they understand that not everyone is quite as au fait with code as they are. Fortunately they’re able to describe virtual worlds as skilfully as bringing them to life on a PC (or VR) screen, and I never felt lost as I walked these bizarre roads.
While ‘Matrix’ analogies are perhaps inevitable, I found the closest to be the recent ‘Matrix: Resurrections’, particularly the despondency of James as a programmer who crunched hard to create something wonderful but succeeded only in losing his life and family. Now he’s a lone gunman seeking to do good within a broken system.
His unlikely companion Matilda is a fantastic badass fighter, seeking her long-lost past and with her unique powers, trying to become more than a villain to be feared.
There’s clever satire here, poking mostly at corporations who don’t understand technology and simply seek to monetise it. Also we encounter adults who choose to live as children in a warped nostalgic playground, literal climbers of the working-world ladder… this is ultimately a tale about how we can actively use virtual space to create a better world or allow ourselves to be controlled by it.
‘Cyberside’ feels like a more grounded and wild version of ‘Ready Player One’, acknowledging the attraction of essentially living in VR versus the darker reality of what that might look like. The core of the story primarily feels like a western (which techie friends tell me is how the old DOS and BASIC days felt), but with a plot that (appropriately) fits many computer games: various parts to a key need to be found in order to set the system to rights.
There are morals here, gently reminding us to hold on to our own power and step up to fight for what we know to be right - even if you’re ‘just’ a code-monkey, you create your own reality.
A smart adventure that rewards those who choose to step into its world.
I was kindly sent a copy of this book by Zooloo Book Tours, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
Reading ‘Cyberside’ gave me a similar feeling - just if it was set in the Wild West.
We follow the journey of James, a former programmer-turned Taciturn (think a Clint Eastwood wanderer meets Neo from ‘The Matrix’) and Matilda, a techno-vampire Scry who feeds on your data, as they traverse the Cyberside. This is a reality that humanity has been forced to retreat to because the world as we know it is no longer liveable. And the Cyberside is not a friendly place.
This is clearly written by guys who know their tech - but they understand that not everyone is quite as au fait with code as they are. Fortunately they’re able to describe virtual worlds as skilfully as bringing them to life on a PC (or VR) screen, and I never felt lost as I walked these bizarre roads.
While ‘Matrix’ analogies are perhaps inevitable, I found the closest to be the recent ‘Matrix: Resurrections’, particularly the despondency of James as a programmer who crunched hard to create something wonderful but succeeded only in losing his life and family. Now he’s a lone gunman seeking to do good within a broken system.
His unlikely companion Matilda is a fantastic badass fighter, seeking her long-lost past and with her unique powers, trying to become more than a villain to be feared.
There’s clever satire here, poking mostly at corporations who don’t understand technology and simply seek to monetise it. Also we encounter adults who choose to live as children in a warped nostalgic playground, literal climbers of the working-world ladder… this is ultimately a tale about how we can actively use virtual space to create a better world or allow ourselves to be controlled by it.
‘Cyberside’ feels like a more grounded and wild version of ‘Ready Player One’, acknowledging the attraction of essentially living in VR versus the darker reality of what that might look like. The core of the story primarily feels like a western (which techie friends tell me is how the old DOS and BASIC days felt), but with a plot that (appropriately) fits many computer games: various parts to a key need to be found in order to set the system to rights.
There are morals here, gently reminding us to hold on to our own power and step up to fight for what we know to be right - even if you’re ‘just’ a code-monkey, you create your own reality.
A smart adventure that rewards those who choose to step into its world.
I was kindly sent a copy of this book by Zooloo Book Tours, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
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July 14, 2025
Book #70 of 2025
This novel was such a refreshing and unique read, quite completely different from anything I usually pick up.
It blends cyberpunk, thriller, and deep character-driven storytelling. I was pulled into the storyline very first chapter.
The pace is fast, the plot full of twists, and there’s an undercurrent of adventure that keeps you turning the pages. At times, I was so drawn in that I forgot I was reading, I felt like I was right there, living through the story.
Even though I hadn’t read the first book in the series, it didn’t take me long to understand what was going on. The writing is smooth, and the plot is layered but easy to follow. I appreciated how the author didn’t waste time with too much backstory, yet gave me enough to feel grounded in the world and be able to relate to everything that is going on in this book.
What truly stood out for me, though, was the central theme—this deep, unsettling question of whether we should have the power to rewrite not just our own memories, but someone else’s too. That moral dilemma hit hard. I haven’t read such a theme before, and I feel the author has beautifully handled it.
Matilda, the other key character, really stole the show for me. She’s sharp, grounded, and not afraid to stand her ground. Her voice adds a lot of emotional weight to the story. She challenges James, not just with words, but by simply being true to herself. She was calm, steady, and unwilling to be swept away by easy fixes. Her presence was soothing, actually!
The story shifts into something even darker and more thought-provoking. It starts to explore the consequences of trying to "fix" emotions and experiences. It’s colder, more philosophical, and really made me pause and think. Imagine what would happen when we try to control outcomes that were meant to shape us!
The ending was chilling in a good way. It was deeply moving and incredibly powerful. It asks uncomfortable questions and doesn’t shy away from grey areas.
Last but not least, I loved the cover of the book, and that was one of the reasons I picked it up!
I’d recommend this one to anyone who loves cyberpunk, character-driven storytelling with a good dose of adventure and thrill. It’s emotional, gripping, and full of complex ideas about memory, identity, and what it means to heal.
This novel was such a refreshing and unique read, quite completely different from anything I usually pick up.
It blends cyberpunk, thriller, and deep character-driven storytelling. I was pulled into the storyline very first chapter.
The pace is fast, the plot full of twists, and there’s an undercurrent of adventure that keeps you turning the pages. At times, I was so drawn in that I forgot I was reading, I felt like I was right there, living through the story.
Even though I hadn’t read the first book in the series, it didn’t take me long to understand what was going on. The writing is smooth, and the plot is layered but easy to follow. I appreciated how the author didn’t waste time with too much backstory, yet gave me enough to feel grounded in the world and be able to relate to everything that is going on in this book.
What truly stood out for me, though, was the central theme—this deep, unsettling question of whether we should have the power to rewrite not just our own memories, but someone else’s too. That moral dilemma hit hard. I haven’t read such a theme before, and I feel the author has beautifully handled it.
Matilda, the other key character, really stole the show for me. She’s sharp, grounded, and not afraid to stand her ground. Her voice adds a lot of emotional weight to the story. She challenges James, not just with words, but by simply being true to herself. She was calm, steady, and unwilling to be swept away by easy fixes. Her presence was soothing, actually!
The story shifts into something even darker and more thought-provoking. It starts to explore the consequences of trying to "fix" emotions and experiences. It’s colder, more philosophical, and really made me pause and think. Imagine what would happen when we try to control outcomes that were meant to shape us!
The ending was chilling in a good way. It was deeply moving and incredibly powerful. It asks uncomfortable questions and doesn’t shy away from grey areas.
Last but not least, I loved the cover of the book, and that was one of the reasons I picked it up!
I’d recommend this one to anyone who loves cyberpunk, character-driven storytelling with a good dose of adventure and thrill. It’s emotional, gripping, and full of complex ideas about memory, identity, and what it means to heal.
June 17, 2025
I honestly fell in love with Cyberside: Second Simulation. From the very first page, I was completely hooked it’s one of those stories that pulls you into its world and doesn’t let go. I think what I liked most about it is that it feels so raw, atmospheric, and alive — I really felt I was there alongside James and Matilda as they navigated a world where reality itself is up for rewriting.
James is such a flawed, vulnerable character, and I liked how much I connected with his struggles — wrestling with his own past, trusting someone he shouldn’t, trying to redeem himself in a world that’s falling apart. And then there’s Matilda — a Scry with a mind of her own — honestly, I fell for her character. She’s not your typical sidekick; there’s a softness and a danger to her that kept me guessing until the last moment. The growing bond between them, their growing understanding, made the story feel human amid all the high-tech chaos.
I also really appreciate the way the authors blend thriller, cyberpunk, and character-centric stories. It’s not just action for action’s sake — there’s a rich moral texture underneath. I kept thinking, “Who’s really the monster here — the people, the creatures, or the system itself?” This made the story much more than just a standard sci-fi adventure for me. It made me reflect, in a way, on our own growing reliance on technology and the power we have to redefine ourselves.
The world itself the barren settlements, the abandoned buildings, the oppressive networks is atmospheric without overwhelm. I liked that I could picture every corner, every showdown, without losing sight of the people within it.
Cyberside was a wild ride, a blend of action, philosophical questions, character struggles, and pure imagination. It kept me turning the pages, made me care about its people, and left me thinking long after I finished. Definitely a story I’m looking forward to seeing grow in its subsequent instalments.
James is such a flawed, vulnerable character, and I liked how much I connected with his struggles — wrestling with his own past, trusting someone he shouldn’t, trying to redeem himself in a world that’s falling apart. And then there’s Matilda — a Scry with a mind of her own — honestly, I fell for her character. She’s not your typical sidekick; there’s a softness and a danger to her that kept me guessing until the last moment. The growing bond between them, their growing understanding, made the story feel human amid all the high-tech chaos.
I also really appreciate the way the authors blend thriller, cyberpunk, and character-centric stories. It’s not just action for action’s sake — there’s a rich moral texture underneath. I kept thinking, “Who’s really the monster here — the people, the creatures, or the system itself?” This made the story much more than just a standard sci-fi adventure for me. It made me reflect, in a way, on our own growing reliance on technology and the power we have to redefine ourselves.
The world itself the barren settlements, the abandoned buildings, the oppressive networks is atmospheric without overwhelm. I liked that I could picture every corner, every showdown, without losing sight of the people within it.
Cyberside was a wild ride, a blend of action, philosophical questions, character struggles, and pure imagination. It kept me turning the pages, made me care about its people, and left me thinking long after I finished. Definitely a story I’m looking forward to seeing grow in its subsequent instalments.
July 14, 2025
Cyberside: Second Simulation has easily made its way to my top ten this year and will be a constant re-read. Not only does it offer a gripping and thrilling story but the storytelling just will not let you go. A mixture of dystopian, cyberpunk and sprinkling in a little western feel and you have a hit, at least for me. Some of my favourite media follows a similar pattern; Tron, The Matrix and Blade Runner for example but Savchenko has created something that is equally familiar enough that you don’t have to be a coder to enjoy but totally unique that it feels fresh, exciting and dare I say could easily become a new obsession.
From the first page I was plugged in (pun intended) to the book and world I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down for long. James was interesting to begin with but I fell in love with Mathilda quickly. Their personalities shine through and I loved how they interact and work with each other. There are elements of some of my favourite tropes and genres and all are woven together with such ease that you easily become trapped in the ‘just one more chapter’ cycle.
Cyberside is a must read for any cyberpunk fans, thriller fans or sci-fi fans in general. With memorable and well crafted characters, a tightly woven storyline and fantastic writing this book needs to be talked about!
As always thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours for the copy to review. My review is always honest, truthful and freely given.
From the first page I was plugged in (pun intended) to the book and world I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down for long. James was interesting to begin with but I fell in love with Mathilda quickly. Their personalities shine through and I loved how they interact and work with each other. There are elements of some of my favourite tropes and genres and all are woven together with such ease that you easily become trapped in the ‘just one more chapter’ cycle.
Cyberside is a must read for any cyberpunk fans, thriller fans or sci-fi fans in general. With memorable and well crafted characters, a tightly woven storyline and fantastic writing this book needs to be talked about!
As always thank you to Zooloo’s Book Tours for the copy to review. My review is always honest, truthful and freely given.
July 20, 2025
Cyberside is not just a story. It’s a simulation wrapped in a cover story, encoded in print. What starts as a bounty-hunting op turns into a theological cyberpunk spiral through the corrupted code of a post-reality society. Set in a digital fallback world created after physical collapse, this novel is a high-stakes infiltration into what happens when identity, morality, and memory are all up for rewriting.
I loved this cyberpunk thrill ride so much I bought the comic and prequel too!?
CORE INTEL: SUBJECT BREAKDOWN
Primary Operative: James Reynolds, a “Taciturn.” A professional killer. Minimal chatter. Maximum efficiency. Ex-engineer. A man who’s made peace with being alone in a world run on ghosts and code. Think noir detective re-skinned for a neural interface.
Primary Target: Matilda, classified as a “Scry.” She sees beneath the surface of Cyberside. Dangerous not because she kills, but because she understands. She sees you, sees the rot in the system, sees what Cyberside used to be.
“The body is obsolete. Memory is currency. And reality can be rewritten.”
(Matilda, during initial contact sequence)
Setting: The Cyberside once a utopian simulation built by Fall Water Lake Studios. Now fragmented. Reality glitching. Each zone holds its own logic, its own dangers. Rules of physics are mutable. Identity is unstable. Borders are dissolving.
I loved this cyberpunk thrill ride so much I bought the comic and prequel too!?
CORE INTEL: SUBJECT BREAKDOWN
Primary Operative: James Reynolds, a “Taciturn.” A professional killer. Minimal chatter. Maximum efficiency. Ex-engineer. A man who’s made peace with being alone in a world run on ghosts and code. Think noir detective re-skinned for a neural interface.
Primary Target: Matilda, classified as a “Scry.” She sees beneath the surface of Cyberside. Dangerous not because she kills, but because she understands. She sees you, sees the rot in the system, sees what Cyberside used to be.
“The body is obsolete. Memory is currency. And reality can be rewritten.”
(Matilda, during initial contact sequence)
Setting: The Cyberside once a utopian simulation built by Fall Water Lake Studios. Now fragmented. Reality glitching. Each zone holds its own logic, its own dangers. Rules of physics are mutable. Identity is unstable. Borders are dissolving.
July 6, 2025
I didn’t expect this story to unravel me the way it did. On the surface, it’s about advanced systems and manipulating memories, about people trying to dodge pain by rewriting the past. But underneath, it’s so achingly personal. I found myself thinking about the times I wished away certain chapters of my life the heartbreaks, the betrayals, the small humiliations that left invisible scars. Would I have done what James did, given the chance? I’d like to say no. But the quiet brilliance of this book is that it makes you wonder. It holds up your own longings like a fragile glass and asks, “Are you really so different?” Matilda’s fierce love for truth, for all its ugliness, was what kept pulling me back. By the end, I was quietly devastated and strangely grateful. Because this story reminded me that sometimes the worst parts of our history are also the ones that teach us how to hold on.
June 30, 2025
Five words: I’m still not okay, honestly.
What the hell did I just read?? This book blew my brain open.
I thought I knew what to expect after Level Zero. Nope.
Second Simulation is a completely different beast. It’s fast, feral, cold, and unrelenting. Everything that was emotional in Book 1? Weaponized here. James is no longer someone I pity. He’s terrifying in his calm certainty. There are scenes in this book that made me pause, reread, and ask myself, “Did that really just happen?” The power plays, the system resets, the way he casually rewrites people like they’re faulty lines of code... it’s chilling. Matilda is the only one holding this story together with her anger and logic and fire.I loved every disturbing second.
What the hell did I just read?? This book blew my brain open.
I thought I knew what to expect after Level Zero. Nope.
Second Simulation is a completely different beast. It’s fast, feral, cold, and unrelenting. Everything that was emotional in Book 1? Weaponized here. James is no longer someone I pity. He’s terrifying in his calm certainty. There are scenes in this book that made me pause, reread, and ask myself, “Did that really just happen?” The power plays, the system resets, the way he casually rewrites people like they’re faulty lines of code... it’s chilling. Matilda is the only one holding this story together with her anger and logic and fire.I loved every disturbing second.
June 26, 2025
This sequel doesn't just pick up where the first left off it evolves the entire tone of the series. The stakes feel wider now. The world isn’t just James and his grief anymore, it’s something much more collective, more dangerous. I was especially pulled in by the ethical dilemma of rewriting other people’s lives, not just your own. That’s something few books tackle well, but this one does. Matilda really stood out to me. She’s no side character here her voice, her resistance, and her intelligence balance James perfectly. The ending, without spoiling it, gave me chills. This isn’t a feel-good book, but it’s incredibly satisfying.
June 30, 2025
Uhhh... why is no one talking about how totally f’ed up this book is? Not in a bad way. In a completely addictive, obsess-over-it kind of way. I was already unsettled by the idea of memory simulation in Book 1, but this one took it into full-blown “oh-no-we’re-playing-God” territory. It’s fast-paced and sleek like a tech thriller but also low-key terrifying. James scares me now, not gonna lie. Watching him justify manipulating people because he thinks it’ll save them is chilling. Also, the way Matilda challenges him. Literal queen. It’s like Black Mirror met Severance and had a very, very intelligent baby.
July 6, 2025
It’s hard to describe exactly how this book made me feel. There were moments I wanted to throw it across the room because it struck too close to the bone. Watching James tinker with people’s memories, trying to sanitize hurt, was both horrifying and heartbreakingly understandable. Isn’t that what we all wish for sometimes? To go back and choose differently, to dodge the moments that cracked us open? But Matilda stands there in the narrative like a stubborn lighthouse, reminding us that cracks are how the light gets in.
I loved her so fiercely. This story doesn’t give you an easy place to rest.
I loved her so fiercely. This story doesn’t give you an easy place to rest.
June 26, 2025
The complexity in Second Simulation really impressed me. The first book was introspective; this one expands outward politically, socially, and philosophically. I loved the way the Prometheus System is written. It’s not just a backdrop, it’s an evolving force that mirrors the characters’ intentions and regrets. Watching James shift from being reactive to someone actively trying to reshape the system even dangerously so was fascinating. I also appreciated that the book never simplifies its characters. Everyone is messy and layered. A fantastic, smart continuation of the story.
June 26, 2025
I was worried this would be a soft sequel, but it’s not. It’s bolder, faster, and less sentimental than the first. Where Level Zero was emotional, Second Simulation is urgent. The writing sharpens here, and the pacing is tighter. I loved the concept of legacy errors and inherited trauma being replicated in the second migration. That hit close. There's no clean slate in this world just layers of broken code trying to find coherence. The final chapters had me flipping pages like a maniac. Easily one of the strongest sci-fi sequels I’ve read.
June 30, 2025
Okay, let’s get one thing straight. This is not the same James from Book 1. This is darker, colder, almost corporate James, and I was NOT ready. Every time I thought I knew where the story was headed, it twisted. The system resets? The ethics of it? The way people’s lives get quietly rewritten under the guise of “healing”? I felt complicit as a reader. That’s how good the writing is.
Also — no spoilers — but that reveal near the end?? CHILLS.
Read it. Then stare at your ceiling in horror like I did.
Also — no spoilers — but that reveal near the end?? CHILLS.
Read it. Then stare at your ceiling in horror like I did.
June 30, 2025
This book just proved something to me: The scariest villains are the ones who think they’re saving you. And James? He’s terrifying because he’s calm. Rational. Smart. Too smart. The pacing in this is perfect. There’s no filler, no side-quest. Every scene matters. Every interaction ramps up the tension. Matilda is one of my favorite characters in fiction now. Also, this might sound weird, but I loved how cold the book felt. The writing style matched the theme so well clinical, precise, like a scalpel.
God-tier sequel. I want more.
God-tier sequel. I want more.
July 6, 2025
There’s a quiet sort of genius to this book.
It doesn’t shout its themes. It just leads you gently through dark corridors, letting you hear your own footsteps echo. By the end, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hug James or run from him. Maybe both. I found myself reflecting on all the small ways we rewrite our own memories telling ourselves a kinder version so we can sleep at night. This story takes that very human impulse and amplifies it to terrifying heights. Yet it never stops being tender, even in its horror.
It doesn’t shout its themes. It just leads you gently through dark corridors, letting you hear your own footsteps echo. By the end, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hug James or run from him. Maybe both. I found myself reflecting on all the small ways we rewrite our own memories telling ourselves a kinder version so we can sleep at night. This story takes that very human impulse and amplifies it to terrifying heights. Yet it never stops being tender, even in its horror.
June 26, 2025
This isn’t just a sci-fi sequel it’s a philosophical escalation. The characters are more complex, the world feels more fractured, and the stakes are existential. What does it mean to rebuild when the foundation is rotten? That question stayed with me. The pacing is more aggressive in this book, and I liked that. There’s less internal dialogue and more movement. The new constructs introduced in the second simulation are terrifying because of how familiar they feel.
June 26, 2025
One thing I appreciate is that the sequel doesn't try to make James a hero. If anything, he feels more morally gray now, and that’s exactly what makes his arc so compelling. He’s trying to fix things but ends up making new problems. The story treats that tension with honesty. There’s also a real sense of dread this time like no one is really in control, not even the code. And that uncertainty works. It keeps you on edge, wondering what’s real and what’s simply overwritten memory.
June 26, 2025
The themes around identity, system manipulation, and autonomy hit different in this book. It’s no longer just about one man’s grief it’s about collective memory and what happens when someone decides to rewrite other people’s truths. That part genuinely disturbed me, in a good way. The writing feels more surgical here, more deliberate. Even side characters are given weight and purpose. Matilda shines as a voice of reason and resilience. This is less a continuation, and more a confrontation.
July 2, 2025
Okay I don’t know what’s more upsetting:
That this book absolutely ruined me,
or that I lowkey want to re-read it already.
Everything here feels unstable the timeline, the systems, the people.
It’s like being stuck in a simulation yourself.
You can never quite trust what’s real.
And that’s the point.
I devoured this book in two sittings and now I’m just… broken.
BRB recalibrating my life and trust issues.
That this book absolutely ruined me,
or that I lowkey want to re-read it already.
Everything here feels unstable the timeline, the systems, the people.
It’s like being stuck in a simulation yourself.
You can never quite trust what’s real.
And that’s the point.
I devoured this book in two sittings and now I’m just… broken.
BRB recalibrating my life and trust issues.
July 2, 2025
Do not read this book unless you’re prepared to question EVERYTHING. Seriously. Second Simulation took all the sad emotional weight of Book 1 and set it on fire. This isn’t about healing anymore. It’s about control. It’s about ethics and power and how people use technology to erase what makes them human. I was angry. I was freaked out. I was obsessed. This is top-tier psychological sci-fi with bite.
10/10 would emotionally spiral again.
10/10 would emotionally spiral again.
July 2, 2025
I don’t know what scared me more the actual events in the story, or the quiet realization that none of this feels that far from reality. Second Simulation isn’t a sequel. It’s a descent.
And we fall with James willingly at first, then helplessly. The memory rewriting, the blurred identities, the emotionless “solutions”? It’s so clean. Too clean. I couldn’t look away.
Highly recommend if you like your sci-fi disturbing, smart, and uncomfortably close to home.
And we fall with James willingly at first, then helplessly. The memory rewriting, the blurred identities, the emotionless “solutions”? It’s so clean. Too clean. I couldn’t look away.
Highly recommend if you like your sci-fi disturbing, smart, and uncomfortably close to home.
July 2, 2025
This book gave me the kind of adrenaline rush I didn’t know you could get from reading. The stakes are so much higher this time, and so much more terrifying. James is a man on a mission, but the mission keeps mutating. Matilda is his conscience, and it’s barely holding. And the world? It’s not falling apart it’s being rewritten from the inside out. This isn’t a story. It’s a digital reckoning.
I'm still recovering.
I'm still recovering.
July 2, 2025
This book should come with a health warning.
My heart was racing through half of it,from that quiet, creeping horror of watching James think he’s saving people when really… he’s rewriting them. I couldn’t stop reading. Couldn’t stop yelling at the pages either. Matilda’s raw honesty is what kept me grounded. She’s the best moral compass I’ve ever seen in sci-fi. If you like your stories to mess with your head this is the one.
My heart was racing through half of it,from that quiet, creeping horror of watching James think he’s saving people when really… he’s rewriting them. I couldn’t stop reading. Couldn’t stop yelling at the pages either. Matilda’s raw honesty is what kept me grounded. She’s the best moral compass I’ve ever seen in sci-fi. If you like your stories to mess with your head this is the one.
July 6, 2025
It’s strange how a book about simulations and engineered memories left me thinking more deeply about my own very real regrets. James is both tragic and frightening, a man who tries to fix sorrow by rewriting truth. I kept wanting to shake him, to ask if pain isn’t also proof we lived. Matilda, meanwhile, stood like a stubborn flame in all that artificial coldness. By the end, I found myself quietly rooting for imperfection.
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