I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

In author Mark Everglade’s upcoming sci-fi novel Killswitch Overkill, a woman haunted by her past must find a way to redeem herself and save a world while facing rogue assassins, drones, and an AI hellbent on taking over her mind.

The Synopsis

Sabrina Underfoot is no hero. After attacking the largest cities on Gliese 581g, she contributed to a chain reaction that flooded half the world. Poisoned with power, she’s dying to redeem herself, but when the world’s most dangerous A.I. hijacks her mind to end humanity, dying may be the price she pays. When the world is issuing its dying breath, there’s little left to grasp.

Gliese 581g is an unforgiving world where bio-cities get viruses, where you can download your friends’ emotions as easily as swapping clothes, and where half the planet is so flooded you can leap off a skyscraper and hit the water a second later.

Sabrina must restore balance, extract the malevolent Id.Entity from her mind, and find redemption while being hunted by assassins, surveilled by drones, and fired upon by droids. The final battle must be fought within herself, however, by restoring her faith in love and friendship and finding the strength to forgive and accept herself. She’ll have to trust old enemies, form new alliances, and save a mysterious child who may hold the key to everything.

“It’s Waterworld meets Neuromancer, with a touch of The Sixth Sense.”

The Review

Such an exhilarating and memorable read. The author does a remarkable job of creating morally complex characters, giving readers a protagonist struggling with her past choices but seeing the moral high ground in this scenario. As the prologue begins, “I have been a keeper of secrets, you know, those little sunspots that burn holes in your soul until they become solar flares forcing their way out under the pressure of your lies. Mine were honeyed lies sprinkled with just enough truth that the masses believed them, and I was good at it,” showcasing a dynamic hero and protagonist that feels real and tangible on the page.

This is such a layered and visceral read. The author perfectly navigates a devastated planet and the themes of over-reliance on technology, highlighting the dangers of depending on technology for everything in one’s life. The imagery in the writing and the adrenaline rush that came with each chapter as the story progressed spoke to a firm understanding of the cyberpunk and sci-fi genres, which felt evenly paced yet detailed in its delivery. 

The Verdict

A STUNNING BLEND OF Jason Bourne, The Day After Tomorrow, and Blade Runner, author Mark Everglade’s upcoming cyberpunk meets sci-fi thriller “Killswitch Overkill” is a must-read novel. The twists and turns that the author took to keep this narrative alive and thriving on the page, and the rich style of world-building and mythos that went into breathing life into this narrative, made this a stand-out novel that readers won’t soon forget. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy this May!

Rating: 10/10 

About the Author

Mark Everglade is a traditionally published cyberpunk author who has written four novels. He has sold thousands of books, with his first novel hitting #5 in its genre. Inertia won the 2024 Fire and Ember Award for best sci-fi novel from a small publisher. His first novel about the horrors of A.I., inspired by his former wife’s ideas, was ironically used to develop A.I. vocal narration software for a major firm. His short stories have been featured beside authors such as Cory Doctorow, Cat Rambo, Walter Jon Williams, and Jim Keen. After spending his life studying sociology, obtaining a master’s, he has been interviewed dozens of times by venues such as NBC News, a British radio station, and by a BBC correspondent.

Mark has enmeshed himself in everything cyberpunk and assisted with the co-founding of Annual Cyberpunk Day, which unites the community with both major and indie cyberpunk media creators to celebrate the genre and its diverse values. He has designed book covers for cyberpunk legend John Shirley.

Mark owns a company that publishes dystopian book bundles as featured on Gamespot, Fanatical, and other sites, selling over 25,000 books annually. He has worked on a project with Humble Bundle, and has represented publishers’ interests on behalf of Macmillian/TOR, Astra/DAW, Apex, Angry Robot, and other presses.

Mark’s ancestor invented the field of psychology. In his free time, he enjoys DnD and RPGs, Chess, Jazz and Progressive Metal music, and anything postmodern and profound.

Mark lost both his wife and young son in late 2024 during a tragic car crash that took their lives, but continues to write and look for new ways to spread their legacy. He will be publishing a book of his late wife’s poetry.

https://www.markeverglade.com/