What do you think?
Rate this book
The Astral Hacker
In 2120, New America is the world leader in technology and individual freedom. Why, then, has seventeen-year-old Fae Luna felt like an isolated prisoner her entire life?
She survived the worst of the foster care system by honing her skills as a top-level hacker and thanks to the support of her humanoid robot, Sunny, who is illegally upgraded to a human-level AI.
Finally, she’s matched with a foster mom who treats her kindly. Fae slowly lets her guard down until a suspicious tragedy tears them apart. With no flesh-and-blood friends, she is forced to call Blaze, a guild-mate from her online holo-game, who introduces her to a motley crew of rebels and loyalists. When they dig into Fae’s mystery, they discover a far-reaching and deadly conspiracy.
Fae promised her dying mother she would never alter her body with a brain implant, but with the Evo, her hacking skills would be unbeatable. Lethal battles and devastating consequences will challenge her vow.
Will Fae choose the enhancement or trust her own exceptional mind to defeat a secretive and powerful force threatening all New Americans?
She survived the worst of the foster care system by honing her skills as a top-level hacker and thanks to the support of her humanoid robot, Sunny, who is illegally upgraded to a human-level AI.
Finally, she’s matched with a foster mom who treats her kindly. Fae slowly lets her guard down until a suspicious tragedy tears them apart. With no flesh-and-blood friends, she is forced to call Blaze, a guild-mate from her online holo-game, who introduces her to a motley crew of rebels and loyalists. When they dig into Fae’s mystery, they discover a far-reaching and deadly conspiracy.
Fae promised her dying mother she would never alter her body with a brain implant, but with the Evo, her hacking skills would be unbeatable. Lethal battles and devastating consequences will challenge her vow.
Will Fae choose the enhancement or trust her own exceptional mind to defeat a secretive and powerful force threatening all New Americans?
415 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2023
39 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
Brian Terenna
4 books51 followersBrian Terenna is a dystopian, sci-fi, dark fantasy author.
He grew up in a land of possibles. He saw a path to all of them, but could only pick one. Now, he creates worlds, where fantasy is reality and reality is anything you make it.
He has a strong preference for complex, mysterious, imaginative fiction, with intellectually powerful characters that achieve amazing feats. His favorite authors are: Brandon Sanderson, Pierce Brown, Mark Lawrence, and Patrick Rothfuss. He loves dark fantasy, post-apocalyptic or dystopian sci-fi, and historical fiction.
His third novel is a sci-fi mystery adventure titled, "The Astral Hacker."
His second novel is "Kissing the Intern: A Multicultural Romance."
His first novel is, "Talent Storm," a dystopian post-apocalyptic fantasy.
His Youtube meditation and life hack site is called, "The Calm Life." https://t.co/DXQOLwgP6m
He is an avid chess player, a vegetable gardener, and he meditates regularly.
His Author youtube can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7mL...
He grew up in a land of possibles. He saw a path to all of them, but could only pick one. Now, he creates worlds, where fantasy is reality and reality is anything you make it.
He has a strong preference for complex, mysterious, imaginative fiction, with intellectually powerful characters that achieve amazing feats. His favorite authors are: Brandon Sanderson, Pierce Brown, Mark Lawrence, and Patrick Rothfuss. He loves dark fantasy, post-apocalyptic or dystopian sci-fi, and historical fiction.
His third novel is a sci-fi mystery adventure titled, "The Astral Hacker."
His second novel is "Kissing the Intern: A Multicultural Romance."
His first novel is, "Talent Storm," a dystopian post-apocalyptic fantasy.
His Youtube meditation and life hack site is called, "The Calm Life." https://t.co/DXQOLwgP6m
He is an avid chess player, a vegetable gardener, and he meditates regularly.
His Author youtube can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7mL...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Read
December 23, 2022DNF at 56% due to immoral content portrayed in a positive light. Had this been a book I was really invested in, I might have pushed myself to finish it. As it is, though, I was already struggling to hold interest in this one.
March 26, 2021
Well Written
I liked this book. It was well written. The only point that truly irritated me is when the heroine touched a bloody weapon. Her reason did not make sense. But the characters and personalities were really good. There were a few cheesy parts, but not too much.
I liked this book. It was well written. The only point that truly irritated me is when the heroine touched a bloody weapon. Her reason did not make sense. But the characters and personalities were really good. There were a few cheesy parts, but not too much.
Read
December 31, 2022This is a strange book in a lot of different ways, and most of them weren't the best ways. First thing first this book is YA, it has strong YA vibes, it has Ya characters, YA thematic and all but it also have quite graphic torture scenes. Why???
And a lot of the characters are the worst possible choices. There are a ton of them that you just can't really take seriously because... come on! Religious fanatics? Anarchists? And more. I just can't.
All in all, it's not so bad, and it was a fast and engaging book, sure, maybe a better editing job would have helped a bit, but it wasn't bad, and I was quite interested in the story.
And there are some things to appreciate, for once we have a teen MC that does not want to be the first one in line for a fight, she does not want to see the action! And this was a thing that I appreciated a lot. She is an amazing hacker, but she does not want to take all the responsibilities on her shoulder, and she does not want to take part in fights. And she is not so impulsive and rushes: she wants to plan before attacking and doing things. This was precious.
But there were also a lot of things that made me roll my eyes, sadly.
And a lot of the characters are the worst possible choices. There are a ton of them that you just can't really take seriously because... come on! Religious fanatics? Anarchists? And more. I just can't.
All in all, it's not so bad, and it was a fast and engaging book, sure, maybe a better editing job would have helped a bit, but it wasn't bad, and I was quite interested in the story.
And there are some things to appreciate, for once we have a teen MC that does not want to be the first one in line for a fight, she does not want to see the action! And this was a thing that I appreciated a lot. She is an amazing hacker, but she does not want to take all the responsibilities on her shoulder, and she does not want to take part in fights. And she is not so impulsive and rushes: she wants to plan before attacking and doing things. This was precious.
But there were also a lot of things that made me roll my eyes, sadly.
March 25, 2021
This author has an incredible gift. His imagination and creativity.... I loved the different characters, getting to know them, their distinct interesting personalities, their determination. He obviously put a lot of thought into giving them each their own story and unique presence.
I loved how even though it's a sci-fi book, I was still able to relate to these characters at some level. The coolest thing is that, coincidentally, I am a Dominican woman that also grew up in various foster homes! How insane is that?
This book was awesome! I'm excited there will be more to come.
I would be honored if I ever got the chance to meet Brian Terenna and have him autograph my copy :)
I loved how even though it's a sci-fi book, I was still able to relate to these characters at some level. The coolest thing is that, coincidentally, I am a Dominican woman that also grew up in various foster homes! How insane is that?
This book was awesome! I'm excited there will be more to come.
I would be honored if I ever got the chance to meet Brian Terenna and have him autograph my copy :)
May 20, 2021
Received ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to #NetGalley and #BooksGoSocial.
I loved this, it’s a first in a series, a modern sci-fi / cyberpunk nice coming of age story set in a dystopian future. The characters are fun and endearing with lots of action - my favourite is Sunny the human level AI robot. I would recommend this to both adults and young adults looking for a fun and techie sci-fi. 4* I’m looking forward to the sequel.
I loved this, it’s a first in a series, a modern sci-fi / cyberpunk nice coming of age story set in a dystopian future. The characters are fun and endearing with lots of action - my favourite is Sunny the human level AI robot. I would recommend this to both adults and young adults looking for a fun and techie sci-fi. 4* I’m looking forward to the sequel.
March 26, 2021
I loved the Astral Hacker. It had everything, cool tech, romance, battles, mysteries, and a promise of more to come! I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone, especially if you like sci-fi or fantasy.
March 25, 2021
One of the best sci-fi books I've read! This book has an awesome plot that will leave you wanting more. Definitely a page turner. I would recommend to all!
March 24, 2021
Great read and contemporary storyline. Kids will be drawn to it and easily relate to the characters and events. Promising start to an exciting new series!
Want to read
April 2, 2021March 22, 2021: *Review copy received from the author via LibraryThing. Thank you!*
March 8, 2021
A mysterious adventure with great technology and a fun plot.
April 3, 2023
A gripping tale of rebellion, loyalty, and personal sacrifice in a future society
In love with the book
In love with the book
April 2, 2022
I really enjoyed this book! I would definitely recommend it! I really liked the integration of hacking into fighting as well as the diversity of the characters.
I received a free copy through the goodreads giveaway program.
I received a free copy through the goodreads giveaway program.
November 14, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Astral Hacker by Brian Terenna is YA sci-fi novel that will appeal to fans of Goddess in the Machine and The Infinity Courts. The story takes place in New America in the 22nd century. The story revolves aroud Fae, a 17 year-old girl and hacker and her artifically-intelligent humanoid robot Sunny, who she created herself. One day, the unthinkable happens, and Fae is forced to fight new enemies and uncover a deadly conspiracy.
Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1 that introduces us to Fae:
"After a run-in with the law, I knew I needed a better way. My solution was coding, and now it's my entire life. I went from long days and late nights of driven studies at age nine to winning the NIA hacking challenge at ten. At eleven, I designed a life-changing program, but I shouldn't talk about that. And for the last six years, I've learned and practiced relentlessly, constantly striving for perfection.
I went from a half-starved wraith, wearing stained hand-me-downs, to a healthy teen with an elite reputation on the mesh-site, Progs. I have hundreds of royalty generating applications now. When I move out in a year, I'll be able to support myself, use my resources to improve the foster care sytem, and hopefully, make some real friends. Maybe I'll even find love."
Overall, The Astral Hacker is an action-packed YA science fiction novel and a promising start of a new series. One highlight of this book are the intense action sequences. The book never lost my attention as it moved from scene to scene. I did take off 2 stars, because I don't typically enjoy sci-fi books. There are some sci-fi books that I've enjoyed, but I felt like this one had too much new terminology and new technology. I felt confused a lot of the time while reading this book. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA science fiction, you can check out this book, which is available now!
The Astral Hacker by Brian Terenna is YA sci-fi novel that will appeal to fans of Goddess in the Machine and The Infinity Courts. The story takes place in New America in the 22nd century. The story revolves aroud Fae, a 17 year-old girl and hacker and her artifically-intelligent humanoid robot Sunny, who she created herself. One day, the unthinkable happens, and Fae is forced to fight new enemies and uncover a deadly conspiracy.
Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1 that introduces us to Fae:
"After a run-in with the law, I knew I needed a better way. My solution was coding, and now it's my entire life. I went from long days and late nights of driven studies at age nine to winning the NIA hacking challenge at ten. At eleven, I designed a life-changing program, but I shouldn't talk about that. And for the last six years, I've learned and practiced relentlessly, constantly striving for perfection.
I went from a half-starved wraith, wearing stained hand-me-downs, to a healthy teen with an elite reputation on the mesh-site, Progs. I have hundreds of royalty generating applications now. When I move out in a year, I'll be able to support myself, use my resources to improve the foster care sytem, and hopefully, make some real friends. Maybe I'll even find love."
Overall, The Astral Hacker is an action-packed YA science fiction novel and a promising start of a new series. One highlight of this book are the intense action sequences. The book never lost my attention as it moved from scene to scene. I did take off 2 stars, because I don't typically enjoy sci-fi books. There are some sci-fi books that I've enjoyed, but I felt like this one had too much new terminology and new technology. I felt confused a lot of the time while reading this book. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA science fiction, you can check out this book, which is available now!
May 23, 2021
I just reviewed The Astral Hacker by Brian Terenna. #TheAstralHacker #NetGalley
Fae is an gifted hacker who bounces around foster homes,
before her mother died , her mother specifically told her not to get an evo implanted ,but if she did she would be increasing her coding ability tenfold .
her journey begins when she's matched with a new foster mother ,
when she thinks she finally has stability it all come crumbling apart due to mysterious circumstances .
she's forced to reach out to her online guild partner .
Where she's introduced to a band of experienced and highly lethal band of rebels and loyalists
There she digs deep in the into the conspiracy that is herself and her family .
This book was well written and i especially adored the characters I grew to understand what they did and why .
Though in the beginning i was a bit left out of the loop in the world building and the plot immersion, i was glad we got to know the characters a bit before major plot break throughs
overall a fun witty read
thank you netgalley for giving me a free arc
Fae is an gifted hacker who bounces around foster homes,
before her mother died , her mother specifically told her not to get an evo implanted ,but if she did she would be increasing her coding ability tenfold .
her journey begins when she's matched with a new foster mother ,
when she thinks she finally has stability it all come crumbling apart due to mysterious circumstances .
she's forced to reach out to her online guild partner .
Where she's introduced to a band of experienced and highly lethal band of rebels and loyalists
There she digs deep in the into the conspiracy that is herself and her family .
This book was well written and i especially adored the characters I grew to understand what they did and why .
Though in the beginning i was a bit left out of the loop in the world building and the plot immersion, i was glad we got to know the characters a bit before major plot break throughs
overall a fun witty read
thank you netgalley for giving me a free arc
April 23, 2021
Dark but inspiring, action packed heavy spirituality
I dropped one star because I had trouble with the many references to Fae's past while waiting until the ending to actually describe it. Storyline hooked me immediately and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Character building was well done with only a couple of exceptions. The two leaders were supposedly old military buddies but Gabriel as a devout religious zealot didn't fit that scenario. The fact that he wants to kill all the bad people doesn't track.
It was interesting in a terrifying way. The ending isn't an ending at all, merely a pause to gain reinforcements. The religious aspect grows in intensity as the story goes on to the point that I don't want to read more. That being said I believe the to well done and if you're into that genre by all means grab the next book. Too bloody for my stomach so I'll pass.
I dropped one star because I had trouble with the many references to Fae's past while waiting until the ending to actually describe it. Storyline hooked me immediately and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Character building was well done with only a couple of exceptions. The two leaders were supposedly old military buddies but Gabriel as a devout religious zealot didn't fit that scenario. The fact that he wants to kill all the bad people doesn't track.
It was interesting in a terrifying way. The ending isn't an ending at all, merely a pause to gain reinforcements. The religious aspect grows in intensity as the story goes on to the point that I don't want to read more. That being said I believe the to well done and if you're into that genre by all means grab the next book. Too bloody for my stomach so I'll pass.
May 23, 2021
Fae is an gifted hacker who bounces around foster homes,
before her mother died , her mother specifically told her not to get an evo implanted ,but if she did she would be increasing her coding ability tenfold .
her journey begins when she's matched with a new foster mother ,
when she thinks she finally has stability it all come crumbling apart due to mysterious circumstances .
she's forced to reach out to her online guild partner .
Where she's introduced to a band of experienced and highly lethal band of rebels and loyalists
There she digs deep in the into the conspiracy that is herself and her family .
This book was well written and i especially adored the characters I grew to understand what they did and why .
Though in the beginning i was a bit left out of the loop in the world building and the plot immersion, i was glad we got to know the characters a bit before major plot break throughs
overall a fun witty read
before her mother died , her mother specifically told her not to get an evo implanted ,but if she did she would be increasing her coding ability tenfold .
her journey begins when she's matched with a new foster mother ,
when she thinks she finally has stability it all come crumbling apart due to mysterious circumstances .
she's forced to reach out to her online guild partner .
Where she's introduced to a band of experienced and highly lethal band of rebels and loyalists
There she digs deep in the into the conspiracy that is herself and her family .
This book was well written and i especially adored the characters I grew to understand what they did and why .
Though in the beginning i was a bit left out of the loop in the world building and the plot immersion, i was glad we got to know the characters a bit before major plot break throughs
overall a fun witty read
April 21, 2021
The Astral Hacker (Cryptopunk Revolution, #1) by Brian Terenna is a coming of age story that is wrapped up in a Dystopian future. Fae Luna is the main character, one who has survived a lot of challenges in her young life and is about to experience even more. Her life in the foster care system has been the source of much sadness for her, but soon her confidence and life take a drastic change. This is an interesting story where you will learn a lot about different and new technologies, some of which include the blockchain. For science fiction fans everywhere this is a great story. Written with heart and substance, this book could easily be read by adults along with the YA audience. Vivid descriptions, substantial and fun characters make this book a worthwhile and engaging read. Highly recommend.
Read
April 30, 2021Sci fi goodness
I don’t even know where to start with this book. The story starts off so interesting, Fae is getting used to living with a new foster mother, and her online friend asks her for a dangerous favor. It’s such a chilling and exciting idea that advanced technology like the “Evo” implant in this book can go badly and control people into doing terrible things. Fae goes on a long adventure with her robot friend Sunny to take down the group NIA who could be behind the whole thing. This book is filled with an amazing world constructed to make the reader feel like they are in the future. It’s fascinating to understand the nuances of this world and the ending was so good and kind of even more creepy and intriguing! Left me with enough questions answered and exciting questions left open to many possibilities. Highly recommend giving this book a read.
I don’t even know where to start with this book. The story starts off so interesting, Fae is getting used to living with a new foster mother, and her online friend asks her for a dangerous favor. It’s such a chilling and exciting idea that advanced technology like the “Evo” implant in this book can go badly and control people into doing terrible things. Fae goes on a long adventure with her robot friend Sunny to take down the group NIA who could be behind the whole thing. This book is filled with an amazing world constructed to make the reader feel like they are in the future. It’s fascinating to understand the nuances of this world and the ending was so good and kind of even more creepy and intriguing! Left me with enough questions answered and exciting questions left open to many possibilities. Highly recommend giving this book a read.
October 30, 2021
Great Story But Technically Problematic
The story is great and well told. Character development is good and is nicely wrapped into the story. The world view is clear. I enjoyed the story. No cliffhanger although many story arcs are left unfinished.
I would have given this five stars if a core premise of the story is technically problematic. The approach used for hacking security systems wouldn’t work today even if someone had a lot of time and surely wouldn’t work 100 years in the future. So, I mentally set this aside and focused on enjoying a really good story.
Ultimately, this is like a road trip where the team evolves while they face devastating odds.
n.b. I am a developer and security consultant. That makes it hard to ignore some things.
The story is great and well told. Character development is good and is nicely wrapped into the story. The world view is clear. I enjoyed the story. No cliffhanger although many story arcs are left unfinished.
I would have given this five stars if a core premise of the story is technically problematic. The approach used for hacking security systems wouldn’t work today even if someone had a lot of time and surely wouldn’t work 100 years in the future. So, I mentally set this aside and focused on enjoying a really good story.
Ultimately, this is like a road trip where the team evolves while they face devastating odds.
n.b. I am a developer and security consultant. That makes it hard to ignore some things.
March 27, 2021
So about halfway through this, I figured I'd leave a review. Fae is proving to be a very relatable and well-developed protagonist, one whose struggles feel real. I appreciate the setting for putting a new spin on the classic sci-fi cyberpunk dystopia. The writing and dialogue especially is top-notch! Thoroughly enjoyed my time with this one, will definitely be finishing.
March 28, 2021
This is one of the better sci fi novels that I have read. I especially liked the futuristic technologies described in the book. There are many political themes in addition to the science. The interpersonal interactions between the characters make for a fun read....a little romance, a little bromance and alot of camaraderie. I'm happy to know that there will be sequels.
Read
April 25, 2021Lots and lots of words, not much story.
I often praise the world-building by authors. This is a case where the writer never connected with me to develop or establish the world we were working in. There are some endearing characters and interesting premises, but it lacked cohesion for me. I am not interested in reading more. I received this copy for free and will return it.
I often praise the world-building by authors. This is a case where the writer never connected with me to develop or establish the world we were working in. There are some endearing characters and interesting premises, but it lacked cohesion for me. I am not interested in reading more. I received this copy for free and will return it.
April 29, 2021
Amazing
Well written story about a futuristic world where humans have the opportunity to install an implant in their brain to make them smarter and also to link directly with the net, but something is wrong and there are other forces at work.Great read
Well written story about a futuristic world where humans have the opportunity to install an implant in their brain to make them smarter and also to link directly with the net, but something is wrong and there are other forces at work.Great read
October 19, 2021
Fascinating
It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did, I was really invested. Dysptopian is my preferred Sci fi experience and this author builds a believable world. Can't wait to see what happens next.
It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did, I was really invested. Dysptopian is my preferred Sci fi experience and this author builds a believable world. Can't wait to see what happens next.
January 9, 2024
wicked great read
I am not one for saying much but this great book was just what I needed to get me going again I well thought out book looks like there is plenty more to come
Bring it on ASAP
I am not one for saying much but this great book was just what I needed to get me going again I well thought out book looks like there is plenty more to come
Bring it on ASAP
February 25, 2023
I had the privilege of reading an early draft of this novel. It has been awesome to see this excellent story take shape.
It's an engrossing coming-of-age story that takes readers to exciting, unexpected places.
Fae has survived a lot by the time we meet her in chapter one. She's made it through by lying low and blending in, so it comes as no surprise that the shocking turn of events blasts her right off the path she thought she was on.
Her adorable (and often surprising) humanoid robot Sunny is one of my favorite sidekicks of all times.
This novel manages to be both intense and endearing. It makes it far too easy to stay up way too late reading. I highly recommend it. I'm super excited for the next one.
It's an engrossing coming-of-age story that takes readers to exciting, unexpected places.
Fae has survived a lot by the time we meet her in chapter one. She's made it through by lying low and blending in, so it comes as no surprise that the shocking turn of events blasts her right off the path she thought she was on.
Her adorable (and often surprising) humanoid robot Sunny is one of my favorite sidekicks of all times.
This novel manages to be both intense and endearing. It makes it far too easy to stay up way too late reading. I highly recommend it. I'm super excited for the next one.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews