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The Halter
Combining the inventive worldbuilding of Philip K. Dick and the elegiac longing of Raymond Chandler and for fans of Ready Player One and Rabbits,/i>, The Halter by Darby McDevitt (lead writer for Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag) is a debut sci-fi novel that fuses cyber-noir, psychological suspense, and high-concept speculation in a breakneck search for truth inside a utopian metaverse on the verge of collapse.
In a world where virtual addiction kills, Kennedy Stark is paid to pull the plug. A professional halter—part detective, part counselor—he trawls the world’s darkest surrogate-reality feeds in search of the lost. When he isn’t working, he’s dreaming of a one-way ticket to Mars, where a new colony has been established as a hopeful alternative to an Earth in the early stages of climate collapse.
One evening, after a botched rescue attempt, a mysterious client offers Kennedy a tantalizing new case: brilliant software engineer Delia Walsh, who Kennedy fell in love with years ago, has disappeared inside a surrogate reality project called The Forum. Entering under an assumed identity, Kennedy finds a simulation unlike any other. The Forum bills itself as a tool for cutting-edge scientific research and radical philosophical investigations, but the signs of its corruption are everywhere. As Kennedy investigates, he learns Delia had been working on a new simulation that could upend The Forum’s primary purpose, and that even in this prurient playground for the super wealthy, the dangers are very real.
Brimming with black humor, hardboiled attitude, and a cast of endearing misfits lost in brittle fantasies, The Halter introduces a charismatic detective and heralds a unique and assured new voice in sci-fi crime.
In a world where virtual addiction kills, Kennedy Stark is paid to pull the plug. A professional halter—part detective, part counselor—he trawls the world’s darkest surrogate-reality feeds in search of the lost. When he isn’t working, he’s dreaming of a one-way ticket to Mars, where a new colony has been established as a hopeful alternative to an Earth in the early stages of climate collapse.
One evening, after a botched rescue attempt, a mysterious client offers Kennedy a tantalizing new case: brilliant software engineer Delia Walsh, who Kennedy fell in love with years ago, has disappeared inside a surrogate reality project called The Forum. Entering under an assumed identity, Kennedy finds a simulation unlike any other. The Forum bills itself as a tool for cutting-edge scientific research and radical philosophical investigations, but the signs of its corruption are everywhere. As Kennedy investigates, he learns Delia had been working on a new simulation that could upend The Forum’s primary purpose, and that even in this prurient playground for the super wealthy, the dangers are very real.
Brimming with black humor, hardboiled attitude, and a cast of endearing misfits lost in brittle fantasies, The Halter introduces a charismatic detective and heralds a unique and assured new voice in sci-fi crime.
- GenresScience Fiction
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 15, 2026
I had a good time with The Halter.
The endless frustrations of the artist fighting for and against their own creation transpires through this exciting and mind-bending novel about simulated worlds. Past the at times pulpy noir appearance of this story, you get a fascinating exploration on how humans might try to make the world better with simulations only to face the greatest adversary: the end user.
The author’s real life experience in the development of virtual worlds deeply colors the message of this book: end users can often suck the life out of your intended idea. When you have no control over how the world you’ve built will be experienced, how do you cope as a creator? Can you ever get your message out against the more base aspirations that drive human nature?
I loved the creativity with which Darby explored the many ways simulations might be used in this speculative future. The only thing I wish had been heightened was the main character’s relationship to simulated worlds, which at times felt simply justified for the sake of keeping the story moving. There were definitely opportunities to dive into more existential questions regarding reality, consciousness and perception through the lens of this character who’s trying to escape his reality and go to Mars. But this might have made a very different story out of this premise, and I think the lighter tone based on psychology and extracting a sense of empathy out of simulations is definitely interesting.
For any Neuromancer fans out there, you’ll definitely get something out of the Halter. For anyone else, dive in and enjoy the carousel of weird and fascinating worlds the author has imagined!
4/5
The endless frustrations of the artist fighting for and against their own creation transpires through this exciting and mind-bending novel about simulated worlds. Past the at times pulpy noir appearance of this story, you get a fascinating exploration on how humans might try to make the world better with simulations only to face the greatest adversary: the end user.
The author’s real life experience in the development of virtual worlds deeply colors the message of this book: end users can often suck the life out of your intended idea. When you have no control over how the world you’ve built will be experienced, how do you cope as a creator? Can you ever get your message out against the more base aspirations that drive human nature?
I loved the creativity with which Darby explored the many ways simulations might be used in this speculative future. The only thing I wish had been heightened was the main character’s relationship to simulated worlds, which at times felt simply justified for the sake of keeping the story moving. There were definitely opportunities to dive into more existential questions regarding reality, consciousness and perception through the lens of this character who’s trying to escape his reality and go to Mars. But this might have made a very different story out of this premise, and I think the lighter tone based on psychology and extracting a sense of empathy out of simulations is definitely interesting.
For any Neuromancer fans out there, you’ll definitely get something out of the Halter. For anyone else, dive in and enjoy the carousel of weird and fascinating worlds the author has imagined!
4/5
March 14, 2026
For cyberpunk fans this was a fascinating read. Part detective story, part mystery, all wrapped inside a surreal world (the books term). Surreal worlds are a logical extrapolation of VR today, but fully immersive, and so “real” that you can get lost in them. A Halter goes in to find them. But that simple premise could have been a 30 page short story. This story is really about the building of those surreal worlds, and how society has taken that wonderful concept and warped it into an everyday nightmare. It’s a frighteningly believable tale of how we can push anything to its worst extremes, just because we can. It’s also a tale about what could be done, and how technology can help, if we only took the time to think things through.
I finished this book depressed about humanity, but hopeful at the same time. I guess I left the same way i entered - but now with a much broader perspective. The book’s concepts, and conclusions will stick with me for years.
I finished this book depressed about humanity, but hopeful at the same time. I guess I left the same way i entered - but now with a much broader perspective. The book’s concepts, and conclusions will stick with me for years.
March 8, 2026
Good book, I enjoyed it. A bit Dick Tracy meets Westworld. Detective novel with generative AI worlds. Great though provoked. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
October 8, 2025
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest evaluation of its merits.
I really liked how this book began and enjoyed much of the action throughout. The shifting POV was interesting and helped me get into the head of the "love interest" of the protagonist. The dangers of SR (basically VR on steroids) were presented thoroughly throughout. The only frustration I had was with the resolution between the two main characters. Now, the author's solution made sense, it was just not what I was hoping for. Still, it was a pretty engaging tale.
I really liked how this book began and enjoyed much of the action throughout. The shifting POV was interesting and helped me get into the head of the "love interest" of the protagonist. The dangers of SR (basically VR on steroids) were presented thoroughly throughout. The only frustration I had was with the resolution between the two main characters. Now, the author's solution made sense, it was just not what I was hoping for. Still, it was a pretty engaging tale.
April 20, 2026
More than a mystery: A Thought-Provoking Noir Journey Through Technology and Morality
The book caught me off guard and left me contemplative.
The author, due to various fantastic works in the Assassin's Creed universe (you might feel some connections/parallels between the lines if you are familiar with the franchise), has a solid place in my heart, which more than justifies a blind approach. I trusted that it would be good, and my trust was rewarded.
It doesn’t take two chapters for the great idea and concept of the technology mentioned in the book to hook you and draw you in. You want to learn more about it, and thus the plot takes us into a surreal world, much like Charlie in the chocolate factory. But instead of sweets, behind the various doors of the "theaters" are philosophically profound and morally complex situations and questions, as if each theater is a Black Mirror episode in itself. I would have loved to dive even deeper into certain realities, but we have a mission to accomplish: Finding the Senators daughter!
Finding her in the SR turns out to be more complicated than expected. The overarching storyline is mysterious, getting a bit lost in the middle among everything the book wants to tell, but it manages to reconnect with the plot through well-placed interludes that reveal more about Delia's story, maintaining the tension about her fate until the end. I liked this kind of narrative.
As someone who increasingly wants to live an analog life and is critical of new technology because I always see the downsides as outweighing the success and progress behind it, I could identify well with the Plot and our Main Character Kennedy Stark. A down-to-earth guy who would rather live on Mars, far from the dystopia to which our world and civilization are developing. Who could blame him?
The topics addressed in the book could not be more relevant to our current problems. The author manages to tackle all of these and more without having to resort to unnecessary sensationalism or absurd shocks. This develops more in the subconscious, as well as the connection to our reality.
I can recommend the book to anyone who enjoys engaging with highly complex questions of science regarding morality in connection with the use of modern technology, while also receiving a solid noir detective story that surprises the reader with unexpected revelations, especially towards the end.
The book caught me off guard and left me contemplative.
The author, due to various fantastic works in the Assassin's Creed universe (you might feel some connections/parallels between the lines if you are familiar with the franchise), has a solid place in my heart, which more than justifies a blind approach. I trusted that it would be good, and my trust was rewarded.
It doesn’t take two chapters for the great idea and concept of the technology mentioned in the book to hook you and draw you in. You want to learn more about it, and thus the plot takes us into a surreal world, much like Charlie in the chocolate factory. But instead of sweets, behind the various doors of the "theaters" are philosophically profound and morally complex situations and questions, as if each theater is a Black Mirror episode in itself. I would have loved to dive even deeper into certain realities, but we have a mission to accomplish: Finding the Senators daughter!
Finding her in the SR turns out to be more complicated than expected. The overarching storyline is mysterious, getting a bit lost in the middle among everything the book wants to tell, but it manages to reconnect with the plot through well-placed interludes that reveal more about Delia's story, maintaining the tension about her fate until the end. I liked this kind of narrative.
As someone who increasingly wants to live an analog life and is critical of new technology because I always see the downsides as outweighing the success and progress behind it, I could identify well with the Plot and our Main Character Kennedy Stark. A down-to-earth guy who would rather live on Mars, far from the dystopia to which our world and civilization are developing. Who could blame him?
The topics addressed in the book could not be more relevant to our current problems. The author manages to tackle all of these and more without having to resort to unnecessary sensationalism or absurd shocks. This develops more in the subconscious, as well as the connection to our reality.
I can recommend the book to anyone who enjoys engaging with highly complex questions of science regarding morality in connection with the use of modern technology, while also receiving a solid noir detective story that surprises the reader with unexpected revelations, especially towards the end.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Halter starts out great. Like, cancel-your-plans great. The premise is sharp and fun: a future where people disappear into hyper-real simulations and a professional “halter” gets paid to yank them back to reality whether they want it or not. Cyberpunk noir, addiction, capitalism, climate collapse, existential dread. All the good stuff.
Kennedy Stark is a solid noir lead, cynical, damaged, sarcastic, and just self-aware enough to be interesting without becoming unbearable. The early chapters crackle with tension and clever worldbuilding, and I was fully on board for what felt like a tight, gritty mystery.
Then the book decides it has a lot to say. About simulations. About philosophy. About society. About reality itself. And instead of weaving those ideas smoothly into the plot, it sometimes parks the story, opens the trunk, and unloads them all at once. The pacing starts to sag, the narrative wanders, and the mystery takes a back seat while the book goes off exploring side roads that feel interesting but not always necessary.
There are moments of dark humor and smart commentary throughout, but the middle stretch in particular feels like it could have used a firmer editorial hand or at least a reminder of where it was originally headed. By the time things tighten up again, some of the early momentum has already slipped away.
That said, the ideas are genuinely good, and the world is imaginative enough that I never wanted to quit. I just wanted it to hurry up and get back to the point. The Halter feels like a very strong concept that occasionally forgets it is also supposed to be a story.
Overall, a solid three stars. Worth reading for the premise and atmosphere, but it overstays its welcome in a few places and could have been sharper, leaner, and a little less in love with its own cleverness.
Kennedy Stark is a solid noir lead, cynical, damaged, sarcastic, and just self-aware enough to be interesting without becoming unbearable. The early chapters crackle with tension and clever worldbuilding, and I was fully on board for what felt like a tight, gritty mystery.
Then the book decides it has a lot to say. About simulations. About philosophy. About society. About reality itself. And instead of weaving those ideas smoothly into the plot, it sometimes parks the story, opens the trunk, and unloads them all at once. The pacing starts to sag, the narrative wanders, and the mystery takes a back seat while the book goes off exploring side roads that feel interesting but not always necessary.
There are moments of dark humor and smart commentary throughout, but the middle stretch in particular feels like it could have used a firmer editorial hand or at least a reminder of where it was originally headed. By the time things tighten up again, some of the early momentum has already slipped away.
That said, the ideas are genuinely good, and the world is imaginative enough that I never wanted to quit. I just wanted it to hurry up and get back to the point. The Halter feels like a very strong concept that occasionally forgets it is also supposed to be a story.
Overall, a solid three stars. Worth reading for the premise and atmosphere, but it overstays its welcome in a few places and could have been sharper, leaner, and a little less in love with its own cleverness.
March 19, 2026
An inventive novel about a fairly plausible near future, one in which fully immersive simulations can distract from the ever growing problems of the real world. I had two major issues with this book though. For one, the writing didn't feel as sharp as it could have been. Much of this book evokes the gritty, 1920's noir kind of crime, but the narrative voice didn't seem to fit that. It made the book seem a little confused in its execution. Secondly, the mystery didn't get really rolling until it was practically already over. Much of the middle of the book is fairly meandering, our detective (Halter in this case, someone hired to pull another free from a simulation) stumbling around hoping to chance upon clues in a vast and functionally endless void, removed from the real world and thus from a sense of real stakes.
"And thanks for the drink," I said.
She shook her head. "It was nothing."
I Believe she meant it literally.
What ultimately made it a good read, was the profound passages about identity and empathy. It ends on a bit of a strange note that I really enjoyed for its directness. I love when chapters end with a great closing line that makes you think, and this book has a lot of them. Especially the last line of the epilogue, given everything that came before, struck true.
"And thanks for the drink," I said.
She shook her head. "It was nothing."
I Believe she meant it literally.
What ultimately made it a good read, was the profound passages about identity and empathy. It ends on a bit of a strange note that I really enjoyed for its directness. I love when chapters end with a great closing line that makes you think, and this book has a lot of them. Especially the last line of the epilogue, given everything that came before, struck true.
March 26, 2026
I'd pay to be able to read the first chapter of this book again for the first time.
Like, I didn't need more after that point. I had already had a five-star reading experience, and I was only maybe six pages in.
This book is the reading experience I've been chasing for years and never finding. It's a compulsively readable sci-fi noir with timely themes and a plot worth reading. I worried it would devolve into tedious hypermasculinity, but it never did; while it stayed genre aware, characters never got TOO punchable.
The plot does drift at times—the core conceit is fascinating, but it makes it easy to fall into distraction—but even then, the tangents are interesting enough to feel worthwhile. I would absolutely explore this world again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook copy! All opinions are, of course, my own.
Like, I didn't need more after that point. I had already had a five-star reading experience, and I was only maybe six pages in.
This book is the reading experience I've been chasing for years and never finding. It's a compulsively readable sci-fi noir with timely themes and a plot worth reading. I worried it would devolve into tedious hypermasculinity, but it never did; while it stayed genre aware, characters never got TOO punchable.
The plot does drift at times—the core conceit is fascinating, but it makes it easy to fall into distraction—but even then, the tangents are interesting enough to feel worthwhile. I would absolutely explore this world again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook copy! All opinions are, of course, my own.
February 24, 2026
In a world where virtual reality feels as real as the real world, it would be incredibly easy to lose yourself completely. The Forum is a surrogate reality project that is the latest and most advanced in the world. So when Delia Walsh, one of the head designers, disappears, Kennedy Stark is hired to find her and bring her home. Stark is a halter, which is someone who trolls the darkest areas of the surrogate reality world to find lost loved ones and convince them to come back to reality. But in Stark’s case, he actually met Delia once and has never forgotten her.
This was such an interesting concept. I especially appreciated that although we all know humans can get disgustingly depraved in a virtual world, this story touched on some of that but didn’t get too dark and dirty. The author kept it classy, compelling, and thought-provoking. The characters were complex and interesting. It also featured some nice twists and ah-ha moments. I really enjoyed this one.
Thank you, @DiversionBooks, for my free advanced copy.
This was such an interesting concept. I especially appreciated that although we all know humans can get disgustingly depraved in a virtual world, this story touched on some of that but didn’t get too dark and dirty. The author kept it classy, compelling, and thought-provoking. The characters were complex and interesting. It also featured some nice twists and ah-ha moments. I really enjoyed this one.
Thank you, @DiversionBooks, for my free advanced copy.
April 6, 2026
Noir detectives aren't really my thing but it didn't matter. This idea of completely immersive virtual realities that people have to be pulled out of obviously resonates to what we live through today but what really drew me through the book is the very imaginative range of realities there is to visit, each one either food for thoughts or a comical clusterfuck of humankind gone wrong. It really feels like the leg of a tour of our collective madness. Add to this that the book's paced like a page turner and the writing, sharp means I highly recommend, espececially if you like speculative sci-fi or are even simply interested in where we might go.
April 27, 2026
Shades of noir, but also very much science fiction. A good engaging read, with at least one interesting premise, and some intriguing thinking about a couple of others. Not up to Neal Stephenson's level, but that is a very high bar.
March 27, 2026
It’s like a noir detective novel meets Ready Player One. Incredibly enjoyable!
April 15, 2026
A potentially interesting idea sloppily (andnunbelievingly) rendered. And, poorly edited, as evidenced by some glaring continuity and blocking issues. Too bad.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews