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Ignore All Previous Instructions
Not yet published
Expected 12 May 26A script supervisor for an AI media conglomerate is caught between her intense need for an orderly life and her deeper, darker queer desires. From the creator of the Outside trilogy, a heartfelt interplanetary epic of identity, longing, and a space pirate who smuggles inappropriate stories.
Kelli Reynolds loves creating stories more than anything in the world. But on Callisto, a generative AI company called Inspiration owns everything, including all the media, and only Inspiration determines which stories can be told.
Kelli has a rare and coveted job in which her autism is to her advantage: She precisely edits AI output into “appropriate” stories for Inspiration’s massive TV audience. Her proudest creation is the pirate Orlando—a dashing do-gooder based on stories she used to tell friends.
Reenter Kelli’s ex-boyfriend Rowan, the person Kelli based Orlando on. Back when they were teenagers, their relationship was a secret. Kelli had thought that Rowan, a trans man, was her schoolmate Em, a girl.
Rowan is tangled up in the black market after he needed to get money for gender reassignment surgery. He needs Kelli’s help with something . . . illegal. So, now Kelli has to decide: Will she risk the safe, tidy story of her life now for the world she once wished for? What would Orlando do?
Passionate, dangerous, and tender, Ignore All Previous Instructions is a sweeping, poignant novel about censorship, forbidden love, and growing up.
Kelli Reynolds loves creating stories more than anything in the world. But on Callisto, a generative AI company called Inspiration owns everything, including all the media, and only Inspiration determines which stories can be told.
Kelli has a rare and coveted job in which her autism is to her advantage: She precisely edits AI output into “appropriate” stories for Inspiration’s massive TV audience. Her proudest creation is the pirate Orlando—a dashing do-gooder based on stories she used to tell friends.
Reenter Kelli’s ex-boyfriend Rowan, the person Kelli based Orlando on. Back when they were teenagers, their relationship was a secret. Kelli had thought that Rowan, a trans man, was her schoolmate Em, a girl.
Rowan is tangled up in the black market after he needed to get money for gender reassignment surgery. He needs Kelli’s help with something . . . illegal. So, now Kelli has to decide: Will she risk the safe, tidy story of her life now for the world she once wished for? What would Orlando do?
Passionate, dangerous, and tender, Ignore All Previous Instructions is a sweeping, poignant novel about censorship, forbidden love, and growing up.
320 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 12, 2026
4 people are currently reading
1615 people want to read
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Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.0 Stars
As someone who loved The Outside and its sequels, I was eagerly anticipating this follow up novel. I am happy to announce that I was not disappointed and would recommend this book to anyone else who loved that trilogy.
One of the best elements of this novel was the inclusion of another character with autism and a queer identity, which I understand pulls from the author's own experiences. I appreciated the complexity and nuance of these representations, breaking away from certain popular stereotypes.
In addition, this novel explored the world of AI written tools and their invasion of storybased media. I found the conversations very topical and important, not saying away from the negatives of AI in creative spaces.
In terms of science fiction, this one is much softer than others, which makes it a great entry point to readers who don't read a lot of the genre. I would primarily recommend to character driven readers who don't mind a romantic element to the story. This one felt personal and left a big impression on me.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
As someone who loved The Outside and its sequels, I was eagerly anticipating this follow up novel. I am happy to announce that I was not disappointed and would recommend this book to anyone else who loved that trilogy.
One of the best elements of this novel was the inclusion of another character with autism and a queer identity, which I understand pulls from the author's own experiences. I appreciated the complexity and nuance of these representations, breaking away from certain popular stereotypes.
In addition, this novel explored the world of AI written tools and their invasion of storybased media. I found the conversations very topical and important, not saying away from the negatives of AI in creative spaces.
In terms of science fiction, this one is much softer than others, which makes it a great entry point to readers who don't read a lot of the genre. I would primarily recommend to character driven readers who don't mind a romantic element to the story. This one felt personal and left a big impression on me.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Read
January 4, 2026Find me elsewhere: My Patreon | My Bluesky account
Read for blurbing and absolutely loved it. I'll do my best to put my blurb here once it's public :)
____
Source of the book: Print ARC from publisher
Read for blurbing and absolutely loved it. I'll do my best to put my blurb here once it's public :)
____
Source of the book: Print ARC from publisher
December 4, 2025
I'll be honest, the title is what sold me to this book. I ~ love ~ the concept of jailbreaking models. I have a lot of Big Feelings about AI (even with all of the fiction/sci fi I consume where AI is central to the plot in a neutral presentation), but this one got me thinking more deeply about how bias can lead to censorship/erasure as a step beyond creative freedom. Overall? Speculative fiction that feels both cozy and high stakes? I love the vibe. I appreciated the dual timeline and the completeness of our characters here. The biggest draw back for me was that it definitely felt like YA at times and I wanted a little more punchiness.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
February 18, 2026ARC received. Thank you so much ❤️
Want to read
December 25, 2025new book from the author of my favourite scifi trilogy?! thank you 2026
January 24, 2026
This book has a lot to say and a lot it wants to impart, and the fact that Hoffman manages to convey it all as well as she does, along with some liner notes in the back for some things that people might think feel familiar but they're not sure from where, is genuinely impressive. I read and loved Hoffman's short story collection within the last few years, but this is honestly a hell of a novel, and has so much to say about the censorship of queer portrayals, the actual goals of AI, and how maybe it just fucking isn't worth it to mask. There's also some exquisite use of the second person pov, which I am a sucker for, and there may have been a few times where I stepped away from the book for a few days because I identified so much with what Kelli was feeling (yay recent mid 30s ASD diagnosis!). This comes out in May, preorder it the next time the Barnes and Noble presales come along. Also, A++ usage of Virginia Woolf references with Orlando, ngl.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is my first time reviewing an ARC, and I wasn’t expecting this level of polish. I began reading this in late 2025, but in retrospect, I’m glad this is the story I started 2026 with.
I highly recommend Ignore All Previous Instructions. It’s a compelling read, and the most authentic queer writing I’ve personally encountered. Some books simply find their audience, and this one felt uncannily aligned with my own experiences. I’m an enthusiastic AI user interested in AI ethics; I’m queer and in a closed-triad polyamorous relationship; and I’ve worked as a care support worker supporting autistic people. I’ve never read a novel where those identities meaningfully intersected until now.
Previously, I have pretty much bounced off of queer and LGBT. I find that queer authors tend to get caught up in the freedom of expression, and the actual writing suffers. That, or they become encumbered with therapy speak, which is a pet peeve of mine. This book did not have those problems. In fact, I think the characters shared a portion of my derision on the therapy speak note. The queerness was integral to the story and the characters, but they didn't become it. These are three-dimensional people with careers, fears, and conflicting motivations, and that depth was genuinely refreshing. It has raised my expectations for the genre.
Not that I wasn't nervous. When the book started, it was going into a huge amount of detail about the protagonist's routine. The hairs on my neck were rising because I have seen so many goofy and insulting interpretations of autism. I've had to be an advocate for autistic friends and family, so innately, I was bracing. The book didn't pathologise autism, though. Instead, it was detailed, felt intimate and world-building. It was very show-don't-tell heavy, and it was stunningly accurate, at least to some people's experience of autism. It continued to toe this line throughout the entire book. Showing us, and structuring the internal dialogue to walk us through the protagonist's experience of Autism. It was tasteful and so refreshing? Even as the book began to have two characters learning about queer topics afresh, it kept that tasteful, believable tone rather than collapsing into a sermon.
This still wouldn't be a book I'd recommend to an audience not on board with LGBT themes, but, a neutral party? I think I would be happy to give this book to someone entirely neutral to Queer or Autistic discourse and let it stand as a foundational text for their understanding and help define their empathy on the subject.
If I haven't made it clear, I loved this book. It was nuanced, and the story had stakes that made my heart clench. I was invested in the protagonist's success, even if I was just as uneasy as to whether it was the 'correct' thing to do. I don't get to say this about science fiction all the time; it felt very believable (if a little America-centric). The ChatGPT angle was integral to the story, and I really enjoyed the breaks wherein our protagonist is writing 'prompts' that are essentially her trying to process what is happening. The idea of the hacking of the future involving a lot of sweet-talking Grok-like systems was also very appealing to me, but the humour of the situation never diminished the stakes of the story to me. Half the story focuses on children, and I especially found the way the children interfaced with technology very authentic.
I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to read this. Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications, and especially to Ada Hoffmann, for such a thoughtful and quietly transformative novel. 5 Stars, no notes.
I highly recommend Ignore All Previous Instructions. It’s a compelling read, and the most authentic queer writing I’ve personally encountered. Some books simply find their audience, and this one felt uncannily aligned with my own experiences. I’m an enthusiastic AI user interested in AI ethics; I’m queer and in a closed-triad polyamorous relationship; and I’ve worked as a care support worker supporting autistic people. I’ve never read a novel where those identities meaningfully intersected until now.
Previously, I have pretty much bounced off of queer and LGBT. I find that queer authors tend to get caught up in the freedom of expression, and the actual writing suffers. That, or they become encumbered with therapy speak, which is a pet peeve of mine. This book did not have those problems. In fact, I think the characters shared a portion of my derision on the therapy speak note. The queerness was integral to the story and the characters, but they didn't become it. These are three-dimensional people with careers, fears, and conflicting motivations, and that depth was genuinely refreshing. It has raised my expectations for the genre.
Not that I wasn't nervous. When the book started, it was going into a huge amount of detail about the protagonist's routine. The hairs on my neck were rising because I have seen so many goofy and insulting interpretations of autism. I've had to be an advocate for autistic friends and family, so innately, I was bracing. The book didn't pathologise autism, though. Instead, it was detailed, felt intimate and world-building. It was very show-don't-tell heavy, and it was stunningly accurate, at least to some people's experience of autism. It continued to toe this line throughout the entire book. Showing us, and structuring the internal dialogue to walk us through the protagonist's experience of Autism. It was tasteful and so refreshing? Even as the book began to have two characters learning about queer topics afresh, it kept that tasteful, believable tone rather than collapsing into a sermon.
This still wouldn't be a book I'd recommend to an audience not on board with LGBT themes, but, a neutral party? I think I would be happy to give this book to someone entirely neutral to Queer or Autistic discourse and let it stand as a foundational text for their understanding and help define their empathy on the subject.
If I haven't made it clear, I loved this book. It was nuanced, and the story had stakes that made my heart clench. I was invested in the protagonist's success, even if I was just as uneasy as to whether it was the 'correct' thing to do. I don't get to say this about science fiction all the time; it felt very believable (if a little America-centric). The ChatGPT angle was integral to the story, and I really enjoyed the breaks wherein our protagonist is writing 'prompts' that are essentially her trying to process what is happening. The idea of the hacking of the future involving a lot of sweet-talking Grok-like systems was also very appealing to me, but the humour of the situation never diminished the stakes of the story to me. Half the story focuses on children, and I especially found the way the children interfaced with technology very authentic.
I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to read this. Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications, and especially to Ada Hoffmann, for such a thoughtful and quietly transformative novel. 5 Stars, no notes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks Netgalley & Tachyon publishing for the ARC!
Ignore all Previous Instructions is a book about AI, and a book about being human. It's also a book about autism and queerness in a world of censorship that feels much like the current age.
This is a sci fi book that has space travel and such, but also feels very grounded in reality. The AI and AI company work pretty much the same way as AI in the real world, only this is a more dystopian setting where this form of AI is integrated into pretty much everything, and where all media is mostly AI generated.
The story is told through a dual timeline. The main story in the present is from Kelli's POV. She's a supervisor of a mostly AI generated show, which she has to keep within the strict rules of the company. I found the rules mentioned very interesting, and they really speak to both threats of censorship and common discourse. The show is expected to constantly explain itself, treating its audience like children who otherwise wouldn't understand. And everything is expected to be as generic as possible with super broad appeal but without much depth or humanity. Pretty much how AI works in the real world. Kelli created the character of Orlando, and while he is very limited in who he can be by the AI's rules and how much is required to be generated, he still feels like a part of Kelli's imagination, and she is a storyteller, putting as much humanity in the output as is feasible within this system, even if she does also follow all the rules to the letter.
Kelli is contacted by Rowan, her ex, and a trans man who she dated when they were teenagers and Rowan still presented as a girl. He is in some financial trouble and needs her help, and against her better judgement, Kelli goes with him.
At the same time, there's a past timeline set during their childhood, when they went to school together, and this feels a bit more YA, but it's also quite heavy. It's about growing up queer and neurodivergent in a world that is quite hostile to these things. The past timeline is all from Am/Rowan's POV, and it shows some other uses of genAI in this world, including a robot Kelli has that's supposed to help her socialize with her autism but doesn't work at all, and therapybot program Elaine (another one of their friends) goes to talk to, which isn't shown on page, but is often referenced, and is also pretty much useless. Queerness is censored and considered something inappropriate for children, and while it is not forbidden for consenting adults, it's not talked about at all. This obviously has a huge effect on how Kelli and Am/Rowan develop and grow up, not really having access to the information they need.
I liked how this book portrays a genAI company as the main villain, and makes it very effective while also showing how useless genAI is for many purposes. Rowan's expertise as a criminal is prompting the genAI to let him into everything, and of course, they use genAI in pretty much everything. The autism assistance bot constantly gives very generic advice that's not helpful at all. The therapy bot doesn't help improve Elaine's mental health at all, and is programmed not to talk to her about any queer topics at all, making it even less helpful.
Would highly recommend this book
Ignore all Previous Instructions is a book about AI, and a book about being human. It's also a book about autism and queerness in a world of censorship that feels much like the current age.
This is a sci fi book that has space travel and such, but also feels very grounded in reality. The AI and AI company work pretty much the same way as AI in the real world, only this is a more dystopian setting where this form of AI is integrated into pretty much everything, and where all media is mostly AI generated.
The story is told through a dual timeline. The main story in the present is from Kelli's POV. She's a supervisor of a mostly AI generated show, which she has to keep within the strict rules of the company. I found the rules mentioned very interesting, and they really speak to both threats of censorship and common discourse. The show is expected to constantly explain itself, treating its audience like children who otherwise wouldn't understand. And everything is expected to be as generic as possible with super broad appeal but without much depth or humanity. Pretty much how AI works in the real world. Kelli created the character of Orlando, and while he is very limited in who he can be by the AI's rules and how much is required to be generated, he still feels like a part of Kelli's imagination, and she is a storyteller, putting as much humanity in the output as is feasible within this system, even if she does also follow all the rules to the letter.
Kelli is contacted by Rowan, her ex, and a trans man who she dated when they were teenagers and Rowan still presented as a girl. He is in some financial trouble and needs her help, and against her better judgement, Kelli goes with him.
At the same time, there's a past timeline set during their childhood, when they went to school together, and this feels a bit more YA, but it's also quite heavy. It's about growing up queer and neurodivergent in a world that is quite hostile to these things. The past timeline is all from Am/Rowan's POV, and it shows some other uses of genAI in this world, including a robot Kelli has that's supposed to help her socialize with her autism but doesn't work at all, and therapybot program Elaine (another one of their friends) goes to talk to, which isn't shown on page, but is often referenced, and is also pretty much useless. Queerness is censored and considered something inappropriate for children, and while it is not forbidden for consenting adults, it's not talked about at all. This obviously has a huge effect on how Kelli and Am/Rowan develop and grow up, not really having access to the information they need.
I liked how this book portrays a genAI company as the main villain, and makes it very effective while also showing how useless genAI is for many purposes. Rowan's expertise as a criminal is prompting the genAI to let him into everything, and of course, they use genAI in pretty much everything. The autism assistance bot constantly gives very generic advice that's not helpful at all. The therapy bot doesn't help improve Elaine's mental health at all, and is programmed not to talk to her about any queer topics at all, making it even less helpful.
Would highly recommend this book
December 1, 2025
This novel ticks a lot of boxes:
* hard SF with a focus on computer science, and especially generative AI / cybersecurity
* neurodivergent characters
* queer characters
* technological singularity - what happens to society when it becomes ruled by AI overlords and 90% of the population relies on basic income to survive (there are barely any jobs anymore, everything has been automated)
* space pirates, fast-paced adventure
* intellectual property laws - what happens to artistic creation when megacorporations can copyright ideas?
* censorship, and especially banning queer and political content
All those themes come together in a novel that could be an awful soup, but somehow, it works.
The exposition was quite long, and I had to "hang in there". Around 30% in, the reward came (and it was massive). This is a compelling adventure relying on exquisitely built characters, fine grained world building, and a somewhat unreliable narrator. Queer and/or neurodivergent characters are never archetypes here. They are whole people, sometimes endearing, sometimes insufferable.
Ignore All Previous Instructions is as much about the evolution of the main characters' relationships as it is about space pirates and AI. This was well done, with no caricature and great sensibility. I am queer and neurodivergent myself and felt "seen". It does not mean that this is a novel for queer / neurodivergent readers. The story is compelling enough to appeal to a broad audience, I would even recommend this novel to teenagers. Without spoilers, my "age" line is about sex, sheer violence and unbounded morality. There is no such thing here. You can totally gift this to a fourteen year old who enjoys SF.
Some non-spoiler highlights:
* the prompts! Very innovative idea. It totally works and provides the reader with a lot of "food for thought"
* relatable computer security content - privilege escalation, geeking about file systems, serialization attack (more of this please!)
* elaborate exploration of what it means to produce fiction with an AI
Cherry on the cake, Ignore All Previous Instructions features a satisfying end. There could be a sequel and I would buy it, but this works really well as a standalone novel.
This novel was provided to me as an ARC by NetGalley and Tachyon Publications. Special thanks to the editor and to Ada Hoffmann for a great novel. I will buy this book.
* hard SF with a focus on computer science, and especially generative AI / cybersecurity
* neurodivergent characters
* queer characters
* technological singularity - what happens to society when it becomes ruled by AI overlords and 90% of the population relies on basic income to survive (there are barely any jobs anymore, everything has been automated)
* space pirates, fast-paced adventure
* intellectual property laws - what happens to artistic creation when megacorporations can copyright ideas?
* censorship, and especially banning queer and political content
All those themes come together in a novel that could be an awful soup, but somehow, it works.
The exposition was quite long, and I had to "hang in there". Around 30% in, the reward came (and it was massive). This is a compelling adventure relying on exquisitely built characters, fine grained world building, and a somewhat unreliable narrator. Queer and/or neurodivergent characters are never archetypes here. They are whole people, sometimes endearing, sometimes insufferable.
Ignore All Previous Instructions is as much about the evolution of the main characters' relationships as it is about space pirates and AI. This was well done, with no caricature and great sensibility. I am queer and neurodivergent myself and felt "seen". It does not mean that this is a novel for queer / neurodivergent readers. The story is compelling enough to appeal to a broad audience, I would even recommend this novel to teenagers. Without spoilers, my "age" line is about sex, sheer violence and unbounded morality. There is no such thing here. You can totally gift this to a fourteen year old who enjoys SF.
Some non-spoiler highlights:
* the prompts! Very innovative idea. It totally works and provides the reader with a lot of "food for thought"
* relatable computer security content - privilege escalation, geeking about file systems, serialization attack (more of this please!)
* elaborate exploration of what it means to produce fiction with an AI
Cherry on the cake, Ignore All Previous Instructions features a satisfying end. There could be a sequel and I would buy it, but this works really well as a standalone novel.
This novel was provided to me as an ARC by NetGalley and Tachyon Publications. Special thanks to the editor and to Ada Hoffmann for a great novel. I will buy this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What do you get when you take two best friends who don’t fit society norms and try to instill in them ideals by a company that has somehow managed to take control of the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of an entire colony? In Ignore All Previous Instructions, you get a space pirate searching for lost freedoms and the right to be true to themselves, and a woman living a routine, somewhat satisfying life, embracing the only way of life she has ever known.
Set on a dystopian/sci-fi planet called Callisto, Inspiration runs the entire colony – there is no freedom of speech, no original thinking. Their reasoning? Those kinds of things previously destroyed people’s sanity and tore countries apart. Inspiration censors everything. Laws exist to prevent adults from talking to minors about topics deemed inappropriate, like sex and sexuality.
Keli and Rowan meet in elementary school when Rowan still goes by Amelia, and Keli has a robot. Rowan is fascinated by the technology, even though he disagrees with why it has been given to Kelli. To Rowan, Kelli’s autism is what makes her exceptional, but neurodiversity is controlled, not celebrated.
Through flashbacks, Kelli and Rowan discover their sexuality, they learn to question the rules enforced upon them, and they learn to grow together without compromising their integrity. Until one decision ruins everything, and years pass before they see each other again.
Flashbacks don’t always work for me, but these don’t stop the progression of the story; they enhance it. They play a critical role in helping the reader to understand the characters, and without them, the story would lose so much of the depth it has.
I was absolutely blown away by the originality of Ignore All Previous Instructions and found it so easy to get lost in the story. The characters grew between the pages, and being brought along for that journey felt like a privilege. It's inclusive and relevant, and sometimes I just wanted to shake Kelli and tell her to just kiss Rowan already!
How fantastic to find a new author to me, who is in fact a seasoned author with a backlog of books I have yet to discover. My TBR pile just grew a few inches taller, and I’d love to know which one to start with.
Ignore All Previous Instructions is one of those books that I want the paperback of, so I can proudly display it on my bookshelf. It gets an easy 5 Stars from me!
I recieved an ARC from Tachyon Publications via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review
Set on a dystopian/sci-fi planet called Callisto, Inspiration runs the entire colony – there is no freedom of speech, no original thinking. Their reasoning? Those kinds of things previously destroyed people’s sanity and tore countries apart. Inspiration censors everything. Laws exist to prevent adults from talking to minors about topics deemed inappropriate, like sex and sexuality.
Keli and Rowan meet in elementary school when Rowan still goes by Amelia, and Keli has a robot. Rowan is fascinated by the technology, even though he disagrees with why it has been given to Kelli. To Rowan, Kelli’s autism is what makes her exceptional, but neurodiversity is controlled, not celebrated.
Through flashbacks, Kelli and Rowan discover their sexuality, they learn to question the rules enforced upon them, and they learn to grow together without compromising their integrity. Until one decision ruins everything, and years pass before they see each other again.
Flashbacks don’t always work for me, but these don’t stop the progression of the story; they enhance it. They play a critical role in helping the reader to understand the characters, and without them, the story would lose so much of the depth it has.
I was absolutely blown away by the originality of Ignore All Previous Instructions and found it so easy to get lost in the story. The characters grew between the pages, and being brought along for that journey felt like a privilege. It's inclusive and relevant, and sometimes I just wanted to shake Kelli and tell her to just kiss Rowan already!
How fantastic to find a new author to me, who is in fact a seasoned author with a backlog of books I have yet to discover. My TBR pile just grew a few inches taller, and I’d love to know which one to start with.
Ignore All Previous Instructions is one of those books that I want the paperback of, so I can proudly display it on my bookshelf. It gets an easy 5 Stars from me!
I recieved an ARC from Tachyon Publications via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley/the publisher/the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review
✨
Actual rating 3.5/5 stars
Hmm. I don’t have anything negative to say about this book. I just feel…neutral, I suppose. I love space operas. I love heists. This had both, but it just felt…cozy. There wasn’t any real conflict or high stakes. Just a quick and easy heist. Like…okay. Cool! I don’t feel strongly about this book at all.
The pros:
QUEER. REP. I loved that. I loved Rowan’s struggle with gender dysphoria and all the confusing labels he slapped on his feelings. It felt so realistic it was almost uncomfortable. Even though the world they lived in was very homophobic and transphobic, it felt natural. (Unfortunately).
Neurodivergent rep! ADHD and autism tend to get mischaracterized in media. Sure, they’re both spectrums, but the rep in this book felt natural. Normal. Like…yeah. Those are real people.
The ugly truth about genAI. I hate genAI more than most because I, too, am a creator. In that aspect, this book almost had a horror subplot to it. In the year 2026 things are looking like they’re heading towards a single language model that controls every bit of creativity. Terrifying stuff, really.
The cons:
Like…just…everything else?
There was no real bad guy.
No real sense of justice.
No real conflict.
So for me, it felt dull. I could see this being a YA book. I guess when I see “space opera” I imagine galactic battles and high tension and higher stakes and maybe an alien or two. Even though this took place solely in our solar system, you could just block everything out and pretend it took place primarily on earth.
If you want a cozy space opera with second chance romance and a friends to lovers to enemies to… (no spoilers here), you’d like this book.
I, sadly, just don’t care for anything cozy.
✨
Actual rating 3.5/5 stars
Hmm. I don’t have anything negative to say about this book. I just feel…neutral, I suppose. I love space operas. I love heists. This had both, but it just felt…cozy. There wasn’t any real conflict or high stakes. Just a quick and easy heist. Like…okay. Cool! I don’t feel strongly about this book at all.
The pros:
QUEER. REP. I loved that. I loved Rowan’s struggle with gender dysphoria and all the confusing labels he slapped on his feelings. It felt so realistic it was almost uncomfortable. Even though the world they lived in was very homophobic and transphobic, it felt natural. (Unfortunately).
Neurodivergent rep! ADHD and autism tend to get mischaracterized in media. Sure, they’re both spectrums, but the rep in this book felt natural. Normal. Like…yeah. Those are real people.
The ugly truth about genAI. I hate genAI more than most because I, too, am a creator. In that aspect, this book almost had a horror subplot to it. In the year 2026 things are looking like they’re heading towards a single language model that controls every bit of creativity. Terrifying stuff, really.
The cons:
Like…just…everything else?
There was no real bad guy.
No real sense of justice.
No real conflict.
So for me, it felt dull. I could see this being a YA book. I guess when I see “space opera” I imagine galactic battles and high tension and higher stakes and maybe an alien or two. Even though this took place solely in our solar system, you could just block everything out and pretend it took place primarily on earth.
If you want a cozy space opera with second chance romance and a friends to lovers to enemies to… (no spoilers here), you’d like this book.
I, sadly, just don’t care for anything cozy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. It did a couple of things very pleasingly well:
- the switch between the two POV's worked very well, because there was also a gap in time. I found this very elegant.
- usually when reading queer sci-fi, you get some kind of progressive, everything got fixed view which, while comforting, can also get stale. This is the first sci-fi I've personally read where the clock on queer liberation has been turned back, and it's a lot of fun to have characters read 'historical documents' from our time to use as a guide to queerness. All those chapters hit really hard in a great way, congrats.
- the whole interaction between our main character, the character she has created, how she sees herself, how she sees her childhood friend/lover... Great commentary on the importance of stories and the dangers of AI and copyright.
- realistic neurodivergent characters! The first chapter had me a bit scared because it got so spelled out, but other details felt so right.
- the flaws of the characters being a driving force as well a complicating factor... Little spoiler, but the scene where Kelli hears someone else describe the character she created and put much of her (ideal) self into as 'naive'... Heartbreaking. I loved it.
- oh yeah, the central heist is fun. Maybe it took a bit too long to get to it but I didn't mind because I was having too much fun spending time with the characters.
Only point of criticism would be the prose. It's a bit too... Simple? Still prefer that to unnecessary flourish. But I'd liked to have felt more if a difference between the chapters in the past, with the younger versions of the characters, and the present time.
Ps, justice 4 Elaine, maybe also a neopronoun, some T, and a new name like Sharky.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. It did a couple of things very pleasingly well:
- the switch between the two POV's worked very well, because there was also a gap in time. I found this very elegant.
- usually when reading queer sci-fi, you get some kind of progressive, everything got fixed view which, while comforting, can also get stale. This is the first sci-fi I've personally read where the clock on queer liberation has been turned back, and it's a lot of fun to have characters read 'historical documents' from our time to use as a guide to queerness. All those chapters hit really hard in a great way, congrats.
- the whole interaction between our main character, the character she has created, how she sees herself, how she sees her childhood friend/lover... Great commentary on the importance of stories and the dangers of AI and copyright.
- realistic neurodivergent characters! The first chapter had me a bit scared because it got so spelled out, but other details felt so right.
- the flaws of the characters being a driving force as well a complicating factor... Little spoiler, but the scene where Kelli hears someone else describe the character she created and put much of her (ideal) self into as 'naive'... Heartbreaking. I loved it.
- oh yeah, the central heist is fun. Maybe it took a bit too long to get to it but I didn't mind because I was having too much fun spending time with the characters.
Only point of criticism would be the prose. It's a bit too... Simple? Still prefer that to unnecessary flourish. But I'd liked to have felt more if a difference between the chapters in the past, with the younger versions of the characters, and the present time.
Ps, justice 4 Elaine, maybe also a neopronoun, some T, and a new name like Sharky.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
One thing Kelli and I agree upon is that everything is a story. By day, I am an accountant. Accounting, by its nature, is all about numbers. There is a general stigma in the zeitgeist that accounting is boring, that it’s a career for people who love numbers. Although it revolves around numbers, what accountants can tell you is that those numbers tell a story. Accountants are just able to read that story and explain it to others.
Ignore All Previous Instructions is no different. It’s a story about stories. How censorship alienates members of a society. How state-controlled media will only tell you the stories it wants you to hear. How even in those situations, those “banned” stories will always find their way into the world because people need to see themselves in the world.
Ignore All Previous Instructions characters are very representative of marginalized groups. Members of the queer and neurodivergent community will see themselves represented in the characters in this tale. The story hits on important themes, all centered around AI and how AI could change our society.
I think this is an important story, however, it was a little heavy handed for my taste. I prefer stories to have some mystery and surprises, however foreshadowing early in the story makes the arc easy to anticipate, with the thematic direction clear from the beginning. As a queer individual myself, I saw some of my own experience in these characters, and that representation is powerful. Overall, it was a good read.
One thing I can say confidently is that this book will highlight the importance of stories, and challenge you to see the stories playing out in front of your very eyes.
I received a free eARC of Ignore All Previous Instructions from Tachyon Publications via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Ignore All Previous Instructions is no different. It’s a story about stories. How censorship alienates members of a society. How state-controlled media will only tell you the stories it wants you to hear. How even in those situations, those “banned” stories will always find their way into the world because people need to see themselves in the world.
Ignore All Previous Instructions characters are very representative of marginalized groups. Members of the queer and neurodivergent community will see themselves represented in the characters in this tale. The story hits on important themes, all centered around AI and how AI could change our society.
I think this is an important story, however, it was a little heavy handed for my taste. I prefer stories to have some mystery and surprises, however foreshadowing early in the story makes the arc easy to anticipate, with the thematic direction clear from the beginning. As a queer individual myself, I saw some of my own experience in these characters, and that representation is powerful. Overall, it was a good read.
One thing I can say confidently is that this book will highlight the importance of stories, and challenge you to see the stories playing out in front of your very eyes.
I received a free eARC of Ignore All Previous Instructions from Tachyon Publications via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In the darkly familiar future of Ignore All Previous Instructions, by Ada Hoffmann, Kelli’s job is fine-tuning AI-written TV shows for a massive entertainment conglomerate. This premise is 100% what sold me on the upcoming book. Kelli goes to her office work, pops the assigned characters and the basic plot into the machine, and edits what comes out, trying to hit that sweet spot of enough humanizing for the AI-gen story but not too much editing. Not creating anything new or expressing her own ideas, of course, and naturally the AI doesn’t let anything too racy or controversial or anything slip in. This career got Kelli out of Basic Housing, into the upper strata who actually have jobs, and she gets to think about stories all day.
When Kelli’s ex shows up asking for a favor, her comfortable, safe life is upended. Rowan was Kelli’s bestie when they were little girls and then then Kelli’s girlfriend when they were teenagers, before realizing she felt more like a man, and eventually becoming one. Now, Rowan’s in debt to a cartel for his ship and his transition. If Kelli, as the beloved writer of Orlando pirate fiction, could make a guest appearance at a wealthy superfan’s quinceanera on Io, Rowan’s debt will be forgiven. Everyone except Kelli knows this can’t possibly be a quick, easy favor, but Kelli signs on.
I enjoyed Ignore All Previous Instructions overall, but the tone was just slightly off. I enjoy thoughtfully realistic speculative fiction or even a heavy-warning specfic story, and I enjoy zany space shenanigans, especially with a scrappy team on a mission, but I felt like this was an awkward mashup of the two. It didn’t quite land as either for me.
When Kelli’s ex shows up asking for a favor, her comfortable, safe life is upended. Rowan was Kelli’s bestie when they were little girls and then then Kelli’s girlfriend when they were teenagers, before realizing she felt more like a man, and eventually becoming one. Now, Rowan’s in debt to a cartel for his ship and his transition. If Kelli, as the beloved writer of Orlando pirate fiction, could make a guest appearance at a wealthy superfan’s quinceanera on Io, Rowan’s debt will be forgiven. Everyone except Kelli knows this can’t possibly be a quick, easy favor, but Kelli signs on.
I enjoyed Ignore All Previous Instructions overall, but the tone was just slightly off. I enjoy thoughtfully realistic speculative fiction or even a heavy-warning specfic story, and I enjoy zany space shenanigans, especially with a scrappy team on a mission, but I felt like this was an awkward mashup of the two. It didn’t quite land as either for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I wasn't sure about this book for the first chapter, but I'm so glad I kept going! Told in mostly alternating chapters between the past and present, Hoffman takes us through the childhood friendship of Kellie and Am. Kellie is autistic, and she's great at telling stories that Am loves to star in on the playground. They live in a world where original stories are illegal, and as they age, they realize other things inherent to who they are are also illegal and forbidden--things like feelings. In their future, Am is now Rowan, and he is in trouble. Rowan and Kellie haven't spoken in ten years, and when he calls Kellie for help, she decides to hear him out. Danger and big emotions ensue--just like in one of Kellie's stories.
When I finished, I missed being with these people.
I really appreciated Hoffman skipping past all the short-term consequences of AI that we all argue about and getting right to the point and harm of literal monoculture of ideas and society. This felt like an arrow hitting the target. Some parts of the story felt a little comic book-ish, and I think that helped balance out a lot of the heavier emotional moments well. This was cozy and compassionate, and I felt seen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
When I finished, I missed being with these people.
I really appreciated Hoffman skipping past all the short-term consequences of AI that we all argue about and getting right to the point and harm of literal monoculture of ideas and society. This felt like an arrow hitting the target. Some parts of the story felt a little comic book-ish, and I think that helped balance out a lot of the heavier emotional moments well. This was cozy and compassionate, and I felt seen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
On Callisto, one of Jupiter's moons, Kelli Reynolds is a TV show script supervisor for an AI conglomerate that controls pretty much everything. Her autism makes her well-suited to the job because she likes precision and order in her world. Kelli guides the story of the pirate Orlando, a character she created based on her childhood friend Rowan. She hasn't had any contact with him for 10 years so it's a surprise when she gets a message from him. He wants her to go on a trip with him to another of Jupiter's moons to talk to some wealthy people about her pirate character, Orlando. The other moons don't have the strict control that Callisto has, so she is wary.
I really enjoyed the concept of this story, given the current explosion of AI, and the use of AI as a mechanism of control. I would have liked a little more world-building, especially around Callisto. Kelli is a great character and I felt sad for her in her very isolated world where she has little engagement besides her supervisor. Everything falls into place, however, with the dual timeline of her childhood and her present. Great read.
I really enjoyed the concept of this story, given the current explosion of AI, and the use of AI as a mechanism of control. I would have liked a little more world-building, especially around Callisto. Kelli is a great character and I felt sad for her in her very isolated world where she has little engagement besides her supervisor. Everything falls into place, however, with the dual timeline of her childhood and her present. Great read.
Read
December 29, 2025Absolutely loved this! I expected this to be largely a sci fi book, but that theme is secondary to the character developments. The main characters have queer representation, both for sexuality and gender, along with neurodiversity. Really interesting exploration of the use of ai (or robots as the book describes it) and their harm in oversimplifying mental health support.
A great flow and easy to read. It read to me like a YA novel, which I didn't have an issue with at all, I would have loved this in school.
The protaganosit is an autistic lesbian (same), I could relate to some elements of the character, but they definitely presented with different autistic traits than I do. At parts I felt a bit unsure about the accuracy of the representation, particularly the character's naivety, but had to remind myself that it's called a spectrum for a reason!
Hadn't heard of this author before this book but will definitely be seeking out their other books.
Received ARC through Net Galley
A great flow and easy to read. It read to me like a YA novel, which I didn't have an issue with at all, I would have loved this in school.
The protaganosit is an autistic lesbian (same), I could relate to some elements of the character, but they definitely presented with different autistic traits than I do. At parts I felt a bit unsure about the accuracy of the representation, particularly the character's naivety, but had to remind myself that it's called a spectrum for a reason!
Hadn't heard of this author before this book but will definitely be seeking out their other books.
Received ARC through Net Galley
February 22, 2026
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
This is a horror story, actually. A world where human creativity is heavily censored, nearly illegal, and everything is AI? Hard no.
Kelli and Rowan are super awesome, deeply flawed protagonists. It’s rare to find explicitly labeled autistic characters in media, much less high-functioning autistic characters that are treated like whole people rather than infants. Trans representation is more common, but seeing Rowan’s gender identity journey from child- to adulthood also gives readers the reasoning for why he does the things he does; to Rowan, finding a family, making sure others know they belong, is worth risking himself. Alongside all of that, there’s also a pretty cool heist against the evil AI company, and you know how I love a good heist. Ignore All Previous Instructions is a heartfelt story about the lengths people will go to be themselves, and love found on the outskirts of the law.
This is a horror story, actually. A world where human creativity is heavily censored, nearly illegal, and everything is AI? Hard no.
Kelli and Rowan are super awesome, deeply flawed protagonists. It’s rare to find explicitly labeled autistic characters in media, much less high-functioning autistic characters that are treated like whole people rather than infants. Trans representation is more common, but seeing Rowan’s gender identity journey from child- to adulthood also gives readers the reasoning for why he does the things he does; to Rowan, finding a family, making sure others know they belong, is worth risking himself. Alongside all of that, there’s also a pretty cool heist against the evil AI company, and you know how I love a good heist. Ignore All Previous Instructions is a heartfelt story about the lengths people will go to be themselves, and love found on the outskirts of the law.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was initially drawn in by the gorgeous cover and the strong neurodivergent and queer representation in Ignore All Previous Instructions. The novel’s exploration of AI, censorship, and queerness felt organic to the story and added meaningful depth to the characters and their motivations. While I appreciated the dual timelines, the pacing was slower than I prefer, particularly since the reason Rowan and Kelli are reconnecting isn’t revealed until nearly halfway through the book. By that point, my investment in their relationship had waned. The story also reads very much like a YA novel. This isn’t necessarily a flaw, but it wasn’t what I was expecting going in.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, especially for readers who enjoy space sagas with abundant queer representation.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, especially for readers who enjoy space sagas with abundant queer representation.
Thank you to #NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am a fan of Ada Hoffmann's The Outside series, so I was excited to see a new book by them. I didn't like this quite as much as The Outside, but that's just due to a personal preference about the subgenres. Ignore All Previous Instructions does social commentary so well, managing to tackle a variety of subjects with thoughtfulness and depth. I appreciated how Hoffmann explored what generative AI might look like in the future (and how harmful it can be) and how capitalism prioritizes profit over creative freedom. I also loved the autistic and queer representation. And, of course, the space pirates.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the advanced copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the advanced copy.
February 17, 2026
One of those where the ideia is amazing, the characters are super complex and interesting but the plot is super boring.
The pacing is off as well, there are parts where it’s super engaging and the story absolutely absorbs you and then there are other times where I contemplated giving up..
I liked the ending though! And I liked the characters and their stories, and their backgrounds.
The secondary characters are also super interesting!
I would even consider reading more in this world, because it sounds amazing and different!
Just this particular story didn’t do it for me, I find it completely pointless and even though it’s fiction it sounds super far fetched!
The pacing is off as well, there are parts where it’s super engaging and the story absolutely absorbs you and then there are other times where I contemplated giving up..
I liked the ending though! And I liked the characters and their stories, and their backgrounds.
The secondary characters are also super interesting!
I would even consider reading more in this world, because it sounds amazing and different!
Just this particular story didn’t do it for me, I find it completely pointless and even though it’s fiction it sounds super far fetched!
February 7, 2026
This book covers a topic that is very scary when you consider the current reality of Ai capabilities, but I felt that it missed the mark. I love seeing queer and neurodivergent rep in stories but I felt that it was too shallow at times. What mostly bothered me was the tone. When flipping between the childhood years and adult years there wasn’t much variation in interactions a language. This really read as more of a YA to me, which is okay but I think it hindered these complex characters.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is a tender, fun space saga with amazing representation; neurodivergent and queer characters take center stage, as does AI, to an extent. It's also a very fun, fast paced read. I'll get a copy of this for my library when it publishes in May. Thank you Netgalley and Tachyon for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Hmmmm… I really wanted to like this book. However I prefer weighty and character heavy books and this book felt a bit light for my tastes. YA? Cozy Sci-Fi? Not sure but not enough stretch for me. Thank you to the author, #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
February 18, 2026
You can see the author’s heart and soul in this book and I believe that’s why it reads so flawlessly. A multilayered look into what it means to create, to love, to be, and to fight back. I’ll definitely be reading more from Hoffmann.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An emotional, action-packed ride that is also an intimate story of love and friendship. Queer and neurodivergent to its core. A story of human creativity and empathy as resistance. BEAUTIFUL.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5* rounded up
This is piratey adventure sci-fi, grappling with first loves, second chances, found family, formative media, transgender healthcare access, neurodiversity and mental illness, against a backdrop of corporate ownership of everything, large language models controlling all of our stories, censorship, and solar system settlement.
I think this is a great concept, well-executed, and definitely recommend if any of the above sounds interesting to you.
I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for honest feedback.
This is piratey adventure sci-fi, grappling with first loves, second chances, found family, formative media, transgender healthcare access, neurodiversity and mental illness, against a backdrop of corporate ownership of everything, large language models controlling all of our stories, censorship, and solar system settlement.
I think this is a great concept, well-executed, and definitely recommend if any of the above sounds interesting to you.
I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for honest feedback.
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