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Killswitch Protocol
A cyberpunk novel from M. J. Kuhn. Logan's Run meets The Giver with a dash of Cyberpunk 2077.
In New Avarita, every person is born with a purpose. Once fulfilled, they are eligible for Ascent, a peaceful passing and assumed rebirth on the next plane of existence, celebrated for having left their perfect mark upon the world.
At least, that's what the powers that be want them to believe.
When Liv Spencer's husband reaches Ascent under more than suspicious circumstances, she doesn't feel like celebrating—she wants revenge. Her path takes her deep into the neon-drenched streets of New Avarita's seedy underbelly, a world filled with black-market cybernetics, synthetic drugs, and people who see Ascent for what it truly a killswitch.
Liv is soon embroiled in an anarchist plot to overthrow the ruling body of New Avarita, but the further she sinks into this world, the blurrier the line between "righteous rebellion" and "terrorism" begins to grow. With hundreds of thousands of innocent lives on the line, Liv must find a way to strike back against the fascist rule of the shadowy figures controlling New Avarita without getting flagged for Ascent herself.
In New Avarita, every person is born with a purpose. Once fulfilled, they are eligible for Ascent, a peaceful passing and assumed rebirth on the next plane of existence, celebrated for having left their perfect mark upon the world.
At least, that's what the powers that be want them to believe.
When Liv Spencer's husband reaches Ascent under more than suspicious circumstances, she doesn't feel like celebrating—she wants revenge. Her path takes her deep into the neon-drenched streets of New Avarita's seedy underbelly, a world filled with black-market cybernetics, synthetic drugs, and people who see Ascent for what it truly a killswitch.
Liv is soon embroiled in an anarchist plot to overthrow the ruling body of New Avarita, but the further she sinks into this world, the blurrier the line between "righteous rebellion" and "terrorism" begins to grow. With hundreds of thousands of innocent lives on the line, Liv must find a way to strike back against the fascist rule of the shadowy figures controlling New Avarita without getting flagged for Ascent herself.
- GenresScience Fiction
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 12, 2026
Killswitch Protocol cuts to the synthetic heart of modern society, tearing apart the foundations of capitalism and corporate control with cybernetic swagger. From one skillful sentence to the next, Kuhn will make you cry from the weight of her characters’ emotional turmoil AND raise your mech-enhanced fist to rage against the machine. This is rebellious cyberpunk at its best—and it’s about time we burn the fucking system to the ground.
July 7, 2026
Killswitch Protocol by M. J. Kuhn is a cyberpunk high-stakes heist thriller set in a successful but resource-constrained nation-state where its residents are implanted with a cybernetic microchip. Although these chips provide opportunities for life-changing enhancements, they are also used for monitoring each resident’s usefulness to identify the ones who are not striving towards their ultimate goal. Residents identified as such are chosen for Ascent, where they are said to be transcended to the next plane of existence.
Throughout the story, we follow various members of the nation: from an upstanding citizen whose husband was recently chosen for Ascent, an advisory board member who manages important aspects of the nation and its citizens, along with various underworld rogues dealing in blackmarket cybernetics and hacking.
The story blends aspects of some of my favorite recent reads and television shows including:
* Star Wars Andor with the radicalization against fascist leadership and diving into the underworld
* Silo with the strictly managed fertility and physically limited nation that does not allow its residents to leave its borders and return
* The Handmaid's Tale with a nation-state that has isolated itself due to its controversial governing principles, therefore having minimal interactions and trade with outsiders
* Ode to the Half-Broken with the “hopepunk” vibe
* The Last Contract of Isako with the setting of a space and resource limited nation run by powerful organizations and, after sudden personal loss, the feeling that previously accepted customs are no longer acceptable (and featuring a cat)
Kuhn is wonderful with not just building the world, but also her characters. I appreciated how each character was unique and fully developed (including many of the background/side characters). The resulting loss and grief each character felt after being affected by Ascent was touching. I could feel how much thought and care went into this story. I highly recommend it for those who are interested in a sci-fi cyberpunk heist thriller featuring underworld rogues infiltrating a techno-fascist government using their hacking skills and wielding cybernetics, all while at a constant threat of being chosen for “Ascent.”
Throughout the story, we follow various members of the nation: from an upstanding citizen whose husband was recently chosen for Ascent, an advisory board member who manages important aspects of the nation and its citizens, along with various underworld rogues dealing in blackmarket cybernetics and hacking.
The story blends aspects of some of my favorite recent reads and television shows including:
* Star Wars Andor with the radicalization against fascist leadership and diving into the underworld
* Silo with the strictly managed fertility and physically limited nation that does not allow its residents to leave its borders and return
* The Handmaid's Tale with a nation-state that has isolated itself due to its controversial governing principles, therefore having minimal interactions and trade with outsiders
* Ode to the Half-Broken with the “hopepunk” vibe
* The Last Contract of Isako with the setting of a space and resource limited nation run by powerful organizations and, after sudden personal loss, the feeling that previously accepted customs are no longer acceptable (and featuring a cat)
Kuhn is wonderful with not just building the world, but also her characters. I appreciated how each character was unique and fully developed (including many of the background/side characters). The resulting loss and grief each character felt after being affected by Ascent was touching. I could feel how much thought and care went into this story. I highly recommend it for those who are interested in a sci-fi cyberpunk heist thriller featuring underworld rogues infiltrating a techno-fascist government using their hacking skills and wielding cybernetics, all while at a constant threat of being chosen for “Ascent.”
May 25, 2026
This was a very great and fun ride.the characters are well developed and so good.the story moves at a good pace and it’s overall a fun ride!! MJ has crafted another great book!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I was provided with a digital copy of the book through the author in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence/gun violence, blood, murder, death, grief, pregnancy/child birth, kidnapping, animal experimentation/death, drug use, mention of overdose
--
Killswitch Protocol is one highly entertaining scifi thriller!
The book takes place in New Avarita, a dystopian future city-state that is enclosed by an electrified dome to “protect” the nation from the uninhabitable wastelands outside its borders, where every aspect of the life is regulated by the Lucre Algorithm and a microchip installed into everyone’s skulls during infancy.
We follow Liv Spencer, an unassuming logistics engineer who gets a rude awakening on civilisation's lack of autonomy when her husband is suspiciously selected for Ascent – a celebrated milestone when your life is terminated as your contribution to society is deemed complete. She falls in with Signe Remy, a member of an underground group working to bring down the Principal Chairman and the shady Advisory Board who bring about the Algorithm’s decisions which includes her former boss. This boss being Reina Arthur, CEO of a big tech company doing all she can to keep herself at the top of the pecking order, including against the other sharks in the tank.
Kuhn is absolutely fantastic at setting the scene, the first few chapters while a little exposition heavy effortlessly immerses you into this high tech, cyberware filled and stringently disciplined world, the fast pace immediately throwing you into the thick of things.
There’s both a familiarity as well as a fresh feel to the story where you can expect the customary socio-political commentary on oligarchical mega-corps exploiting the privacy, autonomy and surveillance of a tech reliant society (scarily relevant) and a steely rebellion hellbent on tearing that system apart. But also complex characters with a whole lot more self awareness when it comes to the direction a rebellion must take in order to achieve actual collective liberation, not overlooking the chaos that can come with simply burning everything down.
All of the characters including the supporting ones were so well developed, their emotions and motivations felt so authentic and easily got you invested in their arcs including Reina and her craftiness, a new addition to my list of characters I love to hate.
Kuhn’s penchant for heists, which there are a couple of throughout the book, really shines through as well adding an extra layer of fun to the overall story.
If you’ve consumed enough cyberpunk content then you’re likely to catch some of the twists that come about but even then some of the more brutal moments throughout had me shook.
Cyberpunk fans won't want to miss this one!
**I was provided with a digital copy of the book through the author in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence/gun violence, blood, murder, death, grief, pregnancy/child birth, kidnapping, animal experimentation/death, drug use, mention of overdose
--
Killswitch Protocol is one highly entertaining scifi thriller!
The book takes place in New Avarita, a dystopian future city-state that is enclosed by an electrified dome to “protect” the nation from the uninhabitable wastelands outside its borders, where every aspect of the life is regulated by the Lucre Algorithm and a microchip installed into everyone’s skulls during infancy.
We follow Liv Spencer, an unassuming logistics engineer who gets a rude awakening on civilisation's lack of autonomy when her husband is suspiciously selected for Ascent – a celebrated milestone when your life is terminated as your contribution to society is deemed complete. She falls in with Signe Remy, a member of an underground group working to bring down the Principal Chairman and the shady Advisory Board who bring about the Algorithm’s decisions which includes her former boss. This boss being Reina Arthur, CEO of a big tech company doing all she can to keep herself at the top of the pecking order, including against the other sharks in the tank.
Kuhn is absolutely fantastic at setting the scene, the first few chapters while a little exposition heavy effortlessly immerses you into this high tech, cyberware filled and stringently disciplined world, the fast pace immediately throwing you into the thick of things.
There’s both a familiarity as well as a fresh feel to the story where you can expect the customary socio-political commentary on oligarchical mega-corps exploiting the privacy, autonomy and surveillance of a tech reliant society (scarily relevant) and a steely rebellion hellbent on tearing that system apart. But also complex characters with a whole lot more self awareness when it comes to the direction a rebellion must take in order to achieve actual collective liberation, not overlooking the chaos that can come with simply burning everything down.
All of the characters including the supporting ones were so well developed, their emotions and motivations felt so authentic and easily got you invested in their arcs including Reina and her craftiness, a new addition to my list of characters I love to hate.
Kuhn’s penchant for heists, which there are a couple of throughout the book, really shines through as well adding an extra layer of fun to the overall story.
If you’ve consumed enough cyberpunk content then you’re likely to catch some of the twists that come about but even then some of the more brutal moments throughout had me shook.
Cyberpunk fans won't want to miss this one!
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.6
Ok, somehow this is the third Cyberpunk book I have encountered this year. The prior two being Scion by James Islington and The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee. Where Islington's Scion was a shorter, twister, action packed romp, Killswitch Protocol shares far more DNA with Lee's Isako - with the added benefit of Killswitch Protocol being a lot better. If you liked Isako, or even the concept of Isako, I'd wager that you will REALLY enjoy this.
Killswitch Protocol is a multi-POV story that follows three (none of them are in their 20s) women navigating their way through a society that is run by Principal Chairman, a board of the city-state's Oligarch CEO's, and perhaps most importantly, an algorithm. This algorithm, and perhaps the members of the board, control New Avarita- primarily by determining which members of society have reached their final purpose- or rather have reached their limits of productivity- and selecting those people for Ascent. Of course, those who are selected are celebrated and are believed to be entering the next plane of existance. Of course, not all is what it seems.
This book has all of the cyberopunk drapings. Every memeber of society is implanted with a chip that links you the algorithim, people have mechanical upgrades, mechanical arms, built in "rinth" connections, visiual augmentations - really its all here. Everything is corporatized. Everyone's value is determined by how much you can contribute to that corporate system. The algorithm, and by extention the board controls all.
When Liv's journalist husband gets chosen for ascension early, after stumbling on to some very disturbing information it becomes clear to her that maybe the algorithm isnt all that it seems. This sends her on a path of revenge - where she meets Signe, a former armed guard for the CEO Oligarch Reina Arthur. We also get to follow Reina, who sits on the shadowy board of directors- as she grapples with the very power she holds.
I loved the each of these characters as they are sent down a path that comes together so well. Unlike Isako, these characters did not feel like a checkbox filled but rather fully realized characters realizing that their world isnt what they have been told. They each deal with their pasts, their grief, the shattering of their world views - and with what their end goals truly are in ways that are interesting, rewarding and at times unexpected.
Read this.
Ok, somehow this is the third Cyberpunk book I have encountered this year. The prior two being Scion by James Islington and The Last Contract of Isako by Fonda Lee. Where Islington's Scion was a shorter, twister, action packed romp, Killswitch Protocol shares far more DNA with Lee's Isako - with the added benefit of Killswitch Protocol being a lot better. If you liked Isako, or even the concept of Isako, I'd wager that you will REALLY enjoy this.
Killswitch Protocol is a multi-POV story that follows three (none of them are in their 20s) women navigating their way through a society that is run by Principal Chairman, a board of the city-state's Oligarch CEO's, and perhaps most importantly, an algorithm. This algorithm, and perhaps the members of the board, control New Avarita- primarily by determining which members of society have reached their final purpose- or rather have reached their limits of productivity- and selecting those people for Ascent. Of course, those who are selected are celebrated and are believed to be entering the next plane of existance. Of course, not all is what it seems.
This book has all of the cyberopunk drapings. Every memeber of society is implanted with a chip that links you the algorithim, people have mechanical upgrades, mechanical arms, built in "rinth" connections, visiual augmentations - really its all here. Everything is corporatized. Everyone's value is determined by how much you can contribute to that corporate system. The algorithm, and by extention the board controls all.
When Liv's journalist husband gets chosen for ascension early, after stumbling on to some very disturbing information it becomes clear to her that maybe the algorithm isnt all that it seems. This sends her on a path of revenge - where she meets Signe, a former armed guard for the CEO Oligarch Reina Arthur. We also get to follow Reina, who sits on the shadowy board of directors- as she grapples with the very power she holds.
I loved the each of these characters as they are sent down a path that comes together so well. Unlike Isako, these characters did not feel like a checkbox filled but rather fully realized characters realizing that their world isnt what they have been told. They each deal with their pasts, their grief, the shattering of their world views - and with what their end goals truly are in ways that are interesting, rewarding and at times unexpected.
Read this.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating 4.5/5
Kuhn’s Killswitch Protocol beautifully blends together everything that makes the cyberpunk genre so compelling. But it’s not just about checking off tropes. The story itself revolves around an anti-capitalist message with a plot to overthrow an oligarchical board that wields unprecedented power, and Kuhn does an excellent job showing just how difficult it is to bring about a successful revolution and societal change. Of course we still get cybernetic implants, a dark net, some anti-heroes, “netrunners”, neon underworlds and corpo elites. Kuhn knows how to pull the rug out from under her readers and keep them engaged throughout a relatively short book clocking in at just 350 pages. I’ve tried a few other Cyberpunk books this year that have fallen flat but this one hit the right notes, keeping me fully invested from beginning to end.
My biggest struggle came with pacing. Really this pacing was limited to some exposition dumps, long character introspection, and a lack of dialogue at times where I wished there was more conversation. Most of this is personal preference, but I love when characters solve problems when discussing conflicting ideas or talking with other people rather than working through their inner thought process. I also have two kids and reading took a bit longer because the chapters were on average 15-20 pages each rather than a more doable 8-10 sweet spot (reading with kids feels like an impossible task sometimes). Again, this is all personal preference for how I like to read. The pacing was still solid and the story was driving forward from beginning to end, but I wished it was paced a bit quicker or had shorter chapters.
This definitely feels like a first in a series and I’m unsure if there will be more, but if there are, I AM FULLY ON BOARD! The world building is so good and I’m fascinated to see other parts of the city and world. This is an awesome entry in the cyberpunk genre! So MJ, where’s the next book?!
I received an eARC from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Kuhn’s Killswitch Protocol beautifully blends together everything that makes the cyberpunk genre so compelling. But it’s not just about checking off tropes. The story itself revolves around an anti-capitalist message with a plot to overthrow an oligarchical board that wields unprecedented power, and Kuhn does an excellent job showing just how difficult it is to bring about a successful revolution and societal change. Of course we still get cybernetic implants, a dark net, some anti-heroes, “netrunners”, neon underworlds and corpo elites. Kuhn knows how to pull the rug out from under her readers and keep them engaged throughout a relatively short book clocking in at just 350 pages. I’ve tried a few other Cyberpunk books this year that have fallen flat but this one hit the right notes, keeping me fully invested from beginning to end.
My biggest struggle came with pacing. Really this pacing was limited to some exposition dumps, long character introspection, and a lack of dialogue at times where I wished there was more conversation. Most of this is personal preference, but I love when characters solve problems when discussing conflicting ideas or talking with other people rather than working through their inner thought process. I also have two kids and reading took a bit longer because the chapters were on average 15-20 pages each rather than a more doable 8-10 sweet spot (reading with kids feels like an impossible task sometimes). Again, this is all personal preference for how I like to read. The pacing was still solid and the story was driving forward from beginning to end, but I wished it was paced a bit quicker or had shorter chapters.
This definitely feels like a first in a series and I’m unsure if there will be more, but if there are, I AM FULLY ON BOARD! The world building is so good and I’m fascinated to see other parts of the city and world. This is an awesome entry in the cyberpunk genre! So MJ, where’s the next book?!
I received an eARC from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Liv is having a very bad week. She's been working 60 hours a week (New Avarita doesn't put up with slackers) and has finally gotten permission to get pregnant (yes, it's that kind of dystopia). She's on top of the world... briefly. Then people around her start getting chosen for Ascent... that moment when the algorithm has decided that you have reached the pinnacle of your potential and are shuffled off this mortal coil; a moment that every New Avaritan is brought up to look forward to from the time they're old enough to learn anything at all. But who controls the algorithm? And how much can you learn before the algorithm chooses you? Because every New Avaritan has a chip in their skull, surgically implanted as an infant. The chip controls everything... the locks to your doors, access to transportation, to work. There is no money, your access to your "coin" is all controlled by the chip, but the chip is also how you get 'switched (a slur for "Ascent" by those who dare to question those that rule). Now Liv is teaming up with a group of rebels who've figured out a way to fool the system into thinking they're already dead... a group whose goal is to bring the whole system down around their heads, but that will require going up against the chairman and the board and they will do anything to protect their power and they're the only ones with access to the algorithm. M.J. Kuhn has written a worthy successor to 1984, but let loose in a cyberpunk world that Orwell never would have envisioned.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Capitalism begs us to let our lives be defined solely by the value we produce, and what if our society truly embraced that? What would that world look like?
Killswitch Protocol is a masterful cyberpunk novel that imagines that world. And like the best of the genre, it critiques the modern condition specifically and broadly. Brain chips, body augmentation, class divide, a pseudo-religious text that defines the society - Kuhn does the work of picking apart our world, turning the dial up, and showing it for the horror it is.
She also doesn't miss showing the traps and pitfalls of revolution. How we need to consider what comes next before we tear it all down. How hard it is to change the world and actually create a better one. These are conversations we desperately need to be having, and it thrills me everytime I see them in popular media.
And Kuhn manages to do all that with characters you'll fall for, whose turmoil you'll really feel. The emotional punches of this book land hard. I'm just glad she didn't hurt the cat.
I knew I would love this book from it's opening scenes - a joyous, corporate celebration as a corpse is lit ablaze - and it didn't disappoint. Fantastic work!
Killswitch Protocol is a masterful cyberpunk novel that imagines that world. And like the best of the genre, it critiques the modern condition specifically and broadly. Brain chips, body augmentation, class divide, a pseudo-religious text that defines the society - Kuhn does the work of picking apart our world, turning the dial up, and showing it for the horror it is.
She also doesn't miss showing the traps and pitfalls of revolution. How we need to consider what comes next before we tear it all down. How hard it is to change the world and actually create a better one. These are conversations we desperately need to be having, and it thrills me everytime I see them in popular media.
And Kuhn manages to do all that with characters you'll fall for, whose turmoil you'll really feel. The emotional punches of this book land hard. I'm just glad she didn't hurt the cat.
I knew I would love this book from it's opening scenes - a joyous, corporate celebration as a corpse is lit ablaze - and it didn't disappoint. Fantastic work!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed this dystopian sci-fi thriller. I flew through it over the last couple days. It was entertaining from start to finish. It's the 2nd cyberpunk novels I've read this year and it stands up there with Fonda Lee's The Last Contract of Isako.
I enjoyed reading the story from all the three of the POVs you are introduced to. It was thought provoking and showed you a glimpse of what the future would look like if corporations and governments continue to obtain more control. How far would you take things to you gain that control back?
Thank you M.J. Kuhn for this ARC copy of Killswitch Protocol in exchange for a honest review.
I enjoyed reading the story from all the three of the POVs you are introduced to. It was thought provoking and showed you a glimpse of what the future would look like if corporations and governments continue to obtain more control. How far would you take things to you gain that control back?
Thank you M.J. Kuhn for this ARC copy of Killswitch Protocol in exchange for a honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Autorin bzw. Autor
This book paints a haunting picture of a future where the government has total control. Your life could be ended by the flip of a switch if you are deemed not productive enough or a threat.
The book is more plot centered, but we get a good look at some of the characters and their motivations.
Liv getting entangled with the resistance feels natural and it's easy to root for her.
The tension will catch you and make it hard to put the book aside.
I recived an ARC of the book by the author.
The book is more plot centered, but we get a good look at some of the characters and their motivations.
Liv getting entangled with the resistance feels natural and it's easy to root for her.
The tension will catch you and make it hard to put the book aside.
I recived an ARC of the book by the author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Kuhn nails the cyberpunk genre with all the political commentary, moral dilemmas, and neon you could ask for. Not only is this an excellent thriller and mystery, it is full of thought-provoking moments that keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. Who deserves to live in this world? Read and find out the price of a Killswitch.
Review of advance copy received from Author
One of my favourite books of the year! Killswitch Protocol is an exciting, brutal and hugely relevant escapade in a future where the algorithm dictates all and freedom is a façade. It's a dream mashup of cyberpunk Logan’s Run injected with the political machinations, grit and hope of Andor - what more could you want in a story?? Can't wait to read the author's other work.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rtc at Grimdark Mag!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews