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Neon Veil
Kael barely survives a data heist when a lethal adaptive AI tears through his crew. Darknet rumours say that AI got upgraded into something called Neon Veil.
The trail leads to Neon Babylon, where he crosses paths with Kaeda, a dancer owned by corporate indentured debt but lethal enough to survive. Together, they uncover the true nature of the Veil, a digital predator spreading through networks, whispering through Kael’s neural implant and promising power in exchange for a host.
Kael and Kaeda join Selene, the White Witch, a netrunner with hidden loyalties, and Rin, a hard-hitting enforcer who’s done taking orders. They fight to stop the Veil before it burrows too deep and takes too much.
In Neo-Kyoto, everyone pays. The Corps take your body, the city takes your soul, and the Veil is coming for what's left.
A Tech Noir Cyberpunk thriller featuring
Gritty cyberpunk action and high-stakes hacking.
Rogue AIs and digital horror.
Bold, body-confident characters.
A found family of outcasts with nothing left to lose.
The trail leads to Neon Babylon, where he crosses paths with Kaeda, a dancer owned by corporate indentured debt but lethal enough to survive. Together, they uncover the true nature of the Veil, a digital predator spreading through networks, whispering through Kael’s neural implant and promising power in exchange for a host.
Kael and Kaeda join Selene, the White Witch, a netrunner with hidden loyalties, and Rin, a hard-hitting enforcer who’s done taking orders. They fight to stop the Veil before it burrows too deep and takes too much.
In Neo-Kyoto, everyone pays. The Corps take your body, the city takes your soul, and the Veil is coming for what's left.
A Tech Noir Cyberpunk thriller featuring
Gritty cyberpunk action and high-stakes hacking.
Rogue AIs and digital horror.
Bold, body-confident characters.
A found family of outcasts with nothing left to lose.
338 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 19, 2026
2 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
J.S. Holloway
3 books2 followersJ.S. Holloway is a Science Fiction author fascinated by the intersection of technology and humanity. Drawing inspiration from neon-soaked streets and digital landscapes, their work explores themes of identity, consciousness, and what it means to be human in an increasingly connected world.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 30, 2026
This book absolutely nailed its characters for me. I went in expecting gritty cyberpunk action (which it delivers in spades), but I stayed for the people - especially Kaeda and Rin.
Kaeda is just everything I want in a female character. She’s full-figured, unapologetically present, and written with so much care and depth. She isn’t reduced to a trope or a side note - she’s grounding, powerful, and central in a way that feels real. The way she anchors Kael, not just emotionally but physically, is honestly one of the most compelling dynamics in the book.
But Rin? Rin completely stole it for me. Her humour is so dry it borders on lethal. She’s just effortlessly cool and such a badass - every scene with her had me hooked.
The world is brutal, high-stakes, and full of sharp edges, but it’s the relationships that give it weight. Between AI body horror, corporate corruption, and genuinely tense action sequences, it still finds space for connection, loyalty, and moments of dark humour.
Genuinely loved it - came for the cyberpunk, stayed for the women.
Kaeda is just everything I want in a female character. She’s full-figured, unapologetically present, and written with so much care and depth. She isn’t reduced to a trope or a side note - she’s grounding, powerful, and central in a way that feels real. The way she anchors Kael, not just emotionally but physically, is honestly one of the most compelling dynamics in the book.
But Rin? Rin completely stole it for me. Her humour is so dry it borders on lethal. She’s just effortlessly cool and such a badass - every scene with her had me hooked.
The world is brutal, high-stakes, and full of sharp edges, but it’s the relationships that give it weight. Between AI body horror, corporate corruption, and genuinely tense action sequences, it still finds space for connection, loyalty, and moments of dark humour.
Genuinely loved it - came for the cyberpunk, stayed for the women.
May 9, 2026
ARC Review
Neon Veil by J.S. Holloway
Heavy and indulgent cyberpunk from start to finish.
Neon Veil doesn’t seem like much from the unappealing cover, but that doesn’t do it justice. Set in near future Kyoto we follow Kael on what was supposed to be an easy heist in a stripclub, but what his team uncovers leads to an epic and suspense filled book of a team taking on the mega corporation ruling Neo Kyoto.
This book is dripping with cyberpunk. Non-stop rain, neon lights, ozone smells, corpo’s, hackers, drones, AI, body mods, etc. Mega corps rule the cities and many of the residents are heavily indentured, having no option but to do what they must to survive.
If cyberpunk is not your thing, or many passages describing the world turn you off this book is not for you. Almost every chapter and sub chapter starts with a decent chunk of description of the environment, the sights, the smells, the dilapidation, weather, etc. Often followed by plenty of action, general badassery and the occasional nfsw scene. There is also a lot of cyberpunk “lingo” to parse; servo’s, coils, EM fields, dampeners, holo fields, jammers, handshakes, algorithms, etc. It can be a lot but is does add to the overall cyberpunk vibe.
As a fan of cyberpunk in general the setting is what pulled me into this book and the characters are what kept me there. The pacing throughout the book keeps you engaged, the characters are fun and feel believable. Action scenes are chaotic and fast, often taking place in the real and digital world at the same time. This could easily have taken place as a side story in any of the established Cyberpunk shows or games and felt very cinematic throughout.
If you watched Edgerunners or Altered Carbon, played Deus Ex or Cyberpunk 2077 or read Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence and are looking for another fun an action filled romp in a cyberpunk universe you can’t really go wrong here.
I am definitely following along with this series and looking forward to book 2 based on the taste we get at the end of book 1.
Thank you Netgalley, J.S. Holloway and station Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Neon Veil by J.S. Holloway
Heavy and indulgent cyberpunk from start to finish.
Neon Veil doesn’t seem like much from the unappealing cover, but that doesn’t do it justice. Set in near future Kyoto we follow Kael on what was supposed to be an easy heist in a stripclub, but what his team uncovers leads to an epic and suspense filled book of a team taking on the mega corporation ruling Neo Kyoto.
This book is dripping with cyberpunk. Non-stop rain, neon lights, ozone smells, corpo’s, hackers, drones, AI, body mods, etc. Mega corps rule the cities and many of the residents are heavily indentured, having no option but to do what they must to survive.
If cyberpunk is not your thing, or many passages describing the world turn you off this book is not for you. Almost every chapter and sub chapter starts with a decent chunk of description of the environment, the sights, the smells, the dilapidation, weather, etc. Often followed by plenty of action, general badassery and the occasional nfsw scene. There is also a lot of cyberpunk “lingo” to parse; servo’s, coils, EM fields, dampeners, holo fields, jammers, handshakes, algorithms, etc. It can be a lot but is does add to the overall cyberpunk vibe.
As a fan of cyberpunk in general the setting is what pulled me into this book and the characters are what kept me there. The pacing throughout the book keeps you engaged, the characters are fun and feel believable. Action scenes are chaotic and fast, often taking place in the real and digital world at the same time. This could easily have taken place as a side story in any of the established Cyberpunk shows or games and felt very cinematic throughout.
If you watched Edgerunners or Altered Carbon, played Deus Ex or Cyberpunk 2077 or read Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence and are looking for another fun an action filled romp in a cyberpunk universe you can’t really go wrong here.
I am definitely following along with this series and looking forward to book 2 based on the taste we get at the end of book 1.
Thank you Netgalley, J.S. Holloway and station Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2026
This is a well-executed piece of cyberpunk that takes its ideas seriously. What stood out to me most was how it explores the loss of autonomy - whether through AI or corporate control - and how easily people are reduced to something functional rather than human.
The concept of wetware and the way consciousness is treated as something that can be used or overwritten is particularly effective, and Kael’s situation brings that tension right to the forefront. It raises uncomfortable questions about identity and ownership without losing momentum.
The character work is strong throughout. Kaeda and Kael’s relationship adds a lot of emotional weight, and Rin provides a steady, capable presence that balances the group well.
It’s an intense read, but a thoughtful one. It doesn’t just present a dystopian world - it takes the time to explore what that actually means for the people living in it.
The concept of wetware and the way consciousness is treated as something that can be used or overwritten is particularly effective, and Kael’s situation brings that tension right to the forefront. It raises uncomfortable questions about identity and ownership without losing momentum.
The character work is strong throughout. Kaeda and Kael’s relationship adds a lot of emotional weight, and Rin provides a steady, capable presence that balances the group well.
It’s an intense read, but a thoughtful one. It doesn’t just present a dystopian world - it takes the time to explore what that actually means for the people living in it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews