Cyber Squad, Level 2

Cyber Squad #2

by A.K. Mocikat

The Net is a dangerous place…
Kai barely survived his encounter with the rogue AI calling itself “The God in the Machine” in the Dark Net. Promoted to Level 2 with no time to recover, he has gained access to all Helltek has to offer.

Life on the campus could be perfect except that Cyber Squad is one of the most high-risk jobs in the world. If the murderous AI wasn’t bad enough, the hackers who attacked TSOTA are up to no good and a traitor within the Cyber Squad is helping them.

Nothing and no one are what they seem. Not even Alice, Kai’s dream girl, who’s way more mysterious than he would have thought.

Kai soon finds himself in the center of a massive conspiracy. Luckily his team members have his back. But will it be enough to beat forces as powerful as they’re malicious?



The LitRPG adventure continues!

Genres: Cyberpunk, Science Fiction, Audiobook

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

A.K. Mocikat is the pen name of an established Sci-fi/Cyberpunk author with multiple published books.
Before becoming a full-time author, A.K. worked as a game writer in the video games industry.
Ever since, A.K. wanted to write a story about a game QA hunting bugs in VR - and here it is.

Reviews

[Aaron Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another fun read in the Cyber Squad Universe, which I read in a gulp. The journey of Kai continues as we find out more about the dark forces aligned against him. There are great action scenes, lots of hacking and intrigue, hot girls and hot guys-all in a well-paced story. A great way to entertain yourself over an afternoon or two.

Looking forward to the next installment.

[Bozena · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Just WOW!
The first book in this series is  incredible gripping and exciting, but this book is 10x times more fascinating.
Gripping, suspenseful, shocking and exciting is just an extremely small part of this book.

This cyber thriller is what every sci-fi fan should read.
Are you or were you a VR gamer 🎮?
Then you should definitely read this book.
It'll forever change the way you think about online VR gaming and probably all areas of internet.

This book is insanely exciting.
I read the book with bated breath.
I was not sure what the author will do to the characters and was terrifying that one of my favorite characters could die 😭

This book is an action-packed, suspenseful thrilling story, that makes all conspiracy theories look like a fairy tale stories.
What makes it even more thrilling is that it's so damn good and realistic written, it gives you a lot to think about.
Could it be our future one day?
Probably, but I still hope we're not as stupid to give the total control to a artificial intelligence.

I love this series, but not the time I've to wait for the next book 🙄😉

Oh, before you ask, no, this is not a romance, although a dream of one is a big part of the story 😂

This book is not a standalone. You've to read the previous book Cyber Squad Lavel 1 to follow the story.

[C.T. Phipps · Rating 4 out of 5]

CYBER-SQUAD - LEVEL 2: A LIT RPG/GAMIT ADVENTURE is the second installment of the CYBER SQUAD series that stars a debugger and game tester named Kai. Unlike other game testers, Kai and his fellow cyber squad use Virtual Reality to test the games they play and risk their lives every time they do it.

Because if a virtual reality simulation isn't working right then it can kill you or drive you insane. On the plus side, in a way that sadly doesn't even read like satire of capitalism but just an outright truth of it. Kai and company will work a dangerous and horrifying job because it pays better than what they were doing before.

The book is definitely well-written and I love slowly getting to know Kai's inner circle as well as the friends he's left behind. I think it didn't get enough into his relationships changing or personal crises but I can see how much foreshadowing was being done about what's going to happen. I kind of hope there will be a twist regarding his carrying a huge torch for Alice as well. I'm familiar with Anna Mocikat's other works and she loves subverting expectations in romance.

The world she's created is very well detailed and seemingly on the verge of a Westworld-style singularity. I admit, though, I'm more interested in the "slice of life" elements from Kai adjusting to be a game debugger as well as whether or not he's going to be able to make himself go through with the "adult" mode on his new Steampunk RPG since all of the women (as well as the men) will be watching. That should be hilarious.

In a sea of harem and fantasy escapist characters, Kai is a refreshingly normal protagonist and I really enjoy the setup being let here. I definitely will be picking up the next volume of the book but I am eager for the next event to shake things up.

[A.C. Merkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the team!

Cybersquad has a cool premise and great stakes and tension, but the highlight is the characters.

Kai is our window to the world and he’s great.
But Alice, Alex, Victor, Claudia… STAN! I can’t even pick a favorite. Fantastic!

I was convinced I didn’t care for LITRPG. too much gamer “technobabble” that I didn’t care about. Cybersquad has that and manages to balance it. Yes there’s a point in the gaming segment where I was slightly ready to get back to the plot. But it was brief and the book immediately entranced me again once it was back on the main plot.

Narrator is fantastic and even the female characters stand out and are identifiable by voice and what they say. This is a testament to both author and narrator.

5 extra lives for this fantastic book!

[Nik Whittaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the second book in AK Mocikat’s Cyber Squad series, Level 2 continues to deliver an interesting plot with engaging characters. Each of the characters within the book has their own quirks, which are also very well narrated by Zachary Johnson, and their interactions feel natural and realistic in their portrayals. The book also smartly uses the LitRPG style in order to create interesting game worlds of both sci-fi and fantasy while adding a layer of game design for a more in-depth look at the way the characters interact with them. Also, an under-laying plotline runs through the book, leading the reader to speculate on the overarching story and what is to come.

The audio version is an ideal way to listen to the novel, with Zach’s narration adding a great layer of engagement. Each character has a unique voice, and the use of effects for certain characters/situations that don’t overpower the listener makes it easy and enjoyable to listen to.

Overall, if you enjoyed the first Cyber Squad novel, you will continue to enjoy this series with Level 2 and be eagerly awaiting the next.

[Alisha Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted at https://bit.ly/3FGb9y8.











Since being promoted to level two following facing The God in the Machine Kai has been a bit of a superstar. In the history of Helltech no-one has been promoted as quickly as Kai. But, with nightmares plaguing him and constant threats it is hard to just enjoy his newfound life. "There's some scary shit out there." is about to take on a whole new meaning, but can Kai just do his job or is he caught in something bigger than he even realizes? Perhaps no-one is what they seem...
I was given an ARC of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. As always, when it comes to anything Anna writes I love it. I love her and her writing reflects everything that I know about her. She is just as amazing and captivating as the books she writes and I fully suggest anything she writes. If you are new to Anna then please go get all of her books. You will not be disappointed. With any of them. Actually, I take that back. You will be disappointed that there aren't more. Yet. But, this review is about Cyber Squad 2, not just the author.

Before Anna I hadn't read VR books. Not because I avoided them, I just hadn't ran across any. I was instantly captivated by book one as you can see in my review by clicking here. Afterwards I read a couple other VR books by another author, enjoying them as well. It is safe to say that I found a new favored genre to read in and as soon as book one was finished I couldn't wait to find out what happened next with Kai and his team. Anna didn't disappoint, delivering book two just three months after the release of book one. I don't expect that pace to keep up as she is also working on Behind Blue Eyes Three, but I can't wait for that one either so there has to be some give. As amazing as Anna is she is only one person.

In this book I expected to find out a bit about how the CEOs played into The God in the Machine, if at all and what Freya was planning. But, Freya is for later in the series I am told and I am sure the CEOs are as well. During this book my dislike for Raven has solidified into hatred. But, Anna always creates a character the reader loves to hate. Raven just happens to fit this too well. While my initial questions were not answered in this book we get a larger picture of the story as well as how Kai is handling the things he has gone through. It is unsurprising that he has a bit of PTSD as that was definitely a traumatic experience. Hopefully we see more how this angle factors into things that happen in the future.

I have to say, of the "good" guys my least favorite it Josh. Mostly a dislike of anyone with that name, if I am being honest. Although the character is basically useless. Much like the person I abhor who shares that name. One the opposite end of things my favorite character is still Lex. The Abby vibes are real and I have to love her. There isn't a choice in the matter. Lex is perfect and nothing anyone can say will ever change my mind on this.

This is one VR gaming book that picks up right where the last one left off and leaves you wanting more.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaming fantastic

High octane action as it seems the hidden war has really come out to play this time. The characters are also developing well and I enjoyed the subtle hints about what was happening with the team and the hidden motives as well.

[J. Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome continuation

Even better than the first! So much to unpack here. This was a great continuation to the story and we get to see even more depth to the team. Cant wait to see what happens next!

[Kane Vardy-Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dude...

Sometimes words don’t do justice. This book was fantastic. It gripped me, ran me face first through everything it had to offer, and left me a deflated shell as I eagerly await more of this story

[Aaron Eichler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page turner.

I did not want to put it down. I had to keep calling back cause I listen to the audio at the same time because I thought I missed something. I really wanna know who Alice is really, but I also find Raven a little bit of a jerk is the polite way to put it, but I have a feeling I will get more info in the next book whenever that is.

[Bender · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of Books 1 & 2

Hmm, one of the most difficult reviews for me to write.

What I liked:

+ The world - Very interesting. It's set in future where Virtual Reality is rampant and people spend most of their lives online. Things are advanced and technology is directly integrated/implanted to peoples brains. This is not a new world to cyberpunk, but where the book differentiates is that it doesn't portray a utopian future, but rather addresses a more realistic take on perils of such a world and the tech can be misused for nefarious purposes. The balance between the good vs evil side is spot on.

+ The concept. It's brilliant. The concept of a "Cyber Squad" that is part Quality Assurance part Cyber Security is just perfect. The team fixes bugs, be it due to coding errors or nefarious hacking, they ar the badass team that steps in to save/fix. The tech integrated human world makes adds real life gravitas king them a cyber SWAT team who puts their own lives on the line.

+ The plot - Very engaging. Perfectly balanced with enough twists and turns to not have clear good vs evil defined as we follow the MC to unravel the world he operates in and uncover it's murky depths and hidden truths. After book 2, it still is intriguing and I was not able to guess on where the plot was headed and kept me hooked, eagerly awaiting book 3

What I didn't like:

- The characters.- Amateurish, juvenile, cheap and lewd. Every time a women character appears it was with a physical description of her face and body. Everyone is good looking, all girls want todo is showoff their bodies and appreciate male gazing, and all that the boys do is gaze and make lewd talk about women's bodies. I understand the MCs are teenagers, but having every conversation driven by hormones was highly annoying. Even the most badass woman in the series is depicted as vulnerable and seeking emotional comfort from the the MC who admires her purely for her beauty. I just wish the characters had more depth.

it would have easily been a 8/10 book, but the treatment of characters drags this down to 6/10.

Though I'm still interested in the plot to ignore/skip bad characters and will red the next in series.

[Terry Geo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time to level up

Like most readers, I have a virtual TBR pile (I only read on my Kindle these days) so big, I have enough to read every day for the next year and yet, whenever I read a book by Anna Mocikat, I have to keep reading her work. The same happened after reading Cyber Squad Level 1. As soon as I finished it, I bought book two and consumed it faster than the first.

Book one is good, book 2 is great. You don’t need an introduction into the world or its characters - you’re straight in, moments after the events of book 1. This makes the pacing flow at a steady rate and there’s never a dull moment. The colleagues have become friends, the games have become more intense and the threats are heightened.

Mocikat is so good at keeping that book (or device) in your hand. My sleep time kept getting pushed back further and further the more I read. Who is the real villain? Why are they trying to kill people? Are the Hell’s up to something? Why is our main protagonist so important to the company?

There’s action, love, horror, terror and intrigue. You want a sci-fi book that has it all – get reading this series!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked after CYBER SQUAD, and LEVEL 2 cranks up the intensity without skipping a beat. The excellent worldbuilding introduced in the first book continues to be fleshed out, as our main character, Kai, explores more of the Helltek campus, where he'll now reside as a "level two" on his squad. It's the life of his dreams, yet he's still reliving the nightmare that nearly cost him his life, and quickly finds himself embroiled in a larger conspiracy beyond his control, where he doesn't know who to trust, or whose secrets to keep--and at what cost. The tech is on point, accurate but still accessible, and totally believable based on the trajectory of advances in computers, hardware, and personal integration. For fans looking for the future of cyber punk, this is is it. Can't wait for Level 3!

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

At least 80% was just a rehash of book 1. The games were the same, there was no character development, and Kai had the exact same nightmare every night and the exact same thoughts about Alice every 10 minutes. It was monotonous, not nearly enough happened to advance the plot, too much stuff just didn't make any sense, and we barely know any more than we did after the first book.

-1 star for using the word "badass" 16 (sixteen!) times. Not to mention the 7 times an enemy threatened to "turn you into shashlik". It was cute the first time, but inexcusably lazy to repeat so many times. Was there even an editor for this book??

[Nac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cyber Squad 2
Where to begin it more or less takes up with Kai where he was left off in book 1 he has levelled up and been reward with new accommodation plus one, the future looks rosy but there are clouds on the horizon, with situations and people who or what they are not as they appear to be. Devious plots and nasty surprises’ abound, in another spell binding book.

[Kevin Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mystery of what is going on at Heltek intensifies nicely in the book. As the story progresses, it often feels like Kai is just an unfortunate critter caught in the most insidious pitcher plant in human history. He’s even tacitly aware of it, I think, but torn by a loyalty to his friends, his love of the job, and an unattainable girl—keep him rooted in the trap. It’s an interesting dilemma to watch a young man try to navigate.

Mocikat, per usual, shines in her intense and varied fight scenes in this action-packed sci-fi story. As that action was playing out in this novel, though, I became aware of how much I enjoyed her aesthetics for settings in this book. Kai and the rest of Cyber Squad work and play in some of the most exciting VR scenarios, which helps. It’s when shit starts going wrong, though, that the awesome environmental effects happen. A lot of the imagery, such as a sky ripping open, for example, has a biblical flavor of terror behind it that I enjoyed.

“Cyber Squad Level 2,” like its predecessor, is a fast-moving novel, and it’s an exciting book. With less introducing and explaining to do, Mocikat is far freer to take us deeper into the world of her story. It’s a place equally sublime and dangerous—and I enjoyed vicariously experiencing it as Kai explored his new life.

While I wasn’t particularly won over by the romantic element in this particular Mocikat story, I enjoyed the banter and how all the other characters’ relationships grew and deepened.

[M.E. Aster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook review:

Cyber Squad-Level Two takes off where the first book began, reintroducing us to Kai and his friends as he recovers from the trauma he suffered through in book one.

As with all of Mocikat’s books, I was instantly drawn into the story. Kai, Alice, and everyone else are such interesting characters and the mystery and intrigue that was hinted at in book one are multiplied in the sequel.

No one is what they seem, and Kai quickly learns that as he tries to discover who “the God in the machine” is. In the process, he gets closer to Alice, as well as he teammates, but every new thing he learns about them confuses him even more.

I don’t want to spoil anything, so I am going to stop here, but seriously, this is such an amazing series, and the narration is PERFECT! I highly recommend this to any gamers because it literally made me want to go play a video game after listening to it.

*I was given a free copy of this audiobook by the author and this is my honest, voluntary review.*