Proof that cyberpunk can still surprise, dazzle, and make you think with your heart in your throat.
Nekonikon Punk: Ctrl+Alt by S.D. Miller is the explosive second entry in the Nekonikon Punk Trilogy, plunging the renegade hacker crew known as Corpslayer into their most dangerous mission yet. Still reeling from the chaos and betrayals of Ctrl+Break, Juan, Penny, Kara, and Mela find themselves fugitives hunted across the sprawling, neon-lit districts of Nekonikon. Their goal is as desperate as it is dangerous: rescue their captured comrades and expose a program engineered to strip humanity of its most basic right—free will. From Harborside’s grimy docks to the glittering towers of Cogstown, every corner of the city pulses with peril and possibility. Enemies lurk in shadows, while improbable allies emerge from the unlikeliest of places, forcing Corpslayer to question who to trust and at what cost. But the deeper they dig, the more chilling truths they uncover. The system they’ve sworn to dismantle is older, stronger, and more pervasive than they ever imagined, and their fight against it pushes them to the very edge of survival. Loyalties strain, identities are tested, and each choice carries weighty consequences for the future of autonomy itself.
Ctrl+Alt is a thrilling continuation that raises the stakes without losing the heart. S.D. Miller has a great sense of buildup and balance that keeps the tension high through every chapter of action. Fans of the existing canon will find it easy to fall back into this dense and immersive world crackling with cyberpunk flair, but there are also plenty of clues and context to beckon newcomers into the story in ways that make sense immediately. The character development continues to shine, with Corpslayer’s dynamics landing authentically in messy, loyal, and deeply human ways. Cogstown and Harborside leap off the page as vivid, lived-in settings that feel like readers could jump into and place themselves in, keeping audiences hooked on the continuing saga. Breakneck action and the plot’s many twists are balanced with philosophical depth and a natural but smart exploration of freedom, identity, and control in a tech-dominated world. It’s chilling to think how close some of these realities and horrors are to our own world, and Miller pens what could have been dry, tech-focused scenes with all the cinematic intensity they deserve. This also keeps readers guessing with twists that feel both shocking and earned, proof that cyberpunk can still surprise, dazzle, and make you think with your heart in your throat. Blending heart-pounding action with razor-sharp commentary, Nekonikon Punk: Ctrl+Alt cements Miller’s trilogy as a standout in contemporary cyberpunk and is a worthy and highly recommended sequel that’s well worth picking up.
