Kate Dylan’s Mindwalker Explores The Dark Side Of Technology
As someone who doesn’t typically read young adult (YA) novels, Mindwalker by Kate Dylan was a surprisingly fun and engaging read. It also, happily, doesn’t have a love triangle, which is the main tedious thing that puts me off a lot of YA.
So with that said, Mindwalker is a lot of fun. It’s packed with action and drenched in the neon glow of its Cyberpunk setting, ticking all the boxes for genre fans while also delivering an intriguing and twisty narrative.
I recently wrote about Hopepunk and Noblebright, and for some reason, writing about these uplifting genres gave me a hankering for their dark and dystopian cousin – Cyberpunk. And Mindwalker has every Cyberpunk trope you can hope for, plus it has a cool cover.
What is Mindwalker about?
The story follows Sil Sarrah, an 18-year-old with a dangerous job as a Mindwalker—a kind of tech-enhanced operative who uses neural implants to enter others’ minds, often saving lives in the process. Her main job is to get agents out of tight situations as they steal stuff from rival corporations and she is really, really good at it.
But as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the organisation she works for – called Syntex – isn’t (somewhat predictably) as altruistic as it seems, setting Sil on a perilous journey of discovery, rebellion, and survival. It’s a premise that was obviously going to happen and was pretty much what I was looking for. After the initial set-up, Dylan wastes no time plunging readers into the fast-paced, high-stakes action.
It is very Cyberpunk – which is good.
One of Mindwalker’s standout elements is its unapologetically Cyberpunk aesthetic. From the high-tech implants and corporate overlords to the shadowy and graffiti-covered underworld of hackers and rogue operatives, Dylan leans heavily into the genre’s tropes—and it works. The world-building is vivid and immersive, with just enough detail to make the setting feel alive without bogging down the story.
Fans of classic Cyberpunk works like Neuromancer or Blade Runner will find plenty of familiar elements here, but Dylan’s narrative has its own voice and momentum. But keep in mind that this is YA, so the descriptions and writing aren’t as word-heavy or descriptive as William Gibson’s Neuromancer, and it doesn’t explore deeper themes as Philip K. Dick’s Blade Runner does. (Both books are also highly recommended if you have read them.)
A fun and twisty plot, but I have a minor gripe.
What truly kept me hooked, though, was the story’s twists and turns. While some developments were expected, such as the initial setup, others caught me completely off guard, adding a layer of unpredictability to an already thrilling plot. Dylan skillfully balances action sequences with moments of tension and revelation, ensuring the pace never drags.
However, Mindwalker isn’t without its flaws. One of my main gripes was with the characters. While Sil is a strong and capable protagonist, her abrasive and defensive demeanour makes her somewhat difficult to connect with at times. Granted, her personality fits the story’s context—she’s a young woman thrust into dangerous situations, fighting to survive and make sense of the world—but her constant prickliness occasionally felt overdone. At least it did to me, a chilled-out 52-year-old man who, at the time of writing, isn’t being hunted by a shady and powerful organisation.
Similarly, a few of the supporting characters came across as a bit flat, serving more as plot devices than fully fleshed-out individuals. But they are 18-year-olds in a dangerous situation, so I guess some snarkiness is to be expected.
Final thoughts…
That said, these shortcomings didn’t detract too much from my overall enjoyment of the book. Mindwalker is a high-octane ride that delivers on its promises of action, intrigue, and Cyberpunk flair. While it may not delve as deeply into character development as some readers might hope, it more than makes up for it with its thrilling pace and sharp twists.
For someone like me, who doesn’t typically read YA, this book was a pleasant surprise. It’s fun, fast, and unrelentingly engaging—a great pick for anyone looking to escape into a world of tech-fueled rebellion and corporate conspiracies. If you’re a fan of Cyberpunk or just in the mood for an action-packed adventure, Mindwalker is well worth a read.
(This post has some affiliate links that help support what I do without costing you a penny.)