Author Interview: Anna Mocikat

1.     You're the author of Behind Blue Eyes, Cyber Squad, and Shadow City. What series would you recommend people start with?

That depends on what you like. Behind Blue Eyes is action-driven cyberpunk story about killer cyborgs, it’s a little bit like Ghost in the Shell. Cyber Squad is a lighter story, comparable to Ready Player One. Shadow City is as if Shadow Run and the Fallout series had a baby.

2.   How would you describe Cyber Squad to new readers?

It’s a sci-fi/cyberpunk story with light gamelit elements. The main character is Kai, a young man who gets his dream job as a tester for VR games. However, in times when players connect their brains directly to VR over neural implants, bugs and glitches aren’t an annoyance anymore. They’ve become deadly hazards. Soon Kai finds out that his dream job can get him killed…

3.    How would you describe the main character Kai?

Kai is a good guy who would do everything for his friends and loved ones. He doesn’t have any family left and didn’t have much luck in his life before the story starts. But this changes dramatically when he gets hired at Helltek, which turns out to be dream and a nightmare at the same time. Over the series Kai grows from a shy young man to someone who puts his life on the line to save the ones he loves.

5.    How important is romance to Cyber Squad?

Romance is a sub plot in Cyber Squad. Right at the beginning Kai meets Alice, who is like a superstar at Helltek. She seems to be like the unobtainable goddess, but Kai tries to gain her affection anyway. Meanwhile he doesn’t notice that there’s another girl who likes him. However, who knows my books knows that no one is ever what they seem. And that applies to Cyber Squad very much!

6.    Who is your favorite supporting cast member?

That would be Stan. He’s an Australian and Kai’s best mate in VR. Stan is one of those guys who always choose female characters to play in games and he’s a little bit crazy but super fun. I had a blast writing him.

7.    What sort of technology is available in the Cyber Squad world? What is there for technophiliacs?

I’m a tech nerd and love researching technology for my books and make everything as plausible as possible. As fantastical as it may sound, Cyber Squad is actually pretty close to reality. People connect their brains to VR using a neural implant, similar to Elon Musk’s Neurolink, just two decades more advanced. The descriptions of game programming, testing, engines and physics is 100% realistic because I used to work in game development and know the industry from within.

8.    What would you say the central theme of Cyber Squad is?

If you take away all sci-fi and murderous killer AIs, then it’s about friendship and being ready to sacrifice everything for the ones you love. It’s also the story of an underdog making his way to the top.

9.    How has reception been for the books so far?

Readers love the books! It’s not easy to make them pick them up but once they do, everyone loves Cyber Squad.

10.  What can you tell us about the latest book?

Not much without spoilers, haha. Cyber Squad is one story spanning over multiple books with many complex story lines influencing each other. It’s necessary to start with book 1 to fully understand and enjoy the whole thing. Book 3 is even more exciting than the previous ones. Readers will discover that the premise “no one is what they seem” should be taken quite literally. There are some huge revelations in book 3 building up to the big finale in book 4.