Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence by Rafał Kosik & Stefan Kiełbasiewicz (Review)

Title: Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence
Authors: Rafał Kosik and Stefan Kiełbasiewicz
Type: Fiction
Genre: Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: Orbit
Date published: August 8, 2023

A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review.

This electrifying novel set in the world of Cyberpunk 2077 follows a group of strangers as they discover that the dangers of Night City are all too real. In neon-drenched Night City, a ragtag group of strangers have just pulled off a daring heist on a Militech convoy transporting a mysterious container. What do each of them have in common? Good, old-fashioned blackmail. Forced to do the job, they have no idea how far their employer’s reach goes, nor what mysterious object the container holds.

The newly-formed gang – consisting of a veteran turned renegade, a Militech sleeper agent, an amateur netrunner, a corporate negotiator, a ripperdoc and a techie – must overcome their differences and work together lest their secrets come to light before they can pull off the next deadly heist.

⤖ My Review ⬻

I’d known about Cyberpunk 2077 since a professor of mine played the teaser for a cyborg literature class I was taking back in the 2010s (yes the cyborg class was as epic as it sounds). I remember the visuals being very eyecatching and cool, and that the premise sounded very interesting. It gave major Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell vibes while sounding like a world all its own.

My fiancé and I have a nice setup where he plays video games and I read. If the games he plays have an interesting plot to them, however, I’ll set my book down every now and then to watch him play. I was very excited when he started playing the Cyberpunk game once it finally came out, and watched him play every minute of it! Needless to say, I was not expecting a book to be set in this world, but was very excited when I came across Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence by Rafał Kosik, Stefan Kiełbasiewicz by complete chance!

I knew some of the backstory already, but think that the co-authors did a good job of setting things up for those who hadn’t heard of or played the game. Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence introduces readers to the gritty, neon-lit world of Cyberpunk 2077, seamlessly blending elements of science fiction, cyberpunk, and noir. The authors provide enough context for newcomers to immerse themselves in the dystopian setting while also offering fresh insights and surprises for fans of the game.

I loved the overall heist plot, and thought that the characters were interesting—I definitely rooted for some of them. Kosik and Kiełbasiewicz deliver a fast-paced and action-packed narrative filled with unexpected twists, turns. The characters were well-developed and each brought their own unique motivations and quirks to the story, keeping me engaged. Overall, Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence by Rafał Kosik, Stefan Kiełbasiewicz was an entertaining read!