Replika: Sky’s Mission is a work of fiction in the science fiction and dystopian subgenres. It is aimed at mature readers and was penned by author Hugo Bernard. The book is set on a future Earth in which the majority of the population has consented to be placed in a simulated reality in order to ease the strain on the environment. Our protagonist is Sky, a woman working to rebuild the real world after humanity leaves into Replika, but when she goes searching for her missing brother, she finds herself involved in a plot to control the virtual world and, by extension, the future of the human race.

This book presents an intricate web of intrigue and action as it moves seamlessly through different perspectives and even realities to tell its story. Hooking readers in quickly with the excellent premise of Replika and why so many people chose it, the worldbuilding on show here is sublime and author Hugo Bernard’s prose when describing both the simulated world and the real one is engaging and exciting. Sky’s journey through these worlds quickly becomes a complex thriller about power and hope whilst never missing a beat in asking big questions about perception and reality. Sky is a wonderfully considered character who leaps off the page as a complex and realistic person in a fantastical situation. I defy readers not to root for her as she ventures further from her comfort zone and into a world that could one day be our future. Replika: Sky’s Mission is an exciting and engaging thriller that I recommend highly.

Replika is the first novel in the Sky's Mission series by Hugo Bernard. Set in the future, humanity has successfully avoided the demise of Earth by uploading themselves to Replika, a metaverse (or a simulated reality). While the move to Replika was much welcomed by the majority of the world’s population, Sky was one of the few that wasn’t happy with the results. Ready to rebuild the world, Sky was willing to do whatever it took to return things back to normal. However, her resolve was tested when she found out her brother was in danger and needed her help. Agreeing to help her brother, Sky had no idea she was messing with things she had no business getting involved with. Would that stop her? Absolutely not. Sky was not a quitter, especially when she had her brother to protect and the world to save at the same time.

I was in awe of the world-building and how intricate everything was. Replika is fantastical. It is the kind of science fiction novel I like to read; futuristic but believable. The tech mentioned in the story, the scenarios created, and the responses of the characters felt real and human to me. Hugo opened the story with an intriguing scene that had me asking who Gerold was and why he was doing what he was doing (also his choice of name was the perfect little Easter egg). Sky was simply a person of her word, and she was definitely not someone who quits when things get hard. While Sky was the protagonist, side characters such as Vi and Morgan were the perfect bonus. The author constantly moved between different POVs, narrative styles, and time jumps, and somehow none of it was confusing. Hugo did a phenomenal job of laying the background for the future novels in the series and succeeded in making it perfect.