If you’re searching for unique indie reads, you need to check out Frostbyte immediately! This desi cyberpunk adventure takes place in one of the most interesting and vivid worlds I’ve encountered in recent sci-fi.
The characters are likeable, the plot kept my attention, and the writing didn’t take me out of the story–which is saying a lot when it comes to self-pub debuts, as I’ll explain in a minute.
It’s gems like Frostbyte that keep me combing through self-pub debuts in search of something special.
The Story
Hania is the wealthy heiress of a company with a monopoly on resurrection.
Her family has made sure it’s illegal for any other company to place citizens’ souldata into new bodies after death, keeping the price of resurrection unattainable for anyone but the ultra-wealthy.
But when Hania is murdered and illegally resurrected by hackers, she finds out what it feels like to wake up on the wrong side of the laws her family created.
Now, with a fake identity and a found family of hackers, she must venture into virtual reality–and into society’s criminal underbelly–in order to solve her own murder and bring her killer to justice.
What I Liked
The editing in this book is not as polished as you’ll find in traditionally published novels, but it’s polished enough that I wasn’t drawn out of the story.
This might come off as a criticism, but it’s actually a huge compliment. I often end up DNF’ing first-time self-pubs within the first few chapters because of grammar mistakes that become so distracting they keep me from getting absorbed in the story.
With Frostbyte, this wasn’t an issue. I was absorbed into the world immediately and I never wanted to come up for air. The author clearly has talent and a natural sense of rhythm, and put a lot of time and attention into editing as well. I can’t wait to see what this author puts out next.
What I Loved
Frostbyte’s Desi/South Asian setting is extremely unique and presented with lush, vivid detail. The architecture and fashion give a whole new twist to the traditional cyberpunk aesthetic. And the food! The story takes place during Ramadan, and several scenes play out while the characters are breaking their fast over deliciously described meals. It’s one of those settings you’ll wish you could dive into and experience in real life.
The wild sci-fi tech in this story is so much fun, too. I love all the inventive cyberpunky elements like nanoveils and linkrings. And I love that the the tech isn’t just there to be cool–it plays into the plot in interesting and necessary ways.
I also love the found family aspect of this story. While the characters often do bad things, even to each other, they genuinely care about one another in their own messed-up ways. Their relationship dynamics and banter are really enjoyable. A few of the relationships are left up in the air at the end of the book, and I’m eager for the sequel to come out so I can find out what happens between them!
Overall Thoughts.
If you’re looking for an indie sci-fi gem, N.S. Chaudhury’s Frostbyte is for you!
It does feel self-edited, but as far as an engaging story with lush worldbuilding, interesting, likeable characters, and a pacey, action-packed adventure, Frostbyte is more satisfying than the majority of the trad pubs I read this past year.
This book received the bulk of my votes in the indie ink awards and was one of my favourite self-pub reads of 2025. I highly recommend you check it out!
