Ignore All Previous Instructions
Ignore All Previous Instructions
Ignore All Previous Instructions
Description
Description
A script supervisor for an AI media conglomerate is caught between her intense need for an orderly life and her deeper, darker queer desires. From the creator of the Outside trilogy, a heartfelt interplanetary epic of identity, longing, and a space pirate who smuggles inappropriate stories. "[A] deliciously queer, timely ode to human creativity in an ever-more-algorithmic world. Its subtle philosophical depth, keen observations, and lyrical poignancy will wow you, even as its neurodivergent hero steals your heart."
--Maria Dong, author of Liar, Dreamer, Thief and Aviary Kelli Reynolds loves creating stories more than anything in the world. But on Callisto, a generative AI company called Inspiration owns everything, including all the media, and only Inspiration determines which stories can be told. Kelli has a rare and coveted job where her autism is to her advantage: She precisely edits AI output into "appropriate" stories for Inspiration's massive TV audience. Her proudest creation is the pirate Orlando--a dashing do-gooder based on stories she used to tell friends. Reenter Kelli's ex-boyfriend Rowan, the person Kelli based Orlando on. Back when they were teenagers, their relationship was a secret. Kelli had thought that Rowan, a trans man, was her schoolmate Am, a girl. Rowan is tangled up in the black market after he needed to get money for gender affirming surgery. He needs Kelli's help with something . . . illegal. So, now Kelli has to decide: Will she risk the safe, tidy story of her life now for the world she once wished for? What would Orlando do? Passionate, dangerous, and tender, Ignore All Previous Instructions is a sweeping, poignant novel about censorship, forbidden love, and growing up.
--Maria Dong, author of Liar, Dreamer, Thief and Aviary Kelli Reynolds loves creating stories more than anything in the world. But on Callisto, a generative AI company called Inspiration owns everything, including all the media, and only Inspiration determines which stories can be told. Kelli has a rare and coveted job where her autism is to her advantage: She precisely edits AI output into "appropriate" stories for Inspiration's massive TV audience. Her proudest creation is the pirate Orlando--a dashing do-gooder based on stories she used to tell friends. Reenter Kelli's ex-boyfriend Rowan, the person Kelli based Orlando on. Back when they were teenagers, their relationship was a secret. Kelli had thought that Rowan, a trans man, was her schoolmate Am, a girl. Rowan is tangled up in the black market after he needed to get money for gender affirming surgery. He needs Kelli's help with something . . . illegal. So, now Kelli has to decide: Will she risk the safe, tidy story of her life now for the world she once wished for? What would Orlando do? Passionate, dangerous, and tender, Ignore All Previous Instructions is a sweeping, poignant novel about censorship, forbidden love, and growing up.
About the Author
About the Author
Ada Hoffmann is the author of the Outside space opera trilogy, three short story collections, the Autistic Book Party interview series, and dozens of speculative short stories and poems. They have been a finalist for the Philip K. Dick, Compton Crook, and WSFA Awards, and are a five-time Rhysling Award nominee. Hoffman is queer and genderfluid. They were diagnosed with autism at the age of thirteen. As an adjunct professor of computer science at a major Canadian university, Hoffman researches the social effects of generative AI on professional fiction writers. They are also a former semi-professional soprano, tabletop gaming enthusiast, and LARPer. Hoffman lives in eastern Ontario with a curious black cat.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
[STARRED REVIEW] "Kelli Reynolds, the autistic heroine of this thrilling, prescient, and emotionally rich sci-fi adventure from Hoffmann (The Outside), is one of the few humans on Jupiter "talented enough to get a steady wage for the kind of work a machine couldn't do." She works as a script supervisor for a popular pirate-themed television show produced by Inspiration, the AI megacorporation that bought up the rights to all existing stories and is now the only approved source of information and entertainment. Kelli's surprised to hear from Rowan, an ex from her school days who has since undergone illegal gender transition, who reaches out for help clearing his debts. Only after agreeing does Kelli learn that Rowan is a smuggler of illegal media working for a crime syndicate, and soon she finds herself embroiled in a dangerous heist. This high-stakes plot is complemented by flashbacks to the leads' school days, when Rowan, then known as Am, used prompt engineering to thwart the robot assigned to help Kelli mask her autism (by, for example, enforcing eye contact) and the pair spent their days making up stories while slowly realizing that their desires fell outside of allowed options. Both timelines gracefully build toward crisis as Kelli navigates situations she struggles to fully comprehend. It's an exceptional balancing of action, interior turmoil, and chilling dystopia. Readers worried about the future of storytelling in the age of AI will gobble this up."
--Publishers Weekly
"A deliciously queer, timely ode to human creativity in an ever-more-algorithmic world. Its subtle philosophical depth, keen observations, and lyrical poignancy will wow you, even as its neurodivergent hero steals your heart."
--Maria Dong, author of Liar, Dreamer, Thief and Aviary. "A revelation. It hooked me from page one and never loosened its hold on me, building and building toward an emotional catharsis that will simultaneously destroy you and give you life."
--John Joseph Adams, series editor of Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy "I especially loved the deep and tender examination of queer autistic coming of age. I loved the focus on rules and rebellions and what that might mean--within oneself, with AI, with society, even within our own communities."
--R.B. Lemberg, author of Yoke of Stars "There's so much to love about Ada Hoffman's Ignore All Previous Instructions Heists! Space pirates! Romance! Messy queer characters! Neurospiciness! An evil, AI-pushing corporation! Criminal conspiracies!"
--Izzy Wasserstein, author of These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart "Beautifully queer and neurodivergent to its core, this is science fiction with heart, soul, and brains."
--Maria Haskins, author of Wolves & Girls "A triumph of queer love and expression. A total adventure of a read. This book is the takedown of GenAI that I needed right now, making me feel hope and joy for the future."
--Jordan Kurella, author of I Never Liked You Anyway "Come for the science fiction about AI written by an actual computer scientist, stay for the BE GAY DO CRIMES.... This book is a delight, and it becomes more timely with every passing day."
--Bogi Takács, Hugo and Lambda award winning author, editor, and critic "Intimate, hopeful, and completely charming."
--Kelly Robson, Nebula award-winning author of "Gods, Monsters and the Lucky Peach" "A thoughtful, engrossing SF novel about AI, creativity, censorship, and gender (with an autistic protagonist). Highly recommended."
--Juliet Kemp, author of the Marek series Praise for The Outside series
Philip K. Dick Award finalist / Compton Crook Award finalist / Earphones Award winner [STARRED REVIEW] "Hoffmann confidently layers morality and disability rights into a breezily told adventure that bursts with sheer fun."
--Publishers Weekly "Compellingly written, tense, and thrilling, with fascinating (and weird) worldbuilding and brilliant characters, The Outside is a fantastic debut."
--Locus "A boffo combination of hard science fiction, cosmic Lovecraftian horror, both cyber-and-god-punk, some ridiculously charismatic aliens, and a fascinating female protagonist somewhere on the autism spectrum."
--Skiffy and Fanty "A gripping examination of the battle between good and evil on a grand scale."
--The Guardian
--Publishers Weekly
"A deliciously queer, timely ode to human creativity in an ever-more-algorithmic world. Its subtle philosophical depth, keen observations, and lyrical poignancy will wow you, even as its neurodivergent hero steals your heart."
--Maria Dong, author of Liar, Dreamer, Thief and Aviary. "A revelation. It hooked me from page one and never loosened its hold on me, building and building toward an emotional catharsis that will simultaneously destroy you and give you life."
--John Joseph Adams, series editor of Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy "I especially loved the deep and tender examination of queer autistic coming of age. I loved the focus on rules and rebellions and what that might mean--within oneself, with AI, with society, even within our own communities."
--R.B. Lemberg, author of Yoke of Stars "There's so much to love about Ada Hoffman's Ignore All Previous Instructions Heists! Space pirates! Romance! Messy queer characters! Neurospiciness! An evil, AI-pushing corporation! Criminal conspiracies!"
--Izzy Wasserstein, author of These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart "Beautifully queer and neurodivergent to its core, this is science fiction with heart, soul, and brains."
--Maria Haskins, author of Wolves & Girls "A triumph of queer love and expression. A total adventure of a read. This book is the takedown of GenAI that I needed right now, making me feel hope and joy for the future."
--Jordan Kurella, author of I Never Liked You Anyway "Come for the science fiction about AI written by an actual computer scientist, stay for the BE GAY DO CRIMES.... This book is a delight, and it becomes more timely with every passing day."
--Bogi Takács, Hugo and Lambda award winning author, editor, and critic "Intimate, hopeful, and completely charming."
--Kelly Robson, Nebula award-winning author of "Gods, Monsters and the Lucky Peach" "A thoughtful, engrossing SF novel about AI, creativity, censorship, and gender (with an autistic protagonist). Highly recommended."
--Juliet Kemp, author of the Marek series Praise for The Outside series
Philip K. Dick Award finalist / Compton Crook Award finalist / Earphones Award winner [STARRED REVIEW] "Hoffmann confidently layers morality and disability rights into a breezily told adventure that bursts with sheer fun."
--Publishers Weekly "Compellingly written, tense, and thrilling, with fascinating (and weird) worldbuilding and brilliant characters, The Outside is a fantastic debut."
--Locus "A boffo combination of hard science fiction, cosmic Lovecraftian horror, both cyber-and-god-punk, some ridiculously charismatic aliens, and a fascinating female protagonist somewhere on the autism spectrum."
--Skiffy and Fanty "A gripping examination of the battle between good and evil on a grand scale."
--The Guardian
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
Publisher:
Tachyon Publications
Pub date:
2026-05-12
Length:
320 pages
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