Warcross by Marie Lu

Photo Credit: ofbooksandbibliophiles

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5 Stars

Summary:

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The obsession started ten years ago and its fan base now spans the globe, some eager to escape from reality and others hoping to make a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships—only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. He needs a spy on the inside of this year’s tournament in order to uncover a security problem . . . and he wants Emika for the job. With no time to lose, Emika’s whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

-goodreads

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Throughout my journeys in the book world recently, be it on blogs, youtube, goodreads, or instagram, I've heard a lot about Warcross. Almost everything has been positive and raving about Marie Lu's world building in this book. So, when I had the opportunity to pick up a signed copy at a book store, I had to! After all, I've come to trust my fellow book lovers on the internet- it's rare that they steer me wrong. And this time was certainly no different. Let me just say-

Wow.

Warcross was a stunning novel. The blend between science fiction and a grounding in the real world was immersive and realistic despite the fictional element. Reading it, I found myself reminded of the League of Legends tournaments! (For those that don't know, League of Legends is an online game with a set up fairly similar to the gaming system in Warcross! Minus the immersion technology, of course.) I could definitely see the next evolution of these present day tournaments being something incredibly similar to what Lu set up in her novel.

The characters were realistic, and I found myself falling in love with the protagonist, Emika. She's smart, witty, and owns the 'nerdy girl' title. A hacker and a gamer, as well as a bounty hunter, Emika is everything I want to see in female a main character. There simply aren't enough in the book world! This book is a quick, fantastic read with a twist near the end that is far too perfect. The characters were all easy to adore, and Lu sets up a great bate and switch throughout the novel that left my head spinning.

All in all, this is definitely a book I would recommend to those that love strong female protagonists and an excellent scifi world to fall into.

-a review by K