Warcross (Warcross #1)
by Marie Lu
Source: eARC provided for review. Thank you!
My Rating: 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.
*****
Warcross, by Marie Lu is one of the best books
I’ve read this year so far. I’m not a gamer, and I loved it, I guess that means
if you’re a gamer, you will enjoy it even more.
There are so many good things to say about this
book that I don’t even know where to start.
Marie Lu is such a wonderful storyteller and
every world she creates is one where one wants to live.
From New York to Tokyo and the virtual reality
of Warcross, each description is vivid and atmospheric; it’ll make you be a
part of it.
And if a brilliant world-building wasn’t enough,
the cast of tough and diverse characters will win you over.
I loved every one of these characters, even
Zero, the antihero.
Emika and Hideo are (were?) my favorite and I
loved the dynamics between the two of them.
One of the things I liked the most about
Warcross is that even though this book is an action packed roller-coaster, it
also has some very emotional moments, and
some of them almost made me cry.
In a world where virtual reality is their reality, these characters gave
us precious moments of humanity.
To be honest, I was a bit worried about the
romance when I realized who the love interest was. But their relationship was
slow burn and sweet… but this is Marie Lu we’re talking about, so of course,
there’s more to that.
And the ending was EPIC. There were some
unexpected twists and turns, and even though one of them wasn’t that surprising, it makes the wait for
the next book feel longer.
Once again, Marie Lu delivers a story full of
action, friendship, betrayals and the promise of something better to come.
