Title: Warcross
Author: Marie Lu
Published: September 12th 2017 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Buy: Goodreads : Amazon : B&N
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.
I remember when Marie Lu mentioned she was writing a Sci-Fi my ears perked and my excitement overflowed. Sci-Fi has been one of my favorite genre’s since I was a kid and it’s so great to see it all over the place now. Of course I'm also a gamer so I loved that aspect of it as well. I love love having a kick-butt hacker heroine.
I really liked Emika. She’s kind of like a Robin Hood. She does not have a clean record but she is also not malicious. She doesn’t do things without thought and does what she does feels is right. I also love that she is a hacker. Yay girl hackers and that rainbow hair is awesome! I like that she manages to stay grounded even with the things that are happening around her. She might be alone but I think her father’s memory keeps her centered.
There are a lot of different characters. I liked them all but I didn’t find myself particularly attached to any besides Emika. I feel like we get to know Hideo the most and even he still has his mysteries. I liked him but at the same time you could tell he’s deeply troubled. I’ve always liked the smart guys.
I loved the world of Warcross it’s always interesting to get involved in the world of virtual reality. It is limitless in the way that you can do almost anything with it. It’s a whole world to bend and manipulate to reflect the stories needs. I loved the way Marie Lu created not only the game of Warcross but the under belly of the internet. We all know there are dark corners since the internet is something that is difficult to control. I liked that we had a little of the actual games but it also wasn’t boring. When we were involved in game action it is because it has importance to the story. I also really like that fine line she creates between who villians are. She shows that gray area that exist.
I wasn’t surprised at all by the Zero unveiling. Earlier when a piece of information was revealed and it wasn’t even something elaborated on. I’m like yep there it is. It didn’t matter though because there is still so much mystery surrounding the whole thing. So many questions I still need to have answered.
I loved Warcross and felt the writing was top notch. It really drew you into the story and it was easy to get invested in Emika and her story. As a Sci-Fi lover and gamer it made my heart happy. I feel like if your not hardcore Sci-Fi reader you can definitely still get into this story. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment.