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Warcross by Marie Lu (first published in 2017 by Penguin Random House)
About the book:
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.
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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.
Review:
Marie Lu is one of those authors whose books I have collected simply based on her excellent reputation for exciting storytelling. I read Legend a while back, did a reread of it at the start of this year and then jumped right into Warcross.
I absolutely loved everything about this book. There are so many geek culture references and the whole idea of Warcross, a VR MMO that the novel revolved around, is so plausible.
I would love to play it. It reminds me a little of Overwatch, with players being allocated specific roles and facing off against another team of real players.
There is solid world-building in between epic action scenes. I didn't feel that anything about the world in Warcross was glossed over and enjoyed that it also wasn't too far removed from our own.
Emika is a decent enough character, though she does fall into some YA trope territory. I admit that she was more of a vehicle for the story than the reason I wanted to keep reading. But that's 100% ok as this is not a character-driven novel.
There is a smattering of romance, which actually does play a role in the story, but to tell you more would give important things away. ;)
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This is even better than Divergent, although not a Dystopian, and shares a similar feel in the latter parts of the novel. So if you found the former lacking, give Warcross a try.
As an added incentive, the hardcover version in SA stores at the moment is totally worth owning and sports a stunning cover under the dustjacket.
Purchase a copy from Raru.co.za.
Read more of Monique’s reviews on her book blog.
