From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu—when a game called Warcross takes the world by storm, one girl hacks her way into its dangerous depths. 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 … a profit. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down Warcross players who bet on the game illegally. But the bounty-hunting world is a competitive one, and survival has not been easy. 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.
In this sci-fi thriller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.
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A vibrant, action-packed shot of adrenaline. Lu delivers characters with heart and determination, then sets them loose in a luminously conceived world of infinite possibility.
I’d give this 4.5* if I could. It’s not perfect, but is a fun, quick read that unfolded in unexpected ways. I’m looking forward to the next book to see which direction it goes. Some similarities to Ready Player One , but less extensive world building and more prevalent romantic sub plot.
Clear your schedule, because you won’t stop reading Warcross until you’re done. Addictive, fast-paced, and totally immersive, this book takes you from a futuristic Tokyo on a high-tech tour of incredible virtual worlds. Packed with danger, intrigue, and heart-pounding gameplay, set in a world built with an incredible eye for detail, Warcross is Marie Lu’s best book yet.
Marie Lu is one of my very favorite YA novelists. Long before I read her Warcross series, I read her Young Elites and Legend series’. She is ina a word, “brilliant.” Her characters imbue honor, bravery, loyalty and a whole host of characteristics which are great examples to young adults, all with contrasting character flaws which also bear cautionary tales for young and old alike. Her writing style is crisp yet unbelievably descriptive. You’ll find yourself totally immersed in her worlds and feeling as if you’re a part of the action.
The Warcross series is about a game which has consumed popular culture all over the world. It is a world pastime, but is also lucrative for some users. Emika Chen, the protagonist, is a bounty hunter and an expert hacker who finds users who access and bet on the game illegally. To get herself out of a financial bind, she decides to use her hacking skills to make some quick cash in the opening game of the international Warcross Championships and exposes a glitch which inserts her into the game. Her interaction goes viral.
While this action could’ve landed her in jail, she instead is recruited by the game’s creator, and billionaire, Hideo Tanaka. He recognizes Emika’s talent and enlists her to participate in the tournament to uncover a security problem. Little does Emika know, she’s about to uncover treachery which could topple Hideo’s Warcross empire and their burgeoning romance.
While Warcross does end on a cliffhanger, you will be thoroughly satisfied with how Ms. Lu ends the first book.
I’m honored to share this one with you upon the imminent release of Wildcard, the second book in the series, which is set to drop on September 18th.
This book is so much fun! It’s perfect for fans of Ready Player One who, like me, enjoyed the unique VR what-ifs but wished for a kick-ass woman to take the helm. This book hurtles along at break-neck speed, with plenty of action and romance, and I just love the world of Warcross. I can’t wait to pick up the sequel!
It was a great book and I think everyone should read it.
Good book. End was strange. Is there a second book?
Thank the Lord, a book that pulled me out of my slump!
I’ve heard so much about this book that I couldn’t leave it on my tbr a moment longer. And I’m so glad I didn’t!
Oh my word…..the world, Warcross, Emika, Hideo, the story, the writing! All of it 5 stars!
Now I have no knowledge of the gaming world but this book describes the game with such clarity that it was heaven.
All of it so well crafted I was nearly cheering for joy!
And that ending! Book 2 please!
This book is amazing. It takes in you into high stakes world Warcross. Marie Lu creates this world and makes you feel like you are in it and want to try out this game. I enjoyed the gaming sequences through where the character is playing the game. The book also takes into the dark world of technically and makes feel like I’m in another world. This book also is fast-paced and will have you flipping the pages like crazy to see what is going to happen next. I also like the suspenseful feeling of not knowing what will happen next. This world of Warcross is so deadly.
As for the main character Emika Chen, I think she made this story. She has got to be one of my favorite female characters I read about this year. She is smart, a total bad ass that has a moment where she pulls the gutsy moves and I like how there are many layers to her. I see her grow as a character through the series and can’t wait to see her in the next book.
Overall, I was really amazed by the book and happy that I finally got to read a book by Marie Lu. And even though I might wait awhile till the next Warcross book to come out, I am still happy that there are other Marie Lu books that can keep me busy.
I enjoyed reading it.
This was a fun read, with twists and turns in the plot and a slowly building certainty of who the villain really was. The romance was satisfying (but tragic), the action was fun and gripping, and the world-building was amazing. A good weekend thrill-ride read.
Absolutely must have the sequel. If I was forced to say anything negative about the book, it’s that it wasn’t really clear how the VR game worked (like what a person did in real life while playing… is it just a keyboard? Are they like dancing or something?) but if you don’t need those details (I didn’t) then like I said, there was nothing to dislike about this book. And the romances were STEAMY!
The book read slow to me because I am not a gamer. I think this would be a great movie though (could be visually spectacular).
Wow what a twisty turny book! I was able to guess one of the twists but another one took MS completely by surprise! I loved the setting of this, definitely one of the best sci-fis I’ve ever read
A fantastic premise, very engagingly written, with a let-down ending.
Warcross hooked me almost at once–Marie Lu is definitely skilled at this! Every book I’ve ever read of hers jumps straight into the action, in such a way that I also care what happens to the characters even though we’re barely introduced. (Hard to do – most YA books jump into life or death action, but I’ve seen it so many times that I still lose interest quickly.) The world immediately reminded me of a cross between Ready Player One and the Hunger Games: there’s a worldwide obsession with the VR game called Warcross, and Emika is a teenage orphan who makes her living as a bounty hunter of those who have racked up debts trading “power-ups” for the Warcross world on the black market. She’s chasing a perpetrator, catches him, but unfairly loses the bounty. Then we find that she’s about to be evicted from her miniscule studio apartment in NYC.
Then, the opening games of Warcross begin, and because she is also a brilliant hacker (generally this stretches imagination for teens, but somehow in her case it was rendered believable), she hacks herself into the game, hoping to steal a very valuable power-up from one of the players. Unfortunately this thrusts her squarely into the worldwide spotlight. She thinks she will be arrested for the stunt, but instead, Hadeo Tanaka, the creator of Warcross flies her to Tokyo in his private jet and offers to hire her as a bounty hunter for him–under cover as a “wildcard,” or previously unknown Warcross player. He tells her little about the person they’re hunting, only that he calls himself Zero. We also don’t know his plans for quite some time.
Emi, meanwhile, has spent most of her life obsessed with Hadeo, who is only two years her elder. This sets up the romance, which is fantastically done, with shades of Cinderella. (So far the story interweaves many of my favorite stories, but in such a unique way that I still don’t totally know what’s going to happen next!)
I was all in, excited to continue the series until the VERY end. Suddenly, the author reveals Zero’s true goal and true identity. Both reveals felt very forced to me, as they involve a big about-face for one of the major relationships in the story, with very little setup. The identity of Zero also felt just so convenient… they were like twists just for the sake of twists. While the reveal did make for interesting food for thought–namely, if people find out that they’ve given up their privacy and their freedom in exchange for technological advances and convenience, will they even care?–the sacrifice to the story was too significant to make me want to continue reading. A good guy has become a bad guy, and with that reveal, my emotional investment has evaporated. Too bad, because the rest of the story was so good!
My rating: ***1/2
Language: none that I can recall
Violence: none to speak of
Sexual content: minor; suggested only, in the main character’s mind
Political content: minor but present; easy to overlook
I loved this book ever since I open the cover. Overall I love Marie Lu and her books.
Warcross had everything I wanted: a tough and smart female protagonist, a cool virtual reality competition with cut-throat competitors, computer hacking spies, and plot twist galore. A definite must-read.
I really like Marie Lu so I wasn’t surprised that I really enjoyed this. It’s different than anything I’ve read.
Great female lead.
The tech and game descriptions are well developed without dampening the pace. The relationship between characters is solid, and there is romance without drowning in it.
A talented, tough, poverty-stricken hacker with a tragic past, a virtual reality game that is taking over the world, and strong characters, this book gripped me. I love that Emika is such a strong and likable character, there are great reveals and twists and turns, and the virtual reality and hacking fascinated me. I didn’t want the book to end! Thankfully there is a sequel. Highly recommended!