Warcross by Marie Lu

Summary from Goodreads:

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.

Review:

I wrote this on Goodreads: I loved this! I really didn’t think I would because it sounded so much like Ready Player One, which I didn’t like. But it was so much better than that. It was The Hunger Games mixed with The Uglies by Westerfeld, mixed with quidditch and wow what a mix! This was the book I read outside at a café in Paris. And I’m so glad this was that book. I was hooked.

I’ve probably owned the paperback since it came out, and just never made my way to it. Again, I honestly think my dislike of Reader Player One was keeping me away. I’m glad I finally came to my senses. I read it almost in one sitting. I finished it late that night after going out for a nice dinner. I really enjoyed Legend by this author, and I knew she could write action/suspense so I never gave up on reading this entirely, and thank goodness.

I love the idea of a female bounty hunter. All the scenes with Emika chasing someone down were crazy. I was hooked. I also loved the world-building.  Lu’s technological version of Japan was just beyond cool. I can still visualize it. And I can totally see this future happening. It’s crazy that this high-tech world doesn’t seem too far off from where we are. But, I think that’s part of the appeal for me. It’s not too out there.

I found the game interesting too, and the whole cult following of it felt very real. I kept thinking back to this one day over the summer when Nick and I went bowling with his brother and nephew. And I remember thinking his 13-year old nephew was so glued to his phone, and no one seemed to think this was bad or inappropriate -just a kid today doing what all kids today do. But, I eventually brought it up jokingly, and learned it wasn’t his normal. That day was special. He was watching a Fortnite tournament. He’s not always that glued to his phone. I later of course looked the tournament up online and discovered how big it was. Oh, and that a teenager won it (winning 3 million dollars).

I hate when people tell me they don’t like YA because it seems so crazy that a young person could accomplish all they do. And well, they do. A 16-year old won an online game this summer and it was huge. Any way, Fortnite is not so far off from Warcross. And that’s one of the reasons it was so good; it was believable.

I found the romance fun too. I saw some it coming from a mile away…but that’s okay. I did not see everything in the plot from a mile away. There were a few HUGE shocks for me. And I loved that too. The ending was also an enormous cliffhanger! I walked back to Shakespeare and company a third time, to search for Wildcard because I needed to know some things right away. Thank goodness, they had it!

I loved this book. It was hard to put down. The world building was crazy good. The plot was high action and suspenseful. The setting was awesome. The game was addicting. It’s a futuristic book that doesn’t feel too far away from where we are now. I loved the main character; having a female bounty hunter/hacker is just the best. I give this one a 10/10.