By Marie Lu
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 353 pages, Young Adult Fiction
When teenage coder Emika Chen hacks her way into the opening tournament of the Warcross Championships, she glitches herself into the game as well as a sinister plot with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.
Fans of Marie Lu know she writes great page-turners set in fantastic places, and peopled with interesting characters. One of the appeals of this book for me was that it’s set in the not-too-distant future, where a lightweight version of virtual reality glasses are used to enhance everyday life. This technology seems like it’s just around the corner for us, and it made it so the story wasn’t too bogged down with world building. This book is packed with action, a bit of romance, and a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. If you’re looking for a great read similar to Ready Player One or The Hunger Games, look no further!
MB
2 comments:
Warcross isn’t just a video game. For some it is an escape. For others it’s a way to make some money on the side. Emika Chen is a bounty hunter that tracks down those who illegally gamble on the game. It’s a cutthroat way of life, and Emika is barely making ends meet. Tempted by the chance to make some quick cash, she hacks her way into the opening of the International Warcross championship. When she unwittingly becomes an overnight sensation, she is afraid that she will be found out and arrested. She never thought she would be recruited by the game’s creator to investigate a security problem within the game. Soon she discovers a sinister plot that will affect all Warcross players.
I loved that this book was about a female hacker/gamer. The passages about her visualizing code are fascinating. The technology and the world building of the game are believable; sometimes too believable. It is a little scary that this could be the next step of technology. But that is what good Sci-fi does. Marie Lu's writing is tight and descriptive. Her characters are a little two dimensional at times and her plot was a little too predictable, but it is overall a fun read.
This was the perfect distraction I needed right now. Warcross brought me into a world of virtual gaming and made me feel like this technology isn't far off. I can see a future where the whole world interacts through a virtual world. Emika was a strong girl just trying to survive on her own in a very tough world. I look forward to finding out what is ahead for Emika and her friends in the next book in the series.
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