Book Title: Warcross
Author: Marie Lu
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Date Published: September 12th 2017 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books
Number of Pages: 353 (Paperback)
Synopsis
(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.
Book Review
I originally read Warcross back in 2017—at the beginning of my reading journey—and I remember loving it. Fast forward to 3 years later, I suddenly remembered how much I love this book so I bought a physical copy of the sequel, Wildcard. But it wasn’t until six months later (July 2020) when I thought I’d re-read it again.
And…I was disappointed. It wasn’t a big surprise, though, considering that it literally took me years to read this duology again. I was also a pretty simple and close-minded reader back then.
Now, I kinda understand why I wasn’t motivated enough to pick up the sequel even though I already had a physical copy with me.
Writing Style
Warcross is the first book that I’ve read from Marie Lu. Upon researching her works, I found out that she actually wrote two successful book trilogies before this one. Nevertheless, I wasn’t expecting much from her.
To be honest, I find her writing style just okay. Nothing remarkable about it. I would commend her, though, because her writing is very easy to read and follow.
Unfortunately, I felt like she was spoon-feeding me as I read Emika’s story. Everything was kind of handed to me in a silver platter.
World Building
I think Warcross’ strength relies on its world-building.
I love how Marie Lu introduced this amazing world of gaming through Emika’s eyes. As a gamer myself, I really appreciate the background, mechanics, controls, and almost everything about the game. How I wish I can play Warcross, too! It really reminded me of MOBA games.
Outside of the gaming aspect, I also love how Lu built futuristic New York and Tokyo. I really love how the technology evolved in this world, how the game—through the NeuroLink—affected everyday life. It’s quite eerie in a way! The point system reminded of an episode on Netflix’s Black Mirror. And reading Emika’s “adventure” on the Dark Web? It gave me chills!
Plot
Warcross has a really interesting synopsis. However, I personally felt like the stakes weren’t enough until I read the ending.
The first half of the book was kinda dragged out. The only thing that made it redeemable for me is reading about the Warcross tournament and how the actual games were played. I didn’t care much about Emika’s goal and why it’s important for her to work for Hideo (other than the fact that she’s a big fan of him). I also felt like the romance sub-plot was forced, especially on Hideo’s side.
However, when I read the ending of this book, I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t see that plot twist coming, although a majority of people did. I don’t want to spoil things but I just love how it ended with moral ambiguity and an open-ended question about technology.
Characters
As previously mentioned on my post about how I rate my books, characters make or break a story for me.
I find Emika Chen to be a boring character. She’s not a one-dimensional character per se, but I don’t connect to her story at all. I don’t care about her goals and her relationship with Hideo. Emika falls short as a character for me.
On the other hand, I remember loving Hideo on my first read. However, after my re-read, I find him to be an okay character. I don’t hate him but I don’t love him either.
How I wish I read more about the Phoenix Riders and the other gamers instead of struggling with Emika and Hideo’s “relationship.” In particular, I would like to know more about Ren, Hammie, and TREMAINE! I’m very curious about the sexual tension between him and Roshan.
Overall Thoughts
Warcross is set in an interesting world but the characters disappointed me. I really feel like if Marie Lu built more on the stakes of the plot and the character development, I would have loved this book. Alas, that was not the case.
So, I rate this book 3 stars. It was a nice and quick read. But there was nothing spectacular about it. It’s pretty forgettable.
I still want to read the sequel, Wildcard, but I’m keeping my expectations low.
Book Rating (Summary)
Writing Style: 3 stars
World Building: 5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Characters: 2.5 stars
Overall Rating: 3 stars
Check out my Goodreads review of this book!
Let’s Talk!
Are you a fan of books about gaming? Any particular recommendations?
Ended Up Reading 