Marie Lu

"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"--

Warcross

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn't just a game - it's a way of life. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. When Emika hacks into Warcross, she is shocked when she gets a call from the game's creator 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. In this sci-fi thriller, #1 New York Timesbestselling author Marie Lu conjures an immersive, exhilarating world where choosing who to trust may be the biggest gamble of all.

"There is real evil in the world, and I am not it."

"Everyone pays lip service to world peace," Hideo says. "They use it as a pretty answer to pointless questions, to make themselves sound good." His eyes sear me to the core. "I'm tired of the horror in the world. So I will 

 is it that makes us human, exactly? The choice to kill and rape? To war and bomb and destroy? To kidnap children? To gun down the innocent? Is 

 the part of humanity that shouldn't be taken away? Has 

 been able to stop any of this? We already try to fight back with laws — but law enforcers cannot be everywhere at once. They cannot see everything. What if 

My Christmas ornaments and Dad's painting had been destroyed, but just because they were destroyed doesn't mean some traces of them, however small and broken, weren't left behind. And if there are enough pieces, you can see what the original object was meant to be.

"I always offered help — but I refuse to accept any full stop my mother scolded me about that full stop do you know what she told me? When you refuse to ask for help, it tells others that they also shouldn't ask for help from you. that you look down on them for needing your help full stop that you like feeling superior to them."

 a guy who can be so professional and be weak for you in private ahhhh type of man

On Friday morning, the familiar sound of Asher ramming his wheelchair into my door stirs me out if my restless sleep in my dorm room.

And yet, none of that had made my heart skip like this earnest, hopeful look in his face as he waits to hear if I enjoyed the food he made for me.

A want a man who has billions, young, able to cook, good with kids, a little shy, looks good in a suit.

"I don't usually have the time to cook, that's all. So they're commenting on it."

All I can think is that it is far too beautiful of a day.

"The Demons are competent at everything and incredible at nothing."

So I hit. I hit fast and hard and furious. I hit with nothing but language whispered between sockets and wire, the language that can bring people to their knees.

They lunge at you because they see a vulnerable body. Or different skin color. Or a difficult name. Or a girl.

I look away, heartsick. Once upon a time they too were kids, maybe had families who loved them. What had brought them to this point? What would I look like, in their place?

Haven't we all been plugged in for years now, completely addicted to this world beyond reality?

"What if the dictator is an algorithm? A code? What if that code can force the world to be a better place, can stop wars with a single breath of text, can save lives with an automated system? The algorithm doesn't have an ego. It doesn't lust after power. It is programmed solely to do right, to be fair. It is the same as the laws that govern our society-- except it can also enforce that law immediately, everywhere, all the time."

I nod, as if in a dream, as if I can't stop taking this drug. "Yes."

"They believe that objects have souls. The more love you out into one, the more beautiful it becomes."

I FLEW THREW THIS COUPLE OF CHAPTERS AHHHH I LOVE THIS SO MUCH

Despite his name, Hideo is not hideous and I imagine he must be FINE ✨

 detail. You just need to see the overall pattern to catch the weakness in it."

Slay, but I'd enjoy this significantly more if his name wasn't Hideo as in hideous.

"Everything's science fiction until someone makes it science fact."

, you find yourself standing in exactly the right position, wielding exactly the right weapon to hit back. So I hit. I hit fast and hard and furious. I hit with nothing but the language whispered between circuits and wire, the language that can bring people to their knees.

And in spite of everything, I'd do it all over again.

Death has a terrible habit of cutting straight through every careful line you've drawn between your present and future.

Anna 

Wowowow!! Tohle byla neskutečná jízda!
 Trvalo mi půl roku, než jsem knihu otevřela, a jsem moc ráda za to, že jsem se k tomu konečně dokopala! Bála jsem se hlavně toho, že nebudu knize rozumět, protože se to celé odehrává v prostředí virtuální reality a počítačů a serverů a... tohle prostě není můj obor. Byla jsem ale velmi mile překvapena 😃 Emiku jsem si zamilovala, stejně jako další hlavní hrdiny, a nakonec mi nedělalo žádný problém se v internetovém prostředí vyznat. Celá kniha je napínavá, člověk vyčkává, co se bude dít dál a Emice fandí úplně ve všem 😊 Za mě je kniha jedno veliké ANO, a musím ji doporučit opravdu všem. Nebojte se toho, že to je Sci-fi (myslím že je, ne?), opravdu se v tom vyznáte a bude se vám to líbit ☺️. 
Jediné malé minus, kvůli kterému jsem odebrala půl hvězdičky, je ta nucená a až moc lehko předvídatelná láska. Ale hej, budu k vám upřímná, já tu romantiku prostě můžu 🥰
✩
Podle mého názoru si knížka zaslouží 4,5*/5*

Reread: have fallen in love with this world and its characters all over again. Can't wait to see how they turn out in Icon and Inferno!

Got to be one of the best main characters

Lindy

At first I found the book to be an entertaining enough way to pass a few hours. It was too cyberpunk basic for me to get excited about, and the author seemed to get all her ideas about hacking from CSI television shows and all her knowledge of the dark web from skimming the Wikipedia page*, but like I said, entertaining enough. So three stars.

I immediately lost all interest when the predictable, unnecessary, and turgid romance ramped up and turned into the central focus. Three stars - two stars = one star.

And then the last two chapters took a turn for Death Note fanfiction. So I guess that's what the sequel's going to be like. 

In conclusion, wow this was such a disappointment.

Also I feel like this was likely pitched at some point as "Ready Player One but, like, feminist" and I'm horrified. (not out of any respect for RP1, because i have none,) but out of what this indicates about gendered book markets.)

*the described aesthetics of the VR equivalent of the dark web are actually funny, but I don't think they're supposed to be. The streets are full of potholes and people do currency exchanges out of rickety wooden stands.

Sunny

2.5 stars
It was okay, the world and ideas were fun but it was very predictable, I could pretty much guess who Zero was from very early on. It was very easy to put down and leave a long time before picking up and not feel lost. Though when I was reading it, it was quite fast paced and easy to keep up with, the Warcross games especially did get your blood going.
 I also really liked the exploration of the Warcross version of the Dark Net, even having an area called the Silk Road. Will I be reading the rest of the series? Probably not, I think I'll just read spoiler reviews of the next books 👍🏻

Annalissa Powner 

I have so many feelings, so many conflicting feelings. All those feelings aside this books was AMAZING. I don't like a lot of technical virtual worlds but Warcross was everything I never knew I wanted and so so much more. That ending though... how am I supposed to wait a year to know what will happen?! How can an author twist us THAT MUCH in the LAST two chapters?!

Julia Moran 

I began re-reading this in 2020 and stopped for some reason, I literally had like 100 pages left to read so I finished it and now I can read Wildcard

"Thorndike Press Large Print The Literacy Bridge"--Copyright page.

💌

What a phenomenal read! I absolutely loved it! the plot twists were amazing and the overall feel of the story was amazing and ah! loved it!

Melissa Palmer

Book #15 Read in 2019
Warcross by Marie Lu

This is the first in a new young adult fantasy series. Emika is a gamer, bounty hunter and hacker. She is hired to find out information during a huge virtual reality tournament....but will her life be in danger? High school readers will enjoy these hip characters, VR setting and action packed read.

Denaiir

Overall a fun read but underwhelming: none of the characters made my heart beat, the plot was predictable (what the hell was that twist at the end???), and the world-building just didn't have that extraordinary feeling.

Yasmin Dunnewind

so different then what I read normally, but so good

Briar's Reviews

Warcross by Marie Lu was so much fun!

For years I've been hearing that Marie Lu is an incredible writer and I should pick up some books by her. It took a while, but I finally managed to get my hands on Warcross, and I was not disappointed! This book is a great YA delight and kept me hooked from the first page!

Erika Chen is a bounty hunter who is in a difficult position. She needs cash to be able to afford her rent, so she jumps into the giant Warcross opening ceremony to steal an important power-up. Warcross is a giant video game that has giant competitions every year. Little did she know that she'd be drafted into the game to try to solve a mystery... There's someone hacking in the game who goes to destroy it and potential Hideo in the process. She's been hired by Hideo to find out who this is and stop them, but will she be able to?

This is what I expected the film Ready Player One to be. It was super fun and easy to read, and kept a very fast pace throughout the entire book. The book combines video game, future technologies, mind games and lots of drama all into the 300-something pages it presents itself in. 

The plot twists that occur I barely saw coming, which makes me totally impressed. Different things are revealed in this story, and you just KNOW Marie is taking it somewhere. Why would she introduced some tech and characters without actually using them? Marie Lu is a smart writer and sets you up to see the ending, but gives you enough twists and turns to not totally expected it. Truly, I enjoyed it! 

And then there's the romance. It's just barely a pinch, but it's there. The romance won't sweep you off your feet, but it will leave little crumbs for you to grasp at. This isn't a romance book, so it's not the end of the world. I'm nosy to see how it plays out, but I have a good idea it's not going to go as good as we want it... I think Wildcard is going to have some bombshells, much like this book had near the end.

My biggest frustration was the cliffhanger. I was really hoping for some sort of ending to make me feel sane and not need Wildcard (the sequel), but here we are. I need that next book and I know I'm not finding it for a while. What a shame!

Four out of five stars!

Jazelle H

"Dreamer's face on."

Teenage hacker and bounty hunter Emika Chen is more familiar with the augmented reality and game of Warcross than most. It's not just a way to escape the woes of reality; it's also a way of life. However, a hack gone awry causes her to glitch during the opening game of the international Warcross Championships. When she gets a call from the game's creator, Hideo Tanaka, she expects to hear she's screwed--royally screwed. Instead, Hideo hires Emika for her bounty hunter skills, to play in the games while searching for a hacker who's threatening the future of the games. During the span of her investigation, though, Emika learns there's more to the game--and it's creator--than anyone knows.

Marie Lu does a wonderful job of world building a universe many of us can't help but crave. As readers, we desire to escape into other worlds as a break from reality. The world of Warcross gives everyone that same escape, until it begins to define reality itself. Emika Chen is a feisty, hit by hard times female lead who propels readers into this world. Seeing her struggles in New York concerning her financial state and family's past makes it easy to establish character investment. While there are moments throughout the novel where the momentum lags, the story otherwise keeps a quick, steady pace. This novel is full of action, a bit of love, and a whole lot of heartstring tugging to go along with it.

"Every locked door has a key. Every problem has a solution."

As Emika delves deeper into the code and hacktivist world of Warcross, it's easy to see the raw, bittersweetness badass-ness of her character stripped down to the core. The world is just as intricate as the characters, which pulls the fiction portion of the story back to reveal the reality underneath. Enjoy.

Nessa Luna

Oh wow, this book was a rollercoaster ride.

alexandra

this review was originally posted on twirling pages







Warcross is a mashup of all my favorite!! things!!

i was hesitant on Warcross before i began. mostly for three reasons: 1) i'm tired of reading dystopian novels and i'm not a huge fan of sci-fi. but against all odds, i loved the setting of Warcross (more on that later). 2) i had overly high expectations for The Young Elites – thanks to my love for Legend – and was kinda disappointed. i didn't even finish the final book of that trilogy (yet?). 3) i'm going to sounds like such a snob, but i wasn't... a fan of... the cover??? i didn't think it was that bad at first, but the more i stared at it, the more i wanted to rip the cover off. no offense. however, it's starting to grow on me. just a bit. JUST A BIT.


ANYWAY, my expectations were low but i decided to read it because i still consider marie lu as one of my favorite authors. and MAN THIS BOOK WAS SO. GOOD. in a teeny tiny way, there were elements that reminded me of Legend; i was reminded why i love Marie Lu's writing so much in the first place (no offense to The Young Elites!! i love you too but not as much as Legend). Warcross was a combination of the best things: futuristic technology, competitive games, eccentric characters, rich/poor romance, and MARIO KART OMG. there were so many parts of the game that reminded me of Mario Kart; my seven-year-old-self died.


WARCROSS, by @Marie_Lu • 5/5 ★ pic.twitter.com/evPh6pBGX0— alexandra (@twirlingpages) August 5, 2017



one of my favorite aspects was – surprisingly – the dystopian part. i guess it shouldn't reaaaally surprise me; dystopian used to be my favorite genre but i got tired of it thanks to its repetitive tropes and unrealistic ideas. but one reason i loved Legend is that of how insanely possible that future may be. the same could be said for Warcross. it follows a world that becomes obsessed with a virtual reality device and the game linked to it. the way Lu shapes the world makes me believe THIS IS US IN TEN YEARS. maybe even less.


now let's talk about these characters. i really enjoyed reading from Emika's perspective because she's SO SMART. (another reason why i loved Legend's June!!) there's something wonderful about reading from a character so clever, you can't predict what they'd do. *cough Kaz Brekker cough* Hadeyo, on the other hand, makes me feel CONFLICTED UGHHH. 
Spoilerregarding the "big twist" on his betrayal, i kinda saw it coming. like, Marie Lu is NORTORIUS on pulling shit like this so i should've known (the world wasn't wide enough for my OTP to  b e  a t  p e a c e.) i disagree with whatever Hideyo is doing but i can see where he's coming from and when i think about his past or whatever i just want to weep. #protectmyCHILD also i realized i have a thing for anti-heroes. i should've realized this three years ago but whatever we're here now. 


one thing i want to point out is that i found parts of the plot predictable. i don't know if it's because i'm becoming a "better" reader and pick up on foreshadowing/other signs quicker or if it's the writing. but even though i predicted it, that doesn't mean i didn't feel the PAIN and EMOTION – i did – so i forgive it.


in conclusion, Warcross is amazing. if you haven't read anything by Marie Lu, read Warcross (and the rest of her books); if you've read TYE, read Warcross; if you've read Legend, READ WARCROSS. i love it so much i spent hours making a mood board and have 0 regrets.

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn't just a game - it's a way of life. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. When Emika hacks into Warcross, she is shocked when she gets a call from the game's creator 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. 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.

Other than the first couple of chapters being a bit too slow for my liking, I DEVOURED this book. Marie Lu is a brilliant author and she made convincing arguments (about the uses of AI in our modern society) for all the characters on both sides of the conflict. I also love how she made one of her corgis Hideo's corgi, as she confirms in the acknowledgements.

The plot twist of Zero being how he turned out to be was obvious from the moment Hideo revealed that Sasuke was kidnapped and not killed. The plot twist of Hideo achieving a form of dictatorship through his AI VR, however, was not. But maybe that was just me, not considering that Billionaire Boyfriend was too good to be true.

4.75/5 stars.

Other than the first couple of chapters being a bit too slow for my liking, I DEVOURED this book. Marie Lu is a brilliant author and she made convincing arguments (about the uses of AI in our modern society) for all the characters on both sides of the conflict. I also love how she made one of her corgis Hideo's corgi, as she confirms in the acknowledgements.

[SPOILERS]

The plot twist of Zero being how he turned out to be was obvious from the moment Hideo revealed that Sasuke was kidnapped and not killed. The plot twist of Hideo achieving a form of dictatorship through his AI VR, however, was not. But maybe that was just me, not considering that Billionaire Boyfriend was too good to be true.

Kelsey Joëlle

So I loved this book.

It was a re-read for me, but I couldn't remember a lot anymore, so it felt like I read it for the first time.
The only thing that I remembered was that I looooved the main ship and that's about it.

Well, I still loved the main ship so so so much and I'm a bit sad because of the ending. I'm not going to spoil anything, but oh daaaaaamn. Also, the other characters are so much fun and I loved the fact that there was a gay 'couple' because they were not really together. But, still, they were great. The storyline was so cool and interesting, I really loved how well the main storyline was written. It just got more interesting with every page. 

So excited for book two!

Beatrix Haase

I need the 2nd book. I need my ship. I need to stop feeling these feelings for books. that's why I love them though, they can make u feel something that u never thought u could feel for fictional characters. it's pretty amazing. Clockwork Princess is my next read and I heard it was fantastic and heartbreaking. 

thanks for sticking by me in 2017. let 2018 begin.

full review coming... I didn't say soon... cause it ain't gonna be soon...

xoxo,
bebe

Gillian Rose

4.5 stars

This was a lot of fun! It had some Ready Player One vibes but without the '80s references. I was intrigued by Hideo's tasks for Emika (but figured out one of the twists pretty early on) and also was into their chemistry! A truly wild ride with interesting characters and a bit of a morality lesson. Definitely looking forward to the next book.

mercy

this read like scifi for dummies even for ME, a dummy when it comes to scifi. the plot was so predictable. emika didn’t have a personality. hideo was sort of interesting but ultimately ruined by the romance ??? why did they like each other what was the reason? marie lu ily but this ain’t it

dija

Can someone please give me the second untitled book? 
I NEED IT RIGHT NOW

Jamieson

takes a deep breath: *SCREAMS FOR TEN THOUSAND YEARS*


  me, finishing this book: 





I love ..... Marie Lu... so much? The good sis somehow gone and DONE IT AGAIN. She's spectacular, brilliant, amazing, TRULY. We are blessed to have her, I am delighted by her constantly. What an inspiration. 


  We continue to stand there, unmoving, looking out at the electric glitter of Tokyo, my boots pointed away from the house and toward the city, my heart suspended somewhere between one choice and another, unsure where to go next


WARCROSS is an action packed, "my heart is in my throat and I can't breathe", wonderfully vivid sci-fi novel set in Tokyo. In a world revolutionised by interactive, immersive virtual reality called Warcross. Emika Chen - bounty hunter, hacker and rainbow haired badass - is hired by the creator or Warcross to go undercover and track down a mysterious person dubbed "Zero" who's putting Warcross in jeopardy. 

This book has spies, slow-burn romance, hackers, dark web, illegal auctions, and WARCROSS. Warcross was one of my favourite aspects of this book. It's basically a game, sort of capture the flag, where two teams compete to capture an "artifact" from another team in a terrain thats completely altered from reality. Listen it's Pro-Bending from Legend of Korra with some Hunger Games with some Capture the Flag and it's BRILLIANT. 

Warcross also features an incredibly diverse cast of characters - Emika is Chinese/American, Hideo is Japanese, there's a m/m side relationship, a character in a wheelchair, a black side character and a brown side character. Emika and Hideo, the most prominent characters, are well developed with rich backstories and complex motivations. I really liked Hideo's character as a mysterious yet intriguing type, and Emika was just so incredibly cool. I truly adored her. She's a girl who supports other girls around her, a girl who sticks to her morals, a girl who's just a little bit murky around the edges and a girl with rainbow hair and a tattoo sleeve ! Just check out this cool picture by Marie Lu herself. 


  
  

  Emika Chen by Marie Lu (note: her name Emiko Sato was later changed to Emika Chen)


So yes, overall cast was strong, though I do wish the side characters had been more prominent, as I thought they were all interesting. Looking forward to seeing more from them in the sequels. 


  “They believe that objects have souls. The more love you put into one, the more beautiful it becomes.”


Warcross is definitely a book which grabs you by neck and takes you on a wild ride. The tables keep turning, the stakes keep rising and your blood is pumping. It's a thrilling book, with such incredible scenes and imagery and moments you are left in genuine awe. The dark underbelly of the book, mixed with the gaming action elements make it unique and exciting. There is definitely something for everyone here, and I loved this from Marie Lu. It feels more like Legend then The Young Elites, but then it feels like something unique and special on it's own too. 

Marie Lu is a genius, and an innovator. Warcross is definitely something you can't miss and I guarantee everyone will be talking about it. The ending leaves me hungy for SO MUCH MORE. I NEEDED THE SEQUEL YESTERDAY. You have to pick this up when it releases, it's absolutely stellar and you will feel like it's all over too soon. 


  Thankyou to the publisher for sending me this arc. Quotes used in this review are subject to change upon release.

brianna

“Every locked door has a key. Every problem has a solution.” 
 

holy. shit. this is 110% the best book i've read so far this year. i was extremely hesitant to pick this up because VR and games just don't catch my attention. but hoooo boy was i wrong. all i want to read now are books like this. the whole olympic style competition going on was everything i didn't know i wanted in a book until right now. i just have so many feelings about this book like,,, WHY IS MARIE LU SO GOOD AT RIPPING MY HEART OUT AND STOMPING ALL OVER IT. i am so ready to have book 2 in my hands right now. marie sweetie don't let me down.

Warcross

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