From Powells.com
Hot new releases and under-the-radar gems for adults and kids.
Staff Pick
What a thrill ride!! Warcross follows hacker/bounty hunter Emika Chen from New York to Tokyo, where the world championship of Warcross is being held. When she glitches into the virtual game, she becomes the eye of a hurricane, going deep undercover to find an elite hacker for the game's enigmatic creator, Hideo Tanaka. Marie Lu has written an adrenaline-fueled ode to video games and MMOs. In characteristic Lu style, the heroes and villains are hidden in plain sight, revealed in huge twists that you'll never see coming. Her world is futuristic and frighteningly believable, and Emika — with her rainbow hair, tattoos, and awesome skateboard — will appeal to boys as much as girls! I devoured this story and can't wait for more. Recommended By McKenzie W., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
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 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.
Review
"[A]s brightly hued as Emika’s sleeve tattoo and rainbow hair — a fast-paced, fun-filled adventure." The Washington Post
Review
"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." Amie Kaufman, New York Times bestselling author of Illuminae
Review
"A stellar cyberpunk series opener packed with simmering romance and cinematic thrills." Kirkus (Starred Review)
Review
"With a keen eye for detail, Lu (the Young Elites series) vividly imagines a future society where gaming is woven into daily life... Think The Hunger Games meets World of Warcraft." Publishers Weekly, starred review
Review
"Marie Lu’s Warcross is unlike anything I’ve ever read — clever, smart, romantic — yet exploding with color, action, and unrelenting speed. I flew through this book — it’s absolutely fantastic." Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes
Review
"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." Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Six of Crows
About the Author
Marie Lu is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling series The Young Elites, as well as the blockbuster bestselling Legend series. She graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry as an artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare time reading, drawing, playing games, and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in Los Angeles with one husband, one Chihuahua mix, and one Pembroke Welsh corgi.