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bamitzsam711's review against another edition
5.0
UGHHH how do I explain how amazing this book is? Let me put it like this... I started reading this book about 6:30 PM today. It is now 11:00 PM and I finished it. It was just one of those books that sucks you in and you can't stop reading it. I will say there were some obvious plot points like Zero's identity that I clocked pretty much right after Hideo tells Emika the story. Also, I LOVE the Harry Potter easter eggs, A Car AI System named Fred and the Bodyguard named George? One of the previous captains of the Pheonix riders was named Oliver? She even directly mentions the main characters love of Harry Potter. I loved this book through and through and cannot WAIT to read Wild Card.
innae's review against another edition
It is just not holding my interest. It’s a fine virtual reality world/gaming story, but I don’t care enough about the characters or plot to continue.
guillevaldata's review against another edition
5.0
I want to cry.
It broke my heart.
I’m speechless.
It broke my heart.
I’m speechless.
eesh25's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 Stars
One of my most anticipated reads. It's written by Marie Lu, who I love, and has a very Ready Player One vibe that I'm digging; minus the bazillion 80s references, most of which I didn't get because I was born in the 90s in Asia. Basically, it seemed to me like a will-surely-love book and it was.
It's set in an alternate reality (or maybe the future) in which a majority of the populations spends its time on a virtual reality game called Warcross. The protagonist is Emika Chen. She's eighteen and has lived on her own ever since her father died and left her with gambling debts to pay off. She's barely making ends meet with her waitressing job and, on the side, is a bounty hunter who tracks down those who bet on the game illegally. In an attempt to make some quick cash, Emika uses a hack during the opening game of that year's Warcross tournament being held in Tokyo, only to accidentally glitch herself into the game.
Emika is then flown to Tokyo. But instead of punishment, Emika gets a job locating someone who seems to be messing with the game. She's entered into the tournament and works undercover. Emika is very determined, but so is her culprit. And soon, things start to become more and more dangerous than a simple game.
The anonymous guy she's trying to find goes by Zero. He has an agenda but she can't figure out what that is. She also has to focus on winning the tournament for her team, which consists of four other people. I really liked those people. They were great additions to the novel and came as a surprise because I kinda expected them to just be background people. But they were important and I am totally shipping Roshan with someone (not Emi) and excited to see how that will work out.
Emika was awesome. She's smart, strong-willed, makes good decisions and refuses to back down. She got a few shocks in this novel and the ending has faced her with a dilemma and, while I'm nervous about she'll do, I'm also confident that whatever it is, will be right. That's why I love her.
One characters I haven't yet mentioned, Hideo. He's the creator of Warcross and also the love interest (ever since I read The Love Interest that phrase doesn't sound the same). I don't wanna say much about him. He's a reserved guy for reasons we will find out. He comes off as stand-offish at first but grows on you later on. He was all mysterious and a really good character. Also eager to see more of him.
The story was fantastic and had a fast, exciting pace. I loved reading about the tournament and the games; and the world-building was so interesting. Marie Lu really knows how to immerse you in the world. And while it seems like Ready Player One at first, it's actually quite different. The tone is different and, again, no 80s pop culture references. I was totally in from page one, getting to know Emika and the game. Things were consistently great, no drops in momentum.
I have one complaint. It's about Zero's identity. I kinda guessed it early on and that was a bummer. It didn't take away much from the novel but I can't ignore it.
Overall, things were swell. I haven't read this good and refreshing a YA novel in a while. And since I've barely been reading thanks to my reading slump, this was new and also like coming home. It made me really happy and I highly recommend it.
One of my most anticipated reads. It's written by Marie Lu, who I love, and has a very Ready Player One vibe that I'm digging; minus the bazillion 80s references, most of which I didn't get because I was born in the 90s in Asia. Basically, it seemed to me like a will-surely-love book and it was.
It's set in an alternate reality (or maybe the future) in which a majority of the populations spends its time on a virtual reality game called Warcross. The protagonist is Emika Chen. She's eighteen and has lived on her own ever since her father died and left her with gambling debts to pay off. She's barely making ends meet with her waitressing job and, on the side, is a bounty hunter who tracks down those who bet on the game illegally. In an attempt to make some quick cash, Emika uses a hack during the opening game of that year's Warcross tournament being held in Tokyo, only to accidentally glitch herself into the game.
Emika is then flown to Tokyo. But instead of punishment, Emika gets a job locating someone who seems to be messing with the game. She's entered into the tournament and works undercover. Emika is very determined, but so is her culprit. And soon, things start to become more and more dangerous than a simple game.
The anonymous guy she's trying to find goes by Zero. He has an agenda but she can't figure out what that is. She also has to focus on winning the tournament for her team, which consists of four other people. I really liked those people. They were great additions to the novel and came as a surprise because I kinda expected them to just be background people. But they were important and I am totally shipping Roshan with someone (not Emi) and excited to see how that will work out.
Emika was awesome. She's smart, strong-willed, makes good decisions and refuses to back down. She got a few shocks in this novel and the ending has faced her with a dilemma and, while I'm nervous about she'll do, I'm also confident that whatever it is, will be right. That's why I love her.
One characters I haven't yet mentioned, Hideo. He's the creator of Warcross and also the love interest (ever since I read The Love Interest that phrase doesn't sound the same). I don't wanna say much about him. He's a reserved guy for reasons we will find out. He comes off as stand-offish at first but grows on you later on. He was all mysterious and a really good character. Also eager to see more of him.
The story was fantastic and had a fast, exciting pace. I loved reading about the tournament and the games; and the world-building was so interesting. Marie Lu really knows how to immerse you in the world. And while it seems like Ready Player One at first, it's actually quite different. The tone is different and, again, no 80s pop culture references. I was totally in from page one, getting to know Emika and the game. Things were consistently great, no drops in momentum.
I have one complaint. It's about Zero's identity. I kinda guessed it early on and that was a bummer. It didn't take away much from the novel but I can't ignore it.
Overall, things were swell. I haven't read this good and refreshing a YA novel in a while. And since I've barely been reading thanks to my reading slump, this was new and also like coming home. It made me really happy and I highly recommend it.
bibliophile80's review against another edition
3.0
Ugh. I hate negative reviews. I wanted to love this book. I’ve admired the cover design and the premise for a really long time. I’d recently read “Ready Player One” and “Otherworld” and it made sense to add this to the gang. I listened to the audiobook. The narrator was fine, nothing special but she didn’t turn me off the book. When my library loan expired before I was done, I had to get back on a waiting list, and I almost forgot I hadn’t finished it. It was that predictable, nearly boring. Things that made me cringe or ask (sometimes out loud) “What the hell?”:
Tedious repetition of her noticing or pointing out her own rainbow-colored hair.
A little too much telling: we know she fell asleep at the table but she beats it into us again and again; wearing the same clothes as last night.
Lazy writing: “I can’t remember when we start kissing.” This is the problem with present-tense narratives. If you’re telling it in “real time”, then you are currently remembering and you can’t argue that you can’t remember.
“Plastic red egg”? Wrong order of adjectives.
“The last thing I saw was the sight of my father...”
Is this YA? Gambling website and gang sign and red numbers seem to suggest the reader would have a decent awareness of the seedier side of the world.
Inconsistency: “settle into the silence” but then the voice of the tv announcer is heard.
“there is always a pattern to the way they move, however randomly.” Well, is there a pattern or is it random? Can’t be both.
Some parts were admirable. Diversity felt authentic and organic. Variety of ethnicities, lack of overpowering gender stereotypes, character uses a wheelchair without drawing attention to disability.
I think I could’ve accepted the predictability in plot if the writing were cleaner and the main character slightly less annoying. I’m happy to skip the sequel(s), though I’d still like the cover image as a poster on my wall!
Tedious repetition of her noticing or pointing out her own rainbow-colored hair.
A little too much telling: we know she fell asleep at the table but she beats it into us again and again; wearing the same clothes as last night.
Lazy writing: “I can’t remember when we start kissing.” This is the problem with present-tense narratives. If you’re telling it in “real time”, then you are currently remembering and you can’t argue that you can’t remember.
“Plastic red egg”? Wrong order of adjectives.
“The last thing I saw was the sight of my father...”
Is this YA? Gambling website and gang sign and red numbers seem to suggest the reader would have a decent awareness of the seedier side of the world.
Inconsistency: “settle into the silence” but then the voice of the tv announcer is heard.
“there is always a pattern to the way they move, however randomly.” Well, is there a pattern or is it random? Can’t be both.
Some parts were admirable. Diversity felt authentic and organic. Variety of ethnicities, lack of overpowering gender stereotypes, character uses a wheelchair without drawing attention to disability.
I think I could’ve accepted the predictability in plot if the writing were cleaner and the main character slightly less annoying. I’m happy to skip the sequel(s), though I’d still like the cover image as a poster on my wall!
implses's review against another edition
just not into it right now - stopped at 11%, chap 4, pg 72
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
5.0
Pre-ordered Kindle Edition (eBook), this is supposed to be published October 3d, 2017. This is in Germany a national Holiday, celebrating the Fall of the Berlin Wall (was seperating East-from-West-Berlin) in 1989. Instead I received this early, on September 12, 2017 (the day of the Apple Keynote for iPhone X).
Read the review from "Reading after Midnight" - the drawing of Emika Chen, the MC, is great, really beautiful!
Cannot totally agree with the analysis of the romance, though, I thought it was a mixture of fandom, Stockholm-Syndrome, and real love, until near the twist near the end. And I think it is totally believable and was very well written.
The world-building (inside Warcross) was great, with learning how it works not forced in one big massive boulder on the reader, then also the MC learning what she doe not know. With the review from "Reading after midnight" I agree, there could have been more hacking, but at least it was shown that there is some team-spirit, others helping and also near the end, the MC asking for help, which is always a good thing and well explained with the example of helping other but not daring to ask for help. As someone who spent his whole, short work-life helping others as a former Helpdesk-Slave, I can totally relate to that, but I am used to asking for help, also as I am sitting in wheelchair and some things I just cannot do on my own.
That was also a part I really liked, that it was subtly introduced that one of the other warcross players was part of the Paralympics-Team, (disqualified for getting into a fight with a teammate) and then switched to Warcross.
And then one of the main players, the Captain of Emika's Team is sitting in a big, expensive wheel-chair. Even that we do not get much details about that was very good, felt naturally integrated, as if it is not a big deal - which it should not be, but would be nowadays.
Not a lot of twists, until near the end, and I guessed the real name of Zero quite early, felt obvious to me. No sex, just kisses and a little romance, felt a bit juvenile to me, as they are all at least 18, most older, I am not convinced, there should have been sex, even if happening off-page.
Regret mostly that I have to wait for the next book, but will definitely read her other Trilogy (Legend), which I have already marked as "reading" some time ago, but have not really started. Also my "currently reading" list is way too long, I will try to FastForward/DNF a few books to make this list shorter and more realistic.
As far as I have gathered from comments, the next book will offer the POV from ZERO.
Highly recommended, but as it is supposed to be a Trilogy, the whole will decide for me wether it was worthwhile. Like the style of writing though, chapter-lenth is good, so I hope book #02 and #03 do not disappoint. Ah, the long wait for a not-yet-published-book...
Read the review from "Reading after Midnight" - the drawing of Emika Chen, the MC, is great, really beautiful!
Cannot totally agree with the analysis of the romance, though, I thought it was a mixture of fandom, Stockholm-Syndrome, and real love, until near the twist near the end. And I think it is totally believable and was very well written.
The world-building (inside Warcross) was great, with learning how it works not forced in one big massive boulder on the reader, then also the MC learning what she doe not know. With the review from "Reading after midnight" I agree, there could have been more hacking, but at least it was shown that there is some team-spirit, others helping and also near the end, the MC asking for help, which is always a good thing and well explained with the example of helping other but not daring to ask for help. As someone who spent his whole, short work-life helping others as a former Helpdesk-Slave, I can totally relate to that, but I am used to asking for help, also as I am sitting in wheelchair and some things I just cannot do on my own.
That was also a part I really liked, that it was subtly introduced that one of the other warcross players was part of the Paralympics-Team, (disqualified for getting into a fight with a teammate) and then switched to Warcross.
And then one of the main players, the Captain of Emika's Team is sitting in a big, expensive wheel-chair. Even that we do not get much details about that was very good, felt naturally integrated, as if it is not a big deal - which it should not be, but would be nowadays.
Not a lot of twists, until near the end, and I guessed the real name of Zero quite early, felt obvious to me. No sex, just kisses and a little romance, felt a bit juvenile to me, as they are all at least 18, most older, I am not convinced, there should have been sex, even if happening off-page.
Regret mostly that I have to wait for the next book, but will definitely read her other Trilogy (Legend), which I have already marked as "reading" some time ago, but have not really started. Also my "currently reading" list is way too long, I will try to FastForward/DNF a few books to make this list shorter and more realistic.
As far as I have gathered from comments, the next book will offer the POV from ZERO.
Highly recommended, but as it is supposed to be a Trilogy, the whole will decide for me wether it was worthwhile. Like the style of writing though, chapter-lenth is good, so I hope book #02 and #03 do not disappoint. Ah, the long wait for a not-yet-published-book...
karrama's review against another edition
3.0
When a bounty hunter's game world and the real world cross in the Warcross game, she meets the game's maker and becomes a player. It was a fun read, and would have been fairly straight forward except for the end.
destinyandpaper's review against another edition
I skimmed through the first 150 pages and it was so boring?? The dialogue was clunky and weird, and anytime a character mentioned something about themselves, it ended up feeling directed towards the reader so the plot made more sense.