“Wildcard” by Marie Lu was published on Sept. 18. It is the sequel to Lu’s book, “Warcross.” This sci-fi thriller is fast-paced and engaging. Photo by Gretchen Hinger
The Marie Lu “Warcross” sequel, “Wildcard,” is an interesting book, but it does not quite live up to its predecessor.
Author Marie Lu is known for her sci-fi, dystopian, thriller novels, and her new book “Wildcard,” the sequel to “Warcross,” is definitely that. While this book was not as good as “Warcross” it will still keep readers coming back for more with its mix of romance, action and a well-developed futuristic setting,
In “Warcross,” teen hacker and bounty hunter Emika Chen finds she has inadvertently hacked into Warcross, the game that changed the entire way of life. The game creator offers her the opportunity of a lifetime- to hunt down a dangerous hacker.
The sequel, “Wildcard,” starts three days after the Warcross championship. In this sequel, she has to make a tough decision about who she will work with: her close friend who broke her trust or the potentially dangerous hacker she was hired to hunt.
Lu’s characters are likable, personable and believable. Her use of descriptive words and her ability to make the reader feel like they are a part of the book’s futuristic Tokyo helps make this an enjoyable book that the reader will not want to put down. Her addition of new characters with intricate backstories is a good change in this sequel.
For example, the author includes, while introducing the character Jax, descriptive words to enhance the vision of her new character. “I jerk my head to one side at the voice. Crouched beside me in the darkness is a girl with a black cap pulled low on her head. Her lipstick is black, her eyes grey and hard as steel and fixated on the shadowed silhouettes on the street,” she wrote.
Throughout the book, there are plot twists that help make this book an engaging page-turner, but, even with that, it doesn’t meet the standards of the first book. This is due to its slow start which has little action compared to “Warcross.”
However, once one gets further into the story it is fast-paced and thrilling, giving it and the series a great ending. If Lu would have given a little more background at the beginning of this book to make it able to stand alone, it would have been as captivating as the first book.
Although “Wildcard” was a bit of a disappointing sequel to “Warcross,” Lu did not stray away from her compelling, action-packed, sci-fi style. “Wildcard” is great for anyone who enjoys reading Marie Lu novels, sci-fi, or wants to try something new, but for readers to really enjoy “Wildcard” they should read “Warcross” first.
