Author: Marie Lu
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Published on: September 18, 2018 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books
Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.
Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems--and his protection comes at a price.
Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?
Prodigious eighteen-year-old hacker Emika Chen returns in this conclusion to her duology. Wildcard opens shortly after the aftermath of the final Warcross championship match. If you recall, Warcross is a globally popular AR game played through high-tech glasses. The creator, Hideo Tanaka, drafted Emika into an official team as a cover to hunt for someone. This was a great move, as Emika is not only a fine Warcross player. She’s also a notable bounty hunter, a job Emika took up so she could make ends meet. Emika spent most of the Warcross novel trying to catch Zero, an elusive black hat hacker.
Hideo and Emika were fairly sure Zero sought to take down the NeuroLink. That’s the software that powers Warcross and several other critical technologies. Emika managed to catch up to Zero during the final match. After stopping him, it seemed that Emika had saved the day. Then Zero made a shocking revelation. Emika may have been on the wrong side the whole time. Her efforts unwittingly activated a secret project Hideo had been working on. Emika’s trust in Hideo is damaged once she finds out what he kept from her.
During Emika’s time in the championships, she and Hideo slowly grew close. They had lots in common, including their Asian heritage and incredible coding skill. Emika eventually learned that Hideo created the NeuroLink because of his lost younger brother. Sasuke Tanaka was abducted as a child and no one has seen him since. Emika never imagined how far Hideo would go to find Sasuke, though. He made an algorithm for the NeuroLink that prevents anyone connected to it from committing any sort of wrongdoing. It also allows Hideo access to their minds.
Pretty much everyone is under the algorithm’s influence now. Emika and her team, the Phoenix Riders, are among the few exceptions. This is because they've been using beta versions of the NeuroLink glasses. Even those will get patched with the algorithm soon, though. Emika is determined to stop Hideo before he seizes control over the entire population. This is difficult enough, but Emika has another complication to worry about. Someone put an enormous price on her head. Emika will have to join forces with an unlikely ally if she wants to remain alive.
Over the rest of Wildcard, several characters remind Emika how much danger she faces. The mission to stop Hideo pits her against extremely powerful and dangerous people. Emika’s a girl who finishes what she starts, no matter what. It doesn’t matter that no one’s paying her anymore. Emika keeps going because no one else has the intel or skills needed. Despite the danger Emika runs, she’s not alone. The Phoenix Riders support her wherever they can. I liked that they still count Emika in their group even though she’s not an official Warcross player anymore. Those are friends that are there for Emika for the long haul.
So, were two books enough to do justice to Emika’s story? After reading Wildcard, I think yes. She’s a great character, though. I’d have liked to see her in at least another book. The conflict (and Emika’s mission) are over, and every antagonist is dealt with. This would make a third entry superfluous. I'd also much rather have a finished duology than a trilogy left unresolved because the author gave up on finishing the last book. Emika’s character arc and goals are met, and that’s what matters. Warcross and Wildcard were great sci-fi novels. They’re now among my favorites in the genre.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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