4.0
Coldwire
ByPublisher Description
An instant New York Times bestseller!
“Super-charged with electrifying action, mind-blowing twists, and timely commentary.” —Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Iron Widow
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the first book in the dystopian StrangeLoom trilogy, an “adrenaline-fueled mystery” (School Library Journal, starred review) in which humanity has moved to virtual reality to flee their deteriorating world, following two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival.
The future is loading…
To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”
But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier, or risk being labelled a spy.
Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.
Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…
Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.
“Super-charged with electrifying action, mind-blowing twists, and timely commentary.” —Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Iron Widow
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the first book in the dystopian StrangeLoom trilogy, an “adrenaline-fueled mystery” (School Library Journal, starred review) in which humanity has moved to virtual reality to flee their deteriorating world, following two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival.
The future is loading…
To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”
But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier, or risk being labelled a spy.
Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.
Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…
Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesColdwire Reviews
4.0
“I NEED DEADLOCK ASAP”
“This was a PERFECT BOOK. Every time I thought I knew what was coming next I was wrong. A perfect plot executed flawlessly. The romance and slow burn was done just right and didn’t take away from the plot. I am READY for book two!!!”
Change and growDiverse representationLikeableMemorableMinor characters stand outMorally ambiguousMultilayeredOriginalRelatableStrong relationshipsAction-packedAddictiveClever plottingEpic scopeGripping/excitingSuspensefulTwistyUnpredictableFuturisticImmersive world-buildingSetting fits the storySurrealUnique locationVivid descriptionsBeautifully-writtenDescriptiveWittyMurderWar violence
“I think dystopian books are not for me, but the end really kept me on my toes! I don’t know if I will read the second book🙃”
“I read this for my work book club and I am SO glad I picked it for this month. It was incredible. I loved the dystopian/technology vibe of it. I think it honestly has a lot to say about things going on today. It kept me guessing and wrapped up in the plot. I loved the amount of depth each character had, and how well the ties between them all were done. I think it really shows Chloe Gong’s skill as an author. I’m so excited for the next one this series.”
About Chloe Gong
Chloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of critically acclaimed fantasy and science fiction novels, including These Violent Delights, Immortal Longings, and Coldwire. Her books have been published in over twenty countries, and she was named one of Forbes’s 30 Under 30 for 2024. Chloe graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in English and international relations. Born in Shanghai and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, she is now located in New York City. Visit her online at TheChloeGong.com and on Instagram and TikTok at @TheChloeGong.
Other books by Chloe Gong
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