EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD . . .
'A high-voltage, whip-smart adventure' AVA REID
'A cyberpunk masterpiece' XIRAN JAY ZHAO
From Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the start of a daring new dystopian series where 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.
READERS ARE READY
'Thank you mother for feeding us," we all chant in unison!'
'Whatever Chloe Gong writes, I read'
'I'm a simple girl, i see "YA cyberpunk" written by the Chloe Gong, I click want to read'
'MOTHER IS ABOUT TO EAT ONCE AGAIN'
'OH I'm SAT'
Paperback / softback | 496 pages | Published November 2025
