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Coldwire

the start of a thrilling new dystopian series from the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of IMMORTAL LONGINGS

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Pub Date 6 Nov 2025 | Archive Date 6 Nov 2025

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Description

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🫡'

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...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781399732383
PRICE £20.00 (GBP)
PAGES 496

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Average rating from 3 members


Featured Reviews

Minor spoilers!
.my thoughts.
Chloe Gong YOU MASTERMIND?!?!

I'm genuinely in love with this book? The way it was written was mass perfection, the characters? Funny, intriguing, and captivating. The plot was absolutely shocking, the twists I did not expect at all! I was way shocked, and smiling because I have never felt like that in a longer time.

From reading about the old Shanghai of 1920s where there's a strange epidemic, we are transported into this cyberpunk place, where the year is 2038, and everything has been mass developed, and divided into upcountry and downcountry.

The Medan orphans in Atahua, are supposed to join the Nile Military Academy and become a soldier in work, or be turned in as a spy. It's the same as Eirale did, and Lia is doing, but both are small pieces of a larger potrait, one they both won't able to believe, because I didn't either.

The plot was executed very perfectly, even when I was thinking about how everything is, the second half practically bombshelled it on me. Like it's eating everything inside me to not have the second book in my hands to read.

Starting off from the characters, all have their own potential that I loved, they delivered the exact thing and I enjoyed having them onscreen.

Lia Ward, genuinely I loved her so much, her teasing Kieran and Rayna was the best, and it takes everything in me not to go inside the book and hug her after the truth she finds out </3.

Kieran Murray, the nemesis, is the man, actually he is, the way he competes with her on everything!? Oh my, and when he knew where to find her has me like🤭🎀. I honestly don't know the fact what I'm gonna do when I get second book, because he's the mastermind here too!!

Eirale is a strong character, and the way she fights Nik at every steps has me intrigued, like how come she does it? she's very intelligent and I ought to be like her bahaha.

Nik Grant is the smartest one, first of all him planning everything smartly till the very end has me on a good hold, intrigued generally.

I actually don't have enough words to describe how much everything is done perfectly to an extent I want the second book NOW!!!! The romance is a subplot too, but it takes all my heart!💓.

Generally Netgalley took my ability to write quotes so I have none of them right now and I can't reopen it makes it even worse! :(, like I wanna go back to my bbs💓

Convincing y'all to read this if you love sci-fi, cyberpunk, angry love confession in the rain [you heard it right] and found family kinda with friendship vibes, and also mastermind plotting.

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