I recently had the opportunity to receive and read a complimentary copy of Lauren Smyth’s Warsafe, a science-fiction novel published through Enclave Publishing. Warsafe follows two primary characters, Halley and Roscoe, who at first glance seem worlds apart, but are actually more closely connected than anyone would expect.
Halley lives in a dystopian-type world where danger is a constant presence, taking the form of mercenaries—known as Mercs—who attack one another in a never-ending game of life and death. Civilians like Halley normally live within the comforts of their homes and tight-knit neighborhoods, but this changes when she finds one of the Mercs, Petra, wounded just outside her house and brings her home for treatment. This single act sets off a chain of events that lead Halley to the Mercs’ headquarters, aptly named the Mercenary House, where her curiosity draws her into increasing danger—not only for Petra, but for the world as Halley knows it.
Meanwhile, Roscoe works as a beta tester at Warsafe Headquarters in Seattle, Washington, uncovering and fixing glitches as they arise. However, one particular glitch forces her to rethink everything she knows about video games. Reality and fiction soon collide as Roscoe realizes she holds far more power in her hands than she ever imagined—and may even bear responsibility for the loss of many lives. There is more to Warsafe than meets the eye, and when Roscoe encounters Andy, an engineer on the run after his friend and colleague is nearly murdered, the two join forces to uncover what Warsafe Headquarters is hiding—and the truth behind how they are using Roscoe’s in-game character, Petra. The same Petra that Halley has While this book is touted as an homage to video games, I found through reading that the story played out more like a thriller instead. You do have some game elements—Halley and her neighbors playing the part of coded NPCs who follow a set script in their day-to-day lives, and the mysterious Mercenary House functioning like a Black Ops–esque game, where the objective is to reach the next level and destroy opponents who stand in the way.
The thriller aspect of the story comes into play through the actions of the Warsafe game company and the true purpose of their game, which is gradually uncovered. Without spoiling the story, Roscoe and Halley come to discover that there is a deeper connection between their two worlds than mere lines of data behind a computer screen. The information and decisions made by the player carry consequences that I honestly didn’t see coming—and they definitely made me stop and think.
I did have a bit of trouble following the plot at times. I think part of that comes from the number of characters whose points of view we follow—including, but not limited to, Halley and Roscoe. The POVs in these chapters switch between first and third person, and I was never quite sure why the inconsistency. I also think that, because of these shifts, there were some characters I couldn’t connect to as strongly as others. One example of this would be Andy—Andy was actually my favorite character, despite him not being one of the main ones to follow and read. The threat following him throughout the story was fascinating, built with a good mix of mystery and intensity, and I especially liked the way he tied into Roscoe’s own story. But I didn’t connect to Halley’s world as well, even when it was the real setting of the story where the most risk was in place.
There were some interesting philosophical and spiritual ideas discussed in this book, such as what ethics exist for war and violence—if any—along with themes of redemption in the face of terrible mistakes and sin, and helping others even at great risk to ourselves simply because it’s the right thing to do.
My biggest challenge while reading this book was that it was sometimes hard to follow, as I wasn’t always sure what was happening in the virtual world—the one that Halley and Petra hail from. It’s clear that their world is not the real one, which we see through details like all residents going into a coma at night until the next morning, and technology that helps them dress and eat. However, within the Mercenary House, I wasn’t always exactly sure how to envision the conflict that Halley, Petra, and the other characters were facing. This confusion continued into the climax as well, when the story’s major revelation came to light.
Warsafe is obviously written through a Christian lens, and it’s apparent through its commentary about redemption, faith, life after death. It’s not overt on every page, but it is touched upon by certain characters, and by reflection. I especially appreciated towards the end when two characters discuss what they believe religion is, and this quote came up: “Religion is the knowledge that something perfect exists.” It’s simple, but a good reminder for when the world doesn’t make much sense – much like what the characters experience in the world of Warsafe.
If you’re looking for a book that blends conspiracy and action with a touch of mystery, wrapped in a science-fiction setting—and if you enjoy games such as PUBG, Mercenaries, and Black Ops—this may be a story you’ll want to check out. Although it wasn’t always clear to me what was happening at times, I did enjoy the characters and the revelation behind the purpose of the virtual world. The ending, in particular, was especially contemplative, which I appreciated.