Watch Dogs: Legion takes players into a dystopian London, dropping them into the shoes of hackers from the organization known as DedSec. The masked hackers have a twofold goal: clear their name of the terrorist attacks for which they've been accused, and free the public from the Big Brother-ish influence of Albion.

If you're not aware of any of this as you begin Cold Reboot, that's fine—Robbie MacNiven skillfully spins out the game's lore as you read on. Besides which, this book steps outside London, taking the fight to Germany and its own tangled web of hacktivist groups. At the center of this web is Freya Bauer, a DedSec hacker attempting to leave the job behind and settle into her role as single mom to a newly-minted college student.

But, of course, it's never that easy. DedSec comes knocking with an offer she can't refuse: head to Berlin for one last job, after which she'll be allowed to hang up her mask for good. Her ex-husband, fellow DedSec member Will, has been made the same offer. But as the two partner up for a farewell gig, Freya's past catches up to her. The same killer who took out her father years ago has set his sights on the rest of the Bauers. And it will take groups inside and outside DedSec, in both Berlin and London, to keep Freya and her loved ones safe.

Cold Reboot spreads itself thin in terms of action and characters, but maintains its integrity even so. For an outsider to the games like myself, it was an easy, engaging read. The history of the various hacker groups, Albion, and Zero Day were sufficiently explained, as were the equipment and aesthetics of the setting. Impressively, no characters feel especially overlooked. Freya and Will get their fair dues, as do the villainous Kaiser and Teuton... an important task as the story races to its action-packed finale.

The highlight of the book, though, is the team of Helen Dashwood and Harriet Park. The brilliant pensioner hacktivist and her college-age, cat-ear-wearing protégé were an enchanting addition to the story. It seems these two are DLC characters in the game itself—meaning fans of the games will get to see the pair working in tandem. It's a match made in heaven, and their presence does a lot for the book's B-plot.

Even if you're not into the Watch Dogs games, Cold Reboot is an exciting, intriguing read. It was a delight to see the character of Freya—who seemed positioned to be a stereotypical Hollywood Strong Female—handled well. New readers don't have to fear getting lost in the jumble of game references, but I also get the sense that game fans will get a lot out of it. As ever, Aconyte shows itself to be a master of approachable tie-in books: approachable for everyone, and perhaps even a gateway for potential fans.

Introduction
I was given a copy to review for a book tour. My reviews are always honest and all opinions are my own. #WatchDogLegionColdReboot #RobbieMacNiven #NetGalley #ARCReview #AconyteBooks #BookReview #gifted #ad

Review
I will obviously go into more detail but I will say this to preface my review. If you enjoy the Watch Dog Universe and love fast paced action, cyberpunk-ish settings with bits of political activism struggles thrown in you are going to love Watch Dogs Legion: Cold Reboot.

Now that I got that out of my system (pun intended) we can discuss Cold Reboot in a little more detail. We are introduced to Freya Bauer whose revolutionary fervour has dimmed with age but just as she is about to hang up her DedSec mask she is recruited for one last mission to Berlin and with her ex-husband of all people. Only when she arrives in Germany a series of betrayals means she is suddenly unsure who is a friend and who is a foe. If that was not enough her past is finally catching up with her in the form of a mysterious hitman who is determined to take out the Bauer family in London but if he can’t remove Freya immediately her son may be the next best target. Unsure who she can turn to Freya must navigate competing tech-gang, reconcile with her ex and save her son before everything she loves is destroyed.


If you are looking for a fast-paced, pulse-pounding thriller this one is for you. MacNiven takes us by the hand and drags us, high speed, into the world of Watch Dogs Legion and the action does not slow down. Ties in fiction can be hit or miss sometimes but I have to say I have yet to find an author within the Aconyte expanding world of fiction that doesn’t nail it every time. You honestly feel like you are being pulled into the game, or rather world of the game in this novel and that is something I adore.

I also adore the characters in this novel. Freya was a wonderful protagonist and I adored she was a little older than one might expect for a high stake thriller. Despite me saying this is fast-paced and action-packed we really get a chance to see the type of woman Freya is and I found it easy to bond with her as a character and protagonist. I also adored how brutal she could be when needed. On top of this and adored the twists and turns of the narrative.

This is definitely one for fans of the Watch Dog universe, obviously, but more than that I think it’s a great way into the universe if you haven’t played the games in depth or for a while. Also because of the way it is written you do not need an intimate knowledge of the world of Watch Dogs to enjoy this one so if you like a sprinkle of cyber punk, a lot of action and a good thriller this one is most definitely for you!

I've been a fan of the Watch_Dogs games for years now - WatchDogs 2 is one of my most favorite games, actually, with an engaging cast of characters and a scarily prescient near-future setting that still manages to end of notes of hope, even after multiple, horrible hurdles. This scope and subject is made all the bigger in the third game, Watch_Dogs Legion, set in London. This book is set a couple of years after the end of that game, and puts the London DedSec org back in the spotlight. This is actually the first tie-in novel for this series that I've read, and I'll likely pick up the rest because I love this world.

I want to start, firstly, by saving I appreciate the namedrops and references to game characters. Having Helen Dashwood appear, in a larger supporting role than I expected, was a special and amusing surprise especially. I would honestly read a whole book about that super-spy hacker granny lol She's like if Ms. Marple had an intelligence background and knew her way around computers. Loved it. The other main characters though? Kind of forgettable. Freya Bauer, the actual main character, is a tough but emotionally damaged, jaded since she helped with the London resistance and the fall of Albion. Her family history feels like a footnote, even though it's the leading plot point for which all of the novel takes place.

And I appreciate Robbin MacNiven including some of the chaotic conflicts I feel the games are kind of known for, but it actually is kind of hard to follow... the final third of the book felt like a blur, with it's non-stop action and back-and-forth will-they-or-won't-they win situations. It was a bit much. And the main villain had less depth than Flat Stanley; he was basically a walking, talking caricature of a bad guy, but the secondary villain was a lot more interesting and is clearly being set up for a sequel. Lots of tropes in use overall, though.

I wish some of the action had been dialed back for character work, but then this novel felt long and wordy as it was and even now could probably use a bit more trimming to make it more appealing to the masses.

I enjoyed it mainly for the tie-in to the game world, but I think anyone reading it with no familiarity of the video games will just be lost and uninterested.

Enjoyed this book so much. I was looking forward to a bit of fast paced action, some thrilling twists, some political struggle activism and interesting, fun and strong characters. That’s exactly what Robbie NacNiven delivered from beginning to end. Thank you to Aconyte Books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

ARC COPY...yep very much the narrative has the high tech and high stakes of the Watch Dog world with no clear morality lines. Very much liked and could see the "London" faction equals in Berlin with the hacktivist group (not the warmest welcome), paramilitary (in the upstart phase) and the criminal group (with personal links to the protagonist) present.