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Win Condition: A Science Fiction Gamelit Cyberpunk Technothriller
"Brisk, exciting, and suspenseful, thick with detestable villains and imaginative opponents." - BookLife Editor’s Pick
In a world ruled by a cryptographic token, freedom is hacked—and paid for in blood. The Arena is the only way out.
On the neon streets of Char, the CIN token controls everything—your wealth, your fate, your life. The untouchable elite and AI dominate everything—and erase any who dare to fight back.
For Arrow, a rogue hacker living on the edge, and Sage, an exiled heir with a broken dream, BreakPoint is their only escape—a brutal, gladiatorial gaming tournament where every battle rewrites the rules of survival, and every outcome sacrifices innocent lives. As they climb the ranks, a rebel leader pulls them into a mission that could dismantle CIN—or destroy them all.
With every victory, the stakes rise. Rivals close in, allies betray them, and the AI hunt with relentless precision. For Arrow, survival means confronting the secrets she’s buried. For Sage, freedom might mean losing the last person she loves.
WIN CONDITION is an immersive high-stakes cyberpunk thriller where rebellion begins in the Arena, freedom is coded in blood, and power is a game where only the bold survive.
"Keeps you on the edge of your seat with a richly imagined world, thrilling action, and characters you’ll root for." - K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
"A high-stakes tournament, powerful allies, and fierce rivals make Win Condition an unforgettable ride." - Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite
In a world ruled by a cryptographic token, freedom is hacked—and paid for in blood. The Arena is the only way out.
On the neon streets of Char, the CIN token controls everything—your wealth, your fate, your life. The untouchable elite and AI dominate everything—and erase any who dare to fight back.
For Arrow, a rogue hacker living on the edge, and Sage, an exiled heir with a broken dream, BreakPoint is their only escape—a brutal, gladiatorial gaming tournament where every battle rewrites the rules of survival, and every outcome sacrifices innocent lives. As they climb the ranks, a rebel leader pulls them into a mission that could dismantle CIN—or destroy them all.
With every victory, the stakes rise. Rivals close in, allies betray them, and the AI hunt with relentless precision. For Arrow, survival means confronting the secrets she’s buried. For Sage, freedom might mean losing the last person she loves.
WIN CONDITION is an immersive high-stakes cyberpunk thriller where rebellion begins in the Arena, freedom is coded in blood, and power is a game where only the bold survive.
"Keeps you on the edge of your seat with a richly imagined world, thrilling action, and characters you’ll root for." - K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite
"A high-stakes tournament, powerful allies, and fierce rivals make Win Condition an unforgettable ride." - Romuald Dzemo for Readers’ Favorite
524 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2024
About the author
Libby Schultz
1 book3 followersLibby is an award-winning author and a fintech founder, technologist, CEO, educator, and thought leader in the crypto and gaming space. Born in Korea, she was incubated by German-Irish entrepreneurs. Her illustrations helped pay for her bachelor’s in philosophy at the University of Minnesota. She later went on to earn a master’s in data science at Carnegie Mellon, graduating with high honors.
She is a subject matter expert on digital assets for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. When not living as a digital nomad, she trains as a circus performer and studies everything about Shiba Inus.
Her works are inspired by her expertise and observations both as an early adopter and as a professional in the crypto and gaming industries. Her work is enriched by contributions from world-class scientists and technologists, along with Odyssey Writing Workshops, and could not be possible without the help of her talented editors who write for BBC and Netflix.
She is a subject matter expert on digital assets for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. When not living as a digital nomad, she trains as a circus performer and studies everything about Shiba Inus.
Her works are inspired by her expertise and observations both as an early adopter and as a professional in the crypto and gaming industries. Her work is enriched by contributions from world-class scientists and technologists, along with Odyssey Writing Workshops, and could not be possible without the help of her talented editors who write for BBC and Netflix.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 14, 2024
Set in a future in which the ritualistic veneration of cryptocurrency replaces religion, Win Condition is an engrossing thriller where high-stakes gaming competitions can have world-altering consequences. I was drawn into the underworld of clandestine political alliances and behind the scenes economic manipulation and impressed with the author’s command of technology and crypto keys. A group of unexpected allies secretly band together to oust the powerful and merciless leader of Char where the world’s most important gaming competition is held. Win Condition is a page-turner that’s not only entertaining but engages the reader to think about the impact of technology on society. A skillful debut novel by a talented author.
January 15, 2026
I discovered Win Condition by chance while attending the Seattle WorldCon (2025). To me, the topics of AI, Cryptocurrencey and Gaming didn't seem very related, but the author makes it work in a fast, moving way. The characters are expressive players on a complex stage that invites the reader to look at their perspective. It leads to some philosophical questions like "Who/what will win a competition?" and "What are the 'games' behind the games and when do they become real?". Without giving spoilers, the best I can say is that the details inherent in the basic topics are respected without becoming a distraction. I really enjoyed reading this and look forward to future titles.
August 2, 2024
Welcome to Char, a city on an island that is the nexus of the world's power players. Explore this harsh society, full of socioeconomic division where life is cheap, through the eyes of a prodigious gamer, part of a team of conspirators and Char natives seeking to overthrow the world order.
This action packed story, full of vibrant characters in a vivid world, explores what it means to win, to control, and to wield power. Their ambition collides with unintended consequences, leading to a race to survive the storm. Who will hold the keys at the end?
This action packed story, full of vibrant characters in a vivid world, explores what it means to win, to control, and to wield power. Their ambition collides with unintended consequences, leading to a race to survive the storm. Who will hold the keys at the end?
September 15, 2024
Thank you to BookSirens for the ARC. I'm not a hundred percent sure what to rate this one - overall, I definitely felt like I really enjoyed it, but I found it very slow to read; I nearly put it down at one point involving a form of torture I thought was far too distasteful; and I still don't understand anything about crypto or what the heck was going on in BreakPoint (was it just chess?). I wouldn't read a sequel, but I would absolutely recommend this to someone whose sci-fi interests lean towards the sci more than the fi.
October 9, 2024
Snow Crash meets The Hunger Games meets Ender’s Games!
Wow! This imaginative book weaves together an ironic and thoroughly enjoyable exploration of capitalism. The author creates a futuristic techno-dystopia (for some) and a guilty-pleasure near-utopia (for others) with her elitist, oppressive crypto-economy and lethal, yet thrilling, tournaments. Win Condition is a rare combination of fast paced action, humor, and deeper reflections on power and control. I highly recommend this engrossing and thought provoking read.
Wow! This imaginative book weaves together an ironic and thoroughly enjoyable exploration of capitalism. The author creates a futuristic techno-dystopia (for some) and a guilty-pleasure near-utopia (for others) with her elitist, oppressive crypto-economy and lethal, yet thrilling, tournaments. Win Condition is a rare combination of fast paced action, humor, and deeper reflections on power and control. I highly recommend this engrossing and thought provoking read.
August 1, 2024
This is such a great read which will take a look at how life is going for those haves and have nots. Two people are going to try to beat the haves by finding a new way to beat them at their own game. How will they get on? Will they beat them all? See how it will all goI received an advance copy from hidden gems and I want to review
October 7, 2025
We proudly announce that WIN CONDITION: A Crypto Science Fiction Cyberpunk Novel by Libby Schultz has been honored with the B.R.A.G. Medallion (Book Readers’ Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG. This award is a testament to this book's quality and its impact on readers.
October 9, 2024
If you love sci-fi & enjoy blockchain/crypto, this is a definite read for you. I won't try to spoil anything, but it's basically a cross between Endor's Game & Game of Thrones. Any gamer will appreciate this futuristic world of winner take all stakes of hardcore competitive digital gaming.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews