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.