I feel like Ernest Cline went through my brain and picked out all of the things I find to be cool and put them in Ready Player One: quests, video games, the 80s, David vs. Goliath, and the list goes on. If you want to read a book where upon closing it you think that was EPIC -Ready Player One is THE book to pick up.
Ready Player One (I like this cover MUCH MORE than the orange one)
The year is 2044. Life pretty much sucks for everyone. There’s an energy crisis. Housing is crowded. Jobs are hard to find. Most people forget the trouble around them by escaping into OASIS, a virtual reality created by James Halliday. When Halliday dies, he has no heir to leave his billion dollar empire to, and instead creates a quest – the first person to clear three gates and find the Easter egg left by Halliday – who leaves clues related to the 1980s- wins the empire.
Look, if you loved The Westing Game as a kid, chances are you’ll enjoy Ready Player One as they have a similar concept – but different executions. Wade ‘Parzival’ Watts, a young gamer, is the main character of Ready Player One. He is a bit of an underdog, with self deprecating humor, yet one can’t help but root for Wade as he clears various gates in his race for the egg against other gamers and an evil corporation known as IPO and their paid gamers, the sixers, aka sux0rs.
Ernest Cline’s debut is a thrilling ride, one that rarely slows in pace. Every time a new key or gate is discovered, when wade gets closer to finding the egg – it’s exciting. Even though the book takes place in the OASIS, a virtual reality, Cline’s descriptions make this vicarious experience come alove.
Ready Player One is recommended if you’ve ever felt like a nerd, if you’ve ever cheered for the little guy, if you think of the 80s with nostalgia. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is an epic debut -I can’t wait for Cline’s next book.
Disclosure: Vine provided my review copy.
Other reviews of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline:
Forever Young Adult
The Book Swarm
Hitting On Girls In Bookstores
Book Journey
This looks like the perfect book to read WITH my husband! (And I’m always looking for one of those – but I think he’d really enjoy it.)
Besides, I am definitely a nerd, and I definitely like 80′s Nostalgia!!
I snuck Ready Player One into my boyfriend’s nightstand pile hahaha so he will read it next.
Nerd power!
80s? Mystery? Egg hunts? I am so there! I’ve never read The Westing Game though I’ve heard much about it. Now I’ve got another going on my TBR,
YES! Read The Westing Game, it is simply fantastic!
I can’t wait to read this. It seems like it has everything I love…80′s, nerds and underdogs. <— I'm suddenly reminded of The Revenge of the Nerds.
There’s actually a Revenge Of The Nerds shout out in Ready Player One, lol.
I adored this book–passed it on to some friends and even got it for my brother for Christmas. Loved the 80′s references and I really want to spend some time in Wheadonverse. And maybe the disco world.
Oh man I’d love to hang out in the disco world, haha. I just want to climb inside OASIS cuz it seems so awesome.
This sounds really interesting, but I have absolutely no 80s knowledge. I feel like me reading this would be like a 2000s baby reading The Future of Us.
Bahaha. I was born in the late 80s but was kind of a pop culture 80s nerd in high school.
Oh hey, I didn’t even THINK of comparing this one to The Westing Game (probably because it’s been so so long since I read it I barely remember it), but good call! I loved the hunt, and all of the amazing references in this book. I was a little let down by the world building, which I felt was pretty weak. Still, I’ve made pretty much ALL of my in-their-30s gaming guy friends read this book, and they’ve all loved it!
See, I read the Westing Game like a year or two ago so it’s really fresh in my brain. (LOVE THAT BOOK).
Also? I loved the hunt and quest too.
Yeah, I need to start pushing this on my friends who enjoy gaming.
ARE YOU SHITTING ME RIGHT NOW.
1. I always feel like a nerd.
2. I always cheer for the little guy.
3. 80s FOREVER.
I am so totally NOT SHITTING YOU.
1. Nerd love yo.
2. Team Underdog.
3. The 80s are truly outrageous. Truly, truly outrageous!
I’m too young for the 80s, but I do enjoy being a nerd
Sounds like a good read. I’ll definitely be adding it to my TBR.
Being a nerd is quite the pleasurable pastime!
I started reading this and just didn’t like it. I was completely turned off by the MC whose name is escaping me right now. I stopped reading it probably right before the action started, but I think I’m okay with that—the ’80s references started to get to me.
Awwww. That sucks that Ready Player One didn’t work for you. I know with other books, pop culture references totally annoy me, but for RPO it just worked, at least for me.
Wow, I love that cover way more too. Why go with the ugly orange when this one speaks to the book?
I loved this book so much! I listened to it on audio and Wil Wheaton was the reader and he was so so fabulous!
Yeah that orange cover blows.
See, I want to re-read just to listen to Wil Wheaton narrate, because I don’t think they could have chosen a BETTER narrator.
Ooooo it almost sounds like Willy Wonka for the digital age! When kids worship video games more than chocolate
Sounds really interesting, I’ll keep an eye out for it.
Actually? The Willy Wonka comparison is apt, very, very apt.
You should definitely check it out, Sarah!
Totes loved this book. Pop culture references for the win!