Ready Player One

While this book doesn’t depict today’s internet culture directly, it’s easy to imagine a dystopian future where most people spend their lives in a virtual reality world like the Oasis. As the main character navigates the challenges of this massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), he encounters dilemmas that resonate with today’s internet users: Can you truly trust someone you’ve only met online? How do you compete when others have far more resources?

Though the book is geared toward a young adult audience, its themes hit home for readers of all ages. I’m glad we have stories showing that tech… show more.

I’m a sucker for ‘80s nostalgia, and this pop culture birthday gift picked all the right member berries for me. Games, movies, all the things I loved as a kid, right there in a literary thriller adventure. But, while the throwback to childhood hooked me, the hero’s simple desire to “win the game” and “earn the big prize” kept me invested. After all, that was what childhood and video games were all about.

Add to that the reality of what happens when the hero takes the competitive lead and suddenly gains the utter wrath of his corporate opponents in a… show more.

This book captivated me. As a child of the ’80s, I immediately fell in love with Cline’s neon-splashed vision of a future ruled by VR escapism. It is fast, fun, and very cheeky in the best way.

There are a ton of literal time capsule easter eggs to uncover in reading this book–many of which transported this 80’s kid back down memory lane. It’s just a ton of fun moments all wrapped up in a book that doesn’t try to take itself too seriously.

I love stories where the hero is a normal guy that we can all identify with in some way or another and where there is an arc to the story that transforms that normal guy into something extraordinary. 

With just wits and creativity, our hero, Wade Watts, finds a way to survive against all odds. And no matter how bad things get, he never quits. He embodies the best of the human spirit—and by the end of the book, you’re cheering for him. Because he is you (or who you want to be), the "everyman" who stands up to injustice,… show more.

For me, this one is all about the plot and the deep, delicious levels of fan service. I admit these are the main draws for me–but wow, I’ll take it. I’ll often see works of art in all types of media and think to myself that the comic book, anime, and manga master storytellers certainly influenced the creators. But did Ernest Cline just mention Cowboy Bebop? And Ultraman? And the main quest–doesn’t that sound just like something straight out of a PS2 RPG? And all those 80s games and movies and music and all the things I love… show more.

I love how this book is a fast-paced read that explores what technology could be in the near future. 

This book touts a world where virtual reality is everything, and the real world is not a place you want to be. It’s only too believable. Go anywhere in public and what do you find? People on their phones. Even when reality is great, we can often turn to our devices. The allure of social media likes, polyopia victories, entertainment, or messages can sabotage our real-world relationships. I’m just glad we don’t wear headsets in our reality . . .

Yet. 

Set in a dystopian future where poverty is rampant and the populous flocks to a gaming metaverse to escape the doldrums of everyday life, young Wade Watts must solve a quest to not only save himself, but to save the world.

Ernest Cline’s knowledge of 80s and 90s pop culture is astounding, but he weaves the tale in such a way that you don’t have to have lived through the period to enjoy the book.

Cline’s world building is excellent and Wade Watt (Parzival is the name of his avatar in the metaverse) goes through an excellent character arc evolving… show more.

This book made me happy and nostalgic for the eighties when I was a teenager. Ready Player One is a roller-coaster set in a futuristic and dystopian world. 

Everyone escapes their depressing reality with an immersion in an online game called the Oasis. Wade, our endearing hero, is obsessed with the hunt for an Easter egg hidden in the virtual Oasis by James Halliday, the late Oasis’s creator. 

The person who finds the egg will inherit his humungous fortune and control over the Oasis. The narrative charges along as Wade and his fellow “gunters” race to solve all the challenges,… show more.

A video game treasure hunt filled with movie geek trivia? Sign me up.

I don’t know a single person who’s read this book and has been disappointed. Set in a not-too-distant future, this YA sci-fi novel is a fun and fast read that’s even better than the movie. 

I love how the plot, and the video game treasure hunt, are propelled forward by movie and pop culture references. This really spoke to me as a reader who loves that stuff, and showed me how I could use the same type of film references in my own book. 

Sometimes I like something a little different. Ready Player One is an oldie but a goodie 2011 science fiction novel.

The story, set in a dystopia in 2045, follows protagonist Wade Watts on his search for an Easter egg in a worldwide virtual reality game, the Oasis. It’s fast-paced and exciting. I loved the way the author made his characters and the world he created come alive.

You’ll be rooting for Wade and his friends at every turn. Will he discover the location of the egg which leads him to inherit the game creator's fortune? You’ll need to pick up… show more.