Why am I passionate about this?
I have been an avid science fiction and fantasy reader for my entire life, having read north of 1,000 science fiction and fantasy novels. The teen hero has been the subject of innumerable science fiction and fantasy novels that I have read. When writing my fourth novel, I decided my protagonist would be a teenager. I read, reread (or listened to) a number of novels featuring teen protagonists while researching and writing Legacy of Atlantis. The five books I’ve recommended are among the best. A lawyer and entrepreneur, I live with my wife, Laura, in Atlanta, Georgia. I love to read and write and have written a handful of novels.
John's book list on science fiction with a young protagonist
Why did John love this book?
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 from a gamer on a quest to win at all costs to a caring individual willing to sacrifice himself for his friends. Great book and enjoyable movie.
14 authors picked Ready Player One as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY STEVEN SPIELBERG
It's the year 2044, and the real world has become an ugly place. We're out of oil. We've wrecked the climate. Famine, poverty, and disease are widespread.
Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade is obsessed by the ultimate lottery ticket that…