Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - a book review

Ready Player One

Throw Second Life, all the 8-bit games from the 80's, the Ragged Dick series by Horatio Alger and all the classic 80's teenage films (WarGames, Breakfast Club, etc) into a blender, add a dash of 80's alternative music then a twist of awkward teenage romance and you'll end up with a delicious serving of Ready, Player One.

Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline, is a story which mostly takes place in the virtual world known as The Oasis.  Millions of people worldwide are jacked into The Oasis, mostly to escape the real world, which is even shittier than the one we are currently living in.  Worldwide economic and political strife have turned the real world into a dirty, hopeless trash heap.

The Oasis's creator, James Halliday, has died, but has left behind a contest, whose prize is The Oasis itself.  To win the contest, contestants have to find keys to unlock three doors, then solve the puzzles within those doors.  James Halliday was an 80's pop culture freak, and the puzzles and riddles within the contest require that the contestants be well-versed in everything that was the 80's.

With something as valuable as The Oasis on the line, millions are vying for the prize.  A group know as The Sixers are even willing to kill to control The Oasis, worth untold billions.  Once the protagonist of our story, Wade Watts, stumbles upon the first key, his world turns into a whirlwind of fame, fortune, espionage and danger.

Ready Player One is one of the best books I have read in quite a while.  I give this opinion with a caveat.  I am a geek who grew up in the 80's.  This book is chock full of pop culture references, mostly of the geek variety.  If you grew up programming the Apple II, playing Adventure on the Atari 2600, watch and rewatching WarGames - you will absolutely love this book.  If you weren't around for the 80's, or don't identify with the game Zork, the Rubik's Cube or Max Headroom - you might want to skip this one.

I actually listened to Ready Player One on my audible app, and it was a very good listen.  Wil Wheaton did a great job narrating this book, he brings the 80's slang to life with spirited teenage bravado.  I listened to this book every chance I got until I was done.  I'm curious how the experience of reading this book for the first time compares with listening to the audio version - I'm thinking it must pale by comparison.

Must-read for 80's geeks, such as myself.  Not so sure for others, but give the sample chapter a try at Amazon to get a sense of the flavor of the book.  Ready Player One would make a FANTASTIC movie.

I'll leave you with "Video Fever" by The Beepers, as featured in WarGames -

LINKS
Ernest Cline's blog
Ready Player One at Amazon.com