REVIEW: Ready Player One
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Page Count: 374 pages
Release Date: August 16, 2011
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Goodreads Synopsis:
In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.
My Review:
The first time I read Ready Player One, I was in the worst reading slump of my life - for the past six months all I'd done was reread the Harry Potters. Nothing else seemed to interest me. ENTER READY PLAYER ONE. I picked it up, read the first two pages, and was hooked. It was so unique, so interesting, the world building was INSANE...I read non stop and finished it in a day.
Even if you're not a "gamer" or don't know anything about 80's pop culture, I still think you would enjoy this book. When I first read it, I'd never gamed and had no idea what most of the references were, and I still loved it for the fast-paced story (literally heart-stopping, race against the clock), the completely unique plot (a completely immersive gaming experience that almost the entire world is immersed in), and the characters (the ULTIMATE nerds).
Wade is such a lovable, nerdy, underdog character, and I fully rooted for him and his friends the entire time. There's the perfect amount of romance, friendship, action, and nerd references (but honestly, if you have no idea about any kind of nerd-anything, it doesn't detract from the story whatsoever). Read the book before you see the movie! If you don't want to see the movie, read the book anyways! It's such a thrilling ride.