I read this book originally back in 2020, and finally got around to listening to the audio book. I love this book, the great pop culture references, the notes of the decline of the world and humanity, and specifically such a great sci-fi adventure story. Wade's character development, as well as his general outlook on life is the exact type of character arc I love to see. My one favorite reference is specifically Rush, my dad's favorite rock band. Just the nod to the bands work just made my soul happy. ( )

I loved every second of this book. Though I read this one as an ebook, I am SERIOUSLY considering getting a hard copy to actually place among my precious home library selections. I’m ashamed of how long it took for me to actually decide to read it.

Right from the beginning, I knew I would like this book – I mean, what’s not to love about a story that promises an escape as the main character himself escapes into a futuristic, virtual world?! From start to finish, I liked everything in this book; the 80’s pop culture nostalgia, the video game, movie, and music references, the futuristic/dystopian setting, and a misunderstood, outcast youth. A recipe for perfection in my book.

Now, I was born in the 80’s but I didn’t get a chance to experience some of the references in real time. It wasn’t until I was older, in the late 90’s, that I ventured into the content from the decade before. I wasn’t able to feel nostalgia about everything that was referenced, but I found that I still awe-inspired by all of them Cline wrote into this story (there are a TON!). I’m not much of a gamer in any capacity because honestly…I suck most – if not all – games. However, I really enjoyed the gaming history referenced in this book despite my abominable gaming skills.

While I loved the elements of this book, I also thoroughly enjoyed the writing. I got lost…..When I can get “lost” in a book, it’s magical. I can generally “get into” just about any book, but to get lost in one….that’s something only an elite group of authors have done for me. The writing and plot structure made this possible.

Full Review: https://wanderinglectiophile.wordpress.com/2018/01/10/review-ready-player-one-by... ( )

Honestly, this book was okay. It was a quick read and although the experience wasn't a bad one, I felt very meh about it. The world was the strongest point by far. With the way the world is crumbling around us it makes a lot of sense that people want to escape into into a virtual one and surround themselves with nostalgia. The concept of the OASIS is a cool one as well. The plot was okay although it didn't always make sense so much happened because Wade is the main character and main characters are special even when they shouldn't succeed - it was interesting enough. But I didn't like the characters. Wade was annoying and uninteresting and everyone else existed to serve him. Art3mis was so much better (major spoiler: And deserved to win so much more) but ended up being reduced to being an object of Wade's affection. And as a somewhat related note?: I really don't like how that gotcha moment about Aech was handled. Very much felt like tokenism since it was revealed and then immediately pushed aside so Wade could keep doing his thing - if you want to do something like this you should ay least deal with it properly

While the reading experience was pleasant enough I didn't actually like this book. I would love to see something more nuanced done with this idea, but I do get why others love it so much. ( )

This is a thrilling science fiction novel (dystopian obviously) where most of humanity escapes their grim reality by entering a virtual reality world called the OASIS. Creepy...The story follows Wade Watts, a teenager who embarks on a quest within the OASIS to find an Easter egg hidden by its creator, James Halliday, which promises immense wealth and control of the OASIS itself. The novel is littered with pop culture references from the 1980s, which is clever, adds depth to the story, and adds layers of nostalgia for readers familiar with that era. The pacing is fast and engaging, and kept me hooked through the night until I finished it in the morning. It’s a classic hero journey packed into a fun and entertaining read. ( )

A great recommendation from my friend José, this book started so strongly and kept bringing interesting ideas through the middle, but then sagged into a sort of Disney ending with too many retroactive fixes saving too much of the show. If your childhood overlapped the nerd culture of the 80's, you will find a lot to enjoy here. I look forward to reading more by Cline but I hope he takes more care with the conclusion of the next book. ( )