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Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline (Goodreads Author)
by Ernest Cline (Goodreads Author)
A must-read for Geeks and Gamers and fans of all things 80s.
So there are books I love, and then there are books I *love*. Seriously.
READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline (Crown, August 16, 2011)
I managed to pick this book up at ALA with zero clue what it was about and never having heard of it. I was actually standing in line waiting for an ARC of THE NIGHT CIRCUS. This one had a cool title and looked a bit like the 80s. But it wasn't until I saw it in the Audible recommendations that I decided to read it. What pushed me over the edge was the fact that it was narrated by Wil Wheaton :)
So I started listening on audio, and I could not stop. This is the kind of audio book I found myself making excuses of places to drive so I could listen to it. I listened when my kids were in the car (which I never do). I looked forward to folding laundry because I could listen while I folded. And even though the book ended nicely with all ends tied, I still wanted more because I enjoyed it so much.
Set in a future where the energy crisis has hit big time, lots of people are calling this the next 'SNOW CRASH,' and sure, I do see 'SNOW CRASH'-ish elements in the story, but overall it's a story about the virtual world the characters live in, and not so much about the real world (though world development is done well...don't get me wrong).
The author (who happens to live in Austin) does an amazing job of creating tension, worrying the reader, and then assuaging the situation. I love this. I want to reach a point of worry and frustration, but I don't want to stay there too long. And READY PLAYER ONE delivers.
Who would I recommend this book to? Everyone :)
Okay, seriously, if you
1. love the 80s
2. love video games
3. love MMO games (like World of Warcraft or Wizard 101 is that is more your speed)
4. love science fiction and enjoy books like SNOW CRASH
5. want to see what Wil Wheaton is up to these days (listen to audio in this case)
Wait, does that cover everyone? My recommendation: AN ABSOLUTE MUST!
Source of Book: ARC from publisher at ALA, Audio purchased from Audible.com
So there are books I love, and then there are books I *love*. Seriously.
READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline (Crown, August 16, 2011)
I managed to pick this book up at ALA with zero clue what it was about and never having heard of it. I was actually standing in line waiting for an ARC of THE NIGHT CIRCUS. This one had a cool title and looked a bit like the 80s. But it wasn't until I saw it in the Audible recommendations that I decided to read it. What pushed me over the edge was the fact that it was narrated by Wil Wheaton :)
So I started listening on audio, and I could not stop. This is the kind of audio book I found myself making excuses of places to drive so I could listen to it. I listened when my kids were in the car (which I never do). I looked forward to folding laundry because I could listen while I folded. And even though the book ended nicely with all ends tied, I still wanted more because I enjoyed it so much.
Set in a future where the energy crisis has hit big time, lots of people are calling this the next 'SNOW CRASH,' and sure, I do see 'SNOW CRASH'-ish elements in the story, but overall it's a story about the virtual world the characters live in, and not so much about the real world (though world development is done well...don't get me wrong).
The author (who happens to live in Austin) does an amazing job of creating tension, worrying the reader, and then assuaging the situation. I love this. I want to reach a point of worry and frustration, but I don't want to stay there too long. And READY PLAYER ONE delivers.
Who would I recommend this book to? Everyone :)
Okay, seriously, if you
1. love the 80s
2. love video games
3. love MMO games (like World of Warcraft or Wizard 101 is that is more your speed)
4. love science fiction and enjoy books like SNOW CRASH
5. want to see what Wil Wheaton is up to these days (listen to audio in this case)
Wait, does that cover everyone? My recommendation: AN ABSOLUTE MUST!
Source of Book: ARC from publisher at ALA, Audio purchased from Audible.com
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Jessica
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rated it 5 stars
Oct 01, 2011 09:27pm
Awesome! I am really interested in reading this one! I love playing things like World of Warcraft...that probably sticks me in both geeks and gamers categories lmbo.
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Jessica wrote: "Awesome! I am really interested in reading this one! I love playing things like World of Warcraft...that probably sticks me in both geeks and gamers categories lmbo."I loved this book so much that I wished it would keep going on. If you're a geek and a gamer, then you have to read it (or listen, as Wil Wheaton does audio narration and it is brilliant).
Well, I am only halfway through this now since starting it yesterday, but I absolutely love it!! The gamer in me adores it in all of it's nerd glory lol...I have a feeling my husband may be reading it next ;) he is not quite as much of an MMO-nerd as I am, but he is close! I still find it confusing with regards to being YA - is it? It's weird because it isn't selling as such on Amazon (at least that I saw when buying the Kindle book) and it seems like they are avoiding describing it as such as well...yet it reads like a YA book...but the target audience is much older. It is kind of strange! Either way, regardless of who it was written for, I LOVE it! Thanks again for recommending this book!
I'm so glad you're enjoying it, Jessica! I've thought about the genre, too. The character's age could place it in YA, but the content, being so fixed on the 80s, makes it more appreciated by people who lived during them. I think they figured if they had marketed it strictly as YA, they would have missed a huge nerd SFF-reading adult audience. So this way, they hit the huge adult market, and if kids pick it up and enjoy it, it's icing on the cake.
My thoughts :)
And you are so welcome! I adored this book!
Thanks! I love your reviews and often have similar opinions, so now before I read a book I always check the reviews for one of yours, haha ;)! I was so proud of myself for reading a non-YA book for a change (usually every 5th book or so isn't YA haha) because my husband always jokingly pokes fun at me for reading so many YA books, but then I started seeing people referring to it as YA and I was SO confused lol! I think you are probably right. They most likely aren't really labeling it as either when they can so that they reach both audiences. I was only born in the very early 80's, but I still am able to identify with a lot of the references, being the geek I am, haha. I think YA would enjoy it, but I'd have to say I think older generations would enjoy it much more!!
