Ready for Ready Player One?

I had to drive all over northern California last week. I mean all over. Oakland. Stockton. Hayward. Clovis. That’s right. Clovis.

I don’t normally think of that as good news, but it gave me a chance to listen to all 13 discs of Ready Player One. It’s like a giant pop culture scavenger hunt through a dystopian future. The narration is done by Will Wheaton which makes it especially funny when he talks about Will Wheaton and he does. Because he talks about everything. That aside, I thought Wheaton did an amazing job with the narration. He did so much more than read the story. It really came alive as I listened to it.

If you were alive and consuming (largely) American pop culture in the seventies and eighties I HIGHLY recommend this book. What a fun ride. So creative. And just when you think it’s getting a little predictable or cliche BOOM! it takes a twist.  There was one little section around disc 7 or so that could have been wrapped up a little quicker, but other than that it was move move move.

There was one point where the whole thing felt so clever and so well put together that I honestly thought about quitting writing. I mean, why bother. Then I decided to keep it as something to aspire to.

Anybody else reading this one? Did you like it? Love it? Think it was meh? What was your favorite part? (I think mine might have been the moment Max Headroom shows up. Loved that show back in the way back when.)