Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1) in Fantasy-Faction.com

Feb 01, 2014 Michael rated it it was amazing

If you have read any other review about this book you know that even though it takes place in the near future, it is largely preoccupied with 1980's pop culture: movies, video games, board games, music, and television shows. This however doesn't speak much to the story or characters. What I haven't heard yet, is that it is actually very much like Willy Wonka and His Chocolate Factory. The plot is extremely similar, except that instead of a chocolate factory, it's a massive virtual world/game. It ...more

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Aug 31, 2013 Althea Ann rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book a lot. That said, I feel like it has a very narrow audience; a reader much younger (or older) than me would probably miss a lot, and a reader geekier than I would probably like it even more. But if you were around for 80s pop culture, you'll get something out of this.

In the near future, a virtual reality world has taken over pop culture. Gaming, socializing, even school classes take place in this MMO environment. It only adds to the popularity when the fabulously wealthy desi I enjoyed this book a lot. That said, I feel like it has a very narrow audience; a reader much younger (or older) than me would probably miss a lot, and a reader geekier than I would probably like it even more. But if you were around for 80s pop culture, you'll get something out of this.

In the near future, a virtual reality world has taken over pop culture. Gaming, socializing, even school classes take place in this MMO environment. It only adds to the popularity when the fabulously wealthy designer of this interface dies - and leaves his entire fortune to the person who follows the clues and wins the secret video game he's hidden in easter eggs in his virtual world.

The deceased programmer was a child of the 80s, so his clues are all based in 80s video games, movies, music and other pop culture references - which spawns a massive cultural retro fad for all things 80s, which creates an odd veneer on this dystopian future landscape (things aren't doing too well, out IRL.) Communities of people devoted to playing the game spring up - but, with that much money at stake, evil corporate interests also have an eye toward winning.

Wade (known as Parzival online), a poor but fully geeky boy, becomes one of the leading players of the game, hoping to leverage his videogame skills and his in-depth knowledge of 80s trivia into success. With the help of his friends - whom he's never actually met - he goes up against the Borg-like Sixers (paid corporate hackers) - and soon gets in deeper than he'd expected.

The book's a fun adventure, but it also has a lot to say about both the good and the bad aspects of today's increasingly wired environment; the pitfalls and the benefits of online identities, and how the 'virtual' can also be quite real.

One thing that struck me while reading the book, however, which wasn't really discussed as deeply as it could've been, is the limitations inherent in fandom. The author is clearly, as we could say himself, a 'fanboy,' as are his characters. However, the author has now created his own art, in the form of this book, and his other creative output. However, his characters don't. They spend hours obsessing over and memorizing trivia. The can play pre-programmed video game routines flawlessly. They can recite all the dialogue to movies that others created, lyrics to songs others wrote. They immerse themselves in virtual worlds that others designed. This may apply to today's 'geeks' as well, but in the book it's much more glaring because for these characters it's practically ancient history, decades removed - their grandfather's pop culture. Not much new and creative seems to be going on at all; the world is kind of falling apart, while people escape into VR. There's a fun, rich aspect to this fandom - but also a desperation, and a stagnant, stifling side.

Addendum:
I forgot to mention: the 'armchair treasure hunt' aspect to the video game contest made me remember the book, 'Masquerade' from my childhood: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masquera.... I thought it was funny that the book didn't make even a passing mention of book-oriented puzzles of this sort, that were very popular in the 80s.

(revisiting for book club, 5/15) ...more

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Apr 08, 2014 Maryam rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, favorite-2015, favorites

Re-read 2021

Enjoyed it as much as the first time!

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May 03, 2015 Julia Sarene rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, dystopia, 2-scifi, 1-fantasy-progression-litrpg

Loved it! Absolutely 100% loved it!
A lot of people say you will only like this book if you've listened to that music and played those games. I've done neither.
I do play video games though, and I absolutely fell for the game in this book.
Yes, for me it could have been a bit less name dropping in the music department, since I've never even heard of most of those bands and songs (and after googeling the first few I gave up on it ;)), but that didn't reduce the fun for me.
It's just a perfect read fo ...more

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Jul 20, 2014 Benni rated it it was amazing

Review: http://bennitheblog.com/bookbiters/re...

In the year 2044, teenager Wade Watts lives in a bleak trailer park. His only escape is OASIS, an online, virtual world.

The creator of OASIS, James Halliday, has bequeathed his billion-dollar empire to the first person who can solve a series of puzzles inside that world. Despite the passage of time and the interest of many, no one has been able to even find the very first out of three keys, let alone solve any of the puzzles.

But Wade stumbles upon ...more

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Jan 26, 2016 Tooms rated it really liked it

This is a tough one to review, because I enjoyed it, a lot! The trouble is that behind the nostalgia and adventure the rest is wafer thin.

The novel reads like a Saturday night popcorn flick lifted straight out of the eighties, and it's enjoyable cover to cover. The concept is fantastic and there's plenty of imagination oozing through the book.

Unfortunately it's just lacking pretty much anything else. The characters are largely one dimensional, the plot is straight forward lacking any genuine hoo ...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Nick Mariner rated it liked it

Maybe 3.5 stars, if that was allowable. The story is fun and engaging. I read it in just a few days because I kept wanting to know more about the adventure of the Egg Hunt. But the writing in the book is sub-par. Cline writes through the narrator, a teenage gamer. While he stays true to that character's voice, it's not exactly high art to read your protagonist continually refer to his enemies as 'asshats.' The scenes of banter between Wade and his allies are sophomoric to the point of being almo ...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Larry B Gray rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

Ready Player One was a interesting book that kept my interest which is not easy since I do not know anything about gaming. It's fast past action and well thoughtout story line made it worth reading. It is a good read. ...more

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May 27, 2011 Adam Shaeffer rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved almost every moment of this fun-filled quest story. It is full of geeky awesomeness. Having enjoyed many of the same things as Wade (and by proxy the great Anorak himself), I found much to love in this novel.

It does have a strong YA feel to it, which definitely is not a criticism, and if I were still a high school English teacher I would proudly stack this on my shelf and recommend it to all of my students.

Maybe after a little time has passed I'll be able to write a more cogent and coher ...more

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Oct 09, 2013 Jason Abay-Abay rated it it was amazing

This one had me smiling with all the memories it brought back of living through the 80's. Loved the Joust reference as that was one of my favorite games. Great book! ...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Susan rated it really liked it

I started this book today and it has sucked me right in. I love all the '80s references! In the prologue, it talks about my first "favorite" video game - Adventure for the Atari 2600.
...more

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