Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline

[Elín Birna]

I read this book for week 26, a book everyone is talking about.
I loved it! I don't give a lot of books five stars, they really have to be something special, but for this one I considered it. Really liked the 80's references, and although I'm not all that familiar with gaming I enjoyed that part a lot too. The scary thing is that this is what our world could possibly look like in some decades... just hope that we would have an alternative world such as the Oasis to escape to in that case (or maybe not, I'm not sure).

I also listened to parts of it with the audiobook, when I was driving and cleaning mostly, and Wil Wheaton was great!

[Sophie]

Wil Wheaton was amazing in this audiobook, I really want to listen to more books narrated by him!

I found this future even more scary than some other dystopian books, because it feels much closer to today's world and possible. The Oasis is great, but still sad to see so many people lost in it, who don't try to enjoy real life any more!

[Elín Birna]

Sophie wrote: "Wil Wheaton was amazing in this audiobook, I really want to listen to more books narrated by him!

I found this future even more scary than some other dystopian books, because it feels much closer..."

I know... but once you spend almost your whole life in a virtual reality, what is real life and what is not? Makes you question your reality at least!

[Sophie]

That's true! Eventually, what they live in the Oasis IS real for them, so why would it have less importance than what they do in the physical world?

[J]

I read this for the 2017 Week 26 topic: An adventure book.

Looking through this thread, I see that I am on the other end of the spectrum from most (wishing I had gone with the audiobook). It was pretty hit or miss for me, with some of the dialog scenes being very clunky and awkward. I think what worked least well for me was the author's choice of perspective. It very much reads like someone's blog about how they beat a video game. And this hurt a few scenes where seeing things from Art3mis or Daito's perspectives could have worked much better.

There was a point where I was ready to change my opinion entirely: (view spoiler)[when everyone gears up in Giant Robots and gets ready to battle (hide spoiler)] and yet, he even managed to blunder that (view spoiler)[each robot gets one shot before for the fight is over. With the big bad being invincible to quite a few shots and then taken down easy by another. What a waste. And we won't even get into what happened to my favorite 80's property: Lion Force Voltron. I'm still bitter! (hide spoiler)]

But, I'm curious about the film. Pushing it back to early 2018 doesn't look good for it. I seriously doubt the excuse of 'too close to Star Wars VIII, as Fantastic Beasts released next to a Star Wars film. December is a good place for nerd fare.

Also: it has to be an issue getting licenses for a lot of this. Especially if it only appears on the screen for a couple seconds (view spoiler)[Voltron!!!! (hide spoiler)]. I suspect that the film we deviate from the book quite a bit.

Speaking of which: I'm not sure about their choice for casting on Art3mis. Olivia Cooke doesn't fit what I had in mind at all. Wikipedia says that Lola Kirke was one of the options, and she would work perfect for me.

[Bec]

I've just started this for the 2017 Week 26 topic: An adventure book. I'm kinda wishing I had the audiobook now after reading this thread :P I'm only in the first chapter, so lets see how I like it.

[Bec]

I really enjoyed the ride! 5 stars for me!

I loved the 80s references, and the gaming aspect. I'm not a huge game myself but my 10 year old loves it so it resonated with me. It also seemed like it could be a reality in the not too distance future. An online world to escape the shitty real world.

[Jess]

I read this for week 31 Sub Genre of my Fave. I liked it. I'm very excited to see the movie. I actually think the book was written perfectly AS a movie. As a novel, I could have lived without all the lists and extreme details of all the game systems. For that reason it took me an abnormally long to get through it.

[Joan]

I'm reading this for the 2018 challenge. I have a lot of sci-fi on my list this year so I stuck it under #21 a book written in the first person perspective. I'm hoping to like it. I loved the 80's and didn't even realize that it references it until I read the first chapter.

[Joan]

I completed this yesterday. It lost a little bit of it's luster for me just because I felt like I predicted a couple of things. That brought down from a 5 star to a 4 star. All in all though it was a great book to start the year 2018 challenge with. I can't wait to see the movie.

[Jacqueline]

Finished it a couple of nights ago. Loved it. Even the lists. I turned 17 in 1980 and this was my era. I spent a lot of time hunched over tables playing Space Invaders, Pacman, Frogger and Donkey Kong. And dancing to Wham and Madonna and Duran Duran. Didn't go for the big hair though. 5 ⭐️

[Joan]

I was 11 in 1980. I pretty much thought I was Madonna in the mid 80's......I had big bangs but not the rest of my hair! I even had some parachute pants............thankfully no pictures of that exist.

[Jacqueline]

Lol I was going to say pics or it didn't happen 😜 The 80s was full of a lot of fashion don'ts that's for sure and there was still a lot of insecurity because of Russia and America still wanting to blow each other up (I remember most of the apocalypse type movies were about nuclear war, radiation and nuclear winters) but, for the most part, it was fun. And the movies....Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo's Fire, Sixteen Candles, Valley Girls....still love Pretty in Pink. So does my 23 year old daughter. Those movies stand the test of time. Teenage girls don't really change. Just their hairstyles and clothes.

[Debra]

This book surprised me I normally don't read science fiction books but this one was good

Read this for week 38 in 2018

[Joan]

I saw the movie last night. It veered from the book but I kind of like that so I didn't know what was going to happen. They kept the basis the same, if that makes sense, but I swear it wasn't the same clues and what not for some of the keys. It was a good movie to see on the big screen.

[Anastasia]

I saw the movie last night too. You are right the clues were different.
I enjoyed the first half but not the second half. It just had too many plot holes.

[Silvia]

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I finished the book last week and it was AWESOME!!!! I heard that there were too many references, but I enjoyed every single one .

[Matthias]

I read this for ATY 18, #43 (book that has a sentence for a title).

I loved the book, but more for the worldbuilding and fun vibe than the writing (just to put it in persepective). It hits every bit of 80s nostalgia, and is a fun story (especially if sf or fantasy, and especially cyberpunk and geek culture is your thing).

[Karen]

I read this for ATY 2018, week 38, for a science fiction book. I loved the 1980's culture references! I am not a gamer nor a video game lover, and yet, the book was entertaining!

[Kerry]

Is anyone reading this for any of 20191's prompts? I just finished reading this today and thoroughly enjoyed it much better than I thought. I was thinking I could use this for the speculative fiction. Does this fit that prompt?

[Laura, Celestial Sphere Mod]

Yes, I think it fits that prompt very well. Sorry for the late response!

[Kerry]

Laura wrote: "Yes, I think it fits that prompt very well. Sorry for the late response!"


Thank you Laura! It's ok. That is what I'm slotting it in for.

[Angela]

I read this for 2018’s Week 22 - a book with a number in the title or on the cover. Just a really wonderful read that combines, dystopia, nostalgia, escapism and a fantastic treasure hunt. The characters is wonderfully drawn and developed. I loved it!

[Deena]

Kerry wrote: "Is anyone reading this for any of 20191's prompts? I just finished reading this today and thoroughly enjoyed it much better than I thought. I was thinking I could use this for the speculative ficti..."
I read it for prompt #43 A book related to STEM. With all the old tech and the future tech I felt that it made a good fit.

[Stephanie]

I wanted to love this book and read it for 2019 Week 22 (book with number in the title). I loved the treasure hunt aspect and the main character was compelling, but admit I'm not a gamer or really into science fiction. I am however a child of the 80's (Def Leppard baby!) and loved some of those references. Just not a book up my alley but plan on watching the movie with the kiddos now.