Karissa E. (ophelia99) reviewed Ready Player One (Ready Player One, Bk 1) on + 2527 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 9
I pretty much loved everything about this book. I listened to this book on audio, imagine my surprise when I realized that this was narrated by Will Wheaton (I just listened to Fuzzy Nation a couple weeks ago which was also narrated by Will Wheaton) and he again did an absolutely stellar job of narrating. This book is so fun and is really a kick to read if you were ever interested in, or part of, 80's geek culture. It also has a strong cyperpunk feel to it; so fans of cyberpunk should also considering checking this book out.
Wade lives in 2044 and the future is bleak, power shortages have most of humanity struggling and out of work. So most of humanity live their lives in the OASIS; a virtual reality creaked by James Halliday that consists of thousands of worlds. This is where Wade goes to school, where he plays, and where he is raised. When Halliday dies he leaves the ultimate puzzle/lottery behind. Halliday has hidden an Easter Egg in the OASIS and whoever finds it will win Halliday's substantial fortune. Wade is one of many Gunters (egg hunters) who has spent years searching for the prize. When Wade stumbles on a clue that leads him to the first key his life is changed forever.
Did you grow up in the 80's? Do you love games of all types? If so this is the book for you. This book basically is everything 80's geek culture could ever ask for. There are references to numerous 80's video games in here: Joust, Golden Ax, PacMan, Zork, and many others. As well as references to 80's movies, music, TV shows, etc. All of this is wrapped into a quest to find three keys, conquer three gates and win the prize. So there is a bit of a classic Dungeons and Dragons feel to the book as well. But this is DnD with a cyber punk twist. Certain worlds will allow magic, and others tech, but chaos regions allow for both creating some truly mind-blowing scenes involving magic, guns, and lasers. The amount of awesome 80's trivia in this book is incredible; Cline definitely put a ton of research into writing this book.
This isn't just a geek fest, there is a lot to think about in this book too. Wade's closest friends are people he's never meet in person. Wade also spends a very small amount of time in the real world; his body is mearly a piece of equipment that he keeps exercised and fed so that he can jack in to the OASIS. This brings up questions about what it means to live; do we need to do things in person for them to be real and fulfilling? As you learn more about the genius that is Halliday this question comes to a head; was he happy with his creation or did he regret his lack of interaction with other humans?
Then there is the evil corporation that has hired people to play in the OASIS for them; this group of OASIS players is known as the sixers and they do everything in their power to win Halliday's Easter Egg. The sixers are basically everything corporate that Halliday hated. With the Gunters going against the Sixers you have a classic story about the normal everyday man facing off against the evil corporation.
As Wade and his friends make more progress towards finding the Easter Egg consequences start to leak out of the OASIS into the real world and people start dying. It becomes less and less clear where the OASIS ends and the real world begins.
The characters in this book are awesome; they are all so real and fun to read about. The story is absolutely engaging, it is pretty quest based so that is the main driver...but as the story continues it becomes more and more compelling and impossible to put down.
All in all this book was an absolute blast to read. It was a fun read for someone like me who loves gaming of all types, it provided some great food for thought, it was funny and heartwarming, full of great action scenes and completely engaging. I highly recommend this book. My only caution would be if you do not like gaming and do not know anything about 80's culture then a lot of this book is going to go right over your head. A lot of the negative reviews for this book are from people who don't like gaming or just don't get it. So, uh, seriously if you don't like gaming why are you are reading a cyberpunk fantasy novel about 80's gaming culture called Ready Player One!?
Highly recommended, an absolute blast to read, I can't wait to see what Cline comes up with next.
Wade lives in 2044 and the future is bleak, power shortages have most of humanity struggling and out of work. So most of humanity live their lives in the OASIS; a virtual reality creaked by James Halliday that consists of thousands of worlds. This is where Wade goes to school, where he plays, and where he is raised. When Halliday dies he leaves the ultimate puzzle/lottery behind. Halliday has hidden an Easter Egg in the OASIS and whoever finds it will win Halliday's substantial fortune. Wade is one of many Gunters (egg hunters) who has spent years searching for the prize. When Wade stumbles on a clue that leads him to the first key his life is changed forever.
Did you grow up in the 80's? Do you love games of all types? If so this is the book for you. This book basically is everything 80's geek culture could ever ask for. There are references to numerous 80's video games in here: Joust, Golden Ax, PacMan, Zork, and many others. As well as references to 80's movies, music, TV shows, etc. All of this is wrapped into a quest to find three keys, conquer three gates and win the prize. So there is a bit of a classic Dungeons and Dragons feel to the book as well. But this is DnD with a cyber punk twist. Certain worlds will allow magic, and others tech, but chaos regions allow for both creating some truly mind-blowing scenes involving magic, guns, and lasers. The amount of awesome 80's trivia in this book is incredible; Cline definitely put a ton of research into writing this book.
This isn't just a geek fest, there is a lot to think about in this book too. Wade's closest friends are people he's never meet in person. Wade also spends a very small amount of time in the real world; his body is mearly a piece of equipment that he keeps exercised and fed so that he can jack in to the OASIS. This brings up questions about what it means to live; do we need to do things in person for them to be real and fulfilling? As you learn more about the genius that is Halliday this question comes to a head; was he happy with his creation or did he regret his lack of interaction with other humans?
Then there is the evil corporation that has hired people to play in the OASIS for them; this group of OASIS players is known as the sixers and they do everything in their power to win Halliday's Easter Egg. The sixers are basically everything corporate that Halliday hated. With the Gunters going against the Sixers you have a classic story about the normal everyday man facing off against the evil corporation.
As Wade and his friends make more progress towards finding the Easter Egg consequences start to leak out of the OASIS into the real world and people start dying. It becomes less and less clear where the OASIS ends and the real world begins.
The characters in this book are awesome; they are all so real and fun to read about. The story is absolutely engaging, it is pretty quest based so that is the main driver...but as the story continues it becomes more and more compelling and impossible to put down.
All in all this book was an absolute blast to read. It was a fun read for someone like me who loves gaming of all types, it provided some great food for thought, it was funny and heartwarming, full of great action scenes and completely engaging. I highly recommend this book. My only caution would be if you do not like gaming and do not know anything about 80's culture then a lot of this book is going to go right over your head. A lot of the negative reviews for this book are from people who don't like gaming or just don't get it. So, uh, seriously if you don't like gaming why are you are reading a cyberpunk fantasy novel about 80's gaming culture called Ready Player One!?
Highly recommended, an absolute blast to read, I can't wait to see what Cline comes up with next.
Wendy H. (donkeycheese) -
The year is 2044 and the world as we know it as radically changed. With economic collapse, most people staying in their homes since that is where they go to school and work. Several years earlier, a geeky genius invented the OASIS, a simulated virtual reality. There are thousands of worlds in this simulation and with the addition of a special visor and gloves, the possibilities are endless. When the creator died, he left all of his billions to the winner of a special contest - a contest he created.
That person must start with the riddle he gives at his will to begin the contest. From there, the contestant must unlock the quest, through several puzzles and gates. Five years have passed and no one has still achieved the first portion - achieving the copper key.
The "sixers" are hired from a big corporation, IOA, working to look for this elusive "egg". IOA wants to win the billions and all of the power that will go with it. The 'grunters' are those that spend all of their waking moments learning all about the tycoon's life - needing any clue that they find, and trying to establish where that first key could be, ultimately leading to the egg.
Wade Watts is a grunter who spends the majority of his days in the OASIS. He attends school online, and then works on his research to find that ultimate prize. He doesn't know what it really means to live in reality. Who would want to when the reality was so bad and you could live as whoever you want in the OASIS?
Wade unlocks the first puzzle and his name is immediately on the scoreboard that has been empty for five years. He is immediately famous, but at what price does that fame come? Not long after going through the first gate, and working on the second, he is attacked in reality. Also, others are catching up with him on the scoreboard, and he finds himself falling in love with one of the players, Art3mis. She is determined to win just as much as he is, but it will be every man for himself when the challenge alights.
There are so many pop-culture references, your head will either spin, or you will enjoy the trip down memory lane. The movies, the music, the video games and more had me nodding my head as they were referenced. The way that Cline has a video game within a video game is genius, and the characters are relatable and rather modern. The technology used is something that can easily be foreseen in the future, but the idea that humans forsake reality for virtual reality is sad, as they would miss out on so many things.
Ready Player One is Cline's debut novel, but it doesn't read like one. I'd be very interested to see what he writes next, because this one a definite keeper! Action, romance, geeky science, pop-culture references, suspense and more are just the tips of what keeps the pages flying as you read this remarkable novel. I can't recommend it highly enough!!
That person must start with the riddle he gives at his will to begin the contest. From there, the contestant must unlock the quest, through several puzzles and gates. Five years have passed and no one has still achieved the first portion - achieving the copper key.
The "sixers" are hired from a big corporation, IOA, working to look for this elusive "egg". IOA wants to win the billions and all of the power that will go with it. The 'grunters' are those that spend all of their waking moments learning all about the tycoon's life - needing any clue that they find, and trying to establish where that first key could be, ultimately leading to the egg.
Wade Watts is a grunter who spends the majority of his days in the OASIS. He attends school online, and then works on his research to find that ultimate prize. He doesn't know what it really means to live in reality. Who would want to when the reality was so bad and you could live as whoever you want in the OASIS?
Wade unlocks the first puzzle and his name is immediately on the scoreboard that has been empty for five years. He is immediately famous, but at what price does that fame come? Not long after going through the first gate, and working on the second, he is attacked in reality. Also, others are catching up with him on the scoreboard, and he finds himself falling in love with one of the players, Art3mis. She is determined to win just as much as he is, but it will be every man for himself when the challenge alights.
There are so many pop-culture references, your head will either spin, or you will enjoy the trip down memory lane. The movies, the music, the video games and more had me nodding my head as they were referenced. The way that Cline has a video game within a video game is genius, and the characters are relatable and rather modern. The technology used is something that can easily be foreseen in the future, but the idea that humans forsake reality for virtual reality is sad, as they would miss out on so many things.
Ready Player One is Cline's debut novel, but it doesn't read like one. I'd be very interested to see what he writes next, because this one a definite keeper! Action, romance, geeky science, pop-culture references, suspense and more are just the tips of what keeps the pages flying as you read this remarkable novel. I can't recommend it highly enough!!
Calling all nerds, geeks and dorks . . .
If you are a child of 1980s or even if you arent, but are a fan, youll love Ready Player One. This novel, set in the future dystopian world of 2044, relies upon all things eighties pop culture: movies, television shows, music and yes, video games.
Wade Watts is a poverty-stricken video game geek that ends up in a reality-simulation universe called the OASIS. The creator of the OASIS, James Hallidaywho seems to be a combination of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Mark Zuckerberg (all those in that category) has died and left his billions to whoever can solve the riddles in a huge video game race throughout the OASIS. Everyone is out to get the prize, especially an evil corporation named Innovative Online Industries which will go at any length to gain the prize, which includes control of the OASIS.
RPO is not just a nostalgia feast for those of us from that 80's era, but the story actually contains characters youll root for and a plot that keeps throwing them out of the frying pan and into the fire.
I listened to the audio book. Im glad I did because its narrated by current pop culture nerd, Wil Wheaton who is the perfect choice. More than once, Wheaton actually has to mention himself since he was a part of the Star Trek, The Next Generation lore from the 80s time period. Even if youre not familiar with every movie or video game mentioned youll enjoy the novels frenetic pace as the protagonist races to find the prize. And there is an actually love story in the middle of it all, one of the best Ive read in ages.
I knew I was a nerd before reading RPO, but now I know how much of a nerd I truly am. I can already tell this is going to be my favorite read of the year. Love it.
If you are a child of 1980s or even if you arent, but are a fan, youll love Ready Player One. This novel, set in the future dystopian world of 2044, relies upon all things eighties pop culture: movies, television shows, music and yes, video games.
Wade Watts is a poverty-stricken video game geek that ends up in a reality-simulation universe called the OASIS. The creator of the OASIS, James Hallidaywho seems to be a combination of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Mark Zuckerberg (all those in that category) has died and left his billions to whoever can solve the riddles in a huge video game race throughout the OASIS. Everyone is out to get the prize, especially an evil corporation named Innovative Online Industries which will go at any length to gain the prize, which includes control of the OASIS.
RPO is not just a nostalgia feast for those of us from that 80's era, but the story actually contains characters youll root for and a plot that keeps throwing them out of the frying pan and into the fire.
I listened to the audio book. Im glad I did because its narrated by current pop culture nerd, Wil Wheaton who is the perfect choice. More than once, Wheaton actually has to mention himself since he was a part of the Star Trek, The Next Generation lore from the 80s time period. Even if youre not familiar with every movie or video game mentioned youll enjoy the novels frenetic pace as the protagonist races to find the prize. And there is an actually love story in the middle of it all, one of the best Ive read in ages.
I knew I was a nerd before reading RPO, but now I know how much of a nerd I truly am. I can already tell this is going to be my favorite read of the year. Love it.
Ready Player One follows the story of Wade Watts and his search for a hidden fortune left by an eccentric millionaire. Wade is a very likable character who lives in poverty. His life sucks, so he uses the OASIS as an escape from reality.
To me the story is part 80′s gaming adventure and part story. Once I started reading I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I enjoyed living in the virtual world that was created, but once I put the book down I was out of the world. Then it would start over again. It is hard to explain. For me, it wasnt a page turner, but I enjoyed stepping into the world once I picked it back up.
I believe this book would appeal to people who love playing video games and 80′s references. I would not recommend this to people who are not interested in either of these. I especially wonder if those that know nothing about the 80′s would enjoy this story? I would hesitate to suggest it to them. Otherwise I would say pick it up. It is a fun read.
To me the story is part 80′s gaming adventure and part story. Once I started reading I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I enjoyed living in the virtual world that was created, but once I put the book down I was out of the world. Then it would start over again. It is hard to explain. For me, it wasnt a page turner, but I enjoyed stepping into the world once I picked it back up.
I believe this book would appeal to people who love playing video games and 80′s references. I would not recommend this to people who are not interested in either of these. I especially wonder if those that know nothing about the 80′s would enjoy this story? I would hesitate to suggest it to them. Otherwise I would say pick it up. It is a fun read.
WOW. If you are a child of the 80's, you HAVE TO read this book. Such a good book. Read this now! Five stars don't do this book justice. I would give it a ten. It's set in the 2040's, a bleak future when the great recession is going on its third decade, humans have vastly overpopulated the planet, and global warming has decimated the earth. The majority of human interaction, whether for work, school, or pleasure occurs in a virtual reality world known as OASIS. The man who developed OASIS recently died alone and left his billions to the person who can find all of the easter eggs he has left behind with a series of clues. Wade Watts is a teenager living in a trailer park when he finally figures out the first clue and is sent on an adventure where he encounters friends and mortal enemies in a world peppered with 80's cultural references. This book was the most fun to read, and the best book I've read this year. You owe it to yourself to read this.
Man, what a fun ride! Dystopia, coming of age, nerd stuff, and every 80's reference possible.
Cline has created a near-future world that impresses me more than most bleak visions of society because it feels so much like it could actually happen. This isn't "one day everyone decided freedom of press was a bad thing so fire fighters started burning books and everyone went 'yay!'" This isn't "one day everyone decided that we all had to have one personality trait, and if you had more, you'd be killed." Or "one day America fractured into 13 regions that all started revolting against the capital or whatever happened so we had 13 district and the capital and sacrificed two kids a year from each district."
This is "fossil fuels are so scarce they are prohibitively expensive, and climate change has made the environment really harsh, and people spend vast amounts of time online, but technology has improved enough so that with gloves and a visor, you can be in a virtual space online. Oh, and the economy is super horrible and a few corporations control most of it and are evil. #ThanksObama."
This future could happen. Against this backdrop, our hero engages in a gargantuan contest to win an eccentric computer genius's inheritance. And that eccentric computer genius, who was a child in the 1980's, is obsessed with the 80's - so the book throws in every movie and early video game from the period as part of the virtual adventure.
And here's one instance where the audio book may be better than the print or kindle editions - the narrator is Wil Wheaton (who, besides being the perfect geek to read all this to us, gets to name check himself as an elderly virtual politician in the virtual world. He plays it straight).
There are only a few very minor quibbles I had with the story. One is a plot hole, and the other is the hero's love interest and her big 'secret.'
It's fun, it's feel-good, and it's pretty tight. Read it before the movie comes out (Spielberg directing).
Cline has created a near-future world that impresses me more than most bleak visions of society because it feels so much like it could actually happen. This isn't "one day everyone decided freedom of press was a bad thing so fire fighters started burning books and everyone went 'yay!'" This isn't "one day everyone decided that we all had to have one personality trait, and if you had more, you'd be killed." Or "one day America fractured into 13 regions that all started revolting against the capital or whatever happened so we had 13 district and the capital and sacrificed two kids a year from each district."
This is "fossil fuels are so scarce they are prohibitively expensive, and climate change has made the environment really harsh, and people spend vast amounts of time online, but technology has improved enough so that with gloves and a visor, you can be in a virtual space online. Oh, and the economy is super horrible and a few corporations control most of it and are evil. #ThanksObama."
This future could happen. Against this backdrop, our hero engages in a gargantuan contest to win an eccentric computer genius's inheritance. And that eccentric computer genius, who was a child in the 1980's, is obsessed with the 80's - so the book throws in every movie and early video game from the period as part of the virtual adventure.
And here's one instance where the audio book may be better than the print or kindle editions - the narrator is Wil Wheaton (who, besides being the perfect geek to read all this to us, gets to name check himself as an elderly virtual politician in the virtual world. He plays it straight).
There are only a few very minor quibbles I had with the story. One is a plot hole, and the other is the hero's love interest and her big 'secret.'
It's fun, it's feel-good, and it's pretty tight. Read it before the movie comes out (Spielberg directing).
Shelia R. (MamaDragon3) -
When I first saw the write-up in Entertainment Weekly on this book, I was fascinated by the concept. As a child of the 80's and a gamer (I met my husband playing D&D), this book was right up my alley. Then, I find that this book was written by the same guy who wrote the screenplay for the movie Fanboys, and that sealed the deal for me.
There was a reference to almost anything and everything you can imagine in the 80's pop culture. That alone was well worth the trip down memory lane. However, the story itself was engaging enough that it would have kept my interest without the flashback trip.
The only real downside to this book is I did occasionally feel that Cline over-referenced the 80's. While I loved reminiscing about my youth, I could easily have done that without multiple references per sentence. It sometimes felt forced--a device merely to cram more 80's trivia into the book. Other than the occasional 80's trivia cram, the book was interesting, well edited, and well researched.
Highly recommended for anyone who grew up in the 80's.
There was a reference to almost anything and everything you can imagine in the 80's pop culture. That alone was well worth the trip down memory lane. However, the story itself was engaging enough that it would have kept my interest without the flashback trip.
The only real downside to this book is I did occasionally feel that Cline over-referenced the 80's. While I loved reminiscing about my youth, I could easily have done that without multiple references per sentence. It sometimes felt forced--a device merely to cram more 80's trivia into the book. Other than the occasional 80's trivia cram, the book was interesting, well edited, and well researched.
Highly recommended for anyone who grew up in the 80's.
I really loved this book. It's got a great blend of science fiction and 80s nostalgia, all wrapped together in a plot that moves like a roller coaster.
In 2044, most of humanity is plugged into a virtual world called OASIS, the brainchild of a genius named Jim Halliday, who was raised in small town America and was a child of the 80s. Halliday, before his death, left a series of puzzles and clues that would lead one lucky player to his fortune. Wade Watts (nee Parzival) wants to be the first to find this treasure, and does find and solve the first of many puzzles. Now the world is watching. Wade's friends Aech and pseudo-girlfriend Art3mis aid him, and he meets up with other virtual warriors (Daito and Shoto). However, a large corporation, IOI, led by a man named Sorrento, also wants to find Halliday's fortune and they've got the firepower and resources to do it.
The characters are all likable (with the exception of Sorrento) and the 80s nostalgia is amusing (Halliday codes his puzzles with dialogue from 80s films like 'WarGames'). The pacing is brisk; once Wade finds the puzzles, the action starts and doesn't really stop until the conclusion, where Wade must solve the final puzzle. The author thanks several movie executives in the acknowledgements, and I truly hope this book is made into a film. I can't tell which I'd rather watch first: this, or "Robopocalypse."
This book is highly recommended. It doesn't matter if you're a diehard gamer, an 80s child, or a WoW guild member. Even if your only exposure to video games was watching "Wreck-It Ralph" in theaters last year, read this book; you will not be disappointed.
In 2044, most of humanity is plugged into a virtual world called OASIS, the brainchild of a genius named Jim Halliday, who was raised in small town America and was a child of the 80s. Halliday, before his death, left a series of puzzles and clues that would lead one lucky player to his fortune. Wade Watts (nee Parzival) wants to be the first to find this treasure, and does find and solve the first of many puzzles. Now the world is watching. Wade's friends Aech and pseudo-girlfriend Art3mis aid him, and he meets up with other virtual warriors (Daito and Shoto). However, a large corporation, IOI, led by a man named Sorrento, also wants to find Halliday's fortune and they've got the firepower and resources to do it.
The characters are all likable (with the exception of Sorrento) and the 80s nostalgia is amusing (Halliday codes his puzzles with dialogue from 80s films like 'WarGames'). The pacing is brisk; once Wade finds the puzzles, the action starts and doesn't really stop until the conclusion, where Wade must solve the final puzzle. The author thanks several movie executives in the acknowledgements, and I truly hope this book is made into a film. I can't tell which I'd rather watch first: this, or "Robopocalypse."
This book is highly recommended. It doesn't matter if you're a diehard gamer, an 80s child, or a WoW guild member. Even if your only exposure to video games was watching "Wreck-It Ralph" in theaters last year, read this book; you will not be disappointed.
Emily G. (wiltinglilly) reviewed Ready Player One (Ready Player One, Bk 1) on + 33 more book reviews
This is the best book I've read in a long time! It's got so much of everything that gets me really into books - the future, an alternate universe, nerd facts, virtual reality, love, action, war, intrigue. It takes place in 2044 where virtual reality, the Oasis, has become the world's escape to the horrible economic crisis plaguing everyone. The vastly wealthy inventor of Oasis dies without any family and sets up a cut-throat competition in Oasis, find the easter eggs he's hidden and his company and wealth is your's!
I am not a gamer at all and yet this book still managed to keep me interested in its story. It has something for everyone -- video games, 80s pop culture references, action, danger, humor. If you're not into gaming and can't relate to the references, it's still a good read. I treated it like an Easter egg hunt and Googled references I didn't know too much about. It made me feel like a competitor in the game, and it made the read much more enjoyable. It was so much fun to dive into the history of the references and how they connected to the plot. The movie adaptation I created in my head while reading this action-packed book was awesome, and I am hoping the movie to be released in 2018 does this great page-turner of a read justice.
I'm just going to gush about this book for a moment. I could not stop listening to it. I couldn't. I woke up in the middle of the night and immediately fit my ear bud in and clicked the iPod's play button. At first it was because of the glorification of the '80s, which was indeed, glorious. I heard names of people and movies and games that were so integral to my childhood and that I hadn't heard since, well, the '80's. (I'll mention the Mario snub, though. That little Italian plumber is not just a fun symbol for the common masses. He's an icon, so just deal, Cline).
The plot moved fast and furious, turning in several directions and through many clues and riddles. I was reminded of the classic '80s movie "Midnight Madness" (also not mentioned in this book), where individual teams compete for a prize by solving complex riddles. I was interested in the characters, in the game, in the game-within-the-game, and the minutiae of days gone by. Bonus: a shout-out to Columbus, Ohio.
Here are the minor problems I had with the book: Wade (Parzival), the main character, rubbed me as a little bit angsty. And repetitive. I heard about an imagined, overweight man named Chuck living in his mom's basement four times. Wade also went on about how he got "obsessed" with this or that and then this or that wasn't mentioned again. A lot of things were mentioned only once, in fact. He couldn't have been too obsessed. A reviewer caught this aimless name-dropping already; I couldn't agree more. Too much. Just too much. I realize Cline was trying to geek out and elicit some squealing from the gamer table, but it seemed like he was trying to cram a box of '80s memorabilia into a thimble. Messy. The editor should have cleaned that up.
Also, Wil Wheaton was a tad dramatic as a reader: Every. Line. Was. WAY. Too. Important. Plus, I couldn't get the image of horrid Wesley Crusher reading something aloud to me out of my head.
In all, the good outweighed the bad and I'll give this one the four stars it deserves. Loved the "message" at the end.
The plot moved fast and furious, turning in several directions and through many clues and riddles. I was reminded of the classic '80s movie "Midnight Madness" (also not mentioned in this book), where individual teams compete for a prize by solving complex riddles. I was interested in the characters, in the game, in the game-within-the-game, and the minutiae of days gone by. Bonus: a shout-out to Columbus, Ohio.
Here are the minor problems I had with the book: Wade (Parzival), the main character, rubbed me as a little bit angsty. And repetitive. I heard about an imagined, overweight man named Chuck living in his mom's basement four times. Wade also went on about how he got "obsessed" with this or that and then this or that wasn't mentioned again. A lot of things were mentioned only once, in fact. He couldn't have been too obsessed. A reviewer caught this aimless name-dropping already; I couldn't agree more. Too much. Just too much. I realize Cline was trying to geek out and elicit some squealing from the gamer table, but it seemed like he was trying to cram a box of '80s memorabilia into a thimble. Messy. The editor should have cleaned that up.
Also, Wil Wheaton was a tad dramatic as a reader: Every. Line. Was. WAY. Too. Important. Plus, I couldn't get the image of horrid Wesley Crusher reading something aloud to me out of my head.
In all, the good outweighed the bad and I'll give this one the four stars it deserves. Loved the "message" at the end.
Great read especially for techies. Still good for non-techies as the story line is good, but may have challenges keeping straight if hero/friends/etc are in the real world or the Avatar world or deeper. Don't let that discourage you to try it: it's all things in one. A reviewer says "hard to categorize". You betcha!
Just finished this . A great read, especially for the older gamers among us
