Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)

by Ernest Cline

[leahrosereads]

I loved READY PLAYER ONE. Really simple as that. Having been born in the late 80s, I may have not been old enough when most of these references were still new and fresh, but I know that the 80s was the best decade by far, and most everything awesome came out during those 10 years. This is fact, not me being bias or anything at all.


Ernest Cline created a wonderful world and story with READY PLAYER ONE. While I was sad to see Momma Earth in ruins because of us humans, it’s completely plausible that we’ll end up doing exactly that to her. I loved how realistic his Earth is, and I can see it happening. Maybe not in my lifetime, but the world Ernest Cline shows, is one that can happen. And when it does, if I’m still alive for it, I hope that someone creates OASIS. Because, we’ll need it.

OASIS is a simulation game/universe created by James Halliday, a game designer of epicly rich and genius proportions, and when he dies, he leaves an easter egg in the OASIS for one lucky bastard to win his fortunes and company. Needless to say, it’s an extremely sought after award. Halliday leaves clues and keys and everything people need to discover the easter egg, but unfortunately, it remains hidden…

Until Wade. Wade is our 18 hero. In the real world, he’s awkward, overweight and doesn’t want to exist in the real world. Outside of the OASIS, he’s a nobody. Poor and has no future, but in the OASIS, well, he’s still poor, but he’s Parzival and he has friends and the same chance that everyone in the OASIS has - to find the easter egg and become a multi-billionaire overnight. And he wants it. And he’s been researching the life and geek loves of James Halliday for just that chance. And now, it’s here for him.

But of course, as it is with any competition, Wade isn’t alone with his desires to find the easter egg. There are really two groups that are searching - Gunters - fans of Hallidays and lovers of the OASIS. They want the egg, but really, they want the adventure of the search. And the Sixers. Egg hunters recruited by an organization, IOI and under the orders of Sorrento (The Big Bad) to find the egg before the gunters, so that IOI can control the OASIS. Those evil bastards.


And I feel like I’ve already given a lot a way of the plot, and for that, I’m sorry. Just know that Wade has an adventure, meets some great people along the way, gains friendships and works toward finding the egg, but more importantly trying to keep IOI from getting it first.

It’s dangerous. He’s courageous. It really is a lot like a video game. Unfortunately, IOI isn’t just killing avatars, and humans still really only have 1 life to use. When it’s Game Over, it’s game over.



I would recommend READY PLAYER ONE to anyone. Gamers, non-gamers, doesn’t matter. Ernest Cline created a novel that transcends geek culture, and it’s a story that at the heart of it, is good vs. evil. And everyone loves those kind of stories.