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veggiefest's review
This was so boring and I did not care about what was happening
samgardner28's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
sangsara's review against another edition
4.0
It's imperfect and some parts (like the love story) come across more like cartoons than live action, but damn if it wasn't the most fun I've had reading a book in the last year. Five stars for that elusive feeling.
gwyndae's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
professor_p's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jayseewhy's review against another edition
3.0
While this book wasn't particularly original or well written, it was entertaining in a way that I'm sure will make for a better movie. I think that's coming in a couple of years.
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Bullet Review:
When I first read this, I had few problems with it. But upon rereading, I see a lot of things I let pass. Sloppy writing. Lazy descriptions. Over reliance on 80’s references and nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake.
There are threads of good ideas that never get fully explored. Even the end, which I feel has a decent message, comes out of nowhere to an extent.
And of course, there’s good old fashioned sexism, repackaged for the nerds.
Full Review:
Wade Owen Watts (yes, his parents had a sense of humor) lives in the dreary dystopian future of 2045. Climate change has happened, people live in poverty, there's a power crisis, and people's sole form of escapism is the OASIS - the brain child of James Halliday and Ogden Morrow. Only, James Halliday is now deceased and instead of leaving his estate in a will like normal people, he's hidden it in the OASIS as an Easter Egg. Wade is one of those hunters of the Easter Egg - called gunters. One day, while living his hum-drum existence, he finally uncovers the first clue to the First Key. But a corporation called IOI wants Halliday's fortune to covert OASIS to pay to play. Can Wade find the Easter Egg first?
I don't often get the chance these days to reread a book, mostly because my reading pile is so huge, I'd rather read a new book than go back and reread something I've already read. But this time, a dear friend challenged me to go back and read this book with new eyes.
You see, the person I was in 2012 was completely different than the woman I am today. Back in 2012, I was obese, quiet, secluded with most of my closest friends being online ones I made through a Star Wars website who only knew me as a woman using the avatar of Claudia Black from Farscape. Basically, I was Wade. So when I read the book back in 2012, I felt like I was reading a story with a male version of me at the helm.
But in 2018, I'm not the same. I'm still heavy but about 50 pounds lighter than I was then. I am actively working on my health by working out 4 - 5 times a week and watching what I eat. The friends I have today know me much better and more thoroughly than any I had back in 2012. This doesn't even touch on how my views and opinions from religion to politics to society have changed vastly since I first read this. In short: I would not be friends with the woman I was 6 years ago.
So given this massive change, it's not surprising to realize that my opinions on this book has changed quite a bit. (This isn't too dissimilar to the change that happened when I reread "Daughter of Smoke & Bone".) Admission time: I still enjoyed the breakneck plot to find the hidden treasure. I liked the attempt at a moral/message and there are parts of the world-building that are intriguing and tantalizing.
But...this wasn't as "fun" the second time around. This time around, I couldn't ignore the massive flaws in characters, plot, structure, writing, and world-building.
Wade Owen Watts is a "Nice Guy". For those of you not in the know, that's a guy who thinks, if he's nice to a woman, she should automatically want to date/have sex with him. It doesn't matter if she's not attracted to him or just wants to be friends with him or her wants and needs in general - he's nice to her (unlike those assholes she dates that treat her bad), so why shouldn't she want to have sex with him?! Wade specifically is also immature, insulting other character's lack of knowledge about his form of nerdiness/geekiness just because he can, making him a quintessential Gatekeeper, in addition to a Nice Guy - that nerd that says, "You must have X level of knowledge about Y nerdy thing in order to be A Real True Nerd."
I find it ironic (I believe I'm using that term right) that a nerd/geek who is ostracized from "normal people" (Which what does that even mean when nerd/geek culture is so pervasive these days? You've got news discussing movies like Avengers and SDCC!) because of arbitrary standards uses his/her own arbitrary standards to exclude others.
As annoying as Wade himself is, it's when you look at his behavior to Art3mis that you find the whole situation more annoying. Wade is infatuated with Art3mis because she's attractive (she's "fat" in that way that means "I'm a size 10, not a size 2) and is his type of nerdy (which means she likes all the same nerdy things he does, for the most part). Art3mis clearly tells Wade multiple times that she doesn't want to have anything to do with him - but Wade keeps asking until he breaks down Art3mis' barriers and worms his way in. Art3mis isn't really a character - she's Wade's reward for finishing the video game! Hello sexism! I guess even in 2045 we are still battling you. (Joy.)
The cast of characters is so tiny and barely fleshed out. There's Wade, Art3mis, Aech, Shoto, Daito, and Sorreno. That's it. And I get this is Wade's first person story, but there could have been a fascinating plot dealing with Aech and his twist (even upon reread, I still loved it and what it said about our society). If we're going to try to bother with diversity, we could have elevated Shoto and Daito from tertiary characters to fully fleshed individuals. And then our villain, Sorreno and IOI - well, he feels like the government agent dropped out of the original Ghostbusters. Which gives this book too much credit - Sorreno is much too mustache twirling and selfish for his own good. WHY does he want the egg so bad for IOI? What happened to him that made him so willing to go to any and all extents for Halliday's estate?? Is he a spurned lover? Did he get bested at Joust by Halliday? What is his deal?
Instead of characters and world-building, the book is filled with: 80's nostalgia in place of an actual description (get used to hearing "It looked exactly like *fill in the blank here*"), badly placed or repetitive backstory/description, mustache twirling villainy (which I suppose makes this book more like a cheesy villain of an 80's action flick, but I'm not giving the Art3mis as a Trophy a pass, so this doesn't either), and middle that's burdened by an atrocious one-sided "love story". It's such a shame, because I truly felt it was interesting to imagine a world (that, let's face it, sounds more and more plausible) where people go "online" to escape their miserable reality. I also found the end theme Spoilerof making sure to have real connections with people instead of superficial ones an admirable one - one that somewhat comes out of nowhere and doesn't feel authentic to the characters (not at least the way the characters have been for more than 80% of the book), but admirable nonetheless.
In short, this book was very problematic. Inelegant writing, cheesy plot (I kept thinking of Dan Brown and his silly Robert Langdon books and how silly this plot really is), sexism masquerading as acceptance, pretending to have diversity but throwing it in a closet - all this is there.
And yet, throughout the entire time I was reading this, I found it more interesting to ponder how much I loved this book 6 years ago. LOVED. This was on my top 10 favorite books. I recommended it everywhere. And here I am, 6 years later, saying, "Meh...it had some good bits, but it's hella flawed."
It just goes to show you how reviews are just a snapshot of one person at one small point in that person's life. The review I will write today about this book is only my thoughts from 2018 - I may completely change my mind about this book in 6 more years. It's a silly thought, but one I think we can carry through: we are people that grow and change through the years (at least, that's my goal). Our likes and dislikes change - and that's okay. In fact, for me, I am happy to be the woman I am today - more confident in her real life persona instead of hiding behind the avatar of Claudia Black as the character of "Crystal Starr Light" she created for a Star Wars roleplaying game.
(I get the irony of saying that while using my moniker and an avatar on Goodreads.)
And I think in just one review, I made a better case for being real and authentic than RPO ever did.
SpoilerLet me cut to the chase and ask a few pointed questions:
1. Were you raised in the 80's and/or love 80's geek culture?
2. Are any of the following movies among your favorites: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, War Games, Blade Runner, Ladyhwake?
3. Do you love video games, tabletop RPG games, D&D, or MMO's?
4. Is your iPod filled with Rush and ACDC?
If you answered "YES" to any of those questions, stop reading this review RIGHT NOW and buy this book. I'll wait until you finish reading it before continuing my review.
...
...
This book has totally blown my mind. I spent an entire weekend reading it. I read it while eating; I read it while waiting for downloads or airplanes; I read it before bed. I couldn't get enough of this book. It has become one of my Top 10 Favorites of All Time.
What about this book has made the slowest reader into a speed reader? What about this book stopped me from wasting time surfing the Internet for Memes I've missed? What has captivated me so much that I want to go to the nearest mountain and scream, "I HAVE READ THE MOST AWESOMEST BOOK EVER AND YOU NEED TO READ IT TOO"?
This book has so much going for it. Great world-building. Well-developed, realistic characters. A nerdy, geeky sub-culture. Science-fiction. A post-apocalyptic world. A well-done romance. NO ROMANTIC TRIANGLES. A love for the 80's. A deeper look at how the Internet affects us now, and the differences between reality and virtuality.
Cline obviously loves the 80's. This entire book is a tribute to that totally tubular era. We have the obvious mentions of popular culture--the music, movies, and video games of the era. But I see the whole book as a tribute to an 80's movie. The young man living in destitution dreaming of hope while living his existence in a virtual reality. Where he meets the woman he's always wanted. Supported by his gnarly friend. And through the strength and wit of his own mind, he is able to solve the puzzles and forge ahead. After a few montages (the romance montage, the "training" montage) and a setback in Act 2, our hero determines to press on--but his goals are no longer the "Fame and Fortune" of his youth. He's there to fight against the faceless enemy (lead by the evil villain out for profit and to destroy people's freedoms in the name of business). He's fighting to prove his love to the girl of his dreams. He's there to bring hope to the destitute.
Quintessential 80's movie? For sure!
Our characters are lovingly created, from our protagonist Wade/Parzival, to his love, Art3mis, to his best bud, Aech (think "H"). Wade is everyman; he is a normal student, trying to get by while living in the slums of Nowhere, Oklahoma with his aunt. He's an average guy, with an above-average obsession with everything 80's and specifically the likes of his role model, James Hallidy, video game designer of the most popular game, OASIS. Wade reminds me of myself and others I know. He's obsessed with video games, 80's nostalgia, and geeky films. He retreats into them instead of facing life, and yet instead of enjoying this freedom, he wants more.
Art3mis did scare me a bit; Love Interests can often be shallow, excuses for a hot babe and a good roll in the sack. But Art3mis isn't that girl. She is like me as well. She is a nerd girl amongst guys. She is strong-willed, independent, free-thinking, and determined. She doesn't need a man to save her; she works fine on her own, thank-you-very-much. But she definitely does have chemistry with Wade, and she admires/loves him. Seeing them grow together was a breath of fresh air; no "insta-loves" or "stalker loves" here!
And lastly, we have Aech. Aech is quite the mysterious figure (when you find out his identity, I'm sure you'll be a bit shocked, I know I was--not to mention who he turns out to be says a little bit about the supposed "freedoms" in this utopic OASIS), but he works well with Wade. They somehow are able to be the best of friends even though they are both competing for the same prize. And even when their relationship hits a few bumps, you don't have long drawn out Big Misunderstandings between the two.
I do have a few character complaints, but they are really minor. Shoto and Daito are said to be Japanese and they talk a lot of "honor". Not saying there is anything bad about this, but it feels a bit stereotypical. There aren't many females in this book--Art3mis is really the only major female character. However, this may have been done on purpose (all the jokes about how rare gamer/geek girls are and such). There is a character that appears at the end to save the day, in a somewhat Deus Ex Machina fashion. I'm not too perturbed at what he does--the book is somewhat fashioned after an 80's movie--but I wish that we had more time with him, understanding him.
Cline was a master at the world-building. There are a lot of apocalyptic/dystopian fiction out there right now, and most of it suffers because of poor world-building and not a deep enough understanding of how the world works (oh, yeah, and this thing called "Let's make a romance and toss in some bits to make it about a dystopia, because EVERYONE loves romances and dystopias are popular right now"). This is not true with "Ready Player One". I felt Cline did a superb job advancing us 30 years into the future (though some of the devices he talks about feel a little too advanced, but those occur later in the book). I felt as if I were being plugged into the OASIS, being transported alongside Wade, Art3mis, and Aech. From Wade's home in Oklahoma to the remote depths of OASIS, the world was real to me. I loved the attention to detail Cline included--giving the background of Halliday, the energy crisis, the deteriorating living conditions, etc.
The writing is addictive. Once I started reading, I really couldn't stop. It had a great flow to it, was clear and clean, and really matched well with Wade's personality. I certainly didn't expect to read this book as fast as I did; I am a VERY slow reader and getting through an almost 400 page book in a weekend is a rarity for me!
I've hinted at the story, comparing it to classic 80's movie plotlines, but it genuinely is unique and interesting. I love journey/adventure stories. I love stories where a character uses his or her own mind to solve puzzles and to race against time/someone else. And "Ready Player One" has that in abundance. Wade has to find a key, but he has numerous obstacles in his way. Money. Resources. The Threat of the Sixers. Love. His struggle to find meaning and hope in a world that isn't worth living in. It's a deep, compelling story, one that resonates with me.
Towards the middle of the book, the story does slow and threaten to come to a halt. This is around the time of the romance/training montage. I get WHY these scenes were necessary (what good 80's movie would NOT have a montage???), but there was more than once that I almost put aside the book and left it there. Fortunately, these sections don't last long, and once again, we are thrown back into the race for the keys.
I loved this book. It was a totally awesome book. I loved almost everything: from the characters to the story to the world-building to the 80's geek out to the prose. But what really sticks out is the message. It's a message that is becoming more and more real to me: what is reality and do we want to bother with it? If there is a paradise, a world where you can be whatever you want, an "OASIS" from life, should we run away from the hardships of reality and sequester ourselves into this otherworld? How are real friendships affected by the distance that we place people, the anonymity we shroud ourselves in when we adopt these artificial constructs and run around in this virtual world? Can real friendships be made with those we've never met in person? And how will this affect us in the future?
I don't have all the answers, but I know one thing: as much as I love surfing for more YouTube videos of cats, I would much rather spend time with my family and friends (friends I've met both in the real world and the virtual world), than in the grips of a virtual paradise. And I think Cline, uber geek that he is, feels the same way.
So, yeah, go out, buy this book now. You won't regret it.
P.S. Oh, and I SO HOPE they make a movie out of this. I think it could seriously ROCK!!
When I first read this, I had few problems with it. But upon rereading, I see a lot of things I let pass. Sloppy writing. Lazy descriptions. Over reliance on 80’s references and nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake.
There are threads of good ideas that never get fully explored. Even the end, which I feel has a decent message, comes out of nowhere to an extent.
And of course, there’s good old fashioned sexism, repackaged for the nerds.
Full Review:
Wade Owen Watts (yes, his parents had a sense of humor) lives in the dreary dystopian future of 2045. Climate change has happened, people live in poverty, there's a power crisis, and people's sole form of escapism is the OASIS - the brain child of James Halliday and Ogden Morrow. Only, James Halliday is now deceased and instead of leaving his estate in a will like normal people, he's hidden it in the OASIS as an Easter Egg. Wade is one of those hunters of the Easter Egg - called gunters. One day, while living his hum-drum existence, he finally uncovers the first clue to the First Key. But a corporation called IOI wants Halliday's fortune to covert OASIS to pay to play. Can Wade find the Easter Egg first?
I don't often get the chance these days to reread a book, mostly because my reading pile is so huge, I'd rather read a new book than go back and reread something I've already read. But this time, a dear friend challenged me to go back and read this book with new eyes.
You see, the person I was in 2012 was completely different than the woman I am today. Back in 2012, I was obese, quiet, secluded with most of my closest friends being online ones I made through a Star Wars website who only knew me as a woman using the avatar of Claudia Black from Farscape. Basically, I was Wade. So when I read the book back in 2012, I felt like I was reading a story with a male version of me at the helm.
But in 2018, I'm not the same. I'm still heavy but about 50 pounds lighter than I was then. I am actively working on my health by working out 4 - 5 times a week and watching what I eat. The friends I have today know me much better and more thoroughly than any I had back in 2012. This doesn't even touch on how my views and opinions from religion to politics to society have changed vastly since I first read this. In short: I would not be friends with the woman I was 6 years ago.
So given this massive change, it's not surprising to realize that my opinions on this book has changed quite a bit. (This isn't too dissimilar to the change that happened when I reread "Daughter of Smoke & Bone".) Admission time: I still enjoyed the breakneck plot to find the hidden treasure. I liked the attempt at a moral/message and there are parts of the world-building that are intriguing and tantalizing.
But...this wasn't as "fun" the second time around. This time around, I couldn't ignore the massive flaws in characters, plot, structure, writing, and world-building.
Wade Owen Watts is a "Nice Guy". For those of you not in the know, that's a guy who thinks, if he's nice to a woman, she should automatically want to date/have sex with him. It doesn't matter if she's not attracted to him or just wants to be friends with him or her wants and needs in general - he's nice to her (unlike those assholes she dates that treat her bad), so why shouldn't she want to have sex with him?! Wade specifically is also immature, insulting other character's lack of knowledge about his form of nerdiness/geekiness just because he can, making him a quintessential Gatekeeper, in addition to a Nice Guy - that nerd that says, "You must have X level of knowledge about Y nerdy thing in order to be A Real True Nerd."
I find it ironic (I believe I'm using that term right) that a nerd/geek who is ostracized from "normal people" (Which what does that even mean when nerd/geek culture is so pervasive these days? You've got news discussing movies like Avengers and SDCC!) because of arbitrary standards uses his/her own arbitrary standards to exclude others.
As annoying as Wade himself is, it's when you look at his behavior to Art3mis that you find the whole situation more annoying. Wade is infatuated with Art3mis because she's attractive (she's "fat" in that way that means "I'm a size 10, not a size 2) and is his type of nerdy (which means she likes all the same nerdy things he does, for the most part). Art3mis clearly tells Wade multiple times that she doesn't want to have anything to do with him - but Wade keeps asking until he breaks down Art3mis' barriers and worms his way in. Art3mis isn't really a character - she's Wade's reward for finishing the video game! Hello sexism! I guess even in 2045 we are still battling you. (Joy.)
The cast of characters is so tiny and barely fleshed out. There's Wade, Art3mis, Aech, Shoto, Daito, and Sorreno. That's it. And I get this is Wade's first person story, but there could have been a fascinating plot dealing with Aech and his twist (even upon reread, I still loved it and what it said about our society). If we're going to try to bother with diversity, we could have elevated Shoto and Daito from tertiary characters to fully fleshed individuals. And then our villain, Sorreno and IOI - well, he feels like the government agent dropped out of the original Ghostbusters. Which gives this book too much credit - Sorreno is much too mustache twirling and selfish for his own good. WHY does he want the egg so bad for IOI? What happened to him that made him so willing to go to any and all extents for Halliday's estate?? Is he a spurned lover? Did he get bested at Joust by Halliday? What is his deal?
Instead of characters and world-building, the book is filled with: 80's nostalgia in place of an actual description (get used to hearing "It looked exactly like *fill in the blank here*"), badly placed or repetitive backstory/description, mustache twirling villainy (which I suppose makes this book more like a cheesy villain of an 80's action flick, but I'm not giving the Art3mis as a Trophy a pass, so this doesn't either), and middle that's burdened by an atrocious one-sided "love story". It's such a shame, because I truly felt it was interesting to imagine a world (that, let's face it, sounds more and more plausible) where people go "online" to escape their miserable reality. I also found the end theme Spoilerof making sure to have real connections with people instead of superficial ones an admirable one - one that somewhat comes out of nowhere and doesn't feel authentic to the characters (not at least the way the characters have been for more than 80% of the book), but admirable nonetheless.
In short, this book was very problematic. Inelegant writing, cheesy plot (I kept thinking of Dan Brown and his silly Robert Langdon books and how silly this plot really is), sexism masquerading as acceptance, pretending to have diversity but throwing it in a closet - all this is there.
And yet, throughout the entire time I was reading this, I found it more interesting to ponder how much I loved this book 6 years ago. LOVED. This was on my top 10 favorite books. I recommended it everywhere. And here I am, 6 years later, saying, "Meh...it had some good bits, but it's hella flawed."
It just goes to show you how reviews are just a snapshot of one person at one small point in that person's life. The review I will write today about this book is only my thoughts from 2018 - I may completely change my mind about this book in 6 more years. It's a silly thought, but one I think we can carry through: we are people that grow and change through the years (at least, that's my goal). Our likes and dislikes change - and that's okay. In fact, for me, I am happy to be the woman I am today - more confident in her real life persona instead of hiding behind the avatar of Claudia Black as the character of "Crystal Starr Light" she created for a Star Wars roleplaying game.
(I get the irony of saying that while using my moniker and an avatar on Goodreads.)
And I think in just one review, I made a better case for being real and authentic than RPO ever did.
SpoilerLet me cut to the chase and ask a few pointed questions:
1. Were you raised in the 80's and/or love 80's geek culture?
2. Are any of the following movies among your favorites: Monty Python and the Holy Grail, War Games, Blade Runner, Ladyhwake?
3. Do you love video games, tabletop RPG games, D&D, or MMO's?
4. Is your iPod filled with Rush and ACDC?
If you answered "YES" to any of those questions, stop reading this review RIGHT NOW and buy this book. I'll wait until you finish reading it before continuing my review.
...
...
This book has totally blown my mind. I spent an entire weekend reading it. I read it while eating; I read it while waiting for downloads or airplanes; I read it before bed. I couldn't get enough of this book. It has become one of my Top 10 Favorites of All Time.
What about this book has made the slowest reader into a speed reader? What about this book stopped me from wasting time surfing the Internet for Memes I've missed? What has captivated me so much that I want to go to the nearest mountain and scream, "I HAVE READ THE MOST AWESOMEST BOOK EVER AND YOU NEED TO READ IT TOO"?
This book has so much going for it. Great world-building. Well-developed, realistic characters. A nerdy, geeky sub-culture. Science-fiction. A post-apocalyptic world. A well-done romance. NO ROMANTIC TRIANGLES. A love for the 80's. A deeper look at how the Internet affects us now, and the differences between reality and virtuality.
Cline obviously loves the 80's. This entire book is a tribute to that totally tubular era. We have the obvious mentions of popular culture--the music, movies, and video games of the era. But I see the whole book as a tribute to an 80's movie. The young man living in destitution dreaming of hope while living his existence in a virtual reality. Where he meets the woman he's always wanted. Supported by his gnarly friend. And through the strength and wit of his own mind, he is able to solve the puzzles and forge ahead. After a few montages (the romance montage, the "training" montage) and a setback in Act 2, our hero determines to press on--but his goals are no longer the "Fame and Fortune" of his youth. He's there to fight against the faceless enemy (lead by the evil villain out for profit and to destroy people's freedoms in the name of business). He's fighting to prove his love to the girl of his dreams. He's there to bring hope to the destitute.
Quintessential 80's movie? For sure!
Our characters are lovingly created, from our protagonist Wade/Parzival, to his love, Art3mis, to his best bud, Aech (think "H"). Wade is everyman; he is a normal student, trying to get by while living in the slums of Nowhere, Oklahoma with his aunt. He's an average guy, with an above-average obsession with everything 80's and specifically the likes of his role model, James Hallidy, video game designer of the most popular game, OASIS. Wade reminds me of myself and others I know. He's obsessed with video games, 80's nostalgia, and geeky films. He retreats into them instead of facing life, and yet instead of enjoying this freedom, he wants more.
Art3mis did scare me a bit; Love Interests can often be shallow, excuses for a hot babe and a good roll in the sack. But Art3mis isn't that girl. She is like me as well. She is a nerd girl amongst guys. She is strong-willed, independent, free-thinking, and determined. She doesn't need a man to save her; she works fine on her own, thank-you-very-much. But she definitely does have chemistry with Wade, and she admires/loves him. Seeing them grow together was a breath of fresh air; no "insta-loves" or "stalker loves" here!
And lastly, we have Aech. Aech is quite the mysterious figure (when you find out his identity, I'm sure you'll be a bit shocked, I know I was--not to mention who he turns out to be says a little bit about the supposed "freedoms" in this utopic OASIS), but he works well with Wade. They somehow are able to be the best of friends even though they are both competing for the same prize. And even when their relationship hits a few bumps, you don't have long drawn out Big Misunderstandings between the two.
I do have a few character complaints, but they are really minor. Shoto and Daito are said to be Japanese and they talk a lot of "honor". Not saying there is anything bad about this, but it feels a bit stereotypical. There aren't many females in this book--Art3mis is really the only major female character. However, this may have been done on purpose (all the jokes about how rare gamer/geek girls are and such). There is a character that appears at the end to save the day, in a somewhat Deus Ex Machina fashion. I'm not too perturbed at what he does--the book is somewhat fashioned after an 80's movie--but I wish that we had more time with him, understanding him.
Cline was a master at the world-building. There are a lot of apocalyptic/dystopian fiction out there right now, and most of it suffers because of poor world-building and not a deep enough understanding of how the world works (oh, yeah, and this thing called "Let's make a romance and toss in some bits to make it about a dystopia, because EVERYONE loves romances and dystopias are popular right now"). This is not true with "Ready Player One". I felt Cline did a superb job advancing us 30 years into the future (though some of the devices he talks about feel a little too advanced, but those occur later in the book). I felt as if I were being plugged into the OASIS, being transported alongside Wade, Art3mis, and Aech. From Wade's home in Oklahoma to the remote depths of OASIS, the world was real to me. I loved the attention to detail Cline included--giving the background of Halliday, the energy crisis, the deteriorating living conditions, etc.
The writing is addictive. Once I started reading, I really couldn't stop. It had a great flow to it, was clear and clean, and really matched well with Wade's personality. I certainly didn't expect to read this book as fast as I did; I am a VERY slow reader and getting through an almost 400 page book in a weekend is a rarity for me!
I've hinted at the story, comparing it to classic 80's movie plotlines, but it genuinely is unique and interesting. I love journey/adventure stories. I love stories where a character uses his or her own mind to solve puzzles and to race against time/someone else. And "Ready Player One" has that in abundance. Wade has to find a key, but he has numerous obstacles in his way. Money. Resources. The Threat of the Sixers. Love. His struggle to find meaning and hope in a world that isn't worth living in. It's a deep, compelling story, one that resonates with me.
Towards the middle of the book, the story does slow and threaten to come to a halt. This is around the time of the romance/training montage. I get WHY these scenes were necessary (what good 80's movie would NOT have a montage???), but there was more than once that I almost put aside the book and left it there. Fortunately, these sections don't last long, and once again, we are thrown back into the race for the keys.
I loved this book. It was a totally awesome book. I loved almost everything: from the characters to the story to the world-building to the 80's geek out to the prose. But what really sticks out is the message. It's a message that is becoming more and more real to me: what is reality and do we want to bother with it? If there is a paradise, a world where you can be whatever you want, an "OASIS" from life, should we run away from the hardships of reality and sequester ourselves into this otherworld? How are real friendships affected by the distance that we place people, the anonymity we shroud ourselves in when we adopt these artificial constructs and run around in this virtual world? Can real friendships be made with those we've never met in person? And how will this affect us in the future?
I don't have all the answers, but I know one thing: as much as I love surfing for more YouTube videos of cats, I would much rather spend time with my family and friends (friends I've met both in the real world and the virtual world), than in the grips of a virtual paradise. And I think Cline, uber geek that he is, feels the same way.
So, yeah, go out, buy this book now. You won't regret it.
P.S. Oh, and I SO HOPE they make a movie out of this. I think it could seriously ROCK!!
ashction's review against another edition
5.0
AHH!! What a great book! I don't think the film can possibly do the genius of this world and contest and these characters as well, but I'm looking forward to it anyway. So glad I finally picked this one up!
strahbary's review
How much nostalgia is too much?? There was more pop culture references than plot. Couldn't finish, I got too annoyed
dforck42's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0