Proud Professional Reader
Monday 29 July 2013
Author: Ernest Cline
Date Published: August 16, 2011
Grade: A-
Goodreads Summary: It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.
Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.
And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them.
For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.
And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.
Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.
A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?
Review: I know, I know, this is definitely out of character for me- reading a sci-fi book? About a dystopian land where a Global Energy Crisis is occurring? About video games?? Let me explain. I was scrolling through my Kobo's "Must Reads" list, and then this book appeared on the screen. After reading the summary/description, I decided to give it a try because of the raving reviews and the super interesting premise.
Ready Player One is a dystopian novel that takes place thirty years from now. The novel shows how technology will become so addictive and advanced, that by the year 2044, humans will go to school, work, spend money, meet friends, go to parties, and basically live their lives in a virtual universe where they get to choose what they look like, sound like, and act like. There is rarely any more human to human contact, and most of the world chooses to communicate through their avatars online.
I am not going to lie, I was definitely confused at the beginning because I'm not exactly a computer/video games master. The first part of the book contained a lot of video game jargon, explanations about computers and how they work, along with dozens of 80's references. But when Wade found that first key, and the real action began unravelling, the story became so addictive- I just couldn't put it down. I don't think I have ever been so excited while reading a book; It was fast paced, smart, and entertaining.
Wade is basically a genius. At times, it was hard keeping up with his train of thought, but I think overall he is a really solid character. Imagine a young teenage boy, living on his own in a trailer park, a typical outcast of society who is completely devoted to "the hunt". Although flawed, Wade is a witty, super smart underdog. He's that character we sometimes see ourselves in, that character who we cheer for, who we want to see succeed. Wade's growth from an introverted "outcast" who depends on nothing but his computer to survive, to a real human being who falls in love, makes unexpected friends, and emerges an international hero, is so much fun to read. I think Ready Player One is a very good reminder that we cannot solely depend on ourselves to succeed in life. It is also an interesting warning about consumerism in the near future.
Ready Player One has been my first sci-fi read in a very long time and I can honestly say that I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Although this book isn't one I would typically pick up, I am very glad I chose to read it. Informative, refreshing, and oh so clever, Ready Player One is a wonderful read, especially for you sci-fi readers out there, or for those wanting a break from the typical YA novel.
Happy reading!
PAULA :)
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