[Book] Ready Player One

[Bullwinkle]

I am halfway through Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, and I had to come in here to talk it up.

This book is like Willy Wonka for anyone who grew up as a geek in the 80s - 90s.  

A gaming guru has died, leaving behind his fantastically popular MMO universe.  It has become so pervasive that people spend more time inside it than out.  It's even like an operating system in and of itself: People go to school online and play games within the game itself.  He has also left behind a video will filled with clues that eventuall will lead one lucky player to his fortune and ownership of the company itself.

The guru is very fond of his childhood from the 80s (the video will is dripping with references - the horns from "Dead Man's Party" kick it off, for example), and so 80s pop culture has become required study for everyone.  The narrator kid constantly drops references to things like Superfriends, The Goonies, Joust, Buckaroo Banzai, Wargames, the list goes on and on and can even get a little obscure (there's a reference to an old TRS-80 game, for example, and yes, he does call it the Trash-80).

It's also extremely well-written.  All of these references are fun, of course, but there's a great story here, well-told, with good characters.  Seriously, it's utterly fantastic.  It's so well crafted that I keep wanting to recommend it to the wife, but a lot of the references would be lost on her.  It'd be a nice experiment, though, to see if it's good enough for the story to work even without getting all the references.

Basically, if you know what an Oscillation Overthruster is and would enjoy ordering a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster, this book is for you.  Get it now!

[Isgrimnur]

While I have not consumed this book as of yet, I did want to mention that the audiobook is read by one Wil Wheaton.

[rittchard]

This review makes it hard to resist checking it out:

“A nerdgasm…imagine Dungeons and Dragons and an 80s video arcade made hot, sweet love, and their child was raised in Azeroth.”—John Scalzi, New York Times bestselling author of Old Man’s War

Edit: just grabbed it on Kindle and read the first chapter, looks like it's gonna be a really good read!

[Zinfan]

Thanks for the heads up.  I'm downloading it from Audible now.

[disarm]

I heard about this book a little while back and it's definitely on my reading list once I finish the series I'm currently working through.  It sounds like a great idea and I should fit right in the target demographic for all the references, so I'm really looking forward to it.  Unfortunately, it will also probably wait until I get my Kindle back after loaning it to a friend in exchange for a set of old-school printed books.  Giving up my Kindle for the last month to read actual printed books has made me realize just how much I love that awesome piece of technology...so much more convenient...

[Bullwinkle]

Warner Bros bought the rights and asked the author to write up a couple of drafts for the script.  Ernie hired an artist to give him some rough sketches of what things might look like.  AICN has them here.

There was one scene in the book in particular that made me think This would look great in the movie.  It was when they went to a club and the parking lot was filled with Vipers and TIEs and such.



I don't love the art style here, necessarily, but the idea is still awesome.

I just hope they can get a Roger Rabbit level of participation for this.

[Crusis]

55 or so pages in and I am already sick of the Bobisms. I hate how everything is explained like the narrator is telling the story to a class of ten year olds. Show, don't tell. ARGH! Still, the 80's stuff is nice and nostalgic.

[TK-421]

55 or so pages in and I am already sick of the Bobisms. I hate how everything is explained like the narrator is telling the story to a class of ten year olds. Show, don't tell. ARGH! Still, the 80's stuff is nice and nostalgic.

Ugh, that is one thing that really bothers me.  The other is, if I'm more than two books deep into a six (or more) book series, stop using the first two chapters in each new book to explain everything that happened in the previous books.  I kNOW what happened, I read them!

I understand it's so that readers who pick up the series in the middle will understand what's happening but maybe that's why you number the books in your series. So that some dumbass doesn't pick up Part 4 and start from there.  If so, he deserves to be lost.

[Bullwinkle]

Maybe it's just because I just finished a book with a very clumsy, obvious narrator (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children), but I don't feel talked down to at all by Wade.  He seems pretty straightforward to me.

Also, not sure what you mean by Bobisms.

[Crusis]

Also, not sure what you mean by Bobisms.

A 'bobism' is when characters go out of the way to explain stuff for the benefit of the reader / watcher. For instance, watch any cop show like CSI. The investigators explain everything to each other ... "As you know, Bob, when a bullet leaves a gun the muzzel velocity <blah blah blah>" 

[Bullwinkle]

Also, not sure what you mean by Bobisms.

A 'bobism' is when characters go out of the way to explain stuff for the benefit of the reader / watcher. For instance, watch any cop show like CSI. The investigators explain everything to each other ... "As you know, Bob, when a bullet leaves a gun the muzzel velocity <blah blah blah>" 

That's what I figured you meant, but I hadn't heard the term.  I really haven't noticed the book being heavy-handed with that stuff at all.

[EngineNo9]

Also, not sure what you mean by Bobisms.

A 'bobism' is when characters go out of the way to explain stuff for the benefit of the reader / watcher. For instance, watch any cop show like CSI. The investigators explain everything to each other ... "As you know, Bob, when a bullet leaves a gun the muzzel velocity <blah blah blah>" 

That's what I figured you meant, but I hadn't heard the term.  I really haven't noticed the book being heavy-handed with that stuff at all.

Yeah, I had never heard the term "Bobism", but that is certainly a pet peeve of mine and makes me quickly dislike a book.  I think I'm going to pull this off my Kindle wishlist if it is that full of them.

[Bullwinkle]

Also, not sure what you mean by Bobisms.

A 'bobism' is when characters go out of the way to explain stuff for the benefit of the reader / watcher. For instance, watch any cop show like CSI. The investigators explain everything to each other ... "As you know, Bob, when a bullet leaves a gun the muzzel velocity <blah blah blah>" 

That's what I figured you meant, but I hadn't heard the term.  I really haven't noticed the book being heavy-handed with that stuff at all.

Yeah, I had never heard the term "Bobism", but that is certainly a pet peeve of mine and makes me quickly dislike a book.  I think I'm going to pull this off my Kindle wishlist if it is that full of them.

Well, now, see, this is what I was worried about.  I haven't been irritated by anything like that in the slightest, and I don't have a very high tolerance for it.  Honestly, I think this is a fantastic book that is very well written.  Others agree.  Amazon is currently at 4.5 stars.  Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, and the New York Times loved it, and those are just the first handful that I pulled up.

[Sarkus]

Weird.  I hadn't heard about this at all and then someone I was talking to at work started talking about what a good book it was, with the 80s references.  And now there is a thread about it here. . . 

[Moliere]

While I have not consumed this book as of yet, I did want to mention that the audiobook is read by one Wil Wheaton.

Thank you for the recommendation. Loved the book and all the 80s nostalgia. While the Bobisms might have been annoying how does the author know what needs to be explained and what doesn't? In a book like this sometimes they need to stop and give the history of an event or video game for those that don't remember it.

Spoiler for Hiden:

The old geezer Wil Wheaton reference was amusing.

[lildrgn]

I enjoyed it for the most part, but I couldn't stand some of the dialog between the characters. It's a personal thing with me, I suppose. It seemed the author tried a little too hard to make the characters sound like geeks/nerds/outcasts.

Then again, that is what they were, after all.

But, I did love all the

Spoiler for Hiden:

Rush

references.

And as soon as he mentioned the

Spoiler for Hiden:

star and circle

clue, I knew immediately what it must be about.

[Jag]

I enjoyed it for the most part, but I couldn't stand some of the dialog between the characters. It's a personal thing with me, I suppose. It seemed the author tried a little too hard to make the characters sound like geeks/nerds/outcasts.

Then again, that is what they were, after all.

But, I did love all the

Spoiler for Hiden:

Rush

references.

And as soon as he mentioned the

Spoiler for Hiden:

star and circle

clue, I knew immediately what it must be about.

Was on the fence. Will be picking this up today

[lildrgn]

 

[KC]

I just finished the book.  It was good except that the last couple of chapters seemed rushed. Also, having been in high school in the 80s, a lot of pop culture seemed to be missing:

Top Gun
Wrath of Khan
Madonna
Rock Lobster
Miami Vice

[disarm]

I finally got around to reading starting this as I was traveling for the holiday and devoured the whole thing in a 36-hour period...loved it from start to finish.  The book tells a great story, is full of really fun characters, and is very smartly written, but it's the brilliant way that Cline worked an endless string of 80s references into the whole thing that really made it special for me.  There were only a handful of references that I didn't know well, but those were very minor things.  I was familiar with all the major plot points, and I knew enough of the little details that I was constantly thinking of a soundtrack for the game thanks to all the song references, and picturing old video game graphics and movies in my head as the characters played through so many classics. 

The writing style was good in my opinion, and the first-person perspective with a lot of explanations didn't bother me in the least because it all served to immerse the reader deeply into the world that faced the challenge of being unfamiliar yet filled with nostalgia at the same time.  I can't remember the last time I read a story from the main character's point of view, but I think it really worked well in this case.

Overall, I really enjoyed Ready Player One and have to say it's easily one of the most fun reads I've had in a long time...highly recommended!

[DarkEL]

Picked this up a few days ago based on recommendations in this thread. About half-way through and really enjoying the story so far. Actually forcing myself to take a break from reading right now.

[disarm]

I was pulled in so hard that I read the whole book in just two days; started Christmas Eve as I was flying to see family, and finished by Christmas night.  I will admit that it is a pretty short book though.  I almost wish it had been longer just because it was so much fun to read and I'm not sure how another book could ever work in so much nostalgia in such a great way.  I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Ernest Cline releases next

[DarkEL]

Couldn't stop reading it today and finished the book tonight. Enjoyed it very much.

However I was wondering if I was the only one that suspected:

Spoiler for Hiden:

that Aech was really Halliday in disguise. In other words - that perhaps he had faked his death and was monitoring the contest through one or more avatars -  making friends with Gunters who might be worthy? 

I sure did based on the following:

1. IOI could never find any information on Aech's real identity
2. Aech had spent a lot of time "training" wade on Joust
3. Aech's private basement chat room was an exact replica of Hallidays basement
4. Aech had revealed that his real name began with an 'H'
5. IOI could never track where Aech was connecting from
6. Aech would only find keys / gates after someone else had found them first.
7. When the top four were making their way to the final gate that only required three of them - i expected that to be the time there would be the reveal that Aech was Halliday and the other three would solve the final gate.

There was also a lot of little dialog things that Aech said especially when other people were talking about Haliday and his motives.

[Eco-Logic]

I just started this yesterday and love it so far. Great recommendation.

Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

[Bullwinkle]

I'm happy that the love is starting to be felt!

[Covenant]

I read the sample for this last month and put it in the back of my mind as somethign to get to when I had time.  Last night I purchased it and have already burned through about 15% of it. Very fun read so far; nice and light.

[Eco-Logic]

Finished this just now and loved every minute of it... THANKS for bringing it to my attention!

Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk

[xenocide]

Holy. Crap.

That book was awesome.  Just finished.  I read it in a day in a half, I could not put it down (I never read books that fast). Most fun book I have read in years.

Anyone on the fence, get off so damn fast you hit your face on the ground, jump up and read the book.

[theohall]

I just finished the book.  It was good except that the last couple of chapters seemed rushed. Also, having been in high school in the 80s, a lot of pop culture seemed to be missing:

Top Gun
Wrath of Khan
Madonna
Rock Lobster
Miami Vice

Miami Vice, Madonna, Rock Lobster and Top Gun were not "geekie", they were "cool."  So I, having grown up through the era, understand the lack of references to them.  Wrath of Khan probably should've fit in somewhere.  Remember, Halliday was the awkward geek not into the popular things back in his day.  I couldn't stand Miami Vice and made fun of the "cool" kids dressing like they were in the show - which was a popular fad among the "popular" kids.

[Jag]

Seriously. If you don't know how to get to the secret room in Adventure, then this book is not for you. 

[theohall]

Seriously. If you don't know how to get to the secret room in Adventure, then this book is not for you. 

There is a SECRET room in Adventure?  Dammit!!! Thanks for spoiling it. 

Spoiler for Hiden:

[Eco-Logic]

So when will this be made into a movie?

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[Bullwinkle]

So when will this be made into a movie?

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Discussed here

No specific plans yet, but WB has the rights.

[ATB]

Read this in four days.

A fun easy read.

I found a lot of the dialogue to be labored and un...dialoguey.

Overall though, a good time was had. 4.5/5

[CeeKay]

just finished reading this, great book.  I agree the last chapter or two did seem a bit rushed but then again I'm glad the author didn't stretch out things unnecessarily.

[Clanwolfer]

Anyone listen to the audiobook yet? I'm on a big audiobook kick, with all the driving, and Wil Wheaton narrates this one.

[Bullwinkle]

I've heard good things.  Especially since they drop a reference to him in the book.

BTW, did anyone see Community last night?  Clearly someone on staff read the book.

[Zinfan]

Anyone listen to the audiobook yet? I'm on a big audiobook kick, with all the driving, and Wil Wheaton narrates this one.

I did and it was great!  Wil did a very good job with it.  I keep it on my iPod as a standby in case the book I'm currently listening to isn't any good, only other book on tape I keep around is To Say Nothing of the Dog, with those two books I feel I'm good for any long trip I may take.

[Laner]

Read it this week... overall it was an entertaining read, though the way the author vomited out his political stance in the first chapter was about as ham-fisted as one could imagine (see also: James Cameron's Avatar).  I don't mind authors integrating their personal views and beliefs in their work - in fact, I expect it.  But the way it was handled here was as un-subtle as a sledgehammer to the face.

[CeeKay]

awesome fan made poster for the book: