Last Updated on August 4, 2024
As a Gen Z bookworm, I can’t help but snatch up any dystopian fiction that reminds me of The Hunger Games. Ready Player One! was true catnip for me. Check out the back of the book summary:
Overview
Set in 2044, Cline spins the tale of an impoverished kid (Wade Watts) living with his (kinda negligent) family in a trailer park. Lacking in the friends department, Wade spends most of his time plugged into the virtual OASIS to escape.
If this back-of-the-book summary doesn’t entice you, this probably isn’t the book for you.
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…”
Goodreads Summary
Confused? Ready Player One! is basically if Charlie and The Chocolate Factory were set in a (more) dystopian future with an awesome 80s soundtrack.
Objectively strange concept. Spectacular, give me 14 of ’em right now.
My Thoughts
I loved it. (Are you surprised? I gave it a five-star rating.)
The world-building was phenomenal; I haven’t fallen into a book this fast in years. I loved how Cline blended our current technology with our past to create a future that was bleak and perfectly plausible.
That’s the beauty of science fiction, though: when the book is rooted in the hard science we have now, the actual story is (by nature) more believable. I haven’t experienced many sci-fi books that weren’t, so you can say it’s a bit of a security blanket genre for me.
This isn’t a spoiler, but a large element of the plot and world-building is that the creator of the OASIS (James Halliday) loves everything 80s. Ready Player One! often references 80s pop culture, video gaming systems, and computer science.
I have experience in the latter, but being Gen Z, I did struggle with a bit of the imagery presented to me.
Still, I didn’t let it stop me! This modern and dystopian version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was incredibly well done and I can’t sing its praises enough.
Who This Book Is For
If you loved The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins as a kid but hated A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (the prequel to the popular series, published in 2011), this book is for you!
Or maybe you love everything 80s, sci-fi, and geek culture? This book is probably right up your alley~!
Are you into a good “rags to riches” theme or just rooting for the underdogs? (I know I am!) Ready Player One! will probably be a satisfying read for you.
And lastly, if you want some action, high stakes, and wicked smart characters, with just a dash of romance and humor, this book is absolutely for you!
This was the part that terrified me, because I knew there was a good chance it was going to end up getting me killed. But at this point, I no longer cared.
Ready player one!, Chapter 27
Ready Player One! is not a new novel and many have read it before me, so don’t be a stranger. Drop a comment down below and let me know your thoughts.
Thinking about watching the movie, but unsure if it’s worth your time? Check out my post on how to spot a bad movie without fail.
Happy Reading (or Gaming)!
