Ready Player One

Author: Ernest Cline

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction.

Editorial: Random House NY

Year: 2011

Ranking: 4/5

  Synopsis

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade is going to survive, he will have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

The Author

Ernest Cline has worked as a short-order cook, fish gutter, plasma donor, elitist video store clerk, and tech support drone. His primary occupation, however, has always been geeking out, and he eventually threw aside those other promising career paths to express his love of pop culture fulltime as a spoken word artist and screenwriter. His 2009 film Fanboys, much to his surprise, became a cult phenomenon. These days Ernie lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, their daughter, and a large collection of classic video games. READY PLAYER ONE is his first novel.

Personal Experience with This Book

I decided to read this book for two main reasons: it had many very good reviews and it seemed that all who read it were delighted with it; and because with some friends we decided to read it together.

I started excited with the story because the whole idea of ​​a virtual video game and a competition with all those tracks and, how one as a reader discovers along with Wade each key. I think the author managed to catch the reader’s attention because it made us part of his creation.

In addition, the references of the 80s are something that attracts many people because either, they identify with the time, or really like it. I honestly do not have an unconditional love for this time but I did recognized some stuff and I think I learned many others.

Wade, as a main character is great. I think he has a great personality and has many changes as the story progresses. He has this way of being relaxed, which identify him very much, but at the same time he gets easily obsessed with Art3mis and that's pretty disturbing, but ultimately this is part of Wade, is what makes him unique.

Hache, Art3mis, Shoto and Daito also were great characters. I honestly loved "the top 5". I think they built a group and despite not knowing much about them you really want one of them to win. Especially since, you get to hate IOI with all your soul. These people are able to do anything to get the egg. It is ridiculous and frightening. Therefore, you do not want to be the ones who win.

The reason I did not give a higher rating to this book, although I liked it, is because it becomes excessively descriptive. I have a little problem with these kind of books where there is not much dialogue because I get bored. This is one of those books that although, it was very interesting, was also a little boring for the extreme way of describing places and scenarios. Wade describes each one of the scenes in which he is located. And I understand that he has to do that so we can portrait OASIS, but seriously he over did it. There are paragraphs and paragraphs of descriptions. That is the main reason I do not give a higher rating to this book. Overall, I think the book is very good and the story and plot are very original and funny.