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Ready Player one

Cline, Ernest. Book - 2011 Science Fiction / Cline, Ernest, Adult Book / Fiction / Science Fiction / General / Cline, Ernest 3 On Shelf 1 request on 8 copies Community Rating: 4.4 out of 5

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Call Number: Science Fiction / Cline, Ernest, Adult Book / Fiction / Science Fiction / General / Cline, Ernest
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

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Science Fiction / Cline, Ernest 4-week checkout Due 04-14-2024
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"An exuberantly realized, exciting, and sweet-natured cyber-quest. Cline's imaginative and rollicking coming-of-age geek saga has a smash-hit vibe."--Booklist, starred review.
"Ready Player One takes place in the not-so-distant future--the world has turned into a very bleak place, but luckily there is OASIS, a virtual reality world that is a vast online utopia. People can plug into OASIS to play, go to school, earn money, and even meet other people (or at least they can meet their avatars), and for protagonist Wade Watts it certainly beats passing the time in his grim, poverty-stricken real life. Along with millions of other world-wide citizens, Wade dreams of finding three keys left behind by James Halliday, the now-deceased creator of OASIS and the richest man to have ever lived. The keys are rumored to be hidden inside OASIS, and whoever finds them will inherit Halliday's fortune. But Halliday has not made it easy. And there are real dangers in this virtual world. Stuffed to the gills with action, puzzles, nerdy romance, and 80s nostalgia, this high energy cyber-quest will make geeks everywhere feel like they were separated at birth from author Ernest Cline."--Chris Schluep, Amazon Best Book of the Month.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Easter eggs! submitted by jamiemarie on August 22, 2011, 12:18pm When I first read the premise of Ready Player One I immediately jumped to the conclusion that it would be nothing but a mediocre copy of Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash, one of my beloved favorites. However, the stellar reviews (how could I not read a book described as a "nerdgasm"?) and the curious focus on 80s pop culture was enough to get me to place a hold. I'm so happy I did! If someone had told me that there was a book that was one part Snow Crash, one part Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and one large part a nostalgic trip through the video games, tv shows, movies and music of the 80s, I'd have been highly skeptical. Happily, this book delivered all those elements as well as some likeable characters and a fantastic, yet realistic world. Highly recommended for those interested in video games, the 80s and the role of technology in society.

Pop Rocks and Layered Socks submitted by Caser on August 31, 2011, 2:34pm I've only read the first 5 pages of Ready Player One as previewed below, but I had to jump on the hold list straight away. Who wouldn't be intrigued by a video game programmer (um, dream job, no?) who on his death bed promises his billions of dollars of amassed fortune to the gamer that can unlock the "easter egg" or secret code inside his wildly popular game, OASIS? Sounds a little like unlocking the Kevin Baconator badge on this very website.

Still not sold? How about the pages littered with 80s pop culture references to Atari, Heathers, Oingo Boingo, and Christian Slater to name only the tip of the nostalgia iceberg? I hope this book also comes out on audiobook because it would make any car trip a fun adventure.

Stick it out, the payoff is worth it. submitted by eknapp on December 19, 2011, 3:02pm A nonstop nostalgia-palooza for generation Xers.

In the near future, a soft-apocalypse energy collapse has sent the world spiraling into poverty. Most people find refuge in the OASIS, a mammoth World-of-Warcraft style virtual reality game that is so much more than a game. Its creator has died and willed his $100 billion empire to the first geek who can solve a massive series of riddles, games, and puzzles. The fat, pasty nerd protagonist squares off against an evil corporation bent on winning the contest at any cost and spoiling the OASIS.

The first thing I noticed about Ready Player One was how poorly it was written. I was wincing by page 2. It ranged from clunky and monotonous to extremely awkward. I doubt that the writing actually improved over the course of the book, but after a while I discovered that I was so engrossed in the story and the I-remember-that! moments that I had stopped noticing it. For the last few chapters I couldn't put the book down (I came into work all bleary-eyed and underslept this morning after staying up much too late last night to finish it.) Great book, superfun read.

Good Read submitted by 0liviap0pp on June 15, 2012, 8:25am I first became interesting in this book as Treasure Quest introduced it.
It intrigued me at how complicated it could get while the reader could still follow its intense plotline. I ended up reading huge portions of it for 2 hour periods, unable to put it down. It completely blew my mind at how everything fit together in such an organized way and how the story kept my interest for such a long time.
A good book for sci-fi lovers and fantasy readers alike.
Although I had no idea about culture or videogames in the 80s, this definitely gave me a nice intro to it :)

Good Read submitted by fdaudi on June 17, 2012, 8:00pm This is a good book, there is no doubting that. It is filled with all the common and even obscure references of the 1980s that people who grew up in the 80s remember fondly. I loved that aspect of the book, it made me want to sit down and find all those movies, songs and various other visuals of that decade and see them for myself. I think my favorite part of the book was the game itself. How that game is described and all the aspects of it just sounds like so much fun. With that being said it drags at times but even with that the author keeps the reader engaged with all the pop references.

Great! submitted by Parzival on June 19, 2012, 11:12am Like ompopp I got this book because of Treasure Quest. It did not take long before my eyes were glued to the pages causing me to stay up till midnight. On this sleepy morning I ended up feeling both sad that the story was over and glad that I would no longer be prevented from doing anything else. Now I can only think to myself: if only the OASIS were real!

Excellent submitted by Spidon on June 25, 2012, 9:35am I don't think I can add anything that hasn't already been said. This is a fantastic book, and a great read for anyone who is a fan of 80s Nostalgia, movies, music, video games, etc.

Even if you didn't grow up in the decade, I'd encourage you to read it and then go find all the things the book references. Ya never know when the trivial knowledge may come in handy.

Fun book submitted by ashflowtuff on June 26, 2012, 3:25pm Lots of fun to read. Made me dig out a bunch of music I hadn't listened to in a long time!

Fun read submitted by ValerieL on July 6, 2012, 1:14pm I picked up this book based on the Treasure Quest that was on play.aadl.org between summers. I really enjoyed it. So many references to things from my childhood, being a child of the 80s. It was a great trip down memory lane with all the references to old video games and the music of my childhood.

The characters were intriguing and the storyline kept me hooked from page one. I highly recommend it if you're a fan of old video games, virtual reality or other pop culture-isms or are a geeky nerd like myself.

Fun for geeks submitted by KathyD on July 11, 2012, 4:58pm This book would be fun for anyone who's described themselves as a geek or anyone who spent part of their childhood or teens in the 1980s. Fitting both of these descriptions, I also stayed up late and was late for work finishing it. And the only gaming I do is at AADL...

Good submitted by jaegerla on July 31, 2012, 12:08pm Before starting this people described it to me as nostalgic but it's so much more than that. You'll find yourself putting holds on the music and movies sprinkled throughout the book to relive it all (if you were lucky enough to be alive in the 1980's).Very cool!

Amazing submitted by yash on August 5, 2012, 10:04am Wade watts, aka parzival and his fellow oasis friends try to win millions of dollars and the ownership of the oasis by completing a quest which the late creator of the oasis wrote in his will.

This book by Ernest cline is amazing. I highly recommend this book to any person who likes video or not.

Honestly........ submitted by jiml on June 22, 2013, 7:20pm This is just about the best book ever (to me). It's full of just about everything, all at the right level! READ IT!!!

Best. Ever. submitted by rivermyles on July 15, 2013, 11:20am I really, really recommend this book. Anyone, teen or adult, will become immersed, i'm sure of it!

Book candy submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on August 13, 2013, 10:00pm This was great book candy for geeks and gamers who grew up in the 80's. It's not 'high literature,' but wow was it fun. What chick lit and beach reads are to most women, this is to geeks and gamers. I loved it. It was a quick read that I could hardly put down once the game was really on. The characters weren't deep, but the storyline was fast and fun.

Distopian Future submitted by Jen Chapin-Smith on June 14, 2014, 1:08pm "Ready Player One" portrays a distopian future in which everyone, or at least everyone who can afford it, lives in a virtual reality online where they work, go to school and interact with others. Our protagonist, Wade Watts, lives in a trailer with his aunt. Trailers are stacked into high rises, a sign of how desperate the poor have become.
Through his academic achievement, Wade has gotten a rare scholarship to attend an online school. He figures out the first clue to an online puzzle whose winner will gain the ownership of one of largest corporations in the world, making them a millionaire. Watts is suddenly famous, and the target of those who want to kill him or co-opt him in order to win the prize for themselves.
The story reminds me of the parts of the show "Caprica" in which characters live and love in a virtual reality world while their bodies remain on Earth.

Wow submitted by chasehyatt99 on June 17, 2014, 1:52pm This book was recommended to me by a friend and I was hooked from the beginning. Despite not getting many of the references (having never lived in the 80's), it was interesting with all of the 80's pop culture references. However, the best part of the book was the amazing storytelling, an exciting plot, and interesting premise. There simply aren't enough adjectives to describe this book!

Amazing submitted by mysterio on June 25, 2014, 11:35am Really, there aren't words to describe this book; my eyes were glued to the pages at all time!

Welcome Computer Geeks! submitted by Peter Pasque on July 12, 2015, 10:56am So you consider yourself a geek eh? Well, then this book is for you!

What a fun adventure.

Ready, Set, Go! submitted by allseltz on July 13, 2015, 1:24pm This was a fun and fast read that really captured my attention. It's great for a gamer who loves to read or anyone who really loved the 80's. It's an interesting concept and the characters are all fun and likeable. Great for a summer read!

Nerds of the 80's, Unite! submitted by kaymbre on July 20, 2016, 10:09am This book really captured my imagination -- so much so that I've already read it four times. Having grown up in the eighties, many of the references hit me right where I live. The music, the television, the movies, the games. Much fun to play "Let's remember". I've even gone back to enjoy some of those fond memories.

In addition to all the fun nostalgia we have a fairly engaging story set within a dystopian society where the population has gone into hiding, trying to pretend it will all somehow fix itself. The end, while satisfying, leaves us open to wonder what's next and it leaves us with some questions about our own society. One need only look at the recent break-out success of Pokemon GO to wonder if we, too, are seeking an escape from the challenges we need to face.

Great read. Couldn't recommend it more to any nerd or child of the eighties.

the 80's submitted by mrondo on June 17, 2017, 10:31pm I found this entertaining, even though 90% of the 80's references were wasted on me.

Great book submitted by LijunHan on June 20, 2017, 7:15am This was a great read! Highly recommend you to read it.

Zork submitted by BritishGal on June 24, 2017, 7:54pm Such a fun book, definitely a must read for any geek from the 80s. LOVED it!

Great book! submitted by jonathancvielmetti on June 15, 2018, 9:22pm While many references flew over my head, I still enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to anyone that hasn't read it.

Amazing storyline submitted by charbutcool on June 16, 2018, 5:11pm This book is absolutely amazing, no questions asked. My only flaw with it is that the movie was nearly completely different from the book! No spoilers, but the tasks and partially the ending was super different. Still great, though. ^^

Such a great 80's book! submitted by Xris on June 16, 2018, 7:10pm This book makes me want to go back and rewatch and/or replay all the movies, music and games in this book. Can't wait to see the movie!

Ready Player One submitted by nshore on June 23, 2018, 8:27pm Great read and fun book. Keeps you entertained to the end. Highly recommend, especially if you love all things 80s.

Excellent book! submitted by steveiew on June 28, 2018, 4:28pm This is a grim view of the future, where nearly every person has disappeared into virtual reality. The treasure hunt in this book keeps you on the edge of your seat and reading late into the night. The book is excellently done and a must read, especially for anyone who grew up in the 80's.

Overrated fluff submitted by FordAlpha on July 18, 2018, 9:50pm "Ready Player One" is fun to read, no doubt about that. It keeps the pages turning and lays the geekout on thick. But some of its more interesting ideas, like the packing of America's population into rickety vertical stacks of old trailer homes, and the relationship between real-world and virtual-world distribution of privilege and resources, are quickly abandoned in favor of breakneck blow-em-up action and a completely nonsensical, implausible, and weakly justified expansion of the protagonist's resources and abilities to essentially inexhaustible. It's not that interesting anymore when he can magically buy whatever he wants, design his real-world environment with apparently omniscient cleverness and forethought, and execute perfect hacks every time.

Great submitted by Sparks on July 24, 2018, 4:16pm A really good book.

Great book submitted by Claireywang on July 25, 2018, 11:14am It was an awesome read and better than a lot of books I’ve read. Shows us what the future could be if we’re not careful. A bit too much swearing though. Not fit for young readers.

Too Young submitted by rizat on August 7, 2018, 10:46pm I have to travel back to the 80's.

Meh submitted by shannonwait on August 9, 2018, 10:00pm Just a little too nostalgic and proud of its ability to make references.

Great book submitted by Bigal2212 on August 22, 2018, 1:51pm You can’t put this down

Fantastic! submitted by lstorc on August 27, 2018, 12:10pm This was a great nod to the 1980s and gaming throughout the generations. It was a fun read with not so subtle pointed socio-political economic nuances.

So good! submitted by jcottey on July 11, 2019, 6:18pm Nuanced, intelligent characters populate this amazing futuristic novel. The 1980's references were a lot of fun too. I couldn't put the book down.

Must Read submitted by dahyatt on July 27, 2019, 4:32pm This is a book you have to read especially if you grew up in the 80s. A fantastic storyline that is punctuated with tons of 80s pop culture references.

Great submitted by smr on July 2, 2020, 3:58pm Great player

Loved it submitted by eschrine on July 7, 2020, 11:50pm The world, while dystopian, is a fantastical one. The narrator is lovable yet believable for his age and circumstances. LOVED the incorporation of geeky 80s pop culture references and the diligence in staying true to them.

Nostalgia! submitted by kbcmmom on July 23, 2020, 12:03pm Nostalgia!
My brother and I were 80's geeks. We fondly reminisce about programming our Commodore 64 using "Basic" and playing Ultima. I would love to have my children and my nephews read this book. Although they say they could just watch the movie, I think it would give them insight into the geeks of the 80s who are the parents of today. Aside from that, I thought it was a good book with interesting plot twists and interpersonal relationship challenges as well. Definitely worth reading.

Amazing hit! submitted by minghsuan on August 28, 2021, 3:53pm It's fun to see a video game become a book

fav submitted by Morgsush on June 16, 2022, 1:27am one of my fav books, even if I didn't understand a lot of the references. I had fun looking them up and learning about the 80's pop culture & video game scene through the story, and of course loved the puzzles.

Immersive adventure submitted by bahr on July 19, 2022, 11:55am I thought the story was really fun. As someone who was born in the 80’s, it was fun to be immersed in some of the culture that I remember. The action, plot, and many of the characters were well written. There are many parts of the book that were wrapped up well and just a few things that could have been written better, but it just drops this book from a 100 down to a 95. Definitely recommend this book!

nostalgic submitted by svenetianer on August 28, 2022, 11:44pm The most fun if you grew up in the 80s, but still fun if you didn't!

Engaging submitted by vclinton on August 14, 2023, 5:40pm Really loved this book, shame the movie was such a horrible adaptation.

Cover image for Ready player one


PUBLISHED
New York : Crown Publishers, 2011.
Year Published: 2011
Description: 374 p. ; 24 cm.
Language: English
Format: Book

ISBN/STANDARD NUMBER
9780307887436
0307887448
9780307887443
9780804190138

SUBJECTS
Regression (Civilization) -- Fiction.
Virtual reality -- Fiction.
Utopias -- Fiction.
Puzzles -- Fiction.
Fantasy fiction.
Science fiction.