Reviews

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

pronkbaggins's review against another edition

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3.0

3.75/5 stars

This is a cute and straightforward story. It was an easy and fun read! I really enjoyed all the 1980s references and the video game scenes. That is what made it a quick and fun read. Definitely one of those feel-good science fiction stories at the end, even if it is set in a dystopian world.

hellham's review against another edition

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adventurous funny informative inspiring slow-paced

4.0

silverwolf77's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

vcarella's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

holasoyflavia's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

 “People who live in glass houses should shut the fuck up.”

it's a thrilling adventure that hits close to home for anyone who's ever logged on and entered a virtual world. From the epic quests to the nostalgic throwbacks, Ernest Cline captures the essence of gaming culture in a way that feels both familiar and exhilarating.

At the heart of the story is the search for the ultimate Easter egg (swifties united)—a quest so epic that it draws players from all corners of the Oasis. And let me tell you, the hunt is half the fun. As Wade unravels cryptic clues and races against rival players, you can't help but get caught up in the excitement.

But it isn't just about the game—it's about the people you meet along the way. Wade's internet friends become his lifeline in a world where virtual connections are just as important as real-life ones. And let's be real, who hasn't made some of their closest friends online? Whether it's bonding over shared interests or teaming up to tackle a tough challenge, the relationships formed in the Oasis are just as meaningful as any forged in the real world.

For me, reading this felt like coming home to a world where my online friendships were celebrated and cherished. It's a reminder that in today's digital age, our virtual connections are just as valid and important as the ones we make face-to-face. As the lines between the real and virtual worlds continue to blur, Cline's vision of the future feels more realistic than ever. &
we're forced to confront our own relationship with escapism and the ways in which it shapes our lives. It's a reminder that while it's fun to lose yourself in a virtual world, we can't ignore the problems of the real world forever. "Ready Player One" challenges us to think critically about the role of technology in our lives and the consequences of prioritizing entertainment over meaningful connections.

So if you're looking for a book that's equal parts thrilling adventure, heartfelt friendships, and thought-provoking social commentary, look no further than "Ready Player One." It's a wild ride that'll leave you itching to log on and dive into the Oasis yourself.

“That was when I realized, as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it’s also the only place where you can find true happiness. Because reality is real.” 

pipinghotbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

laurenmat's review against another edition

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4.0

brought down my rating after reading again

labunnywtf's review against another edition

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5.0

::slams fist down on table and sweeps arm to clear it::

::taps fingernail in empty space::

Here's what I'm gonna need.

Sequel: Normally, I don't demand sequels to kick ass books I love enough to literally restart them the second they're finished. But there was no epilogue, and I AM NOT WELL PLEASED.

What the fuck happened to Sorento? What the fuck happened to that Iroq guy? What does Wade do when he logs into the Oasis again? What the fuck kind of ending is that? Romance is great and blah blah I don't ever need to log in again, fuck that, what happened?! He said everyone had gotten stories of his adventures wrong. WHAT WERE THE WRONG STORIES?!

Prequel: I need to read the almanac. I NEED IT. GIVE IT TO ME NOW. I was a child of the 80's, I need to know what all he referenced in it. GIVE IT HERE.

This book. This goddamn book, dear fucking GOD. Ernest Cline has managed to do what no other author has done before. And that is to get me so completely, utterly, 100% wrapped up in a book that is so sci-fi my eyes crossed.

I don't play table top games. I don't play role playing games. I've never played D&D, or World of Warcraft. I grew up with an Atari, the original Nintendo, and the original Sega Genesis. The games I played were very basic, but awesome. I didn't know 99% of the ones referenced.

My comic book knowledge is beyond negligible. And I've never watched War Games.

And there was not one infinitesimal second of this book that I did not get into. From start to finish.

My god, the references in this book! I was taking notes, as I always do when listening to audiobooks at work. THREE (little) PAGES. I stopped writing!

Dead Man's Party. Legend. Battlestar Galactica. FIREFLY. Neil Gaiman. Howard the Duck. Kevin Smith. Quidditch!! Doctor Who!! She-Ra! The Dark Crystal! "Answer the question, Clare!" Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster! They Might Be Giants! Johnny 5!!!!!!!!! MOTHERFUCKING MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL.

And all throughout, the sheer joy in Wil Wheaton's voice as he narrated.

Seriously, this is the mecca of nerd books, and I don't think anyone will ever top it.

I loved all of the characters so very much. Even Wade, who is so very troubled at the beginning. Understandably so, and it's kind of amazing to watch him grow. It feels so real, because you understand why he's so angry all the time. We watch him go from a very angry, introverted youth in a horrible situation to an agoraphobic shut in obsessively living in the Oasis and in love with Art3mis*, to a real life person with all the different shades.

Art3mis, I started out loving. I mean, her reaction to Parzival winning the Joust on the first try nearly had me peeing on myself laughing. But she kind of turns into a giant snot towards the middle, and barely recovers herself. I liked her arc anyway, though.

I can't even talk about H. I called it on who he really was, and it just made me love him more. As far as Shito and Dido, I was actually hoping they'd end up being boyfriends rather than brothers, but I'll take it.

Seriously, I got so into this. Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on crack, complete with Slugworth the bad guy who was so evil. Again, I need a motherfucking sequel on this one. Even a little novelette will pacify me. Dammit, Cline.

Looking through my notes. Love that the Oasis had its own version of strumpeting, and that there are Real Dolls specifically for these...poor, poor people. Seriously, Parzival's life in that little concrete cube just made me really sad for him.

The espionage with IOI allllllllllmost felt too easy. I mean, really. You'd think their security would be better than that. But then, I can see it being a "too big to fail" situation. It was a really awesome set up, and fun to follow, even if I had to suspend my disbelief in a big way.

SpoilerI actually thought he was going to fail. I didn't think IOI would win, necessarily. Or, if they did, I was remembering in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the guy who said he found the final golden ticket but it turned out to be a forgery. I thought something like that could happen here.

But I thought maybe Art3mis or H would end up winning, and do for him what he did for them. I love love love how it all turned out. It wasn't an easy victory, and I could follow the steps that were taken to get there without rolling my eyes.

From the first mention of it, I was listening for the cataclyst. I knew Cline wasn't going to introduce that artifact without it making an appearance. And the second it was stated that so many avatars were at the castle, I knew it was going to happen. I thought Sorento would threaten to use it and scare everyone away, but just having it happen was even better.

I was also waiting for the quarter to come into play. I kind of thought maybe it was a future gate of some kind, and it was going to be a big shocker that he'd already passed it and no one could figure out how when he'd just...I don't know, it worked out in my head. Having it be an extra life was 100 times cooler.


Those last two points I mentioned are another thing I love about this book. Things that were going to come into play in a major way are set up for you. It's not heavy handed, slamming you in the head every 10 minutes that This Thing Exists, but it's there enough that, when the big thing happens, you can go, "Ohhhhhhhhhhh, right."

I'm buying this book. It's the kind of book I can pick up and flip to a page and just enjoy reading bits and pieces over and over. So very much fun, and it makes me want to poof up my bangs, get out my legwarmers, and listen to some Whitesnake.

* I listened to the audiobook version of this. But ye gods, you can hear the L33T speak through Wil Wheaton's voice. It gave me the twitches.

astillac's review against another edition

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I tried so hard but the MC is just god-awful.

labunnywtf's review against another edition

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5.0

The once great country into which I'd been born now resembled its former self in name only. It didn't matter who was in charge. Those people were rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, and everyone knew it.

Besides, now that everyone could vote from home via the OASIS? The only people who could get elected were movie stars, reality TV personalities, or radical televangelists.




2015. I read this in 2015 and was absolutely certain I was going to re-read it so many times over and over. It only took me 8 years, this is fine.

During this enormous reading slump I've been (and am currently) living through, one of the main books that's been slamming itself into the walls of my brain has been Ready Player One. It's been so long since I've read it, and I still haven't seen the movie, and I've been informed to not read the sequel, but this book still lives in the corners of my brain.

As an 80s child who still genuinely enjoys most of what came out in that decade, there's so many things I'll see, or hear, or read that remind me of bits from this book. And despite that, it was so much fun to re-read this and find all the things that didn't stick after so long without re-reading.

I will say, though, we are both closer to this dystopian hellscape and slightly further away. Looking at you, fucking AI.

Ohhhh, this was so much fun to re-read. And I can still hear the joy in Wil Wheaton's voice as he narrates it.

Still not reading the sequel, despite my original review for this begging for one. I have been warned.