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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book would of been better if we would of been following Samantha or even the low five. Wade continues his unlikeable streak from the first book and becomes an bigger asshole in this book. Samantha is the voice of reason during the whole book just to go back on her views near the end of the book the rest of the characters just seem to ignore her or down play her views. Even the villain was more interesting than the main character just because of his concept. I say best pretend that there is only one book
In Ready Player Two, the game is on again.
The High Five have won money, fame and influence, but they can't fix all of humanities troubles. Then Wade finds something new, or rather, old, that Halliday has left him and that will change the way humans live forever.
I thought the storyline of this book was by far not as solid as part 1. I might have preferred to have an entirely new book, and not a continuation of part one, as that was good by itself. Now is is sort of... diluted.
The events in this book don't all make that much sense, but clearly an excuse was needed to start another quest in OASIS. This time, a few separate fandoms are explored in bigger detail than were done in part 1, which was more a collection of bits and ends. Still, it was a fun ride.
The High Five have won money, fame and influence, but they can't fix all of humanities troubles. Then Wade finds something new, or rather, old, that Halliday has left him and that will change the way humans live forever.
I thought the storyline of this book was by far not as solid as part 1. I might have preferred to have an entirely new book, and not a continuation of part one, as that was good by itself. Now is is sort of... diluted.
The events in this book don't all make that much sense, but clearly an excuse was needed to start another quest in OASIS. This time, a few separate fandoms are explored in bigger detail than were done in part 1, which was more a collection of bits and ends. Still, it was a fun ride.
Spoiler
Only thing I don't get: Why did Wade free the slaves after more than a year had passed? As a 'special celebration'? Why? Did he turn into a horrible person that fast? I don't believe it.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
I’ll come right out and say it: I enjoyed this one as well. Just like the first part, this may in many ways not be a “good” book. But who cares about all of that when you’re having fun. And I can’t help but gloat a bit reading all the comments from the social justice haters that Cline managed to majorly piss off by having his MC do a 180 -ok, a 120 maybe- and develop some empathy.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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
No doubt a fun world Cline has created...but this sequel meanders in exposition and subplots, a pale rehash of the first novel. Wade’s ponderous first person narrative drags down the storytelling...bet the movie will be better. That’s something.
After a slow and emo-y beginning (which, while not my favorite, is very relevant to the story), this finally picked up. I prefer the first book, but this was still an excellent novel that I really enjoyed reading.
RPO had a billion pop culture references coming at the reader at every turn. This one tones that down slightly in exchange for entire world(s) in the OASIS that are themed after something pop culture. Having not seen a couple of very prominent John Hughes films, never caring much for Prince, and not having any real Tolkien experience outside of the LOTR trilogy, a large portion of the book centered around people, places, and events that I knew little to nothing about. The Prince one dragged on and on, but the others were good, even if I was missing some of the background behind them.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. Like many things I read, RPO ended in such a way that the story could be continued without feeling forced, but if it ended where it did, I'd be happy. While an author who is far more creative than I can surely find a way to do it, it seems like this story has run its course and been tied up nicely with a little bow. A third story, unless it focused on others (maybe L0hengrin's adventure?) would likely feel shoehorned in.
Given that I preferred Armada over RPO back when I read them, having this story at a convenient ending might just mean than Cline continues working on brand new universes, which would be a-ok with me.
RPO had a billion pop culture references coming at the reader at every turn. This one tones that down slightly in exchange for entire world(s) in the OASIS that are themed after something pop culture. Having not seen a couple of very prominent John Hughes films, never caring much for Prince, and not having any real Tolkien experience outside of the LOTR trilogy, a large portion of the book centered around people, places, and events that I knew little to nothing about. The Prince one dragged on and on, but the others were good, even if I was missing some of the background behind them.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. Like many things I read, RPO ended in such a way that the story could be continued without feeling forced, but if it ended where it did, I'd be happy. While an author who is far more creative than I can surely find a way to do it, it seems like this story has run its course and been tied up nicely with a little bow. A third story, unless it focused on others (maybe L0hengrin's adventure?) would likely feel shoehorned in.
Given that I preferred Armada over RPO back when I read them, having this story at a convenient ending might just mean than Cline continues working on brand new universes, which would be a-ok with me.
Thank you to Random House Book Club for providing a copy of this book.
Ready Player Two was not as much fun as its predecessor, but I found it to be just as enjoyable. Ready Player One was a fun read for its cool setting, its nostalgia, and its underdogs who mostly battled using luck, trivial knowledge, and a penchant for old video games. None of these are reasons to read Ready Player Two without suffering disappointment. The setting is only more complicated, the nostalgia is no longer fresh, and the characters are no longer underdogs (at first). To enjoy Ready Player Two, be prepared for a more mature portrayal of the world Cline created, where the flaws of the characters are amplified by their wealth and fame, and the sense of impending doom is more sinister and more difficult to understand.
It's the maturity that makes RP2 a successful sequel. This is no longer a story of unlikely kids trying to win a video game. It's a story of young adults struggling with real world problems and the implications of an alternate reality. Yes, the video gaming and the real world problems exist in both RP1 and RP2, but in RP2 it's the latter that takes center stage. In other words, RP2 properly takes the next step in the lives of the characters Cline created, avoiding a descent into a repeat of the first book. Parzival already made it to 99th level, so watching Wade Watts trying to advance Wade Watts to the next level kept me turning the pages.
For criticism, I found the pacing to be off. There were times when it was rushed, and I had to stop and say, "Wait, what?" Other times I found myself flipping forward and thinking, "Yes, I know, just get there already." He was also a bit heavy handed with the foreshadowing. I would have preferred a little more subtlety to keep me unsure of the future storyline.
I found Ready Player Two to be interesting and thought provoking. I recommend it to fans of the first installment.
Ready Player Two was not as much fun as its predecessor, but I found it to be just as enjoyable. Ready Player One was a fun read for its cool setting, its nostalgia, and its underdogs who mostly battled using luck, trivial knowledge, and a penchant for old video games. None of these are reasons to read Ready Player Two without suffering disappointment. The setting is only more complicated, the nostalgia is no longer fresh, and the characters are no longer underdogs (at first). To enjoy Ready Player Two, be prepared for a more mature portrayal of the world Cline created, where the flaws of the characters are amplified by their wealth and fame, and the sense of impending doom is more sinister and more difficult to understand.
It's the maturity that makes RP2 a successful sequel. This is no longer a story of unlikely kids trying to win a video game. It's a story of young adults struggling with real world problems and the implications of an alternate reality. Yes, the video gaming and the real world problems exist in both RP1 and RP2, but in RP2 it's the latter that takes center stage. In other words, RP2 properly takes the next step in the lives of the characters Cline created, avoiding a descent into a repeat of the first book. Parzival already made it to 99th level, so watching Wade Watts trying to advance Wade Watts to the next level kept me turning the pages.
For criticism, I found the pacing to be off. There were times when it was rushed, and I had to stop and say, "Wait, what?" Other times I found myself flipping forward and thinking, "Yes, I know, just get there already." He was also a bit heavy handed with the foreshadowing. I would have preferred a little more subtlety to keep me unsure of the future storyline.
I found Ready Player Two to be interesting and thought provoking. I recommend it to fans of the first installment.
I enjoyed it for what it was. A summer blockbuster kind of book that will probably look great on the big screen as long as they can get the rights to all the celebrity appearances. The first book was great for nostalgia but the second book just felt kind of forced. Still looking forward to the movie.