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libellum_aphrodite's review against another edition
3.0
A spot-on review of [b:Crux|17162149|Crux (Nexus, #2)|Ramez Naam|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1372046050s/17162149.jpg|21757503] used the fantastic term "plot artist" for authors who aren't particularly brilliant with the words, but are pretty damn good at weaving a yarn.
Cline fits perfectly into this category, with his treasure hunt through 80s pop culture. It was super fun working through the clues, but even so, I felt the story was a bit lazy at times [beware spoilers going forward].
* IOI is over-the-top to the point of absurdity, yet still somehow flat, evil, so much so that they are not a satisfying villain.
* Couldn't come up with anything better for the third gate challenge other than the same thing as the first two, but, get this!, combined? :/
* The mystery Ms. Pac Man quarter should have been an actual part of the quest, rather than an extra life. Perhaps an unstated requirement to activate the egg, for example, would have been more interesting to me than an extra life that protected Wade from random gunter-generated entropy.
* The in-person culmination of Wade's romance with Art3mis was cliche and ridiculous. Despite her incessant insistence that she looks different than her avatar, the difference was hardly shocking.
* Aech being a black woman in real life was much more interesting and a way better commentary on how we judge based on appearance. I liked that sentiment, but Cline laid it on so thick that it went from nice to hackneyed in the blink of an eye.
Besides the plot artistry issue, Cline was very inclined to tell rather than show. For example, at the end of the egg hunt, Halliday tells Wade that he regrets not spending more time with people in the real world. A deadpan statement via posthumous avatar is not nearly as compelling as seeing regret spill through emotions and actions.
Cline fits perfectly into this category, with his treasure hunt through 80s pop culture. It was super fun working through the clues, but even so, I felt the story was a bit lazy at times [beware spoilers going forward].
* IOI is over-the-top to the point of absurdity, yet still somehow flat, evil, so much so that they are not a satisfying villain.
* Couldn't come up with anything better for the third gate challenge other than the same thing as the first two, but, get this!, combined? :/
* The mystery Ms. Pac Man quarter should have been an actual part of the quest, rather than an extra life. Perhaps an unstated requirement to activate the egg, for example, would have been more interesting to me than an extra life that protected Wade from random gunter-generated entropy.
* The in-person culmination of Wade's romance with Art3mis was cliche and ridiculous. Despite her incessant insistence that she looks different than her avatar, the difference was hardly shocking.
* Aech being a black woman in real life was much more interesting and a way better commentary on how we judge based on appearance. I liked that sentiment, but Cline laid it on so thick that it went from nice to hackneyed in the blink of an eye.
Besides the plot artistry issue, Cline was very inclined to tell rather than show. For example, at the end of the egg hunt, Halliday tells Wade that he regrets not spending more time with people in the real world. A deadpan statement via posthumous avatar is not nearly as compelling as seeing regret spill through emotions and actions.
yung_corn's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
maliatabs's review against another edition
3.0
7/10 (Wasn't the best book in the world, but I enjoyed it a lot. Don't take the 3/5 stars negatively, it's a pretty good book).
So, this is like one of the most interesting book formats I have ever read and I am so disappointed books like this rarely exist. Video games, sci-fi and 80s references all in the same place? Yes, please!
I was in a reading slump when I started this and wasn't very excited to see it was nearly 500 pages. But let me tell you, when I started reading this, it was so well paced and exciting I got lost in this book so easily.
I am not sure if I was a huge fan of any of the characters, or that I really liked the romance (it was very bland and meh) and the character build up, I wasn't really a fan of that (I mean all the stuff they did was virtual so how much character growth did I really expect?). Also, I kinda expected a bit more from the ending? Like what happens after? They win, that's that? We don't get a epilogue? I know there's a Ready Player Two for all that but the ending felt just a bit underwhelming.
But those factors aside, this was literally so fun to read. I am not very popular with 80s culture, so I don't think re reading this would help me get any of the references I didn't understand before. But this was genuinely a good read and got me out of the reading block pretty easily. Now I am kinda tempted to read Ready Player Two (to see what the negative fuss is all about).
So, this is like one of the most interesting book formats I have ever read and I am so disappointed books like this rarely exist. Video games, sci-fi and 80s references all in the same place? Yes, please!
I was in a reading slump when I started this and wasn't very excited to see it was nearly 500 pages. But let me tell you, when I started reading this, it was so well paced and exciting I got lost in this book so easily.
I am not sure if I was a huge fan of any of the characters, or that I really liked the romance (it was very bland and meh) and the character build up, I wasn't really a fan of that (I mean all the stuff they did was virtual so how much character growth did I really expect?). Also, I kinda expected a bit more from the ending? Like what happens after? They win, that's that? We don't get a epilogue? I know there's a Ready Player Two for all that but the ending felt just a bit underwhelming.
But those factors aside, this was literally so fun to read. I am not very popular with 80s culture, so I don't think re reading this would help me get any of the references I didn't understand before. But this was genuinely a good read and got me out of the reading block pretty easily. Now I am kinda tempted to read Ready Player Two (to see what the negative fuss is all about).
georgelathwell's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
qlevin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
a_leo_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Ernest Cline's novel is a definitely geek heaven with:
All of the references.
An in-depth history of every little thing.
Amazing world building, breathtaking action, and full of dark adult humor.
Ernest Cline did a great job of building the world of not only OASIS (the online VR world) but also the outside reality, how the earth is dying, resources are running out, and all humans are placing themselves into the OASIS as an escape.
Though I enjoyed all of the characters, even the antagonist(s), as with most novels I did not like the main character/narrator. Due to his constant over intelligence (or like thereof), Wade was still an oddly closed minded person for someone whose life exists in an online world of endless possibilities.
For most works of literature and different forms of media, I never like the use of constant use of unnecessary nostalgia for the purposes of the plot (looking at you Stanger Things). But with Ready Player One, it was a fully necessary use of all pop culture for the plot.
Throughout the novel, even though this is a kick-ass novel filled with mecha robots, magic, and epic battles, the plot slowed down for unnecessary moments of purely dumb reasons, because of wade and his over intelligence (or the lack thereof).
All in all, I would give "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline 4.5 stars out of 5.
--P.S, I already know the film adaptation is going to be nowhere near as amazing and also a major let down in general. With so much censoring and also changes with the plot for dumb reasons.
All of the references.
An in-depth history of every little thing.
Amazing world building, breathtaking action, and full of dark adult humor.
Ernest Cline did a great job of building the world of not only OASIS (the online VR world) but also the outside reality, how the earth is dying, resources are running out, and all humans are placing themselves into the OASIS as an escape.
Though I enjoyed all of the characters, even the antagonist(s), as with most novels I did not like the main character/narrator. Due to his constant over intelligence (or like thereof), Wade was still an oddly closed minded person for someone whose life exists in an online world of endless possibilities.
For most works of literature and different forms of media, I never like the use of constant use of unnecessary nostalgia for the purposes of the plot (looking at you Stanger Things). But with Ready Player One, it was a fully necessary use of all pop culture for the plot.
Throughout the novel, even though this is a kick-ass novel filled with mecha robots, magic, and epic battles, the plot slowed down for unnecessary moments of purely dumb reasons, because of wade and his over intelligence (or the lack thereof).
All in all, I would give "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline 4.5 stars out of 5.
--P.S, I already know the film adaptation is going to be nowhere near as amazing and also a major let down in general. With so much censoring and also changes with the plot for dumb reasons.
hortongr's review against another edition
5.0
fun, immersive, full of action. moments that left me on the edge of my seat. so many rich topics and plot lines and continued themes that i could probably re-read this book multiple times and still be entertained each time (and i almost never re-read books). plus all the 80s references win me over every time. makes me oldies music-listening, classic action movie-loving heart happy.
catalinajaimes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
nobletiefling's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.0