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A review by danijoy
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
I absolutely loved the first book. This sequel…..was not a bad book…..just far less exciting and inspired…among several other issues. For example, the author gave the action-packed third act a time limit that was completely unrealistic. This problem alone took me out of the finale. In addition, I found the characters to be underwhelming in this story.
However, the biggest problem I had with this book, no question, was Wade… While not my favorite protagonist in RP1, I forgave Wade for a lot given his age and rough upbringing. In this book? He is unbearable…which could have worked if he had truly grown and learned from his mistakes by the end. But, sadly, his unethical actions were almost justified by the conclusion of this sequel.
Speaking of ethics….some super big philosophical questions were brought up by Cline and he just bulldozed through them…Instead of having the characters mull over these big changes carefully, the High Five made big world-altering decisions in just a few paragraphs. I wish the author had dedicated some genuine time to these topics…it could have been really interesting.
Overall, I wish I had not read this sequel, but I’ll give it an extra star for the Doctor Who reference.
However, the biggest problem I had with this book, no question, was Wade… While not my favorite protagonist in RP1, I forgave Wade for a lot given his age and rough upbringing. In this book? He is unbearable…which could have worked if he had truly grown and learned from his mistakes by the end. But, sadly, his unethical actions were almost justified by the conclusion of this sequel.
Speaking of ethics….some super big philosophical questions were brought up by Cline and he just bulldozed through them…Instead of having the characters mull over these big changes carefully, the High Five made big world-altering decisions in just a few paragraphs. I wish the author had dedicated some genuine time to these topics…it could have been really interesting.
Overall, I wish I had not read this sequel, but I’ll give it an extra star for the Doctor Who reference.