In the year 2044. reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines--puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.
But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win--and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. (Provided by publisher).
In the year 2044. reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines--puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.
But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win--and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. (Provided by publisher).
Review of 'Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
While not the best writing in the world, I really enjoyed this book. It was like a great walk down memory lane. all the games and movies I grew up with. Even talked thru so many of the computers I owned and grew up with. what a blast!!
While not the best writing in the world, I really enjoyed this book. It was like a great walk down memory lane. all the games and movies I grew up with. Even talked thru so many of the computers I owned and grew up with. what a blast!!
Review of 'Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Meh. The book could have used another round of editing. The whole thing felt like a 16-hour-long "nerdsturbation" with one of those orgasms at the end that make you regret the efforts you put into it.
Meh. The book could have used another round of editing. The whole thing felt like a 16-hour-long "nerdsturbation" with one of those orgasms at the end that make you regret the efforts you put into it.
Review of 'Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
This is light, almost fluffy reading, but above all, it is incredibly fun reading. I think in order to fully appreciate this book the reader needs to meet one major condition: a) enjoy video games. If this condition is met, there are further conditions that can enhance the enjoyment: b) having grown up in the 80s and c) having played arcade video games. Also probably d) love old Japanese anime like Supaidaman and e)a sweeping love for anything related to SF and fantasy etc.
Lucky for me I grew up in the 80s and have played a couple arcade games, and I generally do enjoy me some video games. The story is set about 40 years ahead in the future, in a world with no oil left, where people are poor and flee into OASIS which is basically a virtual reality version of what we know as MMOs today. They …
This is light, almost fluffy reading, but above all, it is incredibly fun reading. I think in order to fully appreciate this book the reader needs to meet one major condition: a) enjoy video games. If this condition is met, there are further conditions that can enhance the enjoyment: b) having grown up in the 80s and c) having played arcade video games. Also probably d) love old Japanese anime like Supaidaman and e)a sweeping love for anything related to SF and fantasy etc.
Lucky for me I grew up in the 80s and have played a couple arcade games, and I generally do enjoy me some video games. The story is set about 40 years ahead in the future, in a world with no oil left, where people are poor and flee into OASIS which is basically a virtual reality version of what we know as MMOs today. They go to school there, live there lives there, and level their characters to be super-powerful. When the founder of OASIS dies, he leaves behind a riddle that leads to an Easter Egg he planted in OASIS, and whoever finds it first, will inherit all of his wealth. Around the world, the hunt for the egg begins. The protagonist of Ready Player One is Wade, an 18 year old boy who lives in a trailer park in Oklahoma. In the OASIS he is known as Parzival, and he is one of thousands of 'gunters', short for egg hunters. When he is the first one to make any progress in the egg hunt after years of the hunt being in progress, his life spirals out of control, as he has to try to stay ahead of fellow gunters, especially Art3mis, and the evil corporation IOI who is trying to take control of the OASIS and turn it into a profit business.
It's not a long book and it's compelling enough to be a very fast read. I had a fantastic, enjoyable time reading it. Interestingly enough, everytime I tweeted a Goodreads update on my reading progress, people would get back to me how much they loved this book though they usually don't read much. It's that kind of a book. For me it's mandatory nerd reading, just like Chuck is mandatory nerd watching for me. Thumbs up from this nerd!
Review of 'Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Very geeky/nerdy book chock full of references to stuff I love. Great story, though if there's one thing I would nitpick, is that sometimes seeing so many geektastic references piled together in certain parts of the book almost seemed like the author was trying to add them for the sake of adding them, as if he were checking off a list. But OTOH, Halliday was obsessive about this stuff, so it makes sense to the story to do so. A part of me just felt ever so slightly annoyed by the sheer amount of geeky references. But it certainly wasn't a dealbreaker. Highly recommended reading for children of the 80s. :-)
Very geeky/nerdy book chock full of references to stuff I love. Great story, though if there's one thing I would nitpick, is that sometimes seeing so many geektastic references piled together in certain parts of the book almost seemed like the author was trying to add them for the sake of adding them, as if he were checking off a list. But OTOH, Halliday was obsessive about this stuff, so it makes sense to the story to do so. A part of me just felt ever so slightly annoyed by the sheer amount of geeky references. But it certainly wasn't a dealbreaker. Highly recommended reading for children of the 80s. :-)
Review of 'Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1)' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I really enjoyed this book. It's basically a nostalgia fest from beginning to end, and if you were born sometime in the early 1980's or a little earlier you're going to adore it.
To be honest, if you took away the constant geek 80's references you'd have a fairly weak book. It was fun, but thinking back on it, I can't say that its left much of an impression.
I really enjoyed this book. It's basically a nostalgia fest from beginning to end, and if you were born sometime in the early 1980's or a little earlier you're going to adore it.
To be honest, if you took away the constant geek 80's references you'd have a fairly weak book. It was fun, but thinking back on it, I can't say that its left much of an impression.
