#BookReview - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Title:  Ready Player One
Author:  Ernest Cline
Genre:  Science Fiction, Action & Adventure
Release Date:  June 5, 2012

About the Book:

The worldwide bestseller—soon to be a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg.

In the year 2045, 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.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

I'm always looking for something new to read and when my book club suggested READY PLAYER ONE I thought... why not?  When I told my daughter that I was reading this book, she looked confused.  "Why in the world are you reading THAT?"  I replied, "Why not?  It got excellent reviews."  She shook her head and said, "It is indeed a good book.  But Mom... you're not a gamer!  You won't know what they are talking about!"  To a large extent, my daughter was right.  Although I enjoyed the references to the 1980's, I had no clue as to some of the terminology used in reference to gaming techniques.

The book is well written and imaginative.  It was exciting and adventurous.  I can understand the excellent reviews, but it is probably more appealing to the younger set, or those people really into gaming.  I don't particularly like reading about teenagers.  Just my opinion.  Has nothing to do with the quality of writing.  Like I said, this is really well written.

Wade is a slightly overweight teenager living in a stackable trailer park, known as the "stacks".  A total geek living in 2024.  When the outrageously wealthy James Halliday dies, he leaves clues for the person who finds the secret to a game he has created.  The winner wins it all.  His entire fortune and control of his company.  A real online treasure hunt!

My Rating: 

About the Author:

ERNEST CLINE has worked as a short-order cook, fish gutter, plasma donor, elitist video store clerk, and tech support drone. His primary occupation, however, has always been geeking out, and he eventually threw aside those other promising career paths to express his love of pop culture fulltime as a spoken word artist and screenwriter. His 2009 film" Fanboys," much to his surprise, became a cult phenomenon. These days Ernie lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, their daughter, and a large collection of classic video games. READY PLAYER ONE is his first novel."