Ready Player One
2008
- regression (civilization)
- utopias
- virtual reality
- fiction
- puzzles
- fiction, science fiction, action & adventure
- fiction, dystopian
- shared virtual environments
- young adult fiction / computers & digital media
- young adult fiction / dystopian
The story
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).
What it’s like
Brisk, neon-streaked prose that reads like a fast-cut arcade: the reader lives mostly inside a glowing virtual world of crowded avatars, cartoonish landscapes and rapid-fire pop-culture references, then drops back into the grimy, cramped stacks of a near-future city of trailer parks and blackouts. The voice is breezy, first-person, and gleefully nerdy, all chatty asides and lists of 1980s films, games and music that give every page a dense, lovingly cluttered texture. Pacing is relentless, with short chapters, clue-hunting sequences and chase scenes, so it suits a long-haul flight, a late-night stretch alone, or a weekend binge. Tone is earnest and adventurous, with a comfort-food nostalgia for anyone who grew up on arcades and VHS, though the mood tips toward dread when the stakes turn lethal. Violence is present but mostly cartoonish: fights, shootouts and some deaths, with a few brutal moments, and an occasional gruff mention of cruelty; sexual content is minimal. The arc follows a lonely, online-obsessed kid learning to step out from behind his screen and into real friendship and courage. It is for readers who want escapist, geeky adventure with a big heart and a warm glow of retro fandom.
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