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Ready Player One

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Ready Player One

By: Ernest Cline
Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

***NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY STEVEN SPIELBERG***

A world at stake. A quest for the ultimate prize. Are you ready?

It's the year 2044, and the real world has become an ugly place. We're out of oil. We've wrecked the climate. Famine, poverty, and disease are widespread.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. And like most of humanity, Wade is obsessed by the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this alternate reality: OASIS founder James Halliday, who dies with no heir, has promised that control of the OASIS - and his massive fortune - will go to the person who can solve the riddles he has left scattered throughout his creation.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that the riddles are based in the culture of the late twentieth century. And then Wade stumbles onto the key to the first puzzle.

Suddenly, he finds himself pitted against thousands of competitors in a desperate race to claim the ultimate prize, a chase that soon takes on terrifying real-world dimensions - and that will leave both Wade and his world profoundly changed.
____________________________________

If you loved READY PLAYER ONE and can't wait for more, check out ARMADA, Ernest Cline's latest geek masterpiece!

'Wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, Ready Player One is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut' Independent

'Part intergalactic scavenger hunt, part romance, and all heart' CNN

'Ernest Cline's novel deserves to be a modern classic' SciFiNow

'Gorgeously geeky, superbly entertaining, this really is a spectacularly successful debut' Daily Mail

© Ernest Cline 2011 (P) Penguin Audio 2012

 Adventure Dystopian Science Fiction Thriller & Suspense Fiction Exciting Geeky Funny

Continue the series
Ready Player Two cover art
Ready Player Two By: Ernest Cline

Critic Reviews

At once wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, Ready Player One is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut—part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired byBlade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed (Justin Trudeau)
The science-fiction writer John Scalzi has aptly referred to Ready Player One as a 'nerdgasm' [and] there can be no better one-word description of this ardent fantasy artifact about fantasy culture…But Mr. Cline is able to incorporate his favourite toys and games into a perfectly accessible narrative (Janet Maslin)
A most excellent ride . . . the conceit is a smart one, and we happily root for [the heroes] on their quest . . . fully satisfying
Gorgeously geeky, superbly entertaining, this really is a spectacularly successful debut
If you grew up with an Atari or maybe had a Commodore 64 back in the day, you are going to really enjoy this one. Cline really captures the feeling of those good old days in Ready Player One
The strength of Cline's first novel, other than its geeky referencing of 1980s pop culture, is the characterisation of the Candide-like Wade and his redemptive quest in both VR and the real world
Ernest Cline’s novel deserves to be a modern classic…the most relevant novel of the 21st Century to date (Steve Wright)
The mystery and fantasy in this novel weaves itself in the most delightful way, and the details that make up Mr. Cline's world are simply astounding. Ready Player One has it all
Enchanting . . . Willy Wonka meets the Matrix. This novel undoubtedly qualifies Cline as the hottest geek on the planet right now. [But] you don't have to be a geek to get it
Fascinating and imaginative...It's non-stop action when gamers must navigate clever puzzles and outwit determined enemies in a virtual world in order to save a real one. Readers are in for a wild ride
All stars
Most relevant
Be prepared to put aside important things as Ready Player One takes over your time.

With a plot as sound as the content, this is one book that engages you from start to finish. Relatable to anyone from a teenager to a 40 year old, there are references that both ends of the spectrum will find appealing and will justify the investment in time spent enjoying game/movie/comic culture over your life.

Really a great read and I highly recommend it.

A book that can't be put down

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I was hooked from the first line and it held my attention till the very end. Loved the 80’s nostalgia and gaming references. The movie was different enough to book that you could experience them separately without the details being repeated. My 11 yr old was also hooked (there were one or two slightly inappropriate references for his age but 13 and up would probably be fine). Highly recommended!

So good!

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Simply the most relevant and epic sci fi I've read in ages. Loved Will Wheaton's reading too.

Brilliant!

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Earnest Cline is a master storycrafter
Wil Wheaten is a master storyteller
the cast of characters were so well crafted i was rooting for them the whole way.
i looved the nostalgia laden storyline and the futuristic setting.
i laughed, cried was surprised, scared, anxious and joyful sometimes all at the same time.
Very well done.

p3rf3(7

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Loved it, such a fantasctic story from start to finish. Cant wait for Steven Spieldberg directed movie. Should be a blast.

This ones a beauty

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