"Come with me...and you'll be...in a world...of pure imagination."
Ready player one? Choose your avatar.
It is the year 2044 and Wade Watts -- along with the majority of the population -- live their lives in OASIS, a virtual gaming world created by James Halliday. OASIS has everything known to man, including virtual worlds that mirror those worlds from many loved stories. "WarGames," "Ghostbusters," "Back to the Future" and more are created in Halliday's OASIS.
But Halliday is dead. And the world's largest hunt for Halliday's Easter Egg commences. The game? Locate three keys that unlock three clues that will lead you to the egg and riches beyond your wildest imagination. The catch? It's been five years since Halliday passed and nobody has found the first clue or key.
Until Wade Watts, as Parzival (his OASIS avatar), discovers the first clue hidden in a cave on his school's planet. And soon, Parzival is a household name. Immediately after finding the first key. However, another player, Art3mis, is quickly behind him.
Art3mis is everything Parzival loves. Endearing, original, thoughtful, clever. She's beautiful. Even though they have never met, that doesn't stop Parzival from helping her. He offers a clue as to how to win the first key in a game of "Joust" against a wizard named Acererak. Finally, Art3mis is underneath Parzival in the scoreboard.
Aech, Parzival's OASIS best friend, tries to warn Parzival that he doesn't know Art3mis and he has no idea who she really is...even if she is really a "she."
Parzival, upon being threatened by a rival organization who wants to find the keys first, in order to rule OASIS themselves, decides to begin hiding out. He only has contact with Art3mis on a daily basis, but eventually she finds the time spent with Parzival detrimental to both of them, as they have given up on the search. And not only is Parzival's heart broken, but Wade's is, too.
However, not all is lost, and Wade begins to learn that while the OASIS is his life, reality can be so much better. And, like Charlie in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," he learns that sometimes, you have to lose to win.
I completely adored this book. All the pop culture references and the underlying tones of sarcasm were exceptionally well done and so entertaining. I've read similar scavenger hunt books, such as "The 39 Clues," "The Endgame Chronicles" and more, but I don't think any of them come close to the world of OASIS and "Ready Player One." I watched the movie the day after finishing the book and I honestly have zero complaints even though pivotal moments were changed.
Ernest Cline came out with a sequel, "Ready Player Two," which will be read in the next few months. Until then, grab your controller, say your pass phrase and choose your avatar.
Ready player one?
Comments