Ready Player One

By: Ernest Cline

Narrated by: Wil Wheaton

Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Now a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg.

“Enchanting . . . Willy Wonka meets The Matrix.”—USA Today • “As one adventure leads expertly to the next, time simply evaporates.”—Entertainment Weekly

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

In the year 2045, reality is an ugly place. The only time Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the OASIS, a vast virtual world where most of humanity spends their days.

When the eccentric creator of the OASIS dies, he leaves behind a series of fiendish puzzles, based on his obsession with the pop culture of decades past. Whoever is first to solve them will inherit his vast fortune—and control of the OASIS itself.

Then Wade cracks the first clue. Suddenly he’s beset by rivals who’ll kill to take this prize. The race is on—and the only way to survive is to win.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Entertainment Weekly • San Francisco Chronicle • Village Voice • Chicago Sun-Times • iO9 • The AV Club

“Delightful . . . the grown-up’s Harry Potter.”—HuffPost

“An addictive read . . . part intergalactic scavenger hunt, part romance, and all heart.”—CNN

“A most excellent ride . . . Cline stuffs his novel with a cornucopia of pop culture, as if to wink to the reader.”—Boston Globe

“Ridiculously fun and large-hearted . . . Cline is that rare writer who can translate his own dorky enthusiasms into prose that’s both hilarious and compassionate.”—NPR

“[A] fantastic page-turner . . . starts out like a simple bit of fun and winds up feeling like a rich and plausible picture of future friendships in a world not too distant from our own.”—iO9

©2011 Ernest Cline (P)2011 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

2017, Laura Hillenbrand Outstanding Literary Award, Winner

“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 favorite toys and games into a perfectly accessible narrative.” (Janet Maslin, The New York Times)

“This non-gamer loved every page of Ready Player One.” (Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series)

Amazing book for those that love the 80s and video games

What an amazing book with great pop culture references, and an amazing performance by Wil Wheaton, one of my favorite books of all time.

Interesting and fun story. Wil Wheaton was great.

Interesting and fun story. I did feel some of the 80's references were to "listed" out in an attempt to connect with all of us that cut our teeth on gaming in that decade. Overall, if you were between 5-20 in the 80s, you'll find a fun connection in this book. It brought back many fond memories of hours spent in Aladins Arcade, my first forays into Kings Quest and of course my Atari 2600 games. Even I can't help but make a list...lol

Couldn't stop listening

Beware purchasing this book! I wasn't able to stop listening. The geeky references and compelling story are great. If you have even a slight interest in 80s music, video games, or movies, you'll love this book.

Absolutely Fantastic

I was locked in and invested in this from start to finish. Intense and amazing!

Amazing!

The book was amazing, brought back so many memories and the read was perfect! I now know what I want to be for Comic-Con next year!

Flashback Central

What did you love best about Ready Player One?

The constant references to 80's music, video games, etc. made for a very engaging listen.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ready Player One?

When the main character, Parzival, references a Dungeons and Dragons readymade module I had flashbacks to my teen years -- I had that module and DM'd it myself!

Which scene was your favorite?

I was laughing right along with the characters during the Monty Python and the Holy Grail segment!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Enter the Oasis!

Definitely Worth The Credit

This is a winner and I'm especially glad that I got the audible version rather than other formats. Wil Wheaton turned out to be a great reader and I was really into it.

Recommended to everyone who likes fiction.

You don't have to be a gamer to enjoy this ride.

Very engaging story. I have only played video games a hand full of time and I still loved this. I listened non-stop beginning to end. Give it a go.

great read!

if you have ever loved video games you will love this book. the characters are awesome and Will Wheaton reads it well.

One of the best books I have ever heard

This book keeps you wanting more. One of the best books I have ever heard. Loved it so much I had to buy me a hard copy. Can't wait to see the film in 2018.