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)

Loved it

Will Wheaton did a great job, but the story with all nods to all the things I grew up playing and watching

outstanding experience!

I loved the nostalgia packed story, and Wil Wheaton was incredibly engaging. Definitely a must for any gamer, or 80's pop culture enthusiast.

Wonderful

I loved it. Willy Wonka with Enders Game. Good love story, and gaming culture passion.

I can't stop listening to the book

I loved the imagery. I hope the film does the book justice. I recommend. must listen

This is going to be the best choice you've made.

I absolutely loved this book, it was and is amazing and it only gets better.

Best book ever.

This book was life changing. Will relisten and reread again and again. Buy this book.

Awesome Book!

Finished in 3 days. Wil Wheaton is a great narrator. Going to throw myself in Armada next.

A+

Absolutely enthralling from the very beginning. Pop culture nerd-fest in the bast way possible. Will's narration was a little distracting, only at first though. He fell into the performance and it was fantastic from then on. I'm actually kinda sad that it's over.

Amazing.

Loved the book and the voice grew on me and now I feel like he really is wade. Just greatness. Sad it's over:(

nothing new

this was enjoyable though it's not exactly a new concept. the story ended kind of flat and abruptly. the narrator was good but his pronunciation of certain words kind of bugged me.