• Ready Player One

  • By: Ernest Cline
  • Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
  • Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (258,624 ratings)

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Ready Player One  By  cover art

Ready Player One

By: Ernest Cline
Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
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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)

Featured Article: 20+ of the Best Ready Player One Quotes About Life, Honesty, Faith, and Reality


Before Ready Player One became a box office hit, it was a beloved gem by author Ernest Cline. It won countless fans for its strong and engaging storyline, relatable characters, and heart-pounding action. Part of what makes the story so memorable is that it’s more than it appears at surface level. Not just a sci-fi/fantasy romp, it has real-world lessons about the dangers posed by invasive tech, the impact of poverty, and the human desire for belonging.

What listeners say about Ready Player One

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    3 out of 5 stars

Obsessed with the 1980's? Read this book.

Any additional comments?

The story itself was interesting, but it becomes rather repetitive. I am all for obsessive pop-culture consumption, but this goes a bit too far for my interests. This story is the typical hero's journey laced with constant reference to 1980's video games, music, movies, and tech.

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Awesome Book!

This book was captivating. It kept me enthralled with a perfect culmination of familiar 80s pop culture and video game references, as well as action and suspense. The reading was great, too. Highly recommended!

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WOW! One of the best titles I've listened to.

This is one of the best titles I have EVER heard. I can really relate to a lot of the pop preferences.

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Wow

Wow. This book was absolutely amazing!! I would recommend it to anyone who loves classic arcade games and 1980s culture! Brought back good memories and really made you feel connected to the storyline!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Absolute Literary Gold

This book had me watching the clock until I could get back to listening. An absolute masterpiece!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Best in awhile

I don't read very much. I'm a field worker and spend most of my day driving, when I'm home, my eyes are a little tired for reading. This is the first audio book I've tried, and it captivated me. it had been so long since I've read (or I guess... listened?) a book this good. I highly recommend to anyone. Like the main characters, I too would escape to video games during my teen years. Every word in this book felt familiar to me. it was so enjoyable.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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one of my favorite books brought to life

I adore this book and have read it numerous times in hardcopy. Will Wheaton's reading was superb. He has done a masterful job of bringing the story to life.

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What a great book!

This is my first audio book. It was amazing. Wil's reading of this book is perfect. The countless 80's references and well developed characters were so good. Listen to this now!

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more please

great story. kept me engaged and made me nostalgic of all the references I grew up with. Will Wheaton was probably the best person to narrate this book.

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Exceptional book, read by an exceptional person.

I've read this book twice. And when I saw that Wil Wheaton narrates this version I thought that three times through is definitely worth it. The story is captivating and very imaginative.

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