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 this book

This book has many changes from the movie but felt alright as they did include most of the book in one way or another.

excellent.

excellent reading by "wesley " the story arced up and down and paced well. multiple meaning or ideas throughout. if your game, movie goer, general entertainment junkie . you'll love the tid bits of lore. enjoy I did.

INCREDIBLE!!

I couldn't stop listening!! just an amazingly fun book. so glad to have it in my library now.

Having cake #Eating it too🤤🍰

I have not even considered anything to do with a book, either reading or listening in over 10 years(so sad I know😭), BUT I have made a fantastic choice on choosing “Ready Player One”👍🏻

If my daily schedule allowed it, I could’ve finished this in one go! It had me looking forward to it again and again till I finished it and now I’m wanting more #🤓

Book it incredible!! Movie is Horrible!!!

Read the book. Skip the movie. It’s garbage. All the things I love about the book are not in the movie.

Solid nerdy book

bought this book due to the movie releasing, thoroughly enjoyed all the nostalgia it drummed up.

great book

wonderfully read, thoughtfully nostalgic and well written futuristic novel. I love the upbeat positivity with the underlying filth of a destitute dystopian society, it's a great subtle reminder that this is the only world we have, without it taking from the fictional awesomeness of the digital world.

When can I read it again?

Understandably one of the best fiction books ever written. And great performance by Wil Wheaton.

Solid performance of a solid book

This book is a loving tribute to pop culture, that somehow managed to subvert the daisy -chained references by fitting them into a cohesive overarching story. The listener can connect to this tale whether he experienced the 80s firsthand, or if she grew up with the online gamer culture of later decades. I sometimes pondered just who this was written for. My conclusion is that it isn't generation specific, so much as it is pastime specific. If you don't "get" gaming, I don't think this one is for you. However, if you have the slightest interest in electronic diversion or harbor fond memories of a favorite game, you may be hooked like I was.

The dystopian aspect of the story has shades of Philip K. Dick or George Miller, which it even announces as passing observation by the main character. With so much borrowed from so many places, I can't give this book credit for originality. But, the author assembled the pieces - some of which were very obscure - flawlessly.

Will Wheaton does a great job with narration, and although the descriptions from the protagonist drone on at times, this has more to do with dialog than the performance. I doubt there are many who could do as well, let alone better. Will is himself referenced in the story at one point, which I found amusing.

Fantastic

All the references to all things 80s was awesome. this book mixed my two favorite things, sci-fi and the 80s. this story made me feel young again.