Ready Player One

By: Ernest Cline

Narrated by: Wil Wheaton

Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

The book behind the major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg.

Now a major motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg.

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

It's the year 2044 and the real world has become an ugly place. We're out of oil. We've wrecked the climate. Famine, poverty and disease are widespread.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes this depressing reality by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia where you can be anything you want to be, where you can live and play and fall in love on any of 10,000 planets. And like most of humanity, Wade is obsessed by the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this alternate reality: OASIS founder James Halliday, who dies with no heir, has promised that control of the OASIS - and his massive fortune - will go to the person who can solve the riddles he has left scattered throughout his creation.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that the riddles are based in the culture of the late 20th century. And then Wade stumbles onto the key to the first puzzle.

Suddenly, he finds himself pitted against thousands of competitors in a desperate race to claim the ultimate prize, a chase that soon takes on terrifying real-world dimensions - and that will leave both Wade and his world profoundly changed.

If you loved Ready Player One and can't wait for more, check out Armada, Ernest Cline's latest geek masterpiece!

©2011 Ernest Cline (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, Ready Player One is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut." (Independent)

"Part intergalactic scavenger hunt, part romance, and all heart." (CNN)

"Ernest Cline’s novel deserves to be a modern classic." (SciFiNow)

Excellent

Loved it! Every second. Being a gamer and having lived in the 80s. Right up my ally!!!!

Suspense and Geeky - Loved it

Love the book, so here are the pros and cons that I experienced, starting off with the target audience:
• Gamers and anyone loving the older era thereof
• Slightly younger audience (late teens, early twenties), but definitely enjoyable by an older audience as well.

I liked:
• Geeky references - games, music, movies - it was a delight getting a glimpse the origin of games as we know them today.
• Suspense. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat as you root for the main character, waiting to see if his daring plans play out successfully.
• Wil Wheaton! This is my first audio book, but absolutely loved his performance.

Disliked:
• Twists, because several of them were quite obvious.


Summary: loved the book, loved the references, loved the performance. Despite being able to predict several events, the book still kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting to hear what would happen next.

Great performance by Wil Wheaton

Typical child prodigy hero story, think Hunger Games/Harry Potter, but with excessive 80s nerd trivia.

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LOVED THIS BOOK!! I enjoyed all the references to the 80's, brought back so many memories. The voice artist was amazing. I'm actually sad the book is over. I'll miss listening to these characters.

Enjoyable romp through my teenage gaming history

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes especially to my friends of a similar age. Lots of 80's references.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Wade was a star, enjoyed the plot to get to the last gate.

What does Wil Wheaton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I thought the narration was excellent. Kept me engaged through out the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

not really but that is not to the detriment of the book

Any additional comments?

What I am going to listen now. I couldn't put this down.

A brilliant book, brilliantly read

It’s just the best story you’ll have discovered for a very long time. The film is great too

So sad to be finished

Wil Wheaton is an amazing narrator and the story will be one I never forget. Thank you.

full of 80s detail

I loved betting taken back into games I loved. It is so different from the movie.

Just, WOW

I have read the book beforehand by myself and have never been sold on audiobooks, and to be honest. I was kinda scared that I would come out of it with a totally different perspective. But WOW. Wheaton really did this one justice. It was just as good as when I read it and that was all that I hoped for. as for the book. I can't say much more than thank you. Thank you to Cline for writing this and giving me and so many other people an amazing world and story. I loved every second of it

Absolutely amazing

The plot is outstanding and the narration is equivalent to it. A gripping story that I couldn’t stop stop listening to. The amount of effort and care put into this story is obscene, with the research being plentiful, the story is enhanced to an entirely new level. The characters revel in their personalities and determination. A truly inspiring story and would definitely recommend.