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)

Amazingly clever!

Any additional comments?

I don't write many reviews of books but this is one really deserves kudos. The combination of gaming history and a very clever plot makes this book one that you won't want to end. The mental imagery that this book evokes was like a movie in my brain! Congratulations and thanks to Ernest Cline as well as Wil Wheaton for a great book and a great narration!

If you grew up in the 80's...SO MUCH FUN!!!

This book is beach reading for the geek-and-proud crowd. Will Wheaton's reading is great - the perfect touch. It's just such a fun ride. Enjoy!

An amazing read front to back!

I absolutely fell in love with this book. I had heard about it from some friends and decided to pick it up on audible. This book is a love letter to the '80s and the story development is really good. I kind of thought that the social commentary at the end was kind of sort of out of place in this book about '80s nerds but it's mild so it's alright. Why are you still reading my review? Buy the book already!

fun to take a trip back in time... fun to remember

narrator was a great surprise, especially when he read his own name in the book.
there was a couple of times when the story dragged, but thats because im not into romance.
definitely a fan of this book, going to recommend to all my old fart friends.

Character Build Up

I mean it started with a kid with no friends, and finished with a kid that wasn't poor nor lonely. The crazy H story was my favorite. The fact that one of the characters died shook me. I was laughing all the time. My all time favorite part was when the head IoI guy was obliterated by a laser beam. The other Gunters freaked at the fact that he was killed. The teen relationship build up between wade and Art3mis was top of the notch.

The best story I have listen to all year

I cannot say how much I like this story. It is engaging and entertaining. It brings back many fond memories. I grew up in the 80's so I remember almost all of the things in this book. The only problem I have with this story is that it has to end. If you are from the 80's and want a trip down memory lane with a totally tubular story then this is the book for you.
I havent even mention Wil Wheaton as the Narrarator. What a voice for this audiobook.
This book is a must have. I plan to purchase a copy of this book because it deserves to be in my library at home.

Simply amazing.

I personally haven't read (or listened to) books in a long time. This one had me hooked immediately! I finished the whole thing in under 2 days..

The story was very well written, and the voice acting was entertaining and interesting.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book.

Way cooler than the synopsis makes it sound

Ready Player One will take its place among the best fiction of our time. A great blend of social insight, awesome character development, a fantastic story that both chills and excites, and a sense of humor that had me laughing out loud more than once make this a blast to read.

I was skeptical of it at first. A story about a boy that goes on a great adventure. Oh joy. Never heard of that one before. A lot of people recommended it to me so I gave it a spin. I was hooked before the Invitation was over. Wow, this book grabbed me fast. I found myself trying to decipher the clues along with the characters, really getting drawn in and invested. I also found myself groaning at the bad choices, laughing with the funny moments and getting angry at the vicious moments.

The 80's nostalgia is a cornerstone of this book. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about that era, but even I missed a few references. While it can get a bit overdone at times, it creates a powerful cultural atmosphere that I think was intentional on Cline's part. I find it especially funny because of how much more focused our own culture has become enamored with 80's pop culture over the past four years since this book was written.

Wil Wheaton was a great choice for reading this book (doubly so for the brief mention of Oasis elections) because he nails sounding like a geek perfectly. He seems to be having a great time reading the book and really brings Wade to life. He doesn't change his voice much between characters, so it kind of sounds like all the characters are being portrayed by the main character, but it doesn't lose immersion that badly.

Despite the book having a couple unresolved plot arcs, I kind of hope that there is never a sequel to this. The sense of anticipation at the ending is great and I feel like the story really is over. As it stands this is a powerful book that really captures the spirit of our age. Give this one a spin if you enjoy a good novel of any kind, be it conspiracy theory, child prodigy, adventure, post apocalyptic, science fiction, mystery or even fantasy. Also, if you're an 80's nostalgia nut, this is a must-read.

great book and well narrated

extremely entertaining book throughout, and Wil Wheaton is a great fit as narrator. Would definitely recommend to the nerd in everyone

An adventure into the past and future.

Anyone who has played a now-vintage videogame, watched 80s movies, listened to 80s music, or simply appreciate the value of past pop culture will surely be delighted by this incredibly creative, nostalgic, and epic tale of a gifted young nerd that we all can certainly relate to. Go on this quest, and you'll forget that you're not a kid glued to your fuzzy TV for hours on end playing an insanely frustrating but more than satifying video game. Will Weaton is so perfectly cast, he is even mentioned in the book. Haha. A must read. Let's all pray that wizard Spielberg doesn't screw up the movie. I have a good feeling he won't; the story is just too damn good.