Summary
Ready Player One, the debut novel by Ernest Cline published in 2011, quickly became a cultural phenomenon and bestseller. Set in a dystopian 2045, the science fiction story follows teenager Wade Watts as he competes in a virtual reality contest to win control of the OASIS—an expansive online world where most of humanity spends their time to escape a crumbling real world. Cline's novel captivated readers with its celebration of 1980s pop culture and vision of a future dominated by virtual reality.
The book received widespread critical acclaim for its imaginative worldbuilding, fast-paced plot, and nostalgic references to classic video games, movies, TV shows, and music. It won several awards, including the 2012 Alex Award from the American Library Association. Ready Player One tapped into the zeitgeist at a time when virtual and augmented reality technologies were advancing rapidly, leading many to see it as prescient about the future of online spaces and digital escapism.
In 2018, Steven Spielberg directed a blockbuster film adaptation of Ready Player One, bringing Cline's virtual world to life on the big screen. The movie, starring Tye Sheridan and Olivia Cooke, was a box office hit that introduced the story to an even wider audience. With its exploration of gaming culture, virtual worlds, and the blurring lines between reality and fantasy, Ready Player One established itself as an influential work of contemporary science fiction that resonated deeply with readers and viewers.
Plot
In the year 2045, teenager Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by logging into the OASIS, a globally networked virtual reality world. When OASIS creator James Halliday dies, he leaves behind a contest—the first to find a hidden Easter egg within the OASIS will inherit his vast fortune and control of the OASIS itself. Wade discovers the first clue and suddenly finds himself pitted against powerful corporate foes and other ruthless competitors in a race to find the egg.
As Wade continues to unravel Halliday's puzzles, which are based on 1980s pop culture, he befriends fellow contestants including Art3mis, Aech, and Daito. The contest intensifies as more clues are found, leading to pitched battles within the OASIS. Meanwhile, the evil corporation IOI, led by Nolan Sorrento, employs an army of players to try to win the contest and take control of the OASIS for themselves.
Wade's knowledge of obscure '80s trivia serves him well as he collects the three keys needed to reach the final gate. However, IOI proves increasingly dangerous, attempting to kill Wade in the real world and murdering his friend Daito. Wade goes into hiding but continues the hunt, eventually discovering the final clue to unlock Halliday's last puzzle.
In a climactic battle, Wade and his friends take on IOI's forces within the OASIS to reach the final gate. Wade ultimately triumphs, wins the contest, and gains control of the OASIS. He vows to share his wealth with his friends and to use his new power responsibly. The story concludes with Wade meeting Art3mis in person for the first time and finally choosing to engage with the real world instead of virtual reality.
Themes
Escape from reality versus engagement with the real world
Nostalgia and pop culture obsession
Virtual reality versus physical reality
Corporate greed and the fight against it
The power of friendship and teamwork
The dangers of technological addiction
Coming of age and self-discovery
Setting
The story of Ready Player One takes place in a dystopian near-future, specifically the year 2045. The world has been ravaged by an energy crisis, climate change, and overpopulation, leading to widespread poverty and social upheaval. To escape the grim reality of their lives, most of humanity spends their time in the OASIS, a sprawling virtual universe that has become integral to society.
The geographical setting spans both the physical and virtual worlds. In the real world, much of the action is centered in Oklahoma City, where the protagonist Wade Watts lives in a poverty-stricken area called “the stacks”—a precarious tower of stacked mobile homes. Other key locations include Columbus, Ohio, where the headquarters of OASIS creator Gregarious Simulation Systems is located.
Within the OASIS itself, the setting is essentially limitless, comprising countless digital planets and environments. Of particular importance are virtual recreations of 1980s pop culture touchstones, including movies, video games, and TV shows. The OASIS functions as both an escapist entertainment platform and the primary arena for the novel's central quest —a contest to find an “Easter egg” hidden somewhere in the vast virtual world by its late creator, James Halliday.
Characters
Wade Watts / Parzival: The protagonist and narrator. An orphaned teenager living in the slums of Oklahoma City who escapes his grim surroundings by logging into the OASIS. Wade is a skilled gunter searching for Halliday's Easter egg. He is extremely knowledgeable about 1980s pop culture. As his avatar Parzival, Wade becomes the first person to find the Copper Key and complete the first gate.
Art3mis: A famous gunter and blogger whom Wade has a crush on. She is highly intelligent and determined to win the contest. In reality, Art3mis is Samantha Cook, a young woman with a birthmark on her face. She forms an alliance with Wade but is hesitant to meet in person.
Aech: Wade's best friend in the OASIS. Aech appears as a white male avatar but is revealed to be Helen Harris, an African-American lesbian. She is a skilled mechanic and gamer who operates a virtual workshop in the OASIS.
James Halliday: The deceased creator of the OASIS who set up the Easter egg hunt. An eccentric, socially awkward genius obsessed with 1980s pop culture. His avatar in the OASIS is known as Anorak.
Nolan Sorrento: The head of operations for IOI, the evil corporation trying to take control of the OASIS. He leads IOI's army of professional hunters called Sixers in the Easter egg hunt.
Ogden Morrow: Halliday's former best friend and business partner who helped create the OASIS. He left the company but remains wealthy and influential. His avatar is known as the Great and Powerful Og.
Daito and Shoto: Two Japanese gunters who form an alliance with Wade, Art3mis and Aech. Daito is killed by IOI in the real world.
I-R0k: A freelance bounty hunter in the OASIS who works for IOI. He attempts to discover Parzival's real identity.
Quick facts
The audiobook version is narrated by Wil Wheaton, who is mentioned in the novel itself.
Ernest Cline wrote much of the novel while listening to 1980s music playlists to help immerse himself in the time period.
The book contains over 300 pop culture references, primarily from the 1980s.
Cline included an elaborate Easter egg hunt within the novel itself, with the grand prize being a DeLorean.
The OASIS virtual reality system in the book was partly inspired by the online game Second Life.
Steven Spielberg, who directed the film adaptation, is referenced multiple times in the original novel.
Cline has stated that the character James Halliday was partially inspired by Willy Wonka.
The novel spent over 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
Cline wrote the initial screenplay for the film adaptation before it was later revised by Zak Penn.
Several video games mentioned in the book, like Joust and Adventure, play key roles in the plot.
About the Author
Ernest Cline is an internationally acclaimed novelist, screenwriter, and self-proclaimed geek. Born in 1972 in Ashland, Ohio, Cline grew up immersed in 1980s pop culture, developing a passion for video games, movies, and tabletop roleplaying games. This love of all things geeky would later become the foundation of his literary success.
Cline's breakthrough came with his debut novel Ready Player One, published in 2011. The book, set in a dystopian future where people escape reality through a virtual world, became a New York Times bestseller and spent over 100 weeks on the list. Its popularity led to a film adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg, for which Cline co-wrote the screenplay. He followed this success with Armada in 2015 and Ready Player Two in 2020, further cementing his status in the science fiction genre.
Before his novelistic success, Cline was active in the spoken word poetry scene. He was the Austin Poetry Slam Champion in 1998 and 2001, and competed nationally. His most popular pieces include “Dance, Monkeys, Dance” and “Nerd Porn Auteur,” which showcase his quirky humor and pop culture obsessions. In 2013, he published a collection of his spoken word writing titled The Importance of Being Ernest.
Today, Cline resides in Austin, Texas, with his family, continuing to blend his love for technology and nostalgia in his work. His latest venture, announced in 2024, is the Readyverse, a multi-world metaverse experience based on his novels. Cline's ability to tap into geek culture and create immersive, nostalgia-driven narratives has made him a prominent figure in contemporary science fiction literature.
