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)

A new favorite and instant classic!

I loved this book from the first chapter. I had no idea what to expect going into this book, other than my friend was crazy about it. I knew it was a tribute to 80s pop culture, but had no idea it was wrapped in "adventure". I will read it again, and I cannot wait for the movie adaptation.

Love

One of my all time favorite books! Wish there wasn't so much cussing in the beginning, but the story is super addictive and impossible to put down. Highly recommend!

Surprised at how much fun this was

First of all I was born in the late forties--so I'm not the "target group" mentioned in other reviews. That said, I suppose I'm a geek in that I have loved tech since my first Commodore 64. As a mom in the eighties, I listened and watched all the music and tv mentioned in the book. As a love of fantasy books, I probably am more aware of some of the allusions than most. I loved Firefly and mourned its loss. So that's my cress.
If you choose this book, you'll understand why I'm mentioning them.
This book is non-stop fun! I'll listen to it more than once. You won't regret getting it even if you're not a 40 year old computer programmer.

You HAVE to Read Ready Player One

If you could sum up Ready Player One in three words, what would they be?

Futuristic Nostalgic Adventure.

What did you like best about this story?

It was really detailed and thorough from the beginning. I was able to imagine every scene. It is on the longer side of books, and the story flowed and there was no lag in it. It actually abruptly ended and could have been one more chapter.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The story made me happy and laugh.

Any additional comments?

I loved the throwbacks to some of the 80s detail. And not even knowing video games in detail or really living in the 80's I could appreciate and grasp the pop culture of that time.

My go-to audiobook!

Anytime I run out of books to listen to, Ready Player One has become my go-to audiobook. I've just completed my 4th listen and it continues to captivate me. It's absolutely fantastic and Wil Wheaton's narration is superb. Can't recommend this book enough!

One of my favorite books.

I usually have to read it twice in a row, because there are so many cool things that happen quickly. Great story.

Wow

What a book !!!!! I couldn’t put it down . EXCELLENT.
I went back in time remembering the 80’s!!!!

I highly recommend!

Great read! If you are an 80's pop culture fan and a geek in any way, this is the book for you. Adventure, romance (a bit), sci-fi... it has it all. Will Wheaton is the PERFECT person to read this tale. Well worth the credit!

scifi , fantasy, the 80s

I really enjoyed the book. Great concept and story and execution. a little slow in a few places but i would recommend the book to anyone that likes the 80, scifi and fantasy. It really satisfied and i learned a little to. And knowing is half the battle.

Relatable

Naration flow was awkward at times. Over emphias in ending sentences and matter of fact tone was distracting. I did really appreciate the the portral of female voices. The story was fun and very relatable to what times are like now and where they could go. Overall a must read or listen to book.