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diazona's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Ready Player One took a few pages to get going, but once it did, I was hooked! This is the first book in a long time, not counting rereads, that got me to stay up late reading when I should have been sleeping.
Ernest Cline does a great job of immersing readers in the fantasy world he's constructed. The writing style is comfortable and easy to follow, and the characters feel real and relatable for the most part. They're unnaturally good at what they do, sure, but it's no different than you get in any "chosen one" story - although to its credit, this isn't a "chosen one" story; our main character Wade got where he is through talent and dedication, and a little bit of plot armor. The world of the novel, as well, feels different enough to be exciting but familiar enough to be understandable - and here I'm talking primarily about the virtual world of the OASIS where most of the action takes place, rather than the dystopian "real" world, which has little to do with the story. Granted, I'm a nerd; I suspect someone who isn't might find all the references to video games and old movies a bit too much, but you pretty much know what you're in for right from the beginning.
Given how well the world and characters drew me in, it's no surprise that I found myself getting heavily emotionally invested in Wade's quest. It's an exciting one, with almost nonstop action, so at every turn I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. And I could feel the enormity of the stakes, which is something that not a lot of authors can pull off. Tolkien of course does this masterfully in LOTR; Robert Jordan in Wheel of Time; J.K. Rowling in Harry Potter; and Ready Player One is right up there with the same ability to convey just how much is riding on the outcome. I will note, though, it was really refreshing to read what is essentially an epic fantasy set in a futuristic world as opposed to a historical one.
The one thing that detracts from the experience of reading this book is that sometimes it will drop in to pages-long expository monologues. It's somewhat understandable since Wade is kind of a loner - in fact one of the themes in the book is how little real human interaction he gets much of the time - so things that would otherwise be demonstrated by the interactions between characters might have to get explained explicitly. But the exposition kind of drags on for a while. I think some of it could be left out. These are just a few isolated parts of the story though, and they do at least provide relevant information, so I don't mind that much. It doesn't take away a whole lot from the overall reading experience.
All in all, it just comes back to the fact that I haven't been this excited to read a new book in a long time. I'm definitely keeping this one around for a future reread.
Ernest Cline does a great job of immersing readers in the fantasy world he's constructed. The writing style is comfortable and easy to follow, and the characters feel real and relatable for the most part. They're unnaturally good at what they do, sure, but it's no different than you get in any "chosen one" story - although to its credit, this isn't a "chosen one" story; our main character Wade got where he is through talent and dedication, and a little bit of plot armor. The world of the novel, as well, feels different enough to be exciting but familiar enough to be understandable - and here I'm talking primarily about the virtual world of the OASIS where most of the action takes place, rather than the dystopian "real" world, which has little to do with the story. Granted, I'm a nerd; I suspect someone who isn't might find all the references to video games and old movies a bit too much, but you pretty much know what you're in for right from the beginning.
Given how well the world and characters drew me in, it's no surprise that I found myself getting heavily emotionally invested in Wade's quest. It's an exciting one, with almost nonstop action, so at every turn I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. And I could feel the enormity of the stakes, which is something that not a lot of authors can pull off. Tolkien of course does this masterfully in LOTR; Robert Jordan in Wheel of Time; J.K. Rowling in Harry Potter; and Ready Player One is right up there with the same ability to convey just how much is riding on the outcome. I will note, though, it was really refreshing to read what is essentially an epic fantasy set in a futuristic world as opposed to a historical one.
The one thing that detracts from the experience of reading this book is that sometimes it will drop in to pages-long expository monologues. It's somewhat understandable since Wade is kind of a loner - in fact one of the themes in the book is how little real human interaction he gets much of the time - so things that would otherwise be demonstrated by the interactions between characters might have to get explained explicitly. But the exposition kind of drags on for a while. I think some of it could be left out. These are just a few isolated parts of the story though, and they do at least provide relevant information, so I don't mind that much. It doesn't take away a whole lot from the overall reading experience.
All in all, it just comes back to the fact that I haven't been this excited to read a new book in a long time. I'm definitely keeping this one around for a future reread.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, War, and Classism
Minor: Body shaming, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
wren_cat's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book has many flaws. There are these multiple-page lord drops where about 10% of it is actually important and the rest is just kind of boring. There are many things that for all intents and purposes should be important to the plot, and then end up not being important to the plot and are just kind of ignored and/or downright contradicted. And of course, it contains quite a few eye-rollingly sexist and racist moments. But, despite all that, this really is a fun book with an engaging plot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, and Lesbophobia
abicaro17's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
HOLY SHIT. Well gooddamm. So this is probably one of the best books I have ever read (well listened too but same difference). Wade Watts is a socially awkward poor 18 year old boy living in the year 2045. In this not so distant future, a immersive reality video game has taken over most of the planet. The Oasis was invented by James Haliday and Oggden Morrow. When Haliday died, his will revealed that he will leave all of his fortune and the entire Oasis game in the hands of the player who can find the egg he hid. Wade, and most of the Oasis population, has been searching for the first key for 5 years and when he accidentally stumbles upon the answer everything changes. This is a beautiful tale of love, friendship, perseverance, and ambition along with the message that reality is better than even the best recreations. I definitely thought this would be a boy book, based on the movie (which I have seen and can safely say this is almost nothing like it), but it pleasantly surprised me with how entertaining and emotionally deep Cline goes. This is a fantastic read/listen and I will be rereading this soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
a_novi's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
For the first time in my life I was actually glad I watched the movie before I read the book. The move adaptation absolutely changed EVERYTHING about the challenges and so many huge details of the story. If I had read this book before the movie came out I would have been FURIOUS in the theater. This book is awesome. The futuristic dystopian concept is fascinating and scarily metaphorical for reality at times. There’s mysteries, puzzles, romance, suspense, and emotion. This is a book that I would read over again to catch even more detail the second time around. Good movie. Even better book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Classism
icarusandthesun's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
excellent! i haven't had that much fun in a while.
even though i'm a little too young (or too little of a game nerd) to understand most of the niche 80s game references, i still enjoyed them all.
the world—the stacks, the OASIS, etc.—is so incredibly interesting and made my video-game (and reality-hating) heart do flips of joy.
10/10, so much better than the movie.
even though i'm a little too young (or too little of a game nerd) to understand most of the niche 80s game references, i still enjoyed them all.
the world—the stacks, the OASIS, etc.—is so incredibly interesting and made my video-game (and reality-hating) heart do flips of joy.
10/10, so much better than the movie.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming, Grief, and Outing
hazeleyeddreamer's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Confinement and Fatphobia
I put mass shooting and fire and injury but it's actually a bombing.oliverreeds's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
Good book; the portrayals of Shoto and Daito are a little racist; the main character is a pick-me boy and while he does experience some growth, most of it is because of a woman (sexist) and that whole subplot is honestly ridiculous. Like it suits the character but christ it’s a little excessive and he never faces any repercussions for his obsessive nature. We also never see a developing care for the outside world which realllly makes the love interest feel like a moral hospital for a promising young man. The world building is exceptional and the characters are all believable. I think the theme of race really gets trampled on//doesn’t get enough attention in the novel. It felt like an after thought, like the character was made to develop Wade into his final form. He’s the hero but he also sucks a lot. Also, there’s a paradoxical idolization of the creators or OASIS (rich) who honestly do and did so little to help the real world despite their vast sums of money (the reason why some characters want to win the game in the first place — to save the world). idk. the whole thing felt half-baked in terms of ideology but very strong in terms of character personas but weak in terms of character development
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Classism
bookmark3brodi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, War, and Classism
jasminrain's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I really enjoyed this book. I think it's a very beautiful portrayal of the gaming community and an ode to pop culture. It was researched really well and it was just an absolute joy to immerse myself to the story even though I have little to no connection to the world.
I was a bit hesitant to read the book having seen the film, but the storyline was actually quite different to the film adaptation and brought more layers to the story. I listened to the audiobook read by Wil Wheaton and it just really brought the story to life in all the best ways possible.
All this being said, there was some problematic language and transphobia that were left completely unaddressed, which I found really problematic considering the target age and audience of this book. So not a five star but really good read.
I was a bit hesitant to read the book having seen the film, but the storyline was actually quite different to the film adaptation and brought more layers to the story. I listened to the audiobook read by Wil Wheaton and it just really brought the story to life in all the best ways possible.
All this being said, there was some problematic language and transphobia that were left completely unaddressed, which I found really problematic considering the target age and audience of this book. So not a five star but really good read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Transphobia, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, and Abandonment
ishouldbereading's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Death
Moderate: Violence and Murder
Minor: Addiction, Confinement, Drug use, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, and Fire/Fire injury