Sometimes a book hits you in the right place at the right time. This book did that for me. Set in our near future, Ready Player One is an exuberant, over-the-top homage to 1980’s technology and pop culture. This quick, entertaining read would be a wonderful introduction to Sci-Fi, or a great palate cleanser if you are coming off of a dense epic fantasy binge.
Reviewers tend to compare this book to Willy Wonka, the Matrix, or Harry Potter. But while this book has plot points and themes that are similar to these works, at no point does it feel derivative. It is lovely, fresh, and engrossing from start to finish. The characters are likable without being Mary-Sue-ish. The relationships that grow between them are organic and emotionally gratifying.
This story’s main character, Wade Watts, is a lonely kid living in the year 2044. Wade’s world has been devastated by a series of economic and ecological disasters. The only escape available to him is in the OASIS, a massive multiplayer virtual reality game. The creator of the OASIS dies and leaves his fortune, including complete control of the game, to whoever can complete a series of hidden online quests. Wade must battle other questers, corporate stooges, and his own inner demons in his attempt to win the keys to the kingdom and keep it out of the hands of those who would destroy it. A story centered on a video game runs the risk of seeming juvenile, but the novel’s grim backdrop lends it tension and gravity.
I don’t know about you, but I have to be careful not to read too many post-apocalyptic novels in a row. One time I read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Station Eleven, and The Post Mortal back to back and I almost jumped off the roof. This book’s dystopia, engendered by greed and apathy, hit me hard. The setting is frightening in its feasibility, and the issues it illustrates are extremely applicable. The importance of net neutrality is a major theme, as is the struggle to connect and have real relationships in a digital world. Self-sacrifice, identity, and personal freedom are addressed as Wade faces off against the evil corporation attempting to gain control of the OASIS.
The bad guys are satisfyingly bad, without being cartoonish. Their motivations are well thought out and consistent. They don’t do bad things just for the evil chuckle, but they also don’t have very many layers. Greed is a major theme in this book and most of the antagonists are primarily motivated by it. Some readers dislike stories with a clear black-and-white morality, but I am not one of them. While I enjoy shades-of-gray antiheroes occasionally, sometimes it is refreshing to dive into a classic hero/villain face off.
In case you couldn’t tell, I enjoyed the heck out of this book, and am avidly anticipating the movie. Again, it’s not terribly nuanced, so if you are looking for a dense, complicated read this might not be your jam. A word of advice: avoid movie spoilers and casting news at all costs until you’ve read the book. Trust me! If Ready Player One has been sitting on your to-read list, give it a whirl soon.
Signed, The Duchess
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