[Books] Ready Player One

[paulbaxter]

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is written like someone dared a writer to come up with a book with the most possible appeal to the largest number of OO members. The setting is about thirty years in the future. Society has all gone to hell and most folks (or at least anyone the story is about) spend most of their time inside an MMORPG called OASIS, which stands for something or other. The massive online universe contains untold number of sci-fi and fantasy themed worlds, each with their own design and rules--magic from fantasy worlds won't work on the sci-fi worlds, etc.

The designer of the game world, a child of the 80's, has recently passed away. Before departing, though, he let it be known that he left behind, somewhere, the ultimate easter egg, and that whoever found it first would inherit his entire fortune. The story's protagonist joins the ranks of the "egg hunters" or "gunters" for short. Since clues are fairly sparse, gunters do things like watch every episode of Family Ties and learn to master 80's video games in order to prepare themselves.

While it's hardly Dostoevsky, this is a very fun book. Grab one if you see it.

[hepcat]

Books, movies and television shows involving virtual reality lose my interest rather quickly (with the exception of the matrix, which is was more hong kong action film than anything else). The consequences for every action just seem forced. I feel the same about dream episodes of tv shows.

[YellowKing]

I mentioned this one in the book thread, but I don't think anyone really understood how emphatically I believed that OOers would absolutely love it.

As far as pure mindless entertainment goes, it was one of the most fun books I've read in years. You really need to have been a child of the 80s to fully appreciate it, but if you're of that generation you owe it to yourself to check it out.

[Isgrimnur]

The reader of the audio book is one Wil Wheaton.

[silverjon]

I finished it on my lunch break today, actually. It was a fun read.

Technically, the "real world" of the novel would qualify it as dystopian fiction, but since so much time is spent in the OASIS simulation, the book is as escapist as the OASIS itself, while maintaining that there very much are real-world consequences to the goings-on in the sim, due to the terms set out in the egg hunt.

Edit: Wil Wheaton gets a nod (along with Cory Doctorow) as being one of the "geezers" whose leadership continues to protect everyone's privacy rights online.

[LawBeefaroni]

Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline

Chicago Public Library- Kindle Book
Available copies: 0 (27 patron(s) on waiting list)
Library copies: 4

I'm now number 28.

[hitbyambulance]

somewhat off tangent, but worth checking out is _Lucky Wander Boy_ by D.B.Weiss

[Anonymous Bosch]

I recently completed the audio book version, which was truly splendiferous (what with it being read by one of the renowned leaders of OASIS).

Anyone who grew up in the eighties should enjoy this book (all the moreso if you played eighties video, arcade and RPG games; Tomb of Horrors even kicks off the main storyline).

[DD*]

Bought, downloaded, and read. Some of the plot was somewhat deus ex machina but on the whole it was an interesting read.

[Tokek]

I finished reading it not too long ago and now I can't wait to re-read it again. I recommended it to a few of my friends and they all loved it.

I think the UK version's cover (which is what I have) is better than the US version's.

[hitbyambulance]

reading this now. don't care for the clunky writing, obvious references and general atmosphere of self-indulgence...

[Peacedog]

There writing in this book is only average I'd say, but it's a tremendously fun book (one I recently re-read). And it has a lot of heart. The author is clearly one of us.

[LawBeefaroni]

I was able to get a kindle copy from the library last year, here's my blurb from the finished books thread:

Ready Player One: Eh, an 80's fetishist's grand wank. Way too many references shoe-horned in (and the plot even called for constant 80's references) and lots of really interesting ideas that went unexplored. A really quick, popcorny read. Enjoyable but disappointing. [2/14/2012]

[DD*]

There writing in this book is only average I'd say, but it's a tremendously fun book (one I recently re-read). And it has a lot of heart. The author is clearly one of us.

This...

[silverjon]

I knew hitbyambulance would not like it. Which is not to say it's awful, it just pushes his buttons.

[killbot737]

It's an average story, better than the one I think I can write when I'm out on the town.

I have not figured out the first real-life secret in the printed version of the book. I gave it a thorough look for a while but I loaned it too a friend.

There were a few things that I thought were on track but they did not pan out. Even being a child of the 80's I missed whatever clue he was sending. Maybe I need to get the physical book back.

[rshetts2]

Ready Player One is not some opus magnus. If you go into it expecting something deep and insightful, you will be disappointed. It's a popcorn movie in print. From its heavy handed politics to its cliche ridden plot line, its not a good book, technically. It is a fun book though. From what I'd hear about it before reading it, it I went in expecting a fun fluff novel and that's exactly what I got. It was an enjoyable read.

One thing I've learned from both reading and watching movies, is to stop expecting the writer to fulfill my hopes and wishes. Peoples tastes are very subjective and its impossible for a writer to know how to exactly please my individual tastes. Instead, I try now, to enjoy what I watch and read for what it is, an expression what the writer is trying to portray. That's not to say that I enjoy everything I read or watch. Some stuff is just pure dreck. But by making this small change in perspective, I find I enjoy literature and movies much more by not imposing my personal expectations on it.

[Baroquen]

Yeah, I agree with all of these sentiments. It's not great literature, but it was a fun read. These days, my personal satisfaction with books (or games, or TV, etc.) is almost guaranteed by the time crunch I'm usually under. If I an entertained enough to keep putting the time in with something, I'll usually enjoy it. There have been a couple books I've put aside, TONS of games I never get back to, and TV shows/genres (anti-hero genres) that I drift away from despite the accolades from fans. Things end up working out in the end, and I spend my free time entertained and amused. Since that's kind of the point of relaxing for me, it all works out.

[Sabassis]

I will add my vote to the fun read crowd. I grew up in the 80's as well, so loved every stupid cliche. I read this book in like three days.

If you grew p in the 80's, this is woth a read.

[Jaymann]

I gotta get me some of that.

Pretty appropriate - I ordered it while camping a spawn on EQ.

[Odin]

I've had this in my Amazon cart for over a year, but still haven't pulled the trigger. I LOVED the 1980s, so I know I'll enjoy it when I finally get my hands on it.

[hitbyambulance]

i bailed somewhere in chapter 3. so bad...

[Chaz]

I'm about on chapter six of the audio book. It does stop being 80's Reference Exposition Theater at some point, right? I'm all for world building, but at some point, I'd like there to be some action. So far, two and a half hours in, and the narrator has managed to watch some Family Ties, go to his hideout, argue in a chat room, and go through a school day.

The references are fun so far, but I agree that they come across as laundry lists of stuff the author likes, and agree that the writing's clunky. Don't worry though, I'm not giving up, just curious if this is just ham-handed setup or indicative of the entire book's style.

[wonderpug]

It gets better. I hated those opening chapters. I loved the rest. When I recommended The Wife read the book, I actually had her start a few chapters in, and I just gave her a summary of the little plot-related stuff she missed.

You shouldn't have much further to go before it gets more fun.

[Chaz]

[GreenGoo]

I'm about on chapter six of the audio book. It does stop being 80's Reference Exposition Theater at some point, right?

No. It's one constant stream of 80's references.

I've said somewhere around here that I'm the target audience of this book. I was a teen during that time period and I get probably 99.9% of his references, and even I found it to be a bit much.

That said, there's a story in there and I did care about how it turned out, so while the 80's callouts never stop, they do sort of take a back seat every once in awhile.

[wonderpug]

The 80s references keep coming, but the lengthy expositions become smaller and more rare. When the author was writing right around the point in the book that Chaz is at now, I think someone finally told him the "show, don't tell" concept.

[Chaz]

Pug's got it, the references aren't the problem, it's that he's constantly stopping the plot to explain in depth what the background of everything is.

[GreenGoo]

Pug's got it, the references aren't the problem, it's that he's constantly stopping the plot to explain in depth what the background of everything is.

Oh. It was the constant, constant 80's references that wore me down.

I don't recall the opening chapters being particularly objectionable, but that was probably because I was all "Hey, I remember that! Neat!".

[Jaymann]

The 80s references keep coming, but the lengthy expositions become smaller and more rare. When the author was writing right around the point in the book that Chaz is at now, I think someone finally told him the "show, don't tell" concept.

Certainly good advice. But then why not go back and rewrite the first few chapters?

[Chaz]

I'm into part 3 now, and it's definitely gotten better. I'm ready to smack him for constantly using the word "classic" as an adjective. Dude, we get it, basically everything you reference is a classic in this universe. You can stop telling us.

[Jaymann]

Just a few chapters in and I can't put it down (literally or figuratively). His vision of the near future seems spot on. Someone should start programming OASIS now. And well-built stacks (with elevators?) could be an investment opportunity.

[Chaz]

After I finished, I first thought what a cool movie or tv show it would make. Then I realized the many reasons it'd never happen.

But yeah, I'm pretty sure the vision of a vr wonderland turning into recreations of older properties immediately is spot on.

[Zaxxon]

I finally got around to actually reading this...

Yeah, I agree with all of these sentiments. It's not great literature, but it was a fun read. These days, my personal satisfaction with books (or games, or TV, etc.) is almost guaranteed by the time crunch I'm usually under. If I an entertained enough to keep putting the time in with something, I'll usually enjoy it. There have been a couple books I've put aside, TONS of games I never get back to, and TV shows/genres (anti-hero genres) that I drift away from despite the accolades from fans. Things end up working out in the end, and I spend my free time entertained and amused. Since that's kind of the point of relaxing for me, it all works out.

This.

After I finished, I first thought what a cool movie or tv show it would make. Then I realized the many reasons it'd never happen.

[Isgrimnur]

Finished this one up. It was a nice, light romp. Nothing too heavy, not too many surprises, but certainly not something I regret reading.

Cinema Blend

Adapting books into movies is a difficult proposition. In the best of times, you still have to cut elements, trimming the contents of hundreds of pages down until it will fit a few hours of screen time. And in the case of a novel like Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, a narrative awash in pop culture references, this is even trickier. Steven Spielberg is adapting the novel, and though it is still in the early goings, he’s already starting to cut things out, specifically references to his own movies.

The fan-favorite director is on the publicity trail, stumping for his upcoming espionage thriller Bridge of Spies. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said:

The movie won’t have any of my films in it. I’m not putting myself in this movie…They reference so many ’80s movies. I’m doing the whole pop culture thing. I’m just going to leave myself out of it. I can’t do that. Too self-referential.

And this isn’t just Spielberg’s directorial output he’s talking about. There won’t be any references to the like of Jaws and the Indiana Jones movies, but he’s also apparently removing any nods the films he worked on in other capacities as well. So, don’t expect to hear much about DeLoreans and Back to the Future, or the Fratellis, One-Eyed Willie, or the rest of The Goonies.
...
Ready Player One is currently deep in development, and Spielberg indicated that it will begin filming sometime next year. At the present, only one key role has been cast—Olivia Cooke will play Art3mis, a friend, collaborator, and love interest for the protagonist, Wade Watts—though the director says he would like to have the cast locked in by early 2016.

[YellowKing]

Olivia Cooke is a good choice for Art3mis. I really liked her in Bates Motel.

[Isgrimnur]

I'm looking forward to Aech's casting.

[Skinypupy]

I'm looking forward to Aech's casting.

Huh. I listened to the RPO audiobook, and always thought that Aech was simply "H".

[Isgrimnur]

Spelled out in the book.

[wonderpug]

Anyone dive into the sequel yet? I've heard mixed reviews, but it's hard to tell if the naysayers had their fill of nostalgia pandering in the first book and are just tired of it this time around.