Ready Player One

So this book 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline was recommended to me. Who it was and how they recommended it, is a blog post for another day.

This is the first book in a while that's really left an impression on me and in my opinion this book is fantastic. REALLY fantastic! In fact it was responsible for a few nights of only 4 - 5 hours of sleep and also a little cut on my nose, as I was reading it on my iPad and fell asleep at about 4 in the morning with the iPad falling forwards and the edge hitting me right on Schnoz :0)

The book is set in 2044, we've used up all the oil, the world is ruined and famine and poverty are widespread throughout. Most people escape from what we have done to our planet by plugging themselves for free into the OASIS a virtual reality universe where you can be anything and go anywhere.

The creator of the game James Halliday was a lover of everything 80's from the TV shows, games, movies and music to the fashions the footwear and even the ludicrous hairstyles. Due to the games success he was a multi multi billionaire and five years ago in 2039 on the day of his death he released a video. Hallidays video gave the first clues and set his quest! Whoever solved these clues, finds the 3 keys hidden somewhere within the OASIS and successfully unlocks the gates by completing the challenges, will become his heir. No only will they inherit all his wealth, more importantly they will inherit the OASIS its self. In gaming terms this is the ultimate Easter Egg.

Parzival is one of thousands of school kids about to graduate from high school in the OASIS. It's much cheaper for governments to pay for a 'Rig' that lets kids plug in to the OASIS from home than pay for real schools. He is also a 'gunter an abbreviation of Egg Hunter and the name given to those people on the quest for the keys to the OASIS and Hallidays kingdom. Like all 'gunters, Parzival or Wade as he is known in the real world is desperate to solve the clues and complete the quest before the evil corporations of the world do. Their sole aim is to monetise, sell off and destroy the OASIS by turning it into something it was never meant to be.

What follows is a fantastic mix of adventure, imagination science fiction and some of the best characterisation I've ever read. All of which is then lovingly wrapped up in an overwhelming passion for everything 80's.

To me it's clear that Ernest Cline loves his topic. The book brilliantly written  with such love and care for detail. He writes with fantastic characterisation and character interaction and has crafted such a beautifully descriptive and detailed world.

This book is a must for any and all people who have ever thought themselves a bit of a nerd or a geek, for any fan of the adventure / science fiction genre but most of all for anyone who grew up in the 80's.

I loved this book and can not recommend it enough, especially to YOU reading this blog right now. Yep YOU! because if you've read this much (and you're not reading it because you know me) then you've got far enough in to my blog for me to say you'll love it!

You'll also be pleased to know that the rights to the film have been bought and the author is currently working on adapting his book into a screenplay.

I really hope you read it, then come back tell me what you thought or tweet me @DaveHyam

Dave :0)