Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Source: Wunderkid PR
Genre: Fiction/Sci-Fi/Adventure
ISBN: 9780307887443

SUMMARY
(From Goodreads)


It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. 

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. 

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them.   

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape. 

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?

MY THOUGHTS

After numerous requests from people that I venture out of my comfort zone of romance, I decided to give this book a try.  It was sent to me for review -- one I didn't request -- but I thought I would use it as my stepping stone into a different type of read than what I am accustomed to.

Can I just say that this book was completely the opposite of what I was expecting!  I am not a huge fan of Science Fiction, but I will say that this book gave a new take to the genre.  It was set in the new future which added the Dystopia theme to it.  It had undertones of Hunger Games like fighting in it.  It had suspense in it as well.  It was like a gift of several genres all wrapped nicely with a bow on it.  I couldn't believe I actually enjoyed a book like this.  The writing was even done to a point to where I felt like I was experiencing it like the main character at times.

There were a few things that I didn't like about the book though. If you are not into the whole 1980's, then you might want to reconsider.  This book is rich in the eighties culture and has you step back into those horrible years of youth.  Even with that being said, I still say give it a try if you are willing to step into a different comfort zone for your next read.  You might find yourself finding a new story to enjoy.

MY RATING

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

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*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*