Ready Player One: The Book is 10x better then the movie!

I have read a lot of books in my life.  When asked what my favorite book is, I've never been able to pick one - until now.

How can I do this book justice with a mere review? It had me in the first chapter.  Less then six minutes into the audiobook and the author quotes 1984's Ghostbusters - I was hooked. I listened to the entire book with a big, stupid grin on my face because it made me feel like a kid again!







If you played, enjoyed (or liked watching people play or enjoy) any of the following in the 1980's:

- home video games
- arcade games
- movies
- Dungeons & Dragons
- tv shows
- music

If you were born in the 1970's you will love this book.

I have only ever read a book twice in my life (and that was because I read it for school the first time and couldn't remember most of the book 20 years later). I finished the audiobook at 9:00am on my way into work and at 5:05pm I started it again from the beginning.  In 2018 I read the book to my 10 year old - After every chapter he said "why wasn't THAT in the movie?  That was SO mcuh better then the movie!"

The premise:  In 2044 society has wrecked the planet.  A virtual reality game called The Oasis has replaced internet, school, games, socializing - many people live more in The Oasis then in real life (think Matrix but with people fully aware they are in a VR).  The creator of the Oasis dies and wills his vast fortune and company to whoever can find an ester egg he has hidden in the game.  To do this one must first find 3 keys that open 3 gates.  It's a treasure hunt with a race to the end; good vs. evil set in a VR reality where knowing the pop-culture of the 1980's will help you get ahead of everyone.

Wil Weaton did a an ok job reading the audiobook, I wouldn't go looking for other books read by him, but he didn't take away from the story.  I listened to it at 1.25 speed because I found his narration a bit on the slow side, and because it was such an amazing story I was compelled to take it in as quickly as possible! Knowing how much of a geek he is for D&D makes me wonder if he requested to read the book or if the producer approached him.

In 2018 the movie adaptation was released. It did not hold a candle to the book.  The only way the movie could be considered good is if you do not read the book first.  I repeat:  the movie does not follow the book.  BUT - Do yourself a HUGE favor and read the book.  You won't be disappointed.