Ready Player One
Heavily hyped in certain circles online this is a science fiction novel with nostalgia for the USA’s 80s nerd culture as it’s USP.
References to totems like the Atari 2600, D&D, Oingo Boingo and Family Ties pop up on nearly every page.
The plot is that it’s the 2040’s and the inventor of the globally pervasive OASIS system (like a VR combination of the internet and mmorpg worlds) died leaving his fortune and company to whomever can solve a series of puzzles he left behind, his easter egg if you will.
This is a world devastated by economic collapse and the search is frenzied initially. However, after a few years without progress only a dedicated few are still trying to crack the puzzle, one of which is a poor kid growing up in his aunt’s stack trailer. The pursuit of the easter egg is about to change his life.
This is a thoroughly entertaining read and I raced through it an a few hours.
Much of the rampant nostalgia lacks proper impact to someone who grew up with the UK version of 80’s nerddom but enough of it translates for you to understand what he’s trying to do.
I feel that it’s actually quite a slight story if you look past all the cultural signifiers but it certainly is fun.
I’d recommend it if you grew up in the 80s and fancy a quick read.