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5

It isnt often that yo...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·squirrelsohno

It isn't often that you come across a book tailored to geeks and nerds that isn't a new Star Wars encyclopedia or the Making of The Hobbit. Without the intervention of friends who brought this book to my attention, I would have never considered picking up READY PLAYER ONE. And I am clearly a big nerd - I have Star Trek toys, Farscape comics, a replica of Jayne's hat from Firefly, and the complete series of Battlestar Galactica on DVD including the extra DVDs. Yeah, I'm a pretty big nerd, even though my nerdom is science fiction more than video games and obscure 80s movies. READY PLAYER ONE is set in the near future where a virtual game platform called the OASIS has taken over life as we know it. People go to school on it, work on it, spend their entire lives on it, and thousands of people have dedicated their lives to finding the egg - the prize of a quest set by the dying founder, James Halliday, with billions of dollars and control of OASIS as the reward. The main character, Wade, also known as Parzival, is an 18 year old "gunter", a kid who has basically given up a semblance of a real life in exchange for questing for the Egg, but since he's poor, lives with an aunt that hates him, and stuck pretty much where he is, his chance of success is low, until fate gives him the one clue that he needs... Let me just start by saying that yes, this is a book directed at geeks of all types. Science fiction, gaming, 80s pop music, 80s teen movies, 80s television, 70s anime... Did I mention gaming? Yes, this entire book is basically the tale of a giant game composed of little games - MUDs (if you're ever in the market for a good MUD, I know them all sadly), console games, MMOs, computer games, arcade games. Wade is an expert, and Ernest Cline is an expert at guiding us through this maze of games and pop culture and weird trivia needed to solve Halliday's quest. Weaving all this information and bits and pieces together, and having the reader make sense of it when they might not have seen WarGames 500 times is hard, but Cline keeps track of everything and guides the reader along the story with ease and precision. Wade is an amazing, complex character that you can't help but root for. This kid, in a desperate search for a better life, has basically sacrificed reality (school, friends, a life, etc) for the hunt. He's made friends on the inside - his best friend Aech is the first, a snarky, bold character famous for his skills, eventually joined by the famed girl geek Art3mis and Japanese brothers Daito and Shoto. All are on the search for the same thing - the Egg that will grant them control. And all are being hunted by the same organization, the IOI, egg hunters led by the evil, manipulative Sorrento. This book had heart, and at its heart was a message - don't let fantasy overtake your reality. I mean, it's a message I could sure use. I spend waaaaay too much time surfing the web or playing games. And the world building in this book is spot on and BELIEVEABLE. I can really see something like OASIS taking over our world, but at the same time, I can feel myself wanting that to happen. The possibilities of OASIS are endless and just seeing all this with my own eyes would be amazing. (And yes, Warner Brothers does have the film rights, but this book seems like it would be very hard to translate to screen.) I'll let you explore the book yourself to find every geeky nuance and humorous reference. Let me just say that this book has almost everything you could look for - fun, action, excitement, romance, nerdiness, humor, tension, and uniqueness. It's not the best written book on the block, but Cline has clearly put heart and soul into this to create the ultimate geek novel. I just wish that maybe the ending had been more climactic with more stakes on the line than just the Egg. It was almost disappointing, rendering my rating down a notch, but this book was almost perfect on every level, and a book I would wholeheartedly recommend. VERDICT: Only brought down by a slightly dull ending, READY PLAYER ONE is a geeky tour de force - great characters, a great plot, and so many pop culture references that your little nerdy eyes will explode. If you are a geek, this book is for you. Also, this guy wrote the screenplay for FANBOYS. This book is a step up!

4

Ready Player One is a ...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·kraaivrouw

Ready Player One is a gamer book. It's full of '80's trivia and particularly old gaming trivia, but you don't have to be a gamer to enjoy it. I say this because I am a lifelong gamer and I am instantly suspicious of anything that purports to be about gaming because 99.9% of the time there are fundamental things wrong that glare out in distracting ways and ruin the whole experience. I know, very doctrinaire, but it's gaming - it's a way of life. Seriously. Ready Player One delivers the pop culture geeky punch and does a good job of talking about what it's like in big virtual reality communities - whether MMORPG's or Second Life or the old school (and much smaller) environments of MUDs and MOOs. I found all of these elements in the book spot-on and I loved the gamer history and all the '80's references. All gaming has some basic commonalities. I often use these to try to help people I work with who don't game understand why I do. It rarely works, but I keep trying. Most gaming experiences run along a similar trajectory. There are quests, some of which add to the storyline and some that drop great loot - if you're lucky, you get a quest that does both. You do quests to gain experience and gear so you can level up. It's a very goal oriented activity. You have objectives, you complete them, you get rewarded. It gets more and more fun as you level up and then you hit top level and in most games there's not really anything left to do. Gaming is great for hand/eye coordination, great experience to take into work or school. It often requires teamwork with people you don't like, helps your strategic and tactical thinking, and gets you through the work day because everything becomes a quest/mission if you have the right kind of imagination. "Today I will do the leadership presentation quest so I can continue to level up my charisma, endurance, wisdom, and intelligence." However, like work when you hit the top level of whatever job you're in it gets boring and you're ready to move on. In many ways Ready Player One follows the gaming trajectory and that's kind of unfortunate. The first half of the book is an outstanding read. I loved the setup and really loved the interaction between the players and the sense of competition that happens when everyone is pretty low level and still trying to figure out how to survive. It was sharp, funny, and spoke to my heart. Unfortunately everyone has to level up and when they do the story gets much less interesting to me. Yes, there's still a lot of fun in that second half, but it's just not satisfying in the way the first half is. It's kind of like superheroes - lots of them are really boring because they just don't have enough vulnerabilities and you know they're going to win the day. There are big exceptions to this statement, but ultimately most superheroes are kind of boring to me. Overall an excellent and fun book. Mr. Cline can write and his pop culture trivia/history, even in the arcane world of gaming, is spot on. He gets special props because he's great at covering all gaming - single player, pen-and-paper, arcade games, shooters, and virtual reality games of various kinds. This is a big field and anyone with this much knowledge is probably a serious gamer. If you're trying to place the book in a genre category, fantasy and/or science fiction and/or dystopian probably work. Personally, I thought it sounded awesome, but I'm a gamer geek. We all want more time off from work to play our games so this future sounds pretty perfect.

5

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline…

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Briars_Reviews

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline lived up to the hype for me: It's a wildly fun, fantasy, sci-fi, 80s-fueled romp! I wanted a book that was fun and would keep me interested and this book did the trick! I watched the movie when it came out in theatres and knew from that point on that I wanted to read the book. Everyone told me the two are very different, but if you enjoyed the movie then you'd also like the book - they were right! While there are some very big differences, the general idea is the same. A teenager and a group of his virtual friends take on a giant quest to make sure the OASIS platform doesn't get into the wrong hands. There are quests along the way packed tight with lots of 80s references. I thought this was fun! I didn't once put the book down because I was bored, which is really nice for me. It's hard to find a book that I want to jump back into that is also popular with the general public. This book is not for everyone though. If you don't like an outrageous amount of 1980s references then you might want to steer clear. I liked the references and found myself learning more about the 80s (as a 90s baby) so it was a great read for me. I also like learning and I'm a big nerd for goofy or nerdy references, so this book was definitely made with me in mind for the audience. Ready Player One is nerd central. It has a very particular taste and that's why I like it. Wade can be a bit annoying, but he's some teenager locked up in a helpless place who wants to get out. Everything that he does seem like what a moody, needy teenager would be. If you were living in poverty and you had a chance to make a change, wouldn't you? Especially in a way that's full of entertainment that teenagers might actually enjoy (movies, videos games, books, etc.). Is the world realistic? Meh. In some ways yes, in some ways no. But it's fantasy and fiction! Sure the stacks seem unrealistic, but if you look at how the world is that's not much of a stretch from some places. Let yourself be immersed in this fantasy land and enjoy. If you're along for the ride to simply have fun and whisk away from the insanity of our world, this book can do it. Overall, this book was perfect for me! And, shocker, I'm reading the sequel immediately after it! This was a fantastic (late) Christmas gift! Five out of five stars.

5

I cant rave enough ab...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·usagijihen

I can't rave enough about this book. The world-building, the very plausible future constructed, the characters - all of it, all of it was awesome and great and wonderful! I seriously could not find any flaws whatsoever with this book. So let's delve into why this is one of my best of 2011, shall we? Where to start? I love the detailed construction of this Steve Jobs/Bill Gates god-like figure, Halliday - even though he only makes his presence known in the book through his death, through various "biographies" and through his OASIS avatar, he felt like a very real, palpable person. The alternate history created by the author detailing the creation of the OASIS system was also very realistic, a sense of what could have been had we chosen right instead of left, the path not taken. And then there's the reality we're facing right now outside of the book in the real world - the Great Recession, where in the book, it's entering its fourth decade. It's a warning of what may come if we don't deal with some of the more pressing ideological and political issues, and how all of that will take its toll on not just the American people, but the world as a whole. The need for a place like the OASIS becomes more and more understandable as we read through this alternate history and into this alternate (though possible for us) future. And finally, there is Wade himself, and the quintessential coming of age tale that's been taken to over the top levels in terms of the stakes of the character's evolution through the book. Wade goes through not just one search, but three: what does it mean to be human? What is reality? And what does living an alternate reality without humans around us do to us - do we remain human, do we become something else? All of these questions are raised throughout the book, and to a very satisfying (and one I won't spoil) end. If you're a geek, I guarantee this is definitely a book for you. If not, you may have a harder time getting into it with all of the somewhat obscure (though explained by our hero) pop culture references. Either way, I urge you to give this one a read. I think you'll find that you too will become an OASIS addict, a gunter cheering Wade on to greatness. (posted to goodreads, librarything, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)

5

The year is 2044, the ...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·cameling

The year is 2044, the various wars between nations have resulted in a world of darkness, poverty and danger. But OASIS provides the virtual world everyone escapes to. Virtual classrooms, virtual planets, avatars of your choosing, shopping malls, even virtual towns that resembled the towns in the 20th Century. And best of all, setting up an OASIS account is free. In this world enters Wade, whose avatar Parzival, goes to the OASIS public school on the planet Ludus. He has a best friend, Aech, a crush on Art3mis, and later meets Daito and Shoto, 2 Japanese avatars. The only thing they have in common is they're all avatars in OASIS, set on individual quests to earn credits that will allow them to make purchases for their online personas and level up to earn more talents and power. But OASIS was invented byJames Halliday, and upon his death, he broadcasts his will and issues a challenge to all. If anyone can find the 3 keys that will lead them through 3 Gates and they find the ultimate prize, an easter egg, that person will inherit the immense wealth accumulated by Halliday and OASIS. Needless to say this starts a race among gunters (egg hunters) who hunt individually or in clans. But there's an evil corporation, IOI, who have teams of Sixters, employees tasked with finding this Egg which will give IOI total control over OASIS, which they want to turn into a fee-based service. The hunt is made more difficult because all gunters need to understand Halliday, an eccentric recluse who loved everything about the 1980s. The entire book is filled with wonderful references to video games and arcade games popular in the 80s, books, movies, tv series and music of the 80s. Lyrics and scripts are cleverly woven into the quest. In addition, the IOI appear to stop at nothing to find the ultimate prize, even murder. But underneath all the nostalgia for the 80s, as with any good quest, our protagonist has to learn through his mistakes and about human relationships, that the online world is fantasy and that there is a real world out there that he should learn to enjoy as well.

5

What a fun ride to the...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·DeltaQueen50

What a fun ride to the past Ready Player One by Ernest Cline turned out to be. Reliving the pop culture of the 1980's while reading about a futuristic America was a total blast. The story started off slowly with character introductions and scene setting, but suddenly it took off and I was glued to the pages, totally addicted to this roller coaster ride of a 1980's trivia inspired adventure. Music and movies have always played an important role in my life and I loved the many references to these throughout the book. The author took some of the best movie plots of the Eighties and included them in his book, so we are treated to a great "buddy" story, a sweet love story, a treasure hunt with billions of dollars at stake and a total geek love-fest. My Eighties were taken up with working and raising a family, but even I spent some time at PacMan, Q*Bert and other early video games, I can only imagine the joy this book would evoke in a avid games player. I am usually quite leery of books that receive this type of "buzz", but Ready Player One really spoke to me. Using a plethora of eighties detail the author convincingly lays out his action packed story of the future, but there is a small warning on these pages of how the real world could suffer if an addiction to virtual reality were to take over as it has in Wade's world. I suspect Ready Player One is a polarizing book according to how the reader is affected by the concept, and although this was far from the best writing, for me it's an easy 5 stars for sheer enjoyment and gut-appeal.

5

Being human totally s...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·msf59

"Being human totally sucks most of the time. Videogames are the only thing that makes life bearable." J.H. James Halliday was a video game magnate, in the Bill Gates/ Steve Jobs mold. He created a video game called the Oasis, which in 2044 is a world-wide phenomenon. Since the world on the outside is so bleak and dreary, everyone loses themselves in this virtual universe. A few years earlier, Halliday died and keeping with his uber-Geek nature, planted a treasure egg deep in the Oasis and whoever finds it, will inherit his vast fortune. Of course, this causes chaos, as millions begin the quest. Halliday had grown up as a teenager in the 80s and was completely infatuated with the pop culture of that time, so all the clues that lead to the "egg", are nerdy references to that decade, which leads everyone to immerse themselves in the video games, music, movie and TV shows of that era. Five years after Halliday's death, no one has come close to finding the treasure. Then we meet Wade Watts, a lonely, orphaned 18 year old, living in a ghetto of high rise trailer-homes. Wade had been on the hunt for years and finally makes a monumental discovery... Sure, it helps to have some geek knowledge of those times: the Atari and Nintendo games, the John Hughes films, Dungeons and Dragons, Family Ties, War Games, Transformers, Blade Runner, Monty Python and much much more but this is a fun action-packed read, widely creative and ambitious. Highly recommended.

3

For me this was basica...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·KLmesoftly

For me this was basically a fun popcorn flick in novel form - light, entertaining, super fast-paced, but also not very deep and with a lot of moments that made me roll my eyes after I thought about them a bit. The plot was familiar, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing - it was comfortable, in the sense that the whole time I was reading I "knew" what was going to happen and all that was really in question was how exactly the author intended to get me there in the end. I've already recommended it to a couple people, and I'll be interested to see if (when) the movie adaptation is made - I think this story will be really well suited to that format! I'm a sucker for the "game show/competition on a large scale" trope in novels (especially if the stakes are life and death, which in this case they are not - directly) and on that front it did not disappoint. That said, don't pick this one up looking for anything deep or particularly meaningful. The characters are all pretty one-dimensional: there's the poorly-researched Japanese stereotype who misuses fanboy Japanese words like "seppuku," the low-income computer genius hacker savant with a little bit of baby fat he loses via time lapse exposition 60% through the novel, and of course, the sassy love interest who is not at ALL like those other female avatars around and is accessible and secretly insecure about a physical non-flaw (I was betting on something like a prosthesis or wheelchair use; it wound up being a birthmark). The challenges the characters face don't hold up to fridge logic particularly well - for example, are we really supposed to believe that in five years nobody really thought to literally interpret the clue "you have much to learn" as a call to go scope out the level where all the school buildings are located? There aren't many surprises thrown into the formula used: character comes up from adversity, character makes a surprising discovery, character experiences setbacks and is joined by friends, someone dies tragically, characters vow vengeance, characters part ways and eventually must come together in the end, etc etc etc - with 80s trivia! And this is petty, but I have to nitpick since gaming is my industry: I hope Ernest Cline has rethought his views on the holiness of freemium gaming - it's amusing that aside from the generic Evil Corporation Stuff perpetrated by the villains, their main flaw is that they want to make OASIS into a subscription gaming site (like World of warcraft and other similar currently-existing sites). This is presented as being somehow less democratic than the service's current incarnation as a "free" service where anyone can create an avatar, but the game is unusable and boring unless you pay to leave the starter levels and buy equipment.

5

I dont like science f...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·bookmagic

I don't like science fiction books, futuristic books, books about gaming, and anything resembling dystopian. Yet, this book was on a lot of "best of 2011" lists so I decided to read it. And I LOVED it. Yes, LOVED. I really liked Wade and felt an instant connection to him. He reminded me a bit of Sebastian from The House of Tomorrow. Wade had nothing and had to fend for himself, in reality and in the world of OASIS. The author does a great job of creating such an amazing reality in the world of OASIS that it is a bit jolting during the brief times in the real world. This novel works on many levels. It can be seen as a cautionary tale in an already online obsessed world, where will we be in 30-40 years from now? It is also a coming of age tale, as Wade goes through the usual teenage angst. It also tackles the individual vs. large corporations. I spent my teen years in the '80's so I loved all the references to that period. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Even if you don't think it will appeal to you, I think it will. It transcends whatever genre it is. It is definitely a book I will reread and though it's still very early, I bet it makes my best of 2012 list! my rating 5/5

4

This novel earned rave reviews from…

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·rosalita

This novel earned rave reviews from most everyone, especially those of us old enough to remember the 1980s the first time around. It's not set in the '80s, though; the action is set a few decades into the future, when the real world has become so miserable that nearly everyone spends all of their waking hours immersed in OASIS, a virtual world where you can be more or less whoever you want to be. When the founder of OASIS dies, it is revealed that he has left his fortune to whoever is the first to solve an elaborate riddle/scavenger hunt set inside the virtual world. The keys are all based in his immense love of 1980s pop culture, and high schooler Wade is determined to win the prize and escape his dreary real life. He has to contend with fellow gamers both innocent and deadly in the race to solve the puzzle. I give this book high marks for originality and creativity, as well as an engaging main character who is easy to root for. I have a feeling I would have loved it a lot more if I had ever played a video game in my life or had more than a passing knowledge in geek/nerd culture. If either of those things describe you, you've probably already read Ready Player One. But if you haven't, you probably should.

4

This is one of those rare books that…

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·bdgamer

This is one of those rare books that you will come across just a couple of times in life: light yet thought provoking, fun, and worth staying up the whole night for. Chock full of ‘80s references, cutting-edge technology, and some really interesting VR and MMO ideas, Cline takes you on a wild ride through a dystopian setting that doesn't seem too far into the future for us. There are some problems though. First off, it gets a bit too self-indulgent for its own good. It's quite clear Cline knows his ‘80s quite well, but the references often keep coming non-stop, and many of them felt irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Another problem was characterization. The first act has amazing characters; I loved the banter and camaraderie between the protagonists. But as the story progresses, they sort of take the back seat in favor of Hollywood tropes. If you can overlook these (somewhat) slight issues, Ready Player One is a fun, light read that will make you want more. Yes, especially the movie, which I simply can't wait for!

5

We were very fortunate to...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Skeeter426

We were very fortunate to see this movie at the theatre in 3-D on opening weekend. We were so blown away by not only the concept, but the overwhelming details within the movie. We were both constantly drawn into the plot, never bored, finding a battle with good and evil, a love story, a treasure hunt, obsessions, it's funny when it needs to be, it shows tolerance and race issues, and lessons to be learned in life about the way we spend our precious time. There were elderly people in the theatre as well as children. It can be seen by all ages.\nThis movie will showcase the best of the 80's, so those who grew up during this time will really appreciate the film. Spiellberg has really outdone himself and created another "must-have" classic! \nWe are looking forward to watching the movie over

5

Finally available..lol...AWESOME movie! Way before...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Bellingham

Finally available..lol...AWESOME movie!\nWay before it's time..if you watch carefully you'll see how today's technology spawned from their ideas...same as original Star Trek did for us!\nArrived fast!\nNo damage!\nLowest price anywhere!\nA must have for syfy fans and great addition to family's DVD collection!\nBuy now before it runs out or stops being made!\nLove it...watched many times...always something new...lol

5

James Halliday, creator of the famous…

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·nerdytheorist

James Halliday, creator of the famous VR world: The OASIS, has died. But before he did so, he created a scavenger hunt with a prize of all of his money to go to the person who reaches to the end of the hunt. In this book, Wade Watts (also known as Parzival) tells the story of how he won this hunt. And it wasn't easy for him.

4

just like Tesla is changing...

Reviewed on www.bestbuy.com·IceMonger

just like Tesla is changing the ways automobiles are made, Samsung is changing refrigerators. Highlights: -checking the inside of fridge to see if we need more milk is awesome. -having ability to change freezer to fridge. -the apps are great-weather, Pandora, recipes. Manynof the other ones I don’t think I’ll use. -Great to be able to “personalize,” your fridge with family pictures. -we can bribe the kids by saying,”you get to play with the fridge only if you help in the kitchen!:-) What I don’t like: -ice maker. Not enough!

5

Dude, this book was just a whole lot…

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·beentsy

Dude, this book was just a whole lot of fun. I was initially having a bit of trouble getting into the story, but once I did, so much fun. Truly, it was like all the good bits of my teen years were reincarnated for just a little while. Fun I tell you, FUN!

5

An 80's thrill ride that...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Starslayer885

An 80's thrill ride that will leave you wanting more. This movie represents where to draw the line between reality and fantasy. Everyone who grew up or loves the 80's are in for a treat when they see this marvel of a motion picture.

5

A SPIELBERG FILM OF THE OLD SCHOOL

Reviewed on www.bestbuy.com·Joker1079

A fun look at virtual reality life while taking us back to everything that was awesome about 80's pop culture. A lot of fun. One movie with so many memories of why I fell in love with movies in the first place.

5

3-D Blu-Ray “Ready Player One”

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·MVDziadzio

Now I'm even much more very happy that I was able to buy/purchase this Blu-Ray Movie in 3-D just like the Movie was made in Theaters so definitely watch this Movie and enjoy it have lots of fun and excitement!

5

It never happened ... yet!...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·OldInPampa

It never happened ... yet! But that's ok because this story is made believable with great actors and great directing. I loved the whole Sci-Fi theme of this one. Excellent details in the 3D CG!

5

Great Movie

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Lee

This movie was so great in 3D I'm glad walmart had it available in 3D I couldn't find it anywhere else. I wish more titles were available in 3D, it seems like 3D movies are disappearing.!?

5

Great movie!!! Very nostalgic. There...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Humphrey

Great movie!!! Very nostalgic. There are a lot of 80's and 90's references that you may not catch your first time watching. Great movie for a group of friends to watch together.

5

The movie is great. Only...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Ohiofamily04

The movie is great. Only downside I was hoping walmart had the instant watch on digital for it but wasn't there. Had to wait for movie to release and mail out.

5

Great film

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Budgetaudioatmos

Great movie I still prefer the 4k version but also enjoy having my favorites in 3d for projection! You can't miss with (Ready Player One ) fun film

5

4k video

Reviewed on www.onbuy.com·M. Hancock

Brilliant came early can't fault anything packaging and condition was great definitely good value will not hesitate to use this site again

5

I strangly recommend this movie...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Russell

I strangly recommend this movie to anyone who wants to reflect on the life and times of the 1980's. It is highly nostalgic.

5

Got this one from the...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Drew

Got this one from the library at first and kept freezing, so i bought it and played just fine. I came in with no scratches

5

Good story told with popular...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·PrincessMishawaka

Good story told with popular music and on blue ray it is excellent. I am satisfied with this product

5

It's a really good movie...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·Anonymous

It's a really good movie and i really love it they're making a second one but this was really cheap

5

One of the best movies...

Reviewed on www.walmart.com·McPeter2k

One of the best movies of all time. It's also family friendly, though it has some violence.