Ready Player One Review
Ready Player One is a 2011 sci-fi novel suggested to me by a fellow nerd after I mentioned my goal to read more back in 2013. When she explained the premise, I was instantly hooked. Set in a not-so-distant dystopian future, life on Earth is so broken that most people spend their time in the O.A.S.I.S. This is a fully immersive virtual world reminiscent of Caprica’s “V-World.” Before the book’s timeline, James Halliday, its creator, dies and leaves the world with the ultimate quest: find the hidden “egg” in the virtual world and inherit his fortune. That treasure includes complete control of O.A.S.I.S. Naturally, this puzzle attracts the attention of the entire planet, including greedy corporations threatening the freedom of the virtual space (sound familiar?).
The story plays out like a typical hero’s journey, following four young enthusiasts as they strive to be the winner. The concept sounds great, and it was certainly fun at points. But a few issues kept me from fully enjoying the book.
Cultural Overload
Ready Player One is packed with endless references to 1980s geek and pop culture. While footnotes help clarify them, the sheer volume can be overwhelming. I’m sure author Ernest Cline didn’t expect everyone who picked up the book to know all these references, hence the notes. But it at times felt like I was being left out for not getting them.
I consider myself a nerd. But I also don’t have a need to know everything about geek culture, and I’m fine with that. Since much of the story revolves around Halliday’s obsession with the 80s—an era I’m not particularly attached to—a lot of the references fell flat. Moments that should have sparked a sense of nostalgia were often just mediocre, as if I was failing if I couldn’t keep up. When I did catch a reference to something I loved, it felt fantastic. So it seems the more you know, the better the book becomes.
Aging Geek Lingo
Another issue was how hard the book tried to be authentic with nerd culture by shoe-horning in gamer slang. The overuse of terms like “leet,” “newb,” “hax0r,” and “pwned” sometimes brought me out of it. It doesn’t help that these terms now feel dated. It reminded me of the movie Gamer—the focus on being “genuine” to gaming culture ends up feeling a bit too try hard and detracted from the story. Some things just don’t translate well from fantasy to reality, at least for me.
Characters: Hit or Miss
The protagonist Wade is relatable to a point but comes off as a bit two-dimensional. He’s a stereotypical awkward, socially challenged nerd with a skill set that feels a little too convenient for the plot. His companions aren’t much more developed, though as a group, they balance each other out well. The real depth is found in the secondary characters—especially the villain, who is cold-hearted and ruthless, and the jolly mentor.
It’s not a bad book by any means. It addresses important themes like the battle between free information and corporate control, societal decline, loneliness, and the growing role of entertainment as escapism. But these themes are overshadowed by the desire to make the reader feel like they’re following a character through a game, which dilutes the book’s potential depth.
For those who love the 80s, Ready Player One will likely be a nostalgic, enjoyable read. But for casual readers or those less attached to the references, the book can be frustrating to get through.
Ready Player One: Movie Adaptation
Despite my lukewarm feelings on the book, I did still go and see the 2018 film. The movie diversified its references to include a lot more from the 90s, 2000s, and even modern pop culture. The team behind the film likely expected their audience to have a healthy mix of gen X, millennials, and zoomers. I think this was a really smart move by director Steven Spielberg and I enjoyed it more than the book.
Some of my criticisms of the book did carry over to the movie. It was a visual feast and the easter eggs translated better in action. But it still felt like it lacked depth, which I think may have been a missed opportunity. But for a nostalgic, lighthearted romp it was quite enjoyable and I would easily recommend this to fellow nerds.
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