Book Review: Ready Player One

Well, what can I say? This book invoked in me such nostalgia of my childhood and of playing old school video games it almost hurt!

Remembering days of Mario bros on the NES (my younger brother always playing Luigi of course) or playing games on the Commodore 64 and days of very early memories playing the Atari with my cousins. This book reminded me of precious moments I’d seemingly forgotten and as I read this book and it’s plethora of references I caught myself smiling as my minds eye invoked pleasant images from the past.

I was reminded of my own past explorations in D&D games and early MMO’s and this book is quite fitting as I recently delved back into Azeroth as old school or classic World of Warcraft was just re-released. I was also reminded of Second Life quite a lot which I explored for many months.

I was an 80’s baby and this was written for my generation as well as the generation before mine and I found this book quite charming with all of the “warm and fuzzies” I felt from reading it. I realise there are other geeks out there just like me and felt comforted by that fact.

Ernest Clines debut novel is spell bounding. This book captivates you from the very start and I’m almost fearful of watching the movie based on this book because I doubt it would ever meet my expectations or reach me on a level so personally as this book has.

I demand a sequel! I want to know what happens to the characters and what happens next! Selfish, I know, but I became so invested in Parzival, Aech, Art3mis and Shoto I’d love to know (without spoiling in this review) what becomes of them after the final events in this book. Perhaps I will have to remain content with what I read and be thankful with what I have gained nostalgically from reading this book.

As a gamer to this day I’m glad I experienced and enjoyed the evolution of video games from the old school MUD games to vector graphics and what we enjoy today.

With the joy I experienced with even the most simple of games as a child I re-experienced that amazement and wonderment through this book with adult eyes. I never truly realised what I had in my youth and this book reminded me completely of the “the good old days”.

Cline, thank you for taking me back and making me that little kid in the video game shop staring wide eyed at video game cartridges, begging to play them all.