Ready Player One

One of the things that has become apparent in recent years is the increasing sophistication of computer games. Without quite becoming the virtual reality that science fiction once predicted, they build worlds that are increasingly convincing, increasingly immersive. And this, in turn, has had an effect on science fiction, which has built the game into the structure of near-future worlds. That's exactly what Ernest Cline, who has been dubbed "the hottest geek on the planet right now", did with Ready Player One.Wade is a poor orphan from the sticks who escapes the misery of his everyday life in the computer reality known as OASIS. Within OASIS are hidden keys which will lead towards a prize: which includes control of OASIS and the fortune of the game's creator. Wade is the first person to discover the first of these keys, and becomes a hero within the world of the game. With a group of online companions (complicated by their real life relationships) Wade sets out to find the rest of the keys and win the big prize. But he finds himself up against a multinational corporation who also seek control of OASIS, and will stop at nothing, including murder, to get there.This is a novel that is every bit as immersive, as gripping, as any computer game. You won't want to stop turning the pages, pushing on to the next level. Why It's on the ListYou want a story that's as slick, as fast, as enthralling as a computer game. Then this is it. It's a great read; the only thing wrong with it is that you'll want to get into OASIS yourself. But then, Cline has hidden his own keys within the novel.