Ready Player One

Author: Ernest Cline

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.

Similar Recommendations

There's a host of games oriented science fiction out there now. These are a couple you'll really want to get into.

If you like the style of Ready Player One, then read the second work by the same author. Armada. It takes the same pop culture references that Ready Player One does, but applies them to science fiction in general. Same type of story. It's not as good a read, but it's much in the same vein.

This Is Not A Game by Walter Jon Williams concerns a creator of Alternate Reality Games which have a vast worldwide following. When one of her colleagues is murdered, she builds the murder into the game and, with the help of players around the world, is able to solve it. But this only reveals a further crime that could destroy the entire economy of the world. With two sequels, Deep State and The Fourth Wall, these are thrilling stories which break down the distinction between the universe of the game and reality.

You might want to check out Reamde by Neal Stephenson. It features a virtual game as the center of the plot.

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu is the first science fiction novel from China to be translated into English, and it's an extraordinary work. Top scientists are committing suicide, and the mystery behind it involves not just Chinese authorities but the Western military as well. The solution turns out to involve a computer game, the Three-Body Problem, but the bizarre realities entered inside the game are actually a cover for an alien invasion, so once again the game and reality are merged.