I think the books success and popularity grew at the right time. This was like the first book in a long time where people wanted that VR game brought to life outside of sword art. And it really took off. I read it around the time it came out and loved it read it again last year and didn't feel the same. I think if rpo came out now it wouldn't have the same success it did before. I still like the first book but the second was a disaster and don't recommend.

Its one of my favorite books of all time, and the audiobook(the book itself as well) is one of my comfort books. I think part of it is the nostalgia, though I was young during the 80's a lot still resonates with me. But just the adventure of it all. The flawed protagonist. The threat coming from a corporation who wants to monetize everything. I just have always found it both fun and relatable.

I never claim its a master literary work, but I love the book. It means a lot to many of us, and I am always disheartened when I hear people knock it.

I read it years ago and thought it was okay. It occasionally touched on potential themes that I think would be very timely in an increasingly online world, but I don't think Cline wanted to write any of that. I feel like he just wanted a textbook Hero's Journey narrative. It's not the worst book I've ever read, but I feel like I could have just rewatched Star Wars, and not missed out on much. Or Tron.

As someone who lived through the era that was desperately trying to be recreated in the story, I found the entire experience pandering. However, I thought the dialogue was an attempt at a new leet speak or future way of talking.

I just read ready player 2 and it's so much worse for everything you just described about the first.

What's surprising to me is that people still admit to reading this book. We'll assume this is a throwaway acct /jk

Yeah I have no intention of reading that one because I have heard nothing good about it

Ding ding ding! This may be the last Ready Player One post of the year. Look forward to the daily posts in 2023!

The entire point of the book was to remind you of stuff you liked from the 80's but have forgotten about. That's it. There is nothing deeper to it. It did a good job of that, but it is also not at all rereadable because of that. Also, I thought Wil Wheaton was a bad pick for the audiobook, because he was one of the most hated characters in TNG, and since you are already in that reminiscent mindset, you can't help but remember how bad he was back then.

It was one of my favorites at the time. I got into more sci fi and enjoyed others more. I always pictured IOI as EA games tho

372 pages I’ll never get back is a fun podcast basically shitting on the book

Same here. I'm the same age as Cline and got all but literally two of the references in the book. It was at the point that I actually felt bad for the characters, who live in a world where there is practically no original art.

But a lot of people enjoyed it and it got a little lot of people into reading, so that's a plus.

Personally, I like the complete rewrite for the movie script better than the book. I’d never re-read Ready Player One. And Ready Player Two needs to go die in a fire. That was awful.

I used to rate ready player one highly. It holds a special place in my heart...but....it only has that place due to the references. I think as a stand alone novel and for the right age group or people who love particular franchises it's a fun light read. A few years ago I listened to We Are Legion which does similar things in terms of using nostalgia to drive the plot but I found it less compelling.

It was a decent read. I was aware of the 80s references and didn't mind them even though I was not around in the 80s. But I couldn't get over the YA interactions.

Just skim read those bits while making a face like a dog has farted directly into your mouth