Imagine being in 2044 and living in a time where the top 1% have it all, and everyone else lives in trash and has limited food supplies, etc. Yet there is one BIG jackpot out there to be had for the person who can solve the mystery of the video game, which was created by James Halliday who died a billionaire. In Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, you get a sci-fi real life action packed adventure. Start with James Halliday, a “gamer,” who wrote a complex gaming system called OASIS (which most everyone in the universe subscribes to) and in doing so whomever can collect three keys (Copper, Jade, and Crystal) that are hidden throughout the universe of OASIS and pass through the matching gates (and find the golden egg) will receive his fortune and controlling stake in his company (worth 240 billion dollars!). After four years of no one coming even close to finding anything, a young 18 year old, Wade Owen Watts (his on-screen name is Parzival), hits gold by opening the first gate, gaining national attention. Unfortunately for Wade, I mean Parzival, he has many more steps to take and simultaneously ward off Innovative Online Industries, the multinational corporation that serves as an Internet service provider for most of the world and hopes to take over and monetize the OASIS. The OIs (as they are known) are putting in big bucks to buy anything standing in their way, including Wade and his 4 “vagabond” friends. The story includes 1980s and early computer culture games (Pac-man, Galaga, and Zork) and movie anecdotes (Risky Business, Real Genius, and Blade Runner). The OIs vs. the five pack makes for great adventure, intrigue, and thrills. At every step there is excitement up the very last page. Who will win, the big almighty corporation or the upstart young tech kids? Throw in a love story, embattled friendships, and clues that you might remember from your childhood (if you are 40 something!). What a great story! I can see this one becoming a movie, though I hope not! Pick this one up, a very fast read and well worth your time. It has it all!
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