Searcy (LP) Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player One” is a book filled to the brim with video games, virtual reality, ’80s pop-culture references, and modern themes relevant to today’s readers. The book takes place in the 2040s and follows Wade Watts who, like the rest of the world, escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours plugged into the OASIS, a huge virtual paradise. When James Halliday, the creator of the OASIS, passes away, his will states that a contest Halliday himself created will decide who inherits his entire estate and company. After years of trying, no one has gotten anywhere in the contest, and many begin to believe that the contest is impossible to win or is a wild goose chase. Wade, however, never gives up, and eventually finishes the first part of the contest. Now famous, he must deal with the repercussions of his actions, as it seems some are willing to kill to win the contest. Now, he and his friends must deal with a corrupt company who will do anything to win control of the Oasis.

The book grasps the nerd and geek culture and is the perfect novel for children of the 80’s, loners, and nerds or geeks alike. The mature storyline is an absolute masterpiece, drawing inspiration from 80s high school, fantasy, and sci-fi, dramas. It includes themes that hit home to most readers, such as bullying and cat-fishing (pretending to be someone else online). The characters are very relatable. They are not stunningly beautiful, nor super buff (though the main character does get in great shape after months of working out), but they are just normal human beings. It’s easy to replace any of the main characters with yourself, which helps make it feel like you’re in the story. The story is completely immersive; the second you start reading you are taken to a whole different world and time. The 80’s plays a big part in the development of the story, so you might wanna brush up on your favorite shows, movies, games, etc. from that decade. For parents, this book was originally geared towards teens and young adults, so some content might be inappropriate for younger readers. The book is also available at most local libraries, retailers and bookstores. It is also available in the audiobook narrated by Wil Wheaton. Ernest Cline’s second novel, Armada, debuted in July, and is also available for purchase. Ready Player One is currently being made into a major motion picture, and will be directed by Steven Spielberg, so be on the look for it.