Ready Player One / Ernest Cline

Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline

science fiction, young adult

copyright 2011
read in October 2016

rated 8/10: really quite good

On the cover of this book it says, "Enchanting. Willy Wonka meets The Matrix." Well said :-)

"Enchanting" is not a word I would use. But really, it suits. The book is imaginative, exciting -- and pleasant. Sure, there's violence. Murder. Evil deeds. Enough to prove that the bad guys are bad. Not so much that it overwhelms. All of this is balanced by good guys who are... well... rather sweet.

This is a geek teen boys' wish fulfilment fantasy. The hero is overweight and unfit -- except in his online virtual reality. Then he spends a lot of time and effort losing weight and getting fitter -- to show that it is possible -- but he does not depend on his new strength to become a real-life superhero.

There is a strong message: Just as it says in a WoW hint, you can enjoy virtual reality but you should also enjoy the real world. And the book adds, that you can work hard to improve both.

It helps that the hero is an intelligent, computer hacking super geek. He also has high moral standards and a respect for his fellow humans. Plus the willingness to put his neck on the line in order to save his friends (and the virtual world). All in a slightly nerdy, uncertain-teen-boy, very realistic human package.

A while back, I read several books on a similar theme: teen geek hero uses brains to save world from evil corporate organisation. Ready Player One does it so much better.

Some of those earlier books drew all the heroes as intelligent, moral, teens. More: *every* teen was an intellligent, moral hero. And *every* adult was stupid and evil. There was no end to the stupidity and evilness of corporations, government and adults. There was no limit to the cleverness and integrity of every "young adult" character.

In at least one book I was left wondering, Why should I trust the teen "hero" when he is so willing to use lies and deceit to win the day ?!

Ready Player One has heroes who are intelligent, moral teens. There are also some stupid teens. The chief villains are mostly adult -- as far as we can tell. Evil employees of an evil corporation. With a hint of corrupt support from government. There are also nice adults. And plenty of hench-people who are simply doing the job they are paid to do.

This is not the "them versus us," of heroic teens versus evil adults, of that earlier book. This book is a handful of heroes with support of the generally okay masses, versus the evil mega-corporation, which includes many employees who have no choice other than employment or starvation.

It's a positive call to support the good guys. Rather than a negative attempt to portray anyone not "us" as a stupid and evil "them".

Great fun, great book, great enjoyment. I could almost say... enchanting :-)

Oh, and if you're a fan of the 1980s... it's a great journey through nostalgia.

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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
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"If all the world's a stage, the director deserves a pay cut." … per Ginger Meggs