Ready Player One flings the reader into a dying planet Earth. In 2044, people use the OASIS, an immersive video game software, to escape. Author Ernest Cline depicts a scarily realistic world, juxtaposing a desolate Earth with the artificial perfection of the OASIS, as the harmony of dystopia and utopia. Combining hyper-realistic graphics and virtual avatars, OASIS users can hide behind a screen and live a double life.

However, for Wade Watts, the OASIS means riches. Creator James Halliday left an Easter Egg in the OASIS, with only riddles as clues. The plot was interesting with various surprises. James Halliday has a backstory, as well as the OASIS and egg hunt. Unfortunately, the characters and storytelling lag far behind. 

Wade is bright, rational, and kind, but he isn’t unique. His narration falls flat and most events were unengaging. The writing boils down to pages of, “This happened. Then this happened.” All of this adds up to a world and plot that sounds incredible to read about, except the novel sounds more like a 374-page long summary of the plot, not the plot itself.

I would recommend Ready Player One for its brilliantly designed world and intriguing plot premise, but readers would have to forgive the bland characters and delivery. The highs are high, but the lows are incredibly low.