I’m not a gamer, or a science fiction goob, but enjoyed the hell out of this book. In fact, the physical version of it is roughly 400 pages, and I polished it off in just three sessions. I’m not usually that voracious.

Ready Player One is a novel set in 2045. The country has continued a steady decline, and is now overrun by crime and hopelessness. To escape reality, a good percentage of the population taps into a virtual world called The OASIS.

After one of the co-creators of The OASIS dies, it is announced that his fortune will be awarded to the person who first discovers an “Easter egg” hidden inside the computer-generated world. And because he was a teenager during the 1980s, most of the clues and challenges are related to ’80s pop culture. So… it’s considered to be a huge advantage if the hunters are well-versed in Family Ties, and that kind of thing.

It’s a blast! I hated to stop reading, and was sad when it was over. Steven Spielberg has signed on to direct the movie, and it’ll be interesting to see how he approaches it. I’m not even sure how they’ll pull it off. Like I said, this isn’t my usual kind of book. But it was great fun. As I type this, the Kindle version is only $3.99. I say buy it. It’s as satisfying an escape as The OASIS itself.