Ready Player One

Review

Common Sense Media says

Exciting, funny, futuristic thriller about online games.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this humorous science fiction thriller deals with a high-stakes online contest that mixes puzzles with video game violence. Set in a depressed future United States, where most people escape into virtual reality, it features a bunch of tough-talking teens fighting to keep their online playground out of the hands of an evil corporation.

  • Educational value1
    The narrative is filled with trivia about the 1980s and the early days of computer gaming.
  • Positive messages3
    The protagonist learns that he must rely on the help of others if he has any chance of winning the contest. He also discovers the pleasures of life outside a computer simulation.
  • Positive role models4
    Protagonist Wade and his online cohorts are brave and resourceful, determined to keep the OASIS gaming world free for all citizens.
  • Violence3
    The villains blow up the trailer park where the protagonist's aunt lives, but the protagonist learns the news second-hand. A secondary character is thrown out a window, but the act is not depicted.
  • Sex1
    There is speculation of what the real bodies of the players might look like and some flirting, but there is no depiction of sex, virtual or otherwise.
  • Language4
    The gamers engage in "trash talk" during their encounters and use variations of the f-word.
  • Consumerism2
    Most characters in this futuristic world have very few material possessions, but many gamers try to save enough money to afford expensive computer peripherals. The online world is full of consumer items that can be purchased with virtual credits.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    Alcohol use and smoking are lightly depicted in some of the online settings.
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What's the story?

Like nearly everyone on the depleted, depressed Planet Earth, high school student Wade Watts dreams of winning the untold billions at stake in a contest devised by James Halliday, late inventor of OASIS, the immersive virtual utopia that allows anyone to plug in and leave the real world behind. Obsessed with Reagan-era pop culture and technology, Halliday creates a series of puzzles that can only be solved by someone with an encyclopedic knowledge of science fiction, player-vs.-player fighting strategies, and the software mogul's own personal history. As the stakes grow higher and players begin to die in the real world, Wade must decide whether he can trust anyone else in his quest for the ultimate prize.

Is it any good?

 

Layered with inside jokes and sly references that will appeal to a wide range of readers, READY PLAYER ONE is a smart, funny thriller that both celebrates and critiques online culture. The author is accomplished at developing suspense even though much of the narrative is set in virtual reality. The puzzles are intriguing, the action is intense, and the payoff at the end is worth all the buildup.

What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about making predictions of the future based on current trends. Does the setting of the book seem plausible?  What assumptions is the author making about changes in politics and economics between now and 2044?

  • What are the advantages and the disadvantages of having so much information available 24/7? How might near-ubiquitous social media affect our culture?

  • The protagonist, Wade Watts, spends a lot of time hiding his location and true identity. How do his precautions compare to the strategies you use to work online safely?

  • Do you think the contest in the novel could really be solved by one person working entirely alone? What are the advantages or disadvantages of working as a team?

This review was written by Michael Berry
Parent
March 20, 2012
AGE
16
 
Good book, just not for tweens
There was disturbing commentary about religion in the beginning (that it was useless and "bs"); There was a long passage about masturbation that added nothing to the story.
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This review was written by Michael Berry
Author:Ernest Cline
Book type:Fiction
Genre:Science Fiction
Publisher:Crown Publishing Group
Publication date:August 16, 2011
Number of pages:376
Hardcover price:$24.00
This review was written by Michael Berry
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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