The popularity of Ernest Cline’s science fiction novel Ready Player One has only increased with the success of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster adaptation.
The cyberpunk subgenre can be categorized as belonging to Ready Player One. Cyberpunk frequently tells stories about urban dystopian civilizations where corruption and Big Business are to blame for the decline.
The genre’s characters are typically not your usual heroes. They are frequently outsiders, rebels, or hackers. Or, like in the case of Ready Player One, an egg-hunting gamer.
Because it employs more advanced technologies, it also fits the genre perfectly. Ready Player One is the pinnacle of cyberpunk thanks to its specialized gloves, visors, and augmented virtual reality.
Wade Watts’ narrative is the subject of Ready Player One. In Oklahoma City’s “stacks,” a literal leaning tower of trailers placed one atop the other,
Wade’s job is to hunt for Easter eggs in a virtual reality gaming environment. They are not eggs in the traditional sense.
He’s searching for Easter eggs. The creator of OASIS left it there, and whoever finds it will inherit a vast fortune.
The hunter must go through a sequence of games, exploring each one and succeeding in order to obtain keys to the subsequent gate, in order to find this specific Easter Egg.
Wade gains fame across the OASIS after obtaining the first key.
He is forced into hiding because this attracts some unwanted attention. But does this make him abandon his cause?
Without a doubt. Wade keeps looking for the Easter Egg in order to collect that wealth.
The novels listed below have been picked because they will appeal to Ready Player One enthusiasts.
If you loved Ready Player One, then you’ll enjoy books like The Impossible Fortress, Snow Crash, Moxyland, Dark Matter, and Alif the Unseen.
Themes In Ready Player One
Nostalgia – Halliday has idealized 80s popular culture, which is nostalgia RP1. Why do we have a sense of nostalgia for the past?
Video Game and Technology – Ready Player One delves deeply into the world of video gaming and technology and how it can impact our lives.
Identity – How do we express ourselves differently in the real world versus online? Does being able to be whatever you want online compensate for the lack of liberty in the real world?
Reality – Wade Watts operates in two very different realities. Reality is a major theme of this book.
Perseverance – It takes 5 years before someone can figure out the first puzzle.
Competition – Video game tournaments are becoming recognized as legitimate sports, and there is tremendous competition for the Easter egg.
The Future – Utopia or dystopia? Could the world that Kline depicts in the first few chapters resemble our own?
Would pressing the red button by Wade’s free will make the world a better place? What if social media existed today with that feature?
The Impossible Fortress is overflowing with allusions to and nostalgia for 1980s pop culture. Billy Marvin, the protagonist of the tale, has a computer obsession.
Billy meets a girl who shares his love of computers, nevertheless, while playing a sophisticated prank with his friends.
There is much to like here for fans of Ready Player One’s computer-based romance and nostalgia for the 1980s.
While Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash occurs in the vast online Metaverse, Ready Player One transpires in the virtual world OASIS universe.
The protagonist of the story works as a pizza delivery man by day and transforms into a strong VR hero at night.
The plot of Snow Crash centers on efforts to corrupt and obliterate the Metaverse and the battle that ensues to extinguish the forces posing a threat to the virtual world.
Pros
A gripping insight into the future
The action-packed, fast pace
Cons
May not be suitable for young readers
Themes:Video Games and Technology, Competition, Perseverance
The science fiction novel Dark Matter by Blake Crouch challenges readers’ conceptions of reality and self-identity.
The protagonist of the book is Jason, a character who finds himself thrust into a strange environment where his family and friends are absent and he appears to be someone altogether different.
The book makes the reader doubt everything they read until, at last, a stunning turn reveals the truth in a spectacular way.
The universe of Pat Cadigan’s novel Synners is one in which technology and virtual reality are strong influences on practically every facet of daily life.
The first part of the book is a sophisticated and fascinating introduction to the technological world and the humans that live there.
As the plot develops, Cadigan quickens the pace in order to eventually bring seemingly unrelated concepts together into a masterfully written conclusion.
Pros
Excellent delve into technological advancements
Fantastic ending
Cons
Can be complicated to follow
Themes: Video Games and Technology, Reality, Perseverance
The first book in Diane Duane’s Omnitopia series is titled Omnitopia Dawn. The massively multiplayer online game serves as the backdrop for the narrative.
Evil powers are trying to invade and destroy this realm, but doing so will have terrible offline effects.
Fans of Ready Player One who appreciated the conflict with Innovative Online Industries will undoubtedly become engrossed in the story.
Pros
Highly engaging storyline
Immersive gaming world
Cons
Character development could be better
Themes: Video Games and Technology, Competition, Reality
Cory Doctorow’s book For the Win dives deeply into the financial effects of online virtual reality gaming. Online VR gaming is a lucrative industry.
This inevitably leads to wealthier gamers abusing their position to take advantage of less fortunate players.
A band of gamers eventually form a coalition to fight back against the corruption that has so severely abused them and topple it after recognizing the expertise they have developed in carrying out the wealthy’s will.
Pros
Explores power dynamics well
Highlights the importance of group identity and perseverance
Cons
A story often smothered by moralizing
Themes: Video Games and Technology, Identity, Perseverance
The first book in Orson Scott Cards’ Ender’s Saga series is titled Ender’s Game.
The story takes place in a universe where people pretend to be playing the games and yet are actually only beginning a fight against a very strong foe.
Epic fighting sequences are present in Ender’s Game, which also has a stunning twist in the finale.
Pros
Brilliantly written fighting scenes
Shocking twist in the plot
Cons
Inconsistent at times
Themes: Video Games and Technology, Competition, Reality
One major theme unites The Martian as well as Ready Player One: the ambition of the lead character to overcome nearly impossible obstacles in order to accomplish their goal.
Wade risked everything to enter the OASIS universe, and the very first man to step foot on Mars now confronts a similar battle for survival.
The Martian is indeed a contemporary science fiction classic that well deserves to have a successful movie adaptation.
Pros
A smart, funny, and intense read
The heartwarming and thought-provoking survival theme
Cons
Factual, scientific style doesn’t work for some readers
Themes: Perseverance, Identity
Final Thoughts
The novels on this list were chosen because they are similar to Ready Player One, whether it’s a love of nostalgia and allusions to bygone eras of culture, a setting that is based in virtual reality, the narrative of a young plucky rebel, or any other similarity.
If you make a list of all the reasons why you adore Ready Player One, you’ll undoubtedly find at least one of them in every single book on this list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Book Is The Best On This List?
All of the books on this list are fantastic reads and similar in theme to Ready Player One.
If you enjoyed Ready Player One, you’re bound to love any of the above books – so why not try out a few as different people will have different favorites?
What Is The Best Way To Enjoy These Books?
If you purchase the books on Amazon, you have a choice between paperbacks, hardbacks, kindle editions, and audio versions.
Whichever mode you choose depends on your own individual preferences.
While some people prefer a physical book, others may benefit from adding books to their portable kindle library.
Emiko is a passionate reader of fiction books. She was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan but holds a dual-citizinship in the U.S. After graduating from the prestigious University of Tokyo with a degree in Literature, Emiko decided to pursue her love of writing and moved to New York City. She quickly established herself as a successful independently published novelist (using a pen name), with her works being praised for their unique blend of Asian and Western influences.
In addition to writing, Emiko also loves to read. She tries to read at least one book a week and often visits local bookstores to find new gems. She is currently working on her sixth novel and continues to explore the world of literature with her exclusive writing for RT Book Reviews. Emiko believes that books are the key to understanding the human experience and strives to share her love for books with other readers.
