Book review Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline – Ready Player Two is a science fiction novel by Ernest Cline, published in 2020. It is the sequel to Cline’s 2011 novel Ready Player One, which was made into a film in 2018.
Ready Player Two received mixed reviews upon its release. Some readers enjoyed the nostalgia and pop culture references, while others found the plot to be overly derivative and the writing to be lacking in depth. Overall, the book is likely to appeal most to fans of the first book and those who enjoy science fiction and pop culture.
Book review Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
The story begins with the protagonist, Wade Watts, inheriting control of the OASIS and its creator’s fortune after winning a virtual treasure hunt in the first book. As the new owner of the OASIS, Wade is responsible for maintaining and improving the virtual reality world, as well as managing the company that runs it. However, he soon discovers that there is another Easter egg hidden within the OASIS, left by its creator James Halliday, and that a new villain is determined to find it at any cost.
The villain, Nolan Sorrento, is the head of a company called Innovative Online Industries (IOI), which seeks to control the OASIS and use it for profit. Sorrento is determined to find the Easter egg and will stop at nothing to get it, even if it means violence and destruction. In order to protect the OASIS and find the Easter egg before Sorrento does, Wade and his friends and allies must once again embark on a virtual treasure hunt, facing challenges and obstacles inspired by Halliday’s obsessions with 1980s pop culture.
Throughout the book, the characters navigate the virtual world of the OASIS and the real world, facing dangers and encountering a range of characters, both good and evil. They must solve puzzles and riddles, overcome physical and mental challenges, and outsmart Sorrento and his minions. Along the way, they encounter old friends and make new ones, and learn more about the history and secrets of the OASIS and Halliday.
As the treasure hunt progresses, the characters confront their own personal demons and struggles, and learn about the importance of friendship, loyalty, and the power of imagination. In the end, they must confront Sorrento and his army in a final showdown, where the fate of the OASIS and the Easter egg are decided.
Ready Player Two is a fast-paced and action-packed novel, filled with nostalgia and pop culture references from the 1980s.
Book characters Ready Player Two
In Ready Player Two, the main characters are:
Wade Watts: The protagonist of the story, Wade is a young man who won a virtual treasure hunt in the first book and inherited control of the OASIS and its creator’s fortune. He is intelligent, resourceful, and determined, and is devoted to protecting the OASIS and its users.
Aech: Wade’s best friend in the OASIS, Aech is a virtual avatar who helps Wade on his treasure hunt. Aech is loyal, funny, and kind, and the two have a strong bond. In the real world, Aech is a lesbian African American girl.
Art3mis: A fellow treasure hunter and Wade’s love interest, Art3mis is a skilled and determined fighter who helps Wade on his quest. She is independent and strong-willed, and has a deep love for the OASIS and its creator.
Shoto: Another treasure hunter and friend of Wade’s, Shoto is a Japanese teenager who is skilled in martial arts and technology. He is loyal and brave, and helps Wade on his quest.
Samantha Cook: Wade’s aunt and legal guardian, Samantha is a kind and caring woman who supports Wade in his efforts to protect the OASIS.
Nolan Sorrento: The main antagonist of the story, Sorrento is the head of IOI, a company that seeks to control the OASIS and use it for profit. He is ruthless, greedy, and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
James Halliday: The creator of the OASIS and the main character of the first book, Halliday appears in the story as a virtual avatar and as a voice in Wade’s head. He is a reclusive and eccentric genius who left behind a series of challenges and clues for others to find.