Ready Player Two
by Ernest Cline
Synopsis:
Days after winning OASIS founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything. Hidden within Halliday’s vaults, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the OASIS a thousand times more wondrous—and addictive—than even Wade dreamed possible. With it comes a new riddle, and a new quest—a last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize.
And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who’ll kill millions to get what he wants. Wade’s life and the future of the OASIS are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance.
Review:
Ready Player One was just a contest with a clear winner. Ready Player Two has a similar feel, but in this latest quest, most of humanity is at stake in their race against the clock. Wade and his friends must once again use clues that lead them on an exciting 80s-themed adventure.
I enjoyed the previous novel, but this sequel is even more exciting as there is a greater sense of urgency this time around. Even if you didn’t read the last book but did watch the movie, it’s easy enough to pick this up and have no problem following. As an 80s kid, of course my favorite part of this series is the 80s nostalgia – the games, movies, and music. Wade and his friends are fun characters as well; and it was great to revisit their lives after they won the contest. It’s the sequel I didn’t know I needed, as the last didn’t exactly leave off on a cliffhanger. But more about OASIS and it’s founders are revealed as well as a previously unknown danger. This action-packed, science fiction novel was non-stop suspense until the climactic and surprising finale.