Ernest Cline
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The year is 2044, Earth isn't doing so well environmentally. Most people live their lives in a virtual reality world called the OASIS. The creator, Halliday, dies leaving his entire inheritance to whoever finds the 'egg' in the OASIS. This is the story of Wade (screen name Parzival), and his quest to find the egg.
I loved this story. I was immediately sucked in, wondering what would happen next, so curious about this online world. The detail of the OASIS is just amazing. You're given details of everything; from equipment needed to what it is like once immersed. If there's one thing this book has plenty of, it's detail. But not in a bad way. I borrowed this book from a friend, and he said you are bombarded with facts in the beginning, which can make it slow to read. I didn't think this was the case. I found the facts useful and interesting and is a way to get to know the mind of Wade.
I've been thinking, and I can't decide if the OASIS is good or bad for humanity. Our understanding of technology is expanding, and it might not actually be that far away that we see the beginnings of virtual realities on this scale. On one hand, there would be so much that we could do without harm to real people. Wars could be carried out with no casualties. You could still stay close to friends and families but attend that school of your dreams. On the other hand, we're already seeing a decline of actual human interaction, with nearly everybody using social media as their main port of call. Inactivity could be a major issue, with obesity and heart disease rising even further (this is touched upon in the book). People use the internet and it's anonymity to hide behind, and the moral fibres of humanity could begin to disintegrate. It's such a large debate, and would take a long time to figure out if it is worth it.
I really enjoyed Ready Player One. It's definitely a book to sink your teeth into.
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The Wee Librocubicularist
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