Ready Player One
My Reading Memory
My favorite reading memory is the first time I read the book Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. The book follows the hunt for an "Easter egg" hidden inside the world's largest video game ever created: the OASIS. The OASIS is a virtual reality simulator where players are able to get away from the pollution, famine, and disease of the future. The creator of the OASIS, James Halliday, has died and left all of his fame, fortune, and other assets to whoever can find the Egg first. The novel's main character, Wade Watts, is the first to correctly ascertain the meaning of Halliday's first clue and the first to find the first of three keys needed to find the Egg. This puts Wade in a situation where he is targeted for blackmail and assassination not only in the OASIS, but also in reality.
I enjoyed this book so much because I felt that Wade was actually there in front of me telling his story. The characters, storyline, and the many situations the characters faced were all extremely well written. The characters were deep and each had their own flaws and strengths, just like real people. The storyline was very original, with one review likening it to be "A cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Matrix". Overall, this novel was the best book I have ever read, and I sincerely hope that the author writes more books like it.