Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline
2020 / 366 pgs

A wave of euphoria enveloped over me when a message appeared across my phone screen stating an author I follow just released Ready Player Two. Clicking on the optioned from Amazon, I purchased and downloaded the book with much anticipation. Keeping my hopes down that this will be as astonishing as Ready Player One. I opened my app on the tablet, sat down with a nice cup of coffee, and proceed to jump deep back into the OASIS. 

Keeping expectations low, not believing that I’m reading another Ready Player One with all the geek bravado and references to make any 80’s nerd gush in joy. I honestly expected the same amount of connections utilized in Armada and wasn’t disappointed.

The plot is similar; our four protagonists unexpectedly start a new Halliday quest with an unknown prize at the end. The differentiation is the why with the antagonist is someone of a familiar face, although unexpected.  Symbolism is used but not made explicit; however, a good Tolkien geek might catch it, and it brought a smile as the plot played out. While I figured what the ending would be, it still didn’t rune anything of the story.

Please, dear reader, if you don’t catch it, don’t worry; it doesn’t even begin to diminish this story or make it lose it’s meaning.  If you do, and it’s swift, enjoy.

Yes, I recommend this book.  Like that was even a question.  If you enjoyed Ready Player One, you’d enjoy this continuation. 

Favorite Quote: “There it was: number 42. Another of Halliday’s jokes—according to one of his favorite novels, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the number 42 was the “Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything.”

Crack open a good book and enjoy the coffee!

Lopaka

Side Note:  While editing and adding links to my previous posts, I realize how far I have come with writing these reviews.  I hope that you all have enjoyed them as I have enjoyed writing them.