Ready Player OneReady Player One
Score Modern
What it's about
In 2045, the world is in crisis, and most people escape into the OASIS, a vast virtual reality universe. When the OASIS's eccentric creator, James Halliday, dies, he leaves behind a contest: whoever finds the Easter egg hidden in the OASIS inherits his fortune and control of the system. Wade Watts, a poor teenager living in a stack of trailers, joins the hunt, using his obsessive knowledge of the 1980s pop culture Halliday loved.
Why it's worth reading
It was a #1 New York Times bestseller, a PBS Great American Read pick and a Steven Spielberg film. It's a fast, fun adventure packed with nostalgia.
You'll love it if you liked
The Hunger Games
Red Rising
11/22/63Good to know
The '80s references are constant. Some readers love them, and some find them exhausting.
By the numbers
- Readers84 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller92 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #16 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #88 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #160 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking, Dark
If you like this, read next
Scythe
Skyward
Thief of Time
Ender's Game
The Sword of Kaigen
The Alloy of LawExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Ready Player One worth reading?
Yes. It was a #1 New York Times bestseller, a PBS Great American Read pick and a Steven Spielberg film. It ranks #160 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 84.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Ready Player One about?
In 2045, the world is in crisis, and most people escape into the OASIS, a vast virtual reality universe. When the OASIS's eccentric creator, James Halliday, dies, he leaves behind a contest: whoever finds the Easter egg hidden in the OASIS inherits his fortune and control of the system. Wade Watts, a poor teenager living in a stack of trailers, joins the hunt, using his obsessive knowledge of the 1980s pop culture Halliday loved.
How long does it take to read Ready Player One?
About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Ready Player One?
If you liked it, try The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Red Rising by Pierce Brown or 11/22/63 by Stephen King.