IN THE YEAR 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. 

But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win—and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.

There’s always something to be said about a novel that inspires a movie. I had never heard of this novel until the 2018 movie was released. Science fiction movies are always hit and miss with me. So, I thought it might be time to finally read the novel, after recently rewatching the movie on Netflix.

It’s always hard to engage with a novel when you have seen the film counterpart first. Fortunately, this one of those novels that is similar enough while being different enough to keep my attention. Too often it’s difficult to enjoy both adaptations of the same story, but I really enjoyed this one. I found that I didn’t mind that the story isn’t completely centered around the same location, that many elements about the characters and even the story line had been changed to be more appropriate thematically speaking. That is why I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys these types of novels, and has enjoyed the film.

Ernest Cline does a great job of creating a futuristic dystopian world that I found to be relatable and possible. It’s easy to see how our world could easily turn towards a simulated world that allows everyone to ignore the real world problems. I mean, isn’t that why social media apps are so popular now?

One element of the novel that I liked the most was the character of Wade/Parzival. In the movie, the audience doesn’t get a lot of the backstory or even information about the character. Instead, we get a quick snapshot of him before the film pushes more into the pursuit for Halliday’s quests and the discovery of his life. The novel allows you to feel more connected to Wade and his pursuit for the egg, while allowing the reader to understand his motivations/thoughts at a deeper level.

Speaking of Halliday’s quests, I really appreciated the differences in the books quests and those used in the film. This allowed me the opportunity to enjoy the challenges Wade was encountering, without fulling knowing how things would play out in the end. This is especially true as the story pushes into the final gate, when the IOI’s actually obtain the crystal key before the Gunters.

This is the kind of novel that I would enjoy reading with my students if I could get a copy that didn’t discuss Wade’s virginity or views on masturbation. I’m not a prude, and I realize that these are facts of life. But I would never be allowed to read this novel because it would be too controversial in a school setting. Nevertheless, it’s definitely a novel that will be added to my classroom library.