2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Ernest Cline‘s book, Ready Player One.


***Please remember to mark spoilers.***

Participants: Joan, Eirelyn, Scott, LIndsay, Susy, Brianna, Bethany, Colleen, Kristin, Julia, Sabrina, Greer, Camille, Susan, Vicky, Robin, Kari, VIshnu, Mikayla, Kristy

Suggested break down of reading so that you can check in and let us know how you're doing. The following breakdown is purely a suggestion and is therefore not set in stone.

Rather than putting dates for each section I've done it so that it takes into account that not everybody will necessarily have the book at the same time.

Week 1: 94
Week 2: 94
Week 3: 94
Week 4: 94

If I can, I'll jump in on this in January! I've been wanting to do a reread before the movie is released.

I would like to join this too please.

Lindsay wrote: "I would like to join this too please."

I have added you to the list of participants!

Brianna wrote: "If I can, I'll jump in on this in January! I've been wanting to do a reread before the movie is released."

There's a movie coming out? O no, that means I should read it too😳

Susy wrote: "Brianna wrote: "If I can, I'll jump in on this in January! I've been wanting to do a reread before the movie is released."

There's a movie coming out? O no, that means I should read it too😳"

Should I add you to the list of participants? :)

Mary Pat wrote: "Should I add you to the list of participants? :)"

Waiting for it to come through at the library, I'm gonna give it a shot 🙃, so yes please....

So how do you do reading budes because I want to start do this. But I do not know to start

I'm planning on starting this one today! I can't wait.

Bethany - you basically just make comments about the book whenever you want to. Just make sure to use the spoiler tags in case others aren't as far in the book as you are.

Bethany wrote: "So how do you do reading budes because I want to start do this. But I do not know to start"

It's pretty easy! If you want to join this buddy read, you simply post here or in the Buddy Reads Intro thread here and let us know! I will add you to the list of participants. Then all you have to do is read the book and post your thoughts and comments in the thread for that book.

We do ask that you mark spoilers so if someone is at a different stage of the book than you, you don't give away any major plot developments!

Be sure to check out the first post (here) for more details!

Would you like me to add you to the participants list for this book?

I just read the first part (0000). I love that it references the 80's. I had looked up everything on the computer as I went along.

Joan wrote: "I had looked up everything on the computer as I went along."

Wow, talking about commitment! 👍

They were actually some thing I didn't remember from the 80's so it was sort of fun.

Please add me! This book is hard to put down, really enjoying it!!!

Grmpf, still waiting for my copy to arrive....

I’ve read through chapter 13. I’m enjoying it. I love all the 80’s stuff. I didn’t completely know what it was about. I just knew a lot of people recommended it.

I'd like to join if it's not too late yet:)

Julia wrote: "I'd like to join if it's not too late yet:)"

It's never too late (unless the month has passed of course....)!

My heart felt like it just dropped and I broke out in sweats. I’m loving this book.

Brianna, Bethany, Colleen, Kristin, Julia - I have added you to the list of participants! Enjoy!

Add me to this one too please. I have wanted to read this for so long.

I would have loved to be a part of this group, however my library has a very long wait list so I won’t have the book till the end of the month.... maybe next time.

Michelle wrote: "I would have loved to be a part of this group, however my library has a very long wait list so I won’t have the book till the end of the month.... maybe next time."

Not sure when mine will come in.....

I'd like to be added to this please.. It's the perfect excuse to start in on my 2018 tbr.

Add me to the list please will try to get the book this week

I just put a hold on it from the library, I'd love to join.
Hopefully if arrives very soon.

If I didn't have a million errands to do this afternoon and work this evening I'd probably be done with this book. I got through "Level One". It is hard to put it down. I'm trying not to pick it up now because I have a ton of work to do.

What a lonely life the main character leads. I can see how with computers we could get to this point in the future. I think my copy of the book is the movie cover. Normally I don't like that but for this book I do. On the front they have the travel trailers stacked up on it and that is where they live. I'm glad I have that in my head while reading the book. It helps me visual it. I think the world building in this one is really fun.

I've read through chapter 16. (view spoiler)[ I thought in the beginning that IOI would figure out his identity but then he seemed so sure they wouldn't figure it out that I was still very shocked when they called him by his real first name. That's when I felt like my heart dropped when I was reading it. I really like the suspense in this book (hide spoiler)]

I have my hands full with a couple other books at the moment, but I hope to get to this one soon! :D I'm glad to see a lot of you are enjoying it. That makes me excited to get started.

Sabrina wrote: "If it’s not too late could I join?"

Of course Sabrina, welcome!

Sabrina, Greer, Camille, Susan & Vicky - I have added you to the list of participants!

I have been planning to read this for a while. Can I join too?

I started the audiobook because the wait list for the ebook/book in my public library is so long, I won’t get it in time to be a part of this buddy read; I hope it’s not too late to join.

You must like the 80s, be into games and VR to enjoy this book. I can’t stop listening because I want to see what happens between the 80s movie, music and video game references. I’m on chapter 16.

(view spoiler)[ I feel sorry for Wade. What a sad, lonely life he leads - to only have enjoyment in the Oasis which makes me think of the immersive world in The Matrix. I can’t believe IOI tried to kill Wade. I hope he retaliates.
(hide spoiler)]

I’m on Level 2, chapter 24.

(view spoiler)[ I used to love to hear Max Headroom talk because of the glitch.

(hide spoiler)]

I'd like to join this Buddy Read, please.

Add me to this buddy read, please!

I'm interested to see how much of the 80s references they'll retain in the movie; from the initial trailer I saw, I didn't realize how 80s-obsessed the book was (which made it a pleasant surprise!).

I'd like to join this. What's the next step ?

Robin, Kari, VIshnu - I have added you to the list of participants! All you have to do now is read the book and participate in the discussion.

It is especially important that participants mark spoilers appropriately so that the book’s contents are not revealed to someone who is not as far along as others is the group. You can mark spoilers by placing [spoiler] before the text and [/spoiler] after the text using <> instead of [].

Check out the first post (here) for more information about Buddy Reads!

Let me know if you have any questions!

I just completed Level 2. It has lost it's luster a little bit for me but I'm still having fun with it. It is sort of how I get when there is an infinitely long chase scene in an action movie. Sometimes I just feel like end it already. I'm not completely that way with the book because there are a lot of parts that have kept up my interest.

Kristin - Thanks for that site that you posted. I think maybe those popular people from the 80's were left out just because they weren't Cline's favorites.

So in Level 2 (view spoiler)[ he loses all his avatar friends and now he really has nobody. I feel sorry for him. The big company aspect of the Sixers is a fun part of the book. I find it interesting what lengths he has to go through to protect his identity from them and how many things he has to do to protect his avatar. It will be interesting to see if they clue he found about clearing the third gate will bring him and his friends together against the Sixers. (hide spoiler)]

Loving the 80’s references. The funny thing is during the 80s I hated a lot of the music and much preferred 60s and 70s. I was really bad at those 80s video games but definitely dropped a lot of quarters at the arcades. Really enjoying the book so far.

I finished this yesterday. I thought Level 3 was a little better than Level 2 (view spoiler)[ I didn't expect him to go undercover at IOI and steal the information. I thought that would be a good part for the movie also. As I was reading the book I was trying to figure out how they would do a lot of the parts in the movie. I kind of predicted that Shoto wouldn't be one of the ones that would be able to unlock the gate. I did think he was going to die off as well but I'm glad that he didn't. I though that Aech's identity was a funny scene in the book. I enjoyed that. I figured that quarter would be the key to him completing the game on his own. I guess I was kind of expecting the happy ending. (hide spoiler)]

I ended up rating it a 4 star book just because I felt like I predicted some parts. There were a lot of great parts in this book though and some great surprises. I really enjoyed it.

What did you all think?

Still waiting on my copy from the library :'(

My library hold came in, will start reading this week.

Mikayla wrote: "Please add me"

Done!

Mikayla wrote: "Thank you. Not sure how long it will take for the library to get it. Or how long it'll take for me to read it either as I'm joining a couple other challenges this month.

Can I start mid month? "

Sure you can Mikayla! Everybody starts in his own time and reads in his own pace, so no worries. I'm still waiting for my copy too.

Joan wrote: "I finished this yesterday. I thought Level 3 was a little better than Level 2 [spoilers removed]

I ended up rating it a 4 star book just because I felt like I predicted some parts. There were a lo..."

I liked Level 1 the best and I agree it dipped in 2 and then improved again in 3. I have also rated 4 stars although I thought it was going to be 5 when I was reading the first part. (view spoiler)[ I liked all the scene setting at the beginning and then felt it was all wrapped up too quickly and conveniently. I also knew that the quarter was going to be the key to it all (pardon the pun). (hide spoiler)]

Lindsay - It looks like we had the same take on the book!

Kristin wrote: "I saw just saw your post, Lindsay! Glad you liked the book, overall. I too thought Level 2 was a little slower, at least the first half of it, but my biggest criticisms of the book were fairly cons..."

I'm looking forward to seeing the film now. It will be interesting to see how close it comes to the images in my head! I think it might have a pretty good soundtrack too.

Kristin wrote: "I saw just saw your post, Lindsay! Glad you liked the book, overall. I too thought Level 2 was a little slower, at least the first half of it, but my biggest criticisms of the book were fairly cons..."

Yes! That’s why I joined the buddy read, so I can read the book before the movie comes out.

Susy wrote: "Kristin wrote: "I saw just saw your post, Lindsay! Glad you liked the book, overall. I too thought Level 2 was a little slower, at least the first half of it, but my biggest criticisms of the book ..."

I generally like to read the book first before I have someone else's version in my head.