Challenge Corner discussion

In the year 2045, 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. 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.

This has been voted as the Book of the Month, so I converted the buddy read thread Jamie and I were going to use.

This just came available for me so I should be starting on the first. Going to finish up my other audiobook first and then get into this.

I am doing this via audiobook. Disc 4/13 (view spoiler)[I would love a video game that lets us fully simulate movies! Man every time I start this book, I wish the Oasis was really. All the mixed elements and options... (hide spoiler)]

I'm doing audio as well. I think I'm in chapter 5. It's interesting enough but seems a bit info dumpy.

I can see that for a lot of people. Since I love just about all things it incorporates, as a huge sci-fi, fantasy, gamer and RPG (including D&D amongst many others) I think I just absorbed it better than some. But it is a lot to take in.

It's not so much that it's too much to take in, just that it doesn't flow as well as I think it could.

Jamie wrote: "I am doing this via audiobook. Disc 4/13 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[The movie simulation was really cool. Though I don't think there is a single movie that I know that well. (hide spoiler)]

How many times have you read this?

That should be fun!

Do you use overdrive? That's what I use for most of my audio.

Technically this is my third run-though but the first time, I sped though it and missed a lot. The second I started audio but got some bad discs from the library copy and had to go back to just reading it. Now I get listen and visualize everything more fully (now that I have new discs lol) in preparation for the upcoming movie. Planning to do a compare and contrast so I am taking a ton of notes this time through

Ugh hitting wrong buttons and confusing myself on reading. Gah. I blame getting up too early this morning!

Haha, I do that sometimes too!

C.P. wrote: "That should be fun!

Do you use overdrive? That's what I use for most of my audio."


This is an audio cd version. I do sometimes use overdrive but my library has a really long queue wait for this one right now.

Ah, that makes sense. I put mine on hold a month ago. I don't know that I can go back to CD now. I've gotten so used to listening at double time.

I can't quite do double. 1.5 is more my pace.

Still, yes the discs can be frustrating. From the slower speed, to having to stop and change discs.

Yes, changing discs is annoying. And I only have a CD player in my car, so that makes it hard if I decide to listen at other times. And I used to not be able to do faster speeds, or listening at all, really, but in the past two months it's started working for me.

Just finished chapter 15 and I'm actually really enjoying this now. (view spoiler)[I wonder if they are going to find and kill anyone else. I'm also curious about who H and Art3mis really are. (hide spoiler)]

I'm about to start.....is it okay with you guys if I join?

Yes! Please do.

First half of Part One

(view spoiler)[ The info-dumping was rough. I get it because this seems like a really complex world, but I was zoning out every now and then. But now that he's found the copper key I think the story will really start kicking into gear, so now I'm excited.

I don't know how I feel about Artemis and Aech. They seem really cool now, but I feel like this is the type of game to destroy good people when there's actually a real threat of someone winning. It's all fun and games until the reality of losing billions of dollars gets real (hide spoiler)]

End of Part One

(view spoiler)[ That WarGames quest was the coolest thing I have ever read! How awesome would it be to be in your favorite movie, I was geeking out. Cline's knowledge of 80s pop culture makes this book so good!

The Sixers are completely crazy. I can't even believe they would blow up the stacks like it was nothing. The way Sorrento talked about poor people made me hate him even more. I think they should have considered working together a little more seriously. It's clear that the Sixers are a near insurmountable force.

I have a feeling that Morrow knows more than he's letting on and that somehow he was connected to the comics falling over, like trying to give them a hint or something. Definitely don't think it was just a glitch. (hide spoiler)]

Gonna be starting this one tonight!

Part Two

(view spoiler)[ It is just nuts to me that the Sixers are actually killing people with impunity. Like I know they cover their tracks well, but geez. And them barricading the third gate seems pointless, because Wade has that extra guitar clue and that PacMan coin, and the Beta Capsule. I just hate the Sixers so much, I hope they lose in the most embarrassing and traumatizing way possible.

I don't even know how I feel about Artemis. (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ I have a feeling that Morrow knows more than he's letting on and that somehow he was connected to the comics falling over, like trying to give them a hint or something. Definitely don't think it was just a glitch. (hide spoiler)]

Part Three

(view spoiler)[ That ending gave me everything I could have asked for. That final face-off, with Shoto sacrificing himself and then everyone getting blown up!? What?! And I'm so happy Og got to play a role in the end, since James had been so important to him. It only seemed right. I think the notion that James had Asperger's was actually a really compelling component of his characterization, especially in regards to his inability to connect with people but his ability to create this world where people feel the most connected. Though I'm happy that Wade adjusts to reality. (hide spoiler)]

Prologue - chapter 4: (view spoiler)[ I'm loving all of the pop culture eggs already dropped but I'm anxious for the story to pick up. (hide spoiler)]

I'm in chapter 21(view spoiler)[Things kind of reached a standstill for a while there. I'm hoping that now that the next key has been found things pick back up. (hide spoiler)]

Prologue through chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ I'm really enjoying the book and some of the small "funny" moments. Such as Steven Spielberg having a character mentioned himself in the book.

But I hope it picks up pace soon. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 9 (view spoiler)[ well her attitude changed fast when she learned the truth. "You dishonest sack of crap" is one strong emotion. (hide spoiler)]

Middle of chapter 14 (view spoiler)[ with IOI in the picture he is smart to realize that they want something for him. (hide spoiler)]

Lane wrote: "End of Part One
(view spoiler)[
That WarGames quest was the coolest thing I have ever read! How awesome would it be to be in your favorite movie, I was geeking out. Cline's knowledge of 80s pop culture makes thi..." (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[
I was trying to think of all my favorite movies and determine which one I would want to be in. So many. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 5-9: (view spoiler)[ so he found the key and met the girl all in one fell swoop. Obviously they will become allies. But now I'm wondering how his friend and others will treat him knowing he has the key. (hide spoiler)]

Lane wrote: "End of Part One"

(view spoiler)[That part was really cool. Not sure that I know any movie well enough to want to do that, but the concept was really cool.

And I had forgotten about the comics! Yes, that has to mean something. Now I will be waiting to see what...I'm quite a bit farther than this now. (hide spoiler)]

Wow. Am I behind or what?! I had NO IDEA this was the BOTM. Lol. I've already read it. I hope y'all enjoy it! Is anyone excited for the movie?! Because I am effin' stoked! :D

Did you like the book? I guess so, or you wouldn't be excited for the movie. I hope it's good...

I really enjoyed the book. It was hard at first when they were really just explaining the easter egg and Oasis as a whole. I was extremely bored with that. But once the seach was on it was really good. And I am crazy excited for the movie. I cannot wait! Lol. It's so futuristic and graphics nowadays are so insane that I think it's going to be awesome.

Felicia wrote: "I really enjoyed the book. It was hard at first when they were really just explaining the easter egg and Oasis as a whole. I was extremely bored with that. But once the seach was on it was really g..."

Yes! The world-building with all of the 80s knowledge was hard to get through because it was just like a really huge information dump, but when the action starts up I was obsessed! I'm SO excited for the movie now! And now I really want to watch some of the movies referenced.

Yeah, overall I am really enjoying it. Some parts are a little slow and too info dumpy, but overall it's enjoyable. And I get most of the references, which is nice.

Lane, have you seen any of the movies it mentions?

Lane wrote: "Felicia wrote: "I really enjoyed the book. It was hard at first when they were really just explaining the easter egg and Oasis as a whole. I was extremely bored with that. But once the seach was on..."

Right, exactly! It was a lot of information to take on all at once. Because it literally was all at once. But as soon as it picked up I was fine. And I even understood some of the references. Not all because I was born in 92 and wasn't big on anything from the 80's but I did know some of the stuff. Which made it more interesting to me.

I was born in 91, but some of my older siblings were born in the 70s, so the references are surprisingly easy to follow.

The talk about Ladyhawke in the beginning had me laughing. I haven't watched it in years but it is definitely an interesting experience. I might try it again.

When Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper was mentioned I got really excited. That's one of my favorite songs. And it's also on one of my favorite movies, Strictly Ballroom.

C.P. wrote: "Lane, have you seen any of the movies it mentions?"

I've seen the super mainstream ones he mentioned like Back to the Future and the John Hughes-esque movies, which are some of my favorite movies! But now I really want to watch WarGames and Monty Python!

I don't know that I've seen WarGames. And it's been years since I saw Monty Python.

The John Hughes references are some of my faves so far!

Felicia wrote: "Wow. Am I behind or what?! I had NO IDEA this was the BOTM. Lol. I've already read it. I hope y'all enjoy it! Is anyone excited for the movie?! Because I am effin' stoked! :D"

I will admit that I had not heard of the book until I saw the trailer and the movie cover at Barnes and Noble, I thought it looked cool but now that I have read the book I'm really excited to see the movie.

End of chapter 22 (view spoiler)[ this quest/contest is destroying friendships and relationships. (hide spoiler)]

Done (view spoiler)[ wow. Those last chapters were great. How they all worked together to end the game was great. And I had a feeling that the coin had meaning and now we know.

I'm happy with the ending and felt that it was the perfect ending for the story. . (hide spoiler)]

Finished Level 1: (view spoiler)[ They blew up his house!?!? WTF?? Also, I really hope that we can trust these other gunters that Wade is friending - most importantly Aretemis and Aech. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 17-22: (view spoiler)[ who wants to bet that coin is going to mean something later?? Also I hope he makes up with Aech. That was a cool friendship and it's sad that it fell apart. And I seem to be getting about half of these references but I was only a child in the 80s lol (hide spoiler)]

Finished level 2: (view spoiler)[ the rush to the final gate begins! Pretty sure that the final task isn't just for one person by that cryptic warning. I wonder who will answer Wade's call. And here's to hoping that Sorrento goes down! (hide spoiler)]